how do I know which one?

[windwalker]

I discovered this forum about three minutes ago and already realize 99% of the things posted here are over my head. What I need is some very basic advice. I am writing this post on a five year old hp running windows 98 in safe mode. That alone should tell you something. I a tired of freeze ups,crashs, ect ect ect. and I don"t want windows vista for reasons I"m sure this forum will understand.
I just ordered a new computer imac with inter duo core and osx tiger and paralell desktop but I know it will not run some of my programs. I heard about linux xp and thought that it may be the answer but when I went looking I found ubuntu, kubuntu, suse.gentoo, redhat, ect.....what is this stuff and what do i really need? It"s all a little to much for me to figure out so I am asking the pros. Any help would be greatlly appreciated.
Dave

[rudie_rage]

but I know it will not run some of my programs.

Linux most likely wont either, but there are alternatives to nearly every microsoft program available.

ubuntu and kubuntu are good places to start, with ubuntu probably being a little easier to work with, but thats debatable, and if it is its only by a sliver of ease.

the two distros mentioned above are really well geared to people who know next to nothing about linux, and not much more about computers in general, while at the same time they offer the full strength of linux when you start to learn how things work behind the scenes (ie. behind the desktop GUI)

As for your hardware, we could probably use some more details to help you decide what will run quickly on something that is a little dated. Mind you that you'd be surprised at how much faster things seem with linux. It's just plain speedy in comparison.

oh, and did i mention its all free? What have you got to lose by trying besides patience? by the sounds of it your computer nearly has the performance of a brick at the moment anyway.

[oz]

Welcome to the forums, windwalker!

The choice is really yours. Have a look at the link in my signature for lots of good information on getting started with Linux.

Once you've decided on a distribution to try, post back with a new thread regarding any problems you have and we'll see if we can help you.

oz

[Cabhan]

A bit of an explanation is in order, methinks.

So we have this operating system called Linux (also known as GNU/Linux in some circles). What makes Linux Linux is something called the kernel. This is a special program that interacts with the hardware and presents a single interface to the rest of the system. This is why programs don't need to know exactly what hardware you have, or have to manage every minute detail of every file on your system. Windows also has a kernel. If you've ever heard of Windows NT, this is the NT kernel.

Now then, because Linux is technically only a kernel, it is rather useless for the user to only install the kernel. You need other software: programs to manage your logging in, to display graphics, to install software, to compile programs, to display directory contents, etc. All of these things are available, but if you only had the Linux kernel, installing them would be difficult. For this reason, when you install "Linux", you are actually installing a "Linux distribution".

What is a "Linux distribution"? It's the Linux kernel packaged with all sorts of other software. Some of this software is obvious: Mozilla Firefox, OpenOffice.org, the GIMP, etc. Other pieces of software are less obvious: getty (which allows you to login), crontab (which allows you to schedule recurring tasks), ls (which allows you to view directory contents), Bash (the shell, which allows you to navigate your filesystem and execute commands), etc. A distribution also comes with some sort of philosophy: Ubuntu, for instance, focuses a great deal on user-friendliness, while Debian and Gentoo are focused on a hands-on, you-control-it-all mindset.

There are LOTS of distributions out there. Ubuntu is probably the most popular for new users these days, but there is a huge selection.

It is important to note that every Linux distribution is Linux. They run the same Linux kernel, use the same programs, and operate the same way. It's simply the default packages, the method of installing new packages, and the philosophy that differ.

You mentioned Linux XP: this is a distro that simply attempts to emulate the look-and-feel of Windows. It does NOT run Windows programs. The problem is that Windows and Linux use different architectures, and different libraries. As a result, Windows programs do not run natively on Linux.

If you want to run a Windows program on Linux, the solution depends on why. If you want to simply use an application, there may be a Linux alternative for it. For example, we use the GIMP instead of Photoshop, Inkscape instead of Illustrator, OpenOffice.org instead of Microsoft Office, etc. If you need to run a specific program or game, you can check out Wine, which attempts to translate Windows programs into Linux-understandable programs. It is not 100% successful, but depending on your needs, it may work.

If your interest lies in running Windows programs, Linux is probably not the place for you. If you want to run Windows programs, you should run Windows. However, if you're looking for a peaceful operating system that lets you be in control, I'd recommend checking out Ubuntu and playing around with it.

[windwalker]

Thank you all for your help. I am still a long way from understanding linux, but I"ve taken the first step. If I understand, I should be able to install Ubuntu onto this computer and clean it up a lot. I called the autocad people and they will give me a free replacement from windows to imac so that takes care of my main problem.
If I install ubuntu, will it wipe out windows 98 or they both be in the computer. and will I loose all of my data?
thanks

[MikeTbob]

Provided you have enough hard drive space, you can install Linux along side Windows, and you normally won't lose anything. It will even install a bootloader, so you can pick which OS you want to boot. Good Luck!

[scm]

Thank you all for your help. I am still a long way from understanding linux, but I"ve taken the first step. If I understand, I should be able to install Ubuntu onto this computer and clean it up a lot. I called the autocad people and they will give me a free replacement from windows to imac so that takes care of my main problem.
If I install ubuntu, will it wipe out windows 98 or they both be in the computer. and will I loose all of my data?
thanks

Well, given how cheap hard drives are these days, and if your box has room for another one, I'd suggest you get another drive to play with Linux on, so you don't risk destroying your Windoze stuff in the unlikely event that you want to go back to it.