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carmeloojr 04-22-2016 05:34 AM

Which linux distribution suits me?
 
Hello Linux community,

I want to switch from win to linux, but when i started searching I was overwhelmed by the linux options there are out there.

So I hope you can help me find the right one for me.

- I'm a newbie and don't have any experience with Linux.
- I'm a engineering student. Specific study field - Internet of things.
- Using dell xps 13 9350.
- not playing any games.
- I do take a lot of photos and therefore editing some.
- I'm interested in hacking if this is a criteria.

So that's about it.
I hope you can help me with this one :D

fido_dogstoyevsky 04-22-2016 07:18 AM

Hi, and welcome.

The best distribution for you depends on the length of your piece of string. Some of the Debian derivatives such as Mint have a good reputation for being beginner friendly. I found OpenSuse a fairly easy to use introduction to Linux after being used to MS Windows.

Linux isn't windows, you will need to be aware that things will work differently (but you may be surprised by how often things "just work"). One of the differences is the choice of other software you can add as a part of the operating system installation.

If you're going to do much photo editing you'll need to look at the Gimp (I think it's part of the standard installation) and Krita (part of KDE, and KDE should be an option during the OS installation).

The best way to learn Linux is to just use if for "getting stuff done". And to keep coming back here.

beachboy2 04-22-2016 07:48 AM

carmeloojr,

Welcome to LQ.

The Dell xps 13 may present one or two problems with Linux, but hopefully none are insurmountable.

This article highlights the particular stumbling blocks with Ubuntu 15.10 on the Dell xps 13:

http://hgdev.co/install-ubuntu-15-10...omplete-guide/

I advise you to initially use an ethernet cable for doing the installation and then deal with the Broadcom wifi problem later.

I recommend that you use the recently-released Ubuntu 16.04 MATE 64 bit which uses a more up-to-date kernel (compared to 15.10). It is also a long term support edition (until 2021):

https://ubuntu-mate.org/xenial/

Hopefully many of the problems have been cured by the more recent kernel, but I cannot say for certain.

If you have any problems after installation, I am sure there are plenty of LQ members on here who can assist you.

bluesclues227 04-22-2016 08:20 AM

I'd like to suggest to use Linux Mint or Debian.. Linux Mint is a remake of Ubuntu.. Both Mint and Ubuntu are derivatives of Debian as well as many other distros. I wouldn't recommend a "hacking" distro as their tools are geared towards the advanced users. If you're interested in all that I suggest learning basic Linux administration which is possible in both Mint and Ubuntu.. Debian is a litter harder to setup than both Mint and Ubuntu, but it's still a standard distro.. If want you more of a challenge as you get more experienced, I suggest Arch Linux then Gentoo then LFS in that order in terms of difficulty.. Basically with Gentoo and LFS you can make your own distro that's highly tailored, and customized towards your hardware's specific needs.. Have fun learning!

Habitual 04-22-2016 08:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by carmeloojr (Post 5534946)
- I'm a newbie and don't have any experience with Linux.
- I'm a engineering student. Specific study field - Internet of things.

I suggest Scientific Linux...
Scientific Linux is a recompiled Red Hat Enterprise Linux, co-developed by Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory and the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN). Although it aims to be fully compatible with Red Hat Enterprise Linux, it also provides additional packages not found in the upstream product; the most notable among these are various file systems, including Cluster Suite and Global File System (GFS), FUSE, OpenAFS, Squashfs and Unionfs, wireless networking support with Intel wireless firmware, MadWiFi and NDISwrapper, Sun Java and Java Development Kit (JDK), the lightweight IceWM window manager, R - a language and environment for statistical computing, and the Alpine email client.

may be of use at http://distrowatch.com/table.php?dis...ion=scientific

Shadow_7 04-22-2016 08:58 AM

Ubuntu would probably be the safe bet. Although you're more likely to go debian or gentoo for embedded systems. Depending on how you define embedded, things like the raspberry pi are almost full fledged PCs now.

jamison20000e 04-22-2016 09:00 AM

Hi.

Just opinions http://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/linux-distributions-5/former-user-coming-back-to-linux-4175577977/#post5534292 but after many years a netinst (with non-free firmware and maybe Aptitude) is my favorite (can add a DE or WM &c... ;))
Tho for a :newbie: the DVD (Debian 8.x-ish) and an "Advanced install" would be easier. Also, most top distros have LTS, testing, experimental and forks so don't let opinions slow you down too much; free to try most. :D

I've some links in my "signature."

Have fun! :)

Add: +1 Scientific Linux tho I have not used 7 yet...

un1x 04-22-2016 09:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by carmeloojr (Post 5534946)
I'm a newbie and don't have any experience with Linux

http://blog.linuxmint.com/?p=2978

cwizardone 04-22-2016 09:37 AM

Mint or Zorin for an absolute newbie.

Slackware if you really want to learn Linux.

:hattip:

rtmistler 04-22-2016 09:55 AM

Try one or several as live distributions and see what you like. I like to stick with Debian derivatives, but that's just me.

And OK ... yes I'm old, but I tell our Sales guy repeatedly that iOT is NOT a thing! It's just a stupid term.

alberich 04-22-2016 10:34 AM

I think you have a sufficient list of distributions in this thread.

The important thing is to get started. In my opinion it is not bad to test things. So watch out to keep your data together, and back it up. If you want to test another linux, then you can start over in one month.

As you have brandnew hardware I would also start with one of the big distributions that have an up-to-date kernel and software.

Furthermore I recommend chosing a simple desktop environment. Unity from Ubuntu, as I know it from older Ubuntus, I do consider a severe kick in the teeth. It's as disgusting as smarthpone GUI and Windows 8. This has only one effect, to distract the user from learning plain anything about software, computers, operationg systems, but probably even life, work, women, faith, etc.

I think the simple desktops like LXDE, XFCE are magnitudes better in usability, so I recommend to at least install them as well.

DavidMcCann 04-22-2016 10:36 AM

The first thing you need is a manual, which is why I recommend Mint:
https://linuxmint.com/documentation.php
The Mint guide is usually up-to-date, but I've just checked the Ubuntu installation guide and it still has a reference to something that was discontinued a couple of years ago... A wiki won't do as a substitute, because (1) it assumes you know what you need to look up and (2) it's even less easy to keep up-to-date.

Look at either of the versions of Mint for which guides are available: Mate (plain appearance) or Cinnamon (fancy). As for software, anything you're likely to need will be available for most distros. To see the software available
http://linuxappfinder.com

Of the other suggestions, Debian and Scientific are not user-friendly; the installer on the latter certainly isn't.

beachboy2 04-22-2016 10:56 AM

Just to point out that this particular Dell xps 13 laptop can be problematical in Linux:

http://hgdev.co/install-ubuntu-15-10...omplete-guide/

The reason I recommended Ubuntu 16.04 is because it uses kernel 4.4 which may solve some, but not all, of these problems.

Other distros with a recent kernel such as Manjaro will also work.

Older kernels on the likes of Linux Mint 17.3 (kernel 3.19), which I use myself, are unlikely to work as well as 4.4 onwards.

GaryWeaton 04-22-2016 02:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by carmeloojr (Post 5534946)
- I'm interested in hacking if this is a criteria.

Do you mean hacking as in coding/programming or cracking/penetration? I asked because the term hack is commonly misused by the media.

If you mean coding/programming, you can do this with any distro by installing or using pre-installed programming tools like ruby, python, C and etc.

If it's penetration testing or hacking/cracking, there is kali linux, specially design for this purpose. After you choose a linux distro for your host machine, I would then install virtualbox and install kali linux there or run it as a liveDVD and practice penetration tests and/or cracking techniques to your linux host machine or other computers on your network like windows.

carmeloojr 04-22-2016 05:11 PM

First of all, I really want to thank everyone of you for taking time to help me trough this jungle :D

Quote:

and OK ... yes I'm old, but I tell our Sales guy repeatedly that iOT is NOT a thing! It's just a stupid term.
No offense, but i´m going to college to achieve my bachelor of enigneering in iot, so it has to be more then just a term.
But that´s another story for another day :D

I guess I´m best of just to get started and try one of them. I think i´m going with Umbuntu Mate 64. Beachboy2 had a good argument in matter of my Dell xps 13
Quote:

the reason I recommended Ubuntu 16.04 is because it uses kernel 4.4 which may solve some, but not all, of these problems.
, and I think for the beginning it´s best to have rather fewer issues then more of them. But what just crossed my mind. Earlier this day I read something about snappy Unbuntu is specially designed for iot. Does anyone has information about this one?

Quote:

Do you mean hacking as in coding/programming or cracking/penetration?
Hacking as in Penetration. Thanks, then I will use Umbuntu as host dispo like you said and install Kali in the Virtualbox.

Sounds like this combination fits my needs:thumbsup:

Antother question just came up, will programs like CAD 2D modelling work on Umbutu? Because that will be in the future a program I will have to work with in college.


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