Linux Core Help

**Eisenwinter** · February 25th, 2010

Originally Posted by Jvaldezjr

[...]so my lunix machine can communicate with my windows computers,[...]

You use Lunix too?

**ssam** · February 25th, 2010

http://tldp.org/

remember that there is lots more auto configuration these days. there not much point in learning how to write an xorg.conf, because modern xorg auto-detects everything. (if xorg miss detects your system, then it is better that the auto-detection code if fixed, rather than you learn to manually configure it).

**MisfitI38** · February 25th, 2010

Originally Posted by ssam

remember that there is lots more auto configuration these days. there not much point in learning how to write an xorg.conf, because modern xorg auto-detects everything.

In a perfect world, that might be true..but it's not true in a large percentage of cases.

(if xorg miss detects your system, then it is better that the auto-detection code if fixed, rather than you learn to manually configure it).

Interesting opinion. Common sense would dictate otherwise. If one is capable of properly configuring an xorg.conf file, then they will not have to wait for upstream developers to 'fix' xorg /hal/whatever for their hardware.
Seems like the difference between being able to actually use a system, or giving up completely and choosing ignorance instead.

To the OP: Using a distro like Arch, Slackware or LFS will force you to interact more with the underlying software that actually makes up a GNU/Linux OS. If you want to learn, and you actually 'hang in there', the system configuration and maintenance on these distros will gain you a familiarity with the basic tools, methods and procedures common to the core of all distros and leave you a more capable *nix user.

**Jvaldezjr** · February 26th, 2010

Originally Posted by Eisenwinter

You use Lunix too?

Yes LOL Lunix is even more uber than Linux!

**Jvaldezjr** · February 26th, 2010

To the OP: Using a distro like Arch, Slackware or LFS will force you to interact more with the underlying software that actually makes up a GNU/Linux OS. If you want to learn, and you actually 'hang in there', the system configuration and maintenance on these distros will gain you a familiarity with the basic tools, methods and procedures common to the core of all distros and leave you a more capable *nix user.

That was my goal with my post and exactly what I'm looking for. I'll probably start playing with Arch when I can get my drives repartitioned. Thanks for the advice!

**Jvaldezjr** · February 26th, 2010

OMG that was amazingly easy. I have a base Arch system installed and it took about 45 minutes. I understood everything and was even capable of configuring my current grub menu to add arch to it, without fear of wiping my boot record. I logged in and checked my network config, which is up and running fine as well, so I am good to go! I feel very confident I can get this system running the way I want and I believe I may totally switch over now. Thanks for the advice and assistance!

**earthpigg** · February 26th, 2010

remember this: just because everything is going smooth now doesn't mean it always will. don't update when you have something unrelated you need to accomplish an hour later. as soon as a developer declares something stable, it get's pushed to Arch users when they update... not every developer's definition of 'stable' is the same.

and familiarize yourself with the AUR - the default repos aren't nearly as well stocked as ubuntu's.

**Jvaldezjr** · February 27th, 2010

The other reason I'm consiering a change, is that often when I need to upgrade a particular application, I have a couple of choices: If it's not up to date in the repos or backports, then I have to either update ubuntu to get a newer app version from the repos, or install form source. I don't mind installing from source, but it can be difficult trying to work out all the dependencies, expecially if the current ones I have installed are older and updating certain libraries end up breaking my system.

I still have some more things to research with Arch, but I'm more just suprised about the level of confidence I have with my Linux skills. I'm not totally there yet, but I think this was a big step!