I want to start off by genuinely thanking everyone who has tried to help me. But I'm beginning to think that at this point, I'm beyond help. I started this project to wade into Linux a little over a year ago to get Bill Gates' boot off my throat, and to get a couple of old, slow computers (mine and those of relatives) back into usable service. I started out with Ubuntu, then Xubunbtu, then Puupy Linux, and finally Antix. Of all the distros, Antix is far and away my favorite. But being someone that has absolutely no formal training in computers and having not even picked up a mouse for the first time till a rather advanced age (46), I continue to struggle mightily. I totally get that Linux is necessarily entirely different from Windows. I get that it was originally intended for brainiac programmer types who wanted to tinker with everything, and was only recently brought into a more or less desktop environment. And I also get that people who haunt these forums have much better things to do than make sure I know which button to push to turn the computer on. I know it's going to be harder, but does it have to be this hard? I continue to struggle (and mostly fail) with wireless connections, printer configurations, software downloads, etc. On top of that, I constantly plead my complete and total ignorance of all this and the people who answer my questions continue to assume some basic, fundamental knowledge that I don't have. My fault, not theirs. But I always seem to be trying to execute some function 2 or 3 steps ahead of what I'm actually capable of doing and I don't know how to back up and fill in the gaps. To wit, yesterday I had suggestions to enter 2 simple commands in the terminal:"lsusb" and"modprobe rt200usb". I couldn't even get the damn thing to recognize my commands. I was told to enter as root - exactly what does that mean? I've certainly heard the word used before, seen it mentioned a bunch of times. But I even got out my"Ubuntu for Dummies" book and though it referred to root, talked about its importance, identified the"/" it never gave me precise instructions of exactly what a root command line should look like. I tried for an hour and a half to get that thing to take different iterations of those commands and came away empty and extremely frustrated. I had a similar experience a few days ago when I tried to install the software"Klicks". The instructions simply said"from sudo enter such and such command". Of course I didn't have a clue and ended up burning more than an hour there with nothing to show for it. On and on, ad infinitum. I've scoured the forums for all the above mentioned distros, and a repeating theme is a lament over why Linux doesn't become more mainstream. This is why folks, this is EXACTLY why! If any of you lurking software engineering types are up for a challenge, how about this - create a Linux distro (for idiots) with a TOTAL desktop environment complete with drag and drop software installation. I even dare you not to put a terminal on the desktop, but I know you won't be able to resist. You'll be a freakin' national hero. The unwashed masses (myself included) will put up statues in your honor. We knuckle draggers won't bother you anymore on the important forums because we'll be confined to our Playskool distro. I know this isn't exactly the place for this, but I need to vent. Here's what I desperately need: directions to something - a book, a tutorial someplace where I can learn the BASIC stuff I need to know from the beginning so I can at least learn to enter a simple command into the #$%* terminal! No high-tech computer geek stuff, just simple instructions on how to proceed from the beginning with maybe a few illustrations along the way. Most people don't want to have to learn auto mechanics when they buy a car, they just want to drive it. For the most part, I feel the same way about computers. But it looks like I will have no choice but to learn to at least change the oil and filters. I truly apologize if I've offended anyone, but in case you missed my point I'm extremely vexed. PLEASE THROW ME A LINE!!!

Firstly, you are not alone in how you feel as learning how to use linux is a sharp learning curve and IMO even more so to those used to the way windows works (sic).

You have to remember than what you could do in windows no longer applies to linux. Installing applications/programs is different, the vast majority of programs out there on the web only work with windows or if you are lucky OSX and although the linux app wine tries to get those programs to work, it isn't as simple as point and click (unfortunately).

To make things more difficult, you are trying to install a modern, up to date system on a box that is old. Nothing wrong with that, but there are limits to what can be done. If I were you, and I know you have spent money and researched on a linux friendly wireless adapter, for now until you get used to antiX (or whichever other linux you try) stick to your working wired connection as it does at least work.

Here is a link to a few links to learning the basics. I hope they help, and try to take one step at a time. I'm not trying to lecture you or discourage you. Hope you'll continue to keep at it. In the end it will be worth it.


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root is the main partition where the system is installed (/). but to run as root means that you have to run commands as administrator or super-user. to do that in antix, open the terminal and use the command: then enter your administrator password and use the commands that you need to use.

I truly empathize. If you were to search my posts you will see that you are not alone in not understanding the basics of linux. I struggle all the time, but I feel that I'm slowly getting better.

Hang in there Javelin Dan.

Dave

Whew! The spots are clearing and my blood pressure's down - I feel better now. Thanks to all for your support and concern. Particular thanks to ICE-M for decoding"root". I may actually be able to enter a simple command now. I actually spent some time yesterday scouring the net and found a couple things that may be helpful. I won't have time to try them for a couple of days, but I'll keep you apprised of any progress, and if I do I'll document what worked for the benefit of others. Thanks again.

Javelin Dan we all have been there! I started with Linux after I retired. I have been running it now for four years, three of them exclusively with Linux. Here is some of what I think I have learned.

Re Windows and games before I start. Yes you can run games under Wine but why bother? If you have XP on a box there is no harm keeping it there and running your favorite amusements on that side of the fence. If you do not have Windows up then another alternative is to just go and buy one of those specialized gaming boxes. You can find them used for not very much money at all. Now let's talk about Linux.

1. Debian or Debian-based distributions have been easier for me to understand and maintain than rpm-based systems such as Suse, Fedora and the like. I do look at the others periodically but I come back to Debian and Debian-based systems because their package management seems superior. BTW the Debian site has very thorough documentation for both apt and aptitude. It will not take very long at all to learn the basics of one or the other. Then use the one you prefer.

2. antiX is my favorite distro on any lighter system. It is very fast and very flexible. If you are really tight for resources try antiX-base. You then can add to it only what you need or want. In fact if you work up a good system from antiX-base it might just be your preferred system on any hardware! You do have to know a bit to fool with antiX-base so as you start out perhaps staying with antiX is the default path.

3. People have very strong opinions about this, but let me offer mine: Do not run any system that does not provide for a"Root" user (Puppy being the primary offender). The use of"sudo" in distributions such as Ubuntu is not much better. Having to invoke the Root user slows you down a bit and if you suffer from fumble-fingers (or fumble-brain!) as badly as I do that is a good thing. The use of a Root-only password also provides an additional layer of protection against casual snoops if you have an environment where you have to be concerned about that.

Oh, and if you are going to be modifying system or configuration files do use the copy command and back up your existing file(s) first! Really this is easily done from the command-line. Open a terminal and do"man cp" if you are not familiar with cp. (Man pages can be hard to understand. I have a book by Granneman,"Linux Phrasebook". Very handy indeed.) If you modify something and it does not work just copy back your original file while you ponder the situation. Safety nets are good things!

4. Once you are a bit more comfortable try the smxi scripts that come with antiX. Smxi offers a very nice set of menu-driven tools.

5. With Squeeze just having gone stable the Debian repositories seem to be in a bit of an uproar at the moment. So if you install antiX or antiX-base just lay low for a few days while the repository managers catch their breath. Things will be more stable by the early part of this next week. A fresh antiX installation will trot along just fine.

And do not be discouraged! You have found a good system and a very supportive user community!