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The "Not Quite Amiga but still computer related category" => Alternative Operating Systems => Topic started by: whabang on February 12, 2003, 04:55:59 PM
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Hi folks!
I'm trying to learn a bit about linux, but I don't know were to start.
Which distro should I select as an absolute novice in the linux world?
:-?
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I'd suggest a few good books first. Unfortunately I can't suggest any good Linux books. As for suggestions of a good beginner's Linux distro, I'll just as helpfully suggest "none of the above".
I'd suggest FreeBSD instead. Unless this is a project of yours associated with an AmigaOne you just bought?
A useful thing to know for anyone else answering your question is, "do you have broadband", as some UNIX variants allow you to easily download new stuff (software/updates).
sorry this isn't a very helpful reply, and possibly bordering on inciting trouble in a forum, but I haven't found a Linux distro that wasn't a total PITA, and I've tried a few. Starting out on FreeBSD is much easier going, IMO.
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I was thinking about FreeBSD first, but there's no support for niether my GFX-card or my USB ADSL modem. :-(
Unless this is a project of yours associated with an AmigaOne you just bought?
Yeah, right! Like I could afford that! :-)
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Try Red Hat 8.0 I've been using it for a while.
its pretty stright foward and it supports alot
of hardware. If you have broadband you can just download the iso's off of their site.
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Mandrake and Redhat our quite simular, i tried both but went for Mandrake as it had some support for my broadband modem.
I have since then deleted them both as one bloated OS is enough.
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Hello
Try this book (based on Caldera):
Sam's Linux Book + CD (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/asin/0672315262/qid%3D919639215/sr%3D1-5/104-6785900-5059920)
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Hello
Try online Linux Tutorial:
Linux Tutorial (http://www.linux.org/lessons/beginner/l1/lesson1a.html)
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i prefer mandrake, but any linux will do!
just pick one and install it
so many people plan and worry about installing linux, and ask "which distro should i use?"
just get a spare HDD, pick a damn distro and install it
if you dont like it, you can always go over it with enother
keep trying new distros
ive tried a number of distros and they are all pretty good
just make sure you dont give up ;-) if it seems to get too hard. for a beginner it will seem very difficult to install and use, just keep trying and EXPERIMENT!!!
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Go for SuSE Linux, the boxed set.
The manuals are outstanding for a beginner, better than RedHat IMHO.
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Thanks, guys!
Right now it seems like I'll download mandrake.
I'd go for printed manuals etc, but I can't afford it. ;-)
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aah, too bad, then I can't sell you my SuSE Linux 7.1 box.. :-D
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@whabang
Just get a file sharing program and download the manuals,
Linux bible,
Linux for beginners,
Linux in plain english,
Red hat bible,
Mandrake 1000 tips
etc etc.
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Caldera Personal was easier to get started with than any other version I've tested. I'd have to put Mandrake 2nd and Redhat 3rd.
For the most complete version (last I checked) SuSe seemed to be the best.
Redhat has some issues and the admin where I work refuses to use it. Not sure why. He prefers BSD over any Linux anyway.
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I was thinking about FreeBSD first, but there's no support for niether my GFX-card or my USB ADSL modem.
The graphics card support would be by X[free86.org], not FreeBSD itself. That would be the same for any UNIX variant, so you're not going to get a graphics card supported in Linux but not in FreeBSD, unless you're talking about a laptop or something.
As for the USB ADSL modem, how did you check? You may need to recompile the kernel to support the modem, but on FreeBSD that isn't difficult. I can run you through that in one very short and simple email :)
FreeBSD website (http://www.freebsd.org/)
Xfree86.org site for graphics card support (http://www.xfree86.org/)
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mikeymike wrote:
I was thinking about FreeBSD first, but there's no support for niether my GFX-card or my USB ADSL modem.
The graphics card support would be by X[free86.org], not FreeBSD itself. That would be the same for any UNIX variant, so you're not going to get a graphics card supported in Linux but not in FreeBSD, unless you're talking about a laptop or something.
As for the USB ADSL modem, how did you check? You may need to recompile the kernel to support the modem, but on FreeBSD that isn't difficult. I can run you through that in one very short and simple email :)
FreeBSD website (http://www.freebsd.org/)
Xfree86.org site for graphics card support (http://www.xfree86.org/)
Hmm... Perhaps I was wrong then.
I couldn't find Kyro II under the supported HW list.
I'll check again.
Thanks.
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Go in at the deep end and try OpenBSD , its lack of friendlyness is great for learning unix and in the long run its harder to f**ck up then most of the fancy linux distro's.
If it has to be linux , use debian ; its the only truely free distro and as such has great amounts of support :)
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Debian is the only 'real' Linux-distro, as in 'everything in here is free like the kernel'.
Pros: Xtremely good support, and the way you update the distro (apt-get) is really great.
Cons: Lacks support for some of the newest hardware.
Choose this distro if you want to learn Linux!!
Redhat is the closest you get to a desktop looking like Windows out of the box.
The distro in itself is good, and lots of hardware/software- solutions get certified for this distro. It got certified by the Pentagon earlier today actually...
Redhat has an upgrade-option that looks a bit like the one in WindowsXP.
Suse is the European counter-part of Redhat, based out of Germany. They have many nice solutions if you want to migrate from a Windows environment for your whole company... Hence, they're a bit business-minded.
Then there is Mandrake, which is French and regarded as the 'living on the edge' distro, as it has the newest software, newest apps and has most hardware-support. Even if it can be a bit buggy...
Anything else is for people with special interests if you ask me...
A word of advice:
Don't install more stuff than you need, and stay away from the KDE-desktop. ;-)
Good luck and have fun!!
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Redhat and Debian is the biggest and most used and documented.
I assume you are using one of those removable harddiskholders?
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Mandrake Linux 9.0, try it, I garrentee you will like it,just try not to load every single package that comes with the distrobution at once, there is alot of stuff on it that you may not need.
I took the 6 Gb Hard disk from my 1200 and formated it for linux for the pc using a 2.5 to 3.5 converter, works great
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I would give Suse a try. Its real simple to get installed and use if you use the default setting in the installer. I have it on my PC and its even got an Amiga look "theme" on the CD sets I got with it.
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The way this thread is going sounds like it should be a poll. I've use Debian, RedHat and Mandrake. I'd have to put my vote to Mandrake.
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Without a doubt, this is the easiest linux yet.
http://www.mslinux.org/ (http://www.mslinux.org/)
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Here's one you might look at. Run Linux in a window on your pc.
http://www.cygwin.com
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Rigger wrote:
Here's one you might look at. Run Linux in a window on your pc.
http://www.cygwin.com
Stallman would be having conniptions hearing that! 8)
Cygwin is GNU/Linux _without_ the linux part :) basically, just the GNU tools hosted by windows instead of linux.
Excellent product. You can even install the Windows port of Xfree86 and KDE and run it as your WinXP desktop.
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Excellent product. You can even install the Windows port of Xfree86 and KDE and run it as your WinXP desktop.
Yes, you can I and I did. That last post I was using Konquerer from kde on Cygwin.
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If I may chime in, Slackware for the Distroand Running Linux for your book are the best IMHO for learning how to do things in Linux without all the graphical gimmicks, &c. And when I started I was a novice in the extreme, (and paid for it dearly: every accedentally format your windows partition which has all the install files that just took you 7+ hours to download? Stale Lilo? &c).
It's about the only distro that make sense to me, and I've been running it on my PeeCee (which I'm almost ready to throw out the window, but that's a differnet story) for quite some time now. Debain's installer truely belongs in the hall of shame, albeit it's package system is nice. And I've never gotten Debain to boot on my A4000 (NetBSD works well for it, tho')! I had bad experiances with Redhat a long time ago (Version 5 & 5.2 were absolutely horrible), maybe it's gotten better. Never tried Mandrake, so I can't say.
Just be sure to know what you've got in your box, and your monitor's refresh rates (although the new XFree can supposidly detect them if it's a newer Svga monitor, I've got an old sun monitor, so I've no such luck) and you should be ready.
Anyhow, good luck regaurdless. Linux, and Unix in general might not make much sense now, but they will start to once you work with them for about a year or so.
Clark
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Mandrake 9 or RedHat 8. Both are newbie friendly. I'd also add as a book to look for, The Linux Network Tookit. It deals with a lot of the issues you'll run into when coexisting with other platforms in a networked environment and server issues. Not critical to success, but nice to have.
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OpenBSD is certainly the best distro (robust and secure). Anyway to play at home, Debian is cool and can support USB ECI modems (mine works well / Hifocus) with an external french package (http://eciadsl.flashtux.org/support.php).
Mandrake...oops, excellent but the compagny drops (support ??).
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I use Mandrake 8.2 from Linux Format 27 May/02 and have found KDE, Kdevelop and Qt better than SASC and StormC. The mag will have Mandrake 9.0 in the near future. Good luck!
Cheers Mike
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I would try suse 8.1 its the best ive tried although redhat 8.0 and mandrake 9 are also good you could try slackware linux 8.0 some people say its a good distro but when i tried it it seemed to set the monitor frequencys higher than monitor could display even though i set it manualy to what it should be.
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Xandros?
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I would have to say Slackware or Debian.
Slackware is great because it forces you to learn how to do certain things the way it was meant to be done.
IMHO it also has the most logical file structure.
Currently I'm runnix Knoppix, which is based on Debian.
Also, I'd recommend you NOT to use any of the desktops (Gnome or KDE).
This is how it should look :-) (http://carls.1av10.nu/fvwm.gif)
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go for Mandrake, I've used pretty much all the ditros at work all day and Mandrake is by far the best for a desktop system.