Still afraid of Linux?

[darth_nevus]

http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post...4-alpha-5.html

brilliant.. just brilliant. Ubuntu Linux, installed as a windows app. and uninstalled just as easily.

this won't crub all the windows user, but it makes for an easier transistion to linux if you want to go that route. this also allows you to test it out, without partitions, live CD's, etc. its just there!

[BlackArrow]

thanks for the link Darth.

I have been running Ubuntu on my laptop for the past 2 years. It is a wonderful transition for non-techies like me.

[CarbonFire]

Very nice

Now I just need a reason to run Linux other than "just cuz"

[-IRC-MIKE]

You'll like it! I've been running linux for the last 12 years (give or take) but mine doesn't have an interface, only command line, but I have tried several different distros. If you have a high speed internet connection (I think everyone here does) and you have considered the option of running your own webserver, email server, firewall, gateway, router, file server, game server, mp3 server, VOIP, then you might wanna check out the distro that I've been running for the last ten years: Click Here

All you need is a PC (it doesn't have to be new) with two different lan cards (if they are identical it can cause issues with drivers) and a big enough hard drive for serving files or a website. The software (home version) is free to use in a non-commercial environment. It can be configured remotely and you can purchase a domain name for 25.00 from CC and have your own website and email domain. You do NOT have to have a static I.P. address either. I'm not advertising for them, just a firm believer and satisfied customer.

~~mike~~

[juneau]

Thanks for the linkage Darth.

[-IRC-MIKE]

Yeah, thanks for the link. I'm gonna be putting it on a client's machine when I get to my other job.

[Hammy]

You'll like it!

LOL

Isnt that what Mac users say all the time?

excuse me for ending this so quickly, but the thought of Safari just made me vomit and I now need a shower

[mapes]

You'll like it! I've been running linux for the last 12 years (give or take) but mine doesn't have an interface, only command line, but I have tried several different distros. If you have a high speed internet connection (I think everyone here does) and you have considered the option of running your own webserver, email server, firewall, gateway, router, file server, game server, mp3 server, VOIP, then you might wanna check out the distro that I've been running for the last ten years: Click Here

All you need is a PC (it doesn't have to be new) with two different lan cards (if they are identical it can cause issues with drivers) and a big enough hard drive for serving files or a website. The software (home version) is free to use in a non-commercial environment. It can be configured remotely and you can purchase a domain name for 25.00 from CC and have your own website and email domain. You do NOT have to have a static I.P. address either. I'm not advertising for them, just a firm believer and satisfied customer.

~~mike~~

Hmmm I'm a little leery of telling new Unix users to run a mail server or a router, firewall or DNS. It's just really easy to be rooted if you don't know what your doing. In fact I'd rather (and do) run an appliance based firewall/router. The quick reboot thing is kinda nice.

One of the things that got me motivated to learn Unix was it could do things that Windows couldn't ...Like run Apache, Sendmail or Bind however that line is blurring. Windows can run a bunch of these services now.

The reason I like Unix is it forces me to learn whats going on. How programs run . How network protocols work. I don't just check a radio button and go "uhhh yeah ok". I have to figure stuff out. In fact if you want to learn about network security or any type of hacking I say Unix is mandatory. Although I'd prolly suggest using FreeBSD over Linux. As far as I know Unix still has the upper hand when it comes to Network hacking tools (although Windows is gaining here too). Tools like Ntop, MRTG, Cacti, Snort, Nmap, Nessus, kismet, wepcrackand P0f were all developed on a Unix platform and then later (if even) ported to windows.

I mean currently on my home linux box I run Apache, MySQL, PHP server for a mp3 server and a picture gallery. I also run file sharing and a caching/private DNS. You can do all of that from Windows. The main difference is that Linux will run faster and the learning experience.

[Devilguns]

I'm using Ubuntu with compiz fusion on a multimedia pc:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ImW0...eature=related

I just can't believe how great it runs, much faster than windows imho. It just feels so rock solid.

While I'm surfing the web, burning disks, and dl'ing torrents, there's this warm squishy feeling I get from the fact I'm doing my regular daily computing stuff on a non windows machine.

[darth_nevus]

I'm using Ubuntu with compiz fusion on a multimedia pc:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ImW0...eature=related

I just can't believe how great it runs, much faster than windows imho. It just feels so rock solid.

While I'm surfing the web, burning disks, and dl'ing torrents, there's this warm squishy feeling I get from the fact I'm doing my regular daily computing stuff on a non windows machine.

Thats sweet! compiz/fusion?

i like that look ALOT better than the defaault ubunut theme.i so gotta give that a try...

[Devilguns]

If your using the latest version of Ubuntu it's already in there

http://www.howtoforge.com/compiz-fus...eforce-fx-5200

I was running this while some friends were over on my 46" Bravia and the best quote I heard from someone was, "Wow, this looks like something from the future."

[RadarBait]

I have dual boot, XP for gaming and Fedora. My hubby is an Engineer at Red Hat w00t!

[-IRC-MIKE]

You'll like it! I've been running linux for the last 12 years (give or take) but mine doesn't have an interface, only command line, but I have tried several different distros. If you have a high speed internet connection (I think everyone here does) and you have considered the option of running your own webserver, email server, firewall, gateway, router, file server, game server, mp3 server, VOIP, then you might wanna check out the distro that I've been running for the last ten years: Click Here

All you need is a PC (it doesn't have to be new) with two different lan cards (if they are identical it can cause issues with drivers) and a big enough hard drive for serving files or a website. The software (home version) is free to use in a non-commercial environment. It can be configured remotely and you can purchase a domain name for 25.00 from CC and have your own website and email domain. You do NOT have to have a static I.P. address either. I'm not advertising for them, just a firm believer and satisfied customer.

~~mike~~

Hmmm I'm a little leery of telling new Unix users to run a mail server or a router, firewall or DNS. It's just really easy to be rooted if you don't know what your doing. In fact I'd rather (and do) run an appliance based firewall/router. The quick reboot thing is kinda nice.

One of the things that got me motivated to learn Unix was it could do things that Windows couldn't ...Like run Apache, Sendmail or Bind however that line is blurring. Windows can run a bunch of these services now.

The reason I like Unix is it forces me to learn whats going on. How programs run . How network protocols work. I don't just check a radio button and go "uhhh yeah ok". I have to figure stuff out. In fact if you want to learn about network security or any type of hacking I say Unix is mandatory. Although I'd prolly suggest using FreeBSD over Linux. As far as I know Unix still has the upper hand when it comes to Network hacking tools (although Windows is gaining here too). Tools like Ntop, MRTG, Cacti, Snort, Nmap, Nessus, kismet, wepcrackand P0f were all developed on a Unix platform and then later (if even) ported to windows.

I mean currently on my home linux box I run Apache, MySQL, PHP server for a mp3 server and a picture gallery. I also run file sharing and a caching/private DNS. You can do all of that from Windows. The main difference is that Linux will run faster and the learning experience.

There is nothing to it. I was a unix/linux noob when I first installed it, and I guarantee you that it is one of if not THE most secure version out of the box that there is. Not to mention free. But I have never had a server hacked.. millions of tries.. but never compromised. All of the configurations are from a web-based interface on port 81, where you can also create your new users and groups. Of course you want to avoid root logins remotely, but in 20 minutes after you put the disk in the drive, you're up and running with Apache, Samba, Squirrel Mail, ... well you know...everything. It didn't take me long to learn the do's and dont's, and if the linux noob ever screws it up it only takes 20 minutes to be back up and running again with a new copy.

Not only that, updates do not require rebooting or burning a new disk. The updates AND upgrades are done easily from the web interface, or from a command prompt.

The first thing unix noobs ask, though, is something like "Can I install Lindows or X-windows" which is not a good idea on a server in the first place. It is pretty hard to screw up a cc box. You actually have to TRY to do it and the only way to compromise the system is to give out the root password. Snort is commonplace.

[mapes]

You'll like it! I've been running linux for the last 12 years (give or take) but mine doesn't have an interface, only command line, but I have tried several different distros. If you have a high speed internet connection (I think everyone here does) and you have considered the option of running your own webserver, email server, firewall, gateway, router, file server, game server, mp3 server, VOIP, then you might wanna check out the distro that I've been running for the last ten years: Click Here

All you need is a PC (it doesn't have to be new) with two different lan cards (if they are identical it can cause issues with drivers) and a big enough hard drive for serving files or a website. The software (home version) is free to use in a non-commercial environment. It can be configured remotely and you can purchase a domain name for 25.00 from CC and have your own website and email domain. You do NOT have to have a static I.P. address either. I'm not advertising for them, just a firm believer and satisfied customer.

~~mike~~

Hmmm I'm a little leery of telling new Unix users to run a mail server or a router, firewall or DNS. It's just really easy to be rooted if you don't know what your doing. In fact I'd rather (and do) run an appliance based firewall/router. The quick reboot thing is kinda nice.

One of the things that got me motivated to learn Unix was it could do things that Windows couldn't ...Like run Apache, Sendmail or Bind however that line is blurring. Windows can run a bunch of these services now.

The reason I like Unix is it forces me to learn whats going on. How programs run . How network protocols work. I don't just check a radio button and go "uhhh yeah ok". I have to figure stuff out. In fact if you want to learn about network security or any type of hacking I say Unix is mandatory. Although I'd prolly suggest using FreeBSD over Linux. As far as I know Unix still has the upper hand when it comes to Network hacking tools (although Windows is gaining here too). Tools like Ntop, MRTG, Cacti, Snort, Nmap, Nessus, kismet, wepcrackand P0f were all developed on a Unix platform and then later (if even) ported to windows.

I mean currently on my home linux box I run Apache, MySQL, PHP server for a mp3 server and a picture gallery. I also run file sharing and a caching/private DNS. You can do all of that from Windows. The main difference is that Linux will run faster and the learning experience.

There is nothing to it. I was a unix/linux noob when I first installed it, and I guarantee you that it is one of if not THE most secure version out of the box that there is. Not to mention free. But I have never had a server hacked.. millions of tries.. but never compromised. All of the configurations are from a web-based interface on port 81, where you can also create your new users and groups. Of course you want to avoid root logins remotely, but in 20 minutes after you put the disk in the drive, you're up and running with Apache, Samba, Squirrel Mail, ... well you know...everything. It didn't take me long to learn the do's and dont's, and if the linux noob ever screws it up it only takes 20 minutes to be back up and running again with a new copy.

Not only that, updates do not require rebooting or burning a new disk. The updates AND upgrades are done easily from the web interface, or from a command prompt.

The first thing unix noobs ask, though, is something like "Can I install Lindows or X-windows" which is not a good idea on a server in the first place. It is pretty hard to screw up a cc box. You actually have to TRY to do it and the only way to compromise the system is to give out the root password. Snort is commonplace.

My point is by all means fire up a Linux server. I would suggest setting it up on a internal network first and firguring out stuff there. Then moving from that to a box that serves content/routes out to the internet. Plus it makes debugging easier instead of swapping in and out a router appliance when your linux server has died to get info from the web.


My point about snort isn't that its common it's that it was first developed on Unix then later ported to windows.

[-IRC-MIKE]

ROGER!

Yeah, during the install of CC, you can choose to have it install as a "Standalone" or "Gateway". The standalone, of course, would be the option you are suggesting as a LAN pc, which if you port forward through your current router properly, you can leave it as a standalone web server, as well. Some people prefer not to use it as a gateway but it works just as well either way.