Easy install, easy interface?

[username132]

I installed Debian on a proliant 3000 and was confronted with some horrible command-driven interface. I read the Linux was getting better than Windows, but what I experienced looked like DOS. Worse, to install a GUI, I have to get my head around some packages and find out the exact magic code to type to make it all install. Isn't there a distrobution I can shove into the CD-drive, install, and be confronted with a nice interface where I don't have to memorise a couple of hundred nasty commands?

[zasr86]

I just run debian on my server,a nd I unserstand exactly what you're saying, and would point you to fedora.

It has a 'yum' which is similar to 'apt-get', and it can do near anything debian can, and with a nice interface. Nice GUI install and desktop options for newer users. Id reccomend Fedora core 4, the newest one is 5, but i've had alot of problems with it, and theres not much difference between the two

Here's some links:

http://fedora.redhat.com/

http://fedoraforum.org


EDIT: Heres a link for 4: ftp://ftp.linux.ncsu.edu/pub/fedora/linux/core/4

Just DL these images under the /iso/

File: FC4-i386-disc1.iso 649838 KB 07/06/2005 12:00:00 AM
File: FC4-i386-disc2.iso 653036 KB 07/06/2005 12:00:00 AM
File: FC4-i386-disc3.iso 653276 KB 07/06/2005 12:00:00 AM
File: FC4-i386-disc4.iso 645032 KB 07/06/2005 12:00:00 AM

[username132]

Thanks, I'm downloading the first one now. Do I need all four discs? And how come it's i386 and not 486? It still sounds confusing. Windows doesn't have or seem to need a "yum" or an "apt-get"?

[oz]

If you should decide you don't like Debian or Fedora, try Suse, Mandriva, or Ubuntu. Maybe one of them will play nice.

[Zelmo]

Windows doesn't have or seem to need a "yum" or an "apt-get"?

Windows has a small piece of a "yum" or "apt-get"--it's called Windows Update. The big difference is that yum and apt-get let you install thousands of other programs, besides updating what you already have.

[zasr86]

Thanks, I'm downloading the first one now. Do I need all four discs? And how come it's i386 and not 486? It still sounds confusing. Windows doesn't have or seem to need a "yum" or an "apt-get"?

i386 will work on your pc if you used 486..

It's a good OS for professionals, and beginners, and to answer your last question I look at it this way...say you wanted to install amsn on windows, youd have to go to google, find the website, download the installe, double click it

With fedora you want to know what you type? you go into terminal, make yourself root and type

yum install amsn. then BOOM, it's there


and yes, you're going to want all four disks..and let me reccomend just installing the GNOME desktop, and leaving the KDE one out, youll see what I mean during install, gnome runs so much better..

[username132]

I'm installing now. It's a lot more userfriendly than I had imagined! My previous attempt to install Debian was nothing like this. Thank you zasr86 and everyone else for your help!

[techieMoe]

and yes, you're going to want all four disks..and let me reccomend just installing the GNOME desktop, and leaving the KDE one out, youll see what I mean during install, gnome runs so much better..

Comments like this illustrate a point I think the original poster should notice: terms suchs as "user-friendly" and "easy" are completely relative. We in the Linux world all have our favorite distributions, programs, desktops and flavors of ice cream, but to say any one will work perfectly for you is unfair. There's simply no way anyone but you can know what you will like. My point to all this? Install KDE and Gnome so you can try them both out and determine which works best for you.

[farslayer]

I installed Debian on a proliant 3000 and was confronted with some horrible command-driven interface. I read the Linux was getting better than Windows, but what I experienced looked like DOS. Worse, to install a GUI, I have to get my head around some packages and find out the exact magic code to type to make it all install. Isn't there a distrobution I can shove into the CD-drive, install, and be confronted with a nice interface where I don't have to memorise a couple of hundred nasty commands?

Just a heads up on your Debian install.. The only reason you ended up with a system that looked like a DOS prompt is that you did not select Dekstop-environment during the install.. There will be an[*] Asterisk in the selection box when the item is actually selected.
http://shots.osdir.com/slideshows/sl...e=184&slide=30

now you know..

[username132]

Ah, right... now I know!

The thing with KDE/GNOME goes both ways really... if I was told to try KDE, GNOME, superfudge, wackywidget and all those weird and wonderful different environments I'd get put off. Like with Windows you don't get a choice. That's good if you don't have time to get bogged down in such things, but not so good if the environment doesn't suit your needs. Anyway it's installed with Gnome at the moment so I'll try that and maybe switch after I've got the hang of it. Whilst booting up I got the error;

rspi: unable to locate rsdp

loading continued regardless... should I be worried?


Also, do I really need a useraccount? It just sounds like more hassle to switch from a useraccount to a rootaccount to do "adminisitrative things". I don't feel like a useraccount :'(