what distro i should use?

[jondice]

I haven't installed or bought linux for my machine yet and have no expirience using it. my question is what distro i should use? i would also like to hear why you picked it.. the pros and cons.

[-sureshot-]

people are going to tell you to RTFM (read the ****ing manual, for the newbies).

Check out the nhf on distros ( http://=http://http://www.linuxnewbie.org/nhf/intel/distros/distronhf.html]=http://http://www.linuxnewbie.org/nhf/intel/distros/distronhf.html )

Also check out the diffrent distribution websites.

The good ones for absolute newbies are generally Mandrake and Redhat, but most people move on to Debian or Slackware once they get their feet wet. You might also want to give FreeBSD a try.

[ 08 March 2001: Message edited by: suckaMC ]

[ 08 March 2001: Message edited by: suckaMC ]
GOD DAMN URL TAGS!!!!!!!

[ 08 March 2001: Message edited by: suckaMC ]

[Daedra]

http://www.linuxnewbie.org/nhf/intel/distros/distronhf.html

this is a good place to start, i started using Linux in august and i choose Slackware to start with, and im glad i did, it forces you to learn so much so quickly that i now really have no need to bother with mandrake or any of the "user friendly" dist.

[ShadowGoblin]

Get 8.0 installed in about 25 mins.Other than the networking.It rules first version I`ve not had to do anything but partition an click yes 5 times .

[wtsamatta]

If you have some decent knowledge about computers like working from command-line and what your hardware is then Slack<though it may very be tough at first> would be ok. Daedra is right too, it would be the most educational. Otherwise I would suggest Mandrake.
Pro's
1. It's free
2. You can hang out in cool places like this.
3. It takes money away from Gill Bates
4. You actually learn something.

Con's
1. There are none :D

[Gnu/Vince]

I suggest you buy 10 distros (Debian, Slackware, Red Hat, Mandrake, SuSE, Caldera, Corel, Stampede Linux, Turbo Linux and Peanut), you install them all once at a time, try 'em, and choice will be natural.

[bdl]

Please read the NHF's, read the 100's of other posts on the same subject before you ask this question.

I urge other users here to ignore the "which distro" questions, it's getting to be too much.