What's your thoughts on Linux distros?

[.Kiyo]

Hey everyone, I'm a long time Windows XP and Mac OSX user and I love those programs greatly. The problem lies within my laptop, that runs on vista basic. I don't like it at all, and my inspiron 1520 just doesn't like XP at all for some reason. I'm thinking of going to Linux for this thing. I've tried out Ubuntu and found it somewhat decent, really fast. I'm not really sure about if I want to install it fully onto my computer, or go with another Linux Distro. What do you guys think is the best Linux for someone who wants to use Ventrilo and Skype and just surf the net with?

 

[TheBuzzSaw]

I feel the best Linux distro (especially for someone getting into Linux for the first time seriously) is indeed Ubuntu. I would recommend installing that one before any others (provided you have the latest version: 8.10). There are other viable Linux distros that others can tell you about, but Ubuntu is the most mainstream and easy to obtain support for.

 

[Narukari]

I would also recommend Ubuntu if you want a linux distro, but make sure you can navigate through a terminal.

A degree in google searching is a must. I've never gotten a clean installation on anyones computer, doubly so for a laptop. Generally I do two installations, the first one is to find all the tweaks and fixes to get it working on the machine. Then I reinstall again and do all of the fixes on first boot.

If battery life is something you are looking into I would definitely suggest Windows over linux. Win7 is coming out and doesn't require much more resources than XP. This is good for laptops that don't have native XP drivers. I installed it on my netbook and it runs smoothly. You can download the beta for free right now from microsoft.

Of course if you only want vent/skype/firefox ubuntu will work fine, but I usually find a 20% decrease in battery life from running ubuntu.

 

[TheBuzzSaw]

I wonder if you have something configured wrong because all studies I've seen indicate that Ubuntu drastically increases battery life. Even on my own laptop, it lasts really long because of the much lower memory usage.

 

[AltF4]

Hmm, I haven't experienced any reduced battery life on my dual booted laptop. Ubuntu and Vista seem to use battery about the same. And I can't really see, either, how the OS would really affect batter life significantly anyway.

Of course the default settings might be different, which can matter. For example, in Vista, when I close the laptop, the default behavior is to lock the machine. This locked state uses very little battery. However, in Ubuntu it just turns the screen off, but continues to run normally, which uses a bit more battery. I assume you can change these settings, but that's the default.

 

[TheBuzzSaw]

I never shut the lid on my laptop unless I'm just re-situating myself. If I'm not going to be using my laptop, I turn it off.

 

[rabbt]

Good first time Linux distros are Ubuntu, Fedora Core, and Gentoo. They all offer fairly simple and intuitive program managers (apt, repo, and emerge, respectively). They all use the same front-end by default (Gnome), and are very light OS's. I strongly recommend Ubuntu or XUbuntu. Forget KUbuntu altogether.

 

[godofrock72]

I've always preferred Mac OS X to anything. I don't think you need to buy a new computer to install it since they went Intel, but I'm not sure if it's all legal.

If you really do want to go to Linux, be prepared for open-source software, because that's what Linux is all about.

I've tried Ubuntu, and it seemed alright. It's definitely better than Windows!

 

[Frames]

If you really do want to go to Linux, be prepared for open-source software, because that's what Linux is all about.

lmao u make it sound like thats a bad thing

 

[rabbt]

A good article about program management in Ubuntu: http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9128990

 

[Sensai]

@ rabbt: You prefer Gentoo...because it's simple?

....did they make a beginner's Gentoo or something? Last I tried, Gentoo was even more sparse than Arch Linux, which sends all but the most hardcore of Linux people crying.

[Edit:]

And for the things you listed (Vent, Skype, surfing the web), I'd say Ubuntu as well; it usually just works.

Although...you're going to run into problems getting Vent running. Look up 'Wine;' it will become your best friend shortly.

(Slightly off topic: I have a laptop that's video card just went the way of the dodo. I tried installing Puppy Linux on it but simply cannot get it to boot into the kernel. About to try Xubuntu. Any other suggestions?)

 

[rabbt]

@ rabbt: You prefer Gentoo...because it's simple?

....did they make a beginner's Gentoo or something? Last I tried, Gentoo was even more sparse than Arch Linux, which sends all but the most hardcore of Linux people crying.

Gentoo is a variant of Debian. They are both more complicated than Ubuntu, but they are still very intro level distros.

 

[Sensai]

I must be thinking of something completely different...but I coulda swore that Gentoo started you off with less than Arch and you literally had to get/compile everything you wanted through the command line.

[Edit:]

(About my exploded laptop dilemma: I can no longer get anything to load up onto it, including Puppy Linux run completely from RAM. Most of them just stop at a blinking _. Ideas?)

 

[TheBuzzSaw]

Starting with Ubuntu 9.04, I am going to dual boot 32-bit and 64-bit.

My 64-bit configuration will use dual monitors and focus on work-related software. I will do my web development and Internet browsing in that mode.

My 32-bit configuration will use only one monitor and focus primarily on gaming. More games are compatible with 32-bit mode (like ZSNES!), and going full screen causes problems when dual monitors are enabled.

 

[Diddyknight]

amazing. The one i use is Backtrack :3

=3

 

[AltF4]

Nice, but do YOU have a triple boot into Windows, Ubuntu, and Backtrack?

 

[TheBuzzSaw]

AltF4, you need to quad boot and include ReactOS. :D

 

[AltF4]

I could, lol. I brag about the triple boot, but the truth is that once you've got a double-boot adding in more is cake. I just don't have much of a purpose to more than my three. It covers every use I have for my computer.

 

[TheBuzzSaw]

VBox > multi-booting

 

[Diddyknight]

lol no need to. Backtrack has everything i need =3
It should help if you build your own firewall though >.>

 

[noradseven]

First time: Ubuntu
Second,third time: Feldora/KUbuntu
Experienced: Arch Linux.
HardCore: Gentoo
Ultra HardCore: Plan 9 from bell labs (though not linux)

You will figure out quickly that the better you want linux to be, the more of it you have to compile yourself.

edit: people up higher Gentoo gives you pretty much to start even less than arch.

 

[GenesisJLS]

I wouldn't recommend getting a Linux OS unless your willing to invest a significant amount of time learning some bash programming. That's just my 2 cents.

 

[TheBuzzSaw]

I wouldn't recommend getting a Linux OS unless your willing to invest a significant amount of time learning some bash programming. That's just my 2 cents.

Nah. You can get by with almost no BASH usage.

 

[GenesisJLS]

That's true, but most of my favorite applications like Apache and Aircrack -ng rely on some bash skills.

 

[hubble]

Representing Arch all the way.

 

[AltF4]

New Favorite Distro:

**** Vulnerable Linux

EDIT: wow, I can't post a link to it b/c it's censored...

It's www.****vulnerablelinux.com

 

[Mr.Bazerkus]

Yeah like buzz was trying to say before.

If your going to get ubuntu make sure to get a virtualbox and install windows xp as a virtual machine. That way if you need to use a windows application or internet explorer or something you have access to it. You don't even need that much ram at all. I have 2gb and i give my virtual xp 512 mb. And both systems run perfectly. Virtualbox makes the switch way easier

 

[Sensai]

Are you able to play videogames in VB? I don't think so, but I'd love to be pleasantly surprised.

 

[TheBuzzSaw]

Are you able to play videogames in VB? I don't think so, but I'd love to be pleasantly surprised.

VB has limited 3D support at this time, but it plays games just fine otherwise.

 

[Sensai]

Buzz, when did you become such an important admin? Your icon and the color of your name is intimidating. :-(

And whaddya mean it 'plays games just fine otherwise?' If it only has limited 3D support, wouldn't that mean it's unable to do most modern games?

 

[TheBuzzSaw]

Buzz, when did you become such an important admin? Your icon and the color of your name is intimidating. :-(

And whaddya mean it 'plays games just fine otherwise?' If it only has limited 3D support, wouldn't that mean it's unable to do most modern games?

I became an admin a while back. I applied for the position and got it.

Not all games require 3D acceleration. You didn't specify "bleeding edge 3D games". You just asked if VB could handle games, and it can. >_>

If you need modern age 3D support to play a game, try using WINE. It handles many modern games. I play Portal in WINE with zero problems.

 

[rabbt]

Buzz, when did you become such an important admin? Your icon and the color of your name is intimidating. :-(

And whaddya mean it 'plays games just fine otherwise?' If it only has limited 3D support, wouldn't that mean it's unable to do most modern games?

What games would you want to play besides StarCraft?

 

[Sensai]

@ rabbt: Jeah, seriously. You're right, dunno what I was thinking. :-D

@ TheBuzzSaw: Sorry about the confusion. I've tried WINE in the past (and Crossover, which I actually have a version for Linux that I won a while back) with some decent success. Maybe I'll give it another go.

Question: Got a laptop that's actually pretty decent...except the video card has gone the way of the dodo. Suggestions as to a Linux distro? I can't get Xubuntu or Puppy Linux to install on it. Dunno why.

 

[rabbt]

@ rabbt: Jeah, seriously. You're right, dunno what I was thinking. :-D

@ TheBuzzSaw: Sorry about the confusion. I've tried WINE in the past (and Crossover, which I actually have a version for Linux that I won a while back) with some decent success. Maybe I'll give it another go.

Question: Got a laptop that's actually pretty decent...except the video card has gone the way of the dodo. Suggestions as to a Linux distro? I can't get Xubuntu or Puppy Linux to install on it. Dunno why.

DSL and Slackware will install on just about anything (including blenders), but they require a bit of knowhow to actually use.

 

[Superstar]

Portal is NOT bleeding edge. I run it on everything max except AA on 300FPS or so. I can turn the AA all the way down and still get playable FPS, but that's overkill. Hl2 plays for me at like 280FPS or 350FPS or something, TF2 is 180FPS.

It's when you go up the ladder that I assume VBox for games will fail.

Wine works for Steam, but not for PJ64k. ;_; And Sensai, I kinda liked Fedora. Maybe I'll put it on my lappy since I just use it for normal laptop tasks. If I can get a dual boot working, I'll try GParting the hell outta this computer, if only I can get a decent defragmenter...

 

[TheBuzzSaw]

Portal is NOT bleeding edge. I run it on everything max except AA on 300FPS or so. I can turn the AA all the way down and still get playable FPS, but that's overkill. Hl2 plays for me at like 280FPS or 350FPS or something, TF2 is 180FPS.

Portal came out in 2007. Case in point, it is a very recent 3D game with good quality. The fact that you can run it at such a high framerate is an indication of how well it was coded.

 

[noradseven]

Newsflash wine still sucks.

Linux is great if you want an OS that looks nice clean and runs openoffice and the internet well, with few - zero interruptions.

If you want to run games you have to be constantly fiddling with settings, compling from source, and all sorts of other stuff which is about equal or greater to the amount of time getting around Winbl0w$.

Portal is NOT bleeding edge. I run it on everything max except AA on 300FPS or so. I can turn the AA all the way down and still get playable FPS, but that's overkill. Hl2 plays for me at like 280FPS or 350FPS or something, TF2 is 180FPS.

It's when you go up the ladder that I assume VBox for games will fail.

Wine works for Steam, but not for PJ64k. ;_; And Sensai, I kinda liked Fedora. Maybe I'll put it on my lappy since I just use it for normal laptop tasks. If I can get a dual boot working, I'll try GParting the hell outta this computer, if only I can get a decent defragmenter...

wooo 300FPS (secret your monitor doesn't refresh this fast). The human brain can normally only see differences of around 25-35FPS, and if you really know what to expect maybe MAYBE 80FPS at maximum.

 

[Sensai]

@ noradseven: There's no need to be condescending. Everyone knows, or at least everyone who talks of FPS knows, that the eye can't see 300 FPS. That being said, it's still a good measure of how your card is doing and how well the game runs on your computer.

And not everyone runs Linux because Windows is bad. A lot of people run it because it's free, as in beer and speech. It's just...I dunno, a nice thought.

 

[TheBuzzSaw]

Generally, monitors refresh at either 60Hz or 75Hz.

 

[Superstar]

What Sensai said.

Also, I hate 30-40 FPS in TF2, especially when the FPS jumps. It's just too choppy. Maybe the eye only sees 30-40, but I CAN see the move jiterring. You need at least 45 CONSTANT for it to be good. I used to have to deal with that in my laptop.

I onlu mentioned it because if I play CoD4 or something I'd get maybe 70FPS. I'm only running on 3Ghz dual and 9600GT, midrange.

Portal ran TOO fast though, I had to turn on Vertical Sync and lock it to 60FPS to prevent tearing.

Portal is well coded, but it's not the most graphically intensive out there.