Hope you have a great day!What are the best Linux distros for beginners?

[star.torturer]

Can you get a program that plays windows games free, and without hastel, i don't want to get a load of new games just so i can use linux

 

[chroot]

What kind of games? In general, no, there is no easy way to play games which use, for example, DirectX, a Microsoft technology.

- Warren

 

[star.torturer]

dam then il have to have windows

beter install Linux on my Laptop and Windows on my PC

SimCity4
Call of Duty +2
Empire Earth

thanks anyway

 

[neutrino]

HELP!

I've finally decided to go with Kubuntu, because it is faster from the LiveCD than Ubuntu, although I like the simple layout, and K-less names of Ubuntu. Also, the Ubuntu graphical installer just freezes when it comes to the most important step - partitioning. Kubuntu gives me the details in just over a minute.

Okay here are the options that are available...

/dev/hda: IDE1 Master(hda) - 20.4 GB QUANTUM FIREBALLlct15 20
/dev/hdb: IDE1 Slave(hdb) - 40.0 GB ST340015A

...these and the one to manually to do the resizing.

The 20 Gig hard disc contains the C drive of XP (along with D and E), while the second one is split into two drives, F and G, taking up 20GB (approx.) each. I've nothing to lose in either of these drives. So, should I just let Kubuntu automatically resize it, i.e. the second one? I don't want more than 15-20GB for Linux. The option to manually partition confuses me, with all the hda, hdb2, etc. I have a back up of the necessary files.

Sorry for the complete super-newbie-type of questions. I've never partitioned before, and I want this installation to be as smooth as possible. So any help would be appreciated.

 

[chroot]

/dev/hda and /dev/hdb are just the names Linux uses to refer to the master and slave drives on the first IDE bus.

/dev/hda1, /dev/hda2, etc. are the first and and second partitions on the master drive on the first IDE bus, and so on.

The easiest approach might be to simply delete the partition containing either your F: or G: Windows filesystems, and installing in that free space. You may have to use the Windows Disk Management tool to figure out which physical partitions correspond to F: and G: before deleting either.

- Warren

 

[neutrino]

The easiest approach might be to simply delete the partition containing either your F: or G: Windows filesystems, and installing in that free space. You may have to use the Windows Disk Management tool to figure out which physical partitions correspond to F: and G: before deleting either.

G:(FAT 32) is completely empty. So, to use that space, should I just select 'Delete logical drive' from the Windows Disk Management Tool?

 

[chroot]

Yep, that'd be fine. Delete the partition under Windows, and then use the Linux installer to partition that free space in the usual manner.

- Warren

 

[neutrino]

Thanks a bunch, Warren!

 

[neutrino]

THANK YOU!

Thanks to everybody who has contributed to this thread. I'm now posting from an installed version of Kubuntu on my computer.

I gave Ubuntu one last try, but it was just too slow. It took me nearly half an hour to get to the installing part (actually, I never got there) after which the computer froze. On the other hand, Kubuntu was super fast, so fast that you need to use the Lorentz transformations. Everything was done in just under 20 minutes! During the boot, I could see XP listed in the list on OS's.

I'm now posting from Conqueror (sorry, Konqueror), but I'll be moving to Firefox tomorrow.

Once again, thanks!

 

[junglepeanut]

I know this thread has probably died, but I just thought I would point of if you would like neutrino, you should install xfce.

Your specs are not well suited for ubuntu or kubuntu, but Xubuntu should work much faster. (Plus if you just install the necessary packages you can retain the apps you like from kde. Keep in mind xfce and gnome seem to put most things that go together in the same place, but kde has a different idea about where things belong...)

Just making this comment to see if you can enjoy some more productivity. As I have 512mb and gnome and kde are felt on my computer compared to xfce. If you really like that and don't mind minimal you can always switch to icewm or fluxbox or something of that nature.

 

[Milo Hobgoblin]

Just stick with Windows. It will save you a ton of headaches and you won't be using an operating system for the sake of the operating system.

You shouldn't have to think about your OS... and that whole whopping 100 dollars to get XP is a drop in the bucket considering how much you do get for free and how wide the support base is.

Oh and for guys that tell you Linux doesn't crash. They are liars. ALL Operating Systems crash, its just a matter of when.

Eventually some poorly written app will find that one register that shouldn't be written too and kaboom. And I can promise you that with so many apps for Linux written by hobbyists.. it happens.

As far as Spyware, Viruses... I can promise you that if Linux had the user and application base approaching even 25% of what Windows does.. you'd see Virus and Spyware popping up like Herpes on Jenna Jameson.

As far as gaming.. not even a question to stick with XP.

Maybe.. just maybe in another 5 or ten years.. some decent distro will climb out above the rest and gain the desktop support required for widespread enterprise use... then.. we'll see.

But until then. Just stick with Windows. Build youself a nice solid PC, install XP and you apps, some good system protection and you have nothing to worry about.

 

[Anttech]

You shouldn't have to think about your OS... and that whole whopping 100 dollars to get XP is a drop in the bucket considering how much you do get for free and how wide the support base is.

What do you get for free? The stuff you had to pay for?

Oh and for guys that tell you Linux doesn't crash. They are liars. ALL Operating Systems crash, its just a matter of when.

Eventually some poorly written app will find that one register that shouldn't be written too and kaboom. And I can promise you that with so many apps for Linux written by hobbyists.. it happens.

Linux is based on Unix, Unix doesn't have a registry and neither does Linux. Since when would a wintel application need to write to the registery anyway apart from on install, or after a reconfigure? Do you even know how the architecture of the Operating System you are trying to defend works?

As far as Spyware, Viruses... I can promise you that if Linux had the user and application base approaching even 25% of what Windows does.. you'd see Virus and Spyware popping up like Herpes on Jenna Jameson.

Whats your point? Did it ever occur to you that people who write viruses are doing so to get at MicroSoft, not the end users?

It is very apparent you have no clue what you are talking about.

 

[Milo Hobgoblin]

Linux is based on Unix, Unix doesn't have a registry and neither does Linux

LOL you goof. I knew someone would mistake what i said. I said REGISTER not KEY. I won't explain the difference.

What do you get for free? The stuff you had to pay for?

Service packs, patches, etc.. yes Linux offers them for free in the form of kernal upgrades and such.. can't argue either way.

As far as Spyware, Viruses... I can promise you that if Linux had the user and application base approaching even 25% of what Windows does.. you'd see Virus and Spyware popping up like Herpes on Jenna Jameson.

Whats your point? Did it ever occur to you that people who write viruses are doing so to get at MicroSoft, not the end users?

It is very apparent you have no clue what you are talking about.

ya it did occur to me.. but I don't completely agree. There are a lot of hackers out there who just hate people and write viruses for the simple purpose of destroying end user experience.

As far as my computer knowledge.. I am not the one confusing registry keys.. which I know Unix/ Linux doesn't have.. with Memory Registers.. something every piece of code in the universe relies upon.

At least I am not so blinded by my dogma I just jump at the chance to bash anyone with an opposing opinion.

I know MS products have problems ALL os's have problems. Walk into ANY computer store and you can see the inherent problems with Linux.. set it up for your grandma.. you'll see the problems. Set it up for a highly shrinkwrapped desktop environment.. you'll see the problems.

They both have their places... for general purpose desktop use.. XP wins hands down.

 

[Anttech]

As far as my computer knowledge.. I am not the one confusing registry keys.. which I know Unix/ Linux doesn't have.. with Memory Registers.. something every piece of code in the universe relies upon.

Neither am I. I can only read and consequently understand what you write, and indeed you wrote "register."
You certainly didnt write memory register.
On top of this no Langauge I know of (High level) would you ever need to define memory registers so to assert

Eventually some poorly written app will find that one register that shouldn't be written too and kaboom

Is null because its the 'enviorment' that takes care of that not the application code, in most cases, and would make one think you were talking about Registery Key, not memory

For example, from MSDN, so you feel at home:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/msdnmag/issues/1100/gci/

Garbage collection in the Microsoft .NET common language runtime environment completely absolves the developer from tracking memory usage and knowing when to free memory.

I can't think of a High level language where you actually have to track memory usage, can you?

 

[Milo Hobgoblin]

Is null because its the 'enviorment' that takes care of that not the application code, in most cases, and would make one think you were talking about Registery Key, not memory

No OS memory manager (the magical "environment" you speak of) is a perfect beast, Linux, Unix or XP. Many times poorly written applications make bad calls... bad pointers.. bad compilers.. or just slop. Hell even well written applications can make bad calls.. it happens and the more you throw at a memory manager the more likely it is to happen.

and I've never heard of anyone refer to registry keys as "registers".. so I don't know where you got that. And I work in a large multi OS enterprise environment.

As far as manipulation of specific addresses.. no you are right that no high level language requires direct control.. and that's part of the problem. The vast majoryt of Linux/Unix was written in C and Xp in C/C++ with both having very small parts written in assembly (boot loaders etc..)

Because the developer doesn't control those aspects leaving them up to the compiler.. it leaves even more to the memory manager.. sort of throwing the dice. (which your article eludes too)

We can argue all day about the stabilty of the MS manager vs. the Unix manager.. but I will always be the first to say.. When Linux/Unix can run and has developed for it, the vast array of apps.. both serious and frivolous.. contending with the countless styles of programming.. calls. etc... you would see it just as prone to crash.

and I don't feel "at home" with MS. I see it as a tool, yes a tool that has problems. But as far as flipping the switch and doing multi purpose work and entertainment Ill take it over Linux and especially Unix any day. Face it./. PCs in this day and age are used just as much.. if not more for entertainment than ever. And EVERY OS needs to live up to that expectation.

You seem to take this OS garbage personally? I don't get it. Hell if I was running a web server you can bet Id use some Unix flavor over MS.. and I defend its stability just as wholeheartedly.

I can't think of a High level language where you actually have to track memory usage, can you?

Have to? No.. Can? Yes. HLA

Good article BTW.

 

[Anttech]

No OS memory manager (the magical "environment" you speak of) is a perfect beast, Linux, Unix or XP. Many times poorly written applications make bad calls... bad pointers.. bad compilers.. or just slop. Hell even well written applications can make bad calls.. it happens and the more you throw at a memory manager the more likely it is to happen.

Point taken, however I hope you can now "see" why I presumed (wrongly) you were talking about the registery not the memory register.

and I've never heard of anyone refer to registry keys as "registers".. so I don't know where you got that. And I work in a large multi OS enterprise environment.

Me too, and a finacial one at that, and I have. Numerous times :)

You seem to take this OS garbage personally? I don't get it. Hell if I was running a web server you can bet Id use some Unix flavor over MS.. and I defend its stability just as wholeheartedly.

No, not taken personally. I just didnt aggree with your take.

and I don't feel "at home" with MS. I see it as a tool, yes a tool that has problems. But as far as flipping the switch and doing multi purpose work and entertainment Ill take it over Linux and especially Unix any day. Face it./. PCs in this day and age are used just as much.. if not more for entertainment than ever. And EVERY OS needs to live up to that expectation.

No that's just not true, in the business world we don't need to play games on our network applications, servers, and/or PC's. However I understand what you are trying to say, and the target audience of your quip. On that note, anyway it truly depends what you think of as entertainment.

Anyway -- I am not a Zelot when it comes to Operating Systems, and I am no Hack when it comes to Programming either. I am a Network Engineer, and prefer my *nix driven Mac and my Linux box over my Windows box any day ;) But I don't play games...

 

[Milo Hobgoblin]

heh

Point taken, however I hope you can now "see" why I presumed (wrongly) you were talking about the registery not the memory register.

Quote:
and I've never heard of anyone refer to registry keys as "registers".. so I don't know where you got that. And I work in a large multi OS enterprise environment.

Me too, and a finacial one at that, and I have. Numerous times :)

I have heard horror stories from our desktop techs who support the energy traders.. I can only imagine supporting a pure financial environment must be rough. Probably hear all kinds of weird crap. I actually create all the OS builds for a large utility company where we support ~500 applications, many written in house. LOL Some are STILL 16 bit so you can only imagine the wringer we put MS memory managers through.

We have a great lab where we test all the application and build custom packages to increase stability and start the distribution process. I can't put into workds just how bad some of these apps are.. hell even some of the shrinkwrapped stuff would blow your mind.. trying to build a multi user distribution of Winzip and Acrobat that was backward compatible and removed any previous version. MUWHAHAH man those guys were in hell.

Our OS builds are extremely stable though, I use manufacturers drivers (never vendor drivers if given the choice) and I modify the driver files to support as many platforms of a given generation as possible. We never use Vendor Utilites (like that Dell or IBm crap running in the background on many PC's)

You would be amazed at how often people think their Windows has a problem we come to find out its the Dell/IBM "Power/Helpful TooltipGuy/Config/printer buddy" crap the vendor installed. those apps are the bane of any enterprise environment. Fortunately for you.. most vendors won't even bother publishing that crap for their Linux/Unix boxes.. they know the user base would eat them alive.

We have a very good uptime for out desktop environment.. so many of these apps have no Linux/Unix counterpart and I am not even sure you could shell them in some emulator. I can't imagine the havoc it would wreak on a Linux box. heck a bunch of these were ported from OS2! that would choke any OS.

I guess stuff like this keeps un in jobs though eh. Maybe the perfect OS wouldn't be so good for us afterall. We survive because of slop LOL.