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http://mail.ale.org/pipermail/ale/2010-May/119052.html From the Atlanta Linux Enthusiasts mailing list. Way to go Aaron!!

The best way i have found to install Ubuntu, or any Linux distro, is to use an outside boot manager/partition manager. I recommend either System Commander (with partitioning) or additionally Partition Magic 7.0. SysCom does an excellent job of managing (and protecting) the boot sector tables. PM7 only knows Ext2 formatting but it's easy to reformat for Ext3 on the install.

I've installed distros on machines that have had Win98, DOS or XP (or, in my case, all three) already in place. Repartitioning from outside and creating an extended partition for the Linux swap and root partitions is a snap. I've never had a primary partition blown away using this method, even on a nasty Slackware install.

Important tip: use the alternate installer rather than the "just install this thing" cd, because you want GRUB/LILO installed in the root partition and the normal install won't give you this option and will install GRUB/LILO to the MBR. You also want to use manual partitioning in order to select the partitions previously created to install Linux. Needless to say, the installer is in text mode :)

Do not even attempt to use the idealistically-named "XP Boot Manager" or you'll have disaster. Likewise, I have had GRUB/LILO get a little obstreperous and chew at the MBR attempting to dual-boot Linux/Winxx.

As the song goes, "You gotta keep 'em separated." Using an outside boot manager will even keep XP from contaminating/destroying a Win98 install, which shouldn't happen but does, every time. I always use a third-party boot manager on a multiboot system. If you don't like/wish to pay for System Commander there are some excellent freeware boot managers out there.

Take a quick look at their "case study" and google the company involved, Mendara Systems:

http://www.ale.org/archive/ale/ale-2002-10/msg0023 8.html

http://www.spinics.net/lists/rh9/msg04983.html

I wonder if Click Defense and Mendara Systems are all the same "company."

Join mailinglists for other local groups in the geographical area in which you are interested. For example, if you wanted to launch a technical user group in Atlanta you might announce it to the Atlanta Linux Enthusiasts, the Atlanta Perl Mongers, the Atlanta .NET User Group, or the Atlanta Java User Group. Even though your new group might be unrelated to some other groups, there will undoubtably be members who are interested or know someone else who is interested. If you are concerned about posting to those groups, just contact the respective mailinglist admins to ask their opinion.

The guy/gal plagiarized from something apparently written in 1997 (copying up until the guys name), so don't expect anything modern in there.

Either you're doctv@peachlink.com, or you simply forgot to give proper attribution. Nice job getting the mod points though. The strange formatting was an obvious give away.

Info on the move

Here is some info on why ALS moved, directly from Marc Torres himself.

I'm wondering who is going to run it. I thought it was the hard work of ALE

Atlanta Linux Showcase is coming up in October. It's not as big as LinuxWorld, but its still not a bad show.
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