"newbie" gets 1st glimpse at the "real" windows

[clagh131]

I'm your basic beginer/ absolute idiot when it comes to the world of the PC.  But I got my first taste of what was up last week.  Due to irrelevant reasons, everything on my PC began to slowly fail, and w/in 24 hrs, Windows wouldn't even start in "safe mode."  I went to their "tech support" through my laptop,..and recd NO HELP bc my windows came w/ PC, so I wasn't able to ask any ques., bc I DIDN't BUY their freakin program. So I went through the hell of tying to PHONE them,.several times, only to be told that the errors and probs I had only could be resolved through a "recovery" CD,and total REinstall, in which I would lose all info stored.  Like I said,.I don't know anything, but it just didn't make sense that I had to lose everything, and if the guy I was talking to was told he would lose his TOP score on whtvr role fantasy game he had stored,..he too would find a way to restore.  Which, after 4 days, I did.  The sites/ forums who helped someone w/ zero skills do this restore, also linked me to MANY informative sites,..such as this.  SO in the long run,..it was a plus.  KNOWLEDGE IS POWER!..and I'm ready to learn wtf is up!  =)

[rtgwbmsr]

Welcome to the boards, Colleen!

If you want to keep Windows and fix it, go to www.windowsbbs.com for help.

If you want to get Linux and/or dual boot, ask for any help you want. I reccommend you visit this thread for some basic questions:
http://forum.fuckmicrosoft.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=13&t=000057

Also, if/when you do get Linux, visit the FAQ @ http://faq.belg88.com

Linux is free, and you can download whatever distrobution you decide on at www.linuxiso.org (which appears to be down at the moment) or the specific site for that distrobution.

If I didn't answer your question, or I confused you, just ask the question again    

[ December 02, 2002: Message edited by: The Muffin Man ]

[hm_murdock]

two words and a number... Red Hat 8

[rtgwbmsr]

quote:Originally posted by Jimmy James: Mac Commando:
two words and a number... Red Hat 8

Don't start recommending distro's yet...

I would lean more towards Mandrake or Lycoris.

[clagh131]

thanks.. I will be ck'ing all those links out.  I heard of LINUX in the summer,..and that def. sounds interesting,..but I have so much to FREAKIN learn.  How sad that even after 2 college degrees, I never knew until my "big windows crash" how facinating I found the PC.  It never occurred to me the was more to it then WORD and Im's.. UGH! Better late then never, ..and if the finicial aid appeal goes through,..I get to start getting my official computer "learn on" BACk at school.

[voidmain]

RedHat 8.0

[clagh131]

So REDHAT offers trainings u would rec.?  I ck'd it out,..the essentials would be offered in PHILI in May.  What's the difference of obtaining training through a program like this, rather then a "regular" college setting?

[voidmain]

You might only want the training if you are interested in becoming an RHCE (Red Hat Certified Engineer). This would be similar to the MCSE (Microsoft Certified System Engineer) except RHCE is far superior. Neither of those certifications are offered in a college and I really was not suggesting the training, but was suggesting the operating system (Red Hat 8.0). I should have posted a different link:

http://www.redhat.com/software/linux/

Sorry for the confusion.

[psyjax]

quote:Originally posted by clagh131:
So REDHAT offers trainings u would rec.?  I ck'd it out,..the essentials would be offered in PHILI in May.  What's the difference of obtaining training through a program like this, rather then a "regular" college setting?

Hmmm... I'm not a computer newb. But I found out most of what I know about Linux online and thrugh books. I used the O'Rilley books and some teach yourself UNIX stuff I dug out of my dads library  

Anyway, that's what I would do.

[clagh131]

thanks for the updated link,...  Not quite ready to become a LINUX tech.  HAHAH.  But I'm quite up to finding out what it is.  
So far that's one of the "coolest" things I've found out about pc knowledge in general,.. you can find it on the PC!  A little differnt then went I went to school for PSych/ Soc.,..but alot cheaper!

[voidmain]

The nice thing is if you are really interested in learning about computers Linux is the way to go. You can get most Linux distributions without spending a penny, legally. For instance, you can download RedHat 8.0 right from their web site at no charge. The same is true with Mandrake and Debian Linux (and hundreds of other less popular Linux distributions).

But the biggest reason Linux is the way to go if you are really interested in learning everything there is to know about computers is you can get the source code for everything, also free of charge. You have the right to modify that source code any way you want to make the operating system and applications work exactly the way you want them to.

If you are not interested in programming you can use the operating system and applications as they are (use them like you would the Microsoft operating system and applications). The difference is, there is no spyware or marketing crap involved in Free Software like there is with Microsoft. The biggest advantage you get with Linux over Microsoft is freedom. The only reason I suggested Red Hat 8.0 is because that is what I personally prefer and have used for about the last 8 years. Any of the other suggestions are still much better than being stuck with Microsoft.

Good luck and you will find plenty of help here if you wish to free yourself.

[RecursiveStar]

Great! When I asked the same type of question all I got was Calum being, well, Calum...

Guess my pic not good enough...

                 

[RecursiveStar]

btw

I'm 23, single and want to have lots of fun b4 I meet the man of my dreams...