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Linux Op System? Yes/No??

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PAUL161

PAUL161

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I just responded to one of Docs posts in, Solitary Confinement, but I thought I'd throw this out to pick a few more brains. I've tried UBUNTU Linux in my laptop but it seems very primitive to me. It's very fast, but it reminds me of a glorified DOS program. I know that there are more versions of Linux, but have not a clue as which one is the best. I would like to try other versions. Any clues? PJ
 
Go download the Fedora Core 6 .iso's.

The terminology is an adjustment and there are a few things better done at a command-line but otherwise it's a fine distro. And well documented.


EDIT: Read about hardware and video "drivers" before you load it. Some of the ATI and Nvidia chips can be a challenge, but I've never had one I couldn't get to work after some tweaks.
 
Its got a godawful learning curve after you are used to microsoft windoze stuff, and a lot of the software and peripherals that you take for granted aren't supported, or at best are partially supported.

To be fair, there are alternatives to many of them, it's rock solid and pretty fast.

It depends what you want it for. I personally wouldn't use a machine with linux on it as a web browser and letter writing tool (I know DocE will disagree with me here, and I know the arguments why, but unless you want to LEARN the os I personally think it's too much work), but if you want to shove a db on it then that's a different story.

Horses for courses...

Oh and if you want a recommendation for a front-ended version to get started easily, take a look at Xandros.
 
Okay-okay... t'ain't for everyone. /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/wink.gif

Agreed it's a job to suss out some device 'drivers' for things windoze automagically recognizes and "just loads" but once configured the stuff is near rock-proof. Fedora is so-far a very great leap forward from "the old days" as well.

Mozilla's browser, and Open Office are mainstay apps here! /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/devilgrin.gif

Yeah, it's a lot of work initially, no argie. But the reward in terms of stability and lessened vulnerability to script-kiddies and the rest is kinda good recompense, IMO.


...and b'sides: it's great mental exercise! /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/laugh.gif

but then I'm a Foole at heart. The challenge fascinates me. /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/jester.gif
 
Give PCLinuxOS (https://www.pclinuxos.com) a shot. It's easy to use, runs as a live CD, and support is very good. I'm running it exclusively on my desktop, and I'm happy with it. Granted, I still keep Windows on my laptop for the few things that I can't get working in Linux yet, like my GPS software and my scanner. I tried Ubuntu as well, but I'll have to agree, it didn't seem all that impressive.
 
DrEntropy said:
Go download the Fedora Core 6 .iso's.

The terminology is an adjustment and there are a few things better done at a command-line but otherwise it's a fine distro. And well documented.


EDIT: Read about hardware and video "drivers" before you load it. Some of the ATI and Nvidia chips can be a challenge, but I've never had one I couldn't get to work after some tweaks.
Click to expand...

Thanks Doc, I'm going to check Fedora Core 6 out. My HP lap top now is a play thing as it's getting a little out of date, it still has 98 in it, and needs replacing with a new computer. So I want to clean it out and load Linux in it to play with and see if I like it. I'm courious to see if my external CD writer will work with it also. For the other guys that came back with ideas, Thanks, I'll check out other versions also. PJ
 
I rather like Ubuntu - the standard graphic look and feel package is rather dull making it appear old/primative. This can be changed easily enough. The biggest issues for any Linux are do you need to run any one of the following: games, vpn type software, odd add on hardware. If so it is a tough go. The new Macs have a Unix variant on them at a premium price.
 
I just commented on that other thread about CentOS. I'm not sure I'd make any recommendations for it, but all the 'main stay' tools were already installed on the system. I found I could configure everything I needed via the GUI interfaces, but I'm a Linux user from _way back_ (since 1996) and pulled up the command line out of habit. Although, the only thing I used the command line for was to verify the GUI was making the changes that it claimed to be making, which it was. I don't know how easy/difficult CentOS was to install but the desktop seemed to be complete enough for your basic computing needs.

A side from my brief experience with someone else's CentOS box I also happen to know that Media Temple (one of the larger web-hosting companies out there) is also making extensive use of this flavor of Linux (they also use Debian /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/laugh.gif ).
 
Can Linux be installed next to windows in a different partition on the HD? Or can it be installed on a second HD as a slave? Conflicts?? PJ
 
Dual boot, same drive, yes. Just load Windoze first... it don't like to "share".
 
I always favor putting Windows and Linux on two separate drives. Less chance of MS contaminating my Linux goodies. /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smile.gif If I by chance want access to my Windows stuff while I'm messing around in Linux, I just 'mount' the drive and do what I need. Actually, the last dual-boot machine I made I configured to mount the windows drive at boot up. I was dabbling heavily with W.I.N.E. at the time.
 
Yeah, seperated is best IMO, too. But he asked. ;}
 
Ah, very good. That gives me a few more options to play around with this thing before I get serious. I was an old hard nose about dropping DOS years ago because of it's simplicity and speed. And, that was with thimble size hard drives and pea size memory. I was using DOS on an old machine when 95 came out. Used it for names, addresses, accounts and a few other things. It had a nice data base program in it. The word processor wasn't that great though, as it had the original Word Perfect program in it, ( I think that was the program), with 999 commands you had to type in by hand. The wife made me get rid of the machine because,(It's So Ugly and Dirty and it makes your office look like a junk yard!). Soooooo, I want to try Linux. As I said before, I tried Ubuntu and was impressed with the speed. Now I want to try other versions. I can't download Fedora Core 6, as I only have dial up and it takes 27 hours to download. So now I'm looking for a place to buy a copy. PJ
 
Paul, if you have a Borders or Barnes & Noble nearby, Linux Format magazine is packaging the Fedora Core 6 CDs (might be DVD, I can't remember) with their magazine, so you can get them that way. I noticed them last night when I was at Borders. Otherwise, there are links to buy the CDs off of https://www.distrowatch.com.
 
PAUL161 said:
... The word processor wasn't that great though, as it had the original Word Perfect program in it, ( I think that was the program)...
Click to expand...

I miss Word Perfect. It had the ~best~ equation editor around when I was in college. I'd write up my lab reports and use the equation editor to make everything pretty, and all my MS Word lab partners were left scratching their heads on why their reports didn't look as good.

I even went as far as to buy Word Perfect when they ported it to Linux back in the day. It was the best word processor for Linux when that happened. However, I think Open Office caught up relatively quickly.

I'd like to see WP make a come back, but they have to over come Godzilla to do that...
 
sparkydave said:
Paul, if you have a Borders or Barnes & Noble nearby, Linux Format magazine is packaging the Fedora Core 6 CDs (might be DVD, I can't remember) with their magazine, so you can get them that way. I noticed them last night when I was at Borders. Otherwise, there are links to buy the CDs off of https://www.distrowatch.com.
Click to expand...

Yes, we have a Barns & Noble. I'll see if they have a copy of the magazine. Thanks! PJ
 
lol! I love it! /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/laugh.gif
 
Another Linux video... this time comparing a High-End Ubuntu system to Windows Vista:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xC5uEe5OzNQ&NR

I'd like to add that ~most~, if not all, Linux installs look/feel "primitive" to people because the default installations by most Distributions try to account for the 'least common denominator' in the PC world. However, if you take the time, you can make any distribution of Linux as graphically pretty as what we seen in the linked video. Also, a High-End Linux system would be like a Low-End or middle of the road (just enough to slightly better than what is needed to run the Aero interface) Windows Vista system.
 
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