[pchelpers] Re: Linux printer installs

Hi Susan

I think the trick to starting to use Linux (on the side, without getting 
rid of Windows) is to contact a Linux user group. Then, even new or 
geeky things like commands instead of dialog boxes can be easy to 
handle. Also, some Linux versions are just as and even more user 
friendly than Windows or Macs, with no need to use anything except the 
mouse to adjust settings.

I've heard that all Linux user groups are very helpful most of the time. 
What has kept me and probably most other people from switching to Linux 
(or BSD) is not knowing what version of Linux to use. That makes it 
difficult to decide what user group to join.

But I've heard that although most Linux users are big fans of their 
Linux version and sometimes zealots, even these are usually willing to 
help one find help for another version of Linux too. So, depending on 
what kind of a person you are, i would suggest either first choosing a 
Linux version from this excellent comparison:
http://distrowatch.com/dwres.php?resource=major
(more technical details:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_Linux_Distributions
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Linux_distributions

or finding a local or at least regional or national Linux user group:
http://www.linux.org/groups/

or a local user:
http://counter.li.org/reports/place.php?place=ALL

or, since in this Internet age helpers don't usually need to be 
physically close, joining Linz's user group and using his version of 
Linux, Ubuntu, i think.

Linz seems pretty happy, but i don't know if the reason he has been 
asking his Linux questions here (even though there seem to be only very 
few Pchelpers who know anything about Linux) is because he didn't get 
enough help in the Ubuntu user group. Linz, what's the scoop?

As you can see, Susan, i've been, once again, doing research on how to 
start using Linux. I think i've also now finally solved my extra 
problem, which only few of us have, namely which version is equally 
good, popular, and well supported in both English and some other 
language (in my case, Finnish). I intend to get something i can 
recommend to most people, not just geeks. So far, it seems to be SUSE 
(Novell).

Ekhart



earthrise wrote:
> Yes they are supported as you say.  I did find drivers on the Internet
> but installing them takes more effort than what it was worth.  They are
> installed using a series of programming commands, none of which I was
> familiar with, even the so-called "simple step-by-step installation
> instructions" were complicated.  If I had a better understanding of the
> operating system to begin with, I'd probably fair better.
> 


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