Hi it's about linux

[strike105x]

Hi i want to try and change to linux and i'm downloading now ubuntu 7.10 desktop edition 697 MB ISO but i'm super new at this i've been an windows user all my life ) (actually started with dos first but that doesent count looong time ago ) ) i heard you have to configure things in linux for yourself (almost everything and with command line ) Is it really that hard also i want to know how is stabillity in linux cause windows breaks verry easy and doesent ressist in a long period at optimum performance (one rong soft and bam reinstall ) there are other examples as well ) also one last question witch linux would you recomend for a beginer like me ?

PS: Sry for bad typo & post hope i'm in the right section

[Hard core Rikki]

Ubuntu (or Ubuntu Studio). there's always the official forums and lots of unofficial ones, so nothings lost, everything's there.
you just go into the live session and see how it works. you can choose to install it from there. just make sure you dont delete or format existing partitions, its better to just use any unused space on them.

PS: someone move this

[fivefeet8]

Ubuntu is probably the easiest of the Distro's to use when it comes to Linux. It's got GUI's for almost everything you'd need to do when it comes to the OS. There's also tons of free software available to use for it and it's FREE.

With Ubuntu, the amount of time you spend on the command line is quite small. There are some things that require or is done better using the command line, but for 90% of the time, you'll have GUI's to do most of the maintenance and updating. You also have the option to choose and install different Desktop UI's besides the default GNOME interface. Or have them all selectable from the login screen.

I don't think it's still quite up to the level of usability as Windows, but for stability, it surpasses it in many ways.

[runawayprisoner]

If you used DOS, and are familiar with command lines, you should be able to use any Linux distro with ease...
Then again, Ubuntu is fine. Not the best distro... but I think it's fine.

[fried_egg]

so wut is the best distro

[Hard core Rikki]

pretty much, ubuntu

- ubuntu: combination of all, plus HUGE community. the definite driving force in linux currently. being based on Debian is a considerable plus.
- fedora: still more appropriate for serious work. couple it with the livna repository, turns more usable. to many, is considered to feature the nicest gnome implementation, though this could be considered on par with ubuntu.
- opensuse: very nice implementation of kde. speedier and user friendly for former win folks, starting from 10.3 in particular

basically, these are the 3 major stables one could choose from as stable desktop environments (there's also the mandriva and slackware stables, but...). the rest is either still too impractical, more appropriate as livecds rather than desktops, or with a too small support community. remaining with the biggest players is a newcomer's best course of action.

[strike105x]

Thanks all for your answers i'm going to go buy some DVD's to backup my data (it was about time ) ) and i'm gona try to see how it is hope i'l like it

[Mad]

Well ive been using ubuntu since october . Things are running great here, and i havent dual-booted in weeks.
I can do everything i used to with windows. The bigger problems is with games.
Wine is advancing a lot, but still have many problems.

[Titus03]

Originally Posted by Mad

The bigger problems is with games.
Wine is advancing a lot, but still have many problems.

I haven't played a lot with Wine, but Neverwinter Nights runned nice with it.

I have had problems with some Linux games. They crashes sometimes and I have to reset my computer. Also Compiz-Fusion has a problem with some games and all the transparency effects are shown on the top of the game. I have reported this bug with Bugzilla and let's hope that they can do something about it.

Anyway, I have liked Ubuntu a lot. Most of the free software is great, like KiCAD and Octave. No need for buying expensive OrCAD or MatLab.

[Mad]

Well you shouldnt use compiz along with games. And NWN have a native linux client.

[Titus03]

Originally Posted by Mad

Well you shouldnt use compiz along with games.

Yes, that's the situation right now. But of course, there must be implements in the future. For example it would be crazy to think about disabling Aero on Vista every time before playing games.

Originally Posted by Mad

And NWN have a native linux client.

Yes, I know it. NWN was just fun to run with Wine. Many other games didn't start up straight away from my Windows-drive. I haven't tested any full installations for Windows programs yet, but maybe in near future I will.

[Mad]

Originally Posted by Titus03

Yes, that's the situation right now. But of course, there must be implements in the future. For example it would be crazy to think about disabling Aero on Vista every time before playing games.

Thats because Vista disables Aero when you run D3D programs.
And compiz isnt smart enought to do this.

Ive installed a few apps over wine, mostly work fine. But one major feature missing is the ability to run .NET programs...

[Proto]

Ive installed a few apps over wine, mostly work fine. But one major feature missing is the ability to run .NET programs...

If you got the source code you can always try compiling it under Mono

And compiz isnt smart enought to do this.

It isn't as much as compiz not being smart enough as it hasn't been a requested enough feature. It's not that difficult to make a script that frequently checks the running processes and sees if one is absorbing much more resources than the others for a long time, or checking if a specific processes is making a high number of OpenGL functions calls. I guess someday that someone has free enough time to put in minor features they will include it.