Where do I start?

[Deiru]

You guys probably get this question a lot...I know how it is with newbies, I'm a moderator at a messageboard, I know it get's annoying, but I really don't know where to start with Linux.

Basically, I've come to a point where I want to try something new. I'm no longer challenged by Windows98 and I can't stand ME enough to ever see myself actually paying for it...hell, I don't think it would be worth my time to STEAL it. So, I'm jumping ship. The trouble is, I don't know where to begin... I am an ABSOLUTE beginner with Linux, but I've been playing around with computers since I was a wee lad...my first PC was a Tandy 1000xl. The only thing I know is that I want to be able to play games like Quake 3 and Unreal Tournament and, if possible, I want to keep what I have going on under windows safe...i.e., I don't want to have to format my drive and start over. I know I'll probably have to partition the drive no matter what I choose to go with, but is there a way to keep everything in Windows safe while installing Linux?

Secondly...a search for linux turns up half a million bits of information. OpenBSD, FreeBSD, Linux, Unix, Red Hat, Debian, WinLinux...the list nearly never ends...what's the best? Which one will be easiest to install and learn? That's all I really want to know. I'd like a nice, friendly UI that isn't too complicated, hopefully I won't have to go back to a command line, and I would like to at least play Quake 3. Please help me before my head explodes...I haven't even installed this OS and already it's got me very confused.

Help, GREATLY appreciated.

[my_name_isobel]

i use SuSE, it seems pretty straightforward to setup, and will install on the "side" of windows if it detects it during setup (you'll have a dual OS system, which you can select to boot to linux or win depending on what you wanna do).

SuSE has a great setup interface that won't scare off windows users, then form there it's just a matter of resisting the urge to boot to windows every time... figure out what you wanna do (browse the web?) and just do it in linux instaead of windows... thwe more u use it the easier it becomes.

[TC]

All you need to know about linux is here:
http://linuxdoc.org/

I would suggest Debian as your choice. Once you start using it you will know why and if you decide on BSD I would start with FreeBSD.

Isn't it great to have choices!

:cool:

Have fun reading.
TC

[willk]

I would suggest Slackware or Debian...
If you have wrapped your head around DOS and have a decent understanding...the transition won't be too much to bear.
My experience with Deb is limited, but slack has been good to me and I have a good grasp of of it.
apt-get is supposed to great...but my experience with any of the package managers has not been good.
I prefer to install from source now.