Linux is not easy to install
I received the $79.95 6.0 release package Thursday. I wiped a 2GB Maxtor HD clean and proceeded to follow the loading instruction. (After having read enough to be comfortable). First I used the Custom install. I had a little trouble configuring the monitor since my MICRON 15FGx Monitor was not listed. I used the custom monitor config. I got it to work but only with a resolution 600X400. Any other resolution I chose would not allow me to continue. But it worked, except for the fact that it would not boot from the Hard Drive. It would only boot with the boot disk I had to make. I reloaded the OS with the Workstation setup. All was fine, except that again, the monitor could not be made to operate at a high resolution and the machine would not boot from the Hard Drive.
When I did get into the XWindow interface I thought it was attractive but the low resolution I was using did not "feel" right. And the windows did not fit on the screen right. I kept having to move them around, and some times command buttons that I needed to click on were below the bottom of the screen where I could not get to them.
So, anyway when I could not get the machine to boot from the hard drive, I call the support number. A very nice woman tried to help me get the system to work correctly to no avail. After about 45 minutes of looking at different files and finding nothing wrong she gave up. She thought something was wrong with my machines BIOS. She suggested that I try a reformatting the drive with the DOS Fdisk application or to try another hard disk. I did both. First I formatted the disk with Dos Fdisk, loaded Linux again with the Workstation option and again the OS would not boot from the Hard Drive. I called the Help line again. This time I talked to a man that appeared to be very knowledgeable. We went through the same stuff that the last help tech went through. At last he said, "You understand this is the "point 0" release. There are still bugs in it. You probably should have waited for the 6.2 release when the bugs are repaired." Not to be so easily turned away, I next I took an 800 MB Toshiba Laptop Hard Drive formatted it with Fdisk and put it in the machine. (I've had Windows 98 on this drive before and used it in my desktop. It worked fine, just not enough room.) Then I loaded Linux on this drive. Again it would not boot from the Hard Drive.
I called the help line again but it was now after 9 PM Eastern.
It have messed around with the Linux OS for two days now. At least when Windows 3.1, 95 or 98 crashes it is easy to install.
This OS has a long way to go before anyone but a Unix/Linux wizard is able to use it comfortably. I suppose that if people buy a computer Pre-loaded with the Redhat 6.0 Linux OS, they could use and love it. But until they make the installation easier, I'll probably stick to Windows98. Of course systems administrators and such could probably use with ease. But the masses are not going to buy this upgrade!!!
I am not selling my Microsoft stock to buy Redhat shares.
This posting is not a request for help loading Redhat 6.0. It is my personal evaluation on the loading experience.
B Hamilton |
