Fedora core - beginner user?

firthy15 · 14 Oct 2006 at 20:16

Hi, im just getting into linux and i am starting to use it at uni on my course.

I'd like to use the same distro at home / uni rather than going for something "easier" like ubuntu, which everyone recomends for beginners

Is there actually must difficulty installing something like fedora core 5?

i saw no diffculty in using it at university but maybe the installing is a tad harder?

*edit - sorry edited to make more sense

Una · 14 Oct 2006 at 20:20

What? Make more sence.

deano · 14 Oct 2006 at 20:29

fedora core 5 is probably as easy to install as windows, also look at centos as this may be what your uni uses.

cheers
deano

Una · 14 Oct 2006 at 20:35

Yeah fc5 is just as easy to install as something like ubuntu. If your worried about messing up your system, install it in a virtual machine (in vmware) or something first to get the hang of it (not really worth it though).

Hate · 14 Oct 2006 at 20:50

firthy15 said:
I'd like to use the same distro at home / uni rather than going for something "easier" like ubuntu, which everyone recomends for beginners

Ubuntu is in no way a dumbed down linux distro, infact i'd go as far to say that Fedora is probably more "hand holdey"

I would still recommend ubuntu as esentially, any linux system can be made like any other linux system - you will find the stuff thats important (i.e the BASH shell) is the same across all(*) distros.

(*) a marker for all you pendants, don't even bother

EirePlane · 14 Oct 2006 at 22:03

I started off on fedora 5 and actually found it much less confusing to install than Ubuntu. Been thinking about reinstalling it lately now that I can use my modem with it.
Unlike Ubuntu/Kubuntu, you have the choice of which display manager to install out of GNOME or KDE or both.

Hate · 14 Oct 2006 at 23:33

EirePlane said:
I started off on fedora 5 and actually found it much less confusing to install than Ubuntu. Been thinking about reinstalling it lately now that I can use my modem with it.
Unlike Ubuntu/Kubuntu, you have the choice of which display manager to install out of GNOME or KDE or both.

you have the choice in ubuntu, they are all availiable in the apt reposatories

pinkegobox · 15 Oct 2006 at 00:20

you want to learn a lot - fast - go with gentoo. if you feel like a wuss... gentoo has an easy gui option too. it is my favourite of all distro's - so that's what i'm going to reccomend. i learnt more in the three days it took to install it first time round than i learnt in 2 years of trying other distro's and never really using them.

EirePlane · 15 Oct 2006 at 01:10

Hate said:
you have the choice in ubuntu, they are all availiable in the apt reposatories

you can download gnome/kde using apt in ubuntu but in Fedora they are both on the CD for you to pick at installation.

BigglesPiP · 15 Oct 2006 at 02:06

I found ubuntu too restructing, and there is a lack of compatable software outside of the repository.

Fedora Core 5 Seems to suit me.

If it werent for my X1900XT. Having to use the vesa driver.

boosfuk · 15 Oct 2006 at 10:42

Fedora Core is good (Fedora Core 3 got me started in Linux) - also Fedora Core 6 is out on Tuesday and I've heard good things about it.
Whatever distribution you choose you will have to learn a few basics such as permissions, software installing, console commands etc. Also you must be prepared to refer to the various guides/HOWTOs that are available online for that specific distribution - e.g. to get latest Nvidia/ATI drivers installed.

I would not be worried about picking any of the top half dozen distributions. Try them all - I think each has a live CD version. You can always change if not comfortable - it is not as if it costs anything!

firthy15 · 15 Oct 2006 at 13:00

ok then ive got the partition on my drive sorted and i am downloading the dvd iso of fedora core 5 now.

Thanks for the advice

Hate · 15 Oct 2006 at 15:11

BigglesPiP said:
I found ubuntu too restructing, and there is a lack of compatable software outside of the repository.

compile the source yourself?

Una · 15 Oct 2006 at 15:13

BigglesPiP said:
I found ubuntu too restructing, and there is a lack of compatable software outside of the repository.

Fedora Core 5 Seems to suit me.

If it werent for my X1900XT. Having to use the vesa driver.

Erm... there is just as many deb packages are there are rpms, you can always build it from source if there is no package available or build your own package.

EirePlane said:
you can download gnome/kde using apt in ubuntu but in Fedora they are both on the CD for you to pick at installation.

I run archlinux, which comes with no XWindows system out of the box. So allows you to configure which Xserver/WM etc.. you want to install, which is nice.