[Tfug] windows to linux

[Linux Media]

> This is interesting.  I have two sets of fedora redhat, but I installed 
> v 6 on a dell, and when I'm trying to install to the hp compaq, it says 
> it's v4.  Perhaps I should try the other set of install disks anyway.  :-)

Fedora is currently at Version 11 (Possibly 12). I've been running 
Fedora since Version 3 and 6 is definitely outdated. Mostly, they stop 
updating the repos, and besides, it's just filled with outdated software.

Let me just explain how Fedora works...

Their cycle of putting out new versions is pretty often. It is 
understood in the Fedora community that each new version is Beta (even 
though it's not the term officially used... it pretty much is). Fedora 
is kind of Red Hats Test Community and everyone just kind of knows that 
each new version is going to have bugs and security holes. So people 
like myself (that don't have time to Beta Test new versions) just run 
the last 'Stable' (usually the second to last release).

As the newest version is released (and even as the next version is being 
put together), they track bugs on the newest release and do a pretty 
darn good job of updating the repos with each new bug and security fix.

Fedora 6 is pretty old and they have discontinued updating the repos. 
I'm not even sure the repos are available for that early of a version.

I think Fedora 10 is the best (current) choice because it's been around 
just long enough to be considered 'Stable'. The repos are filled with 
fixed packages. Yet, the Version Cycles are so often with Fedora, that 
Version 10 is still a very 'up to date OS'.

Fedora makes it almost impossible to find the ISO's for a previous 
Version. I had to Google around to find the following Fedora 10 ISO. I 
really suggest doing the 'Net Install' (below). It's a long story, but 
the brief answer is that the 'Net Install' is a much smaller ISO. It 
doesn't have any packages, therefore, you don't end up burning a big ol' 
DVD ISO that has outdated software, then in turn, end up doing 'yum 
update' (a command to retrieve the software from the repos that have 
been updated since the creation of the big ol' DVD install ISO).

The 'Net Install' instead just has enough instructions to retrieve 
(already updated) packages directly from the repos so you skip the 
unnecessary installing of old packages, then doing 'yum update' to 
replace packages that were already installed from a slow DVD drive 
(possibly hundreds of packages).

If you like to run Gnome, things should work ok. If you like to run KDE, 
it's important to *(de)select* Gnome when you see the choice to modify 
the Software Packages (during the install). And *select* KDE.

I know it's smart to have both Gnome and KDE installed, but Fedora is so 
'Gnome Centric' that it can make installing KDE very difficult *after* 
the install. Sometimes Gnome likes to 'take over'. So, do the above 
*during* the Install.

Remember (de)select Gnome, and (sel)ect KDE.

I've never used Gnome, but I know that KDE lets you know when there's 
updates in the repo (dialog pops up on your Desktop). You can choose 
'Update', 'Not now' or 'Don't ask anymore'. Here's the pros and cons of 
installing the updates from the repos...

Pros:
Latest (bug and security fixed) packages
Cons:
Like all distrobs, there's always a chance you will break a well running 
system that you're comfortably running. But I don't ever recall anything 
serious happening during an update.

I have no idea if this is the location I originally got the 'Net 
Install' ISO from. I can't vouch for it, so you're on your own. But if 
there's any problem, I still have the Fedora 10 Net Install ISO. It's 
just a matter of how to get it to you.

I'm pretty sure this ISO is a CD Image and not a DVD Image...

http://fedora.secsup.org/linux/releases/10/Fedora/i386/iso/Fedora-10-i386-netinst.iso

Hope that helped...
Rocco