Linux Revisited

Over the course of the past 3 months I have had the opportunities to try out various Linux distributions. From Red hat 9 to the more recent “Fedora” all the way to the complicated Gentoo, I have tried my best to get into Linux but have always come up discontent. First it was a problem with the way Red hat hates my video card and NVIDIA’s lack of RH support. Then came the corruption of some boot sectors after I attempted to install Fedora. Now I am getting ready to try Linux once more so that when I take up Linux class(es) next semester, I can go home and practice what I learned.

I think I have found the distro I want in SuSE. Looking around that site made me feel like it was a fool proof way to jump into Linux starting with the way the installer functions. The problem is; I can not find the blasted link to download SuSE 9. I must be blind or impeccably stupid because I simply do not see it. Other than that I am not use which shell (?) I should go with. Should I use Gnome or KDE? (Of course I will want to emulate the OS X look so I would also need one that is easily modified).

So what do you think? Can anyone tell me where I can find 9 (ftp info would be nice), which shell I should use and point me in the direction of some good skinning tutorials? If you could I would be very appreciative indeed. Thank you.

#78826

hello there...

Suse is a very good distro infact it keeps getting good reviews from linux mags, it beats RH9 and MDK9.1.

And about the download link, I dont think that they do free downloads, which means suse is only for sale. <_<

cheerz

#78830

Originally posted by genuine143@Nov 16 2003, 08:01 AM

And about the download link, I dont think that they do free downloads, which means suse is only for sale.  <_<

What???

Did you even go to the SuSE homepage?

There's a big tab which says download.

http://www.suse.com/us/private/download/suse_linux/

Linux is free to download and always will be.

#78831

Originally posted by genuine143@Nov 16 2003, 01:01 PM

And about the download link, I dont think that they do free downloads

What would you call this then?

What I think happened is that 9 is not out yet because every mirror's ftp folder (from internet explorer anyway) says;

Fri Nov 14 18:31:43 MET 2003

Dear visitor of ftp.suse.com or a mirror server of it,

this directory is the placeholder for the upcoming SUSE Linux 9.0-ftp

distribution. As usual, it will be published some days after the product

is available on CDROM/DVD media.

The SuSE Linux 9.0-i386-ftp distribution will be available during the

weekend of November 22/23 on the mirrors and on ftp.suse.com.

Despite enormous network bandwidth resources for ftp.suse.com, you might

not see any acceptable performance from the original server. Therefore,

we strongly suggest to use a mirror server instead to download updates or

the product itself.

Thanks,

Roman,

Interim ftpadmin@suse.com.

#78832

Sorry my bad guys ... heheheh

I cant really remember where I heard it !! I know that linux is for FREE been using it for 7 months mate, what I am saying is that suse was supposed to be only for sale the final release of the last version 8.2 I think because of the problems the linux world is having due to funding hence look at mandrake they were in the verge of bankrupcy but anyway lets not make a big deal of that slip guys .. :shy: heheeh

cheerz

#78835

I believe that SuSE Linux has only up to the previous version available to download. So when version 9 is in stores, the lastest will be 8 (or any other updates) that be available to download.

#78860

Suse is free for FTP install, which I wouldnt recommend, lots of problems.

SID: You are mistaken. You do NOT have to offer your distro on FTP, you can charge whatever you want, as long as you give people the source when you give them the binaries.

NVIDIA not liking redhat? NVIDIA works on any distribution, a driver is part of the kernel, and every distro uses the LINUX kernel.

I don't know what issues you had. You probably just had to install the kernel source RPM.

I recommend Mandrake 9.2 or Fedora. They are both good for ****ies. Both work fine w/ NVIDIA.

#78886

My bad contra....you're right. But watch it with the CAPS (SID). I thought Linux gurus hate capital letters....<_

#78900

GENTOO ALL THE WAY!!!! (Y)

#78949

Originally posted by contrasutra@Nov 16 2003, 05:03 PM

I don't know what issues you had. You probably just had to install the kernel source RPM.

I think I had the same problem these people had/ have.

Well now I'm all confused. So can you download SuSE or not, is 8 the only one up or no?

:canadian: :canadian:

#78968

Originally posted by malignity@Nov 16 2003, 05:06 PM

I think I had the same problem these people had/ have.

Well now I'm all confused. So can you download SuSE or not, is 8 the only one up or no?

:canadian:  :canadian:

Currently, you can do an FTP install of 8.2 Presumably, you will be able to do the same thing with 9.0, but it just came out, so its not updated yet.

#79088

Originally posted by malignity@Nov 16 2003, 06:50 AM

Over the course of the past 3 months I have had the opportunities to try out various Linux distributions. From Red hat 9 to the more recent “Fedora” all the way to the complicated Gentoo, I have tried my best to get into Linux but have always come up discontent. First it was a problem with the way Red hat hates my video card and NVIDIA’s lack of RH support. Then came the corruption of some boot sectors after I attempted to install Fedora. Now I am getting ready to try Linux once more so that when I take up Linux class(es) next semester, I can go home and practice what I learned.

I think I have found the distro I want in SuSE. Looking around that site made me feel like it was a fool proof way to jump into Linux starting with the way the installer functions. The problem is; I can not find the blasted link to download SuSE 9. I must be blind or impeccably stupid because I simply do not see it. Other than that I am not use which shell (?) I should go with. Should I use Gnome or KDE? (Of course I will want to emulate the OS X look so I would also need one that is easily modified).

So what do you think? Can anyone tell me where I can find 9 (ftp info would be nice), which shell I should use and point me in the direction of some good skinning tutorials? If you could I would be very appreciative indeed. Thank you.

hells! yeah! suse rocks alll to hell!

i have 9.0 on my liptoppy laptop, which was an adventure to install with the wireless card (oh man...i do NOT recommend trying it!) and everything

i keep it unmodded since i use it for working on stuff and i use this computer for games and stuff like that (and modding, ovbiously)

SuSE is a very very very very good distro, i think it is the best. have fun!

oh, and use KDE, its easy as hizell to modify (kde-look.org)

lesse, an ftp too? ill look

and you can find skinning tutorials on the kde-look site somwhere

#79092

Originally posted by contrasutra@Nov 17 2003, 01:23 AM

Currently, you can do an FTP install of 8.2 Presumably, you will be able to do the same thing with 9.0, but it just came out, so its not updated yet.

Tell me more. What is this "ftp install" that you speak of?

#79136

"ftp install"- u get the linux boot-up disk with network drivers on it. this allows you to load linux directly from the distros ftp site.

i tried this with mandrake on a cable connection, and boy was it hell. took for ever dropped connections, incomplete downloads.... never did work for me.

also tried it with freebsd and redhat.

(i'm just a sucker for pain) :cry:

#79568

SUSE9 will be available for FTP install on saturday or sunday.

#79593

So then Contra, why would they let you do a FTP install like RoyalPain said and not an iso download? I can only see this as a method to discourage people from using it since the FTP method would consume just as much bandwidth, right?

#79860

Been using Mandrake since 9.0 now and then, and I think the Linux hype is just a crock of BS. I like to play games, do some scanning and editing of pictures and watch DVDs, and for that, Linux just don't hunt. Sure there are "surrogates" to Photoshop and Office, but if you want to play say, Call of Duty or another new game, your up the creek without a paddle, and the Gimp... Well, Photoshop it ain't.

I'm so tired of the "but it's free!" slogan that's repeated like a mantra. I've wound up using Linux to surf the net, that's all. For me at least, XP does everything better than Linux. Or rather, the software available for XP, makes Linux seem like a dead horse. After a while, you just stop beating it, since it is already dead.

Linux has come a long way since I first tried RH some 5+ years ago, but it still has far to go. So until then... Honestly.

Btw, I don't hate Linux, I just think it's inferior. Not technically perhaps, but using it IS a pain. Why drive that lightning-fast Ferrari that you can't handle, when you can drive an awesome Mercedes at almost the same speed, but safely and easily? If you're a race-driver, then by all means, go for the Ferrari, but everyone else better use the Merc. It will get you there, and is a breeze to drive. See the analogy?

/me puts on flame-retardant suit.

#79893

Originally posted by Frankenchrist@Nov 18 2003, 01:32 PM

Been using Mandrake since 9.0 now and then, and I think the Linux hype is just a crock of BS. I like to play games, do some scanning and editing of pictures and watch DVDs, and for that, Linux just don't hunt. Sure there are "surrogates" to Photoshop and Office, but if you want to play say, Call of Duty or another new game, your up the creek without a paddle, and the Gimp... Well, Photoshop it ain't.

I'm so tired of the "but it's free!" slogan that's repeated like a mantra. I've wound up using Linux to surf the net, that's all. For me at least, XP does everything better than Linux. Or rather, the software available for XP, makes Linux seem like a dead horse. After a while, you just stop beating it, since it is already dead.

Linux has come a long way since I first tried RH some 5+ years ago, but it still has far to go. So until then... Honestly.

Btw, I don't hate Linux, I just think it's inferior. Not technically perhaps, but using it IS a pain. Why drive that lightning-fast Ferrari that you can't handle, when you can drive an awesome Mercedes at almost the same speed, but safely and easily? If you're a race-driver, then by all means, go for the Ferrari, but everyone else better use the Merc. It will get you there, and is a breeze to drive. See the analogy?

/me puts on flame-retardant suit.

man, why did you ahve to change the topic? you know this is just flamebait... <_<

#79903

Yeah, Im going to ignore that flamebait, and just point out that 9.0 is OVER A YEAR OLD!

malignity: It actually takes up less bandwidth, and discourages people using the free version.

In the FTP install, you only download what you want to install at that moment (you can download more later though), on an ISO, you have downloaded EVERY PROGRAM in the distribution.

And SUSE has like 4GB of stuff, so if you only wany maybe 1.5-2GB of that, they've saved a lot of bandwidth.

#79915

Well before I go into what Contra said I want to make something clear to everyone who might be reading this with the same frame of mind as Frankenchrist. I have a few friends who are in the I.T business and from what I have seen for myself they are the only group of friends who enjoy doing what they do for a living. I wanted to be so many things over the course of my life and at one point I wanted to be a CG artist for a motion picture company since the game aspect of things did not interest me as much when it came to money. Then reality hit me. I looked at the money these poor people make and it’s hardly worth the trouble (I am talking about starting salary -- no bueno indeed). Along came a friend of mine who was dating someone in the IT field and she mesmerized me with how sweet he made his job out to be. I started talking to more and more in the business and every single one of them said that they loved what they do and are not like most people in the world that loath what they do but keep doing it out of obligation.

I love computers. I love technology in general so it makes sense that I too jump the bandwagon and make that my career. The problem I am facing however is that most of them said that when it comes to the servers... most clients are running some form of *nix. If you do not know how to work it then you are going to get screwed. Yes Microsoft does make server editions of Windows, but when you look around the net... most sites are powered by some type of a *nix box which to me shows how inferior Windows is when not for home use.

I have signed up to take a bunch of classes this year that will prepare me for my future career. So far I have not dealt with the Linux side of things but that will all change starting next year. In the meantime I want to start using something easy so that when class starts I won’t feel so lost. SuSE seems like the best choice out of every single distro I have seen since it’s geared mostly towards personal desktop use. YaST will help me out greatly when it comes to disk partition and the fact that it says that SuSE can read and write to FAT partitions on its home page makes me very excited because that means I can use the goodies I have saved on my second drive when running Linux.

Now back on topic;

Contra about how long would you say it would take to download SuSE 9 from the FTP install if you are only looking to install a personal (non production / server) environment? If this were Redhat it would be the equivalence of using the desktop option when looking at which version to install (I guess). Also is KDE really the best way to go when it comes to replicating Apple's GUI? I ask again because I looked at KDE-look and those Aqua themes are horrid compared to the few I have seen for Gnome. It could just be that the KDE developers are not very good or it could be that KDE just does not offer you the same level of customizations -- which is why I ask.

#80197

Well, I dont know how long it would take. I dont recommend it though, because if you get disconnected, you have to start over.

If you want to learn linux for a job, dive right in and go for Slackware or ArchLinux. They're really not hard. You could even suffer through Debian.

You wont learn anything with a GUI. I guarantee it.

So yeah, dont go for Suse. If you have an i686 machine, Archlinux(.org) all the way.

I, and everyone else here will gladly help you when we can.

Also, EVERY distro can read and write to FAT32, and every distro can read to NTFS.

Its built into the kernel.

#80214

Originally posted by contrasutra@Nov 19 2003, 12:16 AM

if you get disconnected, you have to start over.

Nuff said on that (Y)

The reason why I want to go the SuSE rout as compared to Gentoo or Slackware is because I have zero Linux experience under my belt as of right now. I want to go at it in steps; starting with the super easy and then working my way up to more complicated distros. I have been told to go with Redhat/Fedora but like I said, those NVIDIA drivers are a must for me because those windows rendered horridly slow and I could not stand it.

As far ask asking for which GUI goes... I only wanted to know which one is easier to customize because I would like something to do when I have some free time (much like I do with Windows).

#80258

Any distro you pick will have the same programs, therefore customizability.

The only difference will be install and GUI Setup tools.

Since you want to learn, the GUI setup tools aren't good, and even the worst install a ****ie can do with some help.

Ask Bolero. He's no guru, but was able to set up ArchLinux successfully.

Also, RaginAsian was able to sucessfully install and setup Slackware without ever using linux before.

#80264

Originally posted by contrasutra@Nov 16 2003, 05:03 PM

I recommend Mandrake 9.2 or Fedora

After much debate I have decided to use Fedora (again) as you said since the latest version came up on the third of this month. The mistake I made was installing a previous version and then finding out a newer one was out but the installation was smooth as butter thanks to your disk partition method :rule:

At anyrate I have three questions that I hope someone can help me with.

1. How do I get my TV card (Hauppage) to work with Fedora?

(What do I need to install to get the card to work and what app should I use to see my shows)

2. How do I install the latest NVIDIA drivers?

3. How do I get Fedora to see my C: Windows partition and D: drive?

(Both are FAT32 and I could see both when I had SuSE last night, but under Fedora I cant)

Thank you :rock:

#80733

I finally got numbers 3 and 4 to work. Now all I need to do is figure out how to get my tv card to work and then how to get rid of that nasty Gnome startup error taken care of and I will be good to go.

God how I love Linux.

#80820