Hi. Please find below some answers to your questions. On Tue, 5 Feb 2002 08:00:56 -0800, "Octavian Rasnita" <orasnita@yahoo.com> wrote: > 2. Is Linux accessible only in command line mode? Or it also has a graphical > interface which is accessible? Linux has both. A lot of commands and programs (a lot more than windows, in fact) are accessible on the command line. Linux also has a GUI, which is called XWindows. You can define very precisely the type of interface you are going to get, and, with the best interfaces, such as Gnome or KDE, you actually have a better interface than Windows, with more software installed by default. > 3. I am thinking to install Linux because I want to learn Perl scripting, > but what other accessories are accessible on Linux? > I would like to have a spreadsheet, a calculator, an MP3 player, a software > for sound editing, a good word processor like MS Word, an accessible > browser. Spreadsheet: "sc" (Lotus 1-2-3 clone) calculator: "dc" (command-line calculator) MP3 Player: yes (I don't use MP3, so can't suggest anything) sound editing: yes, but depends on your needs. (sound editing usually requires XWindows) word processor: depends on your needs, but yes. browser: lynx, links. There is also Perl and Python, and C, and C++, etc... > 4. A knowleageable guy told me that Linux has more > security holes than Windows. Is it true? No. Linux can be made more secure than Windows, especially if you are careful while installing and make sure you "secure" your computer after installation. It's a great to learn more about Linux, by the way. > 5. I also heard that there are viruses under Linux. > Are there any good antiviruses? There are no "dangerous" viruses under Linux. It really goes back to the question 4. You need to install your Linux OS carefully and remove all the functions you don't need -- then the viruses won't be able to spread. You can also download Sophos Antivirus if you are afraid of this. Then, there is Open Antivirus if you really need native Linux protection. > 6. I also heard that Linux is not 100% stable and > there are also crashes under this OS, like under > Win 2k I am using now. I have seen Linux machines work for more than 100+ days without a reset or a crash. It all depends on the workload you put on the machine. It's probably more stable overall than Win2K. > 7. What do you say? Is Linux only for those who > are curious about it and want to control the > system 100% or it could be a helpfull tool for > those who want it to be more easy to use than Windows? Linux is actually a little bit harder to learn than Windows... if all you have ever used is Windows! What I mean is this: Linux is completely different from Windows. It can do almost everything Windows can do, and it can do some things that Windows can't do. You need to be curious to use Linux, but learning it can help you better understand your computer. > I know it is free, but are there any other advantages? As I have said, I believe it is more stable than Win2K. For visually-handicapped people, it is also easier to use, since so many applications work on the command line or in text-only mode. A lot of configuration is in text files as well, so it can be easier to understand and customize. But it has its drawbacks. If you are willing to learn, Linux is great! But you have to learn a lot. All in all, it depends on your attitude. Hope this helps! -- /-----------------------------------------------------\ | Gil Andre -- Technical Writer -- Knox Software | | gandre@arkeia.com http://www.arkeia.com | | +--------------------------------------------+ | | $ make universe | | make: *** No rule to make target universe. Stop. | \-----------------------------------------------------/