- WLUG - wlug.mailman3.com

Re: Old hardware

by doug waud

Hi all When I first saw that "Old Hardware" juxtaposed to "Keith Wright" I thought I should point out I am still older. And isn't the term "wetware"? Keith Wright wrote: > You're my kind of guy. This would maybe be better as a reply > to someone else, but I'de rather talk to someone who doesn't > think 12Mb of RAM is too small to bother with. Keith, I have always wondered how much memory you have on your abacus. I am always amazed you can get emacs to run on it! :-) doug

Oct. 4, 2003

Re: [Wlug] what size/speed combo to use for a dual SCSI system?

by Matt Higgins

Brian, If you are just using this as a workstation the SCSI disks may be a bit of overkill. Don't get me wrong large reads will be fast but for the most part you will be working in a shell, vi/emacs, browsing the web, etc.. none of these operations are disk intensive. If you are interested in data integrity you could save your self a few hundred bucks and get 2 120GB IDE disks put them on different channels and use Linux to do a software mirror. RH9 will allow you to set this up at install time. If you are interested in general speed improvement I would look at bus and cpu clocks with a focus on the ram bus. It sounds like you have money to spend, you may also want to look at an SATA Intel 865 board. This board offers dual channel DDR RAM slots, SATA and regular ATA, go with the 3GHz HT cpu. Looks like any way you go you will have a screamer! Matt

Oct. 4, 2003

Re: [Wlug] what size/speed combo to use for a dual SCSI system?

by Andy Stewart

On Saturday 04 October 2003 7:57 am, Brian McLinden wrote: > Hello -- I'm new here, and hoping to meet many of you soon! > > I want to multi-boot and play with three distros for a machine that would > most likely always be a workstation, not a server. It would be for > numerical work and not involve large or many audio or video files. > > It happens that the smaller the SCSI drive, the better the performance, and > of course the smallest, fastest sizes available for SCSI are 18G and 32G. > > I'm planning to buy a matched pair of drives in order to spread the > partitions for each distro across the two drives. > > Two questions: > > 1. I'd like to use use 2x18, but in your opinion, do I need 2x32? HI Brian, I admire your zeal ! :-) I run SCSI drives in my systems at home. It is true that SCSI drives have better performance at higher cost relative to IDE. It is also true that a drive spinning at 10-15K rpms has an acoustic quality which my ears don't like. I don't think most people need 18 GB of disk space, but that's what is sold today. Folks who consume large amounts of disk space are typically saving alot of videos, mp3s, and pictures. > 2. Do you think 15000 rpm will be noticeably snappier than 10000 rpm? For your purposes, probably not. In a server environment with a large number of users, most definitely. Save a few bucks and get the U160 drives as they are trying to sell those off to make room for the (new) U320 drives. Your SCSI controller would be cheaper, too, if you did that. Later, Andy -- Andy Stewart, Founder Worcester Linux Users' Group Worcester, MA USA http://www.wlug.org

Oct. 4, 2003

Re: [Wlug] What mix of distros to learn with? Please evaluate..

by Andy Stewart

On Saturday 04 October 2003 7:27 am, Brian McLinden wrote: > Hi all, > > Newbie here. I am purchasing a system to learn Linux with by multi-booting. > The three distros I'm thinking of having the vendor pre-install are: > > - Slackware 9.1 > - Libranet 2.8.1 (a commercial Debian from Canada) > - some RPM approach (which of RH, Suse, or Mandrake would you > go with? why?) > > I want to learn with diverse systems that are easy to modify/reconfigure/ > maintain/upgrade after the box arrives. Would you say this a good mix of > distros fo initial learning purposes, or would you suggest I consider > another mix or approach--and why? Hi Brian, I happen to like SuSE Linux. It is an RPM based distribution which comes on 7 CDs and 1 DVD for approx. $75 for the professional edition. It has its own graphical system administration tool called YaST. I find it easy to install and operate. The company is based in Germany and SuSE is a top distribution in that part of the world. Version 9.0 is coming out near the end of October. It occurs to me that having 3 distros installed simultaneously on a computer is a bit unusual. There would have to be alot of disk partitions to support this (a minimum of 7, one shared swap, 3xboot/root). As a newbie, be careful of this, as it is complexity not normally seen. Later, Andy -- Andy Stewart, Founder Worcester Linux Users' Group Worcester, MA USA http://www.wlug.org

Oct. 4, 2003

Re: [Wlug] What mix of distros to learn with? Please evaluate..

by Matt Higgins

Brian, I would start by getting used to one distro before venturing out. If you are not familiar with Linux/UNIX at all there will be a steep learning curve before you build up your command line vocabulary. With that said I think RH is a great starter distro. The installer is one of the best, and for someone new to Linux rpm's are the best way to get you where you want fast (rpmfind is your friend). Matt

Oct. 4, 2003

what size/speed combo to use for a dual SCSI system?

by Brian McLinden

Hello -- I'm new here, and hoping to meet many of you soon! I want to multi-boot and play with three distros for a machine that would most likely always be a workstation, not a server. It would be for numerical work and not involve large or many audio or video files. It happens that the smaller the SCSI drive, the better the performance, and of course the smallest, fastest sizes available for SCSI are 18G and 32G. I'm planning to buy a matched pair of drives in order to spread the partitions for each distro across the two drives. Two questions: 1. I'd like to use use 2x18, but in your opinion, do I need 2x32? 2. Do you think 15000 rpm will be noticeably snappier than 10000 rpm? Thanks all, Brian 752-3033 anytime __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? SBC Yahoo! DSL - Now only $29.95 per month! http://sbc.yahoo.com

Oct. 4, 2003

What mix of distros to learn with? Please evaluate..

by Brian McLinden

Hi all, Newbie here. I am purchasing a system to learn Linux with by multi-booting. The three distros I'm thinking of having the vendor pre-install are: - Slackware 9.1 - Libranet 2.8.1 (a commercial Debian from Canada) - some RPM approach (which of RH, Suse, or Mandrake would you go with? why?) I want to learn with diverse systems that are easy to modify/reconfigure/ maintain/upgrade after the box arrives. Would you say this a good mix of distros fo initial learning purposes, or would you suggest I consider another mix or approach--and why? Thank you all, Brian __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? The New Yahoo! Shopping - with improved product search http://shopping.yahoo.com

Oct. 4, 2003

Re: [Wlug] Picking a distro (was: 1st posting: Worcester ISP? Distros? LAC?)

by Matt Higgins

> Thanks for your comments Matt, you make alot of good points, though I > must admit that having a package management system without > dependencies isn't an ideal state of affairs. Of course, having > dependencies which you can't override is also not a good thing > either. :] I may get jeers for promoting BSD on a Linux list but if you want good package management with dependency checks the only way to go these days is *BSD ports tree. My forward facing boxen all run OpenBSD. When I need an update I simply run cvs upd; make; make install. Granted these ports trees are limited in size and you may have trouble getting Gramps to compile but it works. If you have a box ripe for a packet filter or file server you may want to give one the *BSD's a try. > > I originally came from a BSD style init background, which I liked > quite alot, then moved to the SYSV style of /etc/rc#.d/... which I > hated at first. But after thinking it through, it's a much much > better way to do things. It lets you manage application and daemon > startup in a clean and consistent manner, without having to watch out > for other packages nearly as much. I agree that the old way is just that old! I clearly see the utility in using the sysV init its much more flexible, but if you are just running a desktop and starting a small number of services the old way is just fine. Further more Slackware provides support for the new way as well. > > I also remember getting a copy of Slackware way back in 93 or so, but > since I had an Amiga back then, I was never able to play with it and > test it out. I probably missed the boat back then. *grin* Amiga sweet! I always wanted an Amiga, I had a C64 and C128. > > Thanks to all who have contributed, it's been a good discussion. > > John When you do make your decition tell us what you chose and why ? It would be interesting to read. Of course I hope you chose Slackware! > > _______________________________________________ > Wlug mailing list > Wlug(a)mail.wlug.org > http://mail.wlug.org/mailman/listinfo/wlug > >

Oct. 3, 2003

Re: [Wlug] Picking a distro (was: 1st posting: Worcester ISP? Distros? LAC?)

by John Stoffel

Matt> Slackware is my distro of choice. I am a sysadmin recently turn Matt> developer and find Slackware to be a very complete package. Thanks for your comments Matt, you make alot of good points, though I must admit that having a package management system without dependencies isn't an ideal state of affairs. Of course, having dependencies which you can't override is also not a good thing either. :] I originally came from a BSD style init background, which I liked quite alot, then moved to the SYSV style of /etc/rc#.d/... which I hated at first. But after thinking it through, it's a much much better way to do things. It lets you manage application and daemon startup in a clean and consistent manner, without having to watch out for other packages nearly as much. I also remember getting a copy of Slackware way back in 93 or so, but since I had an Amiga back then, I was never able to play with it and test it out. I probably missed the boat back then. *grin* Thanks to all who have contributed, it's been a good discussion. John

Oct. 3, 2003

RE: [Wlug] Foxtrot cartoon in Worcester T&G

by Karl Hiramoto

http://www.ucomics.com/foxtrot/index.phtml On Fri, 3 Oct 2003, Simoncini, Matthew wrote: > Sorry if you don't accept attachments: > > <<...OLE_Obj...>> > > Matthew > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: Keith Wright [mailto:kwright@free-comp-shop.com] > > Sent: Friday, October 03, 2003 3:40 PM > > To: Worcester Linux User's Group > > Subject: [Wlug] Foxtrot cartoon in Worcester T&G > > > > > > Or any where else you can find it. > > > > It goes like: > > > > Large blackboard, small boy, stern teacher: > > > > Blackboard: > > #include <stdio.h> > > int main(void) > > { int k; > > for (k=1;k<=500;k++) > > printf("I will not throw paper airplanes in class"); > > return(0); > > } > > > > Boy: Holds chalk. > > > > Teacher: Nice try. > > > > _______________________________________________ > > Wlug mailing list > > Wlug(a)mail.wlug.org > > http://mail.wlug.org/mailman/listinfo/wlug > > > > > _______________________________________________ > Wlug mailing list > Wlug(a)mail.wlug.org > http://mail.wlug.org/mailman/listinfo/wlug > -- ¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø Karl Hiramoto <karl(a)hiramoto.org> Work: 978-425-2090 ext 25 Cell: 508-517-4819 http://karl.hiramoto.org/ AOL IM ID = KarlH420 Yahoo_IM = karl_hiramoto ¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø Q: How can you tell when a Burroughs salesman is lying? A: When his lips move.

Oct. 3, 2003