Dear Friends
I run a cyber café. My question to all of you is can I use both Windows and Linux in my café. I currently use Windows Xp. I share internet connection using INTERNET CONNECTION SHARING. Can I use Linux in that very network? Whether I will be able to share files between windows and Linux? What about using network printer?
Some one told me that using SAMBA server it can be done. Is it true?

yes u can install both linux and windows on sanme pc but see to it that they are installed on different drives
and yes you can also share files
but you will need differeent softwares and applications eg:u cant run notepad in linux

yes, Linux supports those via the SAMBA (Windows) protocol. At my house, that's how I setup my printers and networking. Everything to a Linux machine. Yet, a litle configuration is required. I recommend using SuSE Linux since it has the easiest configurator on the Linux market.

xboxrulz

Internet connection shareing (aswell as the internet itself) was invented on, and created for UNIX operating asystems like linux.

No porblems here.

Although before you spend money buying any new machines, i would recomend creating a single linux test machine,

Many of your customers probably use windows at home, and are probably used to it.

Back when i was in university, i found most people avoided the Linux computers simply because the login screen looked slightly differant.

linus is cheaper, but no good if your custerms are scared of it.

actually you can run a selected number of Windows applications using the WINE compatibility layer that allows you to run Windows applications under Linux with few or no problems.

http://www.winehq.org

List of supported Windows applications: http://appdb.winehq.org

xboxrulz

Frist of all I should thanks you guys for coming to my aid. Mr.xboxrulz suggested it could be done using SAMBA (Windows) protocol. I am new to LINUX and do not know where to look for these protocols. I have Fedora Core 3.0. Do Fedora Core have these supports. Moreover, Mr.xboxrulz recommend SuSE Linux. How SuSe differs from Fedora? Which one is better? Can SuSe Linux be used as an application server? Apart from using Linux in my cyber cafe I want to use it to build a LAMP platform for education purpose(LAMP:-LINUX, APACHE WEB SERVER, MySQL and PHP). i know fedora can be used to do so.Do SuSe have these options?

I'm not an experienced linux user but from what I've heard, SuSe is the easiest Linux version to use if your trying to switch from Windows to Linux.

About trying to build a LAMP on Linux: most distributions come with at least Apache (1 or 2) installed, and using the package managers to install mySQL and PHP (even though a lot of distros have the on by default) is a real breeze. And yes, Fedora Core can be used to setup a SAMBA server, but because you're not that experienced with Linux (and neither am I) you were told to try out SuSe. If you already have Fedora I suggest you try to stick with it and learn it instead of downloading/installing a new distro at this stage.

The Best Advice, is to take the linux distro you have, and install it to a spare computer.

The same way you learned how to use windows, Just start playing with it, trial and error.

And learn how to solve each individual problem as you come accross it.

Its impossable to learn linux all in one go.

Just Install it, wait till you get stuck trying to do somthing, google it.. ( or post here ) and remember the solutuion you are given.

then just like with windows, it will all become second nature.

All the coments about linux beeing difficult to use for the average user are quite out-dated in my opinion, back from the oldern days when automatic installers didnt exist.

Install it, break it, learn, repeat.

I'm afraid if you want to use Microsoft Internet Connection sharing, you must have a Crosoft server and crosoft clients.
Or you have to work differently, installing a Linux server, make it work as a Samba Fileserver and install a DHCP server, and install the other PC's as simply DHCP clients of your DCP server.
@qwijibow : Maybe I'm wrong, then, please, tell me.
Regards
Yordan