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Which Linux version should I get?

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  • Windows
  • Linux
Last response: in Linux/Free BSD
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January 1, 2014 7:08:41 AM

Hello, I've used Windows exclusively so far, and now I want to learn how to use Linux. I understand that there are lots of different versions, or so called "distros" and some of them are suited to certain tasks.

What I am looking for is a version which isn't specialized in anything. Something that can do everything reasonably (surfing the web, editing documents, playing music etc etc).

The catch is, that I want something with both GUI and LUI. Since I've been using only windows so far, I can't imagine using an OS with only an MS-DOS like line interface. But I also want the LUI because I want to learn the commands and how to use them. This way, I can use the GUI to look for tutorials on the Internet and then practice them on the LUI.

Also, it has to be free (for home use and messing around with it).

More about : linux version

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a b 5 Linux
January 1, 2014 7:12:00 AM

LinuxMint is a good general purpose distro.
Nominally a GUI, but the terminal is always there for command line functions.

Are you running this on its own PC, or dualbooting with Windows?
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January 1, 2014 7:14:55 AM

I would go with Ubuntu since it is what Linux Steam uses and it also has the Ubuntu Software Centre for ease. If you find you like it then you can delve deeper into linux.
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January 1, 2014 8:03:28 AM

USAFRet said:
LinuxMint is a good general purpose distro.
Nominally a GUI, but the terminal is always there for command line functions.

Are you running this on its own PC, or dualbooting with Windows?


I will be dual booting with Win 7.
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January 1, 2014 8:05:06 AM

crookedmouth said:
I would go with Ubuntu since it is what Linux Steam uses and it also has the Ubuntu Software Centre for ease. If you find you like it then you can delve deeper into linux.


Does it have both GUI and LUI? Like Mint suggested by USAFret?
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a b 5 Linux
January 1, 2014 8:07:18 AM

Hramyzn said:
USAFRet said:
LinuxMint is a good general purpose distro.
Nominally a GUI, but the terminal is always there for command line functions.

Are you running this on its own PC, or dualbooting with Windows?


I will be dual booting with Win 7.


Any of the mainstream distros would work. Ubuntu or LinuxMint.
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January 1, 2014 8:46:46 AM

Hramyzn said:
crookedmouth said:
I would go with Ubuntu since it is what Linux Steam uses and it also has the Ubuntu Software Centre for ease. If you find you like it then you can delve deeper into linux.


Does it have both GUI and LUI? Like Mint suggested by USAFret?


The Terminal is available in all versions of Linux.

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January 2, 2014 5:57:09 AM

There is a great little test online you can take to help you choose which distro to go with (link provided below). Practically all Linux distros have a terminal where you can type in commands since Linux without a command line is like an elephant with no trunk.

Link to the test (hope this works):
Http://www.zegeniestudios.net/ldc/

P.S. If you get mandriva, select another from the list.
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a b 5 Linux
January 2, 2014 6:02:45 AM

Edir said:
There is a great little test online you can take to help you choose which distro to go with (link provided below). Practically all Linux distros have a terminal where you can type in commands since Linux without a command line is like an elephant with no trunk.

Link to the test (hope this works):
Http://www.zegeniestudios.net/ldc/


Nice little test. Thanks. 2 of the recommendations (for me) are the two I have running in VMs.
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January 2, 2014 11:16:49 AM

Thank you all, your answers have really helped me. I decided to go for Linux Mint as suggested by USAFRet, and it also showed as one of the results in the test posted by Edir.
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