I am a disgruntled Windows user(aren't all windows users?), looking to
migrate myself over to one of the free many Unicies which are around. I
have had GNU/Linux up and running in th form of a Knoppix hdinstall,
although I had constant problems with my modem driver, I was impressed
with th system as a whole, but I figure that most of what I saw as "th
system" was not th OS itself, but th software of top of it (X, KDE, OOo,
etc.), and I therefore figure that most software now compiles on most
Unicies.

One of th main problems I have had was the fear. In windows, I could use
it for simple things without thinking, so I got used to it, I found out
more and more, and eventually knew its ins and outs very well, and can
do pretty much whatever I need to/with it. When I started using
Knoppix(effectively Debian), I found that, whilst a lot of things can be
done through various semi-consistent tacked-on GUIs, and most anything
can be done from th shell, I wanted to just use it as my day-to-day
system first, without having to go into config files and re-start my GUI
just to change th screen resolution.

I need to be able to have it working and just *there*, so that I can
familiarise myself with it through use, and get to know it th same way I
got to know and love th quirky, bloated mess that is Win98se. Yes, I did
grow fond of all th little oddities, I grew to know which options had th
desired effect, which lied, and which did nothing at all, I came to have
a feel for how fresh th install has to be for a BSOD to actually be
recoverable short of going for th power. Windows became a good friend
and my worst nightmare, depending on its mood that day.

Now though, I am weary of having to use elaborate and fragile
workarounds to achieve the express purpose of certain features, and I
feel windows has grown weary of me demanding excessive reliability and
stamina from a 32-bit upgrade to a 16-bit frond-end to an 8-bit OS
written for a 4-bit processor by some 2-bit company which can't stand
one bit of competition. I need out.

I need somewhere to go to, I see UNIX, its power and its glory, its true
freedom, that is where I want to be. I started out this with th
intention of asking people to recommend a free(has to be all free
software, none of your RedHat here) UNIX which can run most free UNIX
software(read: all free software which runs on gnu/linux, I believe
NetBSD is quite good at that?). Pardon th unnecessary lengthiness, I do
talk a lot of billiards sometimes.

Thank you for any suggestions

boffy_b
--
\//_
C ._)
| _| - "It is amazing what you can
| |     accomplish if you do not
         care who gets the credit." - Anon