Drooling to try Linux !!!

[mhac]

Im really interested to this cool OS. So I checked out the websites offering free downloads. I was brought to an FTP site. How do I get Linux? What files are needed? How will I install it? (I've downloaded NcFTP and quite experimented with it.)I'll be happy if you wizards out there can help me. THanks! :p

[Space-Cadet]

Usually, you can just read the instructions on the website of the distributor. Just download the iso(s), burn them, make a boot disc, and you're set

[Tyr-7BE]

Go with Mandrake for a newbie.
http://www.mandrake.com/

[Keyser Soze]

GO to the FTP site, go to the os you want, go to images, download the netboot or bootnet image, download rawrite, write the image to a floppy. Then boot the pc with the disk....Fill in the pertinent info and away you go. And since everyone wants you to read a man, which is pretty boring for newbies, I am going to do you a big one and do a complete walkthrough. This assumes you saved bootnet.img and rawrite.exe(you can find it under the dostools folder) to c:\

(1)IN windows, do a dos window
type in the path and executable as follows(example)
c:\rawrite
it will then ask for the file name and we (2)type ... bootnet.img
it will ask you to put in a floppy and hit enter
it will run for a minute or two and type a report for you. (3)put boot disk in computer and boot up, it will scroll the syslinux info and next will come a dialog....
(4)Enter your ip(has choice for static or dhcp addressing)
(5)enter your subnet(@home users, make sure to enter yours carefully, they do custom subnets in some areas)
put in the (6)gateway and (7)dns servers you use
next comes the fun part:
under ftp location:
(8)(example location, yes it is a valid one) ftp-linux.cc.gatech.edu
--then our file locations (9)(example)
/pub/linux/distributions/mandrake/8.0/os/i386
of course you should probably find a fast location yourself. Barring that, you can always install via cd(get someone to burn you a set if you can't do your own yet. For the ftp or http installs you really need to have a fat pipe(dsl or cable) cause it is pretty large(mine is usually around a gig)
(10) We follow the very easy instructions for our installation and eventually reboot. Mandrake imho is best for newbies, it will mount your windows partition for you, is pretty straight forward and fast. Plus comes with lots of multimedia for the newbie user. ;) Of course there are better LNO's and mans out there, but hey, this way you don't have to search. I'm a firm believer in getting people to try linux, and that means possibly handholding the beginner for a little while to get a success right off the bat(necessary in keeping the new initiate in fold until the learn to love the penguin for all the right reasons.

Email me if you have any problems, I will help as much as possible. :)

[adyana]

I agree with tyr-7be, try mandrake first.
Once you get the hang of it, try Slackware or Debian. I installed Mandrake 6.0, and after that try a lot of other distribution and ended up going back to mandrake.
I Hope this helpful :).

[trekker]

These NHFs (http://www.linuxnewbie.org/nhf/intel/installation/index.html) might help too! :)

[cage47]

Why not go to cheapbytes and order a cd set. MD8 costs $8.45 US shipped.