Originally Posted by Ntvu (Post 3179596)

I decided that I'm going to get Ubuntu, but I have some questions.
If you look on this page, there's several options. Ok, now for the questions.

1. What does it mean by support? The server edition is supported till 2013, so does that mean that after 2013 that version will no longer work? Or does it mean that I will have to just redownload the newer version if I want to receieve continued updates on it?

Support means the last date that updates will be available for that version, you will need to update to a newer version to continue to receive updates..

2. What's the difference between the desktop and server editions? Can I still run applications/use the desktop/access folders and files if I download the server edition?

A server by default typically does NOT install a GUI desktop.. that's not to say you couldn't simply install it afterwards.. The Server / Desktop designator is more of an indicator of hte default package set that is installed.

3. I am going to use Linux mostly because I'm sick of Windows. I'm planning to surf the internet, develop software/games, and things like that on Linux. So should I get the desktop edition or the server edition?

Desktop Edition

4. My DSL internet isn't very fast and it disconnects when the phone rings (no idea why that happens). If I download it using GetRight (a download manager) all the way, and the DSL disconnects but continues like 5 minutes later, will there be any problems with burning the .iso file to the cd or installing linux?

possibly.. you can check the md5 sum of the image you downloaded to ensure it is OK before burning it to CD. a program like md5summer can be used in windows for this task. If your Internet disconnects when the phone rings I would have to ask if you have the DSL filters on all the phone jacks in the house..

5. Have you ever encountered a problem installing Linux on your computer? I heard some people say that "you never know if something is going to go wrong". But I did a google search and I didn't find anything about Linux messing up a person's computer. So would it be a good idea to back up the files before installing Linux? And what are the chances of Linux failing to setup/messing up your computer?

Theres little chance that Linux will Damage your computer.. however you could make a mistake during install and delete all the information that is currently on your Hard drive.. so BACKUP anything important before starting. Ubuntu install Disks are LIVE CD's which means you can boot and run the OS directly from the CD which will give you a pretty good indication if your hardware is all compatible with Linux (USB Modems can notoriously be a hassle to get setup.. I hope your DSL modem connects to the PC with a CAT 5 Cable ? )

6. How long does installing Linux take?

I would estimate one hour on average.. more or less depending on if you get creative during the install process.



7. Describe Ubuntu.

http://www.ubuntu.com a good distro for someone just starting with Linux, provides a minimal set of applications and sane defaults to get you started..

8. The entire Ubuntu .iso file is all I need to setup Linux, right? Is 700MB all that's needed? (just need to make sure). How much space will Linux take up when it's fully installed on my computer?

The entire OS can be installed from that CDROM, THOUSANDS of additional programs can be downloaded from the Ubuntu repositories over the Internet.

I would at minimum give Ubuntu 10-20 GB of space.. but the more programs you install and the more data on the machine will cause that to grow just like on a Windows machine. You could just as easily use 250-500 GB of space once you get rolling..

9. I know know if I have a
Standard personal computer (x86 architecture, PentiumTM, CeleronTM, AthlonTM, SempronTM) or a 64bit AMD/Intel computer. Look below.

8. Ok I have 2 computers, both of them are desktop computers. The first one is a Dell Dimension 2400 using Windows XP SP2 with Intel Pentium 4 CPU 2.80GHz 2.79GHz with 640MB of RAM. I have 6.83 GB of free space on it.

The second computer is a Dell Dimension DIMC521. It came with Windows Vista installed. It's a 32-bit operating system with 1982MB of RAM. And the processor is AMD Athlone 64 X2 Dual Core Processor 4000+ 2.10GHz.

I need to know which type of computer each computer is (standard personal computer or 64bitAMD/Intel) and which do you think installing Ubuntu on would be best. My guess is the second computer since it's newer and has more RAM.

But I need a more experienced user's opinion on this.


Ubuntu would probably install on either machine just as easily.. I would recommend using the Standard X86 (i386) image to install Ubuntu no matter which machine you are using. 64 Bit can add a bit of complexity since several codecs (things you need to play audio and video files as well as some web media) are only available in 32Bit currently, you can get them to work on a 64 Bit version of Ubuntu, but not without a bit of work.

Thanks,
-Ntvu