-=> CHARLES ANGELICH wrote to WAYNE CHIRNSIDE <=-


 WC> Found Dillo browser is already included as is AbiWord word
 WC> processor.

 CA> Ah ... good, I thought you might have the version of KNOPPIX
 CA> that does not include AbiWord (it's been deprecated apparently).

As long as I can save in an MSWord and W.P. convertable
format I'm happy.

 WC> Still prefer Firebird browser though which is included and
 WC> the same release I've got in 98 :-)

 CA> Firebird is OK but I prefer the full Mozilla myself. :-)

Well it's in there, haven't gone there yet.

 CA> --8<--cut

 CA>> Most FIDO BBS will be sending you Pkzip'd archives not
 CA>> GZIP'd nor BZIP'd archives. :-)

 WC> Wonder if Ross Cassell's Linux based BBS offer a Linux
 WC> native decompression - compression option, I'll check next
 WC> time I'm there.

 CA> I never looked for a Linux compressor on a FIDO BBS but it's
 CA> possible I suppose?

 WC> Saved a detailed web page on the use of Tar and Gzip. ect.
 WC> Need to snag MultiMail for Linux as well as the home user
 WC> Linux version of F-prot.

 CA> Tar was a bit confusing for me since some versions have the
 CA> built-in 'compress' function and some archives use Bzip2
 CA> instead of Gzip.

It's confusing to me as well. Nice I put in that spare 256
Meg partition to experiment.

When I get the larger drive I'll make compressed image files of my
setups before making drastic changes or doing potentially
dangerous stuff as root.
There's a GUI interface to this image binary logged on as root in KDE.

 WC> The syntax for telnet transfers is going to take some
 WC> research on my part. I've seen references to a BSD - Linux
 WC> hack of ztelnet but as yet no download link.

 CA> I have the Slackware v3.5 binary and the documentation for
 CA> ztelnet. May even have the source code, not sure. Zmodem use
 CA> from ztelnet is not as automated as it normally is in DOS or
 CA> Windows terminal software.

 I've already discovered this but it doesn't look any worse
 than logging onto the internet straight out of DOS
 software.
 I'll just figure it out, write it to file and make the
 file executable... a script!

 WC> SCP stands for Secure Copy and is another possibility I
 WC> need examine to see if it's suitable to this use.

 CA> The only SCP I've used is a DOS binary that creates floppy
 CA> image files.

 OK, just glanced at it.
 Looked to me from my brief look it was a *nix cp that could
 be configured to the task with various switches.
 I'll get there.

 CA> --8<--cut

 CA>>> If you intend to _create_ files you will need Windows for
 CA>>> the foreseeable future.

 WC> I need to lose the Rockwell sound card - modem combo and
 WC> slap the Turtle beach sound card in there before I try the
 WC> Audacity MP3, WAV, ect application. Native T.V. video card
 WC> app. in there too.

 CA> KNOPPIX won't use my brother's onboard sound device either.

 WC> Verizon used to allow one to stay online for extended
 WC> periods but now seems to log you off at 5 hours tops even
 WC> with activity :-( Time to change providers, it's my 150
 WC> Hrs/Mo and I should be allowed to chose how I use them!

 CA> My brother's ISP, PeoplePC, does the same thing. Nasty IMO.

Yeah, a 150 hours/month ought to mean exactly that!!!

DSL marketing strategy?

 WC>> So smimplee a cihld kood due it ;-)

 CA>> Not quite that simple. You've had time to acclimate
 CA>> yourself to the 'hda' and other Linux terminology while
 CA>> using the other mini-installs. From ground zero the
 CA>> terminology would be a bit of a stumbling block I suspect.

 WC> Intimidation-wise for sure for most but I like puzzles and
 WC> obscure syntax like this... well much of the time until it
 WC> takes me too long to work around a snag.

 CA> If you enjoy obscurity *nix will keep you contented for a long
 CA> long time.

 I figure three years before relatively profficient if I
 work at it, far less for what I _need and want_ to setup
 for day to day use.

 WC> I've still some things to learn from those mini-intalls and
 WC> that's why I've got the spare Linux native partition, later
 WC> I may tack it on in Knoppix on boot.

 CA> If you make copies of a mini-install the nice part is if you
 CA> trash it you can restore in minutes. :-)

  Less, use the Knoppix root GUI image file creation and compression
  utility :-)
  Found I could have installed Knoppix as a compressed image
  the size of the CD and saved configurations to
  either FAT 32 or a small Linux native partition as well.

 WC> --cut

 WC>> For March I may change ISP's to 1/2 price local outfit or
 WC>> go DSL where I'm at not sure which yet.

 CA>> If you're considering going DSL then there is no need for
 CA>> the 56k modem. Any decent modem is OK as a 'backup' for
 CA>> emergency use once you have DSL.

 WC> The big attraction to DSL is all the Linux freeware out
 WC> there and streaming multimedia.

 CA> Point is, if you could decide if you will be using dialup or
 CA> DSL now you could avoid buying a modem you won't have a use
 CA> for. ;-)

I have both short term and long term financial issues.
Wants and needs need sorting out.

If www.ij.net offers real unlimited access for 9.95/Mo
so I can download the occasional ISO file I've no need for DSL
at an additional 25 dollars a month.

Seems IIRC  I tripped over a GUI utility that automates
Knoppix file updates to managable amounts of online
time in the KDE desktop logged on as root.

 CA>> The Winamp lookalike included with KNOPPIX seems quite
 CA>> good here for most music files. I would recommend either
 CA>> CuBase or Timidity (I prefer Timidity myself) for MIDI
 CA>> music files (there are links to Timidity at my website
 CA>> MIDI page). There are 5 meg and 8 meg GUS patch files
 CA>> available for CuBase and Timidity, you don't _have_ to use
 CA>> the 30 meg EAW GUS patch files. I vaguely remember some
 CA>> talk of a RealAudio Linux app but no name comes to mind
 CA>> for that one.

 WC> Audacity?

 CA> Audacity is a WAV file editor/recorder. It doesn't play MIDI
 CA> files.

OK, like I say I've barely scratched the surface here as yet.
Still need to swap the crap sound card - modem combo
for the Turtle Beach unit and external hardware 56K modem.

 WC> Got GIMP, haven't used it yet.

 CA> I found the user interface to be a bit confusing. Multi-level
 CA> menus make finding the tools a bit frustrating. Memorization of
 CA> where the tools are 'buried' in those multi-level menus seems a
 CA> necessity for ease of use.

Roy T. says much the same though he states it's quite powerful
once you've a handle on it.
 
--- MultiMail/MS-DOS v0.45
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