I doubt it, since Microsoft's been pissy w\ Intel for a while for it's interest in Linux. Microsoft may have great interest in Intel, but they certainly do not control them. Then again, anything's possible with those fruits.
The simple solution if it's true, run an AMD-linux box and feel the POWER.
I just put setup lycoris today http://www.customize.org/details/14570 for my mom. the install is uber friendly, more so than windows (yes, it's true!) and it seems to run pretty well. What's your system? Vivez sans temps morts!
athlonxp 1900, 256mb ram, ... trust me, its powerful enough. granted it was easy to set up...but it did this.
one. i had to boot the pc up off the cd rom and into a setup that looked like old dos.
two, it took over my secondary partition. windowsxp doesn't even recognize that partition anymore or see it. although, lycoris see's both.
three, it was troublesome just to get it to install onto the second partition
four, some of my shit doesn't work (aka, modem).
five, it doesn't like resolutions at refresh rates (aka, i only can do 1152x864 at like 60hz where anyplace else i can do it at 75hz)
six, it seems to just run ass slow. it takes forever to load up and the kde system takes forever to load up too .... it just seems there is lots of load time and nothing comes up instantly like windowsxp does for me.
i can't say anything about the installation cos to be honest, i don't know, but the other stuff (your shit not working _esp._ your modem, and your monitor not managing it's full refresh rate is more than likely down to drivers. linux isn't packaged with half as many drivers as windows and as a consequence, your either going to find them on the net someplace or your going to have to wait for them to be created. the point of linux in it's early stages is that is, and has to be, heavily customizable (/changeable/manageable) and this means playing around a lot to get it to work. once it does, it's great so don't give up now. maybe you should try a different release?
rkenshin: the linux partitions are in a different file format so windows wont recognize them. You can see the windows drive from linux though. Obviously MS wouldnt include linux file system support. As for your refresh rate, it's most likely a driver issue. Check your motherboard/agp/video card/monitor drivers, since any of them could be the culprit.
Your modem problem is probably because you have a win modem, and you'll do yourself a favor to just go get a hardware modem...i use a 56k US robotics external, it works nicely. windows won't see your linux partition, linux will see your windows part., that is normal. As far as the troubles installing onto the second partition, it (the installer)should have just showed you the partition table and you highlighted it the one you wanted? I think, not sure, that Lycoris just uses a streamlined (easier) Red Hat style installer. Refresh rates. You may have to get linux to recognize your specific monitor, red hat has a section in the installation where you can do this, can't remember Lycoris right now. I can't remember how to do it after install, but I'll look it up...... as far as your speed goes......monkeyboyz is right, the first two weeks maybe not much will work the way you want it to, then you learn and tune and your system will run fine for the next two years, without a reboot. wahoo! miriku's probably a good head to mine here as well. I think he's installed linux on digital cameras, microwaves, snickers bars, stray dogs, etc. etc. Vivez sans temps morts!
hehe, or just switch to redhat... a little more advanced setup (it's mainly for business, but it can be for fun also), but it's up to you. mainly just remember linux is always changing. I'd suggest going to some msg boards for Lycoris (if there is any, never heard of that distro) and ask around if there are specific drivers. also, there should be some command to see what it thinks your hardware is (if it auto detected it.) There is often in linux a option to manually set up your monitor, and this could fix your problem. just make sure you dont type in the wrong values, or *bang*! then you need a fire extinguisher (it can happen, i didn't believe it until i saw it). from what i can tell about your PC specs... it might not know what your gfx card is and is trying to run it with only 1mb of vid ram. about your modem, the whole win modem thing is prolly right.
that's all i got :) hope i could help.
[Okay, how do I know you're wrong if you're just guessing?] [NTO GODO!1]
Ok - to set the record straight. With the release of the Intel P3, they included a new processor serial number which is directly available by reading a specific register (L1 or L2 cache, memory located on the processor itself). This information can actually be used by ANY software - not just Microsoft. The original reason for this was to help reduce processor theft, but then it was a selling point to software makers to help keep ties on pirated software, etc. HOWEVER - to my knowledge no company has actually made use of this information in that manner. If they did I believe they would be immediately faced with a court case regarding infringement of personal privacy rights - even if it was stated in their EULA. As far as I know, this processor serial number is still being built into every chip Intel makes - beit Celeron, P3, P4 or P5. There are some motherboards that give you the option to actually disable access to this register on the processor. In the beginning it was an option you had to select upon every boot, but now I think there are boards that have it as a bios option. Hope this was slightly helpful.
And on another note (as I read the thread further...) regarding modems in any Linux system. There are modems that actually rely on Windows to do some of its work... these have been termed "Winmodems". NONE of these will work in any version of Linux, beit Slackware, RedHat or whatever else. Winmodems are super cheap (because there is hardly any hardware to them) but thats the downside. If you are ever in the market for a modem again (and hopefully you will only be in the market for a network card and go broadband the next time you do something like this), ask around on a Linux message board or newsgroup for a model that will work. I don't know too much about telling the difference between a modem that will work and one that won't anymore since I haven't actually seen or heard a modem in like... 4 years minimum. Hope this was helpful!
and btw, i don't have a winmodem. i have a hardware modem (since there are better than crappy winmodems). i didn't spend 80 bucks last year on this modem for nothing. =)
eh, oh well ... i tried, and i didnt like. thats just me.
