On Wed, 21 Feb 2007 19:34:28 -0600, Nate Bargmann
wrote:

On Wed, 21 Feb 2007 15:58:38 +0000, John Ferrell wrote:

I would like to run my windows and dos software on my Linux machine
with NTFS support, attached to my LAN. I want to be able to install &
delete hardware and software with processes that behave in a
consistent manner. I should be able to use my PIC programmers and my
ham radio software with out tinkering.

I'm sure you understand this, but others may not realize that Linux is not,
nor was ever intended to be a drop-in replacement for Windows of any
vintage. It is intended as a freely available Unix work-alike although many
efforts have resulted in some good ability to run Windows software through
emulation.

Until that happens with Linux I am locked into an XP machine and a
Win 98 machine in the configuration. I don't want to discourage the
Linux community but at this time it is best suited to the business
user where a few applications on a number of systems will get the job
done.

It's not ever going to happen in that manner. Linux is its own entity and
does that very well, just like the Mac is its own entity. There are
similarities between all systems, but again, Linux is not nor was ever
intended as a bug-for-bug replacement of Windows capable of running Windows
software unmodified. A lot of people, including myself, use Linux as our
desktop and are quite satisfied with no Windows in sight.

I'm sorry if you were led to believe that Linux is a software compatible
replacement for Windows. It's not.

73, de Nate
I did not mean to be critical of Linux, I just could not restrain the
urge to expose my wish list!

John Ferrell W8CCW