Re: Linux

Let us continue then, ads "Springtime for Hitler" plays in the 
background ("The prodcuers" original broadway Cast album....)

Rodney Mishima wrote:

>> 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.
>
I currently have no drvie bays vacant. I have been wanting to buy an 
extra external hard drive and attach it to one of my USB ports, but have 
lacked the funds being on a disability pension.

>> 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.
>
Good to know. I suspect both my drives 9a 160GB and a 100 GB) would have 
to be formatted, which exascerbates the problem of what to do with all 
those video files.

> 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.
>
Sounds about right, actually. i don't remember the kernel I used, but it 
was a while ago 9about two years, i think). Of course, recordables 
provide an additional problem in that reagrd.

>> 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]>
>
Thanks.

> 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 live in Downtown Portland. And unfortunately the PDXLUg meetings 
conflict with another meeting I have to be at every month. Since the 
group will literally fall apart without me, I have darn little choice in 
the matter.

> 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.
>
Will do, thanks, although i wonder how on-topic this is.

> Rodney


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