[ale] Trying to make the switch to Linux

[Nathan J. Underwood]

If this isn't the right place to get answers [about Linux], we're all in trouble
:-D.  Congrats on the decision to switch, by the way.  I'll try to answer the
basic questions that you've got, but the other folks in here are much more adept
at any more difficult questions that you may have. 

 - If it's a Dell, you can usually go to http://support.dell.com , plug in the
service tag number (it'll be on the bottom of the laptop, probably), and get all
of the juicy info about it (type of processor, amt of RAM, etc.).  It will only
show you the stuff that it was purchased with, though.  This will be a good
place to find the processor info (since it's unlikely to have changed)

 - I've been very impressed with Open Office.  I've used it to open not only
older MS Office documents / spreadsheets / etc., but I've also had a good bit of
luck with newer [Office XP] documents.  The only problems that I've noticed (few
and far between, mind you) have been with some of the formatting. 

 - d-link wireless care, I would suspect will be supported, but you may wanna
check around with some of the guru's around here.  If it's made, somebody here
has most likely tried it

 - I would wager that you'll be able to print to the HP OfficeJet 720, I've had
very good luck printing to most HP printers, and most Lexmark printers.

I hope this helps.  If nothing else, maybe it'll spur a couple of the other
folks along ;-)

Nathan J. Underwood

Quoting Michael Hartman <sailhartman at comcast.net>:

> All,
> I've got an older Dell Latitude laptop that has NT 4.0 on it.  I'm sick of
> the instability and memory errors.  I went out and bought SuSE Linux Personal
> 8.2 yesterday at Best Buy.  Before installing it I've got a couple of basic
> questions (This is primarily my wife's computer now and she's pissed her
> email keeps getting messed up):
> ---How do I ensure that my laptop is Pentium, thus eligible for the software?
>  I tried checking the properties tab and it just says x86 Family .....,
> AT/ATCompatible ....  At first I thought this meant it was a 486...but upon
> checking my current laptop which is pentium III, I discovered that they said
> nearly the same thing.
> ---The disks have openoffice.org on it too...I will be able to use my older
> excel files still, right?
> ---Will I be able to hook my laptop into my d-link wireless network at home
> still (di-713P with dwl-650 cards?)
> ---Will I be able to still print to my HP OfficeJet 720?
> 
> If this isn't the right place to post this, let me know.  Linux.com said I
> should reag out to my local groups pre-installing.
> 
> Thanks for your help!
> Michael


-- 
Nathan J. Underwood
nathan at cybertechcafe.net
http://www.cybertechcafe.net
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