Tip: Run a free scan for common Windows errors ad

re: gewg_ ? linux bound Friday, November 13, 2009 at 3:19 pm Posted by gewg_ (4444 messages posted) gary wrote: |what info can you give me to make the change. have old dell with xp. You don't say how much RAM you have or what speed your CPU is, but if the box shipped with XP pre-installed, it should be able to run ANY distro. Download the *.ISO for a distro[1], burn it to a CD, and boot to that CD. You will get a Linux desktop--just as if Linux was installed to the HDD. Previously in this forum I've described test drives without installing: http://google.com/search?q=site:annoyances.org+"test.drive"+"posted-by-gewg_" (It's also good to have a bootable Linux CD to do repairs when Windoze breaks.) Ubuntu is the most popular distro and it has several variants. Canonical will even send you a free CD and they will pay the postage: http://google.com/search?q=inurl:shipit+inurl:ubuntu|inurl:kubuntu (The free plastic disks are mainly for those who are bandwidth-poor but who have lots of patience.) NOTE: Ubuntu 9.10 just released and a small but vocal group are finding problems. Ubuntu 9.04 (from April of 2009) may be a better choice for several weeks. In addition, *buntu 8.04 is a Long-Term Support version and has full support for 3 years from its release date (April 2008 - April 2011); regular *buntu releases get full updates for 18 months. Kubuntu uses the KDE desktop (instead of Gnome) and you may like that better. It's easy to try both. Lots of help available at http://ubuntuforums.org/. Linux Mint is an Ubuntu derivative and has the most complete out-of-the-box experience. Highly recommended. It also has Gnome, KDE, Xfce, and Fluxbox editions for test drives. Excellent forums there as well. Here's a good Getting Started page: cache of https://wiki.ubuntu.com/CriticismFAQ There are links to some "Which distro" tools on that page. Here is another: http://polishlinux.org/choose/comparison/?distro1=Ubuntu&distro2=Fedora ...and, frankly, I think this is a more useful DistroWatch link: http://distrowatch.com/search.php Here's another very significant page for n00bs: cache of http://www.linuxforums.org/forum/linux-newbie/57918-all-new-users-read-first.html ...and another: cache of http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?p=5004671 Here's a useful page for apps: cache of http://ostatic.com/blog/over-20-free-tutorials-for-top-open-source-apps-and-linux ...and after you select a distro, you're NOT roped into that distro's default desktop environment. Want a different one? Just install it. Want more than one? That's OK too. You're not roped into the default selection of apps either. Don't like those? Get the ones you want. (Windoze guys are just stoked when they see a Linux "package manager" in action.) Linux is about CHOICES. Linux is about YOU. [1] Since it only costs 20c for a CD blank (or nothing if you use a CD-RW) and you DON'T have to _install_ anything to try it, you can try *several* and see which one you like best. When you find a distro you really like, click on the installer icon and Linux will do all the heavy lifting for you --partitioning, formating, installing the OS and apps, setting up dual boot... without having to babysit the install and reboot, reboot, reboot, reboot... and without it taking DAYS to get it all done. [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: gewg_ ? linux bound Friday, November 13, 2009 at 4:06 pm Posted by gary (776 messages posted) just received ubuntu 9.10 desktop edition in mail today.wow that came from the netherlands. hope no viruis on it. thanks for answering my post.will get back with you when i run into a problem.my system has intel pentium 4 / 250g hard drive / 2mg memory. should be ok. On Friday, November 13, 2009 at 3:19 pm, gewg_ wrote: >gary wrote: >|what info can you give me to make the change. have old dell with xp. > >You don't say how much RAM you have or what speed your CPU is, >but if the box shipped with XP pre-installed, it should be able to run ANY distro. > >Download the *.ISO for a distro[1], burn it to a CD, and boot to that CD. >You will get a Linux desktop--just as if Linux was installed to the HDD. >Previously in this forum I've described test drives without installing: >http://google.com/search?q=site:annoyances.org+"test.drive"+"posted-by-gewg_" >(It's also good to have a bootable Linux CD to do repairs when Windoze breaks.) > >Ubuntu is the most popular distro and it has several variants. >Canonical will even send you a free CD and they will pay the postage: >http://google.com/search?q=inurl:shipit+inurl:ubuntu|inurl:kubuntu >(The free plastic disks are mainly for those who are bandwidth-poor >but who have lots of patience.) > >NOTE: >Ubuntu 9.10 just released and a small but vocal group are finding problems. >Ubuntu 9.04 (from April of 2009) may be a better choice for several weeks. >In addition, *buntu 8.04 is a Long-Term Support version >and has full support for 3 years from its release date (April 2008 - April 2011); >regular *buntu releases get full updates for 18 months. > >Kubuntu uses the KDE desktop (instead of Gnome) and you may like that better. >It's easy to try both. >Lots of help available at http://ubuntuforums.org/. > >Linux Mint is an Ubuntu derivative >and has the most complete out-of-the-box experience. Highly recommended. >It also has Gnome, KDE, Xfce, and Fluxbox editions for test drives. >Excellent forums there as well. > >Here's a good Getting Started page: >cache >of https://wiki.ubuntu.com/CriticismFAQ >There are links to some "Which distro" tools on that page. Here is another: >http://polishlinux.org/choose/comparison/?distro1=Ubuntu&distro2=Fedora >...and, frankly, I think this is a more useful DistroWatch link: >http://distrowatch.com/search.php > >Here's another very significant page for n00bs: >cache >of http://www.linuxforums.org/forum/linux-newbie/57918-all-new-users-read-first.html > >...and another: >cache >of http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?p=5004671 > >Here's a useful page for apps: >cache >of http://ostatic.com/blog/over-20-free-tutorials-for-top-open-source-apps-and-linux > >...and after you select a distro, >you're NOT roped into that distro's default desktop environment. >Want a different one? Just install it. Want more than one? That's OK too. >You're not roped into the default selection of apps either. >Don't like those? Get the ones you want. >(Windoze guys are just stoked when they see a Linux "package manager" in action.) >Linux is about CHOICES. Linux is about YOU. > > >[1] Since it only costs 20c for a CD blank (or nothing if you use a CD-RW) >and you DON'T have to _install_ anything to try it, >you can try *several* and see which one you like best. >When you find a distro you really like, >click on the installer icon and Linux will do all the heavy lifting for you >--partitioning, formating, installing the OS and apps, setting up dual boot... >without having to babysit the install and reboot, reboot, reboot, reboot... >and without it taking DAYS to get it all done. [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: gewg_ ? linux bound Friday, November 13, 2009 at 4:32 pm Posted by gewg_ (4444 messages posted) gary wrote: |just received ubuntu 9.10 desktop edition in mail today. |wow that came from the netherlands. | Canonical is based on the Isle of Man in the English Channel. |hope no viruis on it. | This old wives' tale AGAIN: http://www.annoyances.org/exec/forum/win98/1257977038 I figured the reason you asked about Linux was because you were tired of worrying about that nonsense. |will get back with you when i run into a problem. | I strongly suggest that you become familiar with the forum(s) for the distro you use. Having MANY people answering your questions is MUCH better than just one. ...and it quickly gets to be off-topic here beyond "How do I deal with all these infections effectively?" or "How do I get an OS that doesn't have a remote kill switch?" or "How do I get an OS that still gets security updates?". [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: gewg_ ? linux bound Saturday, November 14, 2009 at 6:03 pm Posted by dhm (1069 messages posted) Thanks. [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: gewg_ ? linux bound Sunday, November 15, 2009 at 11:35 am Posted by gewg_ (4444 messages posted) dhm wrote: Thanks. I thought you were already up to speed on this. Did something in particular catch your eye? [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: gewg_ ? linux bound Tuesday, November 17, 2009 at 5:31 am Posted by gary (776 messages posted) wow so much to learn.one good thing im up and running.you can learn something new every day.wish i would have changed long ago.thanks for your help and support.gary On Friday, November 13, 2009 at 4:32 pm, gewg_ wrote: >gary wrote: >|just received ubuntu 9.10 desktop edition in mail today. >|wow that came from the netherlands. >| >Canonical is based on the Isle of Man in the English Channel. > >|hope no viruis on it. >| >This old wives' tale AGAIN: >http://www.annoyances.org/exec/forum/win98/1257977038 > >I figured the reason you asked about Linux >was because you were tired of worrying about that nonsense. > >|will get back with you when i run into a problem. >| >I strongly suggest >that you become familiar with the forum(s) for the distro you use. >Having MANY people answering your questions is MUCH better than just one. > >...and it quickly gets to be off-topic here beyond >"How do I deal with all these infections effectively?" >or "How do I get an OS that doesn't have a remote kill switch?" >or "How do I get an OS that still gets security updates?". > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: gewg_ ? linux bound Tuesday, November 17, 2009 at 6:25 pm Posted by dhm (1069 messages posted) >I thought you were already up to speed on this. >Did something in particular catch your eye? I've been frustrated by useless Linux forums. The last one I asked a question about syntax in Knoppix. It was some simple mistake I couldn't figure out to make it store settings. The site had a counter of how many people viewed it. After a week over 50 did and no one answered at all. So the Knoppix disc is around here somewhere unused. Yeah, and I have one of those $50 "complete" books of Linux. I don't recall any useful info in it. Lots of junk such as stuff about Stallman's first editor -- which is no more useful than DOS 3's Edlin -- but no useful goal oriented stuff. Here is the goal and this is how to get there. And so on. [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: gewg_ ? linux bound Wednesday, November 18, 2009 at 7:21 am Posted by Steve (23811 messages posted) On Knoppix you create a Home directory first. That is done in the Start Menu. Forgot exactly where, but a clicking around should find it. Example, If created on a second Partition At Boot prompt type knoppix home=/mnt/hda2 hda2, might be sda1 if you created Home on a Thumb Drive. [Reply or follow-up to this message] Tip: Use one of the [Reply or follow-up to this message] links above to add a message to this thread Search this forum Start a new thread on a different subject Report abuse of the forum Return to the Windows 98 Discussion Forum