ZOTAC GeForce GTS 250 AMP
NVIDIA corporation has decided to pack all its achievements into the 2xx generation, therefore a place was found for GeForce 9800 GTX+ as very successful accelerator. As we have already written, 9800 GTX+ and GTS 250 AMP should be viewed as copies and, if one makes a purchase, just look which of the cards is cheaper. It is interesting that we have tried to combine both video cards in a SLI system without repeat flashing of BIOS and we have succeeded with everything. Download ZOTAC GeForce GTS 250 AMP driver for video.
As far as the cooling system is concerned, it is not quiet enough for leaving the computer switched on for a whole night. Gentle noise is heard at the minimal possible revolutions — 40%, which is, however, is not noticeable at daytime. Rotation of the fan blades can be lowered to 30% either with flashing BIOS, or in case of switching from Windows Vista to Windows XP, in which the frequency lends itself to changing.
Why use Linux at home? Isn’t it the operating system intended for servers? Yes, Linux was created for multi-user and network operation, but the system’s reliability has become a convincing argument in favor of installing Linux on home PCs (after all, a home PC does not have to be synonymous with constant restarts). Linux system reliability remains the key criterion for both servers and simple workstations.
You can reply by saying: “Stability is good, of course, but I like MS Windows so much because I do not have to spend all the time typing in commands. User-friendliness is what matters! In this sense MS Windows is beyond competition”. Does this mean that MS Windows is simpler to master and has a friendlier interface compared to that of Linux? Not a chance! Sometimes I have to use MS Windows machines… My impressions? Nothing but disappointments - invalid operations, constant reminders from shareware applications… Thank you very much, I’m fed up with it. What about you? Why not give Linux a try?
Get ahold of a fresh Linux setup package (I recommend Red Hat Linux 7.0 or Debian 2.2) and install it (the setup package usually comes with instructions, so you should not have any problems installing it). You can even keep you MS Windows (for the time being). Just find a gigabyte (or a bit more) of unused space on your hard drive. Assume you have set up the chosen Linux version, created a user to log into the system (if there is no need to do so, work in the super-user mode) and installed GNOME Desktop Environment (presently this is my favorite environment). Further description applies to GNOME.
Log on in the graphic mode and let’s get down to work! If English is not your native language, choose the language you prefer upon logging into the system. After logon, you will see a desktop with the control panel and icons.
The panel contains the main menu, applets, and application icons. Of course, you can create several panels, but for starters one will suffice. Applets are small applications located on the panel, which perform a single function. Example: the list of running applications or clock. The operations of adding or removing applets from the panel are as simple as it gets: just right-click the mouse on the applet or panel and choose Panel > Add to panel > Applet > Name of the required applet. Try to right-click the clock. Then select “Remove from panel”. Now let’s try to return it to the way it was. To return the clock (but a different one) to its place, click Add applet > Clock > After Step Clock. Right-click the clock again and select “Move” to place the clock where you want it. Try to experiment with applets on your own. For example, I find it very useful to have the Multimedia > Mixer applet for sound adjustments.