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source code UNIXHelp a Friend Get Online, Cheap
By Bob Gray
Bob Gray is co-founder of Boulder Labs, a digital video company.
Designing architectures for performance has been his focus since he
built an image processing system on UNIX in the late 1970s. He has a
PhD in computer science from the University of Colorado.
The useful life of a computer in the business world is about three years. After that, current versions of mainstream office software run sluggishly on old hardware. The industry is geared toward getting companies to replace perfectly good hardware for the latest, fastest, biggest equipment. (Reminds me of the '60s and '70s, when many would replace their new cars every few years.) So here's the plan: We're going to find some older equipment and install Source Code UNIX software on it. Then we'll configure it in a way to give your friend or relative the capabilities he or she needs. We'll discuss how to connect to the Internet at an appropriate price/capability level. Disclaimer: The ideas presented here are not meant to balance your personal time/money equation. Think of this proposal as an "exercise for the student" or as time invested in a hobby. (Otherwise, you might instead spend your energy on payable consulting and with the proceeds just buy an iMac outright for your friend.) Is This Heresy? For your friend who has more surplus time than cash, there are alternatives to buying that new, flashy, well-advertised, $2000 Wintel system. One reasonable option for some is the new $1300 Apple iMac. And the sub $1000 Wintel systems will probably be available by Christmas. Source Code UNIX running on one-generation-old equipment is a good solution for many. You and I know that the Pentium-133 of 1995 runs UNIX just fine. For those who primarily surf the Web and use email, more power, large memories, and huge disks are just a waste. We may be concerned about putting the combination in the hands of a novice, but I surmise that keeping such a system running for a novice is about the same amount of work as keeping a new Windows 98 system running for the same person. Further, your friend won't be faced with the constant upgrade costs for the OS, word processing, spreadsheets, and other applications. Once a UNIX system is set up, it should run trouble-free. It can be left on, ready to use any time like most household appliances. Your friend won't be faced with the problems typical of Wintel systems -- constant crashes and the periodic, time-consuming "reloading" the system. Yes, there is potentially tons to learn about a UNIX system but you are going to spoon feed the required pieces to the novice. People's learning and coping skills are amazing -- they can handle UNIX with about the same effort that doing the same tasks on other systems requires. Many applications in the Ports Collection probably will be useful to your friend. The October ;login: article, "Application Software: Ports and Packages" <www.boulderlabs.com> describes many of these programs. Some of the likely candidates include the general image manipulation software, GIMP (similar to Photoshop), drawing programs like TGIF; plotting packages such as GNUPLOT; spreadsheet software such as sc or oleo; editors, including the WYSIWYG Textedit; and a large collection of games. A small amount of experimenting with the window manager configuration should yield something that our novice will be happy with. (If necessary, you can configure fvwm to mimic Win 95.) What about word processing? If they need word processing (and a printer), things become more complicated (as it does for commercial software.) Fortunately, several office packages run just fine on Linux or the BSD variants. StarOffice, Applix and Corel are the primary suppliers for this add-on, commercial software. They are reasonably priced; some are free from the Internet. Getting the Equipment First, let's outline the assumptions. We're trying to get a basic amount of functionality without spending lots of your friend's money. They are going to use this system for personal use; none of it is business-critical. Make sure they could live with the inconvenience of losing their system as a result of hardware failure. (You'll teach them how to save their precious things on floppies.) It's not a software-development machine or graphics workstation; these are beyond the scope of this article. Your friend will be patient while various things get ironed out. You have some spare time to build and to configure the system and, then, some time to help and advise. I suggest finding a low-end Pentium machine. Sure, there can be exceptions; you might happen to have some spare Alphas around that could run Linux, or you might have a working SparcStation-2 running SunOs4.x that is ready to be donated. But for most, let's find that Pentium. Some of the 486s, given enough memory, will work fine, but if you don't already have one to use, I wouldn't bother with something that old. A Pentium-90 or Pentium-133 with 24-32 MB is a good choice. Here is where the initiative comes in; depending on the available budget, you or your friend might want to visit companies to obtain this hardware. A nice, friendly attitude at the right place and time could result in a gift. (After all, what's the company going to do with machines that can no longer run Microsoft Office 98 ?) Maybe $50 would make their accountants happy. Larger companies sometimes sanction obsolete-equipment sales for employees and for the public. Here is an opportunity to negotiate price. You could look in the classified section, but often people think that because a system cost them $3,000 three years ago, it is worth half that today -- False! Think 5%, certainly no more than 10%. Used computer stores have appropriate equipment. They tend to be expensive, but it's worth a try. Department stores, OfficeMax, etc., periodically need to clear out unused obsolete models and display equipment. Hunt around. Deals abound for leftovers. I'm looking at a flier now (early October) that advertises a Cyrix 133/32MB/2.1GB/33.6Fax/32xCD/14"SVGA for $539. If the graphics card is acceptable, this is everything needed. For a little more, there is a K6 233MHz MMX, S3 ViRGE 4MB video, 32MB/2.5GB/32xCD/33.6 system for $699. It still needs a monitor (anywhere from an extra $100 to $1000), but it's a very hot machine for Source Code UNIX -- enough power even for most developers. The Internet offers resources for new equipment. I like <http://www.insight.com>. These guys pick up retailers' and manufacturers' surplus equipment for a song and try to unload it quickly for a profit. They have a number of Pentium II (233, 266, 333) systems for under $1000. You'll need to add a monitor. These systems don't really qualify as "obsolete" hardware, but they might suit some people who have some money. Push their "specials" tab, then go to "inventory blowout." Fill in the form with category "Computer Systems" and a maximum price. This will pop up a list of systems such as IBM Aptiva, Compaq Presario, HP Vectra, and others. Look at the technical specifications and the stocking status. You'll see choices in the $500 - $800 range. They also have an auction system for the adventuresome. Note the risks of buying off-brand or non-warranted equipment; if something breaks, you're on your own. Check out the "computers" section of <http://www.surplusdirect.com> for new and refurbished equipment in all price ranges. Their new $549 Worldnet 7416 with a 233MHz K6 is a good candidate. These guys also have auctions. Other good places to shop include <http://www.streetprices.com> and <http://www.pricewatch.com>. My June ;login: article, "PC Hardware for Source Code UNIX" <http://www.boulderlabs.com>, lists many other Web sites. Most Pentium, AMD or Cyrix hardware will work fine with Source Code UNIX. As I mentioned in the June article, the problem areas are mostly cheap, off-brand video cards and some Plug-and-Play devices. Some early research or try-before-buy attitude will save later headaches. Loading and Configuring the System for Basic Capabilities Get your software distribution CDs ready. The favorite supplier for Linux is RedHat 5.1 for $50. For those preferring a BSD UNIX, consider FreeBSD 2.2.7 (or 2.2.8 by the time this is published) for $40. The main Web locations for Source Code UNIX are (you'll need software from only one of these): <http://www.linux.org>, <http://www.infomagic.com>, <http://www.redhat.com>, <http://www.caldera.com>, <http://www.freebsd.org>, <http://www.netbsd.org>, and <http://www.openbsd.org>. My article in August ;login:, "Loading Source Code UNIX," goes over the general operations that are needed to bring up the system. This section augments it with material oriented towards getting certain capabilities for the novice. The first issue to handle is: What "look and feel" do we want for our friend? If the person has been exposed to Windows, it may be best to try to mimic that GUI. You can get the "Explorer" look and feel with programs such as xfm. Hackers have munged the fvwm2 window manager to look like Windows 95. Lots of the idioms, such as window frames and task bars, are present. There are file managers that allow drag-and-drop operations. I don't think it's very important to tightly copy the Windows 95 environment, but this issue is open for discussion and experimentation. For the novice who hasn't been "preconditioned," there are choices. Fvwm and ctwm are both good window managers that can handle everything a novice needs. You, the instructor, have the opportunity to teach whatever you believe in. For example, I prefer windows that activate when the cursor is placed in them versus the click-to-type kind. I hate "autoraise" windows, and I program F1 and F2 to raise or lower the window that the cursor is in. I would avoid features that can get a person lost, such as a virtual window manager that allows you to scroll to empty desktops. The aesthetic decisions go on and on -- you get the idea. This is the easy stuff. How are you going to teach file manipulation? Drag and drop for everything or possibly some command line operations? How will the user back up precious files to floppy? Sorry, I don't have all the answers -- it depends a lot on the user. How will they browse the Net? The current versions of Netscape are memory pigs, but they probably represent the best option. I'd stick with the slightly smaller Netscape Navigator that doesn't have as much bloatware as Netscape Communicator, unless you want the mail system and a news reader all in one. The standard versions come with 40-bit encryption. Some financial institutions (<http://www.vanguard.com> for example) require the much stronger 128-bit encryption to access customers' data. Find out what your friend intends to browse to learn if the US-limited, strong encryption version is necessary. What mail system makes sense for a novice? I know of many beginners who do just fine with Pine. I swear by exmh and don't think it would be too hard for a smart, noncomputer person. Lots of people like using the mail facility in Netscape. What editor will you set up? I think there are many choices better than vi. Consider Textedit, Jot and other modeless editors. The office packages discussed in the next section offer other choices. You probably should set up your friend as a normal user; I think you would regret starting them as root. For operations for which they need more privileges, give them the sudo command or make some suid programs. But don't flood them with too much superfluous information too soon. You probably want their login scripts to start a window manager that has icons for mail and Netscape. Other processes such as xclock and calendar might also be useful. You should "know your audience." You decide how much or how little they can handle. There are individuals that will never feel comfortable with computers and software -- even Macintoshes. Maybe you won't want to get involved with such cases. Others, like my 12-year-old niece, can handle just about anything. When the family Wintel machine crashed and burned, she had no hesitation wiping the disk and reloading. If this non-geek girl can get that far with Wintel, she won't have any problem with a "real" operating system. Connecting to the Internet Internet Service Providers (ISPs) are everywhere. Some advertise heavily, others are discovered by word of mouth. Most ISPs offer part-time dial-up connectivity (10-15 hours) for about $10 per month and a bigger plan or unlimited usage for $20 or so a month. In general, I would suggest using Point to Point Protocol (PPP). Just about every ISP can deals with PPP, and the protocol can handle dynamically assigned IP addresses. How does one choose a service provider? I would evaluate the following factors as a function of the price:
PPP SetupModems, IP addresses, routing, and name services might be the most difficult and frustrating part of the whole ordeal. You have to know a little about a lot of stuff to get it all working. Here's where the help services of a good ISP can make a difference. They might have good written instructions or patient, competent technical support people. Before you try connecting, you must have several pieces of information:
PPP has some black magic in it. With luck, you'll get IP connectivity with no problem. Otherwise you'll need to try things, read manuals and FAQs, and get help. The ConnectionSince we are talking cheap here, you probably won't be setting up frame relay or ISDN. For most novices, basic modem speeds of 28.8K or 33.6K will be just fine. But if your ISP has 56K, you have a capable modem (they are now called v.90), and the phone lines between you are capable if it, you might as well have the faster speed. (Note that a large percentage of people cannot use 56K because of the Telco infrastructure.) In my area (US West territory), ADSL is making a big splash. For about $65 per month, you get your regular voice line and Internet access at speeds of 256K and up. You have some significant up-front costs, but thereafter you've got a great setup. Word Processing and Other Applications The big stumbling block for UNIX has been word processing or compatibility with the rest of the word-processing world. I used to think that if you wanted Microsoft application capability under UNIX, you had to run an emulator such as the commercial, expensive SoftWindows. Then you had also to buy the Microsoft applications. I found the whole combination was marginal. Just recently I discovered StarOffice <http://www.stardivision.com> that gives you a word processor, a spreadsheet and other applications that have the "look and feel" of Microsoft Word and Excel. (Thank goodness the look and feel lawsuit didn't stand!) These applications not only mimic the expensive commercial ones, they also allow full interchange of documents and material with the commercial ones. So you can receive a Word document, modify it and send it back in Word format. The Word and Excel products are full-featured; if you can do it under Microsoft, you can do it under StarOffice. The PowerPoint like application currently can only read Microsoft's format. They hope by the end of the year to be writing that format too. StarDivision claims: "StarOffice guarantees the direct collaboration with Microsoft Office, without requiring any additional measures." Now the best part; a non-commercial, personal use version is free from the Internet. If you want their CD set and printed manuals, it's only $40 (this saves a 60MB Internet download.) Applix <http://www.applix.com> offers Applixware, which gives you word processing and spreadsheets, but doesn't try to look exactly like Microsoft. It has filters to deal with the Microsoft formats. Applixware Office Suite 4.3.7 comes with word processor, spreadsheet, presentation graphics, email, and HTML authoring for $99.95. OpenLinux from Caldera ships with the free graphical KDE desktop environment, StarOffice 4.0 suite, Netscape Communicator, and the Linux 2.0.35 kernel for $59. WordPerfect is available for Linux and the BSDs. It represents a viable option to Word and is the mainstay of the legal profession. LyX is a front-end for the document processing system LaTeX. It has lots of WYSIWYG features that bring the system closer to its word-processing competitors, while preserving the amazing flexibility of raw LaTeX. People doing word processing are going to want a printer -- probably an inexpensive ink-jet printer rather than an easier-to-deal-with and more expensive Postscript printer. It used to be hard to drive these couple-hundred-dollar printers from UNIX, but things are rapidly improving. The Ghostscript system can print to a wide variety of low-end printers, including the HP InkJets, the Cannon BubbleJets, Epsons, and others. See <http://www.cs.wisc.edu/~ghost/printer.html> for a list of models. The list of useful free or inexpensive software that can run on these systems is endless. There are programs to balance checkbooks, track stocks, run image scanners, and manipulate audio. The games doom, chess, backgammon and others are all available. Once your friend handles the basics of surfing and emailing, you can enhance their software suite. Conclusion In today's world, the people without Web access and email are at a disadvantage. Plenty of people on tight budgets cannot afford to spend a grand or so on nonessential stuff. Even if you have significant disposable income and could give a computer system, a large circle of friends or too many siblings, in-laws, cousins, etc. could bankrupt you. Alternatively, you might find it challenging and fun to build a useful resource for people you care about. Maybe I've given you some ideas for your holiday list. Thanks to Tom Poindexter, Rob Kolstad, and Steve Gaede.
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First posted: 1st February 1999 jr Last changed: 2 Feb 1999 jr |
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