Linux that installs easily right next to your
Microsoft Windows
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FAQ - Frequently Asked QuestionsQ: Will Instant Linux work on Windows NT or ME?A: Instant Linux works with
Windows 95 and 98 at this time. Windows NT and ME are
not supported yet, but ME may be soon.
A: If you have typical hardware,
some of it will be automatically recognized and your installation will
only require entering a couple numbers such as your Internet Service Provider
Information. Installation and configuration may not be easy if you have
non typical hardware. The Instant Linux Manager Program may inform you
that automatic configuration of your hardware may not be possible and not
recommend the download of a distribution. You can configure nearly all
non typical hardware under Linux, but it may require hours of finding and
reading the right information on the web and then figuring out where the
configuration settings are placed in Linux. However, Linux is constantly
expanding its list of hardware that can be automatically detected and configured,
so you don't really know until you give it try.
Q: What are the advantages of Linux if you already have windows?? Is it easier to use? A: Free upgrades for the rest of your
life as computer software and hardware grows and changes - and it will,
you can bet on it. Linux is not simpler to use than Windows at this time,
it likely will be in the future. Finally, Linux is more powerful than Windows
by virture of its flexibility.
Q: I've heard that Linux is hard to learn but that it is worth it. Is that true? A: You can immediately do quite a bit
of the common tasks that you take for granted in Windows, such as email,
word processing, and browsing the Internet. So actually it is only hard
to learn if you want to do things that a Linux distribution is not initially
or automatically configured to do. Presently, complex networking configurations
not already built into the distributon you chose can be difficult to set
up and may require tons of reading. You can reconfigure and reprogram a
Linux system to do nearly whatever you want. But the learning curve to
make those changes can be steep. If you want complete control of your computer
and lots of networking power, choose a distribution that is already tailored
to your needs, or be willing to read a lot and have fun tinkering.
Q: How long will it take to become familiar enough to get real work done? A: If real work is word processing,
presentation graphics, spread sheet work, email, and browsing the web,
not long at all. If you are talking about work that requires complex networking,
quite a while. Setting up a dial up modem usually won't take any longer
than it does in Windows, but setting up a complex network server will.
Setting up a simple server might not take you more than an hour to read
the server program's documentation and then configure its options.
Q: Can Linux use a Win modem? A: Linux is now starting to support
Win modems. Win modems are very low priced modems that require special
software to run. Low priced computers come with these modems. A regular
56k modem can be purchased for about $30 and will usually be automatically
detected and configured. It can be difficult to set up a Win modem at this
time under Linux.
Q: I've heard a lot about Linux but I have no experience with Unix. I am impressed with the stability claims and the openness of it all. Clearly a lot of people more knowledgeable than me are impressed. I'd really like to try it. Why haven't I? I need my machine for day in and out use and so I can't afford to wipe out my drive and install Linux to embark on a flight of fancy with no ability to do real work for some time. How can Instant Linux help me here? A: The Instant Linux Manager Program
fits perfectly with your desires and concerns. The distributions that the
Instant Linux Manager can download for you all install on your current
Windows formatted hard disk. There is absolutly no need to wipe or repartition
your hard disk. Linux will only be running when you choose to boot it.
So whenever you have even a few minutes to explore Linux, it's just a click
and a couple minutes away from your Windows world. The only real disadvantage
to having a Linux distribution on your Windows drive is the hard disk space
that it needs to reside on. That's it. Otherwise it just sits peacefully
in a single folder, always ready for you to explore, or simply delete if
you want to reclaim the disk space used.
Q: Is Instant Linux an emulation program for windows, and if not, how (if you don't mind explaining) can both OS's be on one partition? A: Instant Linux is not an emulation
program. It is important to understand that Windows and Linux are not running
at the same time. Your computer must briefly reboot into Linux, and then
back into Windows when are done. Linux already has the ability to place
all of its files on a dos formatted hard disk. It does not run as fast
from a dos partition since the Linux file system is encapsulated in a single
large file on the dos file system. Instant Linux sets up a normal Linux
distribution to use this encapusated file system so that you don't have
to change the formatting of your hard disk.
Links to the home sites of the Linux distributions
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| Linux is a registered trademark of Linus Torvalds.
Microsoft Windows is a registered trademark of Microsoft. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. |
