# I would like to try linux OS for the first time



## bigk (Jul 20, 2005)

For some odd reason I feel this question has been asked already. But then again I only see 17 threads...... So heres my question. I would like to try/use linux OS. Which version would you recommend? Is it free? 

I went to linux.com and read there "Introduction to linux" page and then I went to this forum read this FAQ. Both of them pretty much said that redhat would be the best to start out with. BUT I went to redhat.com and you have to pay $180 dollars for that version or do a 30 day trial. Which I don't want to do a 30 day trial. So heres some back ground knowledge on me..... I know alot about computers, and I know alot about windows and DOS. Thats why I try to help as much as I can on computer related forums such as this one. 

So bascily I would perfer this: 

1.) Have it FREE. 

2.) Do a dual boot. (I'm not looking into getting directions.)

3.) Dosn't matter if I HAVE TO boot from the CD. (But I would like to have the option avaible to put it on the hard drive.) 

4.) A version for beginners (like my self) since I'm new to linux.

Thank you for your time, 

bigk


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## HenryVI (May 27, 2005)

I like Fedora Core. It is a branch off of Red Hat, and yes it's free (you do have a cd burner right?). Basically the only ones you pay for (someone correct me if I'm wrong) are SuSe, Red Hat, Xandros and ........ others 

You can try a Live CD (it runs off of the cd and doesn't install anything, like a test drive; if you don't like it, hit [Ctrl]+[Alt]+[Del], turn off computer, and it ejects the cd). There is a good list here. Live CD's are for in case you don't like it, because it is a *PAIN* in the you know what to remove the boot-loader, unless you have the KNOPPIX cd. (I prolly just confused you, right  )

Fedora offers an *extremely* nice installer, very easy to use and nice looking. Also when installing programs on it, very easy.


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## saikee (Jun 11, 2004)

Answers

(1) 99% Linux on this site is free

(2) Dual boot? What dual boot? In Linux every user can multi-boot. Just tell us how many systems you need to boot and we can take it from there.

(3) Henry VI has given you an excellent run down of using a Live CD. Get a few. Some of them you can install into the hard drive too and some of them you can't.

(4) I am neutral on this one. Those versions with retailed alternatives are big guns and the all singing and dancing types. The freebies are not much far off though.

The distrowatch site has a popularity chart. Ubuntu has been No. 1 for a while.


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## HenryVI (May 27, 2005)

Well newusers tend to go for Mandriva, Ubuntu, Fedora, and ..... something else I think.


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## brendandonhu (Jul 8, 2002)

They're all free if you download it.


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## bigk (Jul 20, 2005)

saikee said:


> (2) Dual boot? What dual boot? In Linux every user can multi-boot. Just tell us how many systems you need to boot and we can take it from there.


I was talking about a dual boot between windows and linux.



HenryVI said:


> I like Fedora Core. It is a branch off of Red Hat, and yes it's free (*you do have a cd burner right?*). Basically the only ones you pay for (someone correct me if I'm wrong) are SuSe, Red Hat, Xandros and ........ others


Yes I have a cd burner.

bigk


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## saikee (Jun 11, 2004)

bigK,

People here thought I am "excessive" in booting 50+ system in Linux. My experience so far would point to the direction that one of the boot loaders Grub can boot close to 250 systems. Linux has a ceiling limit for the maximum "raw devices" of 255 and I think that is where Grub would stop.

Some Linux distros can arrange multi boot automatically.

It is a lot of work, relatively to Linux, to multi boot in Windows and "dual boot" can be a big deal there, but not here. NT versions of Windows could cope with 10 systems when I stretched its limit.

You can round up every M$ operating system, including DOS and Win3x, in a PC and put them in your box and Linux will boot them just as easy.


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## Stoner (Oct 26, 2002)

Hi bigk 

I like the Slax boot cd ( live cd ).
It's a rather small download..~177mb and if you have 256mb or more of ram, you can copy the cd to memory on bootup and it will run much faster than other live cds that run from the cd disk.
There are additional 'modules' you can incorporate into the iso for apps that do not come in the Slax iso.
It's free and you can find it here:

http://slax.linux-live.org/download.php


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## saikee (Jun 11, 2004)

Current version of Slax is my favourite in the box. It is fast. Have a nice desktop and can reach any Linux and therefore good for rescuing them. Very well put together. I used its previous versions too but in its current form it is quite formidable and can shame a lot of the big distros.


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## CouchMaster (May 26, 2003)

SuSE 9.1 Pro - if you don't mind burning 5 CDs then try SuSE 10


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## EvilMonkey (Sep 16, 2005)

Suse 9.3
dual-boots well
easy to use
free
lots of software available
Great hardware detection- its the only one trhat would work with my usb wi-fi


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## gotrootdude (Feb 19, 2003)

If your new to linux, why not try a live cd before deciding?


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## arlind (May 28, 2005)

Dont even bother yourself to try linux. linux sucks. i have tried it, and it was a bad idea. its not such a deal. windows is the best os ever, and it is going to be for a long of time. linux is not good. i have tried it, and its has no compare with windows. windows vista is going to be awsome, wait for it. linux is not worth to try. Its is not practical. and practical things are the best one.


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## HenryVI (May 27, 2005)

arlind said:


> Dont even bother yourself to try linux. linux sucks. i have tried it, and it was a bad idea. its not such a deal. windows is the best os ever, and it is going to be for a long of time. linux is not good. i have tried it, and its has no compare with windows. windows vista is going to be awsome, wait for it. linux is not worth to try. Its is not practical. and practical things are the best one.


I disagree. You can't even compare Windows to Linux in that sense. You have to point out the differences in the two before you can say that. I actually like Linux; it is very nice, more stable than some Windows', you don't have to pay for the programs, etc...

Yes Linux has its faults; hard to use for a newcomer, the command line is scary at first, there are plenty of ways to do *1* thing etc.

But Linux is a great learning tool. What happens when your hard drive fails????? YOU BOOT WITH KNOPPIX!!!!! You can recover your files a heckuva lot cheaper (if your hard drive isn't totally fried) than you can thru some technician. I believe I know more about the Linux filesystem than I do with Windows (granted I'm not the smartest computer user i the world, but it is a whole lot cleaner *organized*).


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## prunejuice (Apr 3, 2002)

arlind said:


> Dont even bother yourself to try linux. linux sucks. i have tried it, and it was a bad idea. its not such a deal. windows is the best os ever, and it is going to be for a long of time. linux is not good. i have tried it, and its has no compare with windows. windows vista is going to be awsome, wait for it. linux is not worth to try. Its is not practical. and practical things are the best one.


We're not all Albanians with bottomless wallets to shell out money for every 
half-cooked Microsoft products that gets dumped on the public every few years.

We here in the West live on more modest means than you high living, upper-crust, jewel-encrusted Albanians.


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## saikee (Jun 11, 2004)

MS wouldn't be what it is today without some seriously ignorant backers who couldn't use anything except its products, then pay extra for the office suite, media software, language compilers......


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## jiml8 (Jul 3, 2005)

arlind said:


> Dont even bother yourself to try linux. linux sucks. i have tried it, and it was a bad idea. its not such a deal. windows is the best os ever, and it is going to be for a long of time. linux is not good. i have tried it, and its has no compare with windows. windows vista is going to be awsome, wait for it. linux is not worth to try. Its is not practical. and practical things are the best one.


LOL.

That's pretty funny.


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## arlind (May 28, 2005)

prunejuice said:


> We're not all Albanians with bottomless wallets to shell out money for every
> half-cooked Microsoft products that gets dumped on the public every few years.
> 
> We here in the West live on more modest means than you high living, upper-crust, jewel-encrusted Albanians.


Its not taht the problem. Its just a fackt, Linux can try, but will never be like windows. I have used linux, and i could learn a lot from it, but ist not like windows, the way windows is made, its perfect. The second OS, is not linux, but Macintosh. macintosh has made alot of progresion. 
ps: yes its true, Albania is the poorest country in Europe. Piracy is everywhere!


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## jiml8 (Jul 3, 2005)

arlind said:


> Its not taht the problem. Its just a fackt, Linux can try, but will never be like windows. I have used linux, and i could learn a lot from it, but ist not like windows, *the way windows is made, its perfect.* The second OS, is not linux, but Macintosh. macintosh has made alot of progresion.
> ps: yes its true, Albania is the poorest country in Europe. Piracy is everywhere!


ROTFLMAO!!

Man, I love you! Keep talking!


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## brendandonhu (Jul 8, 2002)

arlind said:


> Its not taht the problem. Its just a fackt, Linux can try, but will never be like windows. I have used linux, and i could learn a lot from it, but ist not like windows, the way windows is made, its perfect. The second OS, is not linux, but Macintosh. macintosh has made alot of progresion.
> ps: yes its true, Albania is the poorest country in Europe. Piracy is everywhere!


Wow, thanks for stating the "fackts"


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## prunejuice (Apr 3, 2002)

arlind said:


> ... the way windows is made, its perfect.


Yes. Right down to every "perfect" patch they release.



arlind said:


> Piracy is everywhere!


Apparently.


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## arlind (May 28, 2005)

Go on with linux, one day u will understand what waste of time it was, unfortunately it will be late. Bye Bye geeks!


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## prunejuice (Apr 3, 2002)

Don't bump your kernel on the door on your way out.


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## brendandonhu (Jul 8, 2002)

I love how he provided an explanation of why he doens't like linux


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## saikee (Jun 11, 2004)

I thought the developing countries are pulling resources to developing Linux because they want to be on the right side of the law. There are quite a few nice distributions coming from Eastern Europe and the Far East

China, Taiwan, Korea, Japan, Syria, Vietnam, Norway, Brazil, Hungary are producing distros.

My observation would suggest that the Linux community is now made up by very knowledgeable experts who may run servers for a living and young school kids forced into Linux because their schools can no longer afford M$ products. There are relatively few Linux users in between. It is nice to see growth in this sector so by all mean try Linux out.


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## jiml8 (Jul 3, 2005)

arlind said:


> Go on with linux, one day u will understand what waste of time it was, unfortunately it will be late. Bye Bye geeks!


You're slipping. This one wasn't as funny as your earlier ones.


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## prunejuice (Apr 3, 2002)

jiml8 said:


> You're slipping. This one wasn't as funny as your earlier ones.


I thought it was passable.

We all can't be "on" every minute of our waking lives, you know.

So he leans on his B-material sometimes...big whoop.


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## jiml8 (Jul 3, 2005)

prunejuice said:


> I thought it was passable.
> 
> We all can't be "on" every minute of our waking lives, you know.
> 
> So he leans on his B-material sometimes...big whoop.


Yeah, I know.

And truthfully, it'd be really hard to follow up on that "windows is perfect" bit. Aside from the fact that no OS is "perfect" - not by a long shot - windows is downright primitive in a couple of key areas such as its rudimentary "shortcuts", the way it addresses hard drives, and the way it handles displays. The NT family kernel is pretty nice, but it has been microsoft-ized into being all but crippled.

So, "windows is perfect" was a wonderful statement.


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## lynch (Aug 3, 2002)

arlind said:


> Its not taht the problem. Its just a fackt, Linux can try, but will never be like windows. I have used linux, and i could learn a lot from it, but ist not like windows, the way windows is made, its perfect. The second OS, is not linux, but Macintosh. macintosh has made alot of progresion.
> ps: yes its true, Albania is the poorest country in Europe. Piracy is everywhere!


I see arlind use the excellent spellchecker provided by M$>


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## arlind (May 28, 2005)

lynch said:


> I see arlind use the excellent spellchecker provided by M$>


Sorry Mr. Perfect english writer.lol

hey dont u know, i have been a linux user, and i know a little of it. If u have to run linux, u have to run even xp, so u can get all the drivers u need for linux. What a good OS it is. lol.
when i firts installed it, i had to study 2 days how to get in it, cos it had to be configured the graphic card. linux could not detect my sound card drivers, i had to restart the computer, boot to windows, get to the internet, and after 2 hours in the net, i finally found them. All this time, just to listen to a damn song. When i firts installed windows, i could have all. 1-0 for windows dont u think???. u all have been learnig linux, but not windows. When i say perfect, i speak about its way of working. not interface or anythink, and perfect beetwen linux and macintosh, wich i think is a lot better than Linux(i have tried it too.)
Why the most users in the world are Windws users???
And windows is not free. this are facts. u have to be more realistic.
majority wins. someone please tell me what are the pros of linux. please!!!


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## arlind (May 28, 2005)

saikee said:


> MS wouldn't be what it is today without some seriously ignorant backers who couldn't use anything except its products, then pay extra for the office suite, media software, language compilers......


the best wins. u have to make something for all, not for some.


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## arlind (May 28, 2005)

jiml8 said:


> You're slipping. This one wasn't as funny as your earlier ones.


Whats up geek!!!


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## Wolfeymole (Jun 18, 2005)

Well when this lot start using it, it can't be all that bad.
How say you?
PS I have never used Linux and wouldn't mind having a go at it, but you can't pull it to bits without saying what's wrong with it.


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## n7Epsilon (Aug 27, 2004)

I've tried (and liked) SimplyMEPIS, it is a simple LiveCD, works very fast and is loaded with tools (sort of like a "lite" Knoppix) and has a very simple "Install ME" icon on its desktop once it boots...

It also has very good hardware support.


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## saikee (Jun 11, 2004)

arlind said

"If u have to run linux, u have to run even xp, so u can get all the drivers u need for linux. What a good OS it is. lol."

In my 14 months to Linux so far I have installed possibly over 50 Linux distros with about 40 still in the box without ever to find a driver! 

There are a few distros fail to detect my sound card correctly or a couple couldn't kick start the Internet but in the main most distros work fine, especially the current distributions.

It is irresponsible to make such a statement based on experience in the distant past without keeping abreast of what is happening in Linux.


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## Polduh (Sep 22, 2005)

i would suggest you to download the linux xandros..it free to download.. and only 1 CD only and support some microsoft software..


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## brendandonhu (Jul 8, 2002)

Oh, he hates linux because he couldn't figure out how to install a sound card. Maybe he isn't familiar with all the software/hardware that don't run on Windows. Or maybe he doesn't know he's using linux every time he visits this site


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## jiml8 (Jul 3, 2005)

Actually, one of the things that impressed me most about Mandriva 10.0 when I installed it was that it not only immediately and correctly recognized my sound, but it integrated everything seamlessly. I actually can run multiple sound players at the same time and have all of them providing output at the same time. On those few occasions when I play with it, I can have a real cacophony coming out of my computer.

Earlier distros had caused me grief with sound, and I have in my time spent a fair amount of time sorting out some things, but these newer distros are quite slick.

Mandriva handled my entire system. The only thing it got wrong was grub and that was because my system hardware organization is a bit funky.

Now, since we're playing the "Windows is perfect" game, I suppose I should tell about the time I tried to change a video card in an NT system and couldn't get the old driver to uninstall, and couldn't get the new driver to install, and wound up with a badly, badly hosed system.

Architecturally, Unix is superior to Windows - not at the kernel level for the most part (except WRT Windows block device handling), but by the time you get to the Windowing level. Linux as a Unix distro has been immature, but is growing up quickly and becoming quite nice.


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## gotrootdude (Feb 19, 2003)

I can't wait for windows vista.. Microsoft is supposedly fixing hard-links, something that's always worked in linux but never worked in windows..


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## endri (Oct 8, 2004)

prunejuice said:


> We're not all Albanians with bottomless wallets to shell out money for every
> half-cooked Microsoft products that gets dumped on the public every few years.
> 
> We here in the West live on more modest means than you high living, upper-crust, jewel-encrusted Albanians.


What the heck do you know about Albania and albanians?? Dont talk like this again.


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## prunejuice (Apr 3, 2002)

endri said:


> What the heck do you know about Albania and albanians?? Dont talk like this again.


I recommend Google's *English ---> Sarcasm* translator.


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## BoardTracker (Sep 2, 2005)

Hmm. How come noone suggested Centos?
Centos is a good option. It is basically RedHat Enterprise, but free 
supports dual boot  (most of the time ), free, quite easy to use..
I think its a good option.


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## arlind (May 28, 2005)

brendandonhu said:


> Oh, he hates linux because he couldn't figure out how to install a sound card. Maybe he isn't familiar with all the software/hardware that don't run on Windows. Or maybe he doesn't know he's using linux every time he visits this site


I dont hate linux, i just think its not better than windows. when u talk about computers, its like u talk about windows.and windows vista is going to be a lot much better. this days im going to install linux SuSe. 2005 edition. im going to chek it. Os should be practical, and flexibel. and windows is.


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## brendandonhu (Jul 8, 2002)

How can Vista be "a lot better" when you already said Windows was perfect


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## arlind (May 28, 2005)

brendandonhu said:


> How can Vista be "a lot better" when you already said Windows was perfect


i should have used "perfect". sorry! ist better than the others.


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## Cookiegal (Aug 27, 2003)

prunejuice,

I'm sure you can express your opinions without the use of ethnic slurs. 

Please do so in the future.


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## jiml8 (Jul 3, 2005)

arlind said:


> I dont hate linux, i just think its not better than windows. when u talk about computers, its like u talk about windows.and windows vista is going to be a lot much better. this days im going to install linux SuSe. 2005 edition. im going to chek it. Os should be practical, and flexibel. and windows is.


Windows is notoriously inflexible. You just don't have anything resembling the experience to recognize that. This you demonstrate by the comment that "when you talk about computers its like you talk about windows..."

Well, maybe YOU do, but I've been doing computers for over 30 years, so I don't. And those who are expert in computers don't either.

Actually, those who criticize Linux basically are criticizing for one or both of two reasons - even though they don't really recognize it when they criticize it.

They criticize it because it is even now a bit immature, and this is a problem that will be solved before much longer.

And they also criticize it because it is flexible. It is far, far, far more flexible than Windows and this is why it has a steep learning curve. There are many different ways to do anything, and people coming from the inflexible, do-it-this-way-Windows find that to be quite daunting.


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## prunejuice (Apr 3, 2002)

Cookiegal said:


> prunejuice,
> 
> I'm sure you can express your opinions without the use of ethnic slurs.
> 
> Please do so in the future.


Can you delete your own post?

It makes it seem like I posted an ethnic slur, when I most certainly did not.
That's not my thing.

As a matter of fact, dump this whole thread. I think we can agree it's gone on long enough.
The joke should have never got past page 1.


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## lynch (Aug 3, 2002)

prunejuice said:


> Can you delete your own post?
> 
> It makes it seem like I posted an ethnic slur, when I most certainly did not.
> That's not my thing.
> ...


I agree; the humoring of trolls has gone on long enough.


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## Cookiegal (Aug 27, 2003)

I calls 'em as I sees 'em.

I'm leaving this thread open to discuss the initial topic only. 

Let's not stray off topic again please or it will be closed.


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## Stoner (Oct 26, 2002)

Seems this thread is more suited for Civ Debate 

Well, I'm a Windoze user. I really don't give it much thought as I use specific apps more than the screen saver 
I have 'played' with different distros of Linux over the last few years and think it offers a lot in terms of security and stability.
The applications provided are mostly user friendly.
I stated before, I like the Slax Live CD.
I also have Mandrake 10.1 on a spare computer, and it seems friendly to me.

As with anything, a person gets used to one way of doing things and familiarity often becomes convience. 
There are simple things I have yet to become involved with in the Linux arena, only because my time is more focused on accomplishments than relearning.

There are many Live CD distros available based on instal versions.
Most are free. Most work as advertised, as far as I have seen.
Try one and if you like it, put the instal version on your hard drive.

That said, the Mandrake 10.1 was the easiest for me to instal. I put it on a computer I bought at auction for $10.
An overclocked 500 cereron in an unbranded box. When I installed, I didn't even know the hardware inside, let alone it was overclocked 
Everything was recogonized and and works well.
I have even posted here at TSG in the past with it.

I think Mandrake ( now Mandriva ) is probably a good distro for the newbie to Linux, to learn on.


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## endri (Oct 8, 2004)

prunejuice said:


> I recommend Google's *English ---> Sarcasm* translator.


Oh please, download it for me, and let me try it for free.....I'm not finding the crack. Get Lost


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## arlind (May 28, 2005)

jiml8 said:


> Windows is notoriously inflexible. You just don't have anything resembling the experience to recognize that. This you demonstrate by the comment that "when you talk about computers its like you talk about windows..."
> 
> Well, maybe YOU do, but I've been doing computers for over 30 years, so I don't. And those who are expert in computers don't either.
> 
> ...


Linux needs a lot of time to develope, yes it is stable, but its not fully functional. u have to get a lot from an Os, from linux it takes a lot of time to get all from it. U cant run everything in linux. u cant play games. i have a Ati graphic card, and linux does not get the best from it. from windows i get all from my ATi Radeon 9800 pro 128mb graphic card. if i want to play 3d games, what should i do. can i play i.e prince of persia. no. It has to be an Os for all, not only for some users. even a friend of mine installed linux suse, and he dint like it. he said: yes windows sometimes crashes, but it doesn bother me. it boyhers me when i cant play my music files, when i cant conect to the internet. Probably linux or unix is a good idea and a grate dream, but it hasnt come true yet.


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## brendandonhu (Jul 8, 2002)

I think the problem is that you don't know how to use Linux. It most certainly plays games, runs more software than Windows, plays music, works with ATI cards, and connects to the internet. Over 75% of the internet is run on Linux/Unix (including this site), it can't be all that bad.


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## Tapeuup (Apr 6, 2005)

brendandonhu said:



> I think the problem is that you don't know how to use Linux


Pretty common, if someone doesn't understand (whatever it may be) they tend not to like it.


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## mikkh (Sep 24, 2005)

Support for ATI cards isn't that good usually. Nvidia cards are much better supported with a permanant team of developers at Nvidia working soley on Linux drivers.

Linux can and does play games very well, the problem is in games originally written to support M$ DirectX. Anything written to support Open GL runs as well, if not better on Linux. Quake 3 for example runs much faster on my PC in Linux.

Our Albaian friend asked what the advantages of Linux are, lets see.......
No serial numbers, activation or cracks needed
No adware or spyware
No viruses or trojans virtually - few enough for the average user to worry about anyway
More secure in the first place
No waiting for years for the next version to be finally released
No choices forced on you - how many people would use IE or media player
if it wasn't there already, people are brainwashed into using them because it's the first one they used and the average user is too idle to seek alternatives - or even realise there are others to use.
Much more choice in the way you want your desktop to look

The original poster wanted a beginners type distro recommended

Of the single CD distros, I would say

Blag - based on Fedora, but with all the multimedia add ons in place (Gnome only)
Mepis - based on Debian, and as above (KDE only)
PClinuxOs - based on Mandrake(iva) Much better than it's more famous parent

A little known distro that was recently bought out by mandrake is my choice for a
multi CD distro - Conectiva. This is one of the oldest distros and the brains behind the synaptic package manager. Don't let the Brazilian home page put you off, when you insert the first CD, just tick the American flag and away you go in English.

Choice of Gnome or KDE, very slick desktop, DVD playing, MP3 playing, GLX drivers for Nvidia etc, all covered and ready to go. It's the only distro I know that plays DVD's as soon as you insert them


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## arlind (May 28, 2005)

Tapeuup said:


> Pretty common, if someone doesn't understand (whatever it may be) they tend not to like it.


Its not my case. u just dont read what i write. i say linux is not for all, and u admit it by saying what u all say. i got what i wanted from you guys. have fun with linux, meanwhile im waiting for windows Vista to come(the beta version is awsome). Bye Bye !!!


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