Linux O/S

[domaingenius]

Sorry I know its totally off topic but Ill ask anyway. I am thinking of changing my PC operating system from Windows to Linux. Anyone got any suggestions as to a good Linux o/s that will be easy to use in replacement for windows ?. I only use it for usual stuff browsing, downloading ,domaining etc. I want something thats fairly easy to use etc as im not a computer whizz.

Thanks
DG

 

[ONExFOUR]

I personally like Mandriva Linux, follow this link http://www.mininova.org/tor/153256 and download Mandriva-Linux-Free-2006-DVD.i586 .then burn the file on a dvd and boot your pc and install it. you can also visit mandriva official site and download the OS http://www.mandriva.com/en/download.

 

[tifosi]

ubuntu, based on debian has been getting good reviews

 

[domaingenius]

Thanks for both the replies,ta. Im looking forward to using linux for a change as have used windows for over 10 years now. I always thought that linux was a os that you couldnt just load and use like windows, but I guess I am wrong, am I ?.

DG

 

[seanc]

i use redhat for comercial, and fedora for desktop

 

[acceleratoraccelerator is verified member.]

Scott Hanselman (very good on his software) likes Ubuntu "it just works":

Scott Hanselman's Computer Zen - The definition of Ubuntu - Marketing the new Linux Distro

Rgds

 

[tifosi]

Thanks for both the replies,ta. Im looking forward to using linux for a change as have used windows for over 10 years now. I always thought that linux was a os that you couldnt just load and use like windows, but I guess I am wrong, am I ?.

DG

3 or 4 years ago maybe, but linux as a desktop variant has come a long way with offshoots of the server variety being stabilised for desktop.

linux aps like openoffice/staroffice & gimp etc have helped in this. The more windows like apps converted or written for linux then the more it will be used.

S

 

[aquanuke]

I always find SUSE suports the latest Windows hardware better then most other distro's. ie stuff like onboard Raid and new vid cards etc.

 

[Jeewhizz]

I've been using linux for years, and would recommend ubuntu for a new user. I've installed it on about 4-5 pc's/laptops over hte past few months for friends/personal use and it's always found all the hardware.

You may need a little fiddling to get Wireless networking setup if you are using WPA-PSK security, but there are guides on the ubuntu forums to get that sorted.

You could just do the sensible (and expensive) option and Go Apple

 

[domaingenius]

OK I have downloaded Ubunto and tried checking it with HashTab but even though Hashtab appears to be installed I cannot see any file hash on the download. Any ideas why this could be ?.

Thanks
DG

 

[seanc]

You could just do the sensible (and expensive) option and Go Apple

well said ;-)

 

[domaingenius]

You could just do the sensible (and expensive) option and Go Apple

Hmm, never used Apple, apart from those Apple computers 2 decades ago I seem to remember. What are the advantages, and does it run on linux ?

DG

 

[seanc]

Hmm, never used Apple, apart from those Apple computers 2 decades ago I seem to remember. What are the advantages, and does it run on linux ?

DG

drop to the apple "command prompt" and your in linux

 

[mishmash]

Apple's are not expensive any more - the MacMini is £399; and the all in one iMac is £679.00.

Their quality is excellent (unless you're a bit too much of an early adopter like me!). Don't buy any Apple product until it's on at least its second edition.

As for benefits - well it depends what you're doing I suppose. Ease of use and intuitiveness is impressive.

I do a lot of presentations - and my macbook pro just plugs in and just works with all sorts of TVs in meeting rooms, projectors, and monitors; I'm always seeing others with PCs fiddling with their resolution settings etc. before anything happens. Wake from sleep is instant too.

Network settings "just work" once you've set up for a few different networks - home, office, mobile, wireless, wired etc. your mac will automatically choose the best option.

OS X is a UNIX-based operating system. You can fire up a terminal and start using your local machine just as if its a unix box.

OSX comes with PHP, Apache - and you can install MySQL so its great for local development.

You can now run Windows on Mac hardware too, using an Apple released piece of software called Boot Camp.

Software wise - you get OS useful stuff way ahead of the windows world - Spotlight for example is a really fast full text search of everything on your computer - fully integrated into the OS. I can also hit a key-combination to tile either all the windows of the current application, or all open windows - then point and click to bring the one I want to the front. This kind of stuff is coming to windows in Vista - but from what I can see its not up to what Macs have had for a while.

Colour management is another area where macs have been traditionally ahead of other operating systems. There's also lots of built in MIDI stuff.

I've been using Macs personally for around ten years (three machines a Quadra 630, (A period without a personal machine), iBook, and now a MacBookPro. I've used all sorts of other machines from Sun Solaris, all flavours of Windows, other Macs. My house's server is Ubuntu. The free unixes are great for that kind of thing - but I wouldn't want one to actually work on. Irritating though it is - its essential when communicating with the rest of the world to occasionally read/write/edit a MsWord, Excel, or Photoshop document - and though you can get free unix applications to do that - none are really reliable - and you can get the applications themselves for OSX - and they have complete compatibility with those running on a PC.

My only most minor gripe is that Macs unlike the rest of the planet still use a carriage return as a new line indicator - which is just one more thing to think about.

 

[domaingenius]

Thanks to everyone for all the useful information and shall now decide best way to go,

DG

 

[Jeewhizz]

nice info on the mac. I've been using macs for about 4-5 years now. I'm currently using a new Mac Pro which is the fastest thing I've ever used :O

I would agree that they are exceptionally easy to use. Even the missus prefers the mac to her old windows PC now - she gave the PC away!

I've not found anything I can't do on the mac that I used to be able to do with the PC - even my Windows 2003 based Pocket PC syncs

Jee

 

[philipp]

drop to the apple "command prompt" and your in linux

Sacrilege!! This is a common misconception, you are not in Linux at an Apple command prompt, Darwin is based on the venerable FreeBSD, and has nothing to do with GNU/Linux.

As a recent convert, I have a Mac Mini and it totally rocks!

P.

 

[dhscott]

Sacrilege!! This is a common misconception, you are not in Linux at an Apple command prompt, Darwin is based on the venerable FreeBSD, and has nothing to do with GNU/Linux.

As a recent convert, I have a Mac Mini and it totally rocks!

P.

I was just about to say it is actually BSD also