Recomend a version of Linux?

[xguccishoesx]

I'm really anti windows atm, and my Windows has just crashed on my desktop leaving me with vista on my laptop argh!!

So can anyone recomend a good version of linux to install?

I have ubuntu on disk somewhere, but after a day of not being able to install MSN or my sound card drivers, I got fed up (got no patience at all!)

So can anyone recomend a more Blonde friendly version?

Laura xx

[knissel]

Ubuntu

Ubuntu 7.10 also know as gutsy. You can get a live version that has the install icon on the desktop. It is easy to install. You need to back up you files first. get a usb drive enclosure so you can back up files from your hard disk. If you have a geek around then get the trk( trinity rescue kit) cd from www.distrowatch.com and you can move your data files from the pc to the laptop real easily.

My distro of choice: for intel
1 Debian Systems less than 300mhz
2 Mepis Antix 300 mhz to 800 mhz
3 Ubuntu or Kubuntu 800 mhz or greater.

For PPC
I also use debian on my daughters g3 imac and edubuntu on our blue mac g3 tower.
g4 and g5 probably i would use an ubuntu flavor or fedora.

For Intel based macs,
Mepis is good.

For users that are a bit more tech saavy, There are a host of distros to pick from. I use a lot Redhat Fedora also. See www.distrowatch.com

[tehboris]

Originally Posted by knissel

Ubuntu

Second

[uteck]

I see that you did try Ubuntu, but I bet it is an older version. Ubuntu updates every 6 months with new features and support, so odds are the latest version will work for you (currently 7.10, first number is the year 2007, and the second is the month it was released, thus 7.10). But you may find Kubuntu more appealing to you, it is the same as Ubuntu, but it defaults to the KDE window manager. (Of course you can install each window manager on either one, so it really does not matter.) Many people compare the Gnome desktop to MacOS and KDE to Windows, but that is just the defaults. You can customize them to work just about any way you want.

I probably would not install knoppix or dsl but they are good diagnostic live cd's to find out what your hardware is and that it is working properly. If the hardware is not working properly, then no operating system can help you. Suse and fedora live cd's are also pretty good at it. Ubuntu works best with dells. Xubuntu has a lighter desktop that ubuntu or kubuntu and might install. even if you installed ubuntu or kubuntu, it is real easy to install/change to other desktops using the internet. I like edubuntu a lot but i am not a fan of gnome. so i apt-get install kde-desktop and viola i have kde instead of the gnome deskltop. gnome is more mac lookalike sort of and kde is work windows lookalikish. That is what I like about linux so much. You are not locked in on your application/desktop software. Rumor has it that kde is coming to mswindows. I would love to put it on an xp box, just to bug my brother,

[tokenuser]

I keep a copy of Backtrack on a USB key. Definately not a standard distro though.

[tehboris]

Originally Posted by tokenuser

I keep a copy of Backtrack on a USB key. Definately not a standard distro though.

If you where found plugging that in to a computer at school/work you'd likly be stabbed.

[tokenuser]

Originally Posted by tehBoris

If you where found plugging that in to a computer at school/work you'd likly be stabbed.

I am not a student. I work (from home) for a software company that deals in financials. I do carry it when I am travelling ... mainly for the aircrack type functionality (airport hotspots, hotel hotspots, tradeshow hotspots) that I can't run under XP (the promiscuous drivers needed interfere with my VPN), and as a password recovery tool (plus other things).

Definately not your run of the mill distro though.

I would definately point people towards Ubuntu if they wanted to get into Linux though. I still don't think that the FLOSS community has the right apps to make it a suitable replacement for business purposes, but it is pretty close for personal use.

[t0x2c]

Anything Debian based for a beginner (someone who's been using linux since 1999, that's an interesting thing for me to say, but it holds truer now than ever).

The userbase is fantastic, and programs that work on one Debian distro will pretty much work on any Debian distro. Good number of proprietary drivers work with it too (nVidia and Linksys were the two I've always had problems with on Redhat 8 / Fedora 3)

I like Ubuntu because of its insane simplicity, if you're just looking for a new OS, it's probably the way to go. If you're looking to learn a whole new lifestyle paradigm, 4.0 was released very recently.