Linux

With all the Linux geeks on this website (and my flatmate being a Mac man) I thought I'd give Linux a go. However I hear there are many versions... Red Hat, Suse and some others...

Which one should I try? I like spinkee graphics and not too much hassle.

Then you'll probably want SuSE. It's
the most Windows-Like, I suppose. It supports (from install) KDE and
Gnome. I know there are other desktops you can download too.

Pretty
much, if you have everything in when you install it should configure
most of it and what it doesn't configure, you have Yast2 for.

I
know you can find some torrents for v. 9.2 and that's a hell of lot
better then downloading through their FTP links. I hate those links,
they don't work most of the time or are ridiculously slow.

Of
course you can go out and buy it, which is somewhat beneficial, since
you get ass loads of documentation.

Just be forewarned, it is still
Linux, so if you have certain cards that are really designed for
windows or something like that, it might require a kernel recompile
to get them working. I don't think the newer versions need that as
much, but I know my laptop refuses to recognize my Ethernet card. But
don't worry too much. The hardest part is setting up the partitions,
in which people here can help you with, that aren't WildCard (sorry,
I had to do it).

Sounds complex... I'll stick with windows. :razz:

Not really, the whole recompile thing is pretty rare if you just use it for general computing. Partitions are pretty easy too.

God forbid you read something about it :razz:

Let me highlight the reasons why what you said sounds intimidating to a linux n00b:

Then you'll probably want SuSE. It's
the most Windows-Like, I suppose. It supports (from install) KDE what is kde and
Gnome what is gnome. I know there are other desktops you can download too.Pretty
much, if you have everything in when you install it should configure
most of it and what it doesn't configure, you have Yast2 what is yast2 for.I
know you can find some torrents any links to where to find these torrents, etc? for v. 9.2 and that's a hell of lot
better then downloading through their FTP links. I hate those links,
they don't work most of the time or are ridiculously slow.Of
course you can go out and buy it, which is somewhat beneficial, since
you get ass loads of documentation.

Just be forewarned, it is still
Linux, so if you have certain cards that are really designed for
windows or something like that, it might require a kernel recompile you honestly expect a noob to do a kernel recompile -- just to get a basic thing working?
to get them working. I don't think the newer versions need that as
much, but I know my laptop refuses to recognize my Ethernet card. But
don't worry too much. The hardest part is setting up the partitions,
in which people here can help you with, that aren't WildCard (sorry,
I had to do it).

Maze, I already know the reasons why
someone might be intimidated by Linux; they're far more expansive
then what you highlighted. Not to mention there's really no point to
your post. What exactly do you expect me to do in this situation?
Explain everything?

Are you trying to give me
not-needed-advice for future events?

Besides, if anyone is
wondering about any term I mentioned, well guess what? They're using
the internet right now. They could utilize it. I believe before you
posted I mentioned they (being whoever) should do exactly that.

I know so many people that give me s**t
for trying to help them, simply because they think I'm being
condescending or because the answer may be too complex. I think, this
falls under the same category.

Myrk simply asked for a suggestion for
an easy to use flavor of Linux. I suggested SuSE and gave some
information on it. It isn't exactly my fault he's not willing to look
up some of that information for himself to see how ?complex? it
may or may not be.

Fight fight fight fight!

Ok, so this isn't helping..

swans off to bed

If you wanna try Linux, use a box you don't use anymore, and use something easy like Redhat or Mandrake at first.

Bleh, I hate RedHat. It's basically a complete comercial product now, I don't even know if it's free anymore.

i tried to run debian linux but failed during the installation = /. i
did it on one of the millions of spare hard drives ;P a nice old 3 gig
, at one point of my life i had 3 hard drives = P a 30 gig , a 10 , and
a 3. One was linux partitioned but the installation never worked. the
other two were windows. Now i just have a 60 gig

1) Get Mandrake or Fedora Core 3.

2) Burn CD/DVD from ISOs

3) Place in CD/DVD ROM Drive

4) Boot from CD/DVD ROM drive (usually a BIOS setting)

5) Install.

Preferably install on a separate partition. For best results squeeze from bottom as you go up.

if you are hellbent on linux, I would offer gentoo (www.gentoo.org) as
a good, but probably not very noob friendly solution. but if you
are just looking for good unix like OS, then FreeBSD (www.freebsd.org)
offers a very good alternative. Plus freebsd has something like
an emulator that allows native linux apps to run unaltered (if they
dont just install naturally). Actually any BSD is good too,
netBSD and openBSD are very good, but freeBSD seems the most popular,
and it seems to focus most on performance.

If you are just looking to try out linux, just download something and
try it out. Ubuntu seems to be another popular one (www.ubuntulinux.org)

if you are hellbent on linux, I would offer gentoo (www.gentoo.org) as
a good, but probably not very noob friendly solution. but if you
are just looking for good unix like OS, then FreeBSD (www.freebsd.org)
offers a very good alternative. Plus freebsd has something like
an emulator that allows native linux apps to run unaltered (if they
dont just install naturally). Actually any BSD is good too,
netBSD and openBSD are very good, but freeBSD seems the most popular,
and it seems to focus most on performance.

I have no experience with *BSD myself, but I have heard that installation is absolute hell (as it is with gentoo).

I really don't suggest Gentoo, unless
you know what you're doing (which isn't the case).

There's so
many versions. To be honest though ... if you REALLY wanted something
simple and fast, you could look up "Lindows". I know it's
called something else now, but I don't remember what. It's fully
automated goes off of a Windows install (so it isn't "pure"
unix/minix/linux/etc) But, it is for the most part. It even keeps the
ability to run Win32 applications, as I've heard anyway. I think the
interface is KDE, but it may have others. Only bad part is: it isn't
free, at all. But it only costs like $15 or something.

You may
want to look into it sometime.

Bleh, I hate RedHat. It's basically a complete comercial product now, I don't even know if it's free anymore.

Two versions of RedHat now - Fedora, which is the free edition based on
RedHat9, and RedHat Enterprise Edtion, which you have to pay for and
tends to be use by large companies.

Bleh, I hate RedHat. It's basically a complete comercial product now, I don't even know if it's free anymore.

Two versions of RedHat now - Fedora, which is the free edition based on
RedHat9, and RedHat Enterprise Edtion, which you have to pay for and
tends to be use by large companies.

I thought the "normal" workstation version wasn't free anymore. Oh
well. Enterprise Editions always cost money, they have to ... whether
or not they should cost $800 is another question.

I recommend either Ubuntu or
Fedora Core. They're both very easy
to install and use, and have good community support.

Mazemaster, here's some definitions you want :smile:

GNOME and KDE: GNOME and KDE are desktop environments. A desktop
environment sits on top of the main system (much like Windows sits on
DOS, until Windows 2000) and provides the accessories, user interface,
programs, etc. There are other environments you can use, but KDE and
GNOME are the biggest and best (and most Windows-like, dare I say).
Yast2: Yast stands for 'Yet Another Setup Tool, version 2'. It's
a program that SuSE (now Novell) make
that allows easy configuration of the system. Yast is specific only to
SuSE Linux, but pretty much every distrubution provides a setup system.
GNOME is working on a universal setup tool that works on all
distributions; the latest version of GNOME (2.8 ) allows you to
configure pretty much everything desktop-related, but not much in
server-land.

Regarding kernel recompiles, it's much easier than it sounds, and
desktop users hardly ever need to do it if they're running a desktop
distro (I've never had to change a thing on my Fedora box). For geeks,
it's a lot of fun and very relaxing, I must say :smile:

Crono, RedHat don't sell the software, they sell support for the
software. All of their developments and software they made is released
for free into the Fedora project, where anybody can use it.

All of their developments and software they made is released

for free into the Fedora project

Yes, I understand that now. :razz:

So will I be able to run all my aplications and games? Or do I need wierdo linux patches for them all? Take into account-

I'm Lazy

I like pretty things

I don't like hassle

http://www.novell.com/products/desktop/index.html?sourceidint=productsmenu_nld_bottom

That one looks pretty and hassle free... But I think you have to pay...

These sort of arguments annoy me. Linux is so utterly expandable, you might aswell choose the distribution sheerly for the installer. From there on in; 'how easy it is to use' is up to you, they way to configure it. For example, essentially my install is 'fedora core 1', however, that would be cronicly outdated by now - I've taken my install through many mutations, I've deleted a lot of programs and daemons I dont need and its pretty much how I like it now.

I would therefore, still suggest 'fedora'. The install is practicly seamless, and the default window manager - gnome, is a breeze and pleasure to use. With 'rpm' also installed by default, you'll find it easy to install many applications in a matter of minutes, although this process is simplified again via the use of a program such as 'synaptic'.

May I also point out, the most important thing imo, is getting drivers for your modem / nic. This way, you can connect to the internet, and google and problems and have a solution to them in a matter of minutes. Randomly clicking through problems wont get you anywhere, and will just turn you back into a redmond monkeh.

I agree with Des on the Ubuntu front. I installed that on my laptop just to take a look at it, and it was quite painless.

Personally, I would get Debian testing since I use it and love it, but
you may get lost in the installation process. SuSE, Fedora Core 3,
Ubuntu, are all great and easy to install. I would recommend one of
those, although, there are other Unix style OS's which are worth a try.
FreeBSD is good, and don't listen to those who say its hell to install.
My first installation of it was painless, although it's a harder Os to
start with if your a Unix newb. So, I say go with the Linux distros I
mentioned already, they will give you a good introduction to the world
of Non-Microsoft! :smile:

I'll go for this Novell then, seems good looking and proffessional, and thier headquarters is huge apparantly (someone on IRC said they live just up the road from it).

I'd like to give Linux a try sometimes too. Tell what you think of it after testing it Myrk.

Ive installed debian, and i must say that the dual boot config part is
the most useful ive seen, actually says that if it isnt there, dont do
it. sure enough, win2k should be on the mbr, unlike in redhat where i
got annoyed as the help hadn't been updated, and my reasoning meant i
thought that I had to put it on the partition :/

Silly redhat :/

I have to disagree by saying that either KDE or GNOME are the biggest
and best x-windows managers. Being the biggest means lots of bloat

For those who don't like bloat but would rather like a lightweight, and fast windowing system, xfce (www.xfce.org)

Granted I am NOT a fan of KDE, I do like gnome. Xfce looks pretty. If it's faster then Gnome, I'll check it out.