Linux - Ready to dive in

[Tangwhich]

Can any of the linux users give me some pointers on where to get started as I'm ready to give linux a go. I'm leaning toward Ubuntu because they have a version with a built in media centre (a must)..
But quite honestly, I look at information online about Linux and with so many versions and people talking about stuff I don't have a clue about, I'm somewhat lost.

I'm not a computer novice. I'm an expert on windows and was so on older systems such as DOS and OS/2 so I'm not afraid of getting into the nity gritty of an operating system, but I'd like some help to point me at a good starting point so I'm focusing on what I need to know instead of getting buried by information overload.

Thanks..

 

[Liquid Snake]

Buy a good reference book. I have a list, I'll post later.

Get comfortable with directories, permissions, copying and moving files, and backups.

From there, start tying to do some simple scripting or programming.


Solaris is a good suggestion, and most of the stuff transfers right over to any Linux/Unix variant.

 

[Tangwhich]

Thanks Radio Shack for the suggestions..
I'm sure that macs are good, but I won't get getting one.. I know PCs too well and besides, I just got a brand new PC .

I should have mentioned, I have no interest in learning this from a work standpoint. I don't work in computers anymore, so this is simply for my personal use.. which is why having a Media Centre is a must.

I'll check out the link..

thanks again...

 

[wollensak]

Mandriva 8.0

I am using Mandriva Linux 8.0 available as a free download from Mandriva. It works really well, installs easily and detects all your hardware. I use it for internet browsing and CD playing for now. It uses Firefox so it's completely transparent. Nice desktop, easy to use.

I gave up on Ubuntu, it would freak out because it couln't find a driver for a device, at least I assume that was the problem. It gave messages like Kernel panic, shutting down - not very helpful. Bitched about Asus bios.

Looked at Fedora but downloads timed out. Slackware requires 6 CDs so nuts to that.

Mandriva in contrast detects every device and has verbose mode where it shows you all the commands it is executing.

I't has no problem with SCSI or dual CPU boards either.

You download it and burn the download as an ISO image - they tell you how.
Just stick it in your CD drive and go. Once you get the desktop select Live
Install and let it load to your harddrive.

I would suggest that you have a 48X or 52X speed CDROM drive as slow old drives will struggle trying to read the disk. Also remember that when loading it is spinning both the CD Rom drive and your harddrive so be sure your power supply is not flaky. I'm loading some real old iron so this may not apply to you.

Best of all, if you can do Windows, you can do this!

 

[cypherpunk]

Do you have a particular goal? Just ditching Windows for Linux? The smart money is on downloading a handful of Live Linux distributions like Knoppix and Slax to see what's what. There's no sense in committing yourself to something before you know what you're doing.

 

[canucklehead]

get the live ubuntu disk and take it for a test drive.....

 

[WoodPeckr]

get the live ubuntu disk and take it for a test drive.....

Agree this is the way to go.

Started out with Fedora then moved on to Ubuntu for the last few months for personal use and have had very little problems with it.
I have a dual boot setup that allows running either XP Pro or Ubuntu. At this point I can do everything on the www as if using XP. It wasn't that hard to pick up.
Everything wollensak said about Mandriva 8.0 pretty much applies to Ubuntu and a few other linux distros. Since Dell went with Ubuntu, I figured they must know something, so I decided to go with Ubuntu.

I did look at Macs but they seemed too pricy and linux is free. So I figured to give linux a try first and I'm glad I did. I was always a PC guy to. Ubuntu runs faster than XP and is even more stable than Mac, plus no AV and spyware issues.

 

[danibbler]

If you're going to get into the arcane world of Linux, I'd go with Ubuntu Linux. The best book on this as far as I'm concerned is "Beginning Ubuntu Linux" by Keir Thomas. The 2nd edition should be out by now.

 

[WoodPeckr]

Rickford Grant writes some excellent easy to read books that quide you through linux.

Ubuntu Linux for Non-Geeks: A Pain-Free, Project-Based, Get-Things-Done ...
by Rickford Grant
This newbie's guide to Ubuntu lets readers learn by doing.

 

[Anynym]

An advantage of most Linux installations is that you can save your data and change to a different distribution.

Ubuntu is a great place to start. It's nicely packaged, and tends to run clean. So it's a great introduction to the Linux world from a user's point of view.

If you want more variety in your applications, there are variants such as KUbuntu, or EDUbuntu which focus on providing "more" or on providing educationally-focused applications. They're not quite as smooth as Ubuntu itself, but they're not bad. Just remember that although they're based on a lot of the same stuff, they are all different distributions: you generally can't simply take software built specially for one and plug it into the other. And often, specialty distributions will include code modifications which have not been propagated back to the version in the "main" distribution.

Once you're feeling comfortable, you can install Debian, on which the *Ubuntu distributions are based. It can be a little rougher around the edges, and will take more work to maintain if you're installing a wide variety of applications, but at least that full variety of apps is available.

For example, on my Debian system I'm running a small PBX (asterisk, with digium hardware), some home automation using X10, a PVR based on MythTV, a web server, ftp server, database server, CD/DVD Burner, Jukebox, audio editor, picture editor, video editor (also this and this), networked file and print server, and of course desktop with office applications.

There's a lot of software out there. Much of it is available for any of a variety of OSs (including Windows); some of it is available for specialty Linux distributions (e.g. Knoppmyth, which is also based on Debian).

Enjoy your Linux experience!

 

[basketcase]

Here's a good online resource that includes opinions and popularities of most distros. http://distrowatch.com/

As was said, download and burn some live cd's and see what you like best. As a new user, the biggest problem you might face is whether the distro you use recognizes and supports top of the line hardware but with a little bit of searching, this is not much of a problem.

 

[xix]

Tried to switch

There's tons of distros out there. I recently switched from Suse to Fedora 8 and love it.

I just tried to switch from Suse to Fedora but it seems I have a problem with alot of distro when I install a distro. Most Distro's can't detect my Wide screen monitor.
Is there a way to make the distro detect my WSMonitor with out the use of the command line in F8?

 

[spheroyds]

go retro

...sounds like you like the challenge of getting closer to your OS.

pick up an old vic20/c64 instead....or if you like guis, an amiga =>

 

[Tangwhich]

Thanks for all the tips guys.. can't wait to try it..

 

[basketcase]

I just tried to switch from Suse to Fedora but it seems I have a problem with alot of distro when I install a distro. Most Distro's can't detect my Wide screen monitor.
Is there a way to make the distro detect my WSMonitor with out the use of the command line in F8?

I've had this problem with ubuntu but no problems with PCLinuxOS or Knoppix.

 

[xix]

Ws

I've had this problem with ubuntu but no problems with PCLinuxOS or Knoppix.

Well for me almost all LiveCD/LiveDVD will run while its live.
But once the installation happens they start to crap out.

I read somewhere where this guy tried to install Kubuntu. It wouldn't work on his WSmonitor. In the end He switched the DVI cable to D-sub monitor cable and it worked for him.
I haven't tried it so I don't know it if works like that.
Also I just found out my monitor has a switch to switch from analog to digital signal.
I have to try that.
I used about 6 distro and had problems with WSmonitor settings.

 

[WoodPeckr]

I used about 6 distro and had problems with WSmonitor settings.

LOL!
Maybe the trick is to put linux on an older PC.
I ran Fedora and Ubuntu on a 10 yr old PC with a 19" regular screen CRT monitor with no problems. Have a new HP printer where the ink levels no longer show up on XP but when I installed the HP toolbox on Ubuntu, it shows the ink levels on linux even though it fails to show them on XP anymore!
So far I enjoy usuing Ubuntu which runs faster than XP, Fedora was nice also.

 

[wollensak]

Ubuntu vs Mandriva and NVIDIA

LOL!
Maybe the trick is to put linux on an older PC.
So far I enjoy usuing Ubuntu which runs faster than XP, Fedora was nice also.

The best version of Ubuntu to download is the SERVER version of 7.10.

Why? Because it gives you the text playback of the commands it is executing and you can see where you have problems. From this version I learned that you CANNOT install Ubuntu on your PC if the BIOS is older than year 2000. So if you are trying to load it on an old P3, you may have to update your bios first.

Mandriva will install on any machine regardless of BIOS version.

Also be advised that if there are no linux drivers for your old viseo card, you wont be able to install either. If tyou have a choice use an NVIDIA video card.
They have the best Linux drivers and give way fewer hassles.

 

[WoodPeckr]

..... I learned that you CANNOT install Ubuntu on your PC if the BIOS is older than year 2000. So if you are trying to load it on an old P3, you may have to update your bios first.

Also be advised that if there are no linux drivers for yoon.
ur old viseo card, you wont be able to install either. If tyou have a choice use an NVIDIA video card.

FWIW, I had no problems putting Fedora 1 and Ubuntu Fiesty Fawn on my old P2 from 1997. Upgrading to Gutsy Gibbon, online, went through with no problems taking about an hour. Never updated the bios on that P2 and do have an NVIDIA video card. It's running great.
A book I used for help said that old P2 met the specs required to run those 2 distros.