Hi everybody,

Today is my first day with linux. My question is can I start with the Backtrack 3 distro straightaway coz I just want to learn how to configure IP address, installing softwares etc. NOT something like playing games or themes or multimedia. Of course I'll be learning the seacurity tools later on once am comfortable using the general features as I mentioned above. Plz help.

Regards,
Sunny

Hi,

Welcome to LQ!

Sure you could use BT to start. I would suggest that you try Slackware® 12.1, the real thing.

This link and others are available from 'Slackware-Links'. More than just Slackware® links!

Good suggestion, it would be easier to get help with Slackware as there are more users familiar with Slackware proper than there are with Backtrack. and there is absolutely nothing installed on Backtrack that you couldn't setup on Slackware. The process of installing and configuring those Security tools would allow you to understand them better ultimately.

Your call but I think onbuck has made very good suggestion.

Well, I don't entirely agree with the two above. Slackware is a good distro, but I don't think it is very helpful to start plugging your favourite distro to a newbie like Sunny here.

The answer depends on what you are coming from. Are you studying computing and IT security or work in that area? If so Backtrack is a really good distro. It contains just about everything you would ever want. My IT security colleagues in a major UK company uses it for their security testing etc.

Now, if you are not yet directly involved in this area and want to know Linux more, Backtrack might not be such a good choice. The basic IP and iptable config tools etc are included in just about all distributions. So take your pick from the several hundred out there. Slackware is the oldest of all existing distros, so huge experience there. Any of the other major distros also has good communities that offer lots of help (opensuse, fedora, ubuntu, mandriva,...). My own Gentoo probably require some more experience with Linux before you try installing it.

Of course the applications you find in Backtrack can be run on any distro. It is only that the people behind backtrack have collected them all for you.

Mons
EDIT: Welcome to LQ, by the way.

I wholeheartedly agree with monsm -- I don't think it's terribly fair to start plugging (Slackware) your favorite (Slackware) distribution (Slackware) to someone without finding out what their "comfort level" (Slackware) is.

When I began someone told me to stay away from Slackware because it was "too hard;" of course that's the one I chose, and I've never looked back! I've learned so much about Linux due to having to do everything myself, without wizards or automated tools to do it all for me.

But, as I said, it's all a matter of preference (Slackware).

Hi,

I don't think picking a distribution that holds your hand will provide a learning experience. Point an click GUI based distributions are nice for some things but monkeys can be taught to use a mouse. When you know how to maintain a system via the cli you should be able to move to any distribution with little effort.

The forums here can always support a new Slackware user. I know that I personally assist whenever possible. Spoon feeding is good at first but one must learn to chew sometime. Simple searches for problems that come up will suffice as long as the person can select a good keyword or phrase to place in the LQ search.

I do believe that the myth of Slackware being too hard is just that a myth. Sure you may need to dig deeper, read more and decide for yourself at times what, when or where to do something. But you will experience more system level work therefore your growth will be monumental along with the knowledge gained.

If you do decide to use Slackware then I suggest that you look at 'Slackware-Links'. More than just Slackware® links!

Backtrack is a modified slackware distribution (slackware under the hood) and I was NOT plugging my favorite distro, since My favorite Distro is Debian. I don't run any slackware boxes (not that there is anything at all wrong with it). So your statement was quite inaccurate.

My point was it is EASIER to get support on any mainline distro than a spinoff. yes there are a lot of us that have used backtrack, but not as many as a main distro. Yes a slacker could probably help you out with it, but it would be easier for them to help you if you were actually running slackware proper. Once you learned slacware, Backtrack would be a completely open book.

My normal suggestion for a new use would be Ubuntu, Fedora, Suse, but the OP asked to learn backtrack. We provided him with a suggestion to use a mainline distribution that backtrack most resembles.

Well, believe it or not, this is actually one of the hardest questions we have to answer.

I use Fedora at home, and Redhat and SuSE in work, but have always had a soft spot for Slackware, as it was my first distro (in 1996 or so, the 1.2.something kernel, the CD came in the back of Patrick Volkerding's book, and I had to borrow a CD-ROM drive to install it...).

I have a tendency to agree with onebuck, that learning via the command line would by my preferred approach.

But I think it may come back to exus69's goals.

Do you want to learn enough to install and use Linux? Then go the GUI approach, and later "dig down".

If it's in your personality to want to know how everything works, then learn the command line interface and go up to the GUI and Python front ends from there.

Having watched my wife struggle with a poorly taught college Linux 101 course, I know it's not easy and that we take a lot for granted. Once you know it, it's so simple. But you have to struggle through so much, epiphany by epiphany to get there.

Have patience, ask questions when you're stuck, good luck, and welcome to Linux.