Bob_Hansen wrote on Aug 13
th, 2006 at 1:57am:
Thanks again Mark for the extra cautions.
My thought was to load a couple of Linux OS to test out differences. Hoping I could load some apps, like Sesame for example, and check out any differences.
You can run Sesame on a Live CD distribution. Just drop the linux version on a key drive. Boot the live CD and copy Sesame off of the key drive. That would not only be a good test of Sesame, but would also test how well the distribution works with USB.
Quote:Since all storage devices are treated as files, does that mean there may be a "registry" type of file, but that is user defined vs. Windows? So, if it is user defined, then all OS systems could use the same "registry"?
Not sure what you mean. As far as I know, Linuxes do not use anything like a registry. Instead they use a ton of configuration files, most of them are stored in the /etc directory. The applications typically also have configuration files that are usually stored with the app. Usually (but no where near always) third party applications will be put in the /usr/local directory.
Quote:I know Sesame does not use registry files, is that because Linux is more INI oriented vs. registry structures?
And because the registry is a real mess on Windows. It was a terrible idea poorly implemented. Even MS is shying away from it in favor of using XML files to store important settings. Too many problems with so many eggs in only one basket, especially security problems.
Quote:Could different Linux OS on same machine use the same "registry" ?
In theory, if there was such a thing. The OS software will primarily use files in the /etc directory. Applications will typically have their own files in their own directories, usually under /usr/local or /usr/share.
Again, if I were picking out a new linux, I'd download and burn some of the major player's live CDs and give them a try. I'd probably pick the one that recognizes my hardware with the least difficulty.
There are two areas where linux really lags behind MS: hardware drivers and business software. The hardware makers typically make a linux driver as an afterthought, and in many cases have been prohibited from making linux drivers under contracts with MS - they get inside info about making drivers from MS in exchange. So, sometimes, when you install a linux, you will find that you will have a hard time getting it to work with your hardware.
In the last few years its been getting a lot better. The last install I did (on this very laptop), pretty much fell right into place and everything just worked.
As to the business software, OpenOffice (and several other packages) have gone a long way toward closing that gap, but Unix is primarily a developer's OS. It was made for developers to develop software on. As such it is very good at that. It is also a very good system for developing graphics, and video, and 3D, and etc..., and its a very good server OS. But, it still has a ways to go when it comes to writing a business letter.