rec a dist

[the man with no idea]

Hi

I would like to start using linux but just don't know which distribution to
go for and where to get it. I'm fairly competent with windows but don't have
a clue with linux - although I did use a machine with Xandros on it once and
found it ok.

I want the machine to be able to surf the web and, if possible, to connect
to my wireless router through a belkin usb wireless dongle.

Any advice appreciated.

[Stewart Watkiss]

the man with no idea wrote:

> I would like to start using linux but just don't know which distribution to
> go for and where to get it.

Everyone has their own opinion of what's a good distribution. For a
newbie I'd suggest either Mandriva Linux
http://www.mandrivalinux.com/en/ftp.php3

or Ubuntu
http://www.ubuntu.com/

If you don't have broadband then the nice people at Ubuntu will even
send you a free CD.

> I want the machine to be able to surf the web and, if possible, to connect
> to my wireless router through a belkin usb wireless dongle.

I've never tried with a usb wireless, but both distributions support
belkin PCI and PCMCIA cards.

Stewart
http://www.watkissonline.co.uk

[Julian Pitt]

the man with no idea wrote:

Try Ubuntu @ubuntulinux.org, its a great distro and would suit you down
to the ground.

[Richard Scott Smith]

My suggestion would be Suse if you want it to mostly work without tweaking
at all, Slackware if you want to customize but be stable without
spending copious amounts of time on the install, and if you're willing to
put some time into this, Gentoo. If you want to learn as much as possible
about Linux, consider LFS, http://www.linuxfromscratch.org LFS is a lot
of work but the exercise will introduce Linux in a comprehensive way.
You'll have to decide how much effort you want to invest.
--
R. Scott Smith

[DarthCha...@gmail.com]

I have found that Debian-based OSes to be very easy to use, especially
when you have the necessary installed stuff in order to install drivers
(my desktop is exclusively Linspire 4.5.603 [after CNR'ing GCC and the
2.4.24 kernels, I was able to install the drivers for my Riptide HCF
modem/soundcard...I have the last beta release of the HCF drivers and
the last-released Riptide drivers] while my laptop has Xandros 3.02
OCE.....my laptop modem works out-of-the-box under Xandros 3.02 OCE as
the hsf drivers are pre-configured and pre-installed; all I have to do
is run hsfconfig and enter in my email address and my license key). And
I find GAIM to be a better IM client than Kopete.....Xandros comes with
Kopete, but GAIM can be installed by using Xandros Networks (you have
to set the application sources as Debian unsupported apt-get sources).

I've tried Kubuntu, but I like Linspire and Xandros
better.....Ubuntu/Kubuntu may be free, but I prefer Linspire and
Xandros. YMMV.