ebolamonkey3
[H]ard|Gawd
- Joined
- Sep 2, 2008
- Messages
- 1,237
Just trying to wet my hands and mess around, which one would be the easiest to get started on?
![[H]ard|Forum](/styles/hardforum/xenforo/logo_dark.png){kind=logo}
Trying out Linux, which distribution to get started?
- Thread starter ebolamonkey3
- Start date
Ubuntu IMO.
People have all their favorite distributions and stuff... but IMO Ubuntu is one of the easiest to deal with and still gives you the ability to use all the power of Linux if you want to. Plus there is a huge community of helping hands.
Downside is that the Linux desktop environment situation is currently undergoing a major upheaval and the dust hasn't settled yet, so you're kind of getting in at a quirky time.
People have all their favorite distributions and stuff... but IMO Ubuntu is one of the easiest to deal with and still gives you the ability to use all the power of Linux if you want to. Plus there is a huge community of helping hands.
Downside is that the Linux desktop environment situation is currently undergoing a major upheaval and the dust hasn't settled yet, so you're kind of getting in at a quirky time.
Ur_Mom
Fully [H]
- Joined
- May 15, 2006
- Messages
- 20,689
Ubuntu is built on Debian, correct? I have just gone Debian for my installs. I used to love Mint Linux (a project fork from Ubuntu), but I kind of went to the root a bit for Debian. It's still very easy to use.
What's your goal? Are you trying to get some hands on knowledge for corporate use? I'd go with CentOS or *shiver*Suse*shiver* if that's the case.
If you want to fiddle with a desktop, then ubuntu isn't bad...I just don't like it, but then I don't like desktop linux AND I'm crotchety.
If you want to fiddle with a desktop, then ubuntu isn't bad...I just don't like it, but then I don't like desktop linux AND I'm crotchety.
ebolamonkey3
[H]ard|Gawd
- Joined
- Sep 2, 2008
- Messages
- 1,237
Thanks for the recommendations, I just want to try it out, and I guess Ubuntu is the most popular suggestion here.
What's this upheaval that's going on? What's the other major distribution fighting w/ Ubuntu?
What's this upheaval that's going on? What's the other major distribution fighting w/ Ubuntu?
There's not so much a fight going on as much as people being unhappy with the direction Ubuntu is moving in. I'm in that boat (among many others), so I've kind of stopped recommending it. I just feel they're moving away from what their original intentions were. There's nothing really wrong with it (especially for a beginner that won't know any better 
).
Ubuntu or Mint are fine choices, or you could just try Debian (both Ubuntu and Mint are based on Debian). Another Debian-based distro I like is Crunchbang. Fedora is a fine distro as well, and there's literally hundreds of others you could try.
I like taking a look at www.distrowatch.com every once in awhile and trying out some of the more popular distros
).Ubuntu or Mint are fine choices, or you could just try Debian (both Ubuntu and Mint are based on Debian). Another Debian-based distro I like is Crunchbang. Fedora is a fine distro as well, and there's literally hundreds of others you could try.
I like taking a look at www.distrowatch.com every once in awhile and trying out some of the more popular distros
I'll give you the perspective of someone "on the outside, looking in" as it were.
I have very little experience with Linux. It was a while ago, and I believe it was RedHat for a server I used to maintain. This is just my opinion and a little bit of tinkering a few days ago...
I think Ubuntu is trying very hard to mainstream and make itself more accessible which is upsetting the "power user" base. They are trying to get themselves installed on smartphones and even TV's soon.
I just installed Ubuntu 12.04 and I was pretty impressed. The install process was as painless or as painful as I wanted it to be based on whatever my skill level was. I really enjoy their desktop environment and some of the twists that the have put on the modern GUI. All of my hardware was recognized and supported right out of the box (granted not a complicated rig that I was playing with).
I'm not familiar with some of the other distro's people have already mentioned but from what I've seen over the years, Ubuntu is the distro that is really bringing Linux to the public eye. Heck for a while Dell was offering it on their systems, don't know if they still are.
I don't look forward to buying Windows in the future, not sure I like the direction they are taking. I love Mac but they are too expensive for me to justify. I would run Ubuntu in a heartbeat if I needed a new system tomorrow.
I have very little experience with Linux. It was a while ago, and I believe it was RedHat for a server I used to maintain. This is just my opinion and a little bit of tinkering a few days ago...
I think Ubuntu is trying very hard to mainstream and make itself more accessible which is upsetting the "power user" base. They are trying to get themselves installed on smartphones and even TV's soon.
I just installed Ubuntu 12.04 and I was pretty impressed. The install process was as painless or as painful as I wanted it to be based on whatever my skill level was. I really enjoy their desktop environment and some of the twists that the have put on the modern GUI. All of my hardware was recognized and supported right out of the box (granted not a complicated rig that I was playing with).
I'm not familiar with some of the other distro's people have already mentioned but from what I've seen over the years, Ubuntu is the distro that is really bringing Linux to the public eye. Heck for a while Dell was offering it on their systems, don't know if they still are.
I don't look forward to buying Windows in the future, not sure I like the direction they are taking. I love Mac but they are too expensive for me to justify. I would run Ubuntu in a heartbeat if I needed a new system tomorrow.