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2009-09-22
, 07:44
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Posts: 780 |
Thanked: 855 times |
Joined on Sep 2009
@ Helsinki, Finland
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#2
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Ubuntu is probably the newbie-frendliest distro and usually "Just works". Try downloading and burning the live cd so you can try the driver support and install it on your HD straight from the live cd environment.
Also Ubuntu isn't "dumbed down" almost at all, so you get full linux experience with it.
Only thing I personally don't like about it is the bro... orangeish default theme of it but you can always change that
Last edited by joppu; 2009-09-22 at 07:47.
Also Ubuntu isn't "dumbed down" almost at all, so you get full linux experience with it.
Only thing I personally don't like about it is the bro... orangeish default theme of it but you can always change that
Last edited by joppu; 2009-09-22 at 07:47.
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2009-09-22
, 07:54
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Posts: 540 |
Thanked: 387 times |
Joined on May 2009
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#3
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I beg to differ. It like other "user friendly Desktop" distros does not contain the necessary packages to compile packages.
Puppy Linux is good for usb thumb drives.
You are going to just have to experiment to find what you like. You also need to decide if you want to use Gnome, KDE or another window manager. Distros to investigate: Ubuntu (choose manual, and don't let it allocate the whole disk), Fedora, SuSE (avoid this for now, as the installer likes to wipe out existing partitions even when you tell it not to), Sabayon, PCLinuxOS. Avoid Gentoo for now at least.
The GParted LiveCD is also quite helpful.
Don't bother installing any OS without an ethernet connection, as you will need to get online to install your wifi drivers. This has gotten better but even with Ubuntu you may need to compile madwifi drivers (Atheros-only) or linux-backports-modules-RELEASE-generic + linux-backports-modules-RELEASE in the case of Ubuntu.
Blah.
Puppy Linux is good for usb thumb drives.
You are going to just have to experiment to find what you like. You also need to decide if you want to use Gnome, KDE or another window manager. Distros to investigate: Ubuntu (choose manual, and don't let it allocate the whole disk), Fedora, SuSE (avoid this for now, as the installer likes to wipe out existing partitions even when you tell it not to), Sabayon, PCLinuxOS. Avoid Gentoo for now at least.
The GParted LiveCD is also quite helpful.
Don't bother installing any OS without an ethernet connection, as you will need to get online to install your wifi drivers. This has gotten better but even with Ubuntu you may need to compile madwifi drivers (Atheros-only) or linux-backports-modules-RELEASE-generic + linux-backports-modules-RELEASE in the case of Ubuntu.
Blah.
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2009-09-22
, 08:00
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Posts: 1,589 |
Thanked: 720 times |
Joined on Aug 2009
@ Arlington (DFW), Texas
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#4
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Thanks, joppu. I'm checking out this other thread here:
http://talk.maemo.org/showthread.php?t=21992
What are the differences between Debian, Ubuntu, and Kubuntu? What is a KDE? XFCE?
For now, I want the best Linux experience for a new user. I want an intuitive interface and access to all of my hardware. If something is simple, but may not be useful after using for 6 months, needing a more advanced distro, tell me now. I prefer hard learning curve to limited capability. I'm an S60 user instead of an iPhone user for this reason, and hope you can keep that in mind...
http://talk.maemo.org/showthread.php?t=21992
What are the differences between Debian, Ubuntu, and Kubuntu? What is a KDE? XFCE?
For now, I want the best Linux experience for a new user. I want an intuitive interface and access to all of my hardware. If something is simple, but may not be useful after using for 6 months, needing a more advanced distro, tell me now. I prefer hard learning curve to limited capability. I'm an S60 user instead of an iPhone user for this reason, and hope you can keep that in mind...
__________________
Maemo-Freak.com
"...and the Freaks shall inherit the Earth."
Maemo-Freak.com
"...and the Freaks shall inherit the Earth."
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2009-09-22
, 08:04
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Posts: 2,802 |
Thanked: 4,491 times |
Joined on Nov 2007
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#5
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Ubuntu is probably the best option, in terms of suitability for beginners (and advanced users) and similarity to Maemo (both are derived from Debian).
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2009-09-22
, 08:11
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Posts: 362 |
Thanked: 109 times |
Joined on May 2009
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#6
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Originally Posted by christexaport
KDE is the desktop and window manager based on QT, so having QT is very close to Maemo and Symbian based on QT. On top of KDE are applications like KOffice (KWord, ..) just ported to Maemo 5, and the internet browser Konqueror...
I'm checking out this other thread here [kubuntu step by step:]
http://talk.maemo.org/showthread.php?t=21992
What are the differences between Debian, Ubuntu, and Kubuntu? What is a KDE? XFCE?
I found www.wikipedia.org very good in explaining KDE, XFCE and differences between distros. Maemo and Ubuntu are Debian-based.
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2009-09-22
, 08:15
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Posts: 1,589 |
Thanked: 720 times |
Joined on Aug 2009
@ Arlington (DFW), Texas
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#7
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You guys are speaking French right now. Slow down for a second.
Don't be scared to school me!! Give up the info, guys. I'm a knowledge whore.
Originally Posted by linuxeventually
Compile as in develop software? I may not do that soon, but glad to know that. Which distro are you speaking about, Ubuntu? Kubuntu?
I beg to differ. It like other "user friendly Desktop" distros does not contain the necessary packages to compile packages.
Originally Posted by linuxeventually
What makes it good? Please elaborate as much as possible. Why isn't Ubuntu as good for a jump drive, for instance?
Puppy Linux is good for usb thumb drives.
Originally Posted by linuxeventually
Is Gnome, KDE, and the "window manager" a task management method or a UI type, as I'd heard before? Do they both do the same things? Which is more common in the US, Gnome or KDE? Isn't the N8xx Gnome based? Does GTK have something to do with Gnome?
You are going to just have to experiment to find what you like. You also need to decide if you want to use Gnome, KDE or another window manager.
Don't be scared to school me!! Give up the info, guys. I'm a knowledge whore.
Originally Posted by linuxeventually
What do you mean "choose manual"? For the partitioning?
Distros to investigate: Ubuntu (choose manual, and don't let it allocate the whole disk),
Originally Posted by linuxeventually
Thanks for the suggestions. I've heard of SuSE and Fedora, but why aren't they as popular as Ubuntu right now? Wondering why they've been around so long and other options are now more popular. Is it something Ubuntu has on them I should know? Talk advantages/disadvantages of the various distros as much as you can.
Fedora, SuSE (avoid this for now, as the installer likes to wipe out existing partitions even when you tell it not to), Sabayon, PCLinuxOS. Avoid Gentoo for now at least.
Originally Posted by linuxeventually
I'll have a connected Win system on hand for access, but thanks for the heads up. Where do you go for drivers, especially for a notebook?
The GParted LiveCD is also quite helpful.
Don't bother installing any OS without an ethernet connection, as you will need to get online to install your wifi drivers.
Originally Posted by linuxeventually
Compile is a scary word. Sounds like build or cook, two things I do well in English, but I don't speak Linux yet. I don't even know what on Mars you just said, but I promise not to forget.
This has gotten better but even with Ubuntu you may need to compile madwifi drivers (Atheros-only) or linux-backports-modules-RELEASE-generic + linux-backports-modules-RELEASE in the case of Ubuntu.
Blah.
__________________
Maemo-Freak.com
"...and the Freaks shall inherit the Earth."
Maemo-Freak.com
"...and the Freaks shall inherit the Earth."
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2009-09-22
, 08:18
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Posts: 540 |
Thanked: 387 times |
Joined on May 2009
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#8
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Debian is a "core" distro, many are derived from it such as Ubuntu and Knoppix, as well as OS200X. Debian is for advanced users. Stick with Ubuntu (but know that certain parts treat you like a baby, sudo, disabled root login, etc.)
Ubuntu uses Gnome window manager by default, there are some complicated behind-the-scenes differences but for what you need to know:
Gnome
KDE (comes with Kubuntu by default)
XFCE (comes with Xubuntu)
xfce is lighter than the other two, but you will probably still need the GTK and QT libraries.
Personal preference, really. I prefer Gnome but that's just my opinion.
Ubuntu uses Gnome window manager by default, there are some complicated behind-the-scenes differences but for what you need to know:
Gnome
KDE (comes with Kubuntu by default)
XFCE (comes with Xubuntu)
xfce is lighter than the other two, but you will probably still need the GTK and QT libraries.
Personal preference, really. I prefer Gnome but that's just my opinion.
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2009-09-22
, 08:20
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Posts: 362 |
Thanked: 109 times |
Joined on May 2009
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#9
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Debian
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linux_distribution
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compari..._distributions
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compari...p_environments
KDE and GNOME are written almost completely on special software libraries Qt and GTK+ respectively.[4] This usually means that virtually every component of the desktop environment including the file manager explicitly depends on that library for its functioning.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KDE
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qt_(toolkit)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linux_distribution
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compari..._distributions
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compari...p_environments
KDE and GNOME are written almost completely on special software libraries Qt and GTK+ respectively.[4] This usually means that virtually every component of the desktop environment including the file manager explicitly depends on that library for its functioning.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KDE
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qt_(toolkit)
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2009-09-22
, 08:22
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Posts: 1,589 |
Thanked: 720 times |
Joined on Aug 2009
@ Arlington (DFW), Texas
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#10
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Originally Posted by Architengi
Cool! So most of the guys here probably are KDE users? And having a KDE based distro means I get all the KOffice apps too?
KDE is the desktop and window manager based on QT, so having QT is very close to Maemo and Symbian based on QT. On top of KDE are applications like KOffice (KWord, ..) just ported to Maemo 5, and the internet browser Konqueror...
I never wondered about this, but I use Firefox, Maxthon, and IE for web browsing. Is there a competitive browser for Linux? Is it better, competitive, or "close, but not there yet"? Basically, what's the best browser for Linux? Does which distro I use decide which apps I can install?
Originally Posted by linuxeventually
Aaargh! I know you're right, too, bro. (hope you're a guy. If not, sorry if I offended) That was like my mother telling me to "look it up" after I ask what something meant as a kid. I'm just sick of reading Wikipedia so much lately. Linux is half of wikipedia, from what I've seen. LOL
I found www.wikipedia.org very good in explaining KDE, XFCE and differences between distros. Maemo and Ubuntu are Debian-based.
__________________
Maemo-Freak.com
"...and the Freaks shall inherit the Earth."
Maemo-Freak.com
"...and the Freaks shall inherit the Earth."
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I'm pretty good on the Windows tech. Here's what I need to know. What will I need on the Linux end once I get my hard drives? How do device drivers work for Linux? Will I need to find them first, or does Linux have a system to handle them seemlessly?
The biggest question of all is which Linux to use? I'm leaning towards Ubuntu because of popularity, but what do you suggest for a beginner? I'm a beginner, but not a tech neophyte. I don't think I'll be tripped up too much, and I want a distro that I can keep. Don't suggest the "My First Linux" distro that I'll want to replace once I get a little knowledge.
What do you guys think?
Maemo-Freak.com
"...and the Freaks shall inherit the Earth."