Getting Started
 

Hello Everyone,

I bought a new laptop recently (Lenovo Y430) and since I can't game on it I figured there was no reason to stick with Windows. I cleared the drive and installed Fedora 10 without backup media!

Anyhow, I don't want to be a GUI user. I'd prefer to learn from the bottom up and start at the console. Considering it would be nice to get it right the first time I'm coming in advance for advice.

My goal is to be as minimalistic as possible while retaining the ability to access web sites(with or without add ons). I'd like to avoid a full blown GUI like Gnome or KDE entirely. Though I do realize some type of GUI is probably necessary for web browsing.

If you can, advise me of anything I need to know in addition to the below:

Minimalist Linux based OS(Non-GUI)

Within OS:

Driver install and setup for generic USB mice and touchpad if applicable

Driver install and setup for onboard LAN and Wireless(WPA2) NIC's

Web Browser and vid drivers if needed.

Method of obtaining system information, particularly key software and hardware info.

(Bit extra here- Favorite virtualization method for running a Windows XP based VM so I can work with Cisco's Packet tracer software)



Any great resources that could help me complete these objectives on my own are welcome as well as any direct guides. I am currently a potent noob with Linux but am very technical and self reliant. Help me get started and become a Linux/Open Source convert!

endless options
 

For a minimalistic window manager, openbox, lxde, or fluxbox are nice and lightweight. Plenty of documentation too. Wpa_supplicant will tend to your wireless needs. It's straightforward and well documented also. For your non-gui needs, links as a webbrowser, alpine or mutt for email. Some hardware specs might help you get better answers, but you usb stuff should be found for you, and your vid drivers will depend on which card you have.
Irssi for your irc, and read about screen, and you'll be off to a good start.

For a command line web browser have at elinks. It's one of the best I've come across.

+1 for irssi also
and slrn is a great cli newsreader

Thanks for the speedy replies! Ill get to it now and will be back with an update

I'd given more hardware specs but I hadnt found a utility for hardware information yet. Cya soon :)

Ok, so I started looking at Fluxbox and the others your mentioned but they seem to be just GUI. I do plan on wiping Fedora, but am looking for a distro thats simply light, compatable, and is non-gui. I can't really address the other suggestions until Ive got an OS to work with :)

Thanks for your help !

Downloaded Crux 2.4, going to try it out :)

244MB is a bit on the large side of what Im looking for though. Maybe its just drivers? Regardless its console all the way

-----

Might be wrong here. Read through a lot of distros on Linux.org . . . :/

IF you're feeling froggy, shoot for a gentoo stage3 install...if you want complete control over what you're putting on there, then give it a shot. Piece of advice, if you try it, have another computer with net closeby. They have great online docs to get you through..

Thanks Chilli~!

Ill get back to you with the results!

And mp3c is a great CD ripper/converter. I'm not sure what the best music player is though.

In any Linux , you can use twm or xfce4 desktop environments if you want less GUI options ,
how ever , you can boot in CUI mode in any linux for your practice.
if you wanna download small distro . DSL is best option

and in elinks,lynx and links browers. you cannot open JS,Flash, Ajex sites.
Please check .... :)

Thanks everyone!

I believe I may have stumbled across largley I'm looking for at LinuxFromScratch.org

Ill be working on it and will get back with an update :)