home

what we do

what linux is

getting linux

contacting us

opportunities

subscribe to a list

next meeting

previous meetings

members articles

linux-entrepreneurs

supporting us and ac-knowledgments

distribution eval

cpu-and-board tests

book reviews

program evaluation

beta tests

start

links::

linux-computers

linux training courses

linux device driver program

Program Evaluation:

Evaluation of Redhat Linux 9 on Athlon based board with nvidia nForce2 chipset – NF7-M by Abit:

Redhat Linux 9.0 is the latest stable distribution from Redhat Inc. Redhat Linux 9.0 Professional comes with 60 days installation support and consists of:-

3 Operating Systems (binary) CDs,

3 Source-code CDs,

1 Documentation CD,

1 Multimedia and Office Applications CD,

1 Redhat-Linux 9 DVD (which incorporates all the above).

The distribution also contains the following manuals:

• A getting started guide of 162 pages,

• A customization guide of 283 pages,

• An installation guide of 127 pages,

• A reference guide of 295 pages.

top

Redhat 9 comes with a large range of high quality programs. The main ones include:

Linux Kernel 2.4.20

KDE 3.1

KOffice 1.2

OpenOffice 1.0.2

Cups 1.1.17

gcc 3.2

GIMP 1.2.3

Gnome 2.2

Gnome Meeting 0.93.1-4

gPhoto2 2.1.0

Mozilla 1.2.1

XFree86 4.3.0

Xsane-gimp

In addition 'server' programs such as

PostgreSQ:L 7.3.2(database)

Sendmail 8.12(mail server)

and many more are included.

Redhat now seems committed to desktop Linux. The 'desktop' today is rightly more than office 'word-processing'. Indeed for a modern computer with audio and video functions, the term 'Media-Station' is probably a more appropriate description then desktop-computer. Thus for Linux to succeed here, audio and video must function to at least as good as the proprietary competition. The user interface must also (of course) be intuitive.

Our Tests:

Redhat 9 professional was installed on a (Basis Volume supplied ) computer with the following features:

Mainboard: ABit NF7M wityh nvidia nForce2 ASIC

CPU: AMD AthlonXP 2600+

Main memory: 512 Mbytes -PC3200 DDR DRAM

VGA: nvidia Geforce4 up to 128 Mbytes can be allocated from main memory

Hard disk: 80 Gbytes Samsung 7200rpm ATA133.

Network interface: on-board Realtek 8201BL (physical layer)

Samsung combined DVDROM/CDR (x52)

Audio: nForce2 MCP2-T Dolby digital 5.1 cinematic quality sound)

Monitor: Video7 15 inch TFT LCD multimedia display

Scanner: Epson Perfection 1260 USB scanner

Printer: Epson C42UX USB inkjet printer

USB keyboard and Mouse

Modem connexant HCF winmodem

Problems encountered:

Redhat9 still used a terminal-based booting screen from the days of old. This is fine for seasoned Linux user, but can seem like a throwback to the days of MSDOS to new users who Linux need to attract. Hopefully in future versions, Redhat will follow other Linux distributions like SuSE and Mandrake and provide a graphical boot screen.

top

RedHat 9 : Good Features

The Installation:

The installation took about 18 minutes. The VGA interface, allocated video memory, display type, scanner, printer, mouse, etc. were automatically detected. All devices (with the exception of the win-modem ) were detected and configured at the second stage of installation.

Post installation the following tests were done successfully:

• The scanner was tested using Gimp-Xsane and Kooka

• The CDR was tested using KonCD and XCDRoast

• The Printer was tested using CUPS printing from Open Office and from Gimp.

• Though a win-modem was fitted I was able to download a Linux-driver from connexant and used KPPP to connect to the Internet very smoothly.

The Desktop also included an Icon labeled 'Start Here'. This icon opens up menus labeled Applications, Preferences, Server Settings and System Settings. The latter is an intuitive GUI interface for VGA and display configuration as well as sound-interface configuration. It also has menus for Mouse, Keyboard, Package-management and Printer configuration. Previous GUI tools for Network, Firewall configurations as well as User/Group Administration are present. The standard KDE control centre is part of the Applications menu.

Redhat 9 on AthlonXP-based Abit NF7-M

This board family was released in November 2002 and has undergone some development. This board has a number of high quality features which make it ideal for high-quality low cost Linux-based workstations/mediastations:

1. It has an integrated Gforce4 MX (with up to 128 Mbytes RAM allocatable from main memory)

2. It has USB2 /USB1 (up to 6 usb devices can be connected) (Some versions have firewire and serial ATA)

3. It has integrated 10/100 Ehernet based on the Realtek 8X00 chipset.

4. It has high quality audio (cinematic quality surround sound output )

The installation of Redhat9 (indeed any Linux) on this board was undertaken tantatively. Many problems were expected. But no major ones to date have been encountered. In contrast this board presented many problems installing Windows XP. For the latter the major problem was with the USB interface, the board and chipset manufacturers are not allowed to ship the USB2 drivers. A 600 Mbytes download of a 'service pack' is required together with some arcane installation procedures. There was also a problem with the VGA interface, The one provided by the manufacture was 'rejected'.

Linux will make major inroads on the so-called desktop not least because of its collaborative open approach and the 'inbuilt' cost/terms of proprietary offerings as outlined above.

top

For information on pricing please contact Redhat.. For price and availability or machine using Redhat Linux please contact Basis Volume Limited . Redhat 9 will be also used for standard lab exercises in our training centre .

For Linux training and consultancy please contact b-lux seminars.

TT