Re: Newbie comments & queries

["Ian Balchin" <fables@imaginet.co.za>]

OK, thanks to all the replies (a busy list!).

Karsten, I read you first so will answer only once, but thanks to 
Paolo & Rob as well, lots of useful tips from  you all.

m/c = machine

I use a dialup, am waiting for a s/h modem that is coming my way, 
28.8 whatever it was that compaq bought out and shut down. Friend-
owner selling house and returning to US (Florida, talk about 
jumping out of the frying pan into the fire!)

I own a bookshop so will work on the buy a book suggestion.

I'll stickwith 2.2 Rev3 for now

scpi - command not found, must be in a package that is not loaded

Right serial port? /dev/ttyS[0|1] - for sure.  there could not be 
another combination of mouse protocol & port that I did not try, 
but i did select a ps2 at install, so will go for serial mouse 
this time

I am going to do another install which will get the sound card 
right, and I can get the error message for the lp switches. It 
will also get me the mouse right - i have a serial one to hand

> Do:
> 
>     $ cat /proc/pci
> ...and look for something matching your card (this is a virtual
> file that lists devices on the system's PCI bus).

I find

Bus 0, device 9, function 0
VGA compatible controller: Silicon Integrated Systems Unknown 
Device (rev 33)

Karsten, is the Trident a better bet than the SiS? I will install 
it for an install this evening to see if we can run all the way 
thru.  Am short on memory (16Mb only) and it is the older type 
that only rich people can afford now.

> > 6. My PS2 mouse does not work on this machine (not in dos either,
> > so maybe the port is broken) so how do I change this to a plain
> > serial mouse? In XF86Setup I cannot get the serial mouse to go
> > with _any_ settings either.
> 
> It's a ps2 mouse, on psaux.  If nothing else:
> 
>     $ cat /dev/psaux
>     # wiggle the mouse

cat: /dev/psaux: No such device

I think the port is dysfunctional. Pity, I found another PS2 mouse 
at a fete yesterday, Genius 3-button model, like new for R2.00 
($0.22)

Have to go, thunder I lightning and the UPS is doing its thing.

I will tackle the printing problem after a reinstall this evening 
that hopefully will see me sound/mouse/video operational.

New stupid question. I stay out of root (load as tty5 always) 
unless necessary. Can I poweroff out of a user account or give 
myself permission to do so?

Thanks a lot, will be back.

Ian
   Ian Balchin
   ------------------------------------------------------------------
   Fables Bookshop, 119 High Street, Grahamstown, 6139, South Africa
   email  fables@imaginet.co.za 
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