I've Just Installed Red Hat! Now What?

I've been a lifetime windows user so i wanted to try something new

so i tried red hat 9 and I have to say it does have some similarities with windows but not a whole lot, right now i'm kind of confused cause there's 2 programs for doing the same thing i.e. gnome and kde. I''m not saying thats bad but for someone who has been changing his desktop in one way this is something to get used to.

okay here's my request. is there any place on the web where i can learn more about linux (red hat), a place that explains stuff for ****ies. ur help would be appreciated

danke

#50136

hell yeah! i use SuSE linux and used to be as big of a **** as you are. check out the forums and other stuff for KDE at kde-look.org (i use kde, redhat has a watered down version of it, it is alot better in suse, which i recommend over red hat)

the forums there are good for asking questions and everyone is usually happy to help.

i use it for skins, icons, splash screens etc. the difference between gnome and kde is that they have different programs, skins, icons and in general are the most used (in fact i dont even know if there are any others) i use KDE which, in my mind, is much better than gnome although there are some hardcore gnome users around. i recommend SuSE linux over redhat, so go download it and install it and see if you like it too. the best thing about open source is everything is free (for now, unless SCO doesnt have its way...bastards) so you can try out many different OSes without having to go down to comp USA and spend $100, figure out you dont like it, try to take it back and....well you know how return policies on software is these days, if its opened, you cant return it.

ahhh well. i hope you have fun with linux, it is about 50 times better than windows and i think it is just about as good as OS X since OS X is built on unix. i am so used to using linux now, i try to compile .exe files i download and end up thinking "wtf! why wont this work?!?!"

have fun!

#50179

glad to here you made the switch!

im sure you will enjoy it but be aware your going to be in a long harder learnging roller coaster then like in windows. Its funny cause sometimes ill be in windows and i wanna go go /usr/local for this program i installed and im like... why is it not there?! oh yeah windows duuhh

anyways a good site to read stuff on is www.justlinux.org

they have a wicked help community.. just go there read some threads and it can help you out alot

-bolero

#50202

well, personally, I like the default Red Hat Gnome theme VERY much. The blucurve theme that is..

#50205

Hey! We're kinda in the same boat!

I'm about to put together a redhat laptop

#50210

I suggest you join linuxquestions.org, Its a great forum, and im a part of it.

Also, get a book called "Running Linux 4th Edition" by the O'Reily Group. Its the best beginner Linux book ive seen. It explains things well, and it teaches you a lot.

Here's the thing, UNIX is a 30 year old system, its VERY complicated, so you cant just get one book and learn it all, hundreds and hundreds of books have been written on it. The saying goes: "UNIX: Once you learn the first 5000 commands, it all comes together."

Id try to use Redhat as your main operating system. Then, when you dont know how to do something that you did in Windows, you go on the net and find out. Its a great way to learn whats important to you.

#50211

not to boast, i learned to use linux on my own just by reading through all the files!!

#50462

i learned linux by just installing it and going through it my self.. and then once in a while look at a book.. but id make an error and try and fix it myself and keep doing that.. or what i used to do was when i was configuring X it was such a pain in the ass.. in those days.. i finaly got it and im like.. wow im gunna mess it up again to see how i fix it this time.. lol

-bolero

#50570

I tried Mandrake but I have some problems with the mouse not working and some pakages not installing so now I am just downloading RedHat and lets see

how it goes but I am focus on learning how to use linux as an addition to my general culture.

#53632

Here's a hint:

If something doesnt work in Linux, giving up will get you no where.

Most likely, there is a very simple solution. But for us to help you, you have to tell us the EXACT problem.

This isn't Windows, the solution is almost never "just reinstall".

#53637

now mouse not working during install or after install... now packages not installing during the main OS install or packages after the OS install?

-bolero

#53639

man is your friend, learn to use it, learn to love it.

if you don't know how to use it: man man

#53662

lol i love that.. the man command to the man command

#53663

http://www.thinkgeek.com/tshirts/sysadmin/5b7e/

#53667

i've tried it for 2 weeks now and I kind of got the hang of it but Linux just seems so raw, I'm not sure if I can explain what I mean but I think it has so much more potential and that there's something missing. It might be because I'm a lifetime windows user (it felt weird using OSX too) but I find myself just gravitating back towards XP.

#53771

Yes, linux is more RAW.

But there is a reason for that. Everything is open, nothing is hidden. The innerds of the operating system are right there for you to play with.

Windows on the other hand makes things "simple" by covering up everything and making it unchangable, and the few things they let you change, are bogged down by "wizards".

Two very different experiences.

#53776

I say try to stick with Linux for a month or two... then XP will feel weird.

UNICES are sooo much better..

#53777