My foray into Linux

I am a lover of freedom and anything associated with the term "free"(!!). I had developed a desire over time to try and use free software that cost nothing. I wanted to use Linux in my PC, but the software was nowhere near user-friendly. So, I bought MS windows XP then, a proprietary software. The desire to try Linux did not die. Now, the scene is different. Linux, though still developing, has become more user-friendly through Linux distros. I did not use the word "evolving" in the place of "developing", since it has already evolved as an alternative system to MS. Many PCs are supplied with Linux distros as OS (operating system). Distro is a technical slang for distributed application. This proves that I am updating myself on the current developments in IT. As Linux distros are flooding the market, my urge to try Linux had increased in recent times. I made some research and found that following options were available to me.

• Buy a new PC and use Linux as the operating system. This means a huge hole in my pocket.
• Load Linux as an alternative OS to my existing MS windows. This option is OK as long as I do not end up corrupting my existing system files. Recent experience of formating and loading all applications warned me not to try this option.
• There are a lot of Linux distros available that work as LiveCD. LiveCD allows PC to be booted through a CD without installation of any file on the hard drive. This suited me well, since my PC would be safe.

It is not difficult to know what I decided. Yes. I decided to use the third option given above.

• I launched a search for a suitable Linux LiveCD. There were many distros. It was hard to decide. All sites allowed me either order the CD or download free through the net. Shipping cost would be more than CD cost. So, I decided to download and burn to a CD.
• I discarded all Linux distros that did not have LiveCD operation. I also discarded that have sizes of more than 700 Mb. I need a dvd writer to burn files of size beyond 700 Mb, which I do not have currently. Further, even 700 Mb download is a herculean task with my broadband connection.
  
• I zeroed on two distros - one that is called foresight with a size of 700 Mb and the other one is called Slax with a size of 200 Mb.
• The relevant websites allowed both direct downloads and through bittorrents. Bittorrent is a technology that allows the big files broken into small packets. Downloads can be broken and resumed at our will. without losing the data downloaded between the resumptions. This means, that we do not need to download the file at one go. I decided to go the bittorrent way and a bittorrent client application was required. I downloaded a client named "Bittorrent", the same name as the technology is known by. By the way, "Bittorrent" is the pioneer of this technoilogy.
  
• I started downloading foresight through "Bittorrent". After around 50 Mb download, my PC went black with some error messages. The message said that the physical memory was dumped - whatever that means. All my peripherals stopped working, but the modem still blinked announcing that it was downloading or uploading data to/from the network. After some time, I powered off my PC and restarted. After restarting, I found that the download, so far, was not lost. I continued download. Then again, I encountered the same problem. It was frustrating.
• I looked into the net for possible solution to the problem. There is no reliable solution as of now. The problem is attributed to the internet service provider's inability to handle swarming of downloads. So, the problem is not going to go. I decided to download Slax instead of foresight. Slax file size is only around 200 Mb.
• I downloaded successfully Slax and burnt it to a CD. Burning iso file through data copy will not work. I downloaded an application called "ISORecorder" and used it to burn into a CD
  

Now, comes my first experience with Linux distro Slax:-

• I booted my PC with Slax LiveCD inside my CD-ROM drive.
• A screen came with a beautiful Slax logo in green. At the bottom, I could see the files loading after creating a root directory (of course, in erasable RAM memory).
• The file loading finally stopped with help messages at the top and a command line prompt at the bottom. (it is similar to dos prompt in MS system). I was asked for user id and password. Basic id and password were provided in the help message. This is also the administrator's id that can be used for tweaking any system files. I typed the basic id and password. Once accepted, it went to the command line again. Now, it is ready for operation of PC, but not user-friendly. At this time, PC could be operated by typing commands in the command line. Who would like to remember all the commands?
• Since the CD had a GUI (Graphic User Interface) application, similar to windows, It had to be initiated. Help screen provided the command for this operation. I typed the command and files started loading again. Alas!. My screen went black. My monitor configuration got damaged.
• Help screen provided an answer to this also. I was asked to type xconf for configuring all my peripherals automatically. Once the command was acted upon, then command line appeared again. I typed the command for initiating GUI.
• GUI application worked and the screen was alive. Windows like screen appeared. The program menu had KDE applications, like pdf reader, office suite, graphics editor, browser, etc. The package had all that are generally required by a person like me. Though the applications were not as powerful as the popular ones, they were enough to carry out most of the operations.
  
• There was a provision in Slax downloads to add any other applications as modules to CD and try them. I did not add any module to my CD still. It would be my next step in my project "Linux". The module scheme is beautiful. It allows smaller download sizes. It also gives the option to choose only the applications that user desires.
• I could open document, spreadsheet, presentation, picture and pdf files that were saved in my hard disk using windows program. All documents opened without any problem and all applications worked well. Adjoining picture shows a word processing application opened up with my name typed on it.
• I could not use my printer. My printer driver did not load automatically. I have to find out the suitable driver and add in the module section. Again, it is in my next agenda.
  
• I could not operate the browser, since modem was not recognized by Linux OS. I tried to troubleshoot and looked for a suitable driver. One driver was available for Globespan ADSL chipset, the one used by my modem. Though the chipset used was Globespan, the modem was not built for compatibility with Linux. Modem would work only with windows 98 and above, but until XP only. It won't work with either Linux or with Vista. I am stuck up here. Internet service provider does not have a modem that works on both windows and Linux. Modem was supplied by ISP an he does not have any other suggestion.
  

My experience with Slax LiveCD was wonderful, excepting the inability to operate the browser। I use browser more than any other application. I am truly handicapped on this. Modular add-ons is also wonderful, which saves many hassles with large downloads.



I could have created this blog in Linux, but for my inability to make the browser work.

Finally, Linux has already arrived!



PS: I tried hindi transliteration option in Blogger and the proof is in the next sentence।
आप सब को नमस्ते|
I am not fluent in Hindi, but this transliteration helps me to try some known Hindi words!