Looking to use linux - Complete Beginner

wannabedamned

wannabedamned

wannabedamned

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I'm looking to use Linux, Ubuntu seems the obvious choice but I thought I'd ask some questions here first.

I need to be able to run Blender, Also I used Ubuntu about 3 years ago and I liked the OS, But I never delved, I just used it as it came. If i needed to do anything fancy I needed to follow online tutorials, Even to install new software I required tutorials. I'm that much of a novice. I dont even know any commands.

But I'm looking for a Linux OS that will allow me to learn, I want to know these commands like i know DOS(Completely), I want to beable to customize the OS to my exact Specification, Which as far as I'm aware is completely possible using Linux Opensource OS. But I'm guessing the learning curve is steep. I dont mind that though :p

So what are the recommendations?

I'm going to be installing the Distro on a Laptop, Dual core, 2GB Ram and Intel onboard graphics (Bleugh)

Couple of question I just thought of on top.

1. Can you get the Xbox 360 wired pad working in Linux?
2. Emulators, Are there plenty of good ones that work in Linux? (PSX, Snes, Dreamcast.. I'm guessing yes?)

Thanks
 
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I'm using the latest openSUSE at home, really like it, the latest ubuntu build is spot on as well. There's plenty of linux tutorials out there for beginners.

If your looking to run windows software on either you can install Wine, can be a bit patchy with some software though.
 
I'd say you're pretty well on track with Ubuntu. It's pretty noob-oriented, has a mahoosive user-base (and consequentially much online help available), and is very nicely polished.

Alternatives include Mint (which is Ubuntu but with extra codecs, custom menu etc on top), Fedora (probably a bit too technical/hands-on for you at this stage), and OpenSUSE as was said above. Personally, despite its extra polish, I dislike OpenSUSE. Too many common apps/packages either don't exist for it, or are incredibly hard to find.

Ubuntu/Mint on the other hand has well over 22,000 apps available, and is so easy to use that I literally have the kids and the grandparents using it (saves on Windows tech support calls and call-outs for 'omgviruses' :p). You'll soon pick up the terminal (command line) stuff, it's really 'intuitive' once you start at it. Have fun!

[Basic Linux Commands]
 
I think Mint may be worth a look at for me then, AS the Custom Menu's, etc. Are part of what i want. Will have a look though. Thanks! Also, Done a bit of searching and xbox 360 controller does work, Ubuntu has Xpad kernel as standard, but it's installable if Mint lacks it.
 
wannabedamned said:
I think Mint may be worth a look at for me then, AS the Custom Menu's, etc. Are part of what i want. Will have a look though. Thanks! Also, Done a bit of searching and xbox 360 controller does work, Ubuntu has Xpad kernel as standard, but it's installable if Mint lacks it.
Click to expand...

Sorry, you're right - I forgot to answer that question lol :) Controllers work fine, but I'm not sure about emulators as I've never used them. The Linux Mint community is small but super friendly. They basically just rehash the Ubuntu release of the day with their custom artwork, menus and tools so if the Ubuntu kernel supports it you can be pretty sure Mint does, too.

Make sure you get the x64 version unless you have a strong reason not to, and also be aware they do a 'free' edition which doesn't have the codecs etc installed, for international release. You don't want that one, you want the 'full' version (also free as in beer, just not entirely free as in speech). :D

While you're playing around, PCLinuxOS is also well worth a look. It's RPM based (a spin-off from Mandriva) but very nicely done. Personally I prefer *buntu though as, being based on Debian rather than an RPM distro, it has way larger software archives.
 
1. Install ubuntu.
2. Find what doesn't work with what you want to do.
3. Search and ask on the internet to fix those things, even though you don't understand what you're typing.
4. Hate it.
5. Persevere.
6. Learn.
7. Love it! :D
 
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Forgive me if I've missed something (I'm on my phone atm) but why do you need Blender and glibc tars? They'll be in the repository already, unless you need bleeding edge or custom versions for work, or something? Just wondered :p
 
Honestly? Because I dont know what the repository is :D

I'm currently running the live CD now, Actually posting from within Mint. Going to have a look for this repository, I'm guessing it is, what it sounds like.

Infact it is, Software manager > Search "Blender"

And it came up :p
 
Nobody has told him where to get apps from. So he is doing it the only way he knows... The Windows way.

Wannabedamned, surfing the net for apps to install is the very thing you DO NOT DO in Linux UNLESS there is no other way to get the particular app you require or want to build from source.

Practically ALL Linux software resides in a secure place called a repository. You should have a GUI manager to list/get apps. In Ubuntu it's called Software Centre and lives under Applications or Synaptic Package Manager and that lives under System/Administration

or, if you know the apps name then in Terminal type
Code: 
 sudo apt-get install blender
 
Outcast said:
Nobody has told him where to get apps from. So he is doing it the only way he knows... The Windows way.
Click to expand...

Yes, but to be fair that's because in his OP he said:

wannabedamned said:
Even to install new software I required tutorials.
Click to expand...

:p ;)

So I presumed he at least had the idea where to find stuff. But yes, now it's been pointed out - try Synaptic Package Manager. It's awesome. So unlike Windows, and so much easier. As Outcast says you can use the software 'repos' for 99.99% of your software needs - everything from browsers to office suites, to GIMP and yes, Blender. :)

EDIT: BTW wannabedamned, check out the excellent Ubuntu Guide. Just FYI, the latest Mint is based on Ubuntu Maverick Meerkat (10.10) which is the guide I linked you to. If you get stuck, use it as your first port of call (apart from here of course!). It's super handy, and covers almost all the basics very well in a handy wiki-style format.
 
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Indeed, it's a hard concept to get around at first but the majority of Open Source (and some non free) linux software resides in the repository. There's 32,551 packages available to me right now.


To find a program you should search in this order:
1. Is it in the repository?
2. Does the author or someone reputable provide a 3rd party repository for the program?
3. Can I download a .deb (or .rpm for other distros) file to install?
4. Only now should I install with a binary installer or compile from source.

Methods 1 to 3 make the "package mamager" aware of the files you install, meaning you can easily uninstall or upgrade. Also meaning any programs required by this one are automatically installed too...
 
I would avoid ubuntu as it has started to go off on a tangent and some things and file locations aren't standard anymore.

I would go Debian Testing for what you describe.
 
I use both Ubuntu and Linux Mint, they're both extremely polished now :)

Mint should really incorporate other colour schemes, like peppermint, anise, softmint etc

Missing a trick there :D
 
BigglesPiP said:
1. Install ubuntu.
2. Find what doesn't work with what you want to do.
3. Search and ask on the internet to fix those things, even though you don't understand what you're typing.
4. Hate it.
5. Persevere.
6. Lean.
7. Love it! :D
Click to expand...

I installed Ubuntu 10.4 LTS (Long term Support) a few months ago on my lappy and I'm at stage 6 (Learn?)/7 at the moment. Will have a look at this new Unity ubuntu but I think I'll go Cruchbang or Debian next.

highly recommend ubuntu/mint as a starter distro :)
 
Bump up and have a play with 10.10 first, Essexraptor. It's not a massive leap, but it's a nice bit of polish over 10.04. Worth a look before you hop over to Debian or something. :)
 
Rainmaker said:
Bump up and have a play with 10.10 first, Essexraptor. It's not a massive leap, but it's a nice bit of polish over 10.04. Worth a look before you hop over to Debian or something. :)
Click to expand...

Had it on a spare desktop for a while but preferred the longer term and ongoing support for 10.4 as a learner without having to be badgered to upgrade every 6 months (I'm a slow learner ...LOL)
 
Set up Arch on a Virtual Machine, this will make you learn Linux from the start, within a week or so using it as much as you can you will have learned an absolute tonne of Linux commands.
 
well, I'm still using it. Feels very nice as a desktop OS. Obviously it has its limitations with regards to games, but I've been playing with Wine, and I'm currently playing dune 2000 within Mint using WINE. More for experimenting purposes. Failed to get the 360 pad working unfortunately. It lights up when plugged in. but snes9x cant see it.

Everything else is great. Using firefox, Open office, Pigeon, Blender and Inkcape!

Failed in my first terminal outing unfortunately. Trying to get my 360 pad working, So this is what i'm following: https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Xbox360Controller

It asks me to create a makefile, which i have done. But on typing make I get the following

wannabedamned@wannabedamned-AH ~/xpad $ sudo make
[sudo] password for wannabedamned:
make modules -C /usr/src/linux-headers-2.6.35-22-generic SUBDIRS=/home/wannabedamned/xpad
make[1]: Entering directory `/usr/src/linux-headers-2.6.35-22-generic'
scripts/Makefile.build:44: /home/wannabedamned/xpad/Makefile: No such file or directory
make[2]: *** No rule to make target `/home/wannabedamned/xpad/Makefile'. Stop.
make[1]: *** [_module_/home/wannabedamned/xpad] Error 2
make[1]: Leaving directory `/usr/src/linux-headers-2.6.35-22-generic'
make: *** [all] Error 2
Click to expand...

is my problem obvious to anyone?
 
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