Recommendations for a learner to Linux

I’ve worked with computers for about 17-ish years. My view of computers and technology has changed a bit in that time. I used to like a messing around now I like to turn it on and have it work. If it doesn’t work reinstall a driver or re-install a bit of software then it works, (usually).
So basically I want to install an OS then drivers and it work.

I tried several flavors of Linux and the best of the bunch was Ubuntu. Even that didn’t install the video and network card drivers. I downloaded the drivers and installed them, still didn’t work. I tried various drivers and reinstalls over a couple of days.

Gave up installed XP - setup and working within an hour or so.
Linux, for me you can keep it until it works out of the box.

Computers for me are more or less another appliance who would want a TV that won’t work out the box then after two days of messing around still won’t work with your DVD player.
OR
Open the box plug it in and it works, which would you choose?
I have better things to do than fight with computers, especially when I’m not getting paid to do so.

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Originally Posted by HangOver

Computers for me are more or less another appliance who would want a TV that won’t work out the box then after two days of messing around still won’t work with your DVD player.

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Exactly. In that case though you should be using a mac with OS X on it. Far far more capable than windoze out of the box. It will do virtually everything you need without having to buy stuff, and it's security and stability is in another realm.

Unlike windows you don't need to re-build it every 12 months. As far as I can tell the one installation of the OS is good for the life of the machine :o

Maybe it is because I use AMD and nVidea equipment only.
Almost any Debian distro has been a headache, but on all my AMD machines, Mandriva is that "out of the box" system.
Last week, I migrated my laptop entirely to Mandriva. After downloading and burning the ISO to DVD. (That was an over night download, even on my 512K broadband.) The installation, including complete repartitioning, post installation setup, and hooked back up to broadband in under 30 mins.

Odd thing, in my main machine, I have a Silicon Image IDE RAID card and 4X40Gb disks attached, which even after installing the windows drivers for the card, windows can't see.
The Linux installer just said "oh, you have some more IDE ports, want me to use them?"

The only thing windows does better than Linux, is to play windows games.
Even then, it just crashed my damned game. Now I have to trace what, where, how, and fix it.:mad:
Can't wait to get my new puter, it will be my first Intel based machine in about ten years. Not as powerful as the one I use right now, will keep it on Windows XP SP2. Shift a hard disk or 2 across boxes, then the big Iron AMD will become my 64 bit server, of virtual servers.:twisted:

Running Linux. Of course.

Sorry Ron, am I going to fast forward for you now?
I'll back track. Just try Mandriva Free, the "live" CD, it may surprise you.
http://www.mandriva.com/en or check to see if your ISP has a mirror server that you can download the ISO from.

Shorty.

Edit.
And now, just for the hell of it. This edit has been typed and sent using Ubuntu Linux in a virtual PC, under VMWare Server,
Hosted by WinXP SP2.:cool:

With me Kubuntu worked out of the box. Firewire, USB, printer, keyboard,mouse, display, internet etcetc. The only thing that won't work out of the boxz is my plustek scanner, but that is a backend issue I need to resolve. But I use AMD and nVidea equipment

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Originally Posted by Rovernaut

With me Kubuntu worked out of the box. Firewire, USB, printer, keyboard,mouse, display, internet etcetc. The only thing that won't work out of the boxz is my plustek scanner, but that is a backend issue I need to resolve. But I use AMD and nVidea equipment

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Kubuntu. I do like KDE.



Shorty.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by shorty943

Kubuntu. I do like KDE.



Shorty.

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Me too, more 'ex windows user friendly' , the Gnome deskop I think belongs with
Walt Disney's Snow white:D ( snow white and the 7 Gnomes)

Yesterday I picked up "Linux Format" July issue - it includes a DVD with four different distributions - Ubuntu (plus Kubuntu), Mandriva, Debian and SimplyMepis. There is also an article comparing the eight most popular distributions, explaing what the differences are and and what this means. They also have an overall ranking, but whether this means anything depends on what things you rate as important.

This would make this issue very useful for anyone involved in or contemplating, or just interested in Linux.

John

I guess at the end of the day LINUX is the land rover of the operating system world. Its a bit quirky and far more reliable but it does have its needs. Its harder to get accessories for as well :p:p:p:p:p

Accessories for Linux.

Names like ,
HP, for the usual printers, scanners, etc. 1210 PSC 3325 IJ
Logitech, USB cameras, joysticks, etc.
Rock, for keyboards, mice, etc. Rock make a < $20.00 fully sealed waterproof flexible keyboard. Very good for dusty regions.
Laser, USB card reader works for me.
Legend 512 Mb SD card for digital camera.
Generic "Easy Disk" USB key.

That is the lot that I use inter changeably with windows.
There is a Linux Hardware Compatibility List, on the web.
The only file system proviso at the moment is reliable NTFS write.
The work around is simple. Use a Fat 32 formated intermediate disk, that both OS's can read and write.
Other than that.
Firefox looks and works exactly alike in both OS's.
Gimp for graphics, Open Office, all just the same under both OS's. Network IP addressing is identical. To serve files to a windows machine from a Linux box, use Samba, just click on the resource (drive or directory or,,,) to share and click apply. Look in Windows Network Places, there is "Samba server V3".
WMV format multi-media files just plain suck under Linux. Just won't work, end of story. Flash and Shockwave web files need the plug ins to play, big deal, they are mostly only web adds anyway.

Once you do settle on a Linux system. The upgrades are just about seamless.
How about that for timing. The little green up to date tick, in the lower right corner of my screen, just changed to a red exclamation mark. Some part of my system has an update available.

Must click link.
Must click link.

Edited at 1030.
All done, no reboots, just a message box saying no more updates to perform.
All done in the background while yacking to a rocket scientist in Texas, a nice lady in New York, and a really interesting young bloke from Kuwait. On an Acer Aspire 3000 laptop.


Shorty.

And there is also DSL: (Damn Small Linux) it will work from a USB stick. The pocket size linux, plug your stick in and operate your operating system from the USB