Distributions

[Spawn]

I do not yet have linux, but i really want to get it, since windows often works more than just crappy. So i looked at the websites and producs of the main distributions(Red Hat, Corel, SuSE, Mandrake, Caldera, Slackware...) but i think the ones that applied to me most at the first second i looked at it was Corel Linux, SuSE Linux, and to somewhat the Mandrake Linux. Now, i have no idea which one supplies the most software, which one works best with a Dell PIII 1ghz, 128MB Ram, 45 GB HDD, nVidia Geforce 2 GTS 64MB DDR and a intel 820 motherboard? Which one is the most user friendly one for newbies? which one is cheaper? I really need some advice, and I'd be really glad about any help u Linux pros can pass to me. Thanks!

Spawn

[demian]

http://www.linuxnewbie.org/ubb/rolleyes.gif
LFS

[ph34r]

Why not check out the Distro Choice NHF here on this site? http://www.linuxnewbie.org/nhf

[demian]

Sorry, couldn't resist. You can do a forum search with keywords like which distro or distribution and you'll find about hundreds and thousands of threads where ppl are flaming about which distro to use...

[bryan 4 real]

Mandrake is great for newbie's. I used it at first, then once i was comfortable with linux, i switched to SuSE 7.0. SuSE 7.0 is great for newbies too, but as a first timer, give Mandrake a shot.

bryan

[TechGuy]

Powered by RedHat Linux!

[DJ-dOoK]

I would suggest any distribution that is Debian based, as the apt packaging system is better than the RPM system I am sure. Maybe try storm linux 2000 which is Debian based and does a lot of stuff for you. Once you discover apt, you will NEVER want to turn back!!!

------------------
One day, the DJ declared! Let this OS be taken to the world, and Linux was introduced to many frustrated windows users!

[cyan]

Mandrake is a pretty good choice. Corel has been bought out by MS, and I read somewhere that they will no longer be releasing there OS, so they would probably be a bad choice. (though, as usual, I could be mistaken) Anohter thing to ponder is that since the new 2.4 kernal is out, most distros will probably have a new version out in a couple of months anyhow. So you may want to hold off until then. Good luck.

[janwitte]

Take SuSE 7.0 professional, its great for newbies because everything works pefectly after the installation. http://www.linuxnewbie.org/ubb/biggrin.gif

[DJ-dOoK]

Originally posted by janwitte:
Take SuSE 7.0 professional, its great for newbies because everything works pefectly after the installation. http://www.linuxnewbie.org/ubb/biggrin.gif

That may have been for you, but you could not say that for everybody.


------------------
One day, the DJ declared! Let this OS be taken to the world, and Linux was introduced to many frustrated windows users!

[NGene]

SuSE 7.0 is still a good distro for a newbie because it has this excellent program, YaST for configuring the system. IMHO YaST is even better than Linuxconf!

There is also a great amount of software that comes with the Professional version so you don't have to spend too much time downloading stuff. Too bad SuSE is rpm based distro... SuSE with apt, now that would be something!

[DrDebian]

Originally posted by DJ-dOoK:
I would suggest any distribution that is Debian based, as the apt packaging system is better than the RPM system I am sure. Maybe try storm linux 2000 which is Debian based and does a lot of stuff for you. Once you discover apt, you will NEVER want to turn back!!!



Amen.

[Evil Jeff]

Of course, any debian distro is the gold at the end of the rainbow, but I think for a first timer Mandrake 7.2 is a good choice. Unless you're willing to come here a few times to get a working gui and everything, I would go with mandrake until you get a feel for linux, if only for it's hardware detection and installer. Oh, and it comes with more software than you'll EVER know what to do with. Fifty front ends for every cli command.

Evil Jeff
www.hellincorporated.com (http://www.hellincorporated.com)

[Linuxman]

Stay away from Corel since they are likely getting out of the Linux business and support for their distro will wane and become non-existent. Personally, it depends on the individual and your ability, or willingness, to learn about your computer and its innards. Caldera 2.3 installed easily for me on an older system - P200 w/32 MB RAM, SB 16 sound card, ATI Video Xpression video card. The installation gives 3 basic modes of installation beginning with newbies-type where you do very little except tell it on what drive or partition to install and what type of installation you want (home computer, workstation, server, etc.) to one that gives you greater freedom in the partitioning scheme. I'm not sure about the others, but I remember when starting out a couple years ago, I got a Slackware distro and even that wasn't too bad of an installation, just text based, not gui. Also, from what I've read, Debian or SuSE give you the most apps and programs.

------------------
ADOPTION not abortion. Proud father of an adopted boy.

The Baltimore Ravens are Superbowl bound.