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Looking to try linux

post #1 of 14
1/20/06 at 12:49am
Thread Starter 
Hello all, well I am always looking for something better.... and I have heard good things from linux... while I know very little about it... I would like to know more and give it a try. Which distru. is the easiest to use or accustomed to? I would like one that has proven stablity and good performance... and how do I do a dual boot or a "live cd"? Which.. what is a live cd anyway... and are there benefits to using linux?? Thanks
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post #2 of 14
1/20/06 at 3:52am
I can suggest Ubuntu. Try their live CD, which will allow you to boot into Linux without changing anything on your hard drive. It will also give you an idea if it is compatible, more or less, with your hardware. If you like it, download the installation ISO and give it a real try.

(Don't download the "Dapper" version; try the "Breezy Badger" version 5.10. I think Dapper is still prerelease and it might be buggy yet. No reason setting yourself up for a disappointment.)

Personally I keep a dual boot system and only use Windows for games now. Everything else I can get done faster, easier and more reliably in Linux.

I haven't tried too many other distros recently. I think drizek can offer more suggestions; (s)he seems well versed in Linux.

Also check the Notebooks-Linux thread elsewhere on this site for ideas.

Good luck!
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post #3 of 14
1/20/06 at 3:59am
download hte ubuntu live cd to try it out. just download the iso, mount it to a cd, and reboot. then make sure that it boots from the cd instead of the harddrive. That will pretty much give you an instant and safe linux to try out. if you like it, you can download the install cd to install it to the harddrive.

keep in mind though, if you dont like the way the interface works, there are many alternatives. ubuntu comes with gnome, but there are also kde and xfce, which you may prefer. There are also more lightweight ones like enlightenment and fluxbox.

almost all linux distros are very very stable. however performance varies. I would still recommend ubuntu though because even though the performance is moderate, i dont think it is a good idea for a first time linux user to use a more advanced(and faster) distro. If youre feeling ballsy though, install gentoo. it really isnt too hard if you have some free time and read the instructions.
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post #4 of 14
1/20/06 at 4:17am
Another idea, if you're familiar with VMWare's WorkStation, is to use the installation ISO to build a virtual PC and install Ubuntu on it. That will give you the chance to really tweak it before you repartition or rebuild your drive. Of course, a full installation might behave better than a virtual one, so if you run into problems with the virtual PC, they might not (or might) reappear in a full install.
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post #5 of 14
1/20/06 at 9:51am
Thread Starter 
If I download the ISO, how do I burn the image and not just the file?? I think there is a difference between just burning and making an image isn't there??
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post #6 of 14
1/20/06 at 10:07am
use something like nero to burn the iso image to cd.

I will vouch for ubuntu, I've been using it for a couple weeks now. I'm a linux newb even having played with distro's over the years and something about ubuntu just seems friendly to me thus far. The community is also great and lots of people are willing to help. I have even downloaded the dvd version of ubuntu 64bit (it says amd64 but its for either amd or intel) and choosing to boot up in live mode from the dvd I made works perfectly on my home machine detecting all hardware and everything works straight away. Although if you have this capability you should stick to the regular 32bit version as with xp x64 not everything is quite working with the 64bit versions of linux and may take alot more work than a new user (like myself) may be ready for.
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post #7 of 14
1/20/06 at 11:47am
Ubuntu definitely is the easiest linux distro to set up on the 9300. Nothing else detected everything including the LCD native resolution and set it up for me without any problems.
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post #8 of 14
1/20/06 at 12:03pm
I agree that if your a first time Linux user that Ubuntu is the product for you if you want to install right away. If you want a LiveCD or a LiveDVD checkout the Live KNOPPIX distro. The CD will bootup and you can run it either from the CD or better yet completely from within RAM!! Note that you do need 1G of RAM to do the later . If you want the DVD is the same except for its got 1 crap load of additional software already installed onto it.

Both distros work great with 1 providing an installed OS and the other a Live OS where you dont have to repartition or anything. Both see and use the wireless card fine.
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post #9 of 14
1/20/06 at 12:33pm
I just finished removing Ubuntu from my 9300. I have now tried to install and use a different version about 5 times (Red Hat, Mandrake, etc.). Ubuntu was the easiest and I got the farthest. But the one most frustrating thing about it was that if you want to install some software, you have go through a bunch of junk, unless it is part of their package of files that can be automatically downloaded and installed. One example. It comes with Firefox 1.07. I wanted to update to 1.5. You can't just go to mozilla, download a file and execute it like you can in windows. You have to open a terminal window and do a bunch of command line stuff, that if you are new will not make any sense. Windows ain't better, but it is simpler for most people. I never could get it to sync with my Palm, which is a must and is the only reason I am not using thunderbird isntead of Outlook even in windows. I'm not crazy about MS stuff, but it is simple for idiots like me.

All that said, go for it. It was interesting and I understand Linux a little better after my one day foray. Maybe in a year they can get it to do what I want.
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post #10 of 14
1/20/06 at 12:39pm
Actually thats only because you havent used it long enough to know that apt-get is wonderful!! Also.. by editing /etc/apt/sources and pointing them at the Debian archives you CAN apt-get Firefox 1.5. Again its all just part of the learning process.
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post #11 of 14
1/20/06 at 3:58pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by kpurcell
One example. It comes with Firefox 1.07. I wanted to update to 1.5. You can't just go to mozilla, download a file and execute it like you can in windows. You have to open a terminal window and do a bunch of command line stuff, that if you are new will not make any sense.
That Firefox issue is more a fault of Mozilla than Ubuntu, I think. It's also a known quirk with dozens of workarounds. Here's the Ubuntu wiki explaining how to get FF1.5 running without too much gnashing of teeth and pulling of hair. ...

https://wiki.ubuntu.com/FirefoxNewVersion

There are better, quicker ways of moving to FF1.5 in Ubuntu. Personally, I use the Automatix installation script because it also installs Java, the Acrobat Reader plugin, nVidia drivers, etc.

Anyways. ... So long as we're talking about making things easy, I thought I'd mention those things. ...
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post #12 of 14
1/20/06 at 4:23pm
i have also been thinking about this.. but how is it with all programs i have? Will they run in linux you think? Like the game GuildWars and Photoshop8CS for example?
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post #13 of 14
1/20/06 at 4:47pm
Errm. ... Maybe yes, maybe no. In most cases there seem to be community-driven substitutes. For example, instead of Photoshop, Ubuntu comes with The GIMP, which does just as much and is free. It's a slightly different interface because it's not a PS knockoff, but it does the job and is just as powerful.

As far as games go, I know some people have success using Wine to integrate games into the Linux environment, but it depends so much on the game, the hardware, etc. Personally, that's why I keep a dual boot system, because of Guild Wars. Ironically, that's the only time I use Windows any more.
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post #14 of 14
1/20/06 at 4:56pm
before this it was gentoo. i have tired other distros too. recently i installed gentoo and had quite a bother getting the subwoffer to work and then getting my fonts to look nice. openoffice takes a day or so to compile in gentoo an the there is blah blah balh....

the long and short of it by the time i finished compiling my last install of gentoo i was 30 years old. I started using gentoo in my mid twenties

I instsalled ubuntu and everyting worked. When i install quake4 there will be no reason to go back windows except to play fear.
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