Text 3744, 146 rader
Skriven 2005-10-10 22:30:00 av CHARLES ANGELICH (1:123/140)
     Kommentar till en text av MAURICE KINAL
Ärende: software for linspire
=============================

123c7d577bc1
linux



Hello Maurice - 

CA>> At around DOS 3.3, UNIX was $5000 and the only PCs I knew
CA>> of that could run it (had enough memory at 32 meg) were
CA>> the AT&T WGS series (which was also in the thousands of
CA>> dollars). Not really competition as a 'home PC' OS. 

MK> Which explains why Linux got so popular. 

Popular with people like you and I who had a thirst for a real
multitasking OS comparable to UNIX, yes. You continued along
those lines after being made aware of linux and I got
distracted for a couple of decades by other multitasking OS
(and life in general). :-) 

CA>> Where was the 'home user' to find these floppies? Download
CA>> via dialup from where? Linux wasn't being sold in computer
CA>> stores and few would've known to even ask for linux OS at
CA>> that time. 

MK> They could have talked to me and I would have helped them
MK> out. 

I believe that you would have but this is one of those times
when knowing the right _question_ is the path to the right
answer. Few even knew linux existed when I first 'discovered'
it. I was actually searching for MINIX files and found Linux in
the same directory. 

There was even some confusion as to whether Linux was just a
'fork' of MINIX at that time. 

MK> In fact I did help out a few Fido users back then now that
MK> I think about it. Some of them are still amongst us. I am
MK> sure they could find help if they really wanted it,
MK> probably closer to their home too. 

They would have to know enough to ask the right questions. 

CA>> We were talking about the 'usefulness' of DOS at the
CA>> begining. Linux just wasn't 'in the game' at that time. 

MK> Right. I used DOS for a time. I was there more then most
MK> were. However none of that matters anymore. Does it? Feel
MK> free to try and convince me but I have doubts you can.
MK> You're not *that* good. ;-) 

It matters in the same ways that giving GNU credit for it's
contribution to Linux matters. It matters in the same way that
giving credit for C-Kermit to _all_ who contributed code to the
project matters. It matters that even now DOS software for FIDO
is as plentiful or even more plentiful than the other OS (with
the possible exception of OS/2). DOS is still being used
because what it can do it does do and at times with little
effort because it's been around for so very very long. 

MK>>> Not true. The first time I used a DOS formatted HD with
MK>>> all the needed archives on it and then booted a floppy to
MK>>> enable setup. 

CA>>  What version of DOS? 

MK> I think it was IBM's PC-DOS something-or-other (6?) at that
MK> time.  That was the last DOS I ever used ... standalone
MK> that is. A little later on I tried both FreeDOS, OpenDOS,
MK> and DR-DOS via dosemu but decided it wasn't my cup of tea
MK> anymore and never looked back after that. Linux was just
MK> too good to ignore and I have no regrets taking the time to
MK> jump through the hoops then. It hasn't made me rich or
MK> attracted any babes but it has been very good to me despite
MK> lacking those features. After all DOS never had those
MK> features either so it isn't like I gave up anything. 

I don't believe that moving from DOS to Linux requires giving
up anything. I just remember that DOS was 'hauling the freight'
for those attempting to install/learn linux. Downloading linux
when I found it meant accessing a DOS BBS system probably using
a DOS terminal for the connection. 

CA>> And how did the Linux files get copied to the floppies?
CA>> DOS is my guess. 

MK> The very first time it was a Slackware supplied application
MK> that emulates 'dd' on DOS. I forget the name of it now.
MK> That was a long time ago and I am getting senile. I could
MK> look it up but so could someones who might need it to get
MK> off their fat asses and liberate themselves. 

Before the internet DOS BBS (and other os) were moving the
linux files around making them available to users and FIDO
echos were places to go to for help. 

CA>> How did the hard drive get 'DOS formatted' and how did the
CA>> linux archives get copied to the hard drive - DOS. 

MK> Nope. Only the original base system. Once I booted the
MK> floppies I was in LinuxLand and it took care of what was
MK> needed for itself to install. Then it was simply a matter
MK> of booting it up and wiping out the unneed DOS partition.
MK> Simple. 

Linux installs weren't as automated at the start. What I found
was an image copy of the entire OS that had to be put onto the
hard drive 'in toto' then manually configured to match the
system hardware. 

CA>> Linux would never have become an 'acceptable' option if
CA>> not for CDs and CD drives. 

MK> I doubt that. CDs, and now DVDs, are nice but not required. 

'Required' in the sense that average users are spoiled now and
wouldn't do the floppy install if you hand delivered the
floppies to them. 

MK> Besides that I now have better ways at my disposal and,
MK> after my next little project gets done, it will soon be
MK> even better then that. 

NOW you do. I'm referring to earlier on when few had even heard
of linux. If the installs had remained at that level with
little auto-detection of hardware parameters I think the
relative anonymity of linux would have continued. 

MK> I know what I want and am learning really fast how to get
MK> it if I don't already know. 

Learning can become an end unto itself but most will burnout
when in that 'mode' for too very long. 

>
>        ,                          ,
>      o/      Charles.Angelich      \o       ,
>     <|                              |>  __o/
>     / >          USA, MI           < \   __\__
 

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