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monamine
dork
Registered: 04/28/06
Posts: 1,089
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linux distro for windblows user (and other *nix q's)
#5671391 - 05/25/06 02:35 AM (17 years, 9 months ago) |
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To make a long story short,I really want to learn more about OS basics and networking, and I just don't see that happening with using XP,so I want to make the switch. I have no problem in learning a shell, the only problem is that while I'm learning I still want to be able to have a functiong computer (never got how to install software and whatnot).
So basically, can anyone recommend me a good distro for a no0b that isn't super dumbed down and bloated with all kinds of garbage (ie Mandrake)? I just want to have an easy install with a browser and media player and stuff up and running while I learn.
BTW, does getting into the nitty gritty of Linux require any programming knowledge? Because the few books I've read seem to assume I'm a coder or something, and I don't know (nor desire to learn) any programing.
P.S. More annoying questions to come...
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monamine
dork
Registered: 04/28/06
Posts: 1,089
Loc: Florida, US
Last seen: 17 years, 8 months
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Re: linux distro for windblows user (and other *nix q's) [Re: monamine]
#5671405 - 05/25/06 02:39 AM (17 years, 9 months ago) |
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BTW, I know there are a lot of sites online where I can learn this sort of thing, but frankly the amount of info is just overwhelming, so I'd like to interact with other Shroomerites (ie I learn better from the "Socratic Method" than just reading books and faqs)
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Vvellum
Stranger
Registered: 05/24/04
Posts: 10,920
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Re: linux distro for windblows user (and other *nix q's) [Re: monamine]
#5671425 - 05/25/06 02:45 AM (17 years, 9 months ago) |
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the new ubuntu (dapper) will be released on june 1st. you'll really like it - im running the release candidate now and it's sweet. just wait a week.
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monamine
dork
Registered: 04/28/06
Posts: 1,089
Loc: Florida, US
Last seen: 17 years, 8 months
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Re: linux distro for windblows user (and other *nix q's) [Re: Vvellum]
#5671443 - 05/25/06 02:54 AM (17 years, 9 months ago) |
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Cool, I'll look into that. (I'm really looking for something with an easy graphical install that's up and running out of the box)
Oh and can someone recommend me a book? I tried to read O'Reilly's Running Linux but it seemed a bit over my head.
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supercollider
superconducting
Registered: 10/13/00
Posts: 1,234
Loc: Waxahachie
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Re: linux distro for windblows user (and other *nix q's) [Re: monamine]
#5674128 - 05/25/06 06:28 PM (17 years, 9 months ago) |
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If you really want to learn about Linux, you should go with Gentoo. Normally I wouldn't recommend Gentoo to a newb, but if you're already at the "Mandriva is too dumbed-down" stage, you're probably ready for it. The latest release has a nice graphical livecd environment for you to use while you install, but when you install it, you're going to have to go through the gruntwork of configuring stuff manually.
You could take an easier route with Ubuntu, but then you won't know how to write configurations for X and your bootloader, how to recompile your kernel, etc., and you'll be left with an inferior package manager when you're done. If you go with Gentoo, you'll learn more basic tasks of the OS, you'll have shit-tons of documentation to help you, and you'll end up with a leaner, better system.
-------------------- Supercollider? I just met her!
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monamine
dork
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Re: linux distro for windblows user (and other *nix q's) [Re: supercollider]
#5676724 - 05/26/06 11:19 AM (17 years, 9 months ago) |
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Thanks guys! (Don't be shy- keep em comin' if you have any input...)
Can anyone tell me the state of Linux vid card drivers? I had a lot of problems with that about four years ago and I haven't stayed current with the Linux stuff. I have a semi new Geforce and I'd like to get it working...
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supercollider
superconducting
Registered: 10/13/00
Posts: 1,234
Loc: Waxahachie
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Re: linux distro for windblows user (and other *nix q's) [Re: monamine]
#5677461 - 05/26/06 03:10 PM (17 years, 9 months ago) |
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nvidia drivers are very nice for linux. Here's the documentation to install them in Gentoo: http://www.gentoo.org/doc/en/nvidia-guide.xml
Then you can get programs like nvidia-settings and nvclock to tweak them much the same way you would in Windows.
-------------------- Supercollider? I just met her!
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Vvellum
Stranger
Registered: 05/24/04
Posts: 10,920
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Re: linux distro for windblows user (and other *nix q's) [Re: monamine]
#5677547 - 05/26/06 03:56 PM (17 years, 9 months ago) |
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Quote:
I just want to have an easy install with a browser and media player and stuff up and running while I learn.
I still recommend ubuntu - you'll be up and running quick but will also learn a bit.
how about slackware? http://www.slackware.com
also, check out arch: http://www.archlinux.org and/or mepis: http://www.mepis.org
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wilshire
free radical
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Re: linux distro for windblows user (and other *nix q's) [Re: monamine]
#5678036 - 05/26/06 07:03 PM (17 years, 9 months ago) |
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i've been using ubuntu now for about 9 months and i like it quite a bit. i used debian before that. i've always used debian-based distros.
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morphius2661
Basic Psychonaut
Registered: 02/10/06
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Re: linux distro for windblows user (and other *nix q's) [Re: wilshire]
#5678392 - 05/26/06 08:56 PM (17 years, 9 months ago) |
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FreeBSD!!
freebsd.org
I havnt played with it in a long time; since like v4.5 I think so it's been a while. But it was fun to play with and i've seen some pretty sweet GUIs that people have made on it. I also liked setting up Apache on linux along with FTP and a remote-shell so I could play with it from school =).
Its always good to have a big book of nix handy when you get stuck trying to figure something out.
Im pretty out of sync w/ all the newer *nix stuff though so what do I know...
-------------------- "It is dangerous to be right in matters on which the estabilished authorities are wrong."
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wilshire
free radical
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Re: linux distro for windblows user (and other *nix q's) [Re: morphius2661]
#5680304 - 05/27/06 12:22 PM (17 years, 9 months ago) |
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i wouldn't recommend freebsd for a home desktop station. a server perhaps. for a home computer with good multimedia support and the ability to install and upgrade a wide range of applications without waiting hours (or days) for them to compile, forget freebsd.
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Krishna
कृष्ण,LOL
Registered: 05/08/03
Posts: 23,285
Loc: oakland
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Re: linux distro for windblows user (and other *nix q's) [Re: supercollider]
#5690097 - 05/30/06 09:55 AM (17 years, 9 months ago) |
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i wouldn't call apt-get an "inferior package manager"
certainly a lot more auto-configuring than setting up gentoo (what package manager does gentoo use, portage?), but i find it flexible enough to allow me to build things from source when need be.
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supercollider
superconducting
Registered: 10/13/00
Posts: 1,234
Loc: Waxahachie
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Re: linux distro for windblows user (and other *nix q's) [Re: Krishna]
#5690822 - 05/30/06 01:52 PM (17 years, 9 months ago) |
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APT certainly isn't bad. It's easily the second best package management scheme next to Portage. The one big advantage Portage has over APT is the USE flags. Where APT will install extra packages you don't really need in order to satisfy its dependencies, Portage will check to see whether you want those extra options or not.
-------------------- Supercollider? I just met her!
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nife
I'm Dead
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Re: linux distro for windblows user (and other *nix q's) [Re: Vvellum]
#5693619 - 05/31/06 01:48 AM (17 years, 9 months ago) |
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Quote:
bi0 said: the new ubuntu (dapper) will be released on june 1st. you'll really like it - im running the release candidate now and it's sweet. just wait a week.
Same goes here. I've been running it for a while. And I really like it. Things almost never break even thought its a development version. And its about as pretty as any out of the box distro I've ever used.
-------------------- Protect Your Rights Freedom Card
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