frustrated, need distro recommendations
 

I have been running Slackware 10.0 for about a week. I like it, but I am getting tired of having to do so much research and work to get things to work. I just want my system to see all my CD/DVD drives and make them available automatically. I want to be able to burn right away. Configuring ALSA to get my SBLive to work wasn't difficult, but I guess I just don't see why it's necessary. Doesn't a distro like Knoppix do all that for you?

So I guess I'm wondering if there are distros that autodetect and mount all your optical drives, let your burner(s) work by default, have sound working already, play avi, mpg, dvd, etc. You get the idea. If Windows can do all of this immediately after installation, there has to be a linux distro that can do it. I have heard many good things about Ubuntu, but I'm trying to find some confirmation first on my concerns before I install it.

Hi,

SuSE 9.2 is what I use - automounts, Havn't had any problems with default settings. Easy to add new functionality. Sound works right off the bat - oh and has a nice auto detect tool to select the right drivers for you. Used to use Mandrake, which is pretty easy to use as well. But since I switched about a month ago my overall impression on ease of use for SuSE is very very good. (your mileage will vary)

Good luck!

I use Mandrake, and really, it is easy to use. Besides, Mandrake users have setup their own very friendly help forums:
http://www.mandrakeusers.org

Yves.

Re: frustrated, need distro recommendations
 

Yes. However, there are a lot of things which aren't turned on by default in Knoppix itself, so I'd recommend a Knoppix variant instead.

In particular Mepis is a Knoppix variant with even better hardware autodetection and a lot of really nice easy to use GUI configuration tools on the desktop out-of-box.

The best thing about a liveCD like Mepis or Knoppix is that you can see whether everything works really really fast. You don't have to install or anything, you just boot up the CD and enjoy the boot-up messages as it detects and configures your hardware.

Oh--another thing about Mepis or other Knoppix variants. You can actually use the computer at the same time as installing it. This may seem like a silly thing, but it really is more pleasant to play Frozen Bubble while waiting for all the files to copy. Also, if for some reason something messes up, you can open up a web browser and come here to LinuxQuestions.org to ask for help without quiting the install. :)

reccomendations
 

personally, i would go with gentoo if your willing to accept the challenge (that is if your not too familiar with linux, but its actually not that bad), but if you just want to get your system up and runnin very easily, id say suse, although the ammount of programms that end up running in background really annoyed me.

Thank you all for your suggestions. How do upgrades/updates work in SuSE, Knoppix/Gnoppix, and Mepis, Mandrake, and Gentoo? One of the things that grabbed me about Ubuntu is that it is Debian based and uses apt-get.

Gentoo uses a rather cool tool called "portage" simmilar to apt but works with source or binary, emerge -program- and it will install the program and cover all dependencies. Update is also very easy, emerge -u world, make sure to update portage data before tho, emerge --sync. its that easy, and the docs are gr8.

Knoppix and Knoppix variants (like Mepis) are Debian based and use apt-get. However, not all of them can handle a full distribution upgrade gracefully, because of non-standard packages.

I have found that Knoppix doesn't handle a full dist-upgrade gracefully and it eventually needs to be scrapped in favor of a reinstall.

Mepis seems to handle a full dist-upgrade pretty well, despite the last iso being over a year older than Knoppix's latest. I believe this is because Knoppix is oriented toward being primarily a liveCD, while Mepis is oriented toward being both a normal desktop install as well as a liveCD.

I recommend Mepis and other Knoppix variants for a newbie, but they aren't as reliably upgradable as true Debian. They're great for a newbie because they come with a lot of very interesting and good software already installed and configured. A Debian install is a bit spartan and leaves a newbie with an uneasy sense of, "Okay, what now?" after installation. With Mepis, a lot of icons are preconfigured on the desktop for the newbie to click on and experiment with. All this default clutter is annoying after you get experienced because you'd rather not have a bunch of junk which you don't use.

Ubuntu is a bit different, because it uses their own software package repository instead of the standard Debian repository. They claim they will be a "more up to date" Debian with more frequent updates, but they haven't been around long enough yet to see how well they will follow through with these ideas.

SuSE
 

On the SuSE Linux Professional download page (here), it lists it as "eval version ... This free offering will enable Linux users to trial the latest open source desktop, server and application functionality that has become the hallmark of the SUSE LINUX consumer distribution."

umm... wtf? where'd the free go?

I would personally recommend Mandrake for autodetect stuff. The graphical is very, very easy.

Seiken,

You have to install the free SuSE from FTP or download the DVD -- Here are some instructions on how to. Good luck!!

http://support.novell.com/products/tips/10028.html

Best Regards,
Tom

Mandrake works much like Debian:

- Debian has DEB web repositories, and CDs, which are automatically handled by apt, included automatic dependencies management. I don't know Debian that much, but I'm sure Debian users have some sort of graphical front-end to apt if they wish.
- Mandrake has RPM web repositories, and CDs, which are automatically handled by urpmi, included automatic dependencies management. There's a graphical front-end to urpmi, called rpmdrake, if you want.

Yves.

Sure they have, even when a lot of them dont wish it ;).

Thank you all again for all the help. After doing some more reading, I am thinking of trying Gentoo. What sort of work would be involved in Gentoo for it to recognize my CDRW, DVDROM, and DVD+-RW/RAM? Do I have to mount/unmount every time I insert/eject a CD/DVD? Will it see them all right off the bat? My current Slackware installation (10.0) only sees the CDRW. I have been too busy to learn how to fix that.

Thanks,
Seiken

EDIT: If I do go with Gentoo, would this be the right image to download for x86? http://adelie.polymtl.ca/releases/x86/2004.3/packagecd/