best linux distro for a "newb"


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i've messed around with linux before.

gave up.

i want something thats pretty easy to install.

but not something that totally takes away all of the joys of linux.

i want to be able to learn it and move up.

thanks.

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I'de recommend going and actually buying SUSE 9.0 Pro, as you'll be very thankful of the excellent manuals and initial support. You also get all the programs/source on a double sided DVD (also 5 CDs) and the configuration tools are very easily, especially when you use the manuals (which are huge and well written) for reference. There is also every program you could need included, although you need some packages for DVD support and 5.1 sound in DVD/DivX from http://packman.links2linux.org/

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Go with Debian - its a great distro and a helluva hard time to install based on my last trial with it. But I did it ! The only way to learn is through suffering with books and coffee and more books and more coffee and websites with tips / books and more coffee.

Do it the hard way, its the only way you'll learn anything.

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Gentoo is hard in a newbie friendly way, IMHO. The documentation is really good, and the forums have the solution to many problems (and don't "rtfm" you if you ask a question). 'twas my first experience installing, and using a non-windows OS :) (besides the macs at a school 5 years ago or something)

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Thanks....also an off topic question what are the shrike-SRPMS-disc1.iso, shrike-SRPMS-disc.iso & shrike-SRPMS-disc2.iso cd images?

yeah, thats the cd images. arnt they redhat 9?

anyways, definatley mandrake, its much easier than fedora (redhat) - being a n00b too i think my opinion stands quite well. :D

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This question has as many answers as the number of times it has been asked... :laugh:

You really can't go wrong with any 'mainstream' distro. Try one and see how you like it. If it is too simple (i.e. you want more control over everything, head up to Gentoo, Slack, or even LFS (Linux from Scratch). It it is too tough, try another along the lines of Mandy. Or even Xandros, Lycrois, or even.. [gasp!] Lindows.

There is a world of choise out there. Every distro shares the same Linux kernel, but the wrappings can be selected to suit.

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yeah, thats the cd images. arnt they redhat 9?

anyways, definatley mandrake, its much easier than fedora (redhat) - being a n00b too i think my opinion stands quite well. :D

LOL.....i know they are CD images but are they the source CD because as u see in the pic below there are three more images which are the red hat isos

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LOL.....i know they are CD images but are they the source CD because as u see in the pic below there are three more images which are the red hat isos

SRPMS contain source code. Basicly, the wrong images. You need the other 3 images. And make sure you md5 them before you burn them.

And these are for redhat 9, which is essencially dead. Go for fedora.

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SRPMS contain source code. Basicly, the wrong images. You need the other 3 images. And make sure you md5 them before you burn them.

And these are for redhat 9, which is essencially dead. Go for fedora.

Cool......is Fedora same as Red Hat 9 also how do you do a MD5 check?

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Cool......is Fedora same as Red Hat 9 also how do you do a MD5 check?

Fedora is what could be called RadHat 10, so yeah it's very similar.

You can use this to check the MD5 (there's also command-line ones, but I figured the GUI is easier).

If the number matches what is given in the MD5SUM file all should be well.

That said I've never done a checksum in my life, and have had no problems.

Edited by Danrarbc641
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Cool......is Fedora same as Red Hat 9 also how do you do a MD5 check?

If you download and burn the .isos (remembering to burn it as a cd-image, not as a file!), when you boot off of CD1, it will ask if you want to test (run md5check) the media.

I have only had one CD-burn go bad and make a bad CD-image.

Also, might I suggest using an FTP program to download the .isos, and NOT use a browser to download them...

Mark

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If you download and burn the .isos (remembering to burn it as a cd-image, not as a file!), when you boot off of CD1, it will ask if you want to test (run md5check) the media.

I have only had one CD-burn go bad and make a bad CD-image.

Also, might I suggest using an FTP program to download the .isos, and NOT use a browser to download them...

Mark

But it's better to MD5 them before you burn them. This way you'll know if your download was corrupted or not. If you burn a cd, then test it, it could either be bad media or a bad image. If you MD5 the images, then burn, if the CD is corrupted, that narrow's it down to bad cd. There's a really easy to use program for windows called MD5Summer (http://www.md5summer.org/).

coo....who needs the source code?

If you want to recompile a program, you need the source. You don't really need it, but it may come in handy.

EDIT: And avoid shrike (Redhat 9). It's been discontinued. Go for Fedora.

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