Which Linux Version For Newbies? Give your opinion

[shotgun 0]

Hi, well i have been a windows user all my life, and I'm really satisfied with it. But from a time know as a good programmer/user, I want to know what I'm missing(or not) from not using linux, so for those who have a long time using it I would like you to ask a favor, if you could recommend me the version that I should test. I don't understand when someone says to a newbie in linux that is asking for a version to start, they say to them "well ubuntu(example) is a good version to start", what are the real diference between the different types of linux. Just to add something, I use Mozilla Firefox since a time now, with version 2.0.x.x I was much more happy than with IE, but when I updated to the 3v, I really have to say that I was dissapointed. I think that they didn't took the time to fix some bugs that makes Firefox 3, unstable. Well Thanks and greetings, shotgun.

Edited August 24, 2008 by shotgun (see edit history)

[xboxrulz1405241485 0]

This is debatable. The easiest and restrictive Linux distribution I found is Linspire. After that, would be Ubuntu and then OpenSUSE (easy but not restrictive). Linspire treats the user like how Microsoft does, treats you like if you're an idiot. I recommend OpenSUSE if you want to learn about Linux and your computer in general without having to use a textbook to learn the system and Linux, it's quite simple and unrestrictive.xboxrulz

[wutske 0]

I agree with xboxrulz (except the linspire stuff because I have no experience with that distribution). I've been using openSuse for a while now and I have no complaints about it, it's powerfull, advanced yet rahter easy to use. Of course, don't expect it to fully support your hardware out of the box, you might need to search and experiment a little bit before everything works (I for example couldn't get the hibernation to work on my laptop, but after reading the openSuse Wiki and altering a file, everything worked like a charm ).

[Merovingian 0]

I'm actually dual-booting my PC with openSUSE 11.0 KDE 4 now! I haven't set up the internet connection just yet so I'll still using XP to do that stuff. When I've figured out how to install my wireless card, I'll stick with it all the time to learn more. Wish me luck!

.... and if anyone wants to guide me or point me in the right direction on how to do that then please be my guest!

(Texas instruments 802.11g wireless card)

This might help: http://www.tuxmagazine.com/node/1000167

Edited August 21, 2008 by Merovingian (see edit history)

[darasen 0]

Definitely avoid the distributions that restrict any access to the more inner workings of the OS.
I, for one, preferred to dive straight into Linux and made Slackware the first Linus Distro I used. Linspire and even Ubuntu is closer to sticking your foot in the water to me. I thought it was fun to have the PC boot to a command prompt and have people assume something was wrong with it.

Distrowatch.com list about every Linux distribution available is an excellent source for finding a flavor that may be right for you.

[yordan 10]

This is debatable.

This is typical from the Open World. Linux (and more generally Unix) is the basis of the Open World.In this world, if you ask two gurus the same question, you have two different answers.
So, let me give my own answer, different from the previous ones.
I would recommend Mandriva for a guy starting up on Linux. Especially if he has Wifi networking.

[FirefoxRocks 0]

I recommend Ubuntu as the most easy to use distribution of Linux. Debian-based systems are easy to use mostly because of the "apt" function for installing software, which you may need to do often.I recently installed openSUSE 11.0 and found it to be quite advanced and challenging to use, especially with the lack of (normal user) drive mounting and common command-line tools.As for the desktop environment, I recommend one with GNOME, but KDE isn't that bad either. It depends on what you like.

[Merovingian 0]

On a similar subject, I was talking on a forum yesterday about suse 11. and about acquiring a DVD of the OS. One of the admins sent me a pm and said he would send me the DVD with all the packages & OS! What a nice chap! Those linux people are very nice!

[xboxrulz1405241485 0]

As for the openSUSE Linux forums, try http://forums.xisto.com/no_longer_exists/. I used to be a regular there when I was really active with Linux. However, with time constraints, I wasn't really cruising around with Linux a lot, like the basic stuff I knew so I didn't need the forums as much.

xboxrulz

[Saint_Michael 3]

I would have to go with Ubuntu as I dual booted that with windows XP and I found it fairly easy to install, get connected to a WIFI signal and of course update the system as well.

[toby 0]

Ubuntu has free delivery (Suse did it for Mero, but I don't know of any structured program for it), so getting the burnt cd was how I picked.All the choices run on all sorts of processors and can use all sorts of wifi cards and other connections. And run about a third of the programs you're probably used to, the other two-thirds being easily replaced.

[chappill 0]

Go for either Ubuntu or PClinuxOS (which I highly recommend) for a first Linux system, they are both nice looking and both have package managers! I've been using it problem free for 8 months and I like it, it's picked up my scanner, 2 usb pens, printer and speakers no problem (which is alot better than vista, my modem didn't work and it asked me to download the latest driver -.-)

[borejk 0]

I think you should tr Ubuntu That is good for beginers.. it also has Mozilla Firefox

[magiccode91405241511 0]

My opinion was that will depends on whether needa desktop linux or deeply to the core !If go with the last one.Then, it may be OpenBSD or FreeBSD.

[xboxrulz1405241485 0]

I don't think FreeBSD or OpenBSD is close to ready for mainstream use than Linux is at any rate. It rarely has any commercial support. Linux commercial support is already rare.xboxrulz