Re: [seul-edu] Easy to use educational software

[Rasjid Wilcox <rasjidw@bigpond.com>]

On Fri, 22 Mar 2002 2:01 am, dcsmpayne wrote:
<snip>
> I
> have tried on numerous occsions since 1998 (usually in christmas
> break)
> to install LInux and have worked non stop for days 18 hours per day
> and
> ended up with somethihng that did not work under Linux. Either cd
> was
> not recognised + whole range of other probs.
>

Hmm...  if what you really want is something that will do file sharing (and 
web-servring and mail-servring) and you want something that is easier and 
quicker to install and administer than NT, then have a look at the Mitel SME 
product (http://www.e-smith.org and http://www.e-smith.com, although the .org 
site will be down for few days while being moved to a new server).  The 
system is GPL'ed and can be downloaded and used for free.  But for a 
relatively small amount of money you can get a supported version and some 
additional features (such as virus checking of email).  Even for the 
supported version there are no user licence charges.

Other than that, I'd support what Jeremy Reed and Ben Armstrong said.  In 
1998 I started out with nothing but an APC Linux Pocketbook, and a month or 
two later bought "Red Hat Linux Secrets" by Naba Barakati.  I almost never 
refer to either of them now, as I can generally find everything I need either 
through man, info, http://www.google.com/linux or my local Linux-User-Group 
(LUG) mailing list (http://www.clug.org.au).  However, those books were 
*absolutely* invaluable when I started.  In fact, I think it was only because 
of the pocketbook that I discovered there was a local LUG that I could join.

You have a bigpond email address so I assume you are in Australia.  
http://www.linux.org.au/usergroups/ has links to many (most?) LUG's in 
Australia, although some of the information may not be completely up to date. 

I'd also be willing to burn some CD's and post them to you.  This is true for 
anyone in Australia - although I'd like postage + $2 per CD in return.  I 
currently have RedHat CD's, Smoothwall, Gibraltar and Mitel SME Server (aka 
E-Smith).

For people in Australia, in general I would suggest either 
http://www.lsl.com.au or 
http://www.everythinglinux.com.au for your linux needs.

Rasjid.