Linux

[Fuzzmuncher]

What is best way to get started in Linux w/o any experience?

 

[Sunner]

Start by getting a good distro(I'd recomend RedHat, since its very easy, but still offers something for power users).

Then get a good book, O'Reilly makes the best books about stuff like that IMO.

Then sit down and use it, there's no way to learn like actually using something.

If you need more help than you can find in whatever book you buy, here's a few helpful sites:

LinuxNewbie.org
Linux documentation project
Freshmeat.net, lotsa software there

Should be more than enough to get you started, good luck

 

[jtshaw]

I would check out the book Running Linux. Check out linux.org, they have links to just about everything.

As far as a distro goes I would get Slackware's newest version. It isn't bloated with gui configure tools, it doesn't have a whole lot of hand holding, but it works very well. Once you get it configured for your taste (which might take some work for somebody completely new to linux) you will love it At least I do, and so does everyone else I recommended it too

 

[wxman]

I just picked up Linux-Mandrake 7.2 Complete. Got it at Wal-Mart for $24... Flawless install, even easier than Windows. Lots of addition programs/software on the 4 disk install. Its now quite as quick as Win98SE on my machine, but when I go dual Duron/T-bird for RC5, Linuz will become my main O/S.

 

[FOBSIDE]

you shouldnt have to ever buy a linux distribution. just download it. theres always instructions on the pages whether its redhat, mandrake, or whatever other distro youre interested in...

as far as reading material you can just go to linux.org and read stuff there. install is that hardest part of linux IMHO and its gotten to the point where its a piece of cake too if you dont have hardware thats not supported.

my vote for linux is mandrake 7.2 if youve never touched linux in your life.

 

[jtshaw]

See, now you see my problem with Mandrake! Not quite as quick as Win98SE?!? My slackware install is 10x as quick as Win98SE because it is streamlined and fairly bloat free. I run a mail server, web server with php, and a bunch of other stuff and gnome flys. KDE2.0 is a little slower working then gnome but it still runs faster then Win98SE does. I hate bloatware!