Linux heads

[Inky]

what version of linux is the most beginner friendly?

I'm thinking of installing linux on a laptop I recently aquired but I don't have time or energy for command lines and whatnot. so what is the most "windows like" version of linux? and is there a decent photoshop type app for linux?

[Agozer]

From what I've been reading, Ubuntu is the most n00b-friendly valiation if Linux out there at the moment. I don't know about the status of the included documentation, but you should still give it a go. I guess it uses parts of KDE or the whole thing. Very Windows-like.

[ken_cinder]

Mandrake, now known (for whatever RETARDED reason) as Mandriva.

[oshisama]

I use ubuntu myself. It is a great distro. The only other distro I've used was Fedora Core 1 & 2. But Ubuntu is by far my favorite, and very easy to use. As I am an ultra-n00b when it comes to linux.

 

Ubuntu uses the Gnome GUI, but if you get Kubuntu it uses KDE (which I never liked)

 

Ubuntu website: http://ubuntulinux.org/

Kubuntu website: http://www.kubuntu.org/

Friendly Community Forum: http://ubuntuforums.org/

A walkthrough once you get the OS installed: http://ubuntuguide.org/

 

The only good image editor on Linux that I found to be good was GiMP: http://gimp.org/

 

Which comes with Ubuntu install disc.

 

Here is a screenshot of my Ubuntu desktop taken a few months ago using the Gnome GUI: http://dangerouscopilot.com/xfer/store/Screenshot.png

Edited September 25, 2005 by oshisama

[Kenshinsama]

Im liking Mandrivia. teachin myself when I have time. though I cant figure out for the life of me how to install my nvidia drivers.

[ken_cinder]

Im liking Mandrivia. teachin myself when I have time. though I cant figure out for the life of me how to install my nvidia drivers.

 

I know with my Radeon, I had to build a kernel module the first time I got back to using Linux (Mandrake 8.1).....what a pain in the ass. It had been so long since I'd used Linux, that I couldn't remember how to do much, let alone compile a damn kernel module.

 

Using a binary or building a driver from source?

 

garageink, to actually answer your other questions. Linux isn't just all about the command-line, "streamlining" is what it's called I believe. If you don't need a GUI (Running a server etc) then why have one eating up resources? With Windows....you don't have a choice.

 

As for Photoshop, GIMP I hear is awesome. Tried it myself though and found it rather wierd, everything seems to be run from individual windows. Don't know if you can dock or combine em, but I'd assume you can.

[Kenshinsama]

Im liking Mandrivia. teachin myself when I have time. though I cant figure out for the life of me how to install my nvidia drivers.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I know with my Radeon, I had to build a kernel module the first time I got back to using Linux (Mandrake 8.1).....what a pain in the ass. It had been so long since I'd used Linux, that I couldn't remember how to do much, let alone compile a damn kernel module.

 

Using a binary or building a driver from source?

 

garageink, to actually answer your other questions. Linux isn't just all about the command-line, "streamlining" is what it's called I believe. If you don't need a GUI (Running a server etc) then why have one eating up resources? With Windows....you don't have a choice.

 

As for Photoshop, GIMP I hear is awesome. Tried it myself though and found it rather wierd, everything seems to be run from individual windows. Don't know if you can dock or combine em, but I'd assume you can.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

I think that I am building it from source. havent messed with it in like a week. I wish I could use my Raid array in linux but I cant figure out out to get that seen in Linux

[Madman]

Of what i hear Ubuntu is the most user friendly Linux so far.

I have tried RedHat and SuSE too, but that has been a while.

Havent tried Ubuntu, but if you have some weird hardware that makes probs with Linux, try SuSE it has the best hardware detection.

Anyways, a great site to bookmark is this one: http://www.linuxfromscratch.org/

[Inky]

linux gave me heartburn for 3 days straight. I am over it now. I just installed winME on my old lappy.

(to weak for XP and my 98 disk has insall issues)

[ken_cinder]

ME? BLARG!!!!!!! Install 2k Pro FFS........If theres any version of Windows to stay away from like the plague, it's ME. (All of them actually, but I'm a gamer........and most of my games are Windows only ech)

[solidius23]

hey cinder do u still use and alternate shell for windows if so which one i tried litestep and it started giving me headaches. suggestions plzzz

[ken_cinder]

Yes I still run alternates to everything Microsoft I possibly can lol

 

I'll actually throw up a list of the alternatives I use, so anyone else (and yourself) can try these things out.

 

Windows Shell = Aston (Approx 10x smaller footprint than Explorer, and MUCH more customizeable. Also 3x smaller footprint than Litestep, and less confusing)

 

File Manager = Directory Opus (Best I've found so far, also replaces explorer.....too much to say, you'd have to try it out)

 

Browser = Mozilla Firefox (I don't think I need to say anything here.....)

 

Email = Mozilla Thunderbird (Again....no need to say anything, whups Outlook though)

 

Office Program = Openoffice (I've still got MS Office XP installed. I'm trying to get used to using this, and will eventually ditch MS Office....but for now, till I'm comfortable, both)

 

Defragmenter = Raxco's Perfectdisk (This thing defrags WAY better than the defrag tool that ships with XP, however it has it's quirks with not defragging certain things that I WANT defragged. The XP tool will do that though, use both for best results)

 

Media Player = Media Player Classic (THE replacement for WMP.......period)

 

 

 

I also repeatedly tweak the services on my computer for top performance, schedule batch CHKDSK's (.BAT file......google this up, you'll figure it out) to keep things optimized and a hell of a lot more. This is why I get more out of my 5 year old Pentium 4 than some of you get out of your brand new machines.

 

The last thing I have to say is..........Do NOT be afraid to break your Windows installation by playing around, it ships broken anyway. lol

Back everything up if you don't use more than one partition, and if you don't use more than one partition (C drive only), LEARN TO!

[Shibathedog]

I would reccomend Mandrake Linux if you want user friendly, But I REALLY want to try SuSe which i heard is also user friendly and alot better.

 

SuSe Pro 10 comes out in 3 days. (correct me if im wrong, its around there though) and the Pro version is going to be free now Im going to install SuSe Pro 10 on an external USB HDD so i can boot it anywhere!

[solidius23]

i use just about everything but aston but i will now sucks i gotta pay 30 bucks for it though.

[Inky]

ME? BLARG!!!!!!! Install 2k Pro FFS........If theres any version of Windows to stay away from like the plague, it's ME. (All of them actually, but I'm a gamer........and most of my games are Windows only ech)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

if I had a 2000 disc I would have went with that. but as it turnes out my 95 and 98 discs were FUBAR so I had to borrow someones ME. all I use the lappy for is to transport my art around anyways. much easier to bring a laptop and a cheap printer then it is to bring a stack of magazines and a bunch of binders full of art.