-> TW>>> distribution of LINUX that really took the Uniniated Home
-> TW>>> Market seriously and put out a REAL Beginners edition. 

-> ->> You insist that KNOPPIX isn't a beginner's Linux but really
-> ->> it is as much as Windows would be for the uninitiated
-> ->> computer user. 

-> WC> Easier. 

-> I'm afraid we've _all_ been spoiled by Plug-n-Pray and GUIs and
-> cutesy little icons to 'click' on. It's been a long while for
-> even "the last of the breed" since we used the
-> command-line-interface and a text editor to configure our
-> hardware/software. Autoinstalls are the 'norm' and most want
-> "pushbutton" computing. :-( 

Well I admit I split the drive and partitioned it first.
then I typed "knx-hdinstall" I believe the command was from root
than sat back for 1/2 hour as it installed.  

-> I agree with Tom to a point though. Until KNOPPIX came on the
-> scene there wasn't a really user-oriented version of Linux that
-> I would have been willing to direct 'newbies' towards.  

Add a limited Partition Magic to Knoppix with an interrogatory
panel requiring answers and you're there IMO.
With a raw drive you needn't even do this.

I only had to do this as I was dual booting.

-> DamnSmallLinux tried to move in that direction but was not as
-> advanced as KNOPPIX in auto detection technigues and didn't
-> look as professional as KNOPPIX looks. KNOPPIX is just darn
-> 'pretty' sitting there and knowing that 2 gigs of software is
-> sitting there compressed on that CD is just _stunning_ to a guy
-> like me. I fit W31 onto a floppy but KNOPPIX is just remarkable
-> in my book. :-)                          

Same here. 
I like the "Platinum" style KDE desktop.
Everything here autodetects just fine but I replaced the software
sound card.

-> ->> I realize that KNOPPIX didn't configure your modem for you
-> ->> and you said it wouldn't print on your printer. 

-> WC> Go to the GUI "console" under settings and set it up. Same
-> WC> with modem and sound card. 

-> My only suggestion for making any Linux GUI more 'user
-> friendly' would be to have an alternate GUI using Windows
-> terminology (control panel, etc.) to make the transition less
-> stressful for a week or two or three for Windows users. I don't
-> think it would detract from Linux if it could 'masquerade' as
-> Windows for awhile. 

A bit less educational though.
The existing GUI root _control panel_ is pretty close to Windows
just uses less precise Linux commands than required at the command line.

I don't think a standard Linux command line has "locate"
as a recursive search but I bet it's an alias for an option
of "ls"
I've already found locate to be useful.

-> WC> As root create adduser "whomever" and allow that user
-> WC> account access to modem, printer and sound card. 

-> ->> These are possible areas that could use some attention but
-> ->> I suspect that with just a bit of typing on your part the
-> ->> modem and printer would be functioning. 

-> WC> I asked a question in a Linux echo having already installed
-> WC> to a hard drive and had the printer and modem setup in
-> WC> seconds. 

-> WC> I retain two pages of trivially simple commands to setup
-> WC> here. 

-> My daughter dropped to DOS on a machine at work to move some
-> files and the people at work panicked and asked her what "that"
-> was. They had never seen the DOS command line before. :-) 

The office computer geek eh ;-)
--- Platinum Xpress/Win/WINServer v3.0pr5