If you know someone looking for a really simple system to just do email, internet, chat, and some word processing, then take a hard look at Puppy Linux.
I've been really impressed at how much they've fit on a small CD, and how efficient and fast it is.
Plus, it's one of a very few Live-CD distros where you can actually save your work (it creates an in-file filesystem on any convenient harddrive, USB disk, or even a floppy, everything in one file, which makes backups a breeze too) and treat it pretty much like a normal install.
You can even install it on a USB keychain drive for a one-step portable environment.
==Joseph++
Bryan.ONeal@asu.edu wrote:
> Thanks, good advice on the Debian / Ubuntu
> I think he will like Ubuntu better, but as long as he has a few office apps, a
> web browser, and VM Ware to run his AutoCAD in, I think he will be fine. He is
> just sick of word, or ie, or (of all things) solitare, crashing his entier
> system and wiping out his cad work.
>
> For that mater I have super intendent at work who I am convincing to go lin for
> similer reasons... He get boged down with viruses and all he wants to do is
> surf, chat, and read email.. but windows seems wofully inadequate for this as it
> keeps crashing :)
>
> Quoting Joseph Sinclair <plug-discuss@stcaz.net>:
>
>
>>Linspire is not quite compatible with Debian, you have to use their
>>repositories, and that means you have to use their GUI tool (they call
>>it "CNR technology", and it should be on the desktop).
>>If you want more freedom (or just don't want to pay their annual support
>>fee), you should do what Hans does, just install Debian (unless you're
>>running an Athlon64, in that case try Ubuntu).
>>
>>OpenOffice.org 1.1 is the only thing widely supported in repositories,
>>for the betas, you'll need to go to the OpenOffice.org site, download
>>their source, and load it manually. Alternatively, is an unofficial
>>.deb build at
>>
>
> (ftp://ftp.linux.cz/pub/localization/OpenOffice.org/devel/680/SRC680_m125/Build-1/OOo_SRC680_m125_en-US_native_LinuxIntel_install_deb.tar.gz).
>
>>Again, if you're running an Athlon64, don't use these, they're highly
>>likely to crash your system if you have a 64-bit version of Linux
>>loaded.
>>
>>Firefox extensions are installed through Firefox. Any other method is
>>highly discouraged, since it'll be broken as soon as Firefox 1.5 comes
>>out in a few months.
>>
>>You seem to have the right idea for the long-distance setup with VMWare.
>> Just make sure to set up SSH to protect the VMWare session.
>>You should also be sure to lock down the firewall to only allow SSH
>>connections from a limited set of IP addresses (basically, your IP
>>addresses), since SSH daemons are a popular target lately.
>>
>>
>>Bryan.ONeal@asu.edu wrote:
>>
>>>Ok, I purchased a cheep desktop for my dad, and it comes with
>>
>>LindSiper pre
>>
>>>installed. I need to get some stuff on thier, like OpenOffice.or 2.0
>>
>>(Ok 1.9+
>>
>>>Beta), the latest firefox with a bunch of plugins, VMWare, etc.
>>>
>>>What I need is
>>>1) how do I set the apt-get repositories in LindSpire
>>>2) where can I get a GUI front end?
>>>3) any sugestions on configuring a machine for a first time linux user
>>
>>who lives
>>
>>>1000 miles away?
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