Table Of Contents
Q1: What linux distro should I use?
The short answer is right now Ubuntu is by far the most popular distro for beginners and it has everything a Power User needs, too. If you want to spend a little more time, go to Distrowatch and go down their rankings on the right side of the page. You can quickly and easily try out various distros using virtual machines and LiveCDs, or you can dual-boot with an existing Windows installation. You might check reverend boltron's post below for why I stress to try a few and choose for yourself.
The latest version of Ubuntu works great on a workstation, but for a server you will want the added stability and reliability of the LTS releases which is currently Ubuntu 6.06 Dapper. If you are even more concerned about stability, Debian is a hugely popular server distro among linux veterans. The nice thing about starting with Ubuntu, also, is you can easily apply what you learn to Debian since Ubuntu is based on Debian.
If for some reason you need RedHat binary compatiblity (we have a few proprietary apps that require this) then go with CentOS. It is also possible to get official RedHat binary install CDs by signing up for a trial and then not purchasing access to rhn, but getting updates will require a little more advanced configuration.
"There will be differences otherwise it wouldn't make much sense to have different distros . =) The main difference will be in software packaging, what is packaged, how it's packaged, etc. But in general the software will be the same, AbiWord is AbiWord on any distro."[1] I might also add that default programs and configuration could be different, but these difference are generally minor. Distros also do a lot of tweaking to the user interface. Debian with Gnome will function just like Ubuntu (and just like Fedora for that matter, but with a different package manager), but they look very different. Which is better is completely personal preference, which is why you just have to look over the top distros on distrowatch and choose for yourself (see the LiveCD, dual boot, and virtual machine Qs below for quick ways to try out distros).
The other issue people have is wondering what distro should they use based on their hardware requirements. For the most part, you will not notice any difference between distros running the same desktop environment, and they almost all run either Gnome or KDE. There are, however, a few distros designed for low power machines such as DSL (Damn Small Linux) and Xubuntu. But any distro can be configured to use the same desktop environment and the same software as these. (see the Desktop Environment and Window Manager Qs below). Again, this is personal preference for what performance is acceptable to you versus features, but as a reference I would suggest if you have a P3 or older, or less than 192 MB of RAM, then you might look into using a lighter desktop environment on your distro.
Q2: What is a LiveCD?
A LiveCD is probably the single greatest invention for beginners looking to try out linux
. Basically a LiveCD is a fully functional linux distro that runs off a CD without touching your harddrive. There's no install, just pop in the CD and boot your computer (make sure CD boot is enabled in the BIOS). This makes it very quick and easy to try out multiple distros one right after another. The disadvantages, however, are 1) very slow boot times and 2) everything you do will be lost upon a reboot or shutdown.
Knoppix was the first popular LiveCD and now Ubuntu's "desktop" install CD is a LiveCD. That's right, if you want to try out Ubuntu you just boot to the "desktop" install CD and you have a fully functional Ubuntu desktop that you can play with and even install software in without affecting your computer until you run the install program (located on the desktop). many other distros are also releasing LiveCDs for this same reason; you'll just have to check on the distro you want to try.
Many experienced users also like to keep a linux LiveCD handy in the event they need to troubleshoot or recover files from a nonbootable Windows installation. This is what Knoppix was designed for and made it famous. Whatever your favorite distro LiveCD is should work fine for this, but may not have the same useful recovery tools as Knoppix has already installed.
Q3: How do I install software?
This question has about as many answers as there are linux distros. On Debian and most Debian based distros, including Ubuntu, you can use apt-get or aptitude from the command line or Synaptic from the gui. Synaptic is really straightforward to use from the gui. On the command line, I strongly suggest using aptitude over apt-get. Here is a good command line reference for apt-get and aptitude will use the exact same commands. It is better to use aptitude though because it does some things better such as dependency handling and conflict resolution. For other distros, google for the distro name and "package manager".
If you want to install Windows applications on your linux machine, you may be able to use WINE, but 90% of the time there is a better linux equivalent of the software. I've included the linux equivalents of some Windows software below and will expand the list as I think of more. You may also check with the software manufacturer and see if they have a linux port of their software. If you absolutely must use Windows software under linux check the WINE Application Database to see how well your software runs under WINE.
Q4: But how do I install and run games in linux?!
There are many fun and addictive opensource games available for linux. Many of these games can be installed right from your distros package manager. My personal favorite is Endgame: Singularity - available in the Ubuntu multiverse repository.
It is also often possible to install and play games that you have purchased for Windows. Best thing to do is to check if your game has a linux port. Unreal is a good example of this - you can download a linux installer right off the Unreal Tournament website and use it to install the game on linux (you still must provide your legally purchased cd during the install, of course).
If you can not find a linux port, then you may be able to use WINE or Cedega. Check the WINE database linked above to see if your game is supported. Many popular games that have been out several months are supported by WINE. If WINE does not support a game you want or is too slow at supporting the latest games, then you can purchase a subscription to use Cedega from Transgaming. Last I heard the subcription cost was $5/month. You can check the Cedega Games Database to see if the game you want is supported by Cedega.
Q5: What about virtual machines?
Virtual machines have exploded in popularity in the last year or two (circa 2005/2006). VMWare is at the forefront of this and currently has what most consider the easiest and fastest products available. For the purpose of this FAQ, you are probably going to want to use their free VMWare Server.
VMWare Server runs on Linux and Windows and can be used to try out linux distros. The installation and usage is very intuitive well documentated. The nice thing about this is you can try out linux while still able to work or play in your existing Windows environment. The disadvantages are 1) the machines will compete for resources, which is _usually_ not even noticeable on current hardware, and 2) you will not be able to use any 3D programs such as some games or desktop effects since VMWare does not (yet) have OpenGL support.
VMWare Server can also run on linux and be used to run Windows programs. Installation and usage is just as easy as on Windows (indeed both are nearly identical). This could be a very easy and familiar way to run a Windows program within your linux environment. The disadvantages of this are the same as above: 1) resource usage, and 2) no 3D support, plus 3) everytime you want to run the application you will need to boot the Windows environment within your linux environment (or leave it running all the time).
There are other options to VMWare, including the open source packages Kernel-based Virtual Machine and Xen, the semi-open source VirtualBox, or Microsoft's Virtual Server.
Q6: Should I use 32-bit or 64-bit?
The main, and possibly only valid, reason to go with 64-bit is if you need more than 4 GB of memory (RAM) in your system or if a single application needs to use more than 2GB of memory. Apart from the memory limitations of 32-bit, most applications will perform equally on both architectures. However, a few applications will perform better on 64-bit, but this is pretty well balanced out with a few applications that actually perform worse on 64-bit.
If you are just starting out, the safest bet is to go with 32-bit. In the past, people have reported compatibility problems with moving to 64-bit, but there are little to no reports of such issues recently. If you use one of the distros I mention above and stick with the software in their package management repositories, then you should be fine with 64-bit. I've been using 64-bit on some servers (due to having 8GB or more of RAM) since December 2006 with no issues whatsoever, but for a beginner when things go sour it may be easier to troubleshoot on 32-bit.
For more information on 64-bit computing, look here.
Q7: How can I dual boot with Windows?
BACKUP! BACKUP! BACKUP! If you have data on your computer that you can't bear to lose, play it safe and make a backup to removable media and verify that the backup is a good copy.
First, you will need space on your harddrive. Either use exisiting space if you have some, add an additional harddrive, or shrink your current Windows partition. If you use a recent version of the Ubuntu "desktop" install cd, then part of the install process uses GParted to walk you through shrinking your Windows partition.
For other installations, you can use the GParted LiveCD. There are two notes on this though. For one, I've had issues with the latest version (0.3.4-8) of the LiveCD and am actually sticking with versions 0.3.4-6 right now. 0.3.4-8 is the first time I've ever had issues with the GParted LiveCD though, and the issue was not with the partitioning but with the interface. Second, the Gparted LiveCD is getting increasingly complicated and cluttered with features, so I have not used this, but a simpler alternative I have found may be Parted Magic. Gparted LiveCD and Parted Magic both use the parted software to do the actual partitioning so the only difference is which interface you would prefer.
Ok, other than making space, every linux installer I've come across automatically detects my Windows installation and automatically creates the dual boot settings in the boot loader. The thing you need to be most careful of is when configuring the partitioning part of the installation to be sure you do not delete your current Windows partition. Here is a pretty good article that gives step-by-step dual-booting instructions with screenshots, specific to Ubuntu 7.04, in a number of different scenarios.
Q8: What is the best Desktop Environment?
"Best" is a horrible word to use with opensource software, as all opensource software exists because someone thinks it is the best *I just felt like making that point here. Anyway, looking at distrowatch, the 1st and 4th popular distros use GNOME by default, but the 2nd and 3rd popular distros use KDE by default. Xfce is also very popular for older hardware due to it being light on resource usage.
GNOME is generally simpler and easier to use than KDE, but KDE has more features, is more customizable in how it looks, and has more advanced tools for system configuration. KDE can be a bit more complicated and confusing than GNOME, but a beginner should really not have a problem with basic usage of either environment. More than anything, this comes down to your personal preference for the look and feel. All of the more popular distros have both in their package managers so trying both out is a breeze. Most will also include Xfce in their package managers, which may be more responsive on slower hardware.
Many X window managers are also meant to be used standalone and contain elements of a desktop environment. Examples of these are Enlightenment, Fluxbox, Blackbox, IceWM, and many others. These are even more lightweight than Xfce with varying degrees of features. They do not have widespread popularity, but many have a fiercely loyal and dedicated fan base. Usage of these should be considered a more advanced topic and inclusion in package managers is questionable. Consult your distros documentation or the application's website for more information.
Q9: What is the best Window Manager?
Generally it's best to just stick with whatever the default Window Manager is that comes with the desktop environment you are using. Some users like to mix and match different window managers with different desktop environments based on personal preferences but this should be considered a more advanced topic.
One choice that even beginners may want to make, though, is to use one of the fancy OpenGL-accelerated window managers: Compiz or Beryl. Compiz is more stable and reliable and includes features like Window animations, the cube, and wobbly windows, but Beryl includes a lot more fancy features at the expense of being a bit buggy.
Keep in mind that Beryl and Compiz are now being merged into Compiz Fusion. Work is underway to port all the Beryl features to Compiz plugins and should maintain the reliability of Compiz. Current distros should have Compiz and Beryl in their package managers right now though, with little or no manual configuration needed to get working. Ubuntu Feisty even already has Compiz installed and it essentially takes one click to enable it. Consult your distro's documentation for specific information for that distro.
Q10: What are these *BSD distros? Are they a linux?
No, BSD is not linux. BSD is a Unix variant in much the same way as linux and much, though not all, software that runs on linux will also run on BSD. This document is not about BSD though, so I will not get into details and just point you here. BSD is similar enough to linux that most of this FAQ will apply to it, but I would not count on it.
Q11: What is GNU?
GNU is a project started before linux with the goal of developing a completely free Unix-like operating system. Some think that "linux" distros should actually be called "GNU" distros because most of the core software is actually from the GNU project. Linux is only the kernel that constitutes a small (though very very important and complex) part of the system. Details can be found here.
Q12: Where can I find more information?
Before posting on the forum, try searching with Google. Just typing in your question, or key terms from your question can give you tons of articles with good and thorough answers. If you are wanting general information on a specific technology, Wikipedia can be very informative.
If you have a question specific to a disto or piece of software, check out the product's homepage and look for a "documentation," "FAQ," "Learn More," or "About" section. I have also often found Ubuntu's documentation to be the easiest and most helpful reading, even when I'm not using Ubuntu. I've used Ubuntu's docs when setting up services on Redhat with the only difference being the installation method.
And of course, search the forums - someone may have already asked, and answered, your same question. Ok, ok, I know the forums search function can often be pretty useless, so don't keep banging your head against the wall if you can't find anything. But please, at least scan the first page or two of at least the OS and *nix Software categories. It can be aggravating when someone asks a question and there is already a topic just below it on the same thing.
If you still haven't found your answer, then by all means - happy posting!
credits: xtknight [1]Nothinman
- Q1: What linux distro should I use?
- Q2: What is a LiveCD?
- Q3: How do I install software?
- Q4: But how do I install and run games in linux?!
- Q5: What about virtual machines?
- Q6: Should I use 32-bit or 64-bit?
- Q7: How can I dual boot with Windows?
- Q8: What is the best Desktop Environment?
- Q9: What is the best Window Manager?
- Q10: What are these *BSD distros? Are they a linux?
- Q11: What is GNU?
- Q12: Where can I find more information?
Q1: What linux distro should I use?
The short answer is right now Ubuntu is by far the most popular distro for beginners and it has everything a Power User needs, too. If you want to spend a little more time, go to Distrowatch and go down their rankings on the right side of the page. You can quickly and easily try out various distros using virtual machines and LiveCDs, or you can dual-boot with an existing Windows installation. You might check reverend boltron's post below for why I stress to try a few and choose for yourself.
The latest version of Ubuntu works great on a workstation, but for a server you will want the added stability and reliability of the LTS releases which is currently Ubuntu 6.06 Dapper. If you are even more concerned about stability, Debian is a hugely popular server distro among linux veterans. The nice thing about starting with Ubuntu, also, is you can easily apply what you learn to Debian since Ubuntu is based on Debian.
If for some reason you need RedHat binary compatiblity (we have a few proprietary apps that require this) then go with CentOS. It is also possible to get official RedHat binary install CDs by signing up for a trial and then not purchasing access to rhn, but getting updates will require a little more advanced configuration.
"There will be differences otherwise it wouldn't make much sense to have different distros . =) The main difference will be in software packaging, what is packaged, how it's packaged, etc. But in general the software will be the same, AbiWord is AbiWord on any distro."[1] I might also add that default programs and configuration could be different, but these difference are generally minor. Distros also do a lot of tweaking to the user interface. Debian with Gnome will function just like Ubuntu (and just like Fedora for that matter, but with a different package manager), but they look very different. Which is better is completely personal preference, which is why you just have to look over the top distros on distrowatch and choose for yourself (see the LiveCD, dual boot, and virtual machine Qs below for quick ways to try out distros).
The other issue people have is wondering what distro should they use based on their hardware requirements. For the most part, you will not notice any difference between distros running the same desktop environment, and they almost all run either Gnome or KDE. There are, however, a few distros designed for low power machines such as DSL (Damn Small Linux) and Xubuntu. But any distro can be configured to use the same desktop environment and the same software as these. (see the Desktop Environment and Window Manager Qs below). Again, this is personal preference for what performance is acceptable to you versus features, but as a reference I would suggest if you have a P3 or older, or less than 192 MB of RAM, then you might look into using a lighter desktop environment on your distro.
Q2: What is a LiveCD?
A LiveCD is probably the single greatest invention for beginners looking to try out linux
. Basically a LiveCD is a fully functional linux distro that runs off a CD without touching your harddrive. There's no install, just pop in the CD and boot your computer (make sure CD boot is enabled in the BIOS). This makes it very quick and easy to try out multiple distros one right after another. The disadvantages, however, are 1) very slow boot times and 2) everything you do will be lost upon a reboot or shutdown.Knoppix was the first popular LiveCD and now Ubuntu's "desktop" install CD is a LiveCD. That's right, if you want to try out Ubuntu you just boot to the "desktop" install CD and you have a fully functional Ubuntu desktop that you can play with and even install software in without affecting your computer until you run the install program (located on the desktop). many other distros are also releasing LiveCDs for this same reason; you'll just have to check on the distro you want to try.
Many experienced users also like to keep a linux LiveCD handy in the event they need to troubleshoot or recover files from a nonbootable Windows installation. This is what Knoppix was designed for and made it famous. Whatever your favorite distro LiveCD is should work fine for this, but may not have the same useful recovery tools as Knoppix has already installed.
Q3: How do I install software?
This question has about as many answers as there are linux distros. On Debian and most Debian based distros, including Ubuntu, you can use apt-get or aptitude from the command line or Synaptic from the gui. Synaptic is really straightforward to use from the gui. On the command line, I strongly suggest using aptitude over apt-get. Here is a good command line reference for apt-get and aptitude will use the exact same commands. It is better to use aptitude though because it does some things better such as dependency handling and conflict resolution. For other distros, google for the distro name and "package manager".
If you want to install Windows applications on your linux machine, you may be able to use WINE, but 90% of the time there is a better linux equivalent of the software. I've included the linux equivalents of some Windows software below and will expand the list as I think of more. You may also check with the software manufacturer and see if they have a linux port of their software. If you absolutely must use Windows software under linux check the WINE Application Database to see how well your software runs under WINE.
Q4: But how do I install and run games in linux?!
There are many fun and addictive opensource games available for linux. Many of these games can be installed right from your distros package manager. My personal favorite is Endgame: Singularity - available in the Ubuntu multiverse repository.
It is also often possible to install and play games that you have purchased for Windows. Best thing to do is to check if your game has a linux port. Unreal is a good example of this - you can download a linux installer right off the Unreal Tournament website and use it to install the game on linux (you still must provide your legally purchased cd during the install, of course).
If you can not find a linux port, then you may be able to use WINE or Cedega. Check the WINE database linked above to see if your game is supported. Many popular games that have been out several months are supported by WINE. If WINE does not support a game you want or is too slow at supporting the latest games, then you can purchase a subscription to use Cedega from Transgaming. Last I heard the subcription cost was $5/month. You can check the Cedega Games Database to see if the game you want is supported by Cedega.
Q5: What about virtual machines?
Virtual machines have exploded in popularity in the last year or two (circa 2005/2006). VMWare is at the forefront of this and currently has what most consider the easiest and fastest products available. For the purpose of this FAQ, you are probably going to want to use their free VMWare Server.
VMWare Server runs on Linux and Windows and can be used to try out linux distros. The installation and usage is very intuitive well documentated. The nice thing about this is you can try out linux while still able to work or play in your existing Windows environment. The disadvantages are 1) the machines will compete for resources, which is _usually_ not even noticeable on current hardware, and 2) you will not be able to use any 3D programs such as some games or desktop effects since VMWare does not (yet) have OpenGL support.
VMWare Server can also run on linux and be used to run Windows programs. Installation and usage is just as easy as on Windows (indeed both are nearly identical). This could be a very easy and familiar way to run a Windows program within your linux environment. The disadvantages of this are the same as above: 1) resource usage, and 2) no 3D support, plus 3) everytime you want to run the application you will need to boot the Windows environment within your linux environment (or leave it running all the time).
There are other options to VMWare, including the open source packages Kernel-based Virtual Machine and Xen, the semi-open source VirtualBox, or Microsoft's Virtual Server.
Q6: Should I use 32-bit or 64-bit?
The main, and possibly only valid, reason to go with 64-bit is if you need more than 4 GB of memory (RAM) in your system or if a single application needs to use more than 2GB of memory. Apart from the memory limitations of 32-bit, most applications will perform equally on both architectures. However, a few applications will perform better on 64-bit, but this is pretty well balanced out with a few applications that actually perform worse on 64-bit.
If you are just starting out, the safest bet is to go with 32-bit. In the past, people have reported compatibility problems with moving to 64-bit, but there are little to no reports of such issues recently. If you use one of the distros I mention above and stick with the software in their package management repositories, then you should be fine with 64-bit. I've been using 64-bit on some servers (due to having 8GB or more of RAM) since December 2006 with no issues whatsoever, but for a beginner when things go sour it may be easier to troubleshoot on 32-bit.
For more information on 64-bit computing, look here.
Q7: How can I dual boot with Windows?
BACKUP! BACKUP! BACKUP! If you have data on your computer that you can't bear to lose, play it safe and make a backup to removable media and verify that the backup is a good copy.
First, you will need space on your harddrive. Either use exisiting space if you have some, add an additional harddrive, or shrink your current Windows partition. If you use a recent version of the Ubuntu "desktop" install cd, then part of the install process uses GParted to walk you through shrinking your Windows partition.
For other installations, you can use the GParted LiveCD. There are two notes on this though. For one, I've had issues with the latest version (0.3.4-8) of the LiveCD and am actually sticking with versions 0.3.4-6 right now. 0.3.4-8 is the first time I've ever had issues with the GParted LiveCD though, and the issue was not with the partitioning but with the interface. Second, the Gparted LiveCD is getting increasingly complicated and cluttered with features, so I have not used this, but a simpler alternative I have found may be Parted Magic. Gparted LiveCD and Parted Magic both use the parted software to do the actual partitioning so the only difference is which interface you would prefer.
Ok, other than making space, every linux installer I've come across automatically detects my Windows installation and automatically creates the dual boot settings in the boot loader. The thing you need to be most careful of is when configuring the partitioning part of the installation to be sure you do not delete your current Windows partition. Here is a pretty good article that gives step-by-step dual-booting instructions with screenshots, specific to Ubuntu 7.04, in a number of different scenarios.
Q8: What is the best Desktop Environment?
"Best" is a horrible word to use with opensource software, as all opensource software exists because someone thinks it is the best *I just felt like making that point here. Anyway, looking at distrowatch, the 1st and 4th popular distros use GNOME by default, but the 2nd and 3rd popular distros use KDE by default. Xfce is also very popular for older hardware due to it being light on resource usage.
GNOME is generally simpler and easier to use than KDE, but KDE has more features, is more customizable in how it looks, and has more advanced tools for system configuration. KDE can be a bit more complicated and confusing than GNOME, but a beginner should really not have a problem with basic usage of either environment. More than anything, this comes down to your personal preference for the look and feel. All of the more popular distros have both in their package managers so trying both out is a breeze. Most will also include Xfce in their package managers, which may be more responsive on slower hardware.
Many X window managers are also meant to be used standalone and contain elements of a desktop environment. Examples of these are Enlightenment, Fluxbox, Blackbox, IceWM, and many others. These are even more lightweight than Xfce with varying degrees of features. They do not have widespread popularity, but many have a fiercely loyal and dedicated fan base. Usage of these should be considered a more advanced topic and inclusion in package managers is questionable. Consult your distros documentation or the application's website for more information.
Q9: What is the best Window Manager?
Generally it's best to just stick with whatever the default Window Manager is that comes with the desktop environment you are using. Some users like to mix and match different window managers with different desktop environments based on personal preferences but this should be considered a more advanced topic.
One choice that even beginners may want to make, though, is to use one of the fancy OpenGL-accelerated window managers: Compiz or Beryl. Compiz is more stable and reliable and includes features like Window animations, the cube, and wobbly windows, but Beryl includes a lot more fancy features at the expense of being a bit buggy.
Keep in mind that Beryl and Compiz are now being merged into Compiz Fusion. Work is underway to port all the Beryl features to Compiz plugins and should maintain the reliability of Compiz. Current distros should have Compiz and Beryl in their package managers right now though, with little or no manual configuration needed to get working. Ubuntu Feisty even already has Compiz installed and it essentially takes one click to enable it. Consult your distro's documentation for specific information for that distro.
Q10: What are these *BSD distros? Are they a linux?
No, BSD is not linux. BSD is a Unix variant in much the same way as linux and much, though not all, software that runs on linux will also run on BSD. This document is not about BSD though, so I will not get into details and just point you here. BSD is similar enough to linux that most of this FAQ will apply to it, but I would not count on it.
Q11: What is GNU?
GNU is a project started before linux with the goal of developing a completely free Unix-like operating system. Some think that "linux" distros should actually be called "GNU" distros because most of the core software is actually from the GNU project. Linux is only the kernel that constitutes a small (though very very important and complex) part of the system. Details can be found here.
Q12: Where can I find more information?
Before posting on the forum, try searching with Google. Just typing in your question, or key terms from your question can give you tons of articles with good and thorough answers. If you are wanting general information on a specific technology, Wikipedia can be very informative.
If you have a question specific to a disto or piece of software, check out the product's homepage and look for a "documentation," "FAQ," "Learn More," or "About" section. I have also often found Ubuntu's documentation to be the easiest and most helpful reading, even when I'm not using Ubuntu. I've used Ubuntu's docs when setting up services on Redhat with the only difference being the installation method.
And of course, search the forums - someone may have already asked, and answered, your same question. Ok, ok, I know the forums search function can often be pretty useless, so don't keep banging your head against the wall if you can't find anything. But please, at least scan the first page or two of at least the OS and *nix Software categories. It can be aggravating when someone asks a question and there is already a topic just below it on the same thing.
If you still haven't found your answer, then by all means - happy posting!
credits: xtknight [1]Nothinman
Facebook
Twitter