Which version of Linux for a new user

Happy

Happy

Happy

Soldato
Joined
7 Jan 2008
Posts
7,117
Location
Tunbridge Wells
I would like to use it as an alternative, I know a bit about it etc. Just wondering which version to use, I have tried Ubuntu before, but lost patience. However my tutor says that Mepis is nice and simple.

Also what are the benefits of going 64bit on Linux compared to Windows?

Cheers :)
 
I would like to use it as an alternative, I know a bit about it etc. Just wondering which version to use, I have tried Ubuntu before, but lost patience. However my tutor says that Mepis is nice and simple.
Click to expand...
If you just want to test. Install Ubuntu using Wubi. This sets Ubuntu up to run from a virtual disk on your Windows system. Effectively, you can just uninstall it from Windows later.

Also what are the benefits of going 64bit on Linux compared to Windows?
Click to expand...
At the moment the only real desktop advantage of 64bit is to address more ram.
Now, you rarely need 4Gb of ram on the desktop unless your system is so ridiculously bloated you need the extra (this is the Vista64 effect).
Or, you use applications that absolutely require this huge amount. This is usually reserved for very high definition graphics (HD games, Photoshop, Final Cut).
A working Linux system uses a lot less RAM than Windows usually.

I have tried Ubuntu before, but lost patience.
Click to expand...
Lost patience with what? Every version of Linux has pretty much the same failings.
I'd install Ubuntu 32bit using the Wubi install.
 
Last edited:
Thanks, I wish to make the switch for everything except gaming. I lost patience, by the fact I couldn't get my old crappy wireless card to work :( - Now not using wireless :D

I thought that 64bit wouldn't be worth it with Linux.

Cheers

Any other opinions :)
 
I found OpenSuse extremely easy when I tried it last... I'm not saying you will, but I just clicked with it for some reason.
 
I would second Mepis, really excellent and very fast. Beta 3, just out, is the business.

Using it this very second.

http://mi.mirror.garr.it/mirrors/mepis/testing/SimplyMEPIS-CD_7.9.90-beta_32.iso

Just a word of warning over the 64bit versions. Some things like Flash are a real pain to get to work. Just use an i386 distro, you won't notice any difference in speed and you will have much less trouble setting things up as you want.
 
Last edited:
Ben643 said:
I found OpenSuse extremely easy when I tried it last... I'm not saying you will, but I just clicked with it for some reason.
Click to expand...

As did I - I started on OpenSuSE way back on version 9.0. It has lots of useful gui tools to help new users (or uses who cba with shell too much). I imagine it's also probably still the prettiest default install.
 
Humm i say gentoo is a good place to start (provided reading is your fortay)

But dont really bother with 64bit yet, you can adress 64 gig of ram in 32bit linux with a pae switch in the kernel which works pretty well.
 
In my experience the "newbie distros" are totally misleading. There's no such thing that I've found.

If you want to try Linux, be prepared for lots of google'ing and reading up on how things work.

I know from experience that if you go into Linux not really interested in doing any work, that you'll come away with a very negative impression.

My first attempt to use Linux was a total disaster. I tried a number of distros, expecting them to work out of the box, because people were saying "Linux is ready for the mainstream". When things didn't work properly straight away, I wasn't prepared to spend time fixing them, and went crying back to Windows.

The second time was much better. I've spent days (yes days) getting things like ALSA and Flash running properly. I've learned about things like init levels and how kernel modules are loaded. At some point, you just have to know this stuff.

Linux takes time to get it working as you want it. So does a fresh install of Win XP. But we're all so used to doing it in XP, it's second nature. Linux requires that all the things you know about XP you re-learn for Linux.
 
It took me say 6 tries and several distro's to find one I clicked with. I borked my XP distro loads of times lol..... ah happy days...

You could read a lot and install arch/gentoo. You would learn a lot that way but u may find it too much.

I would say play with some distro's in virtualbox first. Then a wubi install then go from there.

Ubuntu has massive support forums, personnally I think this is a good start point. Opensuse isnt a bad shout either, again big support forum.
 
I've just installed linux for the first time. I'm using Ubuntu 32bit. The installation was a breeze. Getting certain programs to install eg flash took a little googling but next to no effort really. I've only installed a few basic programs so far though.
 
To be honest I'd go back to Ubuntu-I tried it about 9 months ago, and couldn't get my wireless card working at all. I installed the latest version recently, and everything works out of the box...
 
manic111 said:
To be honest I'd go back to Ubuntu-I tried it about 9 months ago, and couldn't get my wireless card working at all. I installed the latest version recently, and everything works out of the box...
Click to expand...

Yep, downloading Ubuntu now :)
 
Kind of planning to try out a new OS myself.

I honestly don't know what I'd use Linux over Windows for though, so I dunno if I should try it or not. Just a bit curious and wanting to learn something new, that's all.
 
Happy said:
I can't for the life of me get dual screen to work in Mepis, any advice please :(

I can't even select to use more than one monitor :confused:.

The card in the system is an X1950XTX

This method says command not found for fglrxconfig.

http://www.mepis.org/docs/en/index.php/ATI_video_card(s),_multiple_displays_-_X.org
Click to expand...

When beginning with Linux, Google is your friend. Had you googled it, you'd have seen that fglrxconfig has been replaced with aticonfig. Run that instead.

P.S. Ubuntu will not save you from needing to Google things ;) Linux demands that the user do some learning. If you don't have time, stick to Windows.
 
.Sean said:
Kind of planning to try out a new OS myself.

I honestly don't know what I'd use Linux over Windows for though, so I dunno if I should try it or not. Just a bit curious and wanting to learn something new, that's all.
Click to expand...
Apart from gaming, I'd say you can do pretty much everything that you can using Windows. Sometimes you'll do things differently, that's all.

There are a lot of advantages of using Linux, such as the stability of the OS, the "better" security, it's less demanding on hardware, it pushes the boundaries moreso than Windows (Compiz versus Vista Aero, etc...), it's free :) and knowing how it works can help you get a well paid job in IT.
 
GarethDW said:
Apart from gaming, I'd say you can do pretty much everything that you can using Windows. Sometimes you'll do things differently, that's all.

There are a lot of advantages of using Linux, such as the stability of the OS, the "better" security, it's less demanding on hardware, it pushes the boundaries moreso than Windows (Compiz versus Vista Aero, etc...), it's free :) and knowing how it works can help you get a well paid job in IT.
Click to expand...

See, I'd be tempted to use Linux (or OSX, but that's for the Apple forum) as a general use/media OS. I'd do all my casual surfing, etc. on it, and then I could hook my PC/Laptop up to a TV and watch all my media.

Then when it's game time, I'd jump onto Windows. But it kind of seems pointless when I could do all that in Windows and save the hassle of dual-booting.

Ubuntu is only 700mb, so it's a 10 minute download for me. I'll throw it onto my spare 160gb HD and see how I feel about it. Where would I go for downloading drivers, etc?
 
One of Ubuntu's strengths is the enormous amount of How-To's and forums posts about just about everything.

There will be a howto/wiki for both nV drivers and ATI drivers, and sound is handled very well by ALSA, which is already installed but may need a little configuration if you're fussy (like me).
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom