There are many ways to get Linux and install it. There are hundreds of kinds of Linux (called distributions or distros). It is hard to choose one since they are all so different. Until you know what you want, choose something with great community support and once you get the feel for it then you can branch out and choose a distro that is for you. You can even make your own distro quite simply.
You can order CDs or DVDs very cheaply or even free. Ubuntu, the most comon Linux distro at the moment, even pays the shipping. You can now even get it at Best Buy, but it may be hard to find. A great way to get Linux is to download it and burn the ISO to a CD or DVD. If you do not have broadband then look for it as a torrent. Distrowatch is the place to go for links to download sites. You can also elect to install it using a network card, but this is only viable if you have a fast connection. Most distros today allow you to run it directly from the CD/DVD in what is called a Live disk. This way you can try it before you go through the installation process. Some even install from inside Windows using a program called Wubi. Linux distros can be categorized in many ways. A common one is based on the way it installs applications or packages using a package manager. The two most common are RPM and Deb. RPM is from Red Hat and its offshoots. Deb is from Debian and its branches. Choosing the right package manager is critical because Linux handles libraries and executables different from Windows. Basically, Linux does not use multiple instances of library files. All programs that use the same support modules must be of the same generation. The package managers track the different versions and conflicts can develop if things get messed up. This can cause some programs to not install properly leaving you with dependency problems. Debian handles dependencies better than RPM in my experience. Debian uses Synaptic which is the most common and most durable package manager. When dependency problems occur it can be very frustrating and that is why newbies should choose a distro with great community support and with a good package manager. Another thing to consider is choosing a distro that detects and installs hardware properly. Most of the big names in Linux do this well. Some however do not include restricted drivers and multimedia codecs and it can be difficult to track these down and install in some cases. The reason why they are not included in Linux is that Linux is based on the free, open source model and some distros are fussy about maintaining their ethics regarding this. Others don't worry about ethics or even legalities regarding the distribution and inclusion of proprietary drivers, etc. A good comparison of distros can be found here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_Linux_distributions My opinion: Most common distro: Ubuntu Best community support: Ubuntu Easiest to install: Ubuntu Most packages or applications: Ubuntu Most frequently updated: Ubuntu Best hardware detection: Ubuntu, PCLinux OS or SimplyMEPIS Most choice: Ubuntu (which has versions for every possible desktop manger, language support, and installs on the most chipsets) Easiest for a newbie: PCLinuxOS, Linspire, Xandros or SimplyMEPIS Debian based distros to consider: Ubuntu or one of its siblings, SimplyMEPIS, Linspire or Debian RPM based distros to consider: PCLinuxOS Ones to avoid until you get more experience: Fedora, Mandrake, openSUSE (both excellent RPM based distros but not for newbies) Happy computing! Roy Linux: Fast, friendly, flexible and .... free! Support Open source. <*,)}}+< Only dead fish go with the flow! ----- Original Message ---- From: fabianw81 <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: [email protected] Sent: Tuesday, August 12, 2008 4:25:16 PM Subject: [LINUX_Newbies] I'm new to this and i need help Hi i'm new to linux and this group. I am building my first pc and i need an os! if anyone can get me a version of linux and mail it to me that would be great! I have been using windows and i was told that for a beginner linux is far easier to use and learn about! __________________________________________________________________ Be smarter than spam. See how smart SpamGuard is at giving junk email the boot with the All-new Yahoo! Mail. Click on Options in Mail and switch to New Mail today or register for free at http://mail.yahoo.ca [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ To unsubscribe from this list, please email [EMAIL PROTECTED] & you will be removed.Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/LINUX_Newbies/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/LINUX_Newbies/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
