Linux Flavour

[bhess]

I run Fedora Core 6 on a couple of my machines. I actually do not recommend using one of the "easy" distributions of Linux like Ubuntu or SuSe. When you start off with fedora or other "real" distributions, you have to teach yourself how to do everything, and it gives you much more experience with using linux.

 

[Orkie]

I run Fedora Core 6 on a couple of my machines. I actually do not recommend using one of the "easy" distributions of Linux like Ubuntu or SuSe. When you start off with fedora or other "real" distributions, you have to teach yourself how to do everything, and it gives you much more experience with using linux.

Ubuntu is easy to use, but unlike SuSE or Mandriva, it doesn't try and stop you fiddling.

 

[gmiller1018]

I like Ubuntu because of ease of use and the fact that I can boot the system from the CD without installing it. It runs slow but I have been able to fix partition tables and other things on a dead windows box and linux box using the CD. I use Fedora mostly for my development but the Ubuntu distribution is one the local linux user group uses at their "install-a-thon" events.

 

[Ravnos]

I run Fedora Core 6 on a couple of my machines. I actually do not recommend using one of the "easy" distributions of Linux like Ubuntu or SuSe. When you start off with fedora or other "real" distributions, you have to teach yourself how to do everything, and it gives you much more experience with using linux.

I think it's funny how you deride Ubuntu and SuSE for being "easy" but claim Fedora is a "real" distribution.

...

I started with Slackware and FreeBSD years ago, and currently use Gentoo and FreeBSD. I'd recommend Ubuntu or Kubuntu if you just want to jump in and use Linux without any hassle. The install is painless, day-to-day usage is easy to pick up without a lot of difficulty, and all of the system's complexity is still there if you really want to muck around with it, though you usually don't need to (and probably won't want to on your main desktop machine). There's also a huge community and tons of info on the net if you get stuck, a quick Google will almost always lead you to the solution.

If you really want to learn about the guts of a Linux system, then Slackware, Gentoo, or Linux From Scratch are all worth looking into, and I'd definitely recommend doing so if you've got an old spare computer kicking around that you're not sure what to do with. None of these will be very similar from a user's standpoint to the Linux running on your GP2X though, and you don't really need to run Linux if you're looking to develop for the machine. So don't stress too much about it unless you were thinking of making the switch anyway.

 

[The Master]

Thanks for all the responses. Went for Ubuntu in the end (one installation on x86, and one on PPC) and haven't got any complaints at all so far Very nice package.

On a related note, has anyone downloaded the GP2X linux kernel source? I've made 3 attempts, and each time it seems to download fine, but nothing - Windows, Mac, Linux, nowt - will unRAR the file correctly...

 

[Orkie]

Why don't you get it directly from the SVN?

 

[LordFu]

I installed Ubuntu this last Sunday, and I'm really enjoying it. I've tried Slackware and Mandrake before, and I felt completely lost. Not so with Ubuntu. It's extremely user friendly. I'd recommend it.

 

[Goemon4]

if you want a good distro, get Debian 3.1 (nothing based off of it, like ubuntu, just straight up Debian) or if you want a good Unix OS try FreeBSD (or an easier to use PCBSD) imo all linux distros are pretty much the same (just with a different package manager) but remember for a fun time with any unix based OS, dont use GUI installers (they take away most of the fun) but thats just me.... (yay command line!)

 

[epitaph]

People think Ubuntu is cool, therefore they are.
I think bloat sucks, therefore I am (... a FreeBSD user).

I know that was a bit ravish, but I felt I needed to express my feelings on the matter without constellation, just this once

 

[doc5avage]

yes, I too look at constellations in the night sky!

PS: If you want a good distro try <_insert_virtually_any_distro_name_here_>.

EDIT: syntax

 

[circle_that_pit]

The only thing holding me back from using linux is the lack of drivers for my wireless card. If I wasn't two floors away from the router, I'd be using Ubuntu.

 

[LordFu]

I think Debian and BSD are probably over my head at this point. I needed something easy to start with.

 

[Goemon4]

then ubuntu is for you...its pretty much (to me) windows but unix based (since it is technicly debian based it will help you learn debians basics but keep it simple) so try it (they will even send you free install cd's)

 

[yodaofborg]

All this is very off topic I guess, but meh, what the hell.

I used to be VERY into redhat (back in Redhat 6.x days anyway ) but moved over to Debian around 2003. I've been using Debian, and Debian based *nix's ever since, and although I'm too much of a geek to use *buntu (I prefer Xubuntu over them all, very light initially, and being a Deb based system, very customisable) I have to say it is one of the most user friendly *nix distro's out there, that does not force a user to have loads of crap that they wont ever use, ala Mandriva or Fedora.

It comes with what you need for a desktop, or server, depending on the cd you order/dl, and it does not try to stop you modding things either, Mandrake 10 drove me nuts with the way it re-wrote certain config files every reboot.

Oh, and as for the Wifi card support in Linux, ever heard of ndiswapper?