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Tom's Hardware > Forum > Linux/Free BSD > General Discussion > [Solved] Total Linux N00B here, what to try 1st?

[Solved] Total Linux N00B here, what to try 1st?

Forum Linux/Free BSD : General Discussion [Solved] Total Linux N00B here, what to try 1st?

General Discussion

okay, I read the sticky, but I need real people to come in here and give me their opinion. I'm a total N00Bster when it comes to Linux, running Windows 7, and think it's ass backwards from XP but it is much better and the most stable. Want to try Linux out of curiuosity and cuz i'm looking for work and many companies use linux OS.

thoughts, suggestions, etc..

HELP A N00BSTER OUT!

Message quoted 1 times

Reply to purple buzz

Best answer

purple buzz wrote :

okay, I read the sticky, but I need real people to come in here and give me their opinion. . . . Want to try Linux out of curiuosity and cuz i'm looking for work and many companies use linux OS.
thoughts, suggestions, etc..

HELP A N00BSTER OUT!

Most likely are suggestions for the n00b to try either Ubuntu or LinuxMint.
I will agree should he/she be running a modern machine with 2GB RAM or more
and a multi-core processor of 1.6GHz or greater.
A laptop? Suggest peppermint One.
A netbook? Then try antiX.

First read Linux Is Not Windows.
And about MTBS.

Then join the forum associated with your linux distribution of choice. Also,
strongly consider joining a general linux forum, in addition to this one.

The three "grandfather' linux families are
a) Slackware
b) Debian
c) Redhat

Each use different package handlers,
which are methods of downloading software packages from repositories.

Debian is easiest, IMHO. antiX is Debian-based. Peppermint is ubuntu-based (almost as easy). Mint is an attractive distro that has struck out on its own and is leaning toward Debian.

Also see an article on Desktop Environments -- I favor the lighter ones, like LXDE, found in peppermint, or even lighter ones in antiX (which is majorly why it runs so well on netbooks).

Best wishes &
Welcome to Linux

Reply to chamaecyparis

Chamaecyparis one of your links is wrong (both link to peppermint)

did you mean http://antix.mepis.org/index.php?t [...] #Downloads ?

Message quoted 1 times
Message edited by internetlad on 05-17-2011 at 06:51:21 PM

Reply to internetlad

Debian is always good to know, and is fairly simple to learn.

If you're in a corporate environment, it's likely that RedHat is being used. CentOS is essentially the same, but free of charge. Fedora will be similar as well, but not to the extent CentOS is.

If you have a decent computer, just install VirtualBox. You can try out as many distributions as you would like this way.

Message quoted 2 times

Reply to Pyroflea

Pyroflea wrote :

If you're in a corporate environment, it's likely that RedHat is being used. CentOS is essentially the same, but free of charge. .

another linux noob here, red hat isn't free?

I thought that Linux distros were, by nature, free, open source software. I know that there is the possibility (legally) to charge for the software but i didn't think anyone did. . .

Message quoted 1 times

Reply to internetlad

ty all for suggestions. ima start doing my homework. im wondering though, how much space is each Linux OS takes up...?

Pyroflea wrote :

my spec:

AMD Athlon II X2 255 Regor 3.1GHz Socket AM3 65W
Foxconn A76ML-K
ECS NR9800GTE-512QX-F GeForce 9800 GT 512MB 256-bit DDR3
A-DATA 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400)
CORSAIR CMPSU-400CX 400W
200G Seagate (Master)
500GB Wester Digitital SATA

thanks. i was wondering about how it would be like to try many different distributions. i'll look into installing VirtualBox.

Message quoted 1 times
Message edited by purple buzz on 05-17-2011 at 10:31:32 PM

Reply to purple buzz

internetlad wrote :

With RedHat you pay for support essentially. There's more to it than that, but Google will be able to tell you more than I will Many people often think that "Free" means free of price, but it doesn't really, technically. Again, lots of explaining, you can Google it if you're really interested

purple buzz wrote :

ty all for suggestions. ima start doing my homework. im wondering though, how much space is each Linux OS takes up...?

my spec:

AMD Athlon II X2 255 Regor 3.1GHz Socket AM3 65W
Foxconn A76ML-K
ECS NR9800GTE-512QX-F GeForce 9800 GT 512MB 256-bit DDR3
A-DATA 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400)
CORSAIR CMPSU-400CX 400W
200G Seagate (Master)
500GB Wester Digitital SATA

thanks. i was wondering about how it would be like to try many different distributions. i'll look into installing VirtualBox.

That computer should be able to run a few VM's no problem.

The amount of space used varies greatly. It's usually possible to install a Linux distribution in <4GB however. The "Required Specifications" page on pretty much every distribution's website will tell you more accurately what's needed.

Reply to Pyroflea

I'm new to Linux too. I like using Ubuntu. Day to day it doesn't feel that different to using Windows. It's just the configuration that is significantly different.

Reply to Rusting In Peace

Hello, I have had great luck with ubuntu but have also used fedora and MINT. I think personally that Ubuntu is the best distro to start on. The biggest reason I say this is that if you have any problems there is a million youtube tutorials. Also you can run it from a live disk just to try it out and its really easy to dualboot with windows if your not ready to take the plunge. (PS ubuntu saw removable media that fedora didn't for me) But im sure a more experienced linux user could fix that.

Reply to guerilla_logic

Really when you get down to it, any distribution would be a good start. If you chose Debian (which is a tad more difficult, not really though), then you could easily use Ubuntu, Mint, PCLinuxOS, among a slew of other distributions. If you learned RedHat/CentOS, you can also use Fedora with general ease.

Which distribution you use is down to 1) Preference, and 2) What you plan on using it for.

Reply to Pyroflea

internetlad wrote :

Chamaecyparis one of your links is wrong (both link to peppermint)

did you mean http://antix.mepis.org/index.php?t [...] #Downloads ?

Yes, that was it -- thanks!

This new laptop keypad had me going crazy!

To the OP and others -- pyroflea seconded the notion on Debian (thanks) -- another suggestion is the new Crunchbang Statler. Many prefer the interface, and the support is very knowledgeable, too.

May all enjoy May 21!

Message quoted 1 times
Message edited by chamaecyparis on 05-21-2011 at 04:36:35 AM

Reply to chamaecyparis

chamaecyparis wrote :

wow, you just reminded me. tomorrow... the end of the world is coming.

Message quoted 1 times

Reply to purple buzz

purple buzz wrote :

wow, you just reminded me. tomorrow... the end of the world is coming.

I'm still here, don't know about you guys

Message quoted 1 times

Reply to Pyroflea

Pyroflea wrote :

I'm still here, don't know about you guys

doomsday must be later on throughout the day.

Reply to purple buzz

maybe god slept in.

Reply to internetlad

Come on, we all know he runs Mac

Reply to audiovoodoo

Best answer selected by purple buzz.

Reply to purple buzz

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