==Operating Systems==
Mozilla is a cross-platform product, and you will need to have both Windows and Linux installed on your hard drive. The best way to do this is to use Virtual Machines in order to http://cs1.senecac.on.ca/wiki/index.php?title=Course_Software_Setup&action=editto host test operating systems. In order to set this up, do the following:
# Choose either Windows or Linux as your main OS(NOTE: you can also use a Mac if you have one already). Mozilla recommends the following operating systems:
## * Windows XP Pro ([http://acs.senecac.on.ca/pages/download.php download from ACS ] and get a CD Key)## * Fedora Core 5## * Ubuntu
# Install your chosen operating system. Be aware of some hardware issues when moving your drive between labs/machines:
#==Hardware Issues== Be aware of some hardware issues when moving your drive between labs/machines: # Most labs have been upgraded over the summer. The PCs are all the same, with the exception of the video cards and network cards. This will not stop the OS from booting but some configurations and drivers will need to be changed. Some machines have more network cards then others. All of the motherboards are the same: Intel D945 GTP with Intel Pro 100 S (NIC).
Here are the following labs with the different hardware:
* ATI X700 Rooms: T3076, T3134, S2122, S2123
===Windows=== With Windows, this there should not be an issueno issues. ===Linux=== If installing Linux, be aware of a few issues: # With lab machines having multiple NICs (usually one machine out of each 'pod' of four): if you configure Linux to start both eth0 and eth1 at boot, both using DHCP and not bound to a specific MAC address, then you'll almost always get a network connection at startup as you move from PC to PC. To repeat: do not bind the NIC to a MAC address # The other thing that varies between the lab systems is the video card; most modern Linux distros will automatically pick up the change and run a configuration utility. To avoid having the driver-change utility popup, set the video driver to "vesa" in /etc/X11/xorg.conf (you'll sacrifice some video performance for universal compatibility).
### With lab machines having multiple NICs (usually one machine out of each 'pod' of four): if you configure Linux to start both eth0 and eth1 at boot, both using DHCP and not bound to a specific MAC address, then you'll almost always get a network connection at startup as you move from PC to PC. To repeat: do not bind the NIC to a MAC address==Virtual Machines==
### The other thing that varies between the lab systems is the video card; most modern Using virtual machine(s) will make it easier for you to test and develop for both Windows and Linux distros will automatically pick up the change (and run a configuration utilityperhaps more than 1 Linux). To avoid having the driver-change utility popup, set the video driver Follow these steps to "vesa" in /etc/X11/xorg.conf get a virtual machine (you'll sacrifice some video performance for universal compatibilityVM).setup:
# Download and Install VMWare Server: http://www.vmware.com/download/server/