[LMB] OT: AKICOTL: UbUntu advice

[Mark Allums]

Raye Johnsen wrote:
> So, could someone please point me towards some good
> advice, that doesn't assume that I've already spent a
> year or so already with Linux?

The first place might be ubuntu.com.

"Ubuntu" is an African word.  The distribution is derived from Debian 
Linux, but you don't really need to know that.  There is a book or two 
about Ubuntu, try Amazon.

Linux is not generally a good beginner's OS, but Ubuntu is an attempt to 
make Linux a bit friendlier than usual. The Xandros distribution is 
another such attempt.  You can install any program that runs on 
GNU/Linux*; if you stick to Ubuntu packages at first, you will find the 
going much easier.  Most of the things one wants to do with a computer 
can be done with Ubuntu, you can even hack it to run your iPod without 
iTunes (although it's probably illegal to buy tunes from Apple with it; 
you will have to stick to .mp3s and stuff you rip from CD).


If you need basic questions answered, I'll volunteer.  For the guru 
stuff, you may need to find someone smarter than me.

--Mark Allums

*Your first question:  What is GNU?  GNU is a set of userland tools for 
running a Unix-like OS.  GNU stands for, "GNU's Not Unix", a sort of 
self-referential acronym.  GNU is free software.  Free as in freedom; 
free as in beer.  I am not 100% in agreement with the aims of the Free 
Software Foundation, which produced and maintains GNU, but we wouldn't 
have Linux without them.  For more information about GNU, go to their 
web site, at www.gnu.org.