APCUG
June newsletter articles:
1. Mandrake 8.1
Is Linux for you? By
Bryan Lilius,
I have been a Linux dabbler since 1993, when I worked in
I stayed with Red Hat through version 6.0, and would
probably still be using it but couldn't get network services working on a
Toshiba laptop. While this may sound like a criticism of Red Hat, it isn't, as
many other people were able to get a configuration similar to mine working, and
they were patiently helping me do the same when someone suggested I might like
to try Mandrake <www.mandrake.com. The Linux world is very remarkable in
this respect there are a lot of people
willing to help you and it is very inexpensive to try different distributions.
If you have access to a high-speed Internet connection and a CD burner (and
almost everyone does nowadays, right?), then you can try any one of the
hundreds of Linux distributions for the cost of your time and the blank CDs. When I first tried Mandrake Version 6.0. I was very
impressed with how easily it installed on my laptop, recognizing all the
hardware, including the Ethernet PC-card. A creature of habit, I have been
using Mandrake ever since and have been quite happy with it.
Who should try Linux
Linux is most suited for those with a "sys admin"
outlook, who enjoy twiddling with configuration files. Web-site developer/maintainers
and software developers must give it a try it a try and see the incredible
capabilities available at little or no cost.
More and more, though, if you just want to surf the web, use
e-mail, and maybe compose your paper for school, Linux may be for you. Mandrake
Linux installs easier than Microsoft Windows (98, 2000 or XP), and is at least
as likely to recognize all your hardware and work on first boot up. There is
the possibility that you may be one of those able to free yourself from the
monolith before you get so locked in to applications that demand the Windows
operating system.
Getting Started
While most people I know who use Linux (including myself,)
have a dual boot machine, (we want Linux on our best hardware), I think
first-timers are better off trying it on the machine they have just replaced.
Right now people are giving away old Pentium II's, if
you don't have one of your own sitting in a closet, and Linux will run just
fine on them. The advantage of this is that you don't worry about messing up
your Windows machine and you have the freedom of knowing you can't hurt
anything. You should be aware that if your computer is really old (say a P-133
with 8MB RAM) you ought to get an older version of Linux. These older versions
are still available for download. Mandrake recommends you have at least 64 MB
of RAM for using version 8.1. You should also have at least 2GB of disk space
available, and 4GB is better. However, you can still obtain versions that will
even run on a 386 with 640kb of RAM from their Web site.
If you are not putting Linux on a stand-alone machine, you
must make some decisions. Mandrake provides an option of installing itself in
your Windows partition, and actually starting up from a windows command. I have
never tried this, and wouldn't recommend it. I have heard that it runs slower
than native mode.
If you have room for a second drive that you can dedicate to
Linux, then this is a better option. You won't have to repartition your
current, fully utilized Windows partition. If for "some reason" you
have just lost all your data and must reinstall Windows, then you have the
perfect opportunity to set aside a small portion of that big hard drive, create
a Linux partition, and enjoy a dual-boot machine. Before you do any of these
things, be sure to read the "install.htm" file in the top-level
directory of the first CD. This document tells you everything you need to know
to boot from the CD-ROM and install Mandrake Linux. It also shows you how to
create a set of boot floppies if your machine can't boot from CD-ROM. Other
informative reading about Linux and Mandrake can be found at Mandrake's
Web-site.
Mandrake's installation is easy and straightforward. From my
experience and reading, Mandrake does the best job of recognizing the hardware
on your machine and configuring it appropriately of any Linux distribution
available. Figure 1 shows what the screen looks like as you step through the
installation program. There isn't space in this review for a step-by-step
description of all must do, but the installation instructions will be
sufficient for most users and systems. When you are finished you will have
X-Windows and the KDE environment all configured for you. After you log in you
will have a desktop that you could in no time have looking like this screen
shot taken from Mandrake's web site.
What's included
Mandrake 8.1 comes with Linux Kernel version 2.4.8, the KDE
Desktop version 2.2.1 with the "dramatically improved" KOffice 1.1. Server features include:
support for Journalized File
Systems, a special version of SAMBA which allows Windows file sharing with
NT-like access control lists, and the Apache web server.
Some of the 100's of applications include:
* Grio500: synchronize your desktop with the Rio 500 MP3
player
* Mozilla 0.9.4: browse the Web
and try the new communication module
* XMMS 1.2.5: edit and manage MP3 files
* GIMP 1.2.2: create and manipulate photos with this
powerful graphics software
* Gphoto2: manage all your digital photos
* Grip 2.96: burn you favorite CDs
* KOffice 1.1: perform all your
office tasks
* Galeon 0.12.1: try this unusual
browser for a new kind of browsing experience
* Gnomemeeting 0.11: Share good
times with family and friends with this full-featured video conferencing
software
Availability and pricing
If downloading and making your own CD is not something you
can or want to do, you can order the 3-CD "Download" set from
Mandrake for $25 plus $5 shipping, or from <www.cheabytes.com for $10.49
including shipping. You may also find bargains on Mandrake through other
inexpensive sources such as book and discount computer stores.
If you want to jump in with both feet, Mandrake Linux PowerPack Edition 8.1 features 7 CDs, 2 manuals, thousands
of Open Source and commercial applications and installation support. The price
of $89 includes shipping and a contribution to Mandrake's Free Software
developments. Other more expensive and extensive options are also available.
Bryan Lilius is the Staff Elder at
Faith Presbyterian Church, 1307 Blanco Woods.
There is no restriction against any non-profit group using the
article as long as it is kept in context, with proper credit given to the
author. This article is brought to you
by the Editorial Committee of the Association of Personal Computer User Groups
(APCUG), an International organization to which this user group belongs.
2. Headline: Ten Years Ago
Subhead: A
look back at a column that describes the process of getting a new hard disk--in
1992
Byline: By Steve Bass, Pasadena IBM Users Group
Here’s a
quiz: Why is upgrading your IBM PC like going to the dentist? It’s not — going
to the dentist is a lot more fun.
It’s no joke.
I hate upgrading because it’s a day of tinkering with the insides of my
computer. But I had to get a larger hard disk because I switched to Windows.
Applications written for Windows take up humongous amounts of hard disk space
and there’s little chance that the trend will stop. Microsoft’s Word for
Windows, for example, gobbles up 12 megabytes and Corel Draw takes about 14
megabytes.
Most users
have hard disks ranging in size from the older 30 megabyte (the one I’m still
using) to about 200 megabytes. Larger sizes are available and many people are
looking towards the future, buying disks as big as 384MBs. I predict that
within two years, 1 gigabyte disks (that’s 1000 megabytes) will be on many
machines. But for now — with hard disks dropping in price — I recommend a
minimum 200MB hard disk on a new system or 120MB on an upgrade.
There’s more
than one way to add a new hard disk and how you do it depends on your budget
and your existing system.
Quantum’s
Plus Hardcard is not the least expensive but it is
the quickest, easiest way to upgrade. For about $400, you get 105MBs of disk
storage on an add-in card — and no installation hassles. Putting in the Hardcard will take less then fifteen minutes from start to
finish.
A friend of
mine chose a neat alternative and upgraded with a Bernoulli storage device.
Instead of a “fixed” disk — one that stays in the computer — Bernoulli lets you
remove their 90MB disk. The internal Bernoulli drive is discounted to under
$800 and is a good solution as you can buy more disks (at about $150 each) when
your storage needs increase. My friend keeps Windows applications on one disk,
shareware on another and DOS programs on a third. You’re also able to move the
data to another computer via the portable disk, an added benefit.
The
traditional upgrade path is to add a hard disk to your existing system which
means the drive you purchase must match the controller card that’s already
plugged into one of your system’s expansion slots. Older machines usually have
an RLL or MFM interface but newer machines come with faster IDE (integrated
drive electronics) controllers, the current standard. Most controller cards
manage up to two hard disks along with the two floppy drives. Some IDEs include parallel and serial ports used to attach
modems and printers.
If you have
an IDE controller, I recommend you stay with it. On one IDE machine, I upgraded
and choose a fast Conner hard disk because of their reputation for long life
expectancy and fast access time. Their 120MB model (CP30104) will set you back
about $400 and their 212MB (model CP320) is about $560.
Macintosh
owners, however, have a secret recently available to IBMs:
Small Computer System Interface (SCSI) adapters. SCSI, pronounced “scuzzy,” lets you attach up to seven devices onto one
internal controller card. If you’re upgrading a hard disk and think you may
want a CD ROM player (also called a reader) in the near future, consider the
SCSI adapter. You can daisy chain the hard disk, CD ROM player, a tape backup
and up to four peripherals.
Adaptec’s
fast SCSI adapter, the one I’m using, even lets you connect up to two floppy
drives, a valuable addition. If you choose to upgrade with SCSI, make sure you
check with the hard disk manufacturer to see which controller cards are
compatible. I tried the Adaptec with a Conner SCSI drive and had no problems.
If you run into trouble, get in touch with CORELSCSI, a Canadian company that
supplies special software for a wide array of SCSI devices.
While SCSI
offers faster access and more flexibility, it isn’t for everyone. On
uncomplicated home machines, upgrading to SCSI should present no problem and
you can likely do it yourself. But in business settings — especially if you’re
on a network — you may need to hire a technician for help.
So what will
it be: upgrade or go to the dentist? I’ll let you make your own decision. I’ve
already made mine.
Steve Bass
is a Contributing Editor with PC World and runs the Pasadena IBM Users Group.
He's also a founding member of APCUG. Check PCW's
current edition at www.pcworld.com/resource/toc/index.asp
and sign up for the Steve Bass online newsletter at www.pcworld.com/bass_letter.
There is no restriction against any non_profit group using the
article as long as it is kept in context, with proper credit given to the
author. This article is brought to you
by the Editorial Committee of the Association of Personal Computer User Groups
(APCUG), an International organization to which this user group belongs.
3. Trouble shooting
Linux with Unix tools by Darren Kressin,
Alamo PC
With the evolution of the personal computer, we are seeing
the changes in networking grow exponentially. A network enables the user to
share files and devices like printers, external zip or other drives with other
computers on the network. As more people acquire computers, the need to have
the computers communicate with one another is growing rapidly. Networking used
to be beyond the price range for the average person. With the change in
technology and drop in cost, most everyone has two or more computers and can
now have their own network. The network can range from Ethernet to token ring to
wireless. The most common as of this writing is Ethernet.
With the reasonable priced, High
speed Internet connections that are available, the inexperienced user now has a
new set of hazards that must be addressed.
The first priority after connecting to a High speed Internet
connection should be a firewall to protect the computers that are always on and
connected to the Internet. Firewalls protect the computers from hackers. This
can be accomplished with a hardware firewall device or software that is loaded
on the computer.
The second dilemma is connecting all the computers, in the
building or house, to a network system that allows the computers to access the
same Internet connection. The newly created network brings its own additional
problems that require attention. The remaining sections of this article address
those concerns.
I would like to discuss the advantages of using networking
tools designed for Unix that will run on the Linux
operating system. These tools will make it possible for a User to trouble shoot
network problems and carry out an overall review of computer security.
When networking computers together, you have additional
layers of potential problems that could and will occur. One has to either hire
someone to come in and troubleshoot the network or else the user develops the
necessary skills and troubleshoots the problems themselves. Although Windows
provide tools to address the troubleshooting process, there are more powerful
tools available elsewhere on the Internet to help a user analyze what the
problem is. This is where the basis of the matter appears.
Most networking tools for the Unix
platform are freeware or shareware. However, the freeware or shareware tools
that can be used on a Windows system are becoming readily available on the
Internet, but still lag behind most of the Unix tools
in versatility and robustness.
Unix tools have not been ported to
the Windows environment. I am specifically speaking of tools that assist a user
to pinpoint a problem within a network or security system or on a specific
computer. I am also referring to tools that are freeware or shareware. There
are tools for the Windows environment that the user could purchase, but most
are rather expensive. The tools that I have come across seem to be more
specific in nature and not multifunctional and this singularity adds to the
purchase cost.
Unix OS dates back to the late sixties. Some of the first
networking tools developed were for Unix platforms.
The only way to take advantage of these tools is to run Unix.
This is where Linux comes in. With the development and release of Linux, this
enables the non-Unix user to employ these very powerful tools since Linux is
based on Unix.
As Linux grows, the operating system is becoming friendlier
to the average user. It is fast approaching to the point of being a system that
the average user can load and start using with very little training or reading.
The Linux community is achieving great progress in the development of the
operating system. They are working hard to make the system more user friendly. This is going to allow the operating system
to grow and become more easily accepted. The system engineers are working to
integrate Linux within a Windows network environment, and are exceeding very
well.
Since Linux OS is an open source code system, all the tools
I have found are either freeware or shareware. To locate the tools on the
Internet, open a search engine and type in the type of tool that you need. That is the easy part. The hard part is determining where to trouble
shoot your problems.
You will need to have a basic knowledge of networking and
understand the flow. Both Linux and Windows have available the basic tools to
get you started in troubling shooting your network. If your problem is not a
basic TCP/IP related or related driver then you will require tools to help you
in defining the problem and the method to fix it.
One of the most difficult problems is pinpointing a bad
network card. The card from hell is the one that demonstrates connectivity but doesn''t function as it was designed. Locate the tool that
can look at packets and the flow of packets. Also having a program that can
measure TCP/IP throughput is also quite useful. Ideally, you want a program that
does both. Qcheck is such a program that will work on
the Windows operating system and does both. There is talk about porting it to
the Linux platform. This is the foundation to trouble shooting your TCP/IP
connections.
Security is the other shoe that I am going to drop. One
could be reminded of the saying, ""fight fire with fire""
in describing the following advice. Keep in mind that most of the hackers in
the world are using some version of the Unix operating
system. Hacker sites are the best places to obtain additional necessary tools
and to keep up with the cyber-criminals.
Be aware that when you go to a hacking Web site you are entering the devil''s den. I would suggest using a computer that has no
important information on it and will not hurt you if it is crashed by the
hacker. I realize this is a big risk, and this is something you will have to
consider. If tugging the devil''s beard is not your
cup of tea, then the software security industry has something just for you.
A software tool with an attitude is called SATAN. It was written by Dan Farmer and Weitse Venema. It is designed to
scan hosts on an IP network and report about well-known security
vulnerabilities. It is one of the most helpful tools that a system
administrator can use in securing their systems.
I have touched on just one area a user is going to have to
face when upgrading to a high speed Internet connection. Nevertheless, one of
the best defenses that a user can do is to ""network"" or
reach out to other users. Employ all the resources that you have available to
you. One place is the PC Alamode Organization. Avail yourself of the talent
concentrated there and don''t hesitate to ask
questions. By speaking with other club members you may discover ways to avoid
mistakes that others have made.
Darren Kressin has been in
computers since taking a basic programming course in college in 1986. Presently
he is the Network Administrator for the Alamo Area Council of Governments while
maintaining a separate computer/networking consulting business.
There is no restriction against any non-profit group using the
article as long as it is kept in context, with proper credit given to the
author. This article is brought to you
by the Editorial Committee of the Association of Personal Computer User Groups
(APCUG), an International organization to which this user group belongs.
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