Q I have finally gained the intestinal fortitude to have a go at using Linux. I have been interested in the concept of Open Software for some time and I use Firefox, Thunderbird and Open Office as my main programs of choice. While I like to think that I am reasonably computer literate, (I am 69 years of age), and I assemble my own computers, I am a bit perplexed on one point. I use mainly AMD processors for my computers and I have found that almost all of the Linux distros I am interested in - Fedora or Red Hat - seem to call for an Intel-based computer. My question is - can I install Linux on my AMD-based computers or would I require an Intel processor?
A All of the distros you mention will work quite happily on AMD processors, as should any others. The requirements quoted are often confusing in several respects, and when 'Intel' is specified, it usually means that the processor must follow the Intel architecture, IA32. This is the case for AMD and many of the other drop-in replacements for Intel processors, such as those made by VIA and others. There are very few differences in the capabilities of these processors, which are normally limited to multimedia extensions such as MMX or 3DNow! These will make very little difference to all but a few applications.