Newbie Questions... sorry about the length

[Estimated_Prophet]

I have tried a few different versions of Linux in the past, Mandrake, Suse, Red Hat and of course different version numbers of those as well. Mandrake seemed to be the most new user friendly but it still felt like the first time I ever logged onto a computer. I had no clue what to do, sound cards wouldn't work, modem wouldn't work, cd drives and printers wouldn't work. After a while most of those were fixed in later versions of mandrake, last one I used was 7.1. However all I really did on it was play whatever games were installed with it because I couldn't do much else with it and as far as installing more apps... ha! give that one up. I couldn't even stand DOS because of having to remember the text based commands to get it to do anything. I know, I like so many others have been spoiled by the ease of use with windows and especially in the app instalations. The sheer convenience of downloading and clicking. Uninstalling Linux is a nightmare that I swore I would never put myself through again... Just delete the partition.. HA!! Then spend the next hour fixing the MBR that is now completely screwed. I know my way around windows and have been/am the unofficial tech support for friends and jobs with computer problems with windows or their hardware. But with Linux I'm completely clueless. Despite all this, (windows isn't anywhere near perfect either) I am still intrigued by Linux and have a morbid curiousity to try it again at some point. So forgive these questions but do Linux makers have any intentions on making application installations easier? I know they could if they wanted to. Which one is really the easiest to learn and most Linux newbie friendly? Is it easier to uninstall? Are more software companies finally starting to program for Linux? I won't give up all the current apps I use no matter how much I may start to like Linux. Is the performance getting better with each new release or just adding more features and bug fixes?
Again sorry about the length of this post.

[slacker_x]

If you want to install packages easily, try debian.

You are going to have to learn to love the command line if you want to use linux effectively. If you can't do that, don't bother trying to install Linux again.

[LittleGreenGecko]

I am sorry, but if you are hooked on windows, and plan on unistalling linux from the get-go, then you shouldn't be using this os. It seems as though it is too complicated for you to unzip a tarball with one command, move the install file, and then give it the command to install.

I have been running it for a total of 1 week, and already I depend upon it more than I do for windows. I program in C++ and have been looking for an OS that would not screw up, or screw me or any of my hardward up either. That is Linux.

In short, if you can't stand the heat, then get out of the kitchen! :p

[kapwfm]

The command line is essential for some things Linux, and yes, to use it effectively, you should know AT LEAST the basic commands. I wish I could say that I'm really good at the command line, but like you, I've been spoiled by the ease of use by Windows. I used to know some DOS commands, but when you don't use it, you lose it, right? :)

Mandrake 8.1 isn't so bad. Although, if I were you I would install 8.0 if you wanted to use Mandrake again. Supermount/Automount has been removed in 8.1 and if you're new to Linux (even if you've just been acquainted to it), you ARE going to want supermount/automount.

Supermount/Automount gives you the ability to access CD-ROM Drives, CD Burners, floppy drives and your Windows drives without having to mount and unmount them everytime you want to access or use them.

Mandrake 8.0/8.1 has a newer kernel which should support your sound card and other hardware troubles you may be having. Mandrake 8.0 uses kernel 2.4.3 (which I've personally had better luck with) and Mandrake 8.1 uses kernel 2.4.8.

The thing I like about Mandrake is the ease of use to install software. Mandrake 8.1 alone comes with 3 CD's which include games, word processing software and some other things that I'm not exactly sure what they are. .rpm files are like Windows executable files ... and it seems like you're seeing more of these all the time. Yahoo IM and AOL IM uses the .rpm packages for their instant messaging programs for Linux. Like the Windows executables though, these files are bigger than a compressed file. All you have to do is click on the .rpm file that you want to install, type in the root password and it should do the rest for you.
Unzipping/untarring things...man, I'll never learn how to do that on the command line. Everytime I download something that's tarred or zipped and I follow the instructions, I always do something wrong. The workaround that I've found for this is just to download/move the file where you want it (usually I move them to my home directory) and then I just right-click on the file and select "Extract here." It decompresses the files for you. I still have to install things by the command line using this method, but at least it takes care of the "how to untar/unzip files." problem that I had. :)

If you want to get a feel for Linux with some help, I recommend this book: "Teach Yourself Linux" by Steve Oualline and Eric Foster-Johnson. This book was written last year, but is still useful to teach you the command line, the basics and even some in-depth stuff...like how to connect your box to the Internet, using some of the X programs and more. It even comes with Red Hat 6.1 distrobution. I'm not sure if there's a newer edition to this book or not. Should only run you about $30 or less.

My other suggestion would be...get a boxed set of Linux-Mandrake 8.0 at Wal-Mart. 8.1 won't be out for several more weeks. The complete version should be good enough for any home user and it'll only cost you about $30. But at least you get manuals on how to install and use Linux.

And last ... have patience. Don't expect to know everything about Linux in a weekend. After all, you probably didn't know everything about Windows in a weekend. :) Look at this website a lot. Most of the time your question will be answered by either posting it on one of the forums or just looking at someone else's questions. :)

[Estimated_Prophet]

Thanks for the advice guys, I didn't intend to leave the impression that I plan to uninstall it from the get go. With past installations a number of issues caused me to uninstall it. Hardware wouldn't work, HD space was needed, (as I said, I will not give up the apps I use in windows, they do and will continue to take priority until I learn Linux and they have the same or better apps) Although I think the HD space problem was fixed, have 2 40gb drives now. Finally, frustration of not being able to do anything with it also prompted my decision to uninstall it not to mention irritation about 2 dozen apps with different names that seem to do the same exact thing and 800 little ones I would never even use, let alone find them and recognize them by name and have no idea how to uninstall them.
kapwfm... Thanks for you help.. I never know you could install a .rpm file that easily and I know how you feel about the unzipping/untarring. Most of the apps I had downloaded before and tried to install failed horribly. I know I need to learn at least a few commands but in all honesty, I'd generally rather not touch the keyboard unless I have to, usually sit at the desk with my feet proped up and sitting the keyboard on my lap isn't always comfortable. :)
Think I'll take your advise and give mandrake 8.0 a try. I liked Mandrake a little better over the previous distros I've used and I really don't want to have to go back to manually doing the mount thing again. Don't even remember how I did it before. :)

[knute]

Here are some commands that you may find usefull.

To extract a tarball file: tar -xvzf <name of tarball file>
tar -xvf <name of tar file>
Notice the difference between the two commands. The z will unzip it as well as untar it. If you want more info try man tar.

To install an RPM file: rpm -Uvh <name of rpm>.rpm

It's been a while since I used an rpm, so the V may be capped as well. It will give you an asterisk install bar... Pretty slick! :)

[X_console]

If you do some research on what Linux was like when it first came out, you'd be surprised at how userfriendly it has become since then. Before installation wasn't even graphical and in order to do anything, you had to rely on the console 90% of the time.

What I will recommend is that you read the NHFs here. They're manual pages that have been made easier to understand for the Linux newbie. http://www.linuxnewbie.org/nhf

I also recommend buying Running Linux 3rd Edition. Very good book for understanding how Linux works. Also get a book that deals with your particular Linux distribution. Ask questions when you need to. One thing you need to realize is that mastering Linux takes time and requires a lot of reading. Try to search for your answers and figure them out before you ask what the question is. You'll learn more if you read the manual pages.

Good luck!