Linux Ready for Prime Time?

[Nancy Harrison]

Thanks for the encouragement, Troy - I just gotta sit down and
do it. I've been using what comes with the distribution up
to now. When I see something on the web that looks cool, I never
know if I can install it when I download it. Windows and Mac
stuff comes with "readme" files or "install" modules, but I'm
never sure if the Linux stuff does. - Fainthearted Grandma

>
>Installing new software on Linux is not as daunting as it might seem.  It's
>usually just 'rpm -i package.rpm' Pretty easy!  Any problems
>are almost always dependency issues which are spelled out in the failed
>install error message.   It's not always obvious which package you need to
>grab to satisfy the dependency, but a search on freshmeat or Google usually
>nets a quick answer.  Failing that, you always have your friendly
>neighborhood LUG :)
>
>It *can* be a pain installing software on a Linux system that hasn't been
>maintained as you spend more time upgrading libraries than you spend
>installing that nifty new widget you wish to use.  Once you're current,
>though, you're set!
>
>-t





-Nancy Harrison, Life Sciences Dept, Santa Rosa Jr. College
http://www.sonic.net/~vulpia/index.html
Milo Baker Chapter California Native Plant Society
http://www.sonic.net/~vulpia/cnps/mbaker.html