i am thinking of switching to the mandrake-linux system, but dont know much about it.

how complicated is it?
are there any incompatabilities with some popular programs?

according to this page  [url]www.linux-mandrake.com/en/linux.php3[/url]it is like sharewhare, anyone got a copy they could send me? it could be on a cdr disk, it doesnt matter to me.would the translation to linux from win 98 be relatively easy?

info i want info...

i am looking for the increased stability, and if i do this i will totally reprogram my computer. i am tired if this thing breaking down all the time.

i have seen the tutorial and it seems to be within the realm of my abilitries.

as long as it will work with my wolfenstein 3d and jedi knite, im cool with it.

does it take as much disk space as windows?
also i have a partition on my h.d. how would i eliminate this?
thanks in advance i will be retireing for the night in a few minutes, but will check in in the morning.

Honestly, if you want a real user friendly unix / linux environment, get an Apple G4 and run OS X.

Santyth is right. If you want to run a really easy Unix enviroment, get a Mac. But the one draw back is the cost. Mac's tend to be more costly (hardware and software) in the long run. But really, really easy to use.

But if you are one that likes to tinker around, comfortable with the command line, at ease with compliling code, researching, you will like Linux.

There are desktop apps that do replace the WinTel/Mac enviroment, but they are not from Mickysoft. And games... some, but not the wealth like the WinTel world (not that it matters for you).

(about to start a flame war...)
One drawback with the Linux enviroment is that is isn't quite primetime as a desktop enviroment. It is totally AWESOME in a server enviroment.

If you want a copy of Mandrake 8.1 email me your adress.I thought it was easier to install than windows.It will even make room on a hardrive to dual boot with your 98

If you've got IBM PC hardware then I saw go for it.

I run RedHat on my servers, haven't had ANY problems with it that i'd have with Win XX.

I use both the MacIntosh w/OS-X and PC's with Linux. It just keeps getting better!!!

Mandrake is supposed to be easier but I think RedHat is more complete.

I have a guest account I give out to interested parties who want to learn the commands or use a command prompt. Let me know if you want the login, access is limited though.

As soon as you start talking about running Windows programs under it, IMHO you're asking for pain.  Linux is still primarily a development platform, at least from my viewpoint as a UNIX/C++ software developer who develops software running under Linux from time to time.

I'm pretty sure there is a Quake version out for it, but that's the only game I've seen played on it.  Last time I looked at it, the MS-Windows emulator (WINE) was still fairly primitive and only ran a very limited set of Windows software.

As far as "how complicated", it's a completely different operating system and work environment.  You rely on a command line, like under MS-DOS, not on a bunch of whiz-bang GUI tools that hide all the details from you.

And as far as "are there any incompatibilities with some popular programs?", every single program that runs under MS-Windows is incompatible with it -- you have to find, and run, software that was compiled under Linux.  Some MS-Windows programs will run under WINE, but not all, and especially not the ones which were written for more recent versions of MS-Windows.

Here's a link to the WINE development center:
[url]http://www.winehq.org/[/url]
If you read their FAQs and discussions, you'll have a better idea of what its current limitations are.

This isn't meant to discourage you from trying it -- it's very worthwhile to try to escape from paying the Gates tax, IMHO.  But it's [red]not[/red] a matter of "I'll just reformat the hard disk, install Linux, and be running all my existing favorite software by lunchtime."

BTW, as far as disk space, there really isn't a standard install for Linux.  The various installers will shovel on as much software as you tell them to.  If you have a 40Gb disk, they can fill it.  If you tell them to use at most 1Gb, they'll just install fewer packages.

Unfortunately, the level of control is pretty limited, so you can't tell it which specific packages you want/don't want.  But you can always install the ones it didn't think you'd probably want later. [:/]

thanks for the replies. i guess ill go for the split boot idea, at least untill i know its linitations and benifits.

i plan on uesing it for surfing the web at least.

ARMALITE-FAN thanks for the offer, you have incomeing.

wolf 3d is a dos game so i think it will work, but ill find out, thanks.