Advice for a FC5 Noob...

[coldfront212]

Hey all,

I used to have my system configured for windows as my primary OS and FC5 as my playground for when I was bored and wanted something new. Well, after my windows decided to do what windows does best, get corrupted and die, i have been forced to make my fc5 my primary OS.

I got it setup with everything i need for the basic things i have to do (write papers, check email, go on AIM), but i need some advice for other things to do. I also am very confused as to what version i have, and what version of rpms and software i need. I got my dist of linux at the following link if that helps: http://ruslug.rutgers.edu/downloads/fedora-core/. I am looking for the following at the moment:

Reading NTFS
Setting up my printer
Using SSH (idk if this is possible, i use a client called Putty in Windows if that helps)
Getting Flash/ shockwave
Adding software i download

I have read numerous guides, but they all presume a little knowledge. I am very comfortable in windows and i think that is what is hurting me. If someone could provide me with like a top ten list of things to do to get my linux less like a backup and more like something i can rely on that would be terrific.

Thanks in advance!

-coldfront

ps-if u want to see why windows sucks, feel free to read my thread under windows problems...

[faulkner132]

Are you using a specific distro based on Fedora, or did you install the core itself? If you use a distro (I would highly recommend this if you are new to Linux), check the software repositories they have available for drivers and software.

As for mounting NTFS: http://www.linuxforum.com/linux_tutorials/1/1.php
Remember NTFS is read-only in Linux.

[kilgoretrout]

Red Hat/Fedora does not include NTFS support in their kernels IIRC. They refuse to do so for legal reasons re potential patent problems with MS and NTFS. It's the only linux distro that I'm aware of that takes this conservative approach. As a result, the link that faulkner has provided will not work for you as that howto assumes you have a kernel with NTFS support.

Here's another howto for fedora users to give you read support for NTFS:

http://forums.dreamincode.net/showtopic11359.htm

The link to the rpm you need in the above article is out of date. Instead you can get the ntfs rpm here:

http://www.linux-ntfs.org/content/view/128/64/

[coldfront212]

Thanks a lot guys. I got the ntfs kernel all set up and i started using a program called yumex and that is helping a lot. Linux seems to be very powerful but very dumb. I end up spending half my time onforums and in google to solve intallation/ program issues, but the actual install/ running of the program is incredibly fast.

Thanks again for the help.

-coldfront

PS- Any ideas for the printer?

[glc]

You need to spend some more time with Google to install your printer, starting with finding the appropriate driver.

[faulkner132]

Are you using a distro (Redhat perhaps) or just the Fedora Core?
Most distros have cups (Common Unix Printing System) installed along with support for tons of printers.

[kilgoretrout]

There is a learning curve associated with linux. To ease things along, I would recommend a more newb friendly distro like pclos or ubuntu:

http://www.pclinuxos.com/news.php

http://www.ubuntu.com/

Both are free downloads and both are livecds with easy installations so you can check out how things work on your hardware before you install. Both have native ntfs read support. Pclos comes with flash and java installed and they are easily installable from ubuntu. If your printer is supported, it will probably be automatically setup during the install. Check here to see if your printer is linux compatible:

http://www.linuxprinting.org/

Shockwave is windows only; there is no linux support.

ssh comes with all linux distros that I have used along with many other remote admin tools. You have to have the ssh daemon running for it to work. You can check if that is the case by running:

$ su
[enter root password]
# chkconfig --list sshd

If it's not running, you can start sshd like so:

# service sshd start
# chkconfig sshd --add
# chkconfig sshd on --level 3,5

That starts sshd and configures your system so sshd automatically starts every time you boot.