Want to try Linux

[kaerondaes]

Okay, I'm thinking of trying Linux. I am computer-savvy, but I know Windows in my sleep, not Linux. I downloaded the latest Ubuntu build (that includes WINE)...but I'd like opinions on what is the best to try. There's a lot of builds out there.

It doesn't have to be perfect. If it doesn't work, oh well. I want something stable that I can fiddle with readily. But I don't want too techie-rific for my first time. :) I don't mind command-prompt-level stuff, but eh. I used to use UNIX a lot, but that was nine years ago. :( I'm REALLY rusty. But I'm tired of Windows.

I have a funky-put-together system, not anything standard. I've piecemeal changed this thing over the years and whenever it starts really dying I'll let the kid hammer on the keyboard and do terrible things to it until it's toasty. But I hope that to be a while away. We're kind of low on funds right now. We just upgraded the hubby's comp.

Thanks to that upgrade, I have enough spare parts that if I can get a power supply and case, I can throw together a computer. I got an old CPU, motherboard, IDE controller card and really old IDE 80G drives... and a semi-questionable DVD-ROM. (It may NOT be bad... it may be the motherboard, we're not sure which it was.) I figure I'll try Linux on it first, then if I like it I'll wipe my system and try it on there. At the least, the "spare parts system" will be Kenny's toy. (He loves anything that goes beep and boop and has buttons to hit. Easy to please.) That is also one of my concerns: I'll be using IDE drives on a controller card, so I may have to do some wonky configuration. I want to get a new SATA drive, but it'll be for a non-junk comp first.

I have a serious case of Do Not Want for Windows 7. (We'll have to buy two copies [EXPENSIVE], and on top of that I have never been that thrilled with XP and I'm decidedly not thrilled with Vista.) So I'm hopeful. But since most good computer games come out on Windows (eh) I want to see how WINE works. I especially want to see how it handles newer and older games.

I KNOW Win7 is bound to have some issues with older games, especially on my husband's new comp, which has an AMD Phenom II, NOT an Intel. And my current comp is a Pentium D 2.8Ghz, so you know it's gonna run the new stuff at pre-global-warming glaciation speeds.

Any feedback is great. Feel free to get fairly technical.

Basic computer info:

Junk computer:
Pentium 4 2.93 Ghz (single core, it's a Prescott), ASRock Twins motherboard (can't recall exactly which one right now), 2 GB DDR2-667 RAM, IDE controller card, 2 80GB IDE cards, really old Benq DVD-ROM drive. (Thinking about picking up a junky CD-RW at a local shop.)

My comp:
ASUS P5PL2 motherboard, a first-generation dual core Pentium D 2.80 Ghz CPU (Smithfield), 2 gigs of DDR2 667 RAM, a 160 GB SATA an 80 GB IDE on a controller card, a Benq DVD-RW (I hate it), and a Sony DVD-RW (that has some opening and closing issues... it's got a bad motor now). I have the worst luck with optical drives, can you tell?

[stefanj]

Ubuntu is easy to install and use, but it is not optimal as a learning experience.

Also, as someone who uses Linux and Unix-like OSs at work, I find some things about Ubuntu to be utterly infuriating, like the "sudo" command used instead of having a root user.

Everyone has their favorite distribution, and I honestly don't know enough about the field but to recommend what I know, which is Fedora, a variant of Red Hat.

I've installed four or five Fedora systems, for both general purpose and as the host for MythTV. There is an excellent Wiki (http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Fedora_Project_Wiki) and Forum for support (http://forums.fedoraforum.org/?).

Regarding support, I've had very good luck just plugging stuff in and having it work. The systems you mention above will run Linux quite nicely. If you pick up a good Nvidia graphics card, you can play HD video.

[hcobb]

If you want to try linux ontop of windos for a while before switching, then here is what I used for a few years on WinDos eNp-Ty.

http://www.cygwin.com/

[ed_209a]

I'll second what StefanJ said about Ubuntu. You might even look at an offshoot of Ubuntu, Linux Mint. I haven't tried it, but the buzz is that it is even more Win-friendly than Ubuntu.

I am just getting into Fedora, myself, and it seems similar to Ubuntu so far. Since you are starting from scratch, I really couldn't recommend one over the other.

Whichever distro of Linux you choose, chances are there is an online community full of resources for the new user. I know for a fact Ubuntu has a very friendly community.

[DAlillama]

I've found that my switch to Ubuntu from XP was significantly less traumatic than my switch to Vista from XP. I've been using it for about 2 months now, and I've had very few problems. I don't do a lot of messing about in it's guts, though, so YMMV.

[mib2932]

I really like OpenSuSE nowadays.

BTW: using sudo is better for security.

[Molokh]

#1: Stay away from Ubuntu 9.04, as it seems not quite stable yet. I upgraded to 9.04 on three machines, and all of them started exhibiting some sort of error. And all of them can't use 3D acceleration anymore.

8.04/8.10 seems stable enough.

[Molokh]

Originally Posted by stefanj

UAlso, as someone who uses Linux and Unix-like OSs at work, I find some things about Ubuntu to be utterly infuriating, like the "sudo" command used instead of having a root user.

Sudo makes things safer. But if you're sure you want to, you can enable root login from the login options.

[JAW]

Originally Posted by Molokh

#1: Stay away from Ubuntu 9.04, as it seems not quite stable yet. I upgraded to 9.04 on three machines, and all of them started exhibiting some sort of error. And all of them can't use 3D acceleration anymore.

8.04/8.10 seems stable enough.

Tell about it - I upgraded my Kubuntu 8.04 to 9.04 and got into problems.. I was dumb enough not to have install CD ready - but managed to make one with the "jaynty" despite the problems.. Now I got "hardy" running just fine again.. It's got wine too - so I don't need windows for anything really.

[DAlillama]

Originally Posted by JAW

Tell about it - I upgraded my Kubuntu 8.04 to 9.04 and got into problems.. I was dumb enough not to have install CD ready - but managed to make one with the "jaynty" despite the problems.. Now I got "hardy" running just fine again.. It's got wine too - so I don't need windows for anything really.

I'm told that 10.04 is the next stable version, and will be out in about 6-7 months. I'm sticking with that one for a while when it comes out.