Which OS?

[QRivers]

Hello

Im a complete begineer and would like some advice on which OS to use on windows machine to practise using the linux CLI. I tried using ubuntu but I wont to learn from scratch. Ubuntu didnt work antway my NIC card couldnt get an ip address.

[b2bwild]

So you want to dual boot or not?
or you are going to use virtualized system?
or you want to install linux on windows using Wubi?
or you want to competly single boot linux?
be more specific..

but if you want practice CLI, i suggest you Fedora/RHEL and Debian.

[QRivers]

Thanks for the quick reply. I have created a 20gig partition so ideally I would like to install an OS on that and have a option from start up to chose windows or linux.

[b2bwild]

Thats dual boot.
You can go for CentOS/Fedora/Debian
Debian is quite big so you can just get Linux Mint.
(I never suggest anyone ubuntu, because of there so small release cycle there launches always have some bugs/glitches in them or rather use a older version)

[HROAdmin26]

Debian is quite big

Debian 4 install is 300MB for me.

...to practise using the linux CLI

Don't install a GUI - you will learn *real quick.*

[b2bwild]

Debian 4 install is 300MB for me.

I mean full distro.

[HROAdmin26]

First Debian CD is all you need to install.

Quote:
...to practise using the linux CLI

Don't install a GUI - you will learn *real quick.*

If the goal is to actually learn using the CLI, not installing the GUI and extra junk would be the best route. Debian is the smallest/cleanest compared to CentOS (RHEL clone) and Fedora.

Mint is based on Ubuntu, which is in turn based on...Debian. (For OP's info...)

Linux Mint's purpose is to produce an elegant, up-to-date, and comfortable GNU/Linux desktop based on Ubuntu.

[hadgy]

A nice place to start: DistroWatch.com
Put the fun back into computing. Use Linux, BSD.
Anyway, HROAdmin26 is right, install whatever linux distribution you like. All you need to learn is non-related to GUI
After you feel you are doing well with bash, gawk, sed, perl, tcl, etc. you can switch to GNOME/KDE.
Another way is to install GUI at once and then start learning shells.

Use <Linux> - Google Search for any reference you want and of course post here what troubles you.

Good Luck

[QRivers]

Thanks for reply.