Imran,
You still don't seem to be getting the picture.
With a piece of software like freesco there is NO GUI or any need to learn Linux.
You read the instructions, download a zip file, write an image to a floppy, boot from the floppy and type setup. Then you answer some questions, the same sort of questions you would have to answer setting up any computer to do this sort of thing (IRQ's ,IP's...). The resulting floppy is all that is needed to boot a 486 (or 386) as a fully functional Linux router/NAT/firewall box. In most cases you can even pull the fans since there will be very little load. A 486/25 can saturate a T1 line.
THAT IS IT. No need to think hard. No need to buy any books. Just RTFM.
I still think you would be best served by using something like the SMC7004ABR since it has less to go wrong than a PC and it uses less power.
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Everyone else,
IDC's Server Stats for 2001 showed Linux surpassed NetWare to become the second largest operating system used for new Intel-based server deployments.
If you add in the Sun SPARC and IBM non-intel depolyments you can see why Bill is getting nervous.
Other interesting stories:
Cray/Dell/Linux - WOW
IBM's $1B investment in Linux - progress report
I hope that anyone's perception that Linux is some sort of a unsupported "hackers toy" is now history. (unless you consider IBM, HP, Sun and Dell "small companies...)
BTW - I am glad we got that "objectivity" thing out of the way. What a silly notion, our posts should be filled with presenting all points of view equally (like anyone here knows all). This is MY post and it is filled with MY opinion just as YOUR posts are filled with YOUR opinions. It is up to you, the reader, to sort the pearls from the dreck.
Enjoy!