getting started with linux

[Daniel Dalton]

Willem van der Walt wrote:
> On Fri, 10 Aug 2007, Daniel Dalton wrote:
>
>   
>> Hi,
>> I am learning to program in c and I am looking to buy a machine to run 
>> linux.
>> So I just have some questions.
>> 1. I will just be doing the following:
>> using a text editor,
>> using gcc,
>> using the web and email a little bit,
>> Using the rockbox compilers I will install
>> and I will also be copying files to and from USB  drives.
>>
>> So my question is what sort of machine will I need? Would one with 633 
>> mhz cpu 128 mb of ram and a 10 gb hard drive work. 
>>     
> Yes, although more ram when compiling helps, it should work.
>
> I am just getting into this so I don't need the best results but would that run
>  speak up and Linux fine?
> Yes as long as you have a sound card supported by Linux or a hardware 
> synth supported by speakup.
>   

So just using  a text editor, compiler and make file will work on a 
machine like this?

>> 2. Does speak up give me access to everything in linux including the 
>> command line interface?
>>     
> The command-line interface is what speakup gives access to.
> If you want graphical access your machine would be too small for a modern 
> Linux anyway.
> The command-line is all you need to use gcc which you can install from 
> your Linux cd.
>   


> Does the command line have an accessible text editor? Also what is the graphical interface?
>   

>> 3. What is a good text editor for programming on linux? I need one that 
>> does the indentation as well as saves with unix style line endings.
>>     
> There are many. Most of these can be configured to do what you want and 
> will 
> by default save in the UNIX format.
>
>   

> Do you know of any good ones? And how would I install them and run them?

6. How hard is speak up to install?
> There are speakup-modified distributions.  If you use one of those, it is 
> not that difficult.
> I think ubuntu 7.4 is currently the easyest, but there are several 
> options.
>
> Ok and where would I get linux from to install on to my machine? If it came with win 98 could I remove this and install linux? If so how? And would I be able to search the internet for programming stuff as well as send and receive email on  this type of machine?
And one more question what sound card will I need. If I have the right 
sound card will speakup work with it and come with a synthesizer?

Thanks for all your help and if you could answer these questions I would 
greatly appreciate it.

--
Daniel Dalton