What should I do in linux?

[SonOfAres]

Ok, step one is complete. I officially have Mandrake installed and running correctly. Now... what do I do? I love computers almost purely as a hobby and want to learn as much as I can. But I have no practicaly reason to use linux. I don't know a lot about it, but I don't really have anything to do. Until the cable guy comes, I'm stuck on AOL, so I can't get on the internet in linux (can I still download stuff in windows and put it in linux? I'm guessing no...). I really don't know what I should do. I pretty much just get on the internet and play games... and listen to music... so I'm thinking I really need WINE.
Ok so, any suggestions?

[ghostwalker]

You wanted something to do....

http://www.yolinux.com/TUTORIALS/LinuxTutorialAOL.html

Give this a try.....

[canon006]

If you're dual booting, you should be able to read data from you windows partition, should be able to mount it with something like -

mount /dev/hda# /mnt/windows

Where /dev/hda# is your windows partition.

As for other things to do in linux, there's tons of games that should have been included with your distro on the cd's, you said you're using Mandrake so all you have to do is open the Mandrake Control Center and go to Software Management -> RpmDrake, in there you'll be able to search for games or just dig through a list of what you have on your install discs. If that doesn't get you going, just go in and poke around in the files, see what you can find, make some files, move 'em around, delete a few(not as root of course), try creating some users, basicly just see if you can get done what you would normally do in windows without an internet connection until you get your cable connection.

[mage492]

Well, I started learning the command line interface. If you want to be amazed, start looking at the tools you have from there. My personal favorites:

FTP program. If some other box on my network has it, I can get it.

Mail. It's amazing when your computer tells you that you've got mail the moment you log in. (Of course, I havent figured out what kind of address it gives me, but it's still cool!)

Telnet/SSH. The ultimate in coolness...

If you want to learn about the nuts and bolts of Linux (or computers in general), I've found the best way is to turn off your GUI. It's amazing how much you can do without it. It's scary, at first, but once you get the hang of it...

Oh, in case you want to get actual WORK done, I would recommend any of the various office suites (OpenOffice, etc.). If you're on a network, Webmin is an easy way to administer it.

Basically, think of everything you did with Windows. There are equivalents (or even better versions) of just about everything.

Welcome to Linux!

[RWiggum]

Games? Try installing the Linux version of one of the classic FPSs - UT, UT2k3, Q3A. Compare to performance under Windows. Got an nVidia card? Learn how to install their Linux driver and tweak its performance via settings in /etc/X11/XF86Config. Don't know what XF86Config is? Open a terminal and do:
'man XF86Config' (without the ' '.)

Once you get internet access of the non-AOL variety, you can see a lot of the really nice features of Linux. Get the latest version of Mozilla or Firebird from mozilla.org. Go to these articles: (1 (http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/4/26843.html)) and (2 (http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/55/27998.html)) and start learning about securing your system, as well as making your internet usage more secure and less irritating. With Mozilla you can have complete control over pop-ups, cookies, and your cache. And yes, you can download something with your Windows AOL browser and then transfer it over to your Linux partition. Learn how to use the 'mount' command to access your Win partition(s) while running Linux.

Learn networking. Got multiple computers? Buy or make a cross-over ethernet cable, or get a switch/router and get your boxes talking to each other. Set up IP addresses for each one, (hint: use 192.168.0.x where x is between 1 and 254). Start with ping, then try to get ssh going to move files among your computers.

Convert your spreadsheets and text documents to OpenOffice's XML format. That way your work isn't locked in a Microsoft format. They'll also have on-the-fly compression so they take up much less space.

When in doubt, play some Tux Racer. Get your OpenGL driver working first, though.

Note - I've left out substantial amounts of technical info to make any of this work. In fact, it took me about six months of tinkering to be able to do most of it. I'm just supplying you with some leads that might get your imagination going. Google for Linux (http://www.google.com/linux) is your friend.

Have fun!

[jlmb]

Seeing your post count (144) and your post together looks kinda odd to me. By reading your post i would think you just installed linux for the firts time but your post count tells me you have dedicated some time to linux, at least hanging in justlinux.
I would expect that kind of post from a post count around (1-30). Well just a comment....i found it curious.
:D :D

Now, regarding your post:

Do whatever you feel like doing!! =), automated backups; customize your CL, WM; try different WMs; write shell scripts. Put yourself a goal and try to achieve it.
Just enjoy the beaty of open source variaty and functionality :D

[afterthefall]

You could always try a new distribution. Hell...half the fun of linux is installing it and everything that comes with it. We're all tinkerers by nature, so I'd suggest trying to learn as much as you can from Mandrake, then move on to a more advanced distribution.

Information is power....soak up everything you can learn about anything. CLI, various WMs, hardware, software...whatever. This is your world now, and you can do with your computer whatever YOU want. I know that takes some getting used to at first, but I honestly have no need for games anymore, now that I always have far more entertaining, valuable, and most of all...PRODUCTIVE... to toy with. With some luck, you may find yourself in the same position.

Good luck and assimilate every bit of information you can find!

-dSb

[deanrantala]

What do do you do in linux?
Or what cn you do?
Its really a matter of what can't I do in linux.
But lets see...

1) you can play your music.(and if your using a newer mandrake, you don't need to mount the drive - mandrake does that for you)
2)wathc DVD's
3)play frozen bubbles
4)surf the internet (once you ditch the evil AOL)
5)edit images
6)host an fpt site or even a web site
7)play frozen bubbles
8)edit pictures
9)Edit and creat home movies
10)Burn those movies to SVCD's or even DVD's
11)download tons of FREE mp3's with peer to peer (except without he spyware)
12)Create a financial database
13)create web pages, presentations, and spreadsheets.
14)play frozen bubbles

can anyone else think of anything else:)

[glussier]

I pretty much just get on the internet and play games... and listen to music... so I'm thinking I really need WINE


If those, are the only things you are doing with a computer, I don't see why you want to move to linux. Wine is a software kludge, and anybody who'll tell you that games run better with Wine than in their natural environment is lying to you. If the purpose of installing Linux, was that you envy people being able to run Tuxracer, note that there is a window version available, as there are versions of gimp, openoffice and so on available for windows.

If you want to learn something, you can get AOL working under linux, check http://www-jerry.oit.duke.edu/linux/HOWTO/AOL_dialup_howto.html.

One of the best tools available to Linux users is http://www.google.com/linux

That said, if you really want to learn something about Linux or what's available in Linux, Welcome aboard!