New to your forum

[EricOnTheWeb]

Hello, Linux people.

I'm Eric a internet user and computer enthusiast. I have been loyal to Windows(don't hit me on the head) for the duration of my computer life. I am however tired of Windows upgrading, putting more $$$$$$ into new distibutions and overall tired of paying fo revery little program. With Windoes 7 coming out it was the last straw. Making people pay even more $$$$ to cover their asses from a piece of crap O.S called Vista.

I have never used Linux, only have read or heard about it. Three things interest me:, it's free and viruses don't attack it, plus being a hobbyist it lets you playaround with it.

I'm ready to convert from Windoze to Linux and have my mind set on the Debian distribution. I hope to have my qestions answered and to help with what I can while I am here.

Thanks for reading
(Eric)

[gerard4143]

Welcome to GNU/Linux and the forums

[MikeTbob]

Hello and Welcome,
We're glad to have you here and we wish you all the best of luck in your quest. Don't be afraid to post a new thread in the appropriate forum if you need any help or have any questions at all. Check out this Linux Distribution Chooser for new Linux users, it helps you decide which distro you should test out and it's very good too, I highly recommend it.
zegenie Studios Linux Distribution Chooser

Debian is a rock solid distro but I do not believe it's one of the easier distro's for new users. In fact it may even be a tad difficult but if you have your mind made up, then you have won half the battle!
I would suggest that you download a few different LiveCD's from different flavors of Linux, this way you can get a really good feel for what you want and what you can expect from each distro, and plus this is the best way to determine if the distro you want to install.....works with your hardware. Some distros just will not load on some machines.
The LiveCD List

[EricOnTheWeb]

I did the Dis Chooser and it recomended OpenSuSE for me to get.

I also know I need a Modem(I am on dialup) that is NOT a Windoze modem. I heard an external modem is ideal.

I'm going to do some more searching around to get more comfortable and thank yo ual for the welcome and introduction to Linux.

[MikeTbob]

OpenSuse is very good, I think you'll like it and I also think it has good hardware support for modems and hopefully you won't have many problems with it. Good Luck!

[EricOnTheWeb]

OpenSuse is very good, I think you'll like it and I also think it has good hardware support for modems and hopefully you won't have many problems with it. Good Luck!

I also have been thinking about one of the liteweight ones..like Puppy Linux lol..
That should be easy for noob and do internet and the basics right?... I can upgrade as I feel I need too.

[MikeTbob]

I also have been thinking about one of the liteweight ones..like Puppy Linux lol..
That should be easy for noob and do internet and the basics right?... I can upgrade as I feel I need too.

Absolutely right.........Puppy is good too, and you can always change distros later. But then again, that is why I said to start out with LiveCD's first...find the one you like and then install it to the hard drive.

[oz]

Welcome to the forums... glad you've become a member!

[EricOnTheWeb]

Thanks.

I decided to go with Puppy. I read about it at puppylinux and it is suppose to have everything for basic and every day needs plus fast easy to install.

I think that would be a good one to start into Linux with and probably the only one I need. I have a Hewlett packard that has a screwed copy of XP on it, so I guess that will become my Linux machine. If Ilike Linux then I wil make it my main O.S.

Windows has taken my last $$ no more...no more.

Thanks everyone and I hope to talk to you later when I start using Puppy lol.