OpenSolaris?

[TBSN]

I've always wanted to start using Linux, and I've tried several times. It seems to get easier and easier for a newbie to get Linux installed, though.

I realized that everything I do on my laptop can me easily replaced by opensource software (open office, firefox, songbird, etc) So, why not try an open source OS?

My XP install was doing weird things to me, so I just went ahead and installed OpenSolaris on it. I'm using it now, and so far it works. I chose it because I saw a video on their site which showed how with ZFS you can just slide back a timeline and get data back, and I thought it was cool. I don't really know much about the distros, and the only ones I've tried are Ubuntu, OpenSolaris and FreeBSD on an older computer.

So, is there a difference between OpenSolaris and Linux OS's like Ubuntu?
Is OpenSolaris a good distro?
Does anyone have any recommendations for a complete Liniux Newbie?

I'm totally in the deep end here, but I'd like to learn this as best as possible...

Thanks!

 

[TBSN]

Ok, wtf... OpenSolaris is not actually linux? Hm... I think I should try something else. It doesn't shutdown properly and it isn't compatible with certain things that Linux is (is that possible?).

Maybe I should try Debian.

By the way, the laptop is a Lenovo R61.

 

[degibson]

OpenSolaris is not Linux. It's Solaris. They are, in fact, quite different. Solaris is really more of a server OS -- on a laptop, you'll be happier with something like Linux.

 

[TBSN]

Yeah, I guess I really mixed that up...

I'm totally in the dark, maybe I'll try Debian, that's a good distribution, right?

 

[xSauronx]

Originally posted by: TBSN
Yeah, I guess I really mixed that up...

I'm totally in the dark, maybe I'll try Debian, that's a good distribution, right?

yeah, debian is good, i havent used it on the desktop in a year or two so i dont know how it compares to ubuntu, which is what i have on my t60

but if you have opensolaris, its almost certainly going to work better anyway, so you dont have anything to lose...and debian is well known so most any problem you have should be pretty easy to find a fix for.

 

[TBSN]

I just installed Ubuntu... wow.

This totally changes the way I think about linux. That was the easiest install, everything works right off the bat, and it looks like a really polished OS.

I am still totally new to Linux, but hopefully now that everything WORKS I can focus on simply figuring stuff out.

Anyway, thanks for the advice. Are there any recommended sites/ books/ articles that I should read as a new Linux user? What's the best way to learn it? I've been reading Linfo.org, what little I've read so far is very clearly explained. I want to learn the command line and how the OS really works underneath everything.

 

[xSauronx]

Originally posted by: TBSN

Anyway, thanks for the advice. Are there any recommended sites/ books/ articles that I should read as a new Linux user? What's the best way to learn it? I've been reading Linfo.org, what little I've read so far is very clearly explained. I want to learn the command line and how the OS really works underneath everything.

if you need troubleshooting, the best way to go about it is to hit the ubuntu forums or google "$problem $ubuntu $x.xx"

how to ask questions the smart way
when you get to troubleshooting and cant find what you need, be prepared, this is a good read

linuxcommand.org
an intro to the command line and basic scripting

what is linux?
linux.com also has daily articles on various programs for linux, and how tos.

 

[degibson]

Originally posted by: xSauronx
if you need troubleshooting, the best way to go about it is to hit the ubuntu forums or google "$problem $ubuntu $x.xx"

... and the second best way is to ask questions on this forum.

 

[TBSN]

Great, thanks for all the help guys