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Defenestrating Windows (Part 4)
(continuation)

The light at the end of the tunnel

With the announcement of a new version of XFree86 that incorporated a font-server that supported scalable fonts, I felt a surge of hope that my Netscape-ugliness problem might soon be a distant memory. So I downloaded and installed the latest XFree86 -- but for some reason, it didn't seem to help Netscape.

The real breakthrough came with the arrival of Red Hat 7.1 which, of course, includes up-to-date versions of GNOME, KDE, XFree86 (including a working font-server), and -- as I was about to discover -- a later version of Netscape than the one I'd been struggling with for the past year.

To be sure I hadn't created any bogus problems, I backed up my valuable data and performed a "new install" of Red Hat 7.1. This way, I'd be clearing away the residue of all my previous experiments and starting fresh.

The installation process went smoothly, and my system booted crisply with the new Linux 2.4 kernel that is a standard feature of RH 7.1. Wanting to be sure networking and the Internet were installed properly, I tried out my "favorite" browser -- Netscape. Not expecting anything to be different, since Linux Netscape seemed frozen in time like some prehistoric mammoth buried in ice at the North Pole, I configured and tested Netscape's email client and checked it out.

I tried sending an email. Imagine my delight when I stumbled on the fact that Netscape's address book -- the major obstacle to using its otherwise capable email system -- actually worked! Thank heaven for Netscape 4.76 (included with RH 7.1).

My heart began beating faster, as it dawned on me that I was tantalizingly close to the object of my year long quest for a fully functional Linux system suitable for work-day use!

But I was still faced with the horrible fonts and otherwise ugly appearance of Netscape -- the only browser and email software that currently met my functional requirements. What was I to do about that?

Solving the last problem

Though I had searched several times before for font solutions simple enough for a non-programmer like me to implement, I decided to have another go at finding something useful through a search on Google.

This time, I hit the jack pot! I happened upon a refreshingly well-written Web page entitled Netscape Customizations. There, I found straightforward, easy-to-follow procedures that would supposedly produce some highly appealing changes in the look of Netscape 4.7x. There was also some useful information about getting scalable fonts working.

It seemed too good to be true! Nevertheless, with so much to gain and so little to lose, I went ahead and tried the author's simple suggestions.

The result? SUCCESS!! I quickly got Linux Netscape 4.76 looking just about as good as its Windows cousin. And the fonts? Even the fonts are now a delight! I even added a find-in-page button to the top of my browser and email screens, as suggested by the author.

--- Continued ---



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Approaching the Linux Desktop
The purpose of this paper is to help organizations evaluate the Linux desktop against their own enterprise needs and discover what benefits the Linux desktop might bring to their organizations.

Migrating To Linux: Application Challenges and Solutions
Several solutions exist to help organizations migrate in an orderly fashion from Windows to Linux desktops. This paper establishes the characteristics of an ideal cross-platform solution and reviews these alternatives in light of this ideal standard. The paper takes a closer look at the pros and cons of various solutions and outlines the business benefits that can be achieved.

Linux Advantages: Publicly Available Information on Linux Software
This paper offers a brief summary of readily-available Linux information to help businesses sort out this widely misunderstood operating system.

Top 5 Strategies for Managing Linux
Despite continuous evolution in the manageability of Linux, a 2006 survey cited manageability concerns as a top reason why organizations are hesitating to adopt Linux. Levanta believes Linux can be as manageable, if not more so, than other operating systems by following key strategies. These strategic recommendations were developed from experiences in numerous customer environments, both large and small.

Why Choose Novell for Linux?
This paper outlines the benefits of switching to the Linux platform and choosing Novell as a high-performance, enterprise solution.

Enterprise Linux Selection Guide
Considering moving your enterprise to the Linux operating system? Since there are so many similar versions, choosing the right one can be tough. This paper offers a clear process to help you make an informed decision and get the features, support, and cost that are right for your business and technical needs.

Overcoming Challenges in Managing Linux
Levanta has created a new administration model with innovative technology that breaks down the barriers to making the most of Linux systems. This paper will provide an in-depth look at the workings of Levanta’s product, the first Linux appliance of its kind.

SUSE Linux Enterprise 10 for Retail Businesses
Discover why major retailers have switched to SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop in the back office. SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 10 is a low-cost desktop that offers a complete set of productivity applications and interoperates seamlessly with the other Windows, Macintosh and UNIX desktops in your store.

Moving to a Linux Desktop
Migrating from Windows to Linux on the desktop can be a substantial undertaking because it has the potential for touching -- and perhaps disrupting -- every user in your organization. Unlike a data center (server and infrastructure) migration that is largely transparent to users, the cultural and administrative transitions and environment readiness required to support a Linux desktop migration are extensive.

Seven Good Reasons to Exchange Exchange
This paper describes seven compelling reasons why you should switch from Exchange to Scalix.

 



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