Suffice it to say, one of the reasons for starting this project in the first place was to inform the neophyte of the dangers and pitfalls of installing Linux. If, like me, you are possessed of a spare computer that's just lying around collecting dust, then by all means, I heartily recommend taking a stab at setting up a Linux distribution on that machine. It's challenging to say the least. It can teach you much about computers, yourself, and how to handle frustration and stress with grace. Or, it could send your test system flying out a window. You decide.
iii: The System.
The Linux Project is going to be carried out on the old system I pulled out of mothballs as I said above. The system consists of the following: Motherboard: Asus Pentium II, III with onboard USB ports CPU: Pentium II 350 MHz w/512k Internal cache clocked to rated speed Memory: 256 Meg 100 MHz SDRAM module Video Card: S3 Verge w/4meg video RAM Net Card: DFE 530-TX 10/100 Sound Card: Ensoniq ES-1370 (Creative Labs SoundBlaster 64) Floppy Drive: Sony 3.5" 1.44 Meg. standard floppy * Hard Drive: Fujitsu 10 Gig IDE. ** CD-ROM Drives: HP 24X4X4 read/write, Samsung 32X8X8 read/write ***
NOTES: * Floppy drive type listed for reference only. It will only be used if required by the project. Since the system boots from the CD-ROM drive, the floppy drive could just as easily not be included. ** The system also contains a Western Digital 6 gig hard drive with a Microsoft O/S loaded on it. It will be used to operate the CD writer to insure proper disk operation at set up time. It will be disconnected from the system during the testing phase of the project, and only reconnected as needed. *** Due to its unstable nature, the Samsung drive will not be used during the research.
iv: The Criteria
Each distribution will be judged on five criteria.
The first criterion is ease of installation. This takes into account not only the ease with which the distribution disks install the distribution, but also takes into account any hurdles that must be jumped to finish the install to a point where it will boot properly from the hard drive. Most distributions are loaded directly from their distribution disks as made from ISO images available on the Internet. However, at this time, there is one distribution that installs from the net itself. I will note this distribution when I get to it in the project. Each distribution will be rated on a scale of one to five; with one being the most difficult, and five being easiest. Think star ratings here. One star is bad, five is good.
The second criterion is basic system operation. The judgment on this criterion will be made on how well the applications operate within the distribution. This judgment includes, but is not limited to operation on the Internet, operation of various applications such as spreadsheet and word processing applications. Wherever possible, this criteria document will be created using included word processing applications. Once again, this criterion will be rated from one to five.
The third criterion will be device support. In other words, I will be rating the operating system as to whether or not it finds and operates all installed cards. The ideal is that the Linux distribution under test will find and operate all cards installed in the test system. This is admittedly a subjective criterion since the list of supported hardware varies with each distribution. However, given the age of the installed cards, it is assumed that recent distributions should be able to support older cards and devices. Any variation from this will be duly noted. Also noted will be steps required to make all devices functional, as well as whether or not the devices can be rendered functional. Once again, this criterion will be rated from one to five.
The fourth criterion will be look and feel. This takes into account not only how the GUI (Graphical User Interface) works, but also the ease with which the applications operate. Also taken into account with this criterion will be whether or not the system boots directly to the GUI. Since most computer users today are accustomed to having their O/S boot directly to a GUI, any deviation from that will be duly noted. My assumption at this point is that all assembled distributions will boot directly to a GUI. This is 2007 after all. Once again, this criterion will be rated from one to five.
The fifth and final criterion will be overall impression of the distribution. This will more or less be a synthesis of all the other criteria, as well as a subjective judgment about any and all hurdles encountered during the setup and operation of the distribution under test. Since most computer users are used to pulling the operating system out of the box and having it work right the first time, this criterion will rate how close each distribution comes to that ideal. Once again, this criterion will be rated from one to five.
v: Caveats and words to the wise.
As you read the portions of the Linux Project that follow, please keep a few things in mind.
First, I am no computer expert. While I am a geek, and have been since I got my first computer, a Texas Instruments T.I. 99 4 A for Christmas almost thirty years ago, I never studied computer science in college. Everything I know about computers comes from real world experience. While I have an Associates Degree in Electronic Engineering Technology, I finished my degree at least a year before the GNU Project was conceived. I had only one class in digital theory and design. I also had only one class in BASIC as well. I am a seat of the pants geek all the way.
Second, because of the very nature of Linux, your results WILL vary! There is no way around what Linux is. It cannot and will not be all things to all people. There are many who will barely be able to get past making the ISO image from the Internet into a useable installation disk. There are others that will balk when not all their drives and cards appear or operate properly. This is more likely to happen than you might think. Trust me, I have haunted the support and forum sites on various Linux web sites. I know of what I speak!
Third, this project is not only meant to be informational, it's meant to be as fun as one can make an extremely long essay about computer operating systems. Take any and all information provided with a grain of salt. This is as much a mental exercise for myself as it is a means of imparting information to you, my reader. Try to have fun with it and remember: all you have to do to rid yourself of the demon Linux is re-install one of Bill Gates' operating systems. At least you know those will work right the first time...well, except for Windows 98. Whew, what a stinker that was...like the Linux of Microsoft.
