Want to get into Linux

CyrixInsteadCyrixInstead Stoke-on-Trent, England Icrontian
edited September 2004 in Science & Tech
I'm a complete n00b to Linux but I'd like to get into it before I get left behind too much.

Can anyone give me some pointers to a free (maybe) version that is 'easy' to insteall and get started with?

~Cyrix

Comments

  • mmonninmmonnin Centreville, VA
    edited September 2004
    I think RedHat or Mandrake is usually suggested for first timers. Do a search in the forums, there are other threads asking the same thing.
  • TheBaronTheBaron Austin, TX
    edited September 2004
    best first-timer distro at this point in time is Fedora (RedHat is gone, Fedora replaced it)
    use Gnome as your Desktop Environment for ease of use

    but when you decide you want to get hardcore and actually learn, Gentoo is your only option
  • CyrixInsteadCyrixInstead Stoke-on-Trent, England Icrontian
    edited September 2004
    Mia, yeah I haven't a clue why I was using that crappy NV40 avatar. I'm sticking to my little donkey again from now on :)...

    Back on topic, if I get Fedora, how do I use a desktop environment? What is a desktop environment, is it some sort of GUI for the OS?? Thrax recommended KDE in anotehr thread but whats the difference between that and Gnome??

    Also, is Fedora free? I was recommended using slackware but it seems I would have to pay for that. I'm reluctant to part with cash if I can get a free distro to learn with...

    ~Cyrix
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited September 2004
    KDE and Gnome is just a different way of organizing similar information, and yeah, it's a GUI. I vaguely recall the desktop environment being tied to the xfree engine, so I believe you can only have gnome OR KDE at one time. I also vaguely recall being able to switch them via the install disc, but I haven't played with Slackware in about a year and a half.

    Gnome and KDE are both functional, but KDE is generally accepted as "Prettier" and more inviting to people wanting to work with Linux for the first time.
  • BLuKnightBLuKnight Lehi, UT Icrontian
    edited September 2004
    I'd start out with Mandrake. When you feel comfortable with that, move into SUSE.
  • TheBaronTheBaron Austin, TX
    edited September 2004
    apparently we all have different opinions, I always thought KDE was bloated (which is why I choose Fedora over Mandrake) and that Gnome was much easier to use
  • shwaipshwaip bluffin' with my muffin Icrontian
    edited September 2004
    I like fedora and gnome, but that's just mho. My advice is to just pick a distro, and play around with it. Fedora has a gui for most setup needs, which is nice. You can find distros at www.linuxiso.org
  • CreepCreep Hell Icrontian
    edited September 2004
    http://www.linux.org/ Great site, lots on info
    http://www.linux.com/ Another great site
    http://linux.box.sk/ ^^^
    http://linuxiso.com/ a great D/L site for ISO's
    http://www.tldp.org/ How-to's!
    http://www.kde-look.org/ my favorite linux page, love themes!
    http://linuxtoday.com/ Daily Linux news

    Seems like Fedora replaced Red hats desktop OS line and doesnt come with KDE anymore, I'll have to build a PC and check it out again, maybe it's easier to use now. KDE is like WinXP style, most major distros will allow you to select what you want to install, I used to go through and remove all the "bloat" from KDE and Gnome. KDE does have more support for the novice and a TON of "Point and Click" apps for those of us that never couse figure out /makeinstall or whatever the hell that command was. Fool around with it, find 3-4 distros that look cool and D/L them, that's what I ended up doing. So long as it had a GUI installer I would run it, unlike a gentto, slack, or BSD install, CLI is scary when you have no clue of what your doing. It's funny, Linux and Overclocking was what brought me to icrontic in the first place, LOL.
  • NosferatuNosferatu Arizona
    edited September 2004
    BLuKnight wrote:
    I'd start out with Mandrake. When you feel comfortable with that, move into SUSE.

    I agree... from what i've heard Fedora is very buggy, which is not what you want when you are first using linux. I'd definitely go with the latest downloadable Mandrake ISO. Maybe after a year of solid use with Mandrake (and maybe SuSE later on...), look at Gentoo. :)
  • RobRob Detroit, MI
    edited September 2004
    Gnome is a good enviroment to start with. I still use it off and on, it's definatly one of the more polished enviroments. Enlightenment is a good choice too, somewhat 'different' way of looking at how to use a desktop. I usually install gnome and KDE, it seems you will always need something from both eventually. Until we get a unified desktop effort that's refined and accepted, you will probably need both installed to run the app's you want.

    As for the distro, either try Fedora or Gentoo. Fedora will load up quick, and get you running without much effort. Gentoo will show you what's happening, just make sure you follow the manual step by step exactly. Don't be shy to try either or both, and switch around. If you fail at gentoo, play with Fedora until your ready to try again. Sometimes you need a break in another direction to see why you failed. Just don't be scared to try. You will learn more from Gentoo than most, so don't put it off if your goal is to learn quickly.

    Suse is a good professional distro, and so is RHEL. Both are a bit much just to play with. Stay away from slackware, its a bastard child IMHO. Also, not much use for mandrake.

    One of the biggest things you can do is focus on learning the command line as much as possible as soon as possible. Make a point to try to work from the command line, learning the inner workings is where the power of linux is. Otherwise, you might as well stay on windows.
  • CreepCreep Hell Icrontian
    edited September 2004
    Rob wrote:
    Gnome is a good enviroment to start with.


    maybe if they updated it more then once every few years....
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