Best Linux distro for a beginner
 

I'm no idiot when it comes to computers but I don't want to have to learn a bunch of command line inputs either. I was thinking maybe one day I'll try my hand at some sort of linux. No particular reason why. Any distros you'd recommend?

Also, I was wondering, how do things like drivers for network cards work in Linux? Does it just work or do you need to get special drivers from somewhere?

Re: Best Linux distro for a beginner
 

I just recently installed ubuntu and have found it to be fairly user friendly. The ubuntu motto is "linux for human beings" and it pretty much sticks to that. It uses the gnome desktop and comes with GAIM, firefox, and open office. The newest version is due out next month.

I still haven't figured out how to get the wireless to work but the LAN connection works no problems.

I don't really know anything about command lines, but thus far haven't really needed to learn any. At some point I'm going to have to ask a CS friend for some help to install the correct video drivers.

And ubuntu has the coolest screensavers. The hypercube is mesmerizing.

~Allison

Re: Best Linux distro for a beginner
 

I too would recommend Ubuntu as a good place to start. It's very user-friendly, and doesn't crash as easily as some distros when you mess around with it as an advanced user.

Drivers for commonplace devices like Ethernet cards come bundled and usually work right away, but obscure or proprietary devices, like some wireless cards, can be a real pain to install drivers for, sometimes requiring a kernel recompile. In fact, all drivers that don't come with the distro require some amount of work to install, since there isn't really an equivalent to the Windows Device Manager in Linux.

Re: Best Linux distro for a beginner
 

Check out Knoppix. It comes on a live CD, so you don't have to mess with your hard drive. It's not really any better than others, but it doesn't force you to do anything permanent. It'll give you a chance to play with everything before you commit.

Re: Best Linux distro for a beginner
 

The only thing what is likely to give you driver problems are wireless cards based off of broadcom chipsets (most linksys products). To use them you must use NDISwrapper which allows you to run windows drivers under linux. Everything else should just work except printers which usually need configuring. Also, if you have a wide format screen, you may need to do some tweaking to take advantage of its native resolution.

As for Ubuntu and other "totally" free OSes, it takes a mild amount of work to get things like MP3s, and most video codecs to work. The developers don't include them because they are not free software.

I have always used Fedora Core and never had in problems with it. I think its more of a matter of personal opinion than anything. To some extent i think people overplay the impact a certian distro will have in being able to learn linux.

Re: Best Linux distro for a beginner
 

I forgot to mention that ubuntu has the live CD as well, but I got tired of having to reset everything to how I like it everytime I booted up, as the live CD doesn't save any changes.

It was nice though for making sure I liked it before I went through the trouble of installing it.

Re: Best Linux distro for a beginner
 

Do most distros support dual processors?

Re: Best Linux distro for a beginner
 

Yes, the Linux kernel supports dual processors.

I echo the Ubuntu recommendation, it is very easy to use. The apt-get utility makes installing and updating software extremely easy. Just type apt-get install firefox and it'll automatically download latest version of firefox for you. Ubuntu comes with a gui to make this process even easier.

It is fast, not resource intensive, and quite possibly the best linux distribution for beginners. I can safely say that without Ubuntu, I would never have switched from windows. I tried Mandrake and Redhat linux before, and none persuaded me to switch.

Re: Best Linux distro for a beginner
 

Ubuntu is awesome, I'm a big fan of it, but I quit it because I really dislike command line. I used the 32 and 64 bit versions and both worked out pretty well, the 32 bit was a bit easier for those of us that like gui more. Kubuntu is next on my list to try out, it's supposed to be a bit more Gui friendly than the Gnome environment that Ubuntu is built on (Kubuntu uses the KDE instead of Gnome) Ubuntu is pretty easy for a beginner, I also tried using Suse, but in the end I liked Ubuntu more. In the end though, Ubuntu and Kubuntu are the same distro.

You may also want to try the Linux Distrobution Chooser

Re: Best Linux distro for a beginner
 

Do most all linux applications work on most all distributions of Linux? Right now I'm downloading SimplyMEPIS, Ubuntu live CD, and Linspire live CD to try sometime in the next few days.

The machine is a Dual Pentium 3 500MHz with 256 mb RAM.

EDIT: Ubuntu live didn't work. :(

Re: Best Linux distro for a beginner
 

For the most part, they should all work the same in all distros. There's slight differences in the different distros, but it's usually possible to overcome them. Oh, but binaries are generally distro specific. The more complex the application, the more likely you will be to need a binary specific to your particular distro. If you compile from source, it should work so long as you have all the proper libraries.

Re: Best Linux distro for a beginner
 

Fedora Core 5 has been good to me.

Re: Best Linux distro for a beginner
 

https://shipit.ubuntu.com/

You can request free ubuntu CD's from that link. Each comes with a live CD and an install CD.

Re: Best Linux distro for a beginner
 

I was able to boot Knoppix and get online and on IRC but I couldn't figure out how to add a network printer. Also, it froze a couple times.

I think I'm going to try Fedora next. It's installer and menus seem pretty friendly, at least as far as I can tell by looking st screenshots.

Re: Best Linux distro for a beginner
 

A word of advice with Fedora Core 5...

Try to find an updated binary install. The original version of FC5 used an older kernel which didnt support the use of non GPL licensed software. This gave me a little bit of grief when trying to install graphics drivers!

Either way "yum upgrade kernel" should fix any problems you have with that.

Re: Best Linux distro for a beginner
 

If you have any problems with your printer under Fedora, www.linuxprinting.org has lots and lots of information, so it might be a good place to check out.

Re: Best Linux distro for a beginner
 

here at my home I use Kubuntu (it's the ubuntu with KDE).. because I prefer KDE not Gnome...

Why don't you try a Brazilian dirstro?? it's for beginners too =D It calls Kurumin
www.kurumin.com.br

SUSE is a good one to learn too... uses Gnome too..

cya

Re: Best Linux distro for a beginner
 

I'm a Linux novice and I'm trying to use my old computer to run it.
By 'old', I mean, an AMD K6-3D processor and 128 MB RAM. It currently runs Windows 98.

I'm using a Ubuntu live CD and also making a Xubuntu live CD as well.
So far Ubuntu won't get past the little rectangle showing the Ubuntu logo and some icons being loaded within it, the last one reading 'Nautilus'. I'm assuming that the graphical interface might be a little too beefy for this old box. Am I correct?

I am making the Xubuntu live CD assuming that since it says it runs better on old machines, that it will work.

Re: Best Linux distro for a beginner
 

Try burning the iso slower, like 4x or even 2x if you have time. Sometimes for some reason when you burn too fast it gets corrupted. If that doesn't work, try the alternate CD. If you can't get Ubuntu to work, play around with Mepis, Knoppix, PCLinuxOS, and Freespire. I pretty much like them all.

Re: Best Linux distro for a beginner
 

I wouldnt recomedn Fedora Core unless you have some idea of how linux works....i have it and i got it to work on a external hard drive and havnt used it since the week after i installed it about a few months ago....i cant get online and when i downloaded the drivers for my internal wireless card i read the "read me" and i decided that it was just easier to not go online...havnt relly had any use for it otherwise...

Re: Best Linux distro for a beginner
 

The LiveCD for Dapper Drake is very very finicky I've found, no problems with the alternate and as a rule of thumb, I always burn at minimum speed if I have the time, it's just less likely to screw up.

Re: Best Linux distro for a beginner
 

I personally haven't used Ubuntu.. but Knoppix was great for exploring and casual work & web surfing on a PC without a hard drive.
The latest Fedora Core has been great for me.. I've been able to play almost all multimedia files using VLC and streaming online radio using mplayer!
Great addition to my living room I must say. Hope installation would be a breeze for you.. a fast disc drive helps!

Re: Best Linux distro for a beginner
 

Ye, Knoppix or Phlak, both live CD/usb drive. I use Phlak because I can get pretty down and dirty while still having something that I'm not risking a Windows HDD over.

Re: Best Linux distro for a beginner
 

If you really want to use an Ubuntu distro, definitely go with Xubuntu. I believe that Ubuntu (or Kubuntu, depending on your preference) is recommended to be run on computers with a minimum of 256 MB RAM, and Xubuntu was created for older, slower computers likes yours. Or so I've been told.

Of course, many other good Linux distros have been mentioned in this thread that you might want to try out.

Good luck!

Re: Best Linux distro for a beginner
 

Yeah, that's what I'm finding. It looks like I'm going to have to use the alternate CD's lower memory install as well.

Re: Best Linux distro for a beginner
 

I actually tried installing Xubuntu on a really old comp with 95 MB of RAM. When I posted a question on the Ubuntu forums about an error I got, they had a few suggestions.

You can go here for a way to install it on a low memory system.

Also, there is Ubuntu Lite and D.amn* Small Linux.

*There isn't really a period between the D and A, but I had to put it there because of the language filters...

Re: Best Linux distro for a beginner
 

I've got Xubuntu running on my old machine! (Finally)
It seems to everything but multimedia pretty well, faster than Win98 did on it. :cool:

Re: Best Linux distro for a beginner
 

I would try using EasyUbuntu on it to see if that helps with the multimedia.

Re: Best Linux distro for a beginner
 

I've been thinking about putting Ubuntu on my laptop. I just want something better than Windows and OSX can't go on it. What are the advantages of a Linux system over Windows and how compatible is it with most programs? AOL and other stuff like that.

Re: Best Linux distro for a beginner
 

With Linux, you can do things like talk online to people, surf the internet, and Ubuntu comes with OpenOffice, so you can use it to type reports, make spreadsheets, presentations, etc.

It comes with TONS of freeware (some pre-installed, and some you have to install yourself). They have media players, photo editors (including a Paint-type program and GIMP), some pretty cool games, and Firefox.

If you're looking for some specific programs, check out the Wine Application Database.

I've found Ubuntu to be really great. It runs smoothly, it's easy to use, and I've never gotten an error [except one time I crashed my media player and it told me that shouldn't be happening... :rolleyes:].

I dual boot my laptop, with Windows XP Media Center Edition installed on it, as well. I mostly only use it for programming stuff for robotics.

Re: Best Linux distro for a beginner
 

Yeah... I was thinking about downloading Ubuntu on Tuesday night while I have access to the T1 connection at the robotics meeting. The OpenOffice program appealled to me a lot. And the fact that you can keep Windows XP on their for the others that use the computer.

Re: Best Linux distro for a beginner
 

I think that Xubuntu didn't recognize my sound card, because I have no sound or sound control anywhere. Any suggestions?

EDIT: It's a Yamaha OPL3-SAx

Re: Best Linux distro for a beginner
 

Try following the instructions given in post #2 in this thread on the Ubuntu Forums.

Re: Best Linux distro for a beginner
 

The suggestion posted in that thread would be a good thing to try, but be careful when playing with the terminal so you don't really mess something up!

Also, think about becoming a member of UbuntuForums.org. It can be a great resource for beginners (myself included)!

Re: Best Linux distro for a beginner
 

Didn't work. Blah.

Re: Best Linux distro for a beginner
 

I'd suggest just joining the forums and posting your own question and/or revive that thread to see if anyone knows an alternative way to get it to work. I'm sure there will be someone who can help you on there.

Re: Best Linux distro for a beginner
 

Hm... as I explore my Linux options more, I have found that Kubuntu looks like it would be the easiest for me. I don't know much about computers, especially Linux so I've pretty much decided on a version of Ubuntu, just not sure if it should be Ubuntu or Kubuntu.

BTW, has anyone heard of Wolvix? I saw some screenshots of it and it looked pretty nice. I didn't ready anything into it yet though.

Re: Best Linux distro for a beginner
 

I just installed PCLinuxOS 0.93 Big Daddy. It is just a beautiful OS that runs quite well even on a Celeron 700Mhz with only 448mb PC100 RAM. It has some of the nice eye candy to kind of look like Vista such as transparency and glowing buttons. Anyway, it appears to be very well put together and thought out. Other distros failed to load or install, but PCLinuxOS 0.93 loaded the LiveCD and installed from it just perfectly. I think it's a keeper. :)

Re: Best Linux distro for a beginner
 

Well I have used Red Hat 9, Fedora Core 1 and Core 4, Debian, and Suse 10.1. I found Red Hat 9 to be the easiest for beginners. Since Red Hat no longer has it's own distros I would use Fedora since it's based off Red Hat.

Re: Best Linux distro for a beginner
 

I've said this and I'm going to say it again: Ubuntu, Ubuntu, Ubuntu (or any flavor variations of it like KUbuntu for KDE or Xubuntu for XFCE for those that don't like Gnome). I've used Redhat, Fedora, and some other distros a while back but what made me stick with Ubuntu and recommend to others either as a beginner or a intermediate linux user is the support base. You can easily get support either by reading the Wiki (https://wiki.ubuntu.com), the forums (http://ubuntuforums.org) or on IRC (#ubuntu on FreeNode). It's a very active community that you will actually get help/answers most of the time and it was easy enough for my to actually seriously learn about Linux and it's internals. :rolleyes:

Re: Best Linux distro for a beginner
 

Ubuntu has a large helpfull community. So if you are knew then that is great. I just recently installed Fedora Core 6 but as always struggle to get my wireless working on FC.

Re: Best Linux distro for a beginner
 

On the note for wireless under Linux: I fought to make my 802.11B USB adapter work for years in Fedora, Mandrake, and SuSe. I eventually just bought a TrendNet PCI Card that worked fine under ndiswrapper. But I found out that it used a RealTek RTL8180 chipset in it, which has open-sourced drivers for it. When I made the move to G, after researching it, I found that cards based on the RaLink RT2500 are very well supported under linux. At first under Ubuntu and other distros, I had to compile the drivers myself, but now they are built in to the latest 2.6 Kernels, so there is really nothing beyond configuring my SSID and WEP key. Admittedly, WPA is the only thing I haven't felt like struggling with it yet.

For those looking to purchase a wireless card specifically for Linux, I would recommend this Foxconn 802.11G one, but you can always check for something else here .

Re: Best Linux distro for a beginner
 

What annoys me is i have my ipw2200 and rtl8180 and atheros chipset wireless cards all working on my laptop! Im cheap and hate buying things but ill probably buy a card for my desktop that i know will work under linux easy.

Re: Best Linux distro for a beginner
 

A few thoughts for people starting to explore Linux ...

It's awesome. Everything you will ever need, and all of the source code too!

Don't be scared of the command line. It's just another way of looking at what's happening in the computer, and will help you think in different ways and see different (and often better) solutions to problems. (Anyhow... all I see now is file ... directory ... process :o)

Linux actually has better hardware support out-of-the-box than windows does. For the most part, you won't need to find or load drivers. However there are still some trouble spots: 3d video and wireless, specifically. The trouble is that the manufacturers refuse to release the specifications. Not even code, just the hardware specs! Best thing to do is start with some research before you buy, and if you have any trouble, write to the manufacturer and tell them you are looking for the linux driver. Maybe eventually they will learn.

Finally, find a good distro-specific mailing list or forum where you can ask questions. The Linux community is generally quite good, but remember that you need to ask good questions.