Linux - which to learn on & is this O/S really free ?

[Nothinman]

F' PC gaming, just get a Xbox/360, PS2/3, etc.

 

[milleron]

If one's looking for a very user-friendly version of Linux/KDE, one that has an installation routine that's nearly effortless, and one that's free, then I'd put in a big plug for Xandros OCE (Open Circulation Edition). It utilizes Xandros Networks, an online feature that makes installing new programs as easy as clicking a link. Downloading and installing programs is one of the most frustrating aspects of Linux for new users who are familiar only with Windows, but Xandros makes it as easy as pie. It does limit you to programs on the Xandros Network or those already prepped for Debian, but I've never found anything I wanted to do for which there was not a suitable freeware program, and there's literally nothing to it -- it's actually easier than Windows installs.

Ron

 

[nweaver]

I would say that installing apps is one place linux kills windows, as long as you have a decent package manager anyway. Emerge rocks, except when it's borked (which hasn't been too often lately)

 

[suse920]

kubuntu is very... very easy to learn on.

 

[pcthuglife]

F' PC gaming, just get a Xbox/360, PS2/3, etc.

that's the way I look at it too. and the best part is if you don't use your PC for gaming then you won't drop $500 everytime a new video card comes out. let's face it, we've all done that at least once.

 

[djdrastic]

Ubuntu or Kubuntu , people the sheer documentation and forums make it a no brainer . I've had 50 + questions answered in the forums alone .

That is all

 

[Doh!]

Any mainstream distros: ubuntu, kubuntu, mepis, mandriva, fedora, knoppix......try and choose your flavor of the month.

All similar in basic functionalities and yet......... If you don't want to plunge into it right away, get a live-cd (knoppix or kubuntu or mepis).

 

[fuzzynavel]

I play mostly FPS games...SOF2,BF2, HL2 etc....I refuse to play FPS on a console...you can't beat mouse and keyboard....but Console better for some other games....Already have XBOX and will be picking up a 360 at christmas!! Haven't looked at the XBOX since BF2 came out!!

 

[lazy0ne]

I've tried Ubuntu - I prefer and use Mepis

 

[icelazer]

I prefer Fedora Core 3/4 for learning (Redhat products are all over the place as far as worklife goes). Also, consider Knoppix for messing around (won't mess up your Windows).

 

[nweaver]

I hate hate hate FC/RH. They just do thing oddly. Like, what is the point in renaming the X config utility? Startup scripts are strange. Drives me nuts to work on a redhat box.

 

[Krcm]

Originally posted by: TGS
I got the Ubuntu AMD64-bit DVD iso. Burned it, installed to a 20GB area on my second disk. Everything was detected, though I had to download a mp3plugin, and "unmute" my audigy 2 analog out port(not the correct name, but it was the function it fixed). After that I was off to the races.

Now I get to try my hand at configuring some gcc options to compile Cedega from CVS.

A couple things with ubuntu(and all debian based distros).

Apt-get is your friend.

Makes everything very easy, if you know the package name you want to install. If you don't try Synaptic. It will list the available packages in a graphical manner. Very easy to navigate or to search through to find what you need.

Alsamixer and alsamixergui for configuring sound cards. I had to use this to get my audigy to output sound via analog.

Gstreamer0.8-mad is the mp3 package I needed to install. So if you want MP3 support, you may have to load that. If you don't see that you will need to edit your "/etc/apt/sources.list" file and uncomment the two universe repositories.

Run "apt-get update" and the new packges from those repositories will get pulled up. Then do a search for the gstreamer packages. You should find the gstreamer*-mad package.

Through synaptic I found the nvidia-settings tool and the driver packages. After I installed both and did a "sudo /etc/init.d/gdm restart"

I had full 3D acceleration. You can run "glxgears" to confirm this. I was pulling somewhere around 13000FPS with the default box on my 6800GT.

Cleaner example listing below.

Hi,
I can't seem to get gstreamer-mad onto my pc, i already added this
## Uncomment the following two lines to add software from the 'universe'
## repository.
## N.B. software from this repository is ENTIRELY UNSUPPORTED by the Ubuntu
## team, and may not be under a free licence. Please satisfy yourself as to
## your rights to use the software. Also, please note that software in
## universe WILL NOT receive any review or updates from the Ubuntu security
## team.
# deb http://be.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu hoary universe
# deb-src http://be.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu hoary universe
i can't seem to install a lot of other parts of gstreamer either, i get the message that it isn't available.

i've done the apt-get update but there as wel i get error messages.
are there any other specifics that have to be in the list?

Hope you can help
An