Linux Questions

[LordWiccara]

Hi, I am a new Windows hater, and I have a few questions about upgrading to Linux.

What is the best Linux platform, Ive heard a lot of good things about Red Hat Linux, but I dont know what version to get or what they all do.

Is it a lot more complicated to learn than Windows?  and does it have a lot of complicatd coding processes just to set it up?

Is there anything to run Windows based drivers on?

Thanks for your help.

[slave]

quote:Hi, I am a new Windows hater, and I have a few questions about upgrading to Linux.

What is the best Linux platform, Ive heard a lot of good things about Red Hat Linux, but I dont know what version to get or what they all do.

Red Hat is probably the most well-known and supported distribution, and is one of the most user-friendly.  I highly suggest downloading version 9 from their website.  You may also want to try Mandrake, Debian, or Slackware.

 

quote:
Is it a lot more complicated to learn than Windows? and does it have a lot of complicatd coding processes just to set it up?

Two things you should know:

1. Red Hat Linux is easier to install than any version of Windows.
2. You don't have to know one bit of programming to use Linux as your desktop OS.

 

quote:
Is there anything to run Windows based drivers on?

The Linux kernel supports most hardware devices that exist, not through Windows drivers but through open source drivers, which are typically much better than the proprietary Windows ones.  If you want to run Windows programs on your computer, there is a nice program called wine you can use that runs many Windows programs.

[Pantso]

First of all, welcome to the boards and congratulations on wanting to switch over to Linux. As far as distributions are concerned RedHat 9.0 and Mandrake 9.1 are definitely the easiest ones to install on your machine. However, before you install Linux make sure that your hardware is supported in Linux. For example, softmodems are most definitely not supported, eventhough there are drivers for some of them.

Don't worry about any programming skills. You don't need to be a programmer or a coder to configure Linux. These are just myths, told usually by ignorant Windows users. You might however find it more than useful to learn a few commands that you can use from a Terminal.

Finally, keep in mind that Linux is NOT Windows. You have to adapt a whole new viewpoint when you use Linux. As time goes by, you'll remember me as you'll be keeping a more open mind than before.      

PS I would also suggest a dual boot at first with Windows, that is until you get the grip on Linux.      

EDIT: This article I've written might also be of some use.

[ May 06, 2003: Message edited by: Panos ]

[TheQuirk]

I don't understand. If you want to run Windows software, then, for christs sake, USE WINDOWS! IT'S THAT SIMPLE! What's the point of switching if you're just going to be emulating Windows?

[Pantso]

quote:Originally posted by TheQuirk:
I don't understand. If you want to run Windows software, then, for christs sake, USE WINDOWS! IT'S THAT SIMPLE! What's the point of switching if you're just going to be emulating Windows?

Are you really implying that those who use Windows software should never run Linux? The guy didn't say that he intends to be emulating Windows. :rolleyes:

[ May 06, 2003: Message edited by: Panos ]

[LordWiccara]

Hello, and thanks for your help.  One thing that I've noticed while browsing through the Fourms is that people are not very nice to newbies.  Thank for for (mainly) supporting me in my "adventure" to find the right Linux OS.  I have been doing a lot of research into Red Hat 9, and I think thats what ill go to. Thanks again for your help and support!

[TheQuirk]

quote:Originally posted by Panos:


Are you really implying that those who use Windows software should never run Linux? The guy didn't say that he intends to be emulating Windows.  :rolleyes:  

[ May 06, 2003: Message edited by: Panos ]

I was replying to Linux user who said:
 

quote:If you want to run Windows programs on your computer, there is a nice program called wine you can use that runs many Windows programs.

Are you saying that you should switch to Linux just so you can purely run Windows programs within it?

Yeah, thought so.

Oh, and nice use of the smily. Nothing says "you don't matter and neither does what you say" as much rolling your eyes. (And yes, I know I'm making a big deal out of the smily. I'm being sarcastic, before any of you decide to flame me.)

[emh]

quote:Originally posted by TheQuirk:
I don't understand. If you want to run Windows software, then, for christs sake, USE WINDOWS! IT'S THAT SIMPLE! What's the point of switching if you're just going to be emulating Windows?

What if it's only one or two applications?  Putting the argument about availability of native alternatives aside, it's kind of silly to reboot into Windows every time you want to use this one application when you use everything else in Linux.

[slave]

I basically only use Wine for a few games.  I refuse to use wine for anything unless it runs it flawlessly, and wine(x) runs warcraft 3 flawlessly.

[suselinux]

quote:Originally posted by MichaelSoft:
Hi, I am a new Windows hater, and I have a few questions about upgrading to Linux.

What is the best Linux platform, Ive heard a lot of good things about Red Hat Linux, but I dont know what version to get or what they all do.

Is it a lot more complicated to learn than Windows?  and does it have a lot of complicatd coding processes just to set it up?

Is there anything to run Windows based drivers on?

Thanks for your help.

I like this guy already "I have a few questions about  "UPGRADING to Linux"

[Calum]

quote:Originally posted by MichaelSoft:
Hello, and thanks for your help.  One thing that I've noticed while browsing through the Fourms is that people are not very nice to newbies.  Thank for for (mainly) supporting me in my "adventure" to find the right Linux OS.  I have been doing a lot of research into Red Hat 9, and I think thats what ill go to. Thanks again for your help and support!

you have got a total of one thing wrong so far, people are not very nice to idiots. most newbies here are idiots. you don't seem like an idiot, so while you might have the newbieness in common with those people, be content in knowing that the people who got flamed showed themselves to be idiots, and you haven't showed yourself to be one.

Welcome to the board, it's not very good right now, hopefully with non idiotic posters such as yourself (from what i have read so far anyway) might help to make this a nicer forum to hang out on.

[Faust]

quote:Debian, or Slackware.

In my opinion stay away from these until your comfortable with Linux.  Personally I don't think they are beginners distributions, stay with Mandrake, Red Hat or SUSE.

And if people are mean to you over something stupid just ignore them they're probably just an anal geek.    Most people are reasonably nice to newbiesi ts just they have bad days and get annoyed at the constant spamming/flaming from new people.

[xyle_one]

quote:Originally posted by MichaelSoft:
Hello, and thanks for your help.  One thing that I've noticed while browsing through the Fourms is that people are not very nice to newbies.  Thank for for (mainly) supporting me in my "adventure" to find the right Linux OS.  I have been doing a lot of research into Red Hat 9, and I think thats what ill go to. Thanks again for your help and support!

right on! and welcome to the mes    

i havent tried redhat 9 yet. i just put mandrake 9 on my computer and am playing around with that. so far i am very happy with it. the install was easier & quicker than any distro i have used. anyways, let us know how it goes with redhat 9.

[Calum]

quote:Originally posted by Faust:
In my opinion stay away from these until your comfortable with Linux.  Personally I don't think they are beginners distributions, stay with Mandrake, Red Hat or SUSE.

slackware is incredibly easy and simple to use for anybody who has any experience of a unix type system, but it is not as intuitive as the likes of red hat, mandrake lycoris desktop or probably suse for those people who are only used to windows.

[LordWiccara]

Can Red Hat 9 easily run on a P233 MMX with about 108MB RAM or would I NEED to install it on my 350 mhz with 348 MB RAM (I know that the 350 will perform better, but I would like to test it on the 233).  I am going to be upgrading to a Pentium 4 2.66 GHZ processor soon, so this will not be too much of a problem in the future, I'm just looking at it for testing purposes.  Thanks.