Security with Linux - Newbie

[Lindsay]

> OK
> 
> Never thought I'd say this, but, you're top posting.
> If you post replies to posts beneath rather than above what you're
> replying to it makes it easier to follow. 
> 
> To "open a console" either right click on the desktop and choose "open
> new terminal" or find the Terminal menu entry (in System Tools I think).
> What KDE calls a console, Gnome calls a terminal and they're both
> different words for the same thing - a command line. Sort of like the
> MS/DOS prompt in Windows but much much more powerful.
> 
> A repositry in this context is an online location where packages/files
> are kept together. So, when you point Synaptic or apt-get at a
> repositry, it fetches a list of all the available files at that location
> so you can easily browse, select and install what you want.
> There is no real Windows equivalent because Microsoft sell you the
> barebones of a disk operating system (whatever they might call it) and
> then want to sell you everything else you need to do what you want to
> do.
> With Linux you either get a multi cd monster installs (5+ cd's for suse
> and mandrake with more or less everything available on them) or one cd
> and all the rest online in repositries.
> The second method kind of requires a decent (256k minimum) connection or
> a lot of patience.
> 
> Hope this helps.
> 
> David
> 
> 
> I'm willing to learn - at 60.
I found the terminal.   Great.   Someone suggested Synaptic might be
easier for me but I couldn't get past square one there either I'm
afraid.