Linux distro for a total n00b

[globalcitizen]

As the subject states, I am trying to get into Linux just as a hobby. I would like to know which one is the easiest free distro to get into. I don't know anything about Linux at all and I would like something that is easy to install and work with.

Also is there any problem with my current hardware setup that would make the move to Linux not work?

 

[jzietman]

i can't see any reason why it wouldn't work.

try simplymepis 3.3 (mepis.org). it's a livecd, so you boot from it directly into linux, so you can make sure it works with vid card, etc., then hit "install me" on desktop. easy installer, everything. great distro

 

[globalcitizen]

So if I want to install it but still keep my XP operating system, how is that done?

 

[WobbleWobble]

Make a free partition for linux (the distro will usually partition and format it for you) and it will also load a boot loader for you to choose if you want to boot into Windows or Linux.

 

[TSDible]

I would say the Xandros OCE

It is soooo easy to use that. It will install with XP for dual boot, and now is more in line with the Debian package manager.

I'm using it at home as a file server, because windows sharing is as easy as right clicking on the folder and going to "Windows Sharing." In addition, they have a file manager that is pretty slick. Similar to Explorer on XP. It makes the transition very easy.

 

[drag]

The major distros are going to be:
Redhat/Fedora (redhat is commercial, Fedora is 'enthusiests'), Suse, Mandrake, Debian, Gentoo, and probably Slackware.

Redhat/Fedora, Suse, and Mandrake are all based off the same ancestry and use RPM files as the program packaging format. The other distros use their own stuff.

So any of those is worth checking out. Personally I prefer Debian, but that can be hard for somebody who is not already familar with Linux. There is a variation called Ubuntu which makes things somewhat easier and is mostly compatable with Debian and people seem to like it. The Xandros that is mentioned above is also Debian based.

What it comes mostly down to is personal choice. Each distro has a different goal and way of looking at things. Since it's open source one is as capable at doing something as any other one.

Usually people try a quite a few until they find one that they like.

 

[jzietman]

mepis is debian-based and is very easy. similar distros are knoppix and ubuntu (they're all very similar) but mepis has the easiest installer.

don;t go with debian or gentoo as a noobie. they are both text-based installers (not graphical) which are completely manual, nothing is automatic.
it's way way way too much for a newbie to bother with

 

[Turkey22]

Personally I'd reccomend knoppix or a cd based linux. That way if you like it go for another distro and install, but if you don't you just eject the cd and you are back to where you started. If you go try to download from their website, dont use Purdue's link. It was way too slow, the one from Florida was good though.

 

[alm4rr]

check here for more detailed info
http://forums.anandtech.com/categories.aspx?catid=34

 

[imported_obsidian]

Download knoppix. Burn to CD. Boot to CD. There is a nice linux distro to at least learn some of the linux functionality.

If you want to install linux, Mandrake or the Debian based distros talked about earlier are all pretty nice. Gentoo is great too but NOT for newbies.

 

[BlueWeasel]

I've tried many of the popular distros and I finally settled on PCLinuxOS. As others have stated, I'd got with one of the CD based distros like PCLinux or MEPIS. It will allow you to give it a try first, and the installation to the hard drive (if you want to do that) is easy.

 

[tfinch2]

If you want to install Linux on a hard drive, use SuSE. I couldn't believe how easily it installed.

 

[globalcitizen]

Thanks guys will try MEPIS and then go from there.