RobNyc

Poll.

I'm a newbie and want the most suited distro for me.
I'm using a Celeron 634mhz 256mbsdram 20gb for Linux , and after I learn it well enough I can install Linux dual-boot or maybe full-time on my Laptop Amd Athlon XP-M 2800+ 768mb ddr 30gb which is using XP home sp2 at the moment. I'm not a newbie in windows, I have 4yrs + using ME/XP.

So yea I've used a few and couldnt install a few (cds errors or something). I've used CollegeLinux, Suse 9.1, Suse 9.2 Gnome/KDE LiveCd, MandrakeMove, Slax, Knoppix LiveCd 3.6 / installed it on hd too, SimplyMepis 2004.04 / installed it on hd also, Ubuntu, Libranet 2.8.1, LormaLinux, and Xandros. Now I tried to install Slackware 10.0, Mdrake 10.0 and 10.1 but no sucess, also UserLinux and Vector, and a few others not very heard of. Well anyways heres my chosen that I liked and have used.

1) Yoper
2) Libranet
3) Slax (by any chance can you install slack from the livecd) ?
4) Knoppix
5) SimplyMepis
6) Ubuntu

Please don't vote according to your likes, but according to whats best for a linux n00b. I'm not a console lover, but I'm not scared of it I used Libranet and did a lot of apt-get. I love apt-get, its so easier than rpm stuff and other distros (useless ones). I'm a homeuser, 2 computers, connected to my dsl/router, I do a lot of chatting, surfing, emails, music, burning, downloads, reading, and stuff like that a home user would do =)

So I dont need no Gentoo type stuff, I'm only 18 , I aint a geek either I'm just smart and have been using a pc with a lot of trial-errors and do not wish to go thru so much disappointment I did with windows.

Anything else I forgot to add?

Thanks.
I'm always in the #Libranet, #NYLUG, irc channels. or #Yoper, #Mepis, #Knoppix, #Ubuntu too (Majestic/Rob) c ya

Again, please let me know why you voted for that specific or multiple distro(s) , and what is good about it and whats not thanks.

genesus

you can install slax from the livecd, i think the boot code is either slax -install or slax install, make sure you have a formatted drive and swap ready...btw what problems did you have installing slackware?

RobNyc

Thanks

Well when installation was done it wouldn't go into the systme, it would say GRUB_ , so I did it a again and again, the last time I saved the boot loader into a floppy, it happened again but I put the floppy and it went ahead another step, but then I would type startx and it would just bring a black screen. So that was the end of it, anyways I dont think I will be enjoying slackware since Im a newbie, but I did waste those 4cds I burned =\ on my celeron 634mhz 256mb sdram 20gb < Linux desktop
I dont wanna install linux on my athlon xp-m 2800+ laptop because i dont know linux yet so when I learn yes , until then whatever works on my celeron thats what I gotta do then =\

Yoper has been inactive I hear, Knoppix/Kanotix I'm being told a lot of good things, Ubuntu (of course) the fasting growing distro yet, Libranet (the best folks) that I've talked and just waiting for version 3.0 to come out, Mepis (ahh) I dont know anymore. I am trying out now Progeny Debian 2.0, (tryn to) get UserLinux to work, tryin out Knoppix & Kanotix, Gnoppix is Ubuntu just a livecd, i also tried Debian sarge net-installer but there was a problem I couldn't start x system either, I just tried VectorLinux but didnt like it and yes I did type startx and it worked, Vector is based on slackware, so for now its only Libranet (even though is outdate) I can get some help from the irc. channel there to open my sources and update thru Sarge or Sid and have LN with the latest, or work on Ubuntu . [/quote]

adrenaline

If it said grub when you finished installing slackware, then it didn't boot to slackware since slackware uses lilo. What probably happened is that no bootloader was written and the last thing you installed (probably SuSE) left the old mbr. When installing slackware choose the MBR option.

Anyways if your a n00b like you say, I would recommend something a little easier Fedora/SuSE/Mandrake. As ambitious as you sound though I get the feeling you wont like those, but it will get the the basic knowledge you need to move to a little more in depth distro Slackware / Debian/ BSD

Good Luck,
Mike

techieMoe

Being the fan of SuSE that I am, my back sort of bristled at this comment. I think I can say with some authority that SuSE is just as useful to a power user as Slackware/Debian/BSD. I've used and enjoyed Slackware and Debian, but I don't see SuSE as any less "in-depth" than either of them, except perhaps if by "in-depth" you mean "takes more work to configure". They do, but I don't see SuSE being easier to configure as a necessarily bad thing.

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TechieMoe's Tech Rants

kartik_mistry

Using Knoppix 3.6 , Morphix installed on Hdd .

Any Debian based distro is Great !!

daemonOS

Well out of the poll(Distro) options you gave I say Knoppix.

jjmac

Howdy RobLinux,



I notice a lot of posts along this topic line, on
various forums. And they all seem to have a
certain consistency.

Aside from not including deb as one of the actual
choices, but that would just be you, possibly
thinking that deb itself wasn't a viable choice

When you say you want ...


>>
... the most suited distro for
me.
>>

That is quite impossible to answer, especially
considering your following comments. Besides,
who are you ?. Are you going to be who you think
you are next week, as you may be now, or are you
just a static person that dosen't change. !


>>
... Well anyways heres my chosen that I liked
and have used
>>

How come i get the feeling that your trying to
heard me into an idea that just suits you. Your
not really looking for an "open" opinion really.
Just something thats going to fit into what you
may have well already pre-conceived.


>>
Please don't vote according to your likes, but
according to whats best for a linux n00b.
>>

New it !, your not really interested in my
opinion/experience at all !

Some of the problems, so called "n00b's" seem
to have in common, is a total reluctance/fear,
to move away from the Windows mind set, that they
have been trained to except. On the one hand, there
sick of the insecurity of Windows installs, which,
by the way, directly relates to why Windows provides
that air of ease.

If you didn't have to bother using a "key" to get
into, and then start your car, well, i suppose
life would run a little smoother. But then you
probably wouldn't have your car for very long either.
And besides, remembering/learning how to not loose
your "key" ... Well, that ain't so hard really.


>>
So I dont need no Gentoo type stuff, I'm only 18 ,
I aint a geek either I'm just smart and have been
using a pc with a lot of trial-errors and do
not wish to go thru so much disappointment
I did with windows.
>>

Ok, "smart" ???, but reluctant


You seem to like "deb", well, distro hopping
can at least introduce a variety of possibilities,
but the differences will only boil down to the
maintenance utilities employed, along with the
"init" style used. I think the rest will just be
aesthetics associated with the users Window
Manager. A person needs to stick with something
over time, to really come to learn very much of
anything about it. After all, they really are all
the same !


Personally i started with RedHat 5.0, but went to
Woody as i found it easier to learn from, and
"debconf" was the most unintrusive maintanence system
i could find. Now, it's more a cross between
"testing/unstable", and with a newly upgraded
libc6_2.3.2. Still tweaking a few issues there .


Once you over come the Windows indoctrination
thing, you'll probably find, what ever Linux
flavour your doing, surprisingly more simple than
you first though. Along with the satisfaction that
comes with actually being in control of your
system. Which means, of course, making decisions
regarding it.

If you can read and aren't afraid to experiment,
and know how to make backups from time to time,
and testing them, Then ... you won't have any
real problem.

No offence if that all sounds a bit patronising,
i don't think i actually mean it to be as such.

Oh, my vote ... deb of course


jm

RobNyc

THank You and for understanding . Actually I did choose MBR. BUt anyhow I ain't gona use non-deb based distros for now. Not at least till I learn Linux, 2 weeks now trialing linux so for now I am trying to test as much as possible the following distros and I made 3 - 6gb partitions in my linux box and 666mb for swap . Kanotix (trying but the cd doesnt seem to boot up) it boots up fine iin my laptop though, but I just tried in my cousins P4 2Ghz laptop and it doesnt work but it does work on my amd athlon xp-m 2800+ laptop, weird .. Progeny Debian 2.0 doesnt seem to be working either, I dont know I Think its the cds that I have that are crappy (Great Quality brand) GQ just like that 1-52x compatible 700mb, and the ones I have that are working fine in my linux box desktop celeron 634mhz 256mb sdram is Yoper, Ubuntu, Libranet, Mepis and KNoppix(but I read that is better MEpis than KNoppix for hd install) .

I've tried more than those in my 2 weeks and read, and read and I seem to get along better with DEB Based.

RobNyc

I went with Linux because it was free , I know not all of them are free but I' go with the free ones, I tried Suse 9.1 , had no one to help me so you know I aint always on the forums, but I will be a lot from now on, I'm usually in the irc channel, is easier and faster . So Libranet folks were the first and most helpful folks I ever dealed with so thats why LN has me, Ubuntu has a lot of folks ready to help so thats why I also give it to them and their distro is not bad at all, Kanotix is growing even though they are mostly germans, Mepis is great has 2 channels lots of help, and Knoppix is ok, YOper is really dead I dont even know if IM gonna install it and be alone =\
Suse is big, Mdrake, and Slackware, and DEbian I been into those rooms, i havent been to redhat based . Suse 9.1 is a bit slow on my celeron 634mhz I think suse is better for faster systems than mine or at least 512mb i think.

ALso I like apt-get based because I can do a lot of thigns independently, and if i dont wanna use the gui i dont, if i want to i do =) i like customization, simplicity, and options and diff. choices . I like big things, Yoper is really good and Mepis they are open to DEB, RPM, etc

I forgot to mention I tried DEbian net-installer already , but it takes too long to startup and stuff, and its not for me right now , deb-based like LN , Ubuntu, MEpis suits me better. I also tried ARk Linux but the channels have ppl but they are just not there so not worth it.