Re: Linux

>Rodney,
>
>To answer your questions:
>
>1. I ahev a little experience with Linux as an end user. I've used 
>it in the past and have a bsaci idea of how to do s7tuff, but I am 
>not a programmer. that's why I'm thinking I need a cosnultation.

I think your programmer skills are not a barrier here. Your abilities 
as your own "system administrator" are what is most important. You 
mention a desire to backup a hugh number of video files. Even without 
installing Linux, you could purchase another hard disk, install it in 
a vacant drive bay, partition/format it (even in the dreaded 
Windows), then copy your important data to it. If you have some PC 
install skills such as how to jumper a hard drive as a "slave" if 
appropriate, you may be more self-sufficient than you think.

>2. One of my concerns about my DVD burner are not the software so 
>much as the driver. when i used Linux before I had a DVD read-only 
>drvie that the Linux distro I was using only recognized as a CD 
>drive. I'm worried the same thing might happen with my burner, 
>especially since it isn't one of the big brands.

I assume you have an internal dvd burner which uses the IDE ATAPI 
interface. Under the older Linux with the 2.4.x.y kernel, there was a 
layer of code to emulate the SCSI inferface on top of the actual IDE 
ATAPI. With the newer 2.6.x.y kernel, the SCSI emulation has been 
eliminated and the low-level software goes directly to the IDE ATAPI 
level.

Your problem with a DVD-ROM recognized as only a CD-ROM was probably 
encounterred under a much older Linux kernel when support for the UDF 
file system ( used by DVD video and data ) support was not yet 
implemented in the linux kernel.

>3.  Know how I can contact Matt or Dylan? or, indeed, anyone with 
>the technical skills to get me set up? I don't have a lot of cash, 
>but I do need the software itself and probably some help setting 
>things up. (I have a drive that can be used for this purpose, but to 
>use it would porbably mean esasing about 90GB of data, almost all 
>video files, that are currently on it.)
>
>Michael Hopcroft

Here are e-mail addresses for some of the experts whom I personally know:

Dylan Reinhardt <[email protected]>
Robby Russell <[email protected]>
Matt King <[email protected]>

I am certain that they can either help you directly or refer you to a 
competent, skilled Linux expert. BTW, do you live in the east part of 
Portland. Most of these guys live around east Portland/Milauake area.

I cc'd the pdxlug list so we can keep the discussion on-line with 
other experts in our group. When you reply, please use the "reply 
all" option.

Rodney

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