Taking The Linux Plunge

I've decided to finally reinstall Linux. I used to use RH a bit back in the day, but I'm really excited by the Linux desktops, but I really need mine to look like my current XP desktop (which, of course, looks like OSX!). So does anyone have any thoughts on good distros, KDE/GNOME (I'm leaning towards KDE), installing for dual boot (I want to keep my current windows setup, which has 20 odd gigs for a windows NTFS drive and 40 gigs for a files NTFS drive). I've got the 2 discs of Libranet (based on Debian) sitting here so I was going to clear a 4 gig parition and a 1 gig swap, using Parition Magic, and do an install on here. I've also got my ton of wallpapers, icons (I'm excited to finally use all those PNG icons I have for my dock!) on Files I want to use in Linux. I'm also planning on getting a new monitor and possibly a wireless ethernet adaptor, so can I easily add those? Whaddya y'all think?

I took a look at gooeylinux, too, but it's defintely more GNOME oriented (kde-look.org, on the other hand is great for KDE users).

P.S. I posted this here because it's not really customization (yet!)

#99165

Actually, you'd be suprised how many people at gooey linux have kde installed on their machines.

...Anyway..go with gnome, its more user friendly, easier to use, and this is a matter of choice, but you can make it look prettier, even though kde can have that menu at top thingi. BTW, the best and easiest to install and most up to date distro currently is FEDORA CORE 1, which also happens to be free, you can grab the isos at http://fedora.redhat.com

#99169

GNOME! GNOME! GNOME!

Go for GNOME me says, I doubt you'd regret it.

#99170

Yeah, I would recommend Fedora or Mandrake as well. They seem to be what most people pick.

If you have any experience with UNIX though, there are better, more pure distributions out there (I like ArchLinux).

#99176

I've heard the reviews of Fedora Core 1 were so so. I figured a Debian based machine would be more stable (and Libra comes with multimedia out of the box, unlike Fedora and is easier to install than straight deb) and apt-get is one of the reasons I decided to try linux again (though Fedora uses apt/yum/etc).

I have some experience with the SunOS at the CLI, but not enough to make a difference, I guess.

Concerning GNOME and KDE I might install both and see which one I like better. Gnome seems a little behind KDE in features and stuff and rather more mem/cpu intensive.

Thanks for the help!

#99221

GNOME! GNOME! GNOME!
Go for GNOME me says, I doubt you'd regret it.

What he said :rule: . I actually have completely Aquafied my GNOME using just skins from http://art.gnome.org/

You'd be surprised. :naughty:

#100531

Originally posted by kikuchiyo@Jan 13 2004, 12:30 AM
I've heard the reviews of Fedora Core 1 were so so. I figured a Debian based machine would be more stable (and Libra comes with multimedia out of the box, unlike Fedora and is easier to install than straight deb) and apt-get is one of the reasons I decided to try linux again (though Fedora uses apt/yum/etc).
I have some experience with the SunOS at the CLI, but not enough to make a difference, I guess.
Concerning GNOME and KDE I might install both and see which one I like better. Gnome seems a little behind KDE in features and stuff and rather more mem/cpu intensive.
Thanks for the help!

Unless you do something like Debian Stable (which will give you an out of date system), one distro isnt better than another. They are all based off the same programs, and the patches that are applied rarely make a big difference.

#100539

, basically the newer the distro is, the more up to date it is, the easier it is to use. Cuz you don't have to compile every single prog you might need, like older distros might come with out of date progs, like python 1.9, while programs might need 2.3, so its easier to just get fedora, or using apt, you can automatically install almost everything.

#100609