[request]infos On Linux

Hi, im lunix-curious and is willing to try it out, contrasutra told me the best starting linux is Mandrake. Unfortunately www.linux-mandrake.com is not working.

Until it comes back online, i'd like some informations about the most esthetically beautiful Linux and useful.

I already have Win2k and WinXP for a person that likes to modify its OS would Linux be good for me???

Does Linux take 2gig of space like XP????

I'm more and more interesting in Getting Linux...just be writing this message my status changed from curious to wanna try it out!!

I need a link for a starter linux!!!!

thanks in advance :woot:

#43036

Hi,

have a search for Knoppix, it's a full bootable CD with a complete Linux on it. Don't install anything on your PC. It is a project from www.heise.de. Really good for testing out.

Otherwise I prefer Suse.com. The space, you can make a install on a 1.4 MB floppy. Full bootable. The "standard" Installation with Office and full KDE, most of the games... needs something about 1.3 GB.

Have phun!

hcb

#43044

http://www.mandrakelinux.com

http://www.linuxmandrake.com

http://www.linux-mandrake.com

...all point to the same Mandrake Linux site. Keep on trying

Enjoy

#43070

Mandrake Linux is like Red Hat Linux (powerfull) but easy to use (Red Hat 8 is evil in the User interface side of things).

Takes around 2GB on my HD but it can vary (ton's of development and other stuff that I probely don't need)

#43075

You might wanna try J.A.M.D.. Its based of of RedHat9 and is only 1 disk. It also comes with a Aquafied interface and Noia Icons. Even the taskbar is set-up like a dock. The downside is its as is. You dont get the option to add devopment tools or anything. But it does come with GAIM, Gimp, Mplayer, XMMS, Mozilla and a lot of other apps. Well worth the download.

#43079

So Mandrake, Suse, knoppix or J.A.M.D.?

I actually know nothing of Linux...absolutely nothing, i know there's a nice learning curve but i don't want it to be too hard. If there's a Linux with a GUI that does not look like an Aqua interface but it's easy to start with, i'd rather start with it....

thanks :shy:

#43084

I have a seperate drive to try differnt distros with. I would reccomend doin it that way if you have a spare drive. Play with one and if you dont like it install a new one.

#43090

I got Mandrake, and I love it!

Its damn easy too. You can do all the stuff you do on Windows. But if you want, you can also dive into the more advanced stuff - the UNIX side of it

#43097

Linux is a completly different system than Windows.

When you first start,it will be like you're learning a computer for the first time. Just to warn you.

You shouldnt start to learn it half-heardidly, because you'll only endup frustrated. If you've got some time though, UNIX is a wonderful thing to learn.

So if you're still interested, look at:

http://linux.com/article.pl?sid=02/03/09/1727250

http://linuxiso.org/viewdoc.php/introtolinux.html

distrowatch.com

before you even start to download.

Linux isn't just an Operating System, its a way of thinking (cheasy, I know). There's lots of Open Source Zealots (me being one of them) and people choose Open Source not just because it costs no money, or you can tweak it, but because they believe in the GPL and the Free Software Foundation.

Of course, you don't have to be so upsessed with it, but just to warn you that some people will really jump down your throat if you say "oh, this is just a crappy Windows" or something. Its not just the code that people like.

Look at: http://www.linux.org/info/gnu.html to read the GPL.

#43110

I dare to disagree, Contra. For me, it was a smooth transition. There was NO learning curve. I admit, I know less than a speck of what Linux has to offer, but I believe that anyone who is comfortable using Windows can easily adjust to (at least) Mandrake. Just mess around for a day or two and get the hang of stuff. With Mandrake, at least, you have everything offered in an easy GUI. So you don't have to worry about having to do tons of stuff in the Terminal. Although I'd highly recommend you learn to use a few UNIX commands. They come in handy often times. :smartass:

#43113

Thats the thing, Linux gives you soo much more power, that you THINK you know a lot (because thats all windows lets you know). But you're right, you can become productive in desktop work quickly. Its just when you want to start scripting and doing other stuff, that you have to learn.

If you choose Mandrake, learn to use URPMI

its a APT like system for Mandrake. Just type :

"urpmi [program]"

and the program (and all its dependancies) will automatically be downloaded and installed. In binary packages, Linux has windows beat by far (APT, urpmi,etc).

#43114

*beware of using urpmi with a 56k modem*

also don't get the idea that it will save you from rpm hell - dependency problems seem to still come up a lot.

That said, its quite nice to use with an oc/12 connection

imo, mandrake 9.1 is the best linux ever, and is the best if you are a beginner. (Lindows doesn't count.) by the time mandrake 9.2 comes this autumn, i think Linux will finally be a better desktop os than windows

#43161

Originally posted by contrasutra@Jul 27 2003, 06:13 PM

If you choose Mandrake, learn to use URPMI

its a APT like system for Mandrake. Just type :

"urpmi [program]"

and the program (and all its dependancies) will automatically be downloaded and installed. In binary packages, Linux has windows beat by far (APT, urpmi,etc).

It might sound stupid but is there a list of all of those programs??

Ok, made up my mind, seemed Mandrake is the one, downloading the third cd right now, burnt the 2 first one...

I wanna know a couple things though:

I'm gonna make a partition for Linux, how big should it be???

Will i be able to browse through my other partitions using Linux?

Should i install it when i'm in Windows or should i use it as a boot cd??

Once i'm comfy with Mandrake, i might try some others...

as of now KDE looks pretty sweet...

Thats all, thanks in advance for your help!!

#43204

Originally posted by contrasutra@Jul 27 2003, 02:13 PM

[. . .]

its a APT like system for Mandrake. Just type :

[. . .]

and the program (and all its dependancies) will automatically be downloaded and installed. In binary packages, Linux has windows beat by far (APT, urpmi,etc).

dude, you don't mean APT as in apt-get, do ya??

Coz I use it all the time in OS X!

#43206

yeah, you use apt-get as part of FINK, an OSX version of Debian Linux.

APT is the whole tool, apt-get is just one part of it.

I'm gonna make a partition for Linux, how big should it be???

As big as you can afford. Its a whole operating system, feed it right. And you may find out theres lots of big programs you want.

During the install, read carefully, as not to wipe out Windows.

Will i be able to browse through my other partitions using Linux?

You can read/write to FAT32 and read NTFS.

Should i install it when i'm in Windows or should i use it as a boot cd??

You have to boot off the CD. Theres no other way.

as of now KDE looks pretty sweet...

KDE is not a distribution, but a DESKTOP ENVIRONMENT (a GUI for linux as linux is just a command line). There are others, but I believe KDE is the default in mandrake.

#43208

Originally posted by MetalMusicAddict@Jul 27 2003, 02:09 PM

You might wanna try J.A.M.D.. Its based of of RedHat9 and is only 1 disk. It also comes with a Aquafied interface and Noia Icons. Even the taskbar is set-up like a dock. The downside is its as is. You dont get the option to add devopment tools or anything. But it does come with GAIM, Gimp, Mplayer, XMMS, Mozilla and a lot of other apps. Well worth the download.

Heyyyy... I've successfully installed J.A.M.D! And I love it. Thanks for the link.

#43209

And If you want GCC so you can compile, you can probobly do:

"apt-get install gcc"

"apt-get install g++"

im not sure though, since Ive never used APT4RPM.

#43213

Originally posted by fireball@Jul 28 2003, 12:05 AM

Heyyyy... I've successfully installed J.A.M.D! And I love it. Thanks for the link. 

Isn't it really really slow?

#43218

why would it be really really slow? Did I miss something? Its i686 compiled, so it should be faster than mandrake/redhat. Well, not really, because I have yet to see any speed increase in self compiling. But I digress....

#43220

well, its running off a cd right? Isnt that supposed to be slow?

#43222

Originally posted by Taha@Jul 28 2003, 04:53 AM

Isn't it really really slow?

It's running well in my P4. I have yet to update the graphics drivers because the GL screensavers and games are slow. (maybe that's what you meant?).

#43226

Originally posted by contrasutra@Jul 28 2003, 04:02 AM

KDE is not a distribution, but a DESKTOP ENVIRONMENT (a GUI for linux as linux is just a command line). There are others, but I believe KDE is the default in mandrake.

I know, i'm sorry i meant it more like:

i might try some more distros but right now KDE seduced me and that's why im gonna install Mandrake.

sorry about that...

well, i'm gonna make myself a 4gig partition and install Mandrake, see you once im reborn..hehe

#43227

Taha:

Thats Knoppix, JAMD is a modified version of Redhat.

oh, on getting the dev tools for jamd, apt-get:

gcc

gcc-c++

make

rpm-build

#43231

Woohoo!!! im writing this using Mandrake Linux 9.1 with KDE 3.1

top sweet!!

gimme a couple of days and i'll be pretty much used to everything in it...hehe...maybe more than that...

this is soo cool!!!

With the soon-to-be release of pack's mod and with GNU Linux, i got the perfect setup!!!

woot!

quick question, is there a way to rename my booting OSes in the boot menu?

thanks again! You've made me a new man!!

#43243

Originally posted by Magnolium@Jul 28 2003, 09:17 AM

quick question, is there a way to rename my booting OSes in the boot menu?

thanks again! You've made me a new man!!

I've got the same question, I think we have to edit some grub (or lilo) files, I found it on the internet, but I didn't make anything cause I was afraid of breaking the boot...

contra help us please

#43284