[techtalk] newbie

[Caitlyn Martin]

Hi, Sue,
>
> Hope I'm not intruding.  I have just joined the group because I'm looking
> for help/assistance/support/etc.

Welcome!  You're not intruding.  We're here to help.
>
> I've been a PC user on Microsoft software for 12 years and I'm wanting to
> make the switch to linux on my home pc.

There will be a learning curve, and you'll probably hate the change for a 
week or so.  Then, once you get used to things, you'll wonder how you ever 
managed with that Microsoft stuff :)

My recommendations for distribution would be 1) Linux-Mandrake 8.0, 2) 
Caldera OpenLinux eDesktop 3.1, or 3) Red Hat Linux 7.1.  Only #3 is in the 
stores so far, but #1 should be any day now.  Caldera is the easiest install, 
followed by Mandrake.  Mandrake bundles the most applications and has lots of 
nice graphical tools to make your life easy after installation.  Red Hat is 
second in that area, with Caldera being just a tad bit spartan.  You 
shouldn't really have a problem with any of these three, though.
>
> I have an old compaq presario and need to know if it will linux can be run
> on it.  I'm also used to using a variety of MS applications that I'm going
> to be looking for replacements for after switching over.  I need to
> continue to have a dialup connection to the internet, email, browser, ftp,
> etc.

The KPPP dialer (simply labeled "Internet Dialer") which is part of the KDE 
2.1.1 desktop is a whole lot like Dial-Up Networking in Windows.  It's very, 
very easy to configure.  KDE is the default desktop for both Mandrake and 
Caldera, and is an installation option choice with Red Hat.  Again, I 
recommend KDE because it is simple, fairly familiar looking to a Windows 
user, and has lots of apps and applets built in.

Email and browser:  all of the recommended distributions will give you 
*several*.  Netscape 4.76 or 4.77 is included in all, as is some version of 
Mozilla.  I'd recommend upgrading to Mozilla 0.9 from whatever is included.  
The Konqueror 2.1.1 browser and KMail 1.2 mail client come with KDE and 
integrate together nicely.  IMHO, they are the best offered in both 
categories, though I have found a few sites which don't render properly in 
Konqueror.  Galeon, another browser, is in the more expensive Mandrake boxed 
sets.  Red Hat provides Armadillo, yet another browser in the early stages of 
development, on their PowerTools disk included in the Deluxe boxed set.

FTP clients:  gftp (part of the Gnome desktop) is really nice and will run 
fine under KDE.  The version shipped with Red Hat 7.1 was buggy, but a 
revised version that works well is available from the updates.redhat.com  
wxftp is another good choice.
>
> Here's the specifics on the box
>
> Pentium 200mhz
> 64 meg RAM
> 6 gig HD
> 16X cdrom
> 3-1/2" floppy
> 33.6k data/fax modem
> S3 Virge graphics card
> ethernet card
> some kind of proprietary sound card
> UBL speakers

The sound card is likely as ESS1868 chipset.  If so, it will work fine.  I 
can't comment on the ethernet card or the modem without knowing more about 
them.  I disagree with one prior comment:  6GB is plenty.  I have 7 GB.  A 
kitchen sink install of Red Hat Linux 7.1 is about 2.3GB.  Mandrake is a 
little larger, Caldera smaller.
>
> there's also a 17 inch presario monitor

No problem here.  Make sure you have the model number in case it isn't 
detected.  You may want to have the manual handy in case it isn't one of the 
listed monitors.  Most of the Compaq monitors *are* listed, but if not, 
you'll need technical specs to configure XWindows.
>
> I'll be looking for replacements for MS Office software (word, excel and a
> relationship database), Publisher (page layout), Paint Shop Pro (graphics),
> etc.

On you 200MHz system with 64MB RAM, you'll find Star Office, which was 
previously recommended, painfully slow.  I would sooner recommend KOffice, 
which will be part of your default installation if you choose to install KDE. 
 It will give you good replacements for Word (KWord), Excel (KSpread), and a 
decent vector graphics (drawing) program (KIllustrator).  GIMP is by far the 
best graphics program for Linux, rivalling Photoshop.  It's free, and will be 
in any of the distributions I suggested.  KLyx is a possible publisher, 
though much more complex than what you are probably used to from Microsoft.  
I will shy away from recommend a database application since I don't generally 
use one.  At work they are using Postgres SQL, but I cannot comment on it 
personally.
>
> Any help you can offer, resources on the web to read up, etc. are greatly
> appreciated.

A good staring point is http://www.linuxnewbie.org  They have tons of links 
from there.

Good luck, Sue!  Don't be afraid to ask questions.  You'll always get polite 
answers here.

All the best,
Caity

----------------------------------------------------
Caitlyn Máire Martin
caitlynmaire at earthlink.net
http://caitlyn.port5.com
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