Mandrake 2 2 4 3

WinLinux 1 3 3 4

Installing Linux

The first Golden Rule of installing Linux is to check whether your hardware is

compatible. Before that of course you need to know your hardware. So dig out

those manuals and keep them handy during the installation. You could also visit

the Web site of the Linux vendor you chose and check their list of compatible

hardware. Beware, in Linux, Plug and Play devices can become Plug and Pray

devices!

On my first try, Red Hat did not recognize my Intel 810 motherboard despite a

specific claim by the distributor. I was more successful with Caldera but

it still does not recognize my on board sound card and the Motorola internal

modem. It turned out that my internal modem was something known as a Win modem

with no hope of Linux ever supporting it in the near future!

A good site for resolving hardware issues is http://lhd.datapower.com/

Know thy Monitor

All the three Linux distributions, which I tried out, had one thing in common.

They all ask you to describe your monitor. Unless you are lucky to find it in

their list (I wasn't), you better get familiar with refresh rates, horizontal

and vertical syncs, bpp's etc. This is one major hurdle you will have to get

through. This is when that monitor manual comes to the rescue. It also does not

help with the Installation wizard giving you warning messages saying you could

seriously damage your monitor if you make a wrong choice! Linux distributors

may kindly note. Please put some safety feature so that nobody gets hurt here.

Tip: Maintain a log book and note down the choices you have made. This could

come useful later on when you have to make any changes.

Documentation and Help

There is tons of material out on the Internet. In fact the only way you will

ever master Linux (if that's possible) is by reading and more reading. In my

first week of using Linux, I ended up printing a nice fat book of FAQs, Tips

and the ubiquitous HOWTOs. A good guide for all this is www.freeos.com. You

can also post your problem in the many Linux bulletin boards.

Good bye Windows Software

This is something, which you should give careful consideration. Installing