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Which OS is the best to start with?

Tags:
  • Windows
  • HP Laptop
  • Linux
Last response: in Linux/Free BSD
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March 10, 2014 12:58:45 PM

Hello,

I'm using Windows for quite a while now, but i'm curious about other OS'es.
I've got quite a lot of knowledge about Windows, but i'd like to try another OS just for a change.
I think my knowledge about Windows is fair enough to start with another OS but I don't know which one is the best to start with. Linux appeals to me, but which version should I choose?

I have a HP laptop, Windows 8.1 w/ 8GB, 3Ghz quadcore processor.
Is it possible to have another OS next to Windows? Just like when you have two Windowses, when you start your pc you can choose which OS you want to use..

Any help would be appreciated

More about : start

March 10, 2014 1:04:58 PM

Ubuntu is a good Linux version to get your feet wet or maybe Mint.
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March 10, 2014 1:19:32 PM

So you are going to dual boot or just want to play around another os?
Just be careful not to mess up if dual boot.
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a b 5 Linux
March 10, 2014 1:39:02 PM

You will find it far easier, and more versatile, to use a program such as VirtualBox to run a virtual machine rather than trying a native install. Linux is probably the easiest alternative OS to try. For a beginner I would recommend Fedora, OpenSuSE, or (yuk) Ubuntu. Why not try all three and see which suits you best? When you are more experienced you might try ArchLinux or even Gentoo (my favourite), which allow you far more control over the finished result.

The more adventurous might like to look at one of the BSDs (FreeBSD is the most accessible) or Solaris.
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March 10, 2014 2:13:53 PM

@ Ijack: Thanks for the accurate and elaborate explanation! Further research brought me the idea Ubuntu would be a good choice so I will choose that version.
@rgd1101: Yes, i'd like to dual-boot so I can keep all my stuff I have installed on Windows.
I plan to do a thoroughly investigation before starting my exploring voyage to minimize the chances of messing it up.... If anyone knows a elaborate tutorial for installing Linux next to Windows, thanks.
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March 10, 2014 8:58:37 PM

I personally enjoyed Mint more than Ubuntu when trying out the 2. In the end they are fairly similar, however I felt like the Mint desktop was a bit more similar to Windows than Ubuntu

If you want to try them out without installation you can burn the ISO after you download it to a DVD and boot from the disc into a live session (basically you are running the OS but no data is saved to your hard drive, so it's good for a test run). You could just burn a bunch of discs and play around with them until you want to install. It's a bit slower to use the disc, but you can get your speed when you install.

If you ever want to do Mint here is the guide I used:
http://itsfoss.com/guide-install-linux-mint-16-dual-boo...

This is a guide that looks fairly similarly detailed for Ubuntu:
http://www.everydaylinuxuser.com/2013/09/install-ubuntu...

Size the partitions however large you think you'll want/need
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