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Old 03-28-2006, 12:24 PM   #1
DarthPooh
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looking for GUI distro that isn't windows clone


I'm a 22 year mac user (classic and OS X), who is now getting a job with a company that specifies only OpenSource or GPL software can be used. The computer they are supplying me with is a 2 ghz P4 with 1GB RAM and 100 GB HD

I'm looking for very user friendly (e.g. i don't need EVER need to use the command line or edit a config file, or translate a MAN page into english) distro that is more like MacOS than it is like MS Windows, and LESS like windows than MacOS is.

in other words I want a distro that fits this model <----Linux----MacOS----Windows---->
not <----MacOS----Linux----Windows----> e.g. Umbuntu
and certainly not <----MacOS----Windows----Linux----> e.g. Xandros

However, it needs to be as easy to upgrade and configure as Umbuntu or Xandrox, have a uniform envirnonment for all default apps (not a mixture of KDE, Gnome, XUL, and Java) and it needs to be configurable to minimize the need to change my work habits. (e.g. have the key next to the spacebar as the modifier key used for menu equivalent commands such as cut past etc.), and not feel sluggish or clunky.

anyone have suggestions?
 
Old 03-28-2006, 12:29 PM   #2
pdeman2
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I think that SUSE might be what you're looking for. SuSE offers a YaST tool so that you can avoid command line and config files for many functions of many pieces of software. Personal though, I don't know of a time I didn't have to use command line at all.
 
Old 03-28-2006, 02:17 PM   #3
pixellany
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Don't expect to come to Linux and never use the command line. More important, why should you expect to be a competent user of ANY computer without **occasionally** typing a command?
MOST important is maybe why you or anyone else would not be willing to learn a few simple commands? Once your system is up and running, this will not happen often but--particularly if you come here for help--when someones asks you to open a terminal and type "fdisk -l", it would be better not to reply with "Huh?"
 
Old 03-28-2006, 05:44 PM   #4
AwesomeMachine
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What you want doesn't exist. SuSE 9.3 is about the closest thing. SuSE 10 is full of bugs. You can try out SuSE 9.3 by downloading this file:

ftp://mirrors.kernel.org/suse/i386/9.3/boot/boot.iso

Burning the iso image to a CD.

Boot from the CD, and do a network install.

Incidently, one of the main reasons I use linux is "for" the command line. It is so much faster than a mouse.
 
Old 03-28-2006, 10:10 PM   #5
DarthPooh
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Quote:
Originally Posted by pixellany
6
Don't expect to come to Linux and never use the command line. More important, why should you expect to be a competent user of ANY computer without **occasionally** typing a command?
MOST important is maybe why you or anyone else would not be willing to learn a few simple commands? Once your system is up and running, this will not happen often but--particularly if you come here for help--when someones asks you to open a terminal and type "fdisk -l", it would be better not to reply with "Huh?"
Actually I frequently use the command line on my mac (macOSX is BSD under the hood), but Ii do it because some things are easier to do that way. The point is That the GUI should be complete, and I should be able to everything I need to through the GUI.
 
Old 03-28-2006, 10:14 PM   #6
pixellany
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DarthPooh
The point is That the GUI should be complete, and I should be able to everything I need to through the GUI.
Should?? By whose standards?

Even in the Windows world, the help desk will often ask you to open a terminal and enter a command.

We could build you a computer with no CLI--you would not like it.

Sorry
 
Old 03-28-2006, 10:39 PM   #7
DarthPooh
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Quote:
Originally Posted by pixellany
Should?? By whose standards?

Even in the Windows world, the help desk will often ask you to open a terminal and enter a command.

We could build you a computer with no CLI--you would not like it.

Sorry
Well you just discribed the purpose of the thread. I want to stay a far from the windows world as possible. Like I said I have ben a mac use for 22 years and did quite well without having a command line for the first 16 of those years. the past 6 years, I did even better having the ability to do everything through the GUI or the command line. In a few weeks I'm going to be in a job where I can't use my beloved mac, and I don't want to have to learn to think like a Windows user in order to use Linux.

Last edited by DarthPooh; 03-28-2006 at 10:41 PM.
 
Old 03-28-2006, 10:49 PM   #8
reddazz
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Quote:
...I don't want to have to learn to think like a Windows user in order to use Linux.
You have to think like a Linux/Unix user and not like a Windows user if you want to successfully use Linux. The command line is part of UNIX (and thats why OSX has it), so its really difficult to avoid.
 
Old 03-28-2006, 10:56 PM   #9
rkelsen
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Linux isn't for you. Buy a Mac.
 
Old 03-28-2006, 10:58 PM   #10
pixellany
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Let's see: You do not want to use Windows, you will not be allowed to use a Mac, and you do not want to use the CLI......
Does anyone see a solution to this?? I don't.
 
Old 03-28-2006, 11:02 PM   #11
foo_bar_foo
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DarthPooh
(macOSX is BSD under the hood)
i cant really figure out what a mac is.
everything i try to read is way short on details and way long on repeated verbatim add copy phrases of praise and superlatives created by some psychotic public relations machine.

i think we don't want to make you a linux apple or a linux windows.

linux is just linux
not apple and not windows
 
Old 03-28-2006, 11:22 PM   #12
rkelsen
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Quote:
Originally Posted by foo_bar_foo
i cant really figure out what a mac is.
The core OS (based on BSD and codenamed Darwin) is open source:

http://www.hmug.org/Darwin.php

The rest of it (namely; the GUI) is proprietary.
 
Old 03-28-2006, 11:28 PM   #13
khaleel5000
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ok DARTHPOOH , try SUSE 9,3 or 9,2 its great otherwise the second option would be PCLINUX OS , i am currently USING pclinux os and previously used SUSE 9.2 ,
In my prespective , for a very begginger SUSE 9.2 is great then after some time switch to PC-LINUX oS [ITS LIVE CD +INSTALLER ] (just because its a lot faster )
ALso remember onething NO MATTTER WHICH DISTRO U USE , ALWAYS KEEP A LIVE CD OF PCLINUX OS (coz if ur system craches and u cant restore , u can atleast SAFELY COPY UR DATA ... (i hope i am definitive and clear enough)
 
Old 03-28-2006, 11:45 PM   #14
mrclisdue
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I'd like to be able to engage in countless hours of uninhibited sex with the most beautiful woman in the world, without having to say "I Love You", and then have her cook me the thickest, juiciest sirloin steak, and lobster for good measure. She would feed it to me as I watched endless hours of sports on my 60" plasma tv.

She would operate my computer for me, and thank me for allowing her to do so.

What Linux distro should I use?


cheers,
 
Old 03-29-2006, 12:33 AM   #15
Ipsofacto
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Thumbs up

Quote:
Originally Posted by mrclisdue
I'd like to be able to engage in countless hours of uninhibited sex with the most beautiful woman in the world, without having to say "I Love You", and then have her cook me the thickest, juiciest sirloin steak, and lobster for good measure. She would feed it to me as I watched endless hours of sports on my 60" plasma tv.

She would operate my computer for me, and thank me for allowing her to do so.

What Linux distro should I use?


cheers,
I've been thinking of something witty to post but I think mrclisdue has nailed it. lol!
 
  


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