Hi,
I'm a newbie to Linux and to SparcStations in particular.... but have
extensive experience with DOS/Windoze/networks/hardware etc...
I've just inherited an orphaned SPARCstation IPX with 32MB RAM,
keyboard/mouse/16" monitor & CD ROM drive.
There are a number of bad blocks on the HDD and the thing needs
reformatting anyway, because there are files on it which I don't have
access to (or want to) but are protected from me even as root. Some of the
original filesystem was also on an external HDD which the poor thing keeps
pining for and looking for....
Since this is an "enthusiast's machine"
- to learn about Unix on etc and to use as an alternative desktop as an
alternative to the Gates' camp - I'm wondering if I should go for a SparcLinux
version rather thatn chasing a new installation of SunOS? If so, which Linux
distibution would be recommended to a Unix newbie like me?
I will network the machine with my Win98/Win95/Win3.11 peer to peer
network here (I provide helpdesk functions as part of my job and have all the
versions running in the office on various old machines....).
Any assistance - including patronising advice! -
will be appreciated. I have installed Redhat - then Debian - then Caldera Unix
on an old i486 at home with varying results, but really haven't got far with
using it for anything yet..... Installed StarOffice 4 and played with it -
that's about it.
Many thanks,
Joe Hovel
Monash
University
=======================================
Centre for Rural
Health
http://www.med.monash.edu.au/crh
Centre of Medical
Informatics
http://www.monash.edu.au/informatics
=======================================
http://www.hitech.net.au/jhovel
