Offline, sort of

[FarFromUrth]

So. Here comes the experiment. I will be going from MAC to PC. Yes, like those commercials now running on TV, I will be able to say, "I am ________ and I am a PC."

Well. I purchased a Lenovo ThinkPad T400, which should arrive any day now. I look forward to exploring the PC environment and I want to, through this computer, understand mathematics and technology better.

Also, as a lifelong computer user, I am wondering what will happen when I take most of my personal computing away from the internet.

Will that change how I see and view this technology? Currently the Web has a big impact on my life, through news, entertainment and so on. Like it does typically for many people (especially those involved in forums like you and I).

just some musings. Constructive comments appreciated. or questions. Glad to be a new contributer here.

[tylerwylie]

Are you going to keep Windows on the machine?

[FarFromUrth]

yeah, I am not sure. Having used a mac portable since 2004, I have never had a "choice." But in between I read Rebel Code: Linux and the Open Source Revolution by Glyn Moody and it really opened my eyes about the social movements behind computing.

So we will see. Obviously I have Vista installed on the machine(that is now in Honk Kong, on its way here, according to UPS), so we will see how it works. Used Windows 98 on a desktop for several years and liked it, except for the virus problems I had.

Am interested in Linux and what it means, but I have to do a lot more research. Looking forward to it though.

Would appreciate any tips/suggestions you have.

[tylerwylie]

Well when it comes to computing, really if you want to get work done, you should use what you know. If you're interested in learning something else to get your work done, you'll need to realize that there is a curve and eventually you'll get to the point where using Linux is really "using what you know."

When you get there though, oh does it make life a whole lot easier.

2 things about linux:

1. Not everything will come to you easily

2. The command line is your best friend.

1: It takes time to learn new things, no exception here. A new operating system and a new way of doing things that is more "hands on" where everything is open to you is sorta dizzying at first. As long as you're having fun though, it shouldn't matter.

2: The command line is flexible, and much more powerful than a normal DOS prompt. It's a shell you can program if you need to, use it to launch programs, manipulate files and text documents, even launch programs inside the terminal to read e-mail, log onto chat/irc, and many other things. Use it and do not fear it as some ancient technology, as it is still far more advanced and useful than any point and click interface.

[FarFromUrth]

Thanks. Posted a request for a basic computer science text/information source in another forum thread. So we'll see.

JVM