Linux / Unix :

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FoxFive50

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So ... I find myself with a spare laptop and think I should give Linux / Unix a go.

My IT skill can be best described as: "Pretty good at installing and breaking Windows. Requiring it to be reinstalled every few months".

I have no technical knowledge/background. The minute I hear or see the word edit registry I rather reinstall things. I assume Linux has a GUI 'like' Windows and does not use a command prompt 'cos if it does I'm not even starting with it.

So my question is where do I start with Linux? What should I download? What the newbie route to taming the Penguin?
 
Err, yes you do have a desktop and you don't ever have to see/use the command line, though it is there.

I'd suggest starting with ubuntu/kubuntu (slightly different versions of the same thing). You can download it from the site if you have a spare 700mb or ask them to post you a disk.

It is a live cd - you can run it off the CD without installing anything. When you do want to install it there is an icon on the desktop. You'll be asked 5/6questions (what time zone, keyboard layout, your name and password - nothing too technical) and bobs your auntie it'll install.

Have fun.
 
I definitely suggest Linux before you even start sniffing at Unix. I personally suggest Kubuntu (because we all know Gnome is a pile of crap).

You can download it from:

http://ubuntu.mirror.ac.za/ubuntu-cdimage/kubuntu/releases/7.04/release/

I've given you the link to 7.04 rather than 7.10 because well... I just don't trust 7.10 yet, though it is probably absolutely fine. So give that a try, download the liveDVD iso and start installing. It will basically boot you into a liveDVD version of KDE (an awesome Linux GUI/Window Manager) from which you will be able to install it. The install is very straight forward. I wish you the best of luck.

If, at some point, however, you are looking to learn more about Linux in general and want a challenge, try installing Gentoo. Not via their new noobish GUI install. Old school, console-based. Trust me, by doing that you will learn much.
 
Hi ;)

To be honest, if you think that your are going to be able to get by without command line in a server environment, youre gonna be kidding yourself ;)

Its a mentality that many people have, instead of trying to understand the code behind the problem they would rather run a wizard. Tough but true, I use Kubuntu for GUI apps and bash/zsh for shell ssh sessions.

Youll be surprised how intuitive the shells are, and once you understand how things work in the backround, youll be surprised how quickly you can do things :) switch click and right click for grep and pipe

If you are keen on GUI l33tness id recommend a higher spec graphics card and compiz fusion, which can load on top of kde/gnome.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E4Fbk52Mk1w"]YouTube - Compiz Fusion: A Quick Demonstration[/ame]

It kicks vista aero out the window.

Brad






FoxFive50 said:
So ... I find myself with a spare laptop and think I should give Linux / Unix a go.

My IT skill can be best described as: "Pretty good at installing and breaking Windows. Requiring it to be reinstalled every few months".

I have no technical knowledge/background. The minute I hear or see the word edit registry I rather reinstall things. I assume Linux has a GUI 'like' Windows and does not use a command prompt 'cos if it does I'm not even starting with it.

So my question is where do I start with Linux? What should I download? What the newbie route to taming the Penguin?
Click to expand...
 
He said he wants to put it on an old laptop - I don't think he's planning on running a server off of it.
 
Another awesome GUI graphics-**** is Beryl, puts Vista to shame. So if you are looking for pretty, check out Beryl and compiz fusion.

Win.
 
chiskop said:
He said he wants to put it on an old laptop - I don't think he's planning on running a server off of it.
Click to expand...
The old laptop excuse doesn't work too well any more. Linux has been enhanced quite a bit since those days. I struggled to get Ubuntu to work on a high spec P3.

Maybe try a smaller or cut-down distro. The LIVE distro (i.e. play directly off a CD) will definitely struggle on an old PC!
 
Thanks folks.
- I'm not starting with a server environment just a desktop OS.
- Laptop is Dell D610, currently running Vista, 2gig Ram, Pentium M 1.86Ghz CPU,
It says the graphics card is a "Intel Graphics card called a 915GM/GMS/910ML Express" (?) .... It's fairly new so it should be ok.
 
chiskop said:
Thats your spare laptop? Err yeah, it should manage ubuntu :P
Click to expand...

Ja ... Spare/Backup. My work machine has 4gig ram and is "dual core" (I think that is what it's called 'cos I scratched off the Intel sticker that said what it is) ... part of my job is demo'ing software than runs in a VM and the VM runs Windows server 2003 etc so it needs to have some legs ...

It's basically a very fancy machine that does 85% email, powerpoint and internet and 15% demo's but you need the power when you demo so - go figure.
 
Last edited:
ubuntu.
Packages download super fast for me - full line speed. And they are local.
Very easy to use.
 
Moederloos said:
ubuntu.
Packages download super fast for me - full line speed. And they are local.
Very easy to use.
Click to expand...
You can pick up a genuine copy of Ubuntu from UCT or burn it from a toaster (public cd/dvd burner/repository). There's one at Canal Walk (CPT).
 
Moederloos said:
ubuntu.
Packages download super fast for me - full line speed. And they are local.
Very easy to use.
Click to expand...

Most of the major distros have their core repos mirrored in SA.

I remember how frustrated I was when I was learning Linux using SuSE 9.0. But the hours on a terminal window have helped me understand the workings of Linux. In fact I find that even though I have the GUI tools installed, I find it faster to open a console and do what I want to do.

But yeah, in a fedora forum there were few things (less than 5 iirc) that we concluded would probably still need a command line interaction. Can't remember them now though.
 
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