I would like to try out many different Linux distros, but am not able to often download ISOs, due to a slow connection and firewall. I have found several sites that sell CDs of a great variety of free distros for just a few dollars. What sites would you recommend and not recommend for buying Linux CDs, particularly live CDs? I am reluctant to buy online at a business site that I know virtually nothing about. I am especially concerned about the credit card transaction process, the quality of the CD burning, and speed of shipping.

Any personal experiences you can share? Thank you for your help.

you could always order the ubuntu cds for free no shipping. They take about 4-6 weeks to ship, so that might be a negative. They come in a live-cd and a install cd and they recommand 10 pairs of cds.

http://www.ubuntulinux.org/shipit/link_view

i have done alot of business with this site & the service is excellent.

http://www.edmunds-enterprises.com/linux/

If you have a friend with a fast connection and cd burner, buy some blanks and have your friend burn copies of downloaded ISO for you.

Another possible option would be to fire up the download at night and let it run overnight (and/or the next day) while you're at work/school/whatever. -- J.W.

o.O that makes for an awefully expensive phone bill though...

Perhaps, but I'm assuming that if you're on dial-up that you'd be using a local (non-toll) number. As an aside, if someone on dial-up is being charged by the minute for net access, my advice would be to see if the ISP does offer a local number, and if not, to switch providers to one that does. (OT - A friend of mine moved a couple of years ago but forgot to update the dial-up number in her config file, and got stuck with something like a $110 long distance bill the next month.) -- J.W.

heh.. actually most of the carriers, that I know of(SBC for sure) do still charge a fee per-minute, though it's not as high as long-distance. Also, TDS Metrocom does it a little differently in that you get unlimited minutes with 500 calls/month. That's who I used to have. I don't even have a house phone anymore. Cable internet and unlimited cell phone works fine for me.

Anyways, that would definitely be something to look into. If, indeed, you are not charged per-minute; starting your download before bed, and letting it continue all night/next day might not be too bad.

But beware, when I was 15 I spent nearly an entire week on AOL *cringe*... and the phone bill was well over $1,000... heh...that wasn't cool at all... especially paying it back..

might be worth signing up for earthlink or some unlimited-use provider for a month? although I don't know if their dialup connection would be stable enough to last entire ~700 MB d/l's ?


sorry for OT, but I cant help asking - halo14, who made that quote in your sig? that's just amazing....

hehe.. I don't know who made the quote.. I found it on some site searching for 'Linux quotes' or 'Linux Jokes' or 'Windows Jokes' something.. It was on google, but it didn't say who it was.. I too, would be interested..


Also, the per-minute fee I m referring to is not from the ISP, but from the phone company.

that was a problem for me too
but after i have started organizing linux seminars at my university,they have woken up to this and i have got permission to download any no. of distros from the university and the speed is awesome over there

regards