Running GNU/Linux for the First Time (continued):

B. To use GNU/Linux as a Firewall or router for a SOHO network: This is a slightly more advanced use of GNU/Linux. One of the easiest ways to do this is to use Smoothwall. This is a Linux distro, which is tailored to this usage. You can get this from www.smoothwall.org. If you want to roll your own firewall, some of the better distros for this purpose would be Fedora, Centos Linux, Debian or Slackware. These are all free and very good distros. Setting up a router and firewall yourself does require some more effort, but it's well worth it, due to the amount you learn. You will need a dedicated PC with at least a 200 Mhz microprocessor speed (you can use a slower one if you really want to), at least 64 MB of RAM and two network cards. You can get away with not using a hard drive if you use one of the CDs or floppy based router/firewall projects, or you can use a ~2GB hard disk drive.

C. To run a webserver (mostly Apache, though other alternatives exist), or a mail server: The hardware requirements will vary depending on your perceived demand. If you expect to be serving hundreds of web pages per minute, you will need a lot of RAM and preferably a multiprocessor machine. If you are running a personal home page then any old machine will do. The distro can be Mandrake, Fedora, Centos, Debian, Slackware or whatever you desire. Apache can be installed, as a standard option with all of these and the configuration is mostly similar.

D. To replace the ageing NT file and print server: This is one of the best features of GNU/Linux. Using Samba, a GNU/Linux box can provide all the functionality of a NT server, including domain logons, roaming profiles, file and print serving, etc. It can act as a Primary Domain Controller and your users will never know the difference. With Microsoft retiring Windows NT from the 1st of January, GNU/Linux becomes a very good alternative to buying one of the more expensive Windows Server operating systems, which would have higher hardware requirements. GNU/Linux will run just fine on your current NT server hardware, and is practically virus free. Microsoft has suspended security hotfixes for NT, so now is the time to move to GNU/Linux.

E. To replace the Windows OS you are currently using: And finally, the Holy Grail of GNU/Linux evangelists everywhere! Removing Windows completely from your hard drive and moving over to GNU/Linux. Before you do this, however, make sure you are willing to learn new things. Do not expect everything to be like Windows. You will be disappointed. Keep an open mind, do not get disheartened when things get confusing. There is a wealth of information available on GNU/Linux and many useful resources for troubleshooting. Use them. Get in touch with the Linux User Group in your community. Remember, GNU/Linux is not Windows, even though it may sometimes look a lot like Windows...

Well, that was a bit of a primer to the world of GNU/Linux. We hope you enjoyed it. As the weeks pass, we will be working on detailed articles dealing with all the situations mentioned above. Guides, How-to articles and reviews, it's all coming in the IT Computing section at CoolTechZone. We hope that you will walk with us as we enter the wide and wonderful world of GNU/Linux. It is a place that once entered; you'll never want to leave. If you like to work with hardware and software, if you find Windows lacklustre, if you assemble your own computers, you will love GNU/Linux. If the do-it-yourself spirit lives in you, but you've never tried GNU/Linux, then you have a treat in store.

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