mogwai: blog 
mogwai's blog
linux advice, please
Published Jul 24, 2008Views: 424
Given that I am utterly fed up with Windows, in any incarnation, I have decided to give Linux a try.
The box in question will not be my primary computer. I do, however, want it to do the following:
Serve as a network sharepoint for a printer that is physically attached to it.
Serve as a network file server for various media files (mp3, avi, etc.)
Have a GUI that I can use to manipulate it without having to delve into the arcane world of the command line whenever possible
One other Windows PC and several Macs will need to be able to access those resources over a LAN
1) Is this possible and 2) What Linux distro best meets the criteria given?
Thanks for any assistance!
Filed under: Business & Technology
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GOLO member since March 18, 2008
July 24, 2008 10:45 a.m.
GOLO member since September 30, 2007
July 24, 2008 10:56 a.m.
Trublu, you will never have a "blue screen" in any *nix (Linux, BSD Unix, Unix, Solaris, AIX, HP/UX and OS/X being the most notable.) BSOD's are an NT-based kernel function. You can, however, have a kernel panic which is the functional equivilant. The classic one for Ubuntu is Parallels starting Ubuntu.
And who uses modems to connect to the internet anyway? As for drivers for modems, they are TTY devices and thus are brain-dead simple.
GOLO member since August 16, 2007
July 24, 2008 11:12 a.m.
You get to get close to your machine!!
GOLO member since October 17, 2007
July 24, 2008 11:13 a.m.
GOLO member since August 16, 2007
July 24, 2008 11:17 a.m.
GOLO member since August 30, 2008
July 24, 2008 11:26 a.m.
It's broken ...
GOLO member since July 4, 2008
July 24, 2008 11:28 a.m.
GOLO member since October 18, 2007
July 24, 2008 11:39 a.m.
GOLO member since March 3, 2008
July 24, 2008 11:39 a.m.
Yes, arcane. To me a computer is a tool. I'm not interested in learning its inner workings or the minutiae of how it operates.
I simply want to be able to configure it to do what I want it to do with the least amount of effort necessary to accomplish it. Subsequently, I want it to perform those functions correctly and consistently without requiring a great deal of maintenance or tweaking on my part.
GOLO member since July 4, 2008
July 24, 2008 11:42 a.m.
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