Which distro?

eXCeSS · 01-26-05, 11:04 PM

I am thinking about switching my back up rig to linux just to see what its like, Ive used it for a little while before and it seemed dificult, but not impossible.

I'm looking into which distro would be a good start for the absoloute noob.
Thanks
-Andrew
PS. Is apt-get as good as its cracked up to be?

MameXP · 01-26-05, 11:50 PM

Fedora core, SUSE, or Yoper...

You want a graphical installer, a easy package magement , a all-in-one built distro. I prefer Fedora core.

klingens · 01-27-05, 01:03 AM

Go to http://distrowatch.com/ and look around, I'm sure you will find something you like.

{PMS}fishy · 01-27-05, 04:53 PM

linuxiso.org is a good place to look too.

Too Smart · 01-27-05, 06:32 PM

I would say Mandrake and Fedora Core are still tied for #1 as the most user friendly distros.

Suse does not offer a free downloadable ISO.

As for Yoper I had some trouble with the install which would probably confuse a newbie. Apparently, Yoper expects two seperate partitions to be installed in, (plus a third one for the swap) but does not make this clear during the installation process, and I kept getting the message "linux partition not found". But if you make a seperate partition for /home and for /root, it'll be fine.

klingens · 01-27-05, 07:14 PM

Quote:

Suse does not offer a free downloadable ISO.

They do: http://www.novell.com/products/linux...nux/index.html

Tatuya · 01-27-05, 07:49 PM

Fedora Core 3 is very, very easy IMO. I got it up and running with some anime on the box in a few hours.

Mandrake is more painfully arduous than helpful.

As soon as the next gentoo version comes out with a GUI installer, be sure to try that since Gentoo is basically the king of linux distros at this point.

elec999 · 01-27-05, 08:03 PM

Is apt-get available in all linux distros.
Thanks

Tatuya · 01-27-05, 08:17 PM

I know for a fact it is available in FC3. I assuming apt-get is available for all distros but most of the more user friendlier distros have something similar to apt-get. I guess I better leave this to experts like Christoph.

What distros are you looking at?

eXCeSS · 01-27-05, 08:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tatuya

What distros are you looking at?

Mandrake, Gentoo, or Fedora at this point...

electrorcamd · 01-27-05, 09:39 PM

I used Mandrake 8.2 for my first Linux install (a few years ago). It was easy to setup and I didn't have any real problems with it, even though it was my first time using Linux. I don't think I would go with Gentoo for your first time with Linux, as it can be difficult to setup and takes a while. However, it will give you more first hand knowledge of Linux and how it works. Debian is also pretty good because of its easy package management, but sometimes it can be hard to setup.

jbloudg20 · 01-28-05, 12:24 AM

I have used Mandrake 9.1,9.2,10.0, suse 9.1, debian, and now College Linux (Slackware) and my favorite is college linux. I dont knw owhy, but I'm finding for some reason I'm having less problems in College Linux. I may give Slackware 10.0 a whirl soon.

Sinizterguy · 01-28-05, 06:20 AM

Fedora Core 3 if you want a very easy to install and use distro. And install apt-get in that.

Or Gentoo if you want to go hardcore and get the *best* performance.

Vertical_Zer0 · 01-28-05, 06:33 AM

Gentoo isn't really all that hard - I know people blow it up to be "hardcore" and "for the linux-guru only" but it's none of that. Yes, it is for more advanced users, but I think anyone who can read could do a gentoo stage 1 install simply because the manual is incredibly well written.

For the first time user, however, I strongly recommend Fedora. Yoper would be a nice choice, but the installer is just too shaky for a beginner to use.

Too Smart · 01-28-05, 09:06 AM

But since Gentoo relies on getting everything from the web, it is not a good choice for dial-up users. Yes, many of us are still around! (although I think I may be the last one left in a first worlc country).

{PMS}fishy · 01-28-05, 09:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Too Smart

But since Gentoo relies on getting everything from the web, it is not a good choice for dial-up users. Yes, many of us are still around! (although I think I may be the last one left in a first worlc country).

You can download a packages CD. That way you can install off of a CD, instead of having to donwload everything on dial-up. It won't be as updated, as a live version would be. It will still get the job done though.

eXCeSS · 01-28-05, 08:48 PM

Where can I get Fedora Core 3? Linuxiso.org?
Thanks

edit: saw it thanks everyone

01-26-05, 11:04 PM	Thread Starter #1
eXCeSS Member Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: New York	Which distro? I am thinking about switching my back up rig to linux just to see what its like, Ive used it for a little while before and it seemed dificult, but not impossible. I'm looking into which distro would be a good start for the absoloute noob. Thanks -Andrew PS. Is apt-get as good as its cracked up to be?
	QUOTE Thanks

01-26-05, 11:50 PM	#2
MameXP Member Join Date: May 2002 Location: Ontario, Canada	Fedora core, SUSE, or Yoper... You want a graphical installer, a easy package magement , a all-in-one built distro. I prefer Fedora core. __________________ My Heatware Verified paypal
	QUOTE Thanks

01-27-05, 01:03 AM	#3
klingens Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Xanadu	Go to http://distrowatch.com/ and look around, I'm sure you will find something you like.
	QUOTE Thanks

01-27-05, 04:53 PM	#4
{PMS}fishy Senior A64 Killer Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Boston, MA	linuxiso.org is a good place to look too. __________________ Pick 2: Speed -- Reliability -- Cost Trouble Shooting 101: 1. RTFM 2. Repeat Step 1 6ghz Club Member. cw823 Fan Club Founding Member, are you?
	QUOTE Thanks

01-27-05, 06:32 PM	#5
Too Smart Member Join Date: Feb 2002	I would say Mandrake and Fedora Core are still tied for #1 as the most user friendly distros. Suse does not offer a free downloadable ISO. As for Yoper I had some trouble with the install which would probably confuse a newbie. Apparently, Yoper expects two seperate partitions to be installed in, (plus a third one for the swap) but does not make this clear during the installation process, and I kept getting the message "linux partition not found". But if you make a seperate partition for /home and for /root, it'll be fine.
	QUOTE Thanks

Which distro?

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01-27-05, 07:49 PM	#7
Tatuya Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Crunching Einstein@Home	Fedora Core 3 is very, very easy IMO. I got it up and running with some anime on the box in a few hours. Mandrake is more painfully arduous than helpful. As soon as the next gentoo version comes out with a GUI installer, be sure to try that since Gentoo is basically the king of linux distros at this point.
	QUOTE Thanks

01-27-05, 08:03 PM	#8
elec999 Member Join Date: Jul 2003	Is apt-get available in all linux distros. Thanks
	QUOTE Thanks

01-27-05, 08:17 PM	#9
Tatuya Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Crunching Einstein@Home	I know for a fact it is available in FC3. I assuming apt-get is available for all distros but most of the more user friendlier distros have something similar to apt-get. I guess I better leave this to experts like Christoph. What distros are you looking at?
	QUOTE Thanks

01-27-05, 09:39 PM	#11
electrorcamd Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Belton, MO	I used Mandrake 8.2 for my first Linux install (a few years ago). It was easy to setup and I didn't have any real problems with it, even though it was my first time using Linux. I don't think I would go with Gentoo for your first time with Linux, as it can be difficult to setup and takes a while. However, it will give you more first hand knowledge of Linux and how it works. Debian is also pretty good because of its easy package management, but sometimes it can be hard to setup. __________________ Main: Athlon 2 X3 435, 4GB Crucial Ballistix Tracer DDR3, Asus M4A785TD-V evo mobo, HD4200 graphics, stock cooling, Seasonic S12II Bronze 520w psu Laptop: HP Pavilion dv5000, Turion64 ML-37, 1GB RAM, Xpress 200M graphics, 80GB hdd, XP MCE 2005 Folding for T32
	QUOTE Thanks

01-28-05, 12:24 AM	#12
jbloudg20 Member Join Date: Mar 2004	I have used Mandrake 9.1,9.2,10.0, suse 9.1, debian, and now College Linux (Slackware) and my favorite is college linux. I dont knw owhy, but I'm finding for some reason I'm having less problems in College Linux. I may give Slackware 10.0 a whirl soon.
	QUOTE Thanks

01-28-05, 06:20 AM	#13
Sinizterguy Registered Join Date: Nov 2004	Fedora Core 3 if you want a very easy to install and use distro. And install apt-get in that. Or Gentoo if you want to go hardcore and get the best performance.
	QUOTE Thanks

01-28-05, 06:33 AM	#14
Vertical_Zer0 Member Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: USA	Gentoo isn't really all that hard - I know people blow it up to be "hardcore" and "for the linux-guru only" but it's none of that. Yes, it is for more advanced users, but I think anyone who can read could do a gentoo stage 1 install simply because the manual is incredibly well written. For the first time user, however, I strongly recommend Fedora. Yoper would be a nice choice, but the installer is just too shaky for a beginner to use. __________________ My systems: Intel Core 2 Duo e6420 topped by Thermalright Ultra-120, 2GB Transcend DDR800, 320GB Seagate Barracuda SATA II 16MB cache HD, 250GB WD IDE HD, 200GB Maxtor IDE HD, Lian-Li PC-7B case, EVGA nVidia GeForce 8800GTS 320MB AMD Athlon XP 2500+ @2200mHz, 1024 MB PC3200 RAM, 80GB Maxtor HD, 20GB Western Digital HD, AGP nVidia 6600GT, MSI K7N2 Delta, Custom Modded Case FOLD for Team 32!
	QUOTE Thanks

01-28-05, 09:06 AM	#15
Too Smart Member Join Date: Feb 2002	But since Gentoo relies on getting everything from the web, it is not a good choice for dial-up users. Yes, many of us are still around! (although I think I may be the last one left in a first worlc country).
	QUOTE Thanks

01-28-05, 08:48 PM	Thread Starter #17
eXCeSS Member Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: New York	Where can I get Fedora Core 3? Linuxiso.org? Thanks edit: saw it thanks everyone
	QUOTE Thanks

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