I'm a Linux newbie - I admit it. I've got less than weeks of experience wih Linux and a previous attempt a year ago was removed in favor of NT5 beta1 after I struggled with it not recognizing hardware and such - sue me.
Now, in just a few nights, I've managed to get RH5.2 on my system running X easily. I've even built a better system to house it after attempts to compile a new SMP kernel with a dual 133 box proved too slow (multiple attempts, none successful yet!). Worth noting is that it installed just fine on the hardware that failed in my previous attempt including network connectivity - yes!
Would I have done any of this or would I even be trying Linux again if it weren't made somewhat easier by RH's distribution? Nope. I'm comfortable with DOS and it's ilk, have been for years. Linux has a learning curve that's steep for a newbie and without feeling like I'm making any progress I wouldn't continue trying. Perhaps if I had someone who could help I would but I don't - and most others don't either.
So far with this install and the week old install I just blasted (my third install overall) I've managed to get GNOME up and running (RPMs made this easier), a new RIVA 128 card recognized (again RPM made it easier but not easy), and when I've got GNOME installed this time I'll again start work on compiling an SMP kernel. Oh yeah - this is now a dual Celeron 450 box vs the previous dual 133(smile).
In short, RH is making it easier for folks like myself who're comfortable with the other OS' out there to learn Linux. It's still hard when it takes me 15minutes of page flipping to figure out how to delete (excuse me RM) a damned file but that's okay. At least I'm not spinning my wheels trying to get to step one!
RH 5.2 cost me $20 and when I'm done downloading all the neat toys I'll have a box more worthy than the damned beta crap it replaced. At some point I'll get good enough with it and comfortable enough with it to recommend it to clients when the opportunity arises. This is what the community would like, no?
So, stop beating up RH or build a better mousetrap yourself. RH is making what was a more painful process easier. Not everyone is willing to spend their nights learning this stuff like I am so if you want to get others on the bandwagon you're going to have to smooth the path - RH is helping you do that!
P.S. I'll get that damned SMP kernel compiled if it kills me! I need the RC5 keys to move my score up further:-)
I've been following some of those projects for awhile. Early on some of the authors noted that at least one of the SDK downloads didn't come with the legal docs, essentially not binding them to any sort of legal red tape. As I recall 3DFX was notified of this but never changed the download. Now these authors are having lawyers call upon them? It would seem to me that if 3DFX did indeed allow an SDK to be downloaded without including any sort of legal notice that they've given up any ability to go after these guys - assuming that's the SDK that was used for their project.
I'm a big 3DFX fan and have really enjoyed my last two VooDoo purchases but if 3DFX isn't careful they're going to aggravate customers such as myself and lose their competitive edge. I believe it's time they opened up the GLIDE API and supported wrappers. This way the API would continue to be supported by software manufacturers and would likely have a speed edge on their hardware over emulated hardware.
Does 3DFX really think in this competitive environment that they can act like a bull in a china shop? Oh yeah, they did sort of cut off Diamond and the other companies didn't they - I guess they do feel that way.... (sigh)
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I'm a Linux newbie - I admit it. I've got less than weeks of experience wih Linux and a previous attempt a year ago was removed in favor of NT5 beta1 after I struggled with it not recognizing hardware and such - sue me.
:-)
Now, in just a few nights, I've managed to get RH5.2 on my system running X easily. I've even built a better system to house it after attempts to compile a new SMP kernel with a dual 133 box proved too slow (multiple attempts, none successful yet!). Worth noting is that it installed just fine on the hardware that failed in my previous attempt including network connectivity - yes!
Would I have done any of this or would I even be trying Linux again if it weren't made somewhat easier by RH's distribution? Nope. I'm comfortable with DOS and it's ilk, have been for years. Linux has a learning curve that's steep for a newbie and without feeling like I'm making any progress I wouldn't continue trying. Perhaps if I had someone who could help I would but I don't - and most others don't either.
So far with this install and the week old install I just blasted (my third install overall) I've managed to get GNOME up and running (RPMs made this easier), a new RIVA 128 card recognized (again RPM made it easier but not easy), and when I've got GNOME installed this time I'll again start work on compiling an SMP kernel. Oh yeah - this is now a dual Celeron 450 box vs the previous dual 133(smile).
In short, RH is making it easier for folks like myself who're comfortable with the other OS' out there to learn Linux. It's still hard when it takes me 15minutes of page flipping to figure out how to delete (excuse me RM) a damned file but that's okay. At least I'm not spinning my wheels trying to get to step one!
RH 5.2 cost me $20 and when I'm done downloading all the neat toys I'll have a box more worthy than the damned beta crap it replaced. At some point I'll get good enough with it and comfortable enough with it to recommend it to clients when the opportunity arises. This is what the community would like, no?
So, stop beating up RH or build a better mousetrap yourself. RH is making what was a more painful process easier. Not everyone is willing to spend their nights learning this stuff like I am so if you want to get others on the bandwagon you're going to have to smooth the path - RH is helping you do that!
P.S. I'll get that damned SMP kernel compiled if it kills me! I need the RC5 keys to move my score up further
I've been following some of those projects for awhile. Early on some of the authors noted that at least one of the SDK downloads didn't come with the legal docs, essentially not binding them to any sort of legal red tape. As I recall 3DFX was notified of this but never changed the download. Now these authors are having lawyers call upon them? It would seem to me that if 3DFX did indeed allow an SDK to be downloaded without including any sort of legal notice that they've given up any ability to go after these guys - assuming that's the SDK that was used for their project.
I'm a big 3DFX fan and have really enjoyed my last two VooDoo purchases but if 3DFX isn't careful they're going to aggravate customers such as myself and lose their competitive edge. I believe it's time they opened up the GLIDE API and supported wrappers. This way the API would continue to be supported by software manufacturers and would likely have a speed edge on their hardware over emulated hardware.
Does 3DFX really think in this competitive environment that they can act like a bull in a china shop? Oh yeah, they did sort of cut off Diamond and the other companies didn't they - I guess they do feel that way.... (sigh)