Analog modems are not used very much at all anymore, because a lot of people have broadband. However, if you do have to use dial-up for whatever reason, you should definatly go with a hardware contorled modem. They rock.

Umm, about the "text mode" setup, what I ment was it isn't actualy a console installation. Rather, it uses a curses lib to render a GUI. It's basicaly the same as the GUI installer, just compatible with older PCs. Also, when I was installing Fedora Core 1, the GUI installer would hang durring the partitioning step. Using the text mode install allowed me to sucessfuly install Fedora Core 1, although the bootloader didn't work (hung on the GRUB prompt).

Anyway, I would rate Fedora Core 4 a 6 out of 10. I would have given it a 9, however the Fedora RPM repository servers are giving me a lot of trouble. Many of the RPMs I tried to download were invalid, and the throughput was pathetic (500 KB in just under an hour for LAME lib). This is using yum BTW.

Also, Fedora, nor it's RPM repo contain any kind of MP3 support what so ever. I guess this isn't a big deal if you plan on using XMMS or something like that. But to a new Linux user, finding XMMS took a while

Anyhow, other than it's native package manager, Fedora Core 4 is a definate home run for those that don't want to compile anything. Plus, most popular software packages have FC4 RPMs available, such as RealPlayer (avoid if you can), and even linux-NTFS.

QBRADQ

try http://rpm.pbone.net it has tonnes of RPMs to use!

xboxrulz

Yea, I've used that once. However, I like rpmfind.net better. It's based in France, but it's basicaly a search engine for the various repositories out there.

Now if only I could figure out what GTK+ packages MPlayer is needing...

GRR! If I had broadband this would all be a lot more easy... like, emerge. Heck, if the Fedora repos worked for me, it'd be easier. But I realy wana use Gentoo

BTW, if anyone knows anything about WiFi networks, check out the networking forum. Gots a question.
/shameless-plug.py

QBRADQ

it'd be easier if u had YaST since u can just in put the library filename & it will show the package u need.

xboxrulz

I had a problem when doing my first fedora 4 install, it has something to do with the terminal. I must confess I am using a system without graphical display. The install failed saying "you can safely reboot now", so no panic. I would like to know something : is there a way of using yaboot with a remote display ? I remember some old Suze had an option for installing with a display being on a vnc display, there was a syntax like vnc=1, ip=blabla. Is there a way for doing that with fedora core 4 ?

you can install remotely using the online install version of SuSE in 9.x but I dunno bout Fedora Core.

xboxrulz

Why does it seem that everyone forgets about the Yellowdog Update Manager? --> Yum.

it comes standard with fedora and enables you to install/update a very huge bunch of programs (if you configure it right). It automatically fixes all those bloody depencies you always need for software and of course, like all good software is just command line

more info : http://linux.duke.edu/projects/yum/

@jipman : yum seems to be a rpm package manager, for further updates. From what I see on the link you provided, it seems that it is not useful for fresh installing : if booting from the fedora boot CD crashes, yum probably cannot help. yum seems to need a linux already working. Am I wrong ?

I think you are right, but then again, I just started using Linux recently (about 2 days ago). I had many problems during the installation of Fedora Core 4, however, after many tries, it installed finally. It kept showing that the installer failed (turned out, however, to be mostly a hard drive problem). I'm also having a problem with the sound card. Anyway, I really like the software that it comes bundled with.