Windows to Linux

[MetalheadGautham]

I am one of those unfortunate guys who were brought up in complete ignorance of linux, and I was raised with the message that windows is the meaning of a computer, and linux is some old martian meteorite which is uninhibitable. I now have decided to start using linux after realising that M$ windows is just like a dog leash round my collor.

I want some help in deciding a good linux for my cheap 2 year old and 5 year old modelled computer which has the following configuration:


1) 17" monitor, non flat tft(bit, abt 6yrs old model, so I can't afford high refresh rates)
2) A cheap but good multemedia keyboard
3) An optical scroll mouse, cheap but still decent playing games(no prolem at all)
4) 10 min UPS it means I want a five minute shutdown maximum
5) Intel pentium 4 processor 2.66 GHz(can't tax my system can I? )
6) 256 MB DDR ram(thats horrible, I know, but my dad says it will do )
7) samsung CD drive, read/write cds, both R and RW, read dvds, both -R, +R, dual layer,(duno which)
I have Intel GMA 900 on board graphics.
9) M$ Windows XP Professional SP2

I definitely won't be upgrading my PC, and the maximum I may do is to buy a DVD writer...


My Needs in the system:

APPS: (even easy to install packages on the net are enough)

Mozilla Firefox
Mozilla Thunderbird
VLC Media Player
Xine
MPlayer
OpenOffice.org
nvu
Gimpshop
Something like InfraRecorder to write cds, dvds, ISOs, other Disc Images
A GUIed Media Transcoder
All Players with all plugins
A PDF viewer, flash player(optional)
an antivirus and a firewall

FEATURES:

auto connect to the net, like windows
easy to access programmes
less taxing on my system(see configuration)
Eye Candy(optional, to make more switch to linux and to entertain my eyes)
easy install, uninstall
all and I mean all features accessable through a GUI
well supported
FREE AS IN AIR
Optional install of propiatary softwares and drivers
out of the box compatibility with my system.
neat security
I want it to be easy for novice use, and to be fully accessable without the use of the terminal.

I have shortlisted to Freespire, Ubuntu/Kubuntu and Mandriva.

I eliminated Vector, Edubuntu

I don't know much about OpenSuSe, so I need some advice

Please suggest anything else

[larrydag]

Well you are in luck! You're system is the perfect candidate for a Linux upgrade!!

I would strongly suggest trying either openSUSE, Kubuntu/Ubuntu.

You can find a .iso file to download for openSUSE from the following link.
openSUSE download.
openSUSE is a very user-friendly distribution that used a hardware and software utility known as YaST to configure your system. I use this system on my desktop.

You can find a .iso file to download Ubuntu from Ubuntu download. Ubuntu is the fastest growing distribution and a favorite among many. I have dual-booted my desktop with this distribution. Very good interface and a good stable desktop OS.

You really can't go wrong with either one. They each should have all of the applications pre-loaded that you mentioned. You will probably have to update some media software as most of that is proprietary but will be available.

[MetalheadGautham]

I heaed that OpenSuSE is only for advanced users and hogs up system memory. Is it true? and as for ubuntu/kubuntu, I heard that some problems exist in feisty fawn. I have Ubuntu Feisty Live cum installer, and have checked it out, but it takes a hell lot of time to load live. as for SuSE, the only way I can get it is by downloading it, trying to compress it to 1.8 bg and throwing it in my pen drive and ask my friend to burn it for me in a dvd (he too wants it, but is on dialup), or split it to parts and take them one by one , on both my CD RW and Pendrive, and get em burnt. Otherwise I have to download the CDs and burn em all and spend 5 CDs. where I come from, it costs twice as much for a DVD(sony) as for a cd(moser baer or sony). hence it is worth investing only in a dvd. or I have to wait til I buy a dvd writer .

how is mandriva?

[MetalheadGautham]

I heaed that OpenSuSE is only for advanced users and hogs up system memory. Is it true? and as for ubuntu/kubuntu, I heard that some problems exist in feisty fawn. I have Ubuntu Feisty Live cum installer, and have checked it out, but it takes a hell lot of time to load live. as for SuSE, the only way I can get it is by downloading it, trying to compress it to 1.8 bg and throwing it in my pen drive and ask my friend to burn it for me in a dvd (he too wants it, but is on dialup), or split it to parts and take them one by one , on both my CD RW and Pendrive, and get em burnt. Otherwise I have to download the CDs and burn em all and spend 5 CDs. where I come from, it costs twice as much for a DVD(sony) as for a cd(moser baer or sony). hence it is worth investing only in a dvd. or I have to wait til I buy a dvd writer .

how is mandriva?

Anyway, What I ment above is that I lack a DVD writer, AND I don't think it worthwile to buy 5 CDs, when for the same price I can get 2.5 DVDs... I am a real miser sorry(It is tiring downloading that many ISOs for CDs for me... I can shedule downloads only from 2 am to 8 am, as my net is biled on the bandwidth consumed(2.5 GB free) and is free from 2 am to 8am. Sometimes, Flashgot downloads a .htm file and says over... So downloading DVDs is the best. But I can still concider Ubuntu, I heard sound in my comp with ubuntu, not Vector... but it can't automatically connect to the net so that I can ask for help

[siliconheart]

login ubuntu site and register yourself and ask for free ubuntu cds for Desktop.
You ll get ubuntu cds for free.

enjoy

[MetalheadGautham]

well let me make myself clear: I already have burnt Ubuntu Feisty, Mandriva one spring 2007, Vector linux 5.1 soho live, freespire, dyne:bolic, slax kill bill edition and nUbuntu. all are live CDs. I can easily download CDs, as I finish downloading a cd in an hour..


I want free DVDs, not CDs... and what is the difference between ubuntu cd and dvd? is data uncompressed in the dvd version?

[devils casper]

I want free DVDs, not CDs... and what is the difference between ubuntu cd and dvd? is data uncompressed in the dvd version?

on top of the files in the CD edition, the DVD edition mainly contains many if not all of the packages in the main repository plus many in the restricted one.
In theory, this would allow you to complete the install without accessing the net. In practice, this may not be the case as some packages in the repository could very well be updated while the ones in the DVD may be obsolete. So, if you have Internet available when you install Ubuntu, just use the CD install, otherwise go for the DVD.

[MetalheadGautham]

the first time I threw the ubuntu cd in it drive, and rebooted, I could not access the net nor could I again. why? my external adsl modem shows that the link is ON(orange light), and net works in XP, but not in ubuntu CD



WHY?

[bigtomrodney]

Are you using a USB or ethernet (network cable) modem? If you have the choice I would strongly suggest using a network cable, for both windows and Linux. Why run an additional driver for the modem when you are already running your network driver

[MetalheadGautham]

I have ethernet(there is a usb port also, but its unused)