Discovering Linux - The Experiences of a Linux Newbie

[romansky]

Discovering Linux - The Experiences of a Linux Newbie


August 2006

I have been using computers for years, mostly for gaming and Office apps, and I've been faithfull to Microsoft all this time. I had heard a lot about linux, and had tried some of the opensource software on my XP-laptop, such as OpenOffice. The thought of a free alternative to Microsofts costly products really appeals to me, and I decided to find out for myself what the fuzz was all about.

A few words about me and what I was looking for in my OS. I am from Norway, in my mid-twenties and I study at the University (not computer science). I have very limited technical knowledge, and I was looking for a Easy-to-use distro. My test computer is not exactly brand new; Pentium III 533 MHz, 128 MB RAM, 12 GB HD, ATI Rage 128. Also, it does not have an internet connection, so every time I need isos, software or support, I have to use the other computer, a newer model with XP.

I downloaded several distros on my XP computer and made installation discs. At first words like partitioning, swap drive, root drive and bootloader meant nothing to me, but after some time and some failures I sort of got hold of the installation process. The biggest shock for a Windows user like myself was how painfully frustrating software installation was. Compiling from source and keeping track of dozens of dependencies is a bit more challenging than simply double-clicking the setup-icon in windows. From browsing various Linux forums, I get the impression that some regard this as a good thing. Due to security reasons, it seems. I strongly disagree so far. It seems that software installation is made a lot easier with tools like apt-get etc., but all these seem to require an internet connection.

This is what happend when i tried to setup a distro on my own. I really liked the look and feel of ubuntu, and decided to make an effort to make it work like I wanted (restricted formats etc). I tried to compile gstreamer-files I had downloaded, but was unable to do this. It seemed Ubuntu didn't have a compiler preinstalled (what is a compiler?). I browsed the web, and was able to install gcc from the install CD, but still I couldn't install gstreamer. Seems I lacked dependencies. I downloaded all the dependencies that was listed, but when I tried to install these, it seems I lacked dependencies for the dependencies. It was at this time I uninstalled ubuntu.

Because I found it difficult to add software, it was very important to me that the distro worked out-of-the-box. Also, I don't even know what a config file is, so no manual editing of config files, please. What I ideally want from a distro is:

# A good looking, clean and tidy, functional desktop.
# It needs to work reasonably fast on my rather old computer.
# It needs to play MP3, AVI and other popular formats out-of-the box.
# A few games and a lot of preinstalled software.
# I prefer if it has AbiWord. OO is very slow on my PC (This is not a big issue).
# gcc should be installed by default.
# Perfect harware detection.
# A working sound recorder (the was a problem with a surprisingly high number of the distros)

Distro by Distro

1. Xandros (open edition)
+ Easy installation
+ Good looks. Easy to navigate for a Windows user.
+ Plays all formats by default.
+ Working sound recorder

- A bit too windows-ish.
- Free edition lacks features, such as speedy CD-burning.
- Too many ads, too few apps.
- No Live-CD

2. Linspire (5.0)
- The liveCD is way to heavy for my system. No installation possible.

3. Mandriva (One)
+ Looks and feels great. Very intuitive.
+ Plays restricted formats.
+ The easiest installer and partitioning tool I have seen.
+ A lot of preinstalled software.

- Sound recorder won't work on my system.
- No games.

4. PClinuxOS
- Boring look.
- Graphical installer barley works on my system.
- When installed, X won't work. Somthing to do with ATI 128 Rage?

5. Ubuntu (6.06)
+ No. 1 when it comes to look and feel.
+ Good software selection by default. Nice games.
+ Great community support.

- Graphical installer don't work on my system. Have to use alt. inst.
- MP3, AVI etc. don't work by default.
- Sound recorder won't work.

6. Fedora (5)
+ Looks and feels nice
+ A lot of good software installed.

- Text-based installer uses three hours to install the system-
- MP3, AVI etc. don't work by default.
- No sound recorder.
- Very slow on my sys.

7. SUSE (10.1)
- Won't work on my system.

8. Mepis
- Crappy looks. Menus need cleaning up.
- Difficult installation.

Conclusion
The concept of open-source, free software is very appealing. Many of the Linux-distros are very good, but I still haven't found one that fits my needs perfectly. Also, my needs will propably change as I become more aquainted to Linux. At this time, my favourite distro is propably Mandriva One, though it would've been Ubuntu if they had had support for restricted formats.

[deanlinkous]

Excellent list! IMO that is the great thing about linux, you first choose which feels right then you customize it and make it your own.

Sounds like what you really need to do is get more familar and comfortable with the distro and learn how to customize it, including how to install apps from the proper repos and so forth. Installing software is fairly easy on practically every distro anymore you just have to become familar with it. Compiling is a thing of the past (mostly, unless you want to) and dependencies should not be much of a problem either.

The installation is often a confusing part but once you get to understand that it becomes something you could about do with your eyes closed.

IMO the way linux becomes "easier" is simply to spend time with it and bcome familar with it. You have used windows for years and become familar with it, so give linux half that much time and I guarantee you will be a expert or your money back.

I would probably suggest Ubuntu or Xubuntu and check out easyunbuntu or automatix for the codec support stuff. I would suggest debian but you would have to really be willing to put some effort into it. Could also try out freespire. Good luck, and keep looking and you shall find.

[d38dm8nw81k1ng]

i agree with the above. xubuntu is lighter (though you may prefer gnome). i also recommend looking up easyubuntu (as mentioned above) as it contains all the codecs for your ubuntu install (easyubuntu is a method of installing codecs, not a distro). another distro you may want to try (though it might not work perfectly) is damnsmalllinux or maybe puppy linux. both these are lightweight and will run better on your computer though they aren't the most newbie friendly distros.

[romansky]

I actually tried puppy. I was impressed by the speed and the software selection, though I found the look a bit simplistic, and I had problems installing it (something to do with the bootloader, I think).

Can I install EasyUbuntu from a CD, and Ubuntu will play MP3s, or do I need to be connected to internet while running EasyUbuntu?

Thank you for interesting replies.

[scrarfussi]

i find linux a pain i,ve only been using it a week and already i'm hating it ii can understand why we got to fork ou so much for windows tis much easier i got suse 10.1 installation was fairl easy i loved the fact that i could view my windows files and that it picked up my phone also as a modem so i was very impressed i went to play my mp3s and the played but not will there were pauses and breaks and times when the volume would go down then came my videos totem was totally useless now started my nightmare because i use my phone as a modem i had to switch to windows to go online and download librarys playes etc most of the files were all tar.gz and i had to compile which i knew nothin about and luckily gettin help some stuff i managed to compile the rest would not work a friend then informed me about rpms which again i found downloaded and tried then i met up with dependancy errors wat a nightmare
after goin through various forums and installin libraries and codecs etc i finally got xine to play my movies and videos but at a price i lost sound and non of my mp3s or media files willl play at this point i totally hate linux

[techieMoe]

i find linux a pain i,ve only been using it a week and already i'm hating it ...at this point i totally hate linux

All right then. You didn't give it enough of a chance in my opinion, but if you're not willing to take the time to really learn it, there's no reason in beating a dead horse. Enjoy your MS Windows. Goodbye.

[Roxoff]

Conclusion
The concept of open-source, free software is very appealing. Many of the Linux-distros are very good, but I still haven't found one that fits my needs perfectly. Also, my needs will propably change as I become more aquainted to Linux. At this time, my favourite distro is propably Mandriva One, though it would've been Ubuntu if they had had support for restricted formats.

Great work through - you've clearly taken time to look at a wide range of different distros and thought out your final choice . I only have one minor issue really - that you seem to be basing your choice on which distro playes restrected media formats out of the box...

The reasons some dont is because you're using restricted formats - i.e. formats owned (patented) by somebody else. MP3, AVI, WMA/WMV and many others suffer from this, so some of the big distro makers (based in the USA) are under patent or export restrictions for this stuff; but even where it's restricted in the main distro for legal reasons, its available from non-US sources. And if you cant get support for a particular distro, you can get the souce code.

As an example, I use Fedora Core, and the repository I use allows me binary distros of codecs for all the popular media formats, 'cos they're not based in the USA. There are similar repositories for other distros too.

[carlosponti]

by the way Fedora Core 5 doesnt ship with a text based installer.

and to the quitter scrarfussi go back to windows. sounds like to me you will have problems no matter what and dont have the patience to fix any of them.

[Kojak]

3. Mandriva (One)
+ Looks and feels great. Very intuitive.
+ Plays restricted formats.
+ The easiest installer and partitioning tool I have seen.
+ A lot of preinstalled software.

- Sound recorder won't work on my system.
- No games.

Grab the 3 CD version and you get even more apps and many games. And much more is available at the plf repos (set up with easyurpmi preferrably).
Mandriva is imho unbeatable for someone who is new to linux (I have used over 40 distros, including all big ones and migrated dozens of people to Linux. I know what I am talking about).

Scrarfussi: do you know those?:

→ .
→ ,
→ ?
→ !

I hate posts without interpunctuation.

by the way Fedora Core 5 doesnt ship with a text based installer.

That is not correct. Fedora has an optional text-based installer included. And it has http/ftp/local-server-install also included by default.

[daacosta]

Xandros works fine out of the box and it is a good distro for a begineer... Then I'd say Ubuntu... Haven't tried PC Linux...