Which version of linux to use - 1st time user

[Martyn Rowland]

As per title. Any advice appreciated.

TIA

[the_constructor]

"Martyn Rowland" <martyn.(dot)row...@nospamhere.net> wrote in message
news:M46dnW1_zKbK3OXZ...@bt.com...

> As per title. Any advice appreciated.
>
> TIA

I'll piggyback onto your thread if you don't mind Rowland.
I am also wanting to try Linux but there appears so many different types, I
am just getting bogged down with all the information.
My PC is a Duron so need x86 platform, that much I have learnt.
--
the_constructor

[Dan]

There are many versions or Distrobutions of linux, Essentally most of them
are just a matter of picking what packages you want on the disks, with
most Distro's they are just slightly different packages or some of them
are tweeked slightly. Personally i use Fedora as it was easy to install
runs nicely along side windows and has lots of supported software making
it a learning curve rather than a struggle.

But as linux becomes more user freindly then more Distro's will be like
this. Fedora, mandiva and debian are by far the biggest and most popular
distro's

Dan

[Gordon]

the best way to do this is to download several distros that have Live
CDs - i.e. you can run the distro directly from the CD without
installing anything. This is usually quite a lot slower, but does allow
you to have a look around, and also, to check that all your hardware works!

The three I would recommend for this are:

PCLinuxOS (KDE Desktop)
http://www.pclinuxos.com/news.php

Kubuntu (KDE Desk top but download Dapper - 6.06 NOT Edgy 6.10)
http://www.kubuntu.org/download.php

And Ubuntu (Gnome instead of KDE)
http://www.ubuntu.com/

HTH

--
Registered Linux User no 240308
gordonDOTburgessparkerATyahooDOTcoDOTuk
to email me remove the obvious!

[Pendragon]

I have taken this a little further, after downloading the LiveCD's and
reading the support forums I have taken the plunge and installed ubuntu.

I like the support from the community and it dose just about all I need
a computer for. Just need to get some descent games and I can rid my
computer of this MS stuff.

--
--
Regards Steve Morrish...
AKA Pendragon
www.tssclan.co.uk

[Amos E Wolfe]

Here's a novel idea:

http://wubi-installer.org/

You download and install Ubuntu Linux in the same way you would download and
install a Windows program. When you reboot you are offered the choice to
boot in Linux or Windows. There is also a choice of "flavours" - GNOME, KDE,
etc. The actual Linux filesystem runs on a "virtual drive" stored in a file
on your hard disk so no partitioning required, and it can be deleted through
Windows control panel should you decide it's not for you.

--
-=# Amos E Wolfe #=-

p.s. failing that, Mandriva seems to be quite easy for a first time Linux
install - I had no problems when I installed it (2005)