[ale] Newbie and Dual install

[Michael Hirsch]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: ale-bounces at ale.org [mailto:ale-bounces at ale.org] On Behalf Of
ringo
> Sent: Tuesday, January 11, 2005 4:12 PM
> To: 'Atlanta Linux Enthusiasts'
> Subject: [ale] Newbie and Dual install
> 
> I'm brand new to Linux but I'm taking a course at Ga. Tech that
requires
> I use the software from http://playerstage.sourceforge.net/index.html
> which only runs on Linux. I have a Compaq laptop with a Pentium
running
> at 475Mhz with 192MB of Ram and 2 gig free hard drive space. It
> currently has windows 98 on it and I would like to keep it because
some
> of my compilers and programs require it.
> Is this enough room to install Linux?

Yes.  If you install everything you could run out of space, but if you
only install what you need it is okay.

> Which version do you recommend?

I recommend whatever your best Linux-using friend uses.  :-)  I am
personally fond of Mandrake or SuSE for beginners.  I wouldn't recommend
Debian or Slackware until you are more experienced.

> How hard is it to install it and keep the windows?

That is standard.  You'll need to defrag the disk (in windows) and split
off the free space.  I think that most distributions walk you through
this, though it's been so long since I did this that I'm quite unsure
about that.

> Is there a site that will walk me though the installation?

A google search will turn up any number of such things.  The easiest way
is to go to Fry's or CompUSA and by a copy of SuSE and then you get a
manual to go with it.  It is actually easier than installing Windows,
and I'm sure you can do it.

Michael