Boy, it's been a long time since we were in Army basic training, and we'd like to assure you that Basic Linux Training is much easier and more pleasant. Indeed, for anyone who wants to install and use Linux, but doesn't live near a LUG (Linux Users Group) where F2F help and advice is readily available from experienced local users, this is one heck of a fine mailing list to be on.

If you're not yet aware of Linux, click here to learn more. (The server is often overloaded, so if at first you don't get through, try try again.) Then, once you realize that yes, Virginia, there really is a PC OS that is better, more stable, and less hardware-hungry than Windows, you'll want to either download a free copy or buy a CD and try to install it and get it running.

And now the rubber meets the road. Someone, somewhere, who doesn't already have extensive Unix experience has probably gotten Linux running and configured the first time without help or frustration, but we have never met that person. For the rest of us, a first-time Linux install is much easier if we have someone we can turn to and yell "Help!!" when we get lost.

Someone, perhaps, like the friendly "drill sergeants" at BASIC LINUX TRAINING. Go ahead. Ask them anything. They'll happily answer.

And remember one thing -- this is a line we heard from a real Army drill sergeant back in about 1971 -- "The only stupid question is the one you don't ask."