Linux old school

Andrew HUSSEY

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Hello all

I've looked on some Linux history sites but can't see any reference to some experiences I can vaguely recall.

Some time ago, I used to install Linux on my PC and getting it going involved the following procedure.

  • Use an external modem on my PC to dial into my College VAX in the evening.
  • Connect to the FTP server and ftp.funet.fi (I think!)
  • Schedule the file transfer (a, b, c and so on FDD images)
  • Connect to the VAX the following night and drag down the diskette image
  • Repeat over several days to get a full set of disks ( limits were in place)
  • Write disk images to diskettes
  • Boot from diskette on PC and install
A week to do what I can now do in seconds but inexplicably I miss it and the sense of achievement.

Anyone know any more or had the same experience?

Cheers

Andrew
 


The only real PITA I've experienced installing Linux was when I thought I knew enough about Linux to even think I could install and use Arch Linux. :mad: :confused:

What an eye opener that was only to find out exactly what I didn't know about Linux. :confused:o_O

I did discover Revenge installer for Arch Linux although after installing Arch Linux I still was unable to get the necessary things accomplished.

Nope I'm an install and update OOTB Linux user and will continue to be as I want to enjoy using Linux and not spend my life trying to make Linux work.

Thank You Developers for Debian and Linux Mint and Ubuntu for the folks who just want to install and use Linux OOTB. :cool::);)
 
G'day Andrew and welcome to linux.org :)

Back in 2002, I was busily engaged in mining freeware and shareware under Windows. I used a site called CFS - https://www.completelyfreesoftware.com/

... still in existence, run by a fellow Aussie Graham Pockett.

Graham used to also distribute software on CDs he burned for a small price to meet costs. I helped him develop a Members Section with password entry and in return he gave me at half price 3 CDs of Mandrake Linux.

Distributions have been around since nearly the beginning, but perhaps they were called otherwise, Andrew?

Red Hat commenced in 1993, only a year or so after Linus Torvalds wrote the Linux Kernel. SUSE in 1994 and Mandrake in 1998.

Both Debian and Slackware commenced in 1993, but Debian's first stable release was not until 1996. So with the mid to late 90s, RPM-based Distros ruled the roost.

My closest experience with multiple diskettes was having to use around 50 or more 1.44 MB micro disks to perform backups and restorations under Windows.

Cheers

Chris Turner
wizardfromoz
 
I just checked if there was anything on the FTP server and it seems it's still there.

Can't see the disk images I used to download but maybe that's how I had to get them off the VAX.

Anyway, July 1991 and yes, this was before any distros even existed. It was the Linux Kernel for x386 and GNU on top. All command line.

http://ftp.funet.fi/pub/linux/historical/README
 
My goodness, now THAT'S interesting, Ta (pron. "tar" Aussie for thank you) for sharing, I will bookmark that :)

I am glad to see that included there was an Australian address for distribution :)

Cheers and

Avagudweegend.

Wiz
 
You guys are old lol. I can't imagine having to download anything for days. Then again, my generation are very good users but don't really understand what they wield. It's all very surface level.
 
I can’t understand why you want to do it old way. You want to play ? Try Linux from scratch! But computing is a technology which brinking the future . The sience that looking for past called archeology !
No offense ! Of course is up to you ho you will spent your time !
 
It's called reminiscing and it's not a sience [sic] as it has no purpose other than the fun of it. If you're too young to understand then just wait a few years, then a few more and you will. If the thread doesn't interest you then these aren't the droids you're looking for. Move along.

Sometimes however, it's good to know how something you have a passion for actually started as that can open your mind to what's possible for the future. I occasionally wonder that I can download a Linux distribution in minutes and have it installed and running on a virtual machine in a few more compared to the days when Unix was what you got books out the library on until some bloke in Finland wrote a Unix like kernel you could boot on an IBM compatible and experience first hand. Oooops…...I'm at it again. Sorry.

Right, that's enough. I'm off to finish building my LoraWAN project which someone will no doubt reminisce about in 40 years!
 


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