Best Linux GUI For NewB

[spaceman]

This will be going on a second computer with a freshly formatted/partitioned HD. I need to know: a) what to use. b)where can I download from, and how to burn to a cd for install. Thanks

 

[Welly Wu]

Red Hat Fedora CORE 5 Security Enhanced Linux: http://fedora.redhat.com , http://www.distrowatch.com . It is the best Fedora CORE ever engineered thus far. You can choose to use GNOME (the default; it just works right from the get go) or KDE. I have stuck it out from Red Hat Fedora CORE 1 and number 5 is the magic one. I highly recommend this Linux distribution to newbies.

However, I have to confess that FreeBSD 6.1 stable is even better than all Linux distributions combined. It is far more consistent, reliable, secure, and performance orientated with a smaller footprint on your computer.

Best of all, I have Microsoft Windows XP Professional SP-2, RHFC5 SELinux, and FreeBSD 6.1 installed on my 30GB HDD on my 4 year old Toshiba Satellite 1405-S171 laptop. Try all three. That way, you will see which is best for your needs.

 

[Uncle Erik]

Welly's advice is good. But I'd also take a look at Ubuntu. I've got it on one machine and it did a much better job of recognizing hardware and installing drivers than Fedora Core did. Also, their latest build ("Dapper Drake") just came out. Still, I'm a big Red Hat fan- been with them since RH 7.3.

As for the GUI you choose, the biggies are Gnome and KDE. There's something of a religious war between adherents of either. I'm in the Gnome camp, mostly because it was developed by some former Mac and Amiga folks, and the "feel" of it is very comfortable to me. I've heard that Windows people tend to find KDE more comfortable.

Downloading the discs is easy, but burning ISOs will depend on what software you use. I've never burned under Windows, so I'm not of much help. However, someone else here should know. Also, to help answer your questions, use this version of Google:

http://www.google.com/linux

It puts your search into Linux-specific terms and you're much more likely to find what you need.

 

[Welly Wu]

The current June 2006 edition of Linux Format magazine has a free double sided DVD-ROM disc that includes Red Hat Fedora CORE 5 Security Enhancd Linux as well as six live Linux distributions that do not require you to install it on your HDD so you can test drive Linux on your computer: SUSE Live, Ubuntu Live, Mrphix, Games Knoppix, Looking Glass 3D Live, and Damn Small Linux. The magazine retails for $14.99 USD and it is available now at Barnes & Noble. This is perhaps the lowest cost way for a Linux newbie to test drive different Linux distributions or commit to RHFC5 SELinux. I highly recommend you get it soon.

 

[Gabe Logan]

I am bias toward SUSE 10 but Ubuntu seems to be getting all the rave.It is well supported by Novell with updates that download and install for you without all the hassle.

Just do a search for SUSE 10 and it should be the first link.As for burning it on a cd,well did you have software that came with your burner?If not just get an evaluation version of nero and you should be able to burn them no problem.

 

[JaGWiRE]

There as so many distrubutions, best for newb are probably ubuntu or suse, but it doesn't make that big of a difference. KDE and gnome aern't that different imho that you need to begin debating which, just try one, and the next time try another. BTW, BSD is unix, not Linux, although it is definitly a favourite among many.

 

[meat01]

Ubuntu has a very active forum for support.

 

[Denim]

Like meat said, Ubuntu has a good support forum. Check out ubuntuforums.org to get an idea of the support you can get if you run into problems. Links are also there to download the latest.

 

[spaceman]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Welly Wu The current June 2006 edition of Linux Format magazine has a free double sided DVD-ROM disc that includes Red Hat Fedora CORE 5 Security Enhancd Linux as well as six live Linux distributions that do not require you to install it on your HDD so you can test drive Linux on your computer: SUSE Live, Ubuntu Live, Mrphix, Games Knoppix, Looking Glass 3D Live, and Damn Small Linux. The magazine retails for $14.99 USD and it is available now at Barnes & Noble. This is perhaps the lowest cost way for a Linux newbie to test drive different Linux distributions or commit to RHFC5 SELinux. I highly recommend you get it soon.

Welly,
Do these disks give you the option of installing onto HD?

 

[JaGWiRE]

Quote:

Originally Posted by spaceman Welly, Do these disks give you the option of installing onto HD?

I think some do, but it's no big deal, you can download pretty much any linux distro, and use simple software like imgburn (free) to burn the image you download (if you need help finding where to download them, just ask me), and then reboot with the disk in your drive. Ubuntus installer is not the friendliest thing, and if you don't know the basics of the basics about Linux, suse is probably a better choice.

 

[Welly Wu]

That Linux Format DVD-ROM only allows you to install a full version of Red Hat Fedora CORE 5 SE Linux onto your HDD. You will need to download the other Linux distrobutions for a full HDD install.

 

[spaceman]

You know, more people would probably give Linux a go if it wasn't so damn confusing trying to pick a distro that the "average" computer user could download and install. I'm going to give Red Hat Fedora a go and see how that works......if it doesn't, the cpu gets thrown out and I go back to my XP machine.

 

[Welly Wu]

You are correct. The sheer complexity of the different Linux distributions is one of its chief faults. There are simply too many different distributions that require you to know too much technical details about how to use each one. The different ways in which you setup, install, and use Red Hat to SUSE to Ubuntu to Debian are mind boggling and a definite turn off.

However, the BSD operating systems solve that problem. What you learn with FreeBSD is something you can translate to OpenBSD. It is more structured, coherent, and uniform. It is also much much more stable, reliable, robust, secure, and free in terms of licensing restrictions than Linux. That is why I am obsessed about mastering it along with Microsoft Windows and Red Hat Linux. In fact, I have budgeted about $80 USD toward the purchase of the latest Red Hat Fedora CORE 5 and Enterprise Linux 4 book along with FreeBSD 6.0 book at Barnes & Noble where I work this Friday, June 9th, 2006 because I am entitled to a 40% discount as an employee. I know that I can go online and read the manuals, but the problem is that with three different operating systems, it gets to be highly cumbersome to read and apply what I've learned without access to another computer (which is a reality I must contend with).

Why are you trying Linux? Have you considered other alternative operating systems such as FreeBSD? Would you consider renting or purchasing a book about the specific operating system you are trying to install on that computer to help you learn?

Trust me: it is damn hard to learn Linux and FreeBSD without a manual or book. You should go to your local public library and rent the latest Red Hat Fedora CORE 5 book. It will help you learn faster with fewer crippling mistakes that would mess up your OS. This stuff is way way too complex to try trial and error on your own.

 

[averydonovan]

You might give MEPIS a shot. It is the easiest distribution of Linux I have installed so far, and I have installed lots over the years, and most stuff just works out of the box. It comes on a live CD that allows you to try it before you install it, so you can see if it works with your hardware. Ubuntu is also very good, but doesn't have as many media applications, like Macromedia Flash, installed by default and doing stuff like getting DVDs to play in it is a bit less than trivial (MEPIS also isn't trivial for this, but at least the manual tells you how). As Welly Wu mentioned, each Linux distribution is its own beast with its own way of doing things. In a way, they might as well be their own operating systems since their main common point is the Linux kernel.

FreeBSD is a great system, very fast and very stable. You also need to be willing to invest the time in learning how it works and getting stuff setup. You get rewarded with a very customizable, very consistent system that you can depend on. It's main downsides are that hardware support isn't as good as Linux and you do need to know a bit about how it works.

 

[JaGWiRE]

Quote:

Originally Posted by spaceman You know, more people would probably give Linux a go if it wasn't so damn confusing trying to pick a distro that the "average" computer user could download and install. I'm going to give Red Hat Fedora a go and see how that works......if it doesn't, the cpu gets thrown out and I go back to my XP machine.

The bloody problem is that everybody gives a different answer as to what a newb should try. I.E. I think Suse is the simplest to install and probably the best for a newb, yet you say Fedora.