Which Linux Distro?

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bradstewart

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#9656 3-Oct-2006 15:29

Most people around here know that I am a huge Windows Vista fan. Recently the accusations have been flying around that I am buried deep in Microsofts pocket (not that theres anything wrong with that - they have deep pockets) but thats not true, I use an OS purely because in my view it is the best. So in an attempt to prove I can be unbiased and open minded (don't laugh) I will download one Linux distro and give it a fair, unbiased and openminded review.

Now I know this will shock some.... Who knows, if Linux comes out on top I could even switch to it.

So I would like you all to recommend the best distro to use. Preferably easy to use, good driver support and install routines etc.

I was thinking Ubuntu or Kubuntu, Live CD would be good since I'm not keen on murdering my Partitions and boot loader....

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#47413 3-Oct-2006 15:30

Did I just enter some strange universe or did he just say that?

tonyhughes

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#47426 3-Oct-2006 17:47

Backup your existing system anyway, as you should on any machine that you want to play around with OSes on, and download Ubuntu, or Kubuntu, depending on your Gnome vs KDE opinion.. (perhaps google them, and look at some screen shots.

The Gnome vs KDE divide seems almost as big as the Linux vs. Windows divide!

P.S. Who are you, and what the hell have you done with Brad Stewart?

chiefie

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#47427 3-Oct-2006 17:50

It will be a long while before any Linux distros will be able fully entice Windows users over, or even be on the same playing field and level to be a truly foolproof home desktop OS like Mac OS X and Windows.

Within Linux itself, they must agree on a common desktop window management. Gnome vs KDE is just as bad as distros itself as Tony pointed out.

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bradstewart

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#47429 3-Oct-2006 18:08

I'm learning towards KDE. No reason other than it looks nicer.

So that means downloading the Kubuntu ISO.

.... What have I gotten myself into? Dont back out now....

barf

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#47431 3-Oct-2006 18:26

definately go for Kubuntu, KDE is very customise-able and will feel more like home to you than an 80x25 console ;-)

after installing ubuntu my first port of call would be www.getautomatix.com

automatix is a script which makes it pretty easy to install commonly used desktop applications like adobe reader, java, flash player, dvd ripping, msn, mplayer etc

other useful sites to get you on your feet:

http://www.ubuntuforums.org

http://ubuntuguide.org/wiki/Dapper

https://help.ubuntu.com/kubuntu/desktopguide/C/index.html

[Moderator edit (bradstewart): hyperlinked the hyperlinks]

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bradstewart

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#47432 3-Oct-2006 18:28

Thanks heaps for that barf....

Will be sure to check those out

barf

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#47449 3-Oct-2006 21:01

chiefie: It will be a long while before any Linux distros will be able fully entice Windows users over, or even be on the same playing field and level to be a truly foolproof home desktop OS like Mac OS X and Windows.

chiefie, Linux is quite foolproof already I have set it up for some err, plebians, and they love it. They can surf all the porn they want and never get spywared or trojaned. They can burn music cds, upload pics from their digital camera, print, scan & email it's just about all there.

chiefie: Within Linux itself, they must agree on a common desktop window management. Gnome vs KDE is just as bad as distros itself as Tony pointed out.

Well at first I thought that too, but having GNOME and KDE play off against each other actually stirs up quite alot of innovation. And if you thought Aero in Vista was slick Compiz does all that and then some.

Seriously, Linux is in competition for the desktop. It's not excatly full of competitive edges but it's not getting any worse either.

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chiefie

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#47452 3-Oct-2006 21:10

Here's the thing, key thing is you have to set it up for someone else. Where as Windows and Mac OS X are pretty much foolproof to install from inserting media to first user experience. Sure most Linux are similar but they can be overwhelming to average joe to do installation on themselves.

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barf

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#47455 3-Oct-2006 21:21

I do agree with your comment.

But if you put an ubuntu CD in your PC you will be surprised.

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chiefie

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#47456 3-Oct-2006 21:28

Well undoubtly, Linux distro makers are slowly improving their user experience, but it still got quite a bit of way to get to where Windows and Mac OS X do pretty well with. This is very important to get average joe going.

Not to ignore the fact that linux is improving but it still got quite a bit of way to get there. Perhaps an agreement between Gnome and KDE to streamline and integrate their difference and use the "Best of" could help with DWM part, and further agreement and understand between different kernel and distros can further the linux's reach, it certainly is possible, one day.

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Jed

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#47462 3-Oct-2006 23:06

See thats the thing though, Mac OS X and Windows components go through a design process by Apple and Microsoft, picking the very best of and going back to the drawing board with the rest.

The Linux community has this unspoken policy of "It may be bad, but maybe some users still want it", and most things are left for the user to choose what they want. There is no one head architect that can set a direction for the user experience, but instead we have multiple competing projects with no end goals. Although this sounds like a good idea on paper, in reality it leaves much to be desired, and completely alienates end users who don't really care.

Maybe one day someone will actually sit down and decide what it is the Linux experience should be and define a way of getting there, but until that day Linux will never be completely ready for the average user.

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#47475 4-Oct-2006 08:27

Jed: Maybe one day someone will actually sit down and decide what it is the Linux experience should be and define a way of getting there, but until that day Linux will never be completely ready for the average user.

This is happening right now - they are called "distributions".

The complete package commonly called "Linux" (the Linux Kernel, plus thousands of other apps, drivers etc), is not owned by any one person, and never will be, so your dream above will never come to fruition, except for the status quo of different 'brands', like Ubuntu, Fedora, SUSE etc.

Those communities and companies are all sitting down, and deciding what the Linux experience should be, and they are defining their ways of getting there.

Fragmented? Yes.

freitasm

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#47478 4-Oct-2006 08:42

Back to the question of running something like this on Brad's PC (gasp!)... Brad, are you using a virtual machine for this? I highly recommend using either Virtual PC, Virtual Server or even VMWare. It saves a lot of hassle of having to partition actual HDD space by having all in a single file - easy to move to another machine as well. That's what I have for my server at home.

Jed

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#47489 4-Oct-2006 09:48

tonyhughes:
Jed: Maybe one day someone will actually sit down and decide what it is the Linux experience should be and define a way of getting there, but until that day Linux will never be completely ready for the average user.

This is happening right now - they are called "distributions".

The complete package commonly called "Linux" (the Linux Kernel, plus thousands of other apps, drivers etc), is not owned by any one person, and never will be, so your dream above will never come to fruition, except for the status quo of different 'brands', like Ubuntu, Fedora, SUSE etc.

Those communities and companies are all sitting down, and deciding what the Linux experience should be, and they are defining their ways of getting there.

Fragmented? Yes.

Yes, but, almost every distro comes with multiple options. And then it raises the other issue of users scratching their heads going "which distro?". The current system is fine for people like us who WANT choice, but at the end of the day the old grandparent doesn't want more confusion.

juha

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#47490 4-Oct-2006 10:37

Ubuntu's quite popular at the moment, and easy to install and live with. Hence, you'll get no hairy-chested geek creds for using it. :)

I've never liked the Debian-based distros however, preferring instead Slackware or the RPM ones like SuSE and Red Hat/Fedora. That's a personal choice, and I don't care if the Stallmanites flame me for that. If there's no compelling reason like specific hardware or application support, I would recommend that you look at FreeBSD or OpenBSD as well. I like the "holistic" approach of the BSDs, which distribute the entire operating system, userland as well as kernel.

They're probably not as n00b13 friendly as some of the Linux distros and the mailing lists participants expect you to figure things out yourself as much as possible before asking questions, but I like the approach they take.

Juha

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