Which Linux to try next?

[xtknight]

What do you think I should try next? Debian? Gentoo? Ubuntu? I'm not a Linux expert (nor am I a complete newbie). I tried stage 2 Gentoo before with not too much success. Is Debian supposed to be a really good distro?

In particular, I want something that has a 'super l33t' window management system and cool skins preinstalled with it. I gave up trying to install window managers myself (into the list at login). Also maybe some old games or something. Nothing too office-oriented. It's not for productivity, period. Just experimentation. I'd also prefer it have good out-of-the-box (out of the ISO rather) driver support.

 

[Zelmo3]

Try this. It comes with the Enlightenment window manager, which is supposed to be pretty wicked.
As for drivers, they're mostly included in the kernel.

 

[firewall]

Ubuntu?

 

[xtknight]

Thanks for the suggestions. Yeah, I've used the Enlightenment one before on RH6.4 I believe, it seemed pretty awesome.

 

[Nothinman]

Debian and Ubuntu both add all WMs to the login manager automatically when you install them.

 

[xtknight]

Originally posted by: Nothinman
Debian and Ubuntu both add all WMs to the login manager automatically when you install them.

From which file does it enumerate the WMs? Is there one that all WM installers to (like ~/.wmlist or something)? I never had any luck adding extra WMs to any of my Linux distros. I got it installed fine but I never could locate the correct file to edit to make it appear in the Sessions menu at login. Is there a varying script per distro or do all X11-based distros have one unified path name, such as the config (which is almost always /etc/X11/XF86Config or /etc/X11/Xorg.conf, give or take a few caps)?

 

[kamper]

Originally posted by: xtknight

Originally posted by: Nothinman
Debian and Ubuntu both add all WMs to the login manager automatically when you install them.

From which file does it enumerate the WMs? Is there one that all WM installers to (like ~/.wmlist or something)? I never had any luck adding extra WMs to any of my Linux distros. I got it installed fine but I never could locate the correct file to edit to make it appear in the Sessions menu at login. Is there a varying script per distro or do all X11-based distros have one unified path name, such as the config (which is almost always /etc/X11/XF86Config or /etc/X11/Xorg.conf, give or take a few caps)?

His point was that you don't have to do anything. If the wm has been properly packaged by the repo people, it will be automatically added to whatever lists/config files are necessary.

 

[Nothinman]

Yea, I've never looked into how it works, I just know that it does.

 

[n0cmonkey]

They all probably use the same [gk]dm config files. I prefer xdm though, and it starts whatever the user has configured.

 

[Chosonman]

Just installed Ubuntu. As they say at McDonalds, Lovin it!

 

[TanisHalfElven]

ubuntu,mepis,kubuntu

 

[pkme2]

For any new Linux users. I recommend Ubuntu. Very easy to use and doesn't have high requirements. I have on a Pentium 2 E-Machine and it works AOK.

 

[SleepWalkerX]

I wanted to run SymphonyOS because it looks like it has a 'super 1337' wm, but unfortunately you have to do some hacking to install to the hard drive. They're at beta so hopefully soon they'll have a hd install utility.

 

[Nothinman]

I wanted to run SymphonyOS because it looks like it has a 'super 1337' wm, but unfortunately you have to do some hacking to install to the hard drive. They're at beta so hopefully soon they'll have a hd install utility.

If you look at the about page, they tell you all of the software they used. The WM is just a custom configured FVWM.

 

[SleepWalkerX]

Originally posted by: Nothinman

I wanted to run SymphonyOS because it looks like it has a 'super 1337' wm, but unfortunately you have to do some hacking to install to the hard drive. They're at beta so hopefully soon they'll have a hd install utility.

If you look at the about page, they tell you all of the software they used. The WM is just a custom configured FVWM.

Sorry, was referring to Mezzo.

 

[Nothinman]

Sorry, was referring to Mezzo.

Which looks like an attempt to recreate MS' ActiveDesktop...

 

[Willoughbyva]

pclinuxos only has KDE from live cd, but you can download others using synoptic, at least gnome, not sure about the others. It has a hd installer and a decent looking desktop etc.

 

[Ausm]

Originally posted by: tanishalfelven
ubuntu,mepis,kubuntu

I agree with these selections. I am also partial to debian spin offs.

I like Mepis because it runs very "Clean" and also is multimedia friendly. I like Ubuntu and Kubuntu because of the huge and helpful community.

Ausm

 

[silverpig]

I'd say go for either debian or gentoo next. You've tried a few of the "easier" distros, so you might as well try something that gets your hands a little dirtier.

 

[Basie]

I just installed Koroaa-Gentoo and Ark. Like them both. Had none of the installation problems
experienced during previous incarnations.

 

[imported_shader]

Originally posted by: xtknight
What do you think I should try next? Debian? Gentoo? Ubuntu? I'm not a Linux expert (nor am I a complete newbie). I tried stage 2 Gentoo before with not too much success. Is Debian supposed to be a really good distro?

In particular, I want something that has a 'super l33t' window management system and cool skins preinstalled with it. I gave up trying to install window managers myself (into the list at login). Also maybe some old games or something. Nothing too office-oriented. It's not for productivity, period. Just experimentation. I'd also prefer it have good out-of-the-box (out of the ISO rather) driver support.

ubuntu is just like mandriva and fedora in that they are designed to be easy to install/use, but lack (relatively) in your ability to configure (at least configure starting packages). if you are looking to learn more about linux, from what i understand a distro like debian is more user intensive (if you'll allow me the use of this term), and then after getting used to installing that, i would get back to learning how to install gentoo. if you have trouble installing just refer to the gentoo install handbook

as for window manager, the distro's you have used probably all have had kde. i think debian uses gnome by default, and if you install gentoo, you can pick what window manager you want. in that case if you want a somewhat unique window manager, try enlightenment.

 

[Nothinman]

ubuntu is just like mandriva and fedora in that they are designed to be easy to install/use, but lack (relatively) in your ability to configure (at least configure starting packages).

Ubuntu has an expert install that lets you pick everything yourself, I don't know about the others.

 

[n0cmonkey]

Originally posted by: Nothinman

ubuntu is just like mandriva and fedora in that they are designed to be easy to install/use, but lack (relatively) in your ability to configure (at least configure starting packages).

Ubuntu has an expert install that lets you pick everything yourself, I don't know about the others.

If Fedora is like RHES you can manually choose some packages, but it installs roughly three-hundred gajillion more that you don't have a choice over.

 

[KoolDrew]

Debian.

 

[rahvin]

Originally posted by: n0cmonkey

Originally posted by: Nothinman

ubuntu is just like mandriva and fedora in that they are designed to be easy to install/use, but lack (relatively) in your ability to configure (at least configure starting packages).

Ubuntu has an expert install that lets you pick everything yourself, I don't know about the others.

If Fedora is like RHES you can manually choose some packages, but it installs roughly three-hundred gajillion more that you don't have a choice over.

Reduce's support calls. Where or where have I heard that before?