[LUNI] Stuck!

[Jutta Buschbom]

Dear Lunis,

Since over a year I am having a working Linux partition on my Mac G3 
powerbook running SuSE 7.3ppc. Partitioning and installing of the 
distribution went without problems. However, since then I seem to not 
go anywhere. I have been using Unix as a user from the command line 
for several years, but system administration just boggles my mind. 
It's like opening Pandora's box: every single installation or 
configuration brings about 5 new problems, installation requests, 
unfindable rpm packets, errors, etc. One reason to get the Linux 
environment running is that several of the programs that I need for 
my Ph.D. dissertation are available only for Unix/Linux (besides the 
fact that at one point I would love to have my main OS and 
applications opensource).

The question is how do I get Linux working for me? That is, have 
major functions (eg., network-printing over a Mac LAN) and 
applications (MOL, LaTeX/OpenOffice, mysql, programming environment, 
etc.) running and thus a set-up from which I can expand. Basically, I 
would need to see once how these things are done right. Would there 
be a regularly meeting Linux group in Chicago (CTA accessible) with 
people willing to look over my shoulder? Reading about the monthly 
Linux Install Fest - might that be a possibility to get me up and 
going (but then, basic Linux installation is not the problem)? By now 
I am even willing to pay somebody with SusePPC experience (probably 
illusorily considering the standard hourly rates). Any suggestions on 
how I could get a handle on Pandora's box would be greatly 
appreciated. Thanks a lot in advance!

Jutta