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Linux (part 2) - not for the faint-hearted

Previously I have contended that Linux could be challenging for the novice home user, mainly due to the difficulties that can be encountered on installation and setup. However, here I am posting from my 'new' Linux environment and really enjoying it. There is no doubt that everything seems to run much faster in this environment as I guess it is a lot more lightweight and this makes it a more pleasant experience. However, the wireless network is still not functioning so I am unfortunately wired to a desk and not free to roam around the house. In fact, many hours have been spent getting to this point. I have learned more about wireless networks, encryption, MAC addresses, port forwarding on routers (for remote assistance), Linux command line commands etc than I ever thought I wanted to know. Installing Linux can actually be a great learning experience if you come across any problems and have a streak of stubbornness in you! It can also be a great introduction to the Linux community. I have been amazed at the amount of support people from this community are prepared to give. As long as you do have access to the Internet, some sort of help is not too far away. Being located in Australia can pose some timing problems but this is an extremely active global community. As I write this, there is an expert in Canada willing to give up his time and remotely connect into my pc to do some diagnostics with me. I think this says a lot for the power of social networks, the Web in general and the generosity of people around the world. Cheers, Jerry.

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