Linux
I have several old computers lying around, one of which I haven't turned on in ages. It's an AMD-powered 450mhz machine originally built by Compaq, with a mish mash of parts that have been scavenged and swapped from elsewhere. For ages, I've been talking about sticking Linux on that box because it really REALLY lags running its original OS (Win 98), and it's just gathering dust as it is. So the last couple of evenings, I loaded up Red Hat 8.0 on it, which went pretty smoothly.
I'm impressed with the Linux GUI and how well it runs on that machine, which isn't exactly overpowering by today's standards. And it even recognized my cable connection coming off the router, which is good (at least it's a surfing machine now). And I can even get Samba to take a peek out there and see my Windows network.
And I'm officially at that point that separates the true geeks from the rest of us. You know, the point where you say, "Now what?"
See, I *know* that I could actually use Linux as a high tech firewall that could actually replace the non-wireless cable router on my network, which acts as a "dumb" firewall. I know that I could configure Apache as a server, upgrade my pipe at home, and run my websites off my own box. I know I could do all sorts of complicated things, if only I had the time and inclination to learn (and I may, one day).
But at the moment, I'd be really pleased just to figure out how to make my Windows network see the Linux box, and the Linux box see the Windows network (permanently), and the Linux box to become my print server. And I'd like to do it in about 10 minutes (the time I could do it in MSWin). I'm sure I can figure it out -- there's lots of stuff on Samba and Win networking all over the web -- and I will eventually, when I have the time to translate the "how-tos" I've found so far on the web into something the average end user can understand (i.e. by learning some linux).
I'm sort of a geek hobbyist -- I really do *like* tinkering around like this -- but if I have to put this sort of time into it, I can understand why most normal people are happy enough sticking with Windoze, as bad as the OS can be.
Anyway, I'm been having fun with it, but time to read some news and do some posting and watch some football and adjust the new backpack for next week's trip and get to the gym... and all that other stuff I've neglected the past couple of nights.
But if any of you can recommend a Win-Linux Networking For Total Linux Dummies guide, it would be much appreciated. :)
[Posted at 10:27 CST on 10/19/02] [Link]
