A Virgin w/ questions

[TabDavis]

Ok I am new to this site and to Linux. I still have not switched over to Linux but am getting ready to (I think.)
Anyway, I am an artist who does a great deal of computer manipulation of images (with my photography,) and do video and audio works as well (I won't mention the physical world stuff like paintings, etc.) I would like to know what would be a good starting point for me in getting into Linux (I also do a great deal of techie stuff, computer repair, etc.) so that I can be free of Windows and Microsoft.
I would also like to know if there are any recommendations for certain motherboards, processors, graphics cards (namely video capture cards which I also sometimes use gaming,) that Linux can work well with so that I can have the best system I can put together (including the OS.) the rest I will take from here and learn as I go.
Thanks, Tab Davis TabWmDavis@aol.com

[Taizong]

I have been a mild user for about a year and a half (setting them up at work, using Apache and Samba, etc). Only recently have I completely abandoned Windows, except to play certain games of course. I can tell you one thing, you will never be at loss for assistance. I have learned more then enough just reading this forum.

Good hardwear, for me anyways:

-Guillemot Muse (automatically configured with most new distros, and cheap)
-Nvidia GeForce2 card, so I am told
-Abit boards in general, I prefer the BX133 RAID
-3com 3C905-B, if you can still find one
-Any modem that is not a Winmodem, preferably and external
-USB mouse, keyboard, doesn't matter anymore. They all work fine.

That is all I got. :)

[TabDavis]

Thanks Thaizong, much appreciated. How difficult and/or auduous is the process of learning Linux? Someone recently recommended Mandrake 8.0 stating that it is stable and has the majority of any drivers I could possibly need, what do you think?

Peace, Tab TabWmDavis@aol.com

[Raw_Knee]

hello,

i've completely abandoned windows for about a month now (although i've been using linux for about 2 years already), and I can say that I am satisfied with my decision...

since you mentioned that you do a lot of image manipulation on your computer, i recommend using GIMP... it's quite comparable to Photoshop in terms of features (but i'll let you be the judge of that, since i assume you know a lot more about digital photography than i do :) )... i think there are also a handful of video and audio editing software that are available for Linux...

when it comes to the learning curve, it really depends on how eager you are and how adept you are at learning new stuff and changing the way you do things on your computer (since linux is a LOT different from Windows)... i've seen guys getting from newbie to guru in less than a year, and i've seen ones who haven't mastered any in more than a year...

I'm using Mandrake 8 in my home network right now. It's quite easy to setup, and it's fairly 'newbie-friendly' since it has some tools accesible from a GUI...

As for the hardware, I suggest that you get a cheap but powerful processor, load it with lots of memory (let's say 256Mb+), and get a really powerful graphics card. May I suggest an Athlon (1GHz+, relatively cheap right now) processor, an ABit/MSI/Asus/IWill KT266 mobo, and a GeForce 2/3 card...

[eXtremist]

The learning curve is steep, but not impossible.. One can be much more efficient using linux than windows.

If it seems a little overwhealming at first, grab a pillow and beat the snot out of it until you get your frustrations out.. Over the last 2 and a half years, I've put linux on, and taken it off at least 500 times. Just do a search of my messages here and you can see my frustrations at times.. Now, although I still have a few troubles here and there, I would never go back to windows..

All you really have to do is read, read, read.. I used to print off articles about linux and bring them to work with me to read, and it helped a lot.

There were times when it looked like I was never going to get something to work, but with all the helpful folk on the internet, I always found a solution, one way or another.

Good luck and don't hesitate to ask questions here...!

[TabDavis]

Thanks Raw Knee and eXtremist for your input. I am adept at learning new tech stuff and I have been all through windows trying to resolve issues and so I do not think that learning Linux will be too much of a problem other than it being an entirely different set of programming and layout, like the difference between French cuisine and Mexican or something.
Where I go to get Mandrake or another version of Linux. I know I can go to Best Buy or someplace and get the standard Red Hat versions.

Peace and Justice, Tab TabWmDavis@aol.com :eek:

[evulish]

Bah...get hardware you've never heard of (and the best ones are made in the countries which names you can't pronounce). Linux isn't fun unless you screw something up :)

If it works perfectly the first time, it's just an OS; if you totally **** it up, it's a good experience. :)

(Pardon my expletive :))

<edit>
Huh...well...looks like the word **** gets bleeped out. :)
</edit>

[ 11 September 2001: Message edited by: evulish ]

[tansy]

Along with making sure your video hardware is linux compatible (I think most of the more well known cards are anymore), pay careful attention to your printer. Printers are in my opinion a weak area in Linux, as there are a lot of Win-Printers out there that poor unsuspecting sods like me have purchased (unlike Win-Modems which are usually easier to recognize).

Mandrake is for Newbies. This is not a slam but high praise. Even when i am an old and grey Linux Guru (if that day comes) i will still favour the Mandrake style. It is as easy if not easier to install then Windows, and a LOT faster (28 minutes from putting the CD in to browsing the web in my case). It detected everything on my system except my Soundblaster 16 card which i had to drop down to CLI and configure (a lil worrisome but even at that 'sndconfig' held my hand). If i was using a soundcard that was manufactured anytime in the recent past i am sure Mandrake would have caught it.

If you are using a direct connect to the i-net (such as cable or dsl) Mandrake basically walks you through, and it's all done before you realized you did anything.

For graphic manipulation you will find Gimp to be 99% everything Photoshop is, although there will be a moment or two to understand how to get around in it.


Good luck!

btw.. if your up for an adventure.. take evulish's advise.. it is a fast track to learn about your system! [ I AM KIDDING! ]

[nholowat]

On this same line, I find that printing with the Gimp Print does not give the quality of color as Windows does. Before you go off on a rant, I've been using Linux since RH5.2 and have bought every release since then as a way of contributing my support along with versions of SUSE and Mandrake. I have an Epson 860 printer now and in the process of getting a 2000P. Then again it might be me, cause the colors on the screen do not match the printed output in Linux RH 7.1 but do in Windows 98SE.
If there is something I'm doing wrong, I would appreciate any help. I'm still using that great medium, called film, and want to be able to use Linux for all my photography needs. Also, I've been using both the Kodak and Ilford glossy paper for my printing. I've gone through freshmeat, sourceforge, etc looking for photo print and haven't found anything. Gimp is great for image manipulation.
I've been thinking about buying one of the commercial printing products to see if that helps.
Thanks again and you all have a great day

[TabDavis]

Thanks evulish for your insight. I have been through and through windows in trying to resolve some of my issues. Needless to say I better understand how windows works and sometimes think this is screwed up. Fdisk and reformatting became good friends there for a while. I learn a great deal with the mistakes I make and so I am sure with Linux I'll do the same. I am not sure that that is the best way in the world to learn just because of the hair pulling trying to cram the computer out of my little basement window.

To Tansy, all of my hardware is brand new, but not sure how well the Creative Platinum Sound card and the ATI Radeon will do together. I hope that with Linux it will also recognize both my DVD and CDR which windows would not do. I look forward to trying Gimp and god knows I will be needing software that will work well in Linux anyway. Thanks for taking the time to respond.

To nholowat, from Hicksville, my eyes glaze as I covet the Epson 2000P. At this time it is too rich for my blood, though I want it for its archival inks. I would not mind having the 860 either, but does it only do 2880 x 720? Of course it really not make much difference, have never had a chance to print anything at that resolution. You might try some archival papers (matte predominantly and I think I have a place for above standard glossy (not sure if it is archival though.) Let me know and I'll come up with the URL for it. How much will you paying for the 2000P?
Maybe I could do my work in Linux and then print it out in Windows on my other computer.

[nholowat]

It was $899 but I see it was available for about $849 from some online sites. Right now I have my slides scanned in by the Photo shop but I'm waiting for the Epson 2450 scanner due next month. The 860 only does 1440x720 and is 3 color and 1 black, the 2000P is six color like most of the Photo epsons, the 860 is not a photo printer, so that might make a difference.
I'd love to be able to do everything in Linux, but I need windows for Lotus Notes so I can get my e-mail from work when I work from home. So, except for printing my photos and Lotus Notes, everything else is done in Linux.
Have a great day.