I need help with linux i have tried using various systems
Knoppix, Morphix, Fedora, Mandrake, Ubuntu.
I cant get my head around any thing. I cant use or get the system to pick up devices or anything much. online training has not helped even a friend trying to teach me has not helped.

I was wondering if there was a linux distrobution that works like Windows/Mac that is automatic it works without having to unpack patches and work with the txt prompt to get things working. the basic distrabutions i have tried work ok with all that is built in to the instalition but anything else wont. I am not a computer programmer i never could get my hed around that even in windows.

I need an operating system that is not pron to viruses like Windows and that works exactly like xp/mac systems. u jput program in click the autorun icon and tada the program sets up and runs.

So if there is any linux system that forfulls the above requirements please feel free to leave a note for all of us who are wanting to use linux but cant. i would also really like you to email me directly with any help you can provide

Mickeyj4j@gmail.com

I don't see how ubuntu didn't work for you, the only time I HAD to use the command line was to setup ndiswrapper and even then I only had to type 5 commands, you might want to try something like Linspire or Freespire. If you would have posted your problems then we might have helped you and you would not be in this boat

I aggree. i just cant get wine working I have tried and never got there the constant setting up of packages and then having to unpack again in command prompt in anoying.

I have a usb wirless adapter. in windows i just put the cd in and auto running began. there is os system folder for ubuntu but it has no autorun just a bunch of readme, pdf files with the code for txt installing. this doesn't help me at all i cant get txt mode to execute the files to run internet. man windows/mac are much easier systems. think i may just give up on linux and stick to what works.

I have herd of linux xp does this run like Windows/mac ??? all I know is that it was created to attract and convert windows users to linux. the download is to big for me as i am on a shared net connection with download limits.

Maybe Linux xp is just the system I need if i can get hold of the system somehow.

If you want a system that works just like Windows, there is only one, and for many people it is the best choice.

Dude nothing is worth that grief. But is it really Linux causing your grief?
First, Linux is NOT Windows.
Try some of the live-CDs. Dual boot. Take it easy.
If it doesn't work don't use it. There is nothing to get sick, frustrated, and annoyed about.

And I wish Maria Sharapova was my wife! Yea it's not happenin'....

But on a serious note, let me know some of the problems you are running into when you are using Fedora (my specialty!) or some of the Linux operating systems and I will do my best to help you!

-George

Well, you can certainly give up, I doubt anyone is gonna beg you to stay. Before anything, DEFINITELY read the "Linux is not Windows" link in 2damncommon's post.

I personally would avoid XP. I might be mistaken, but isn't that one that requires like a paid subscription? I seem to recall reading that. Getting a distro with a lot of community support, will help a lot. Getting some obscure distro like Linux-XP, means when you get stuck, you're likely gonna have to figure it out on your own. If you were to get stuck on Ubuntu or any other popular distro, a post on any number of message boards, or here on LQ, is going to likely find numerous people to help you troubleshoot your problem. Not to mention most distros have fairly active IRC channels for community support.

Wireless can be very tricky under any version of Linux. Its got nothing to do with Linux, it has to do with your wireless hardware not being Linux compatible. Im' not real familiar with Wireless, so I can't comment on it, but Ubuntu and PCLinuxOS apparently have good Wireless support. Identifying your wireless device will go a long way to helping you solve that issue.

If you get Ubuntu, get at least version 7.04 6.06 might have long term support, but unless you're paying for support, it will be of very little use to you, and there's been a lot of improvements since 6.06.

http://www.ubuntu.com
http://www.pclinuxos.com

Are the two I'd recommend. Once you choose a distro, stick with it, and work through the problems. If you just keep hoppign from distro to distro, you'll never learn anything. Work on a distro for at least a week, before deciding its time to move on, thats my advice.

Good luck

IGF

Xandros, Linspire/Freespire, even PCLinuxOS,Mint would be good distros to try. Wireless is always a hardware thing, buy the right hardware and it works no problem.

Xandros uses a Network thing to install packages just click and poof. Linspire has the Click-N-Run thing is also a simple click and install.

Personally I don't see the point of wanting linux to be like windows, it works and it works well. Learn how to lock down your windows system(with many layers of protection) and be happy.

on your linux install, are you able to connect to the net by plugging in to the ethernet port?

if so, do the following for us

open a terminal as root, and run:

lspci >> lspci.txt

That will create a text file called lspci.txt, which will give us info that will help us help you with your wireless. Post the contents of that file here, and we will direct you to the next steps.

Also, what distro do you have installed right now?

Well, don't expect Linux to be anything other than it is and it IS simply no Windows and no Mac.

This doesn't even mean that Linux is more difficult to learn, it just means: It works differently and you have to take a different approach.

I mean - people accept that french grammar isn't the same thing as english and transform their knowledge and adapt or noone expects that a vector graphics program behaves EXACTLY like bitmap image manipulation - so why do so many people want their DIFFERENT operating systems all work the same?

(Driving automatic american cars versus germans which .. I don't even know how this mechanism is called in english..left traffic versus right traffic...)

People managed to learn Linux even before there was ANY kind of GUI for configuration and every piece of hardware requiered a new kernel compile and all this - it's no dark voodoo and exceptionally well documented.

At least as well as french grammar.

Moved: This ramble is more suitable in <General> and has been moved accordingly to help your thread/question get the exposure it deserves.

Just tell the manufacturer of your wireless adapter that
you need the same functionality they provided for WinDOHS
for your Ubuntu install ...

That would be the obvious thing, rather than coming to
a Linux community forum and rambling about the shortcomings
of Linux (or is it your inability to follow instructions?)...

By all means.
Happy tri-annual reinstalls.


Cheers,
Tink

You can't get wine working on Ubuntu? All you need to do is visit getdeb.net, download the wine package, double-click, insert password, then right-click on whatever you want to install in wine and tell it to use wine...

I've had issues with Ubuntu on some machines that SuSE works fine on, not sure what the differences are, so I can see that being a problem. If you can get it installed though, Ubuntu is very Mac-like and easy to use. I too have had a lot of issues with Wine. So far I've only been able to get it running on SuSE (have played with a number of other distros as well as BSDs and Solaris).

Perhaps you should try making windows secure, rather than using a different OS?

Use a normal user account instead of admin, get a good adware-remover program (spybot search & destroy) and scan often, and a good virus scanner (something which DOES NOT load and waste system resources all the time, like Norton which is just as bad as the viruses you'd be trying to get rid of)
Use a secure & safe web browser instead of internet explorer (mozilla firefox, opera, etc)
Always be careful of what programs you download and run. Be careful with attachments that you get in emails.

It helps to know:
Stuff advertised in popups/banners is usually bogus. If you see any anti-spyware programs advertised by popups, banners etc, they are most likely spyware themselves. Go with well known stuff, stuff with good reputations (eg Spybot search & destroy).

Follow these steps, and you should be safe and happy on windows.

And you should not ask people on forums to directly email you; that's not how forums work. If people just directly emailed you, nobody else could profit from their advice; only you. But if they post their replies on the forum publicly, everyone can see their advice and profit from it.