July 11, the last date to switch to Linux, Solaris
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Older computers 'more vulnerable to viruses'
May 29 2006 at 01:32AM
Hanover - Users of the Windows 98 operating system should soon permanently disconnect their machines from the Internet.
"This reduces the risk that viruses will exploit security holes in the system," says Axel Vahldiek from the Hanover-based computer magazine c't.
Microsoft recently announced that July 11 will be the last day of support for Windows 98 and Windows Me.
Most significantly, no more new security updates will be offered from the company's home-page after that date. Computers being used for non-Internet related purposes are not threatened by this. For other computers, however, users should consider buying a newer machine that can support a more modern operating system. Old computers often fail to meet the minimum hardware requirements for newer operating systems.
There is no real alternative to Microsoft support, Vahldiek feels. "Microsoft has never released the source code for Windows 98. That's why no other provider can fill the gap," he says.
The software maker has also declined to reveal its internal estimates on numbers of users.
"But not all that many people are still using Windows 98," says Microsoft spokesperson Irene Nadler.
Most of the holdouts are companies that operate specific applications using the operating system. Only few private users have for whatever reason chosen not to move to the newer Windows XP.
A new Windows version called Vista is expected on the market next year. -
have the CDs for Linux but the installation instructions are written by a microsoft "'plant" and are hence pure indecipherable geek. any novices achieved this instalation feat? have seen Solaris from sun microsystems around but havent attempted the instalation. anyone got any comments on Solaris instalation or use? any other FREE operating systems get a mention?
Originally posted by moweutI use ScroTum6. No problems so far.
have the CDs for Linux but the installation instructions are written by a microsoft "'plant" and are hence pure indecipherable geek. any novices achieved this instalation feat? have seen Solaris from sun microsystems around but havent attempted the instalation. anyone got any comments on Solaris instalation or use? any other FREE operating systems get a mention?
Originally posted by moweutuse a live Linux CD, such as Gnoppix: www.gnoppix.org.
have the CDs for Linux but the installation instructions are written by a microsoft "'plant" and are hence pure indecipherable geek. any novices achieved this instalation feat? have seen Solaris from sun microsystems around but havent attempted the instalation. anyone got any comments on Solaris instalation or use? any other FREE operating systems get a mention?
pop it in the CD or DVD drive, and boot your computer, it should come up in Linux. you may need to set your BIOS to boot from the CD/DVD drive instead of from the hard drive.
then you won't need to install it to your hard drive.
(you still need to back up your hard drive first, but you should be doing that anyway.)
see also: www.distrowatch.com (linux distribution news site) and www.linuxiso.org (linux download site).
Originally posted by moweutInstall Fedora Core 5 Linux. Anyone can do it, really. Everything you need to know here:
have the CDs for Linux but the installation instructions are written by a microsoft "'plant" and are hence pure indecipherable geek. any novices achieved this instalation feat? have seen Solaris from sun microsystems around but havent attempted the instalation. anyone got any comments on Solaris instalation or use? any other FREE operating systems get a mention?
http://www.stanton-finley.net/fedora_core_5_installation_notes.html
You can do it!
Originally posted by zeeblebotKnoppix kicks ass: www.knoppix.org.
use a live Linux CD, such as Gnoppix: www.gnoppix.org.
pop it in the CD or DVD drive, and boot your computer, it should come up in Linux. you may need to set your BIOS to boot from the CD/DVD drive instead of from the hard drive.
then you won't need to install it to your hard drive.
(you still need to back up your hard drive first, but you shoul ...[text shortened]... www.distrowatch.com (linux distribution news site) and www.linuxiso.org (linux download site).
Originally posted by zeeblebotyes, have seen the run-from-CD option:
use a live Linux CD, such as Gnoppix: www.gnoppix.org.
pop it in the CD or DVD drive, and boot your computer, it should come up in Linux. you may need to set your BIOS to boot from the CD/DVD drive instead of from the hard drive.
then you won't need to install it to your hard drive.
(you still need to back up your hard drive first, but you shoul ...[text shortened]... www.distrowatch.com (linux distribution news site) and www.linuxiso.org (linux download site).
http://www.ubuntu.com/
was the one I had my eye on but the download over the networks I connect on is a near impossible feat so i purchased a set of linux CD from the pirate shop. was looking for http://fedora.redhat.com but had to settle for something else.
So if the run-from-CD linux CD is in the CD ROM it has to stay there during the entire operation (on laptop/notebook) and hence the CDrom cannot be used for anything else eg. music playing and/or new software instalation from third party CD ? so if you want to instal new third party software you must boot up in windows, instal new software and then go back to the run-from CD linux after the instalation?
Originally posted by pinkthunderthanks for that link will take a longer lesiurely look later. but when it starts off like this
Install Fedora Core 5 Linux. [b]Anyone can do it, really. Everything you need to know here:
http://www.stanton-finley.net/fedora_core_5_installation_notes.html
You can do it![/b]
"These instructions assume an i386 to i686 system (32 bit) with, an "always on" LAN or broadband connection configured "DHCP"
I am not that hopefull. After deciphering this stuff and then trying to figure out what I have got, then making any of the decisions required , I have often found something more interesting to do.
I was waiting for /hoping that linux would eventually get to the stage where you could use an online installer, something like the java virtual machine installer where you just download a little bit and then the installer identifies what is necessary and downloads and installes the rest.
Originally posted by moweutthe cdrom has to stay there, unless you have enough RAM for a RAM disk to be made by Linux so that the CD can be copied to there when it boots. not sure how much total RAM is needed to to this; maybe 1 GB (that would give 640 MB for the CD, and whatever's left over for running with).
yes, have seen the run-from-CD option:
http://www.ubuntu.com/
was the one I had my eye on but the download over the networks I connect on is a near impossible feat so i purchased a set of linux CD from the pirate shop. was looking for http://fedora.redhat.com but had to settle for something else.
So if the run-from-CD linux CD is in the CD ROM it has ...[text shortened]... n windows, instal new software and then go back to the run-from CD linux after the instalation?
there are several tiny Linux distros, like Puppy Linux and D--n Small Linux, think they run around 50-60MB, not hard to fit on a USB memory stick. you'd need to make sure you can boot from USB, though. or you might be able to do the initial boot from a floppy, and the rest from the memory stick.
Originally posted by zeeblebotor get a portable USB CD drive, then you'd have two on your laptop.
the cdrom has to stay there, unless you have enough RAM for a RAM disk to be made by Linux so that the CD can be copied to there when it boots. not sure how much total RAM is needed to to this; maybe 1 GB (that would give 640 MB for the CD, and whatever's left over for running with).
there are several tiny Linux distros, like Puppy Linux and D--n Smal ...[text shortened]... or you might be able to do the initial boot from a floppy, and the rest from the memory stick.
Originally posted by zeeblebotinteresting, so possibly a 1gig USB would do the trick for the full version of knoppix/ubuntu and thus leave the CD rom vacant.
the cdrom has to stay there, unless you have enough RAM for a RAM disk to be made by Linux so that the CD can be copied to there when it boots. not sure how much total RAM is needed to to this; maybe 1 GB (that would give 640 MB for the CD, and whatever's left over for running with).
there are several tiny Linux distros, like Puppy Linux and D--n Smal ...[text shortened]... or you might be able to do the initial boot from a floppy, and the rest from the memory stick.
"Puppy Linux and D--n Small Linux, think they run around 50-60MB" these are completely unknown to me. will also search and check them out. thanks.
you're welcome 🙂 ... try distrowatch.com and note Ubuntu is at #1 in hits (people searching on the website) and D--n Small is #6. i don't see Puppy on the hit list, but this Puppy-derived one is interesting:
http://distrowatch.com/table.php?distribution=grafpup
"Grafpup Linux is a desktop Linux operating system based closely on Puppy Linux. Its goal is to be as useful to graphic designers and other imaging professionals as possible while still remaining extremely small and fast. Grafpup is a live CD of only 75MB with current versions of GIMP, Cinepaint, Inkscape, and Scribus. Grafpup is also very user-friendly, with wizards for doing most system tasks like connecting to the internet and installing to hard disk or USB drive. There is also a powerful package management system, "pupget", with a very extensive and ever increasing list of additional packages available for easy installation."