I was down in the PC World archives recently. In amongst our collection of pricelss artifacts — MS-Dos 3.21 diskettes, XT motherboards overclocked to 12MHz and a 486 laptop that cost a mere $6,000 (ex-GST) — I found some early Linux columns.

I've been writing (and using) Linux for four-and-a-half years now but it all started with a column called Learning to Love the Penguin. A couple of months later I did a follow up to address some of the issues readers' raised, and since then I've never looked back. They're actually not too whiskery (sorry about the dust), and if you're still tinkering on the Linux fringes they're worth a look for advice on how to do the Windows cold turkey cure.

Apart from revelations about my secret life, there are also a couple of years' worth of Tux Love columns. Many are still useful though one or two are missing.  (We'd have shot the archivist if he hadn't archived the bullets. And the gun.) I've replaced them with scans from the magazine and marked them with an asterisk*.

Installing Linux
A step-by-step to setting up and getting started.

Get Your Modem Working
Still on dial-up? Many modems really do work with Linux!

Installing Software
A quick guide to installing software under Linux using the fabulous xpenguins as an example.

Directory Structure
At first the way Linux lays out directories looks weird. But it's really quite logical...

X Windows*
Linux isn't monolithic, it's composed of zillions of discrete, interchangeable parts. One of the main ones is it's graphical front end.

Other Worlds
But X Windows isn't the only choice.  Here are some other popular Window Managers.

Spam Filtering
Installing and configuring bullet-proof spam filters. Part I* and Part II.

Networking
Setting up and configuring a network. Part I and Part II.

Firewalls and IP Masquerading
Setting up a firewall and sharing your internet connection.

Running Windows Under Linux
The Wine project allows you to run a surprising number of Windows applications natively in Linux. Then there's CrossOver Office for business apps and Cedaga (formerly TransGaming) for games.

Fun With the Command Line
Windows users have an irrational fear of typing in commands. Under Linux it's a doddle, and you can do anything from browsing the web to building your own DVDs. You can even create your own GUIs! Part I*, Part II and Part III.

Programming Linux
An brief introduction to Linux's main programming languages.

Multi-platform Applications
You don't need to be a Linux user to benefit from Open Source software.

Why Stop at One?
Techies at IBM once installed 41,100 copies of Linux on a mainframe. Our aim's more modest. If you've got some spare hard disk space you can easily add multiple distributions to your PC. Part I and Part II*

System Rescue
The 100Mb SysRescue CD is a boot-from-disc Linux system that could rescue a wrecked PC. Even a Windows one!

Dependency Hell and Package Managers
A look at some of the solutions to "dependency hell".

Kernel Hacking
A build-it-yourself kernel guide. Part I* and Part II.

Do-it-yourself Distro*
An introduction to Gentoo, the distribution you build yourself!