What a big crying baby!!! It didn't work because you didn't bother to read the installation manual... Go ahead and head back to Windows and stop whining. Want any "cheese" with that too?

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You may not want to give up on Linux forever. I can't give you any help with the specific problems you mention, but I'm a "newbie" too. Part of your frustration is probably due to all the hype about how much better Linux is than Windows. The truth is, as you and I found out, that initially at least Linux is much harder to use even to get operating. It's advantage it seems to me is that potentially you can do so much more with Linux because you have so much more control over your system with it. But that makes it more difficult to learn to use. The Windows-like programs that are piled on top of Linux now to make it more attactive to Windows users may add more confusion as well as make it as cluttered and bloated as MS Windows. Also some Linux users are just a little snide and talk only in jargon, but eventually you can find someone to help and you will learn a lot yourself.

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I understand how Ryan is feeling about this. I am using Unix and Linux since their first versions. IMHO, needing an IT master degree and having to read tons of "readme" to make it work is a nonsense!! It should work, POINT! Linux WAS known as the most stable OS. It is now wasting its reputation because some distros developpers are spending (wasting) their time shining a GUI interface when it can't even boot from an ATA100 and ATA133 drive.

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Gents --- I'd be careful how you treat 'n00bs' having a tough time. REM** *nix power goes as 2^n , so every convert lost HALVES the communities strength. I say this with a foot in both OS_camps ( WINX pays my bill$). Remember the story 'bouts Jupiter & Saturn (??) come to earth in the guise of HUNGRY, CONFUSED prole_coders ... they were only looking for a DO_loop, but smarmy, elitist *nix-folks spit on them --- only one old Fortran-programming couple in town would feed them. 'Course later --- the BigDogs eat everybody except the old-folks and JCL rules forever. It's an old story, of course ... nobody like that here ... :>/

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I am surprised about how many distro Ryan tried in a short period of time. The first comment is that he was very commited. The second was that he was mislead: each distro has its strenghts/weaknesses. I like Red Hat, but I have to admit that I would recommend it for a technical user with previous Unix experience. For a "newbie" Suse may be the best bet: the best install, the most automated for the NYLL (not yet Linux litterate). But in any cases we should admit that the difference between Linux and Windows is like a Ferrari vs an automatic transmission familly car: it takes more knowledge and skills to operate the Ferrari, but comparing their performances would be silly. Linux may need a little bit of work to master, but this is time well spent. But for the computer illetirate as of today, the MacIntosh is the best product, then a Windows box the second best, and Linux the 3rd best. May I suggest that you grab a good book on Linux, and maybe get the help from a friend who could get you started. Also instead of trying three distros, pickup a good one and make it work. By the way: a good hardware platform (not junk!) would not hurt either. Not necessarly the latest, just good staff, like a good motherboard, a good disk drive, a good monitor etc... Good luck, and persist but rationally: millions of Linux users love it, it may be a reason!

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I note that Ryan has a WinXP box that doesn't run properly and a Linux box in which he couldn't get numerous versions of Linux to run. Not in any way suggesting that any OS is anywhere near perfect, but perhaps the biggest problem isn't the OS. I have an XP box, two win98 boxes and a Linux box. All run fine. Again, the OSes are far from perfect, but the knowledge and techniques of the operator/adminstrator have a lot to do with it. Computers are not toasters people! They are very complex things and 12 different people will give you 25 different uses that they want for them to handle. While I'd agree that any software firm could do a MUCH better job, I guarantee that no one complaining here could do any better. If you can, why haven't you? Why don't you? Imagine how much money you could make if you could make the perfect OS. So why haven't you?

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If newbies having a tough time want to be treated better, it would help if they don't title their posts "Linux sucks".

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Amen. That's flamebait and doesn't deserve anything at all. Once you become proficient all linux machines (with the exception of NSA linux or the like)are pretty alike. The key is to learn first,complain later. Did the OP ever run a CD runnable version of linux to aquaint himself for a while, or consult the docs and howtos? I get the impression he got bolluxed up and then got frustrated and then decided it was too hard. Not uncommon and he will never be computer literate if those are his work habits.

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The only reason it sucks for them is, they want Linux to be a dummy OS like windoze is. When I first started trying linux I had tons of problems. But, I continued to chip away at it until I got it to run. That was less than a year ago. Now I have 1 machine that is devoted to linux, and I have no less than 10 distros' installed. And before you ask why? I have that many installed because I'm trying to learn as many different distros as I can so I can be the first in my city to offer Linux Software and installs. Linux doesn't really suck, it's usally the end user that is sucking the life out of all of us when they start crying that Linux sucks.

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My opinion linux does suck and i am not a newbie. Ok so the OS is more powerfull and more efficient, but face it linux lacks software and drivers. Linux games? waste of time, cubase/logic audio for linux? forget it! , n OMG how s--- do the fonts look (even with the bytecode interpretor enabled). As for stability well the main OS is stable but fuk the apps that sit on top crash all the time. Granted its getting a little better with KDE 3 , gnome 2 is the most pants desktop yet id rather use gnome 1 than the latest gnome. It even lacks simple things like trillian and Kazaa. Yes i know there are some multi proto messengers but i have tried them and they are really s---e they look likee a pile of s---. As for kazaa who wants to use a command line app? the list goes on, linux is a long way from being a desktop os. There are millions of apps that just dont have a linux alternative , wine is a long way from being complete.

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Sorry for the long wait for the reply, but I was out. Anywho, this'll be a bit completicated to answer all of your posts, but ill try. First of all, those of you would are putting me in a corner and beating me with a stick, just settle down and take a deap breath. First of all, im not computer illiterate. I'm 19 years old, and i've been using computers since my old Tandy 1000 TX (which had no HD and was command line based, didnt even use Dos). Basically besides my Atari 2600 and Tandy, I've only used Windows OS's. Why you ask? Well think about, which company has dominated the software industry for over 2 decades? It hasn't been any version of Linux. Windows has just been there, simply taunting people until they give in. Even though Bill Gates did steal his ideas from macintosh. (lousy little cheese monger) Anywho, the important thing here is that im NOT computer illiterate, im Linux illiterate. Infact, im taking a CPA (computer programmer analyst) in college right now. I figured i'd have to use linux sooner or later. Maybe ill just wait until I have a class on it. Also, for those of you who were saying that I am losing respect for placing "linux sucks" in the title. I will only give you this answer. In this post allready, in one night, I have received 16 replies. Think about it, it was a way to get people to read my post, whether good or bad feedback. As for Linux, yes I've been very patient. I've been trying to figure it out for almost 2 months now. I've tried everything known, and I have even read the manual. Wait!? Yeah I READ THE FREAKING manual. Did it have anything on my problem? nope. So what does that tell you? Well maybe you shouldn't accuse someone of something without valid proof. I'm very angled on this whole subject about manuals. Manuals and faqs don't answer every problem. So you can read all the manuals till you're green in the face; but if you're problem in unique, then that would mean you would allready have to be experienced with that subject. Anywho as I blabber on here, maybe you might start to understand what im trying to say. That I use computers everyday; I go to college, I use computers, I come home, I use computers. Mind you most of my computer career consists of Games. Yeah, thats pretty much what got me into computers anyways. But as I played, I wanted to know how they worked, and how I could make my own games. You see, even though gaming is considered immature in a lot of places to a lot of people, it can very well be a good industry to get in to. Money money money. Finally, if you're still reading this, I just want to say that I am very open minded. And I like to try new things. This is why i'm trying to get my foot into linux. I want to get away from Microsoft before they completely start telling people what to do on their own computer. I miss the old Dos and Dosshell days, this is the main reason for me wanting to even look at linux. If I had known that it would have caused so many linux junkies to ruffle their panties at me, I wouldn't have asked for help. That's right, instead of turning me to the light, most of you have basically kicked my legs out from under me and dragged me back to Microsoft. This experience has taught me. Never post for help. Sit there at your computer shaking you're fist until it works. Or perhaps just kick it.

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I am the person who built the PC out of used parts and put RedHat 7.3 on it exactly 2 weeks ago. My first Linux PC It supports all kinds of hardware contrary to some of the upper posts. It is not that hard to configure. I was up and running in an hour and a half.I bought a modem the next day and was surfing the web in less than an hour. I bought my first PC in Nov of 2001. I built my first PC in March of 2002 . My second one for Myself in June of 2002 XP pro 1 gig of ddr radeon 8500 128 mb 2 60 gig harddrives.The Third one I built 2 weeks ago I did install a new ATA/133 harddrive no problems with it as suggested above. A new USR 5610B internal PCI hardware modem. Before I attempted Linux I read Linux for windows addicts and then I bought the RedHat 7.3 Bible with the Distro and read most of it and use it as a reference. The Point being with a little reading and homework anyone can do it.No one around here uses Linux So I had no one to ask for help. I have found and joined a Linux users group at a local collagge. I think they have 48 members and most are not local. I have not had the chance to attend the first meeting. I am 38 years old and they welcomed me with open arms. I suggest you do some reading join a group and give it another try. If you are that fed up then just go back to M$ and be done with it. If you are into gaming and that is your main goal you are wasting your time with linux .In time that may change. I do aggrea with the person who said the fonts were not the best. The are not very good. Only in Galeon are the fonts very good Good Luck and keep trying Ron

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I personally applaud your effort in trying to use linux. It's a shame you couldn't get it figured out, but it's just an issue with your hardware. Unless you ever do find some fix for your problem, you'll probably have to wait until you get different hardware. So don't give up on it just yet. As far as comparing Linux and Windows, it's just an endless argument. Linux has some advatages for certain applications and Windows has its own. A good analogy is that Windows is to Linux what capitalism is to communism. Linux is a free speech movement of technical know-hows who are trying to better the community by providing an alternative to closed source solutions. It's a system where everyone chips in for the better. Therefore it has its pitfalls when you are trying to look for an OS with the best cutting-edge features. You can't really blame Linux for its shortcomings in some areas because Microsoft has so much money they practically buy the support they have for hardware. They have agreements with countless companies for drivers and compatibility, as well as licenses. I could talk for a long time about it but I'd rather not. Linux continues to improve as does Windows. The open source movement is a beautiful thing. The fact that it isn't Windows isn't what you should be looking at, it's the fact that it exists. The people who created it stand against a lot of hardship, and everyone should have respect for how far it has come.

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