Linux

[tom_a_sparks]

I like to use linux because of all the open source programs (and remove my self from the wintel race)
witch distribution should i use for a new commer to linuxs?
and should I set up my computer to a dual-boot or use a virtual machine (qemu)

 

[rx_shorty]

Hi there.

Try Ubuntu

And if you got free space I would prefer a Dual Boot.
What Kind of Videocard do you have?

Ciao

 

[tom_a_sparks]

Hi there.

Try Ubuntu

And if you got free space I would prefer a Dual Boot.
What Kind of Videocard do you have?

Ciao

video card: NVIDIA GeForce FX 5200
sound card: Realtek AC97 Audio
DVD drive: HP DVD Writer 630c
WIFI: dlink USB DWL-G120

 

[Kagey]

Can't go wrong with Ubuntu (or KUbuntu) it's excellent.

If you've already got Windows, keep it and go for dual-boot. After a while,
you'll most likely only use Windows for games.

Ubuntu works as a live CD so you can test it before installing.

Good luck.

 

[tom_a_sparks]

can I run it off a usb hard drive

 

[nickspoon]

can I run it off a usb hard drive

Maybe, depends on your BIOS. If you can, you'd be better off installing another HD.

 

[Ravnos]

I'll add +1 for Ubuntu, but I'd recommend Kubuntu because I prefer KDE to Gnome. Personal preference, though, they both come as LiveCDs so you can't go wrong grabbing both unless you're on dialup or something. After you've decided, installation is dead simple but if it's your first time and you're dual booting, I'd backup whatever important data is on your Windows partition, just in case. And you should be able to run it from a USB HD (or USB key if you've got one big enough) provided your BIOS supports it but performance would probably be better on an internal drive.

If you want to actually learn about the guts of a Linux system, Ubuntu will still let you do that but it's not the best for that. I'd recommend Gentoo or Slackware if you want to eventually be come self sufficient as a Linux geek but if you just want something that works and won't fuck you around, Ubuntu is your best bet.

Oh, and as for VM's, they're fine for things that aren't too performance intensive, but you're not going to want to do any gaming with them. You can do some gaming through Wine, which does DirectX 9 ok depending on the game, but it often struggles with the copy protection whether your copy is legit or not.

That's all I can think of offhand. I hope it helps.

 

[b._.o._.b]

First try the easiest + " best experience out of the box " distro's

My favorite: Puppy Linux (very fast)
Or PCLinuxOS

After that try something like.

Ubuntu
Kubuntu
Fedora
OpenSuse

After that

Debian
Gentoo
Slackware

After that

LFS

 

[tom_a_sparks]

but if it's your first time and you're dual booting, I'd backup whatever important data is on your Windows partition, just in case. And you should be able to run it from a USB HD (or USB key if you've got one big enough) provided your BIOS supports it but performance would probably be better on an internal drive.

my computer can boot of a USB HD/key/ memory card because i get the NTDLR not found error when I have them pluged in

If you want to actually learn about the guts of a Linux system, Ubuntu will still let you do that but it's not the best for that. I'd recommend Gentoo or Slackware if you want to eventually be come self sufficient as a Linux geek but if you just want something that works and won't fuck you around, Ubuntu is your best bet.

i just want to get out of the wintel (windows/intel) race

 

[darkman]

Linux Mint 3.0 is pretty good with an out of the box simplicity for noobs. It is based on Ubuntu. And it comes in Xfce, KDE, and Gnome. It comes as a live CD with option to install.

And Puppy linux is very good to give someone a feel for linux or see what the buzz is about. It is a live CD that completely runs in your ram.

As b_o_b has also pointed out PCLinuxOS is also very user friendly.

I have also found that there is also a "finding out" or "trial and error phase" to see which Distro is compatible with your hardware. There are a lot of distros that will not boot or it cannot find all my hardware. Then again it may be because I built my own rig and that may be the reason. I am using SuSE 10.0 on my main desktop because it is the Distro that sees everything that I have. I have also learned SuSE over the years that I have used it and am the most familiar with.

 

[TheMinder]

I'll put a pitch in for Vector Linux myself - 5.8 Standard seems to go on anything (even my extremely ancient laptop) and although the initial config/setup might scare some people it is very straight-forwards.

 

[sbseb88]

I'll put a pitch in for Vector Linux myself - 5.8 Standard seems to go on anything (even my extremely ancient laptop) and although the initial config/setup might scare some people it is very straight-forwards.

Seconded. I run it in dualboot on a Pentium3/256MB ram. Not blazingly fast, but smooth enough. The install is very easy, no difficult setup steps, most of the time you'll be pressing enter (although you do need some knowledge of partitions and how to set them up).

 

[darkman]

I'll put a pitch in for Vector Linux myself - 5.8 Standard seems to go on anything (even my extremely ancient laptop) and although the initial config/setup might scare some people it is very straight-forwards.

How ancient is your laptop? I have a KDS with a 700 mhz cpu and 256 megs of ram that I have been trying to find a linux upgrade for. It doesn't seem to be able to take anything past 2004 releases when comes to linux distros. I think it needs something that doesn't have a lot of fat that overloads the cpu. I like Ice Windows. That is what I usually run on it. :huh: I have tried this week to load Linux mint Xfce edition, but with it running live and trying to install was too much for it. The install failed.

 

[Orkie]

How ancient is your laptop? I have a KDS with a 700 mhz cpu and 256 megs of ram that I have been trying to find a linux upgrade for. It doesn't seem to be able to take anything past 2004 releases when comes to linux distros. I think it needs something that doesn't have a lot of fat that overloads the cpu. I like Ice Windows. That is what I usually run on it. :huh: I have tried this week to load Linux mint Xfce edition, but with it running live and trying to install was too much for it. The install failed.

Well I installed Xubuntu on a 400MHz Pentium II laptop with 128MB RAM recently, and it runs fine.

 

[clarky2o2o]

anyone know of a server oriented distro

I prefer the debian flavours (debian/ubuntu/xubuntu etc)

 

[darkman]

Well I installed Xubuntu on a 400MHz Pentium II laptop with 128MB RAM recently, and it runs fine.

What was the release number on that?

 

[Orkie]

7.04

 

[namco]

I wouldn't recommend using a dual boot, unless you are going to be gaming or otherwise.

I stopped doing the whole dual booting when I just couldn't be bothered switching from OS to OS via the offswitch. It sounds silly but it was too time consuming and if I wanted go play some windows games straight after coding I'd have to wait to reboot.

Firstly I tried AndLinux (its similar to QEMU and uses the same VMWare technology), which is great as it will actually use the linux partition if you have a dual boot and the main distro you get with AndLinux when you set it up is ubuntu anyway (after they swapped from using debian). My advice for using this is to download POC 2.1, install that then download the prebeta and update the POC 2.1 to pre beta.

Don't just install the prebeta as I found X not to work and I think the main stuff that uses X is in the POC download.

I'm now using QEMU (well, will be again when I get the main pc up and running again). If you want to use that then I'd recommend getting qemu Manager. It's a nice, and useful, gui frontend.

I do have a "how to" on my website for setting up qemu with qemu manager, but at the moment it is windows only, however, the first few steps you'll need to follow anyway since it's the setup of the virtual hard drive. Linux installations are pretty self explanatory, with one expection. The LILO bit.

I can explain that in a bit more detail when you've decided on what you want to use.

Oh and I know that you can install QEMU to a usb and use it that way but I don't know if this is possible with AndLinux.

If you get stuck with anything just PM me and I'm sure I can help.

 

[Ravnos]

anyone know of a server oriented distro

I prefer the debian flavours (debian/ubuntu/xubuntu etc)

Just use debian then and configure it for use as a server rather than a desktop.

 

[TheMinder]

QUOTE
How ancient is your laptop?


It's something like a pII 400, have to say that I overlooked Xubuntu so maybe that would have been ok as well.

Re servers - I run a few servers on my work network and because of their function I tend to go with the LAMP install of Ubuntu mainly because I have a copy to hand and it's a no brainer. Setup ssl, install Webmin (/me sees the hardcore linux fraternity shudder) then stick 'em under the desk and forget about 'em.