I am new to this Linux. I tried it a few years back. Even bought it (Mandrake 6). But no go. This time around I tried but from what I've seen, Windows has less problems.
I know absolutely nothing about Linux. I don't even know how to install software. So what I was looking for was a distro that has enough software pre-installed to allow me to do most/some of the stuff I do now on Windows. There are plenty of those and I've tried most of them. Once I could use Linux for most of what I do I figured I could slowly get away from Windows. I could learn to install what I needed, etc.
I have tried Knoppix, PCLinuxOS, SimplyMEPIS, Xandros, Barnix, Kanotix, Fedora 3, Mandrake 10.1, Linuxo, Libranet, frugalware, Kubuntu and Linspire. I've looked at and into many others too. I even tried Debian. But for a newbie none of these worked.
Knoppix, Barnix and Kanotix can't be installed (reasonably) on hard drive. I tried the command line to install these but it didn't work. I followed the instructions but it still didn't work. Maybe it had something to do with the partitions (ext2 and swap is what I made) but if it was this then it isn't very newbie friendly.
Linuxo looked very good but its not english.
Frugalware didn't install properly.
Mandrake didn't like the fact that I had 2 sound sources. AC97 and ATI TV Wonder VE. And apparently it took the tv card as the main source. Again, I know it probably could be changed but... NEWBIE HERE! Oh, MEPIS did the same thing.
Xandros, (wow... the file browser is very much like Windows Explorer) wouldn't let me install my printer or any printer for that matter.
Fedora and Kubuntu didn't have a lot pre-installed of what I do and NO MP3 support. Oh, and Mandrake doesn't support MP3 either. Yes, I know it can be installed but remember... Newbies don't know how to install yet.
PCLinuxOS had some real messed up problems with the file manager.
Once in a while I go to pogo to play some poppit. Well, most of these distros won't work with poppit. Xandros, MEPIS, Fedora (didn't have java pre-installed), Linspire. Those are the ones that I tried with poppit. I even updated MEPIS's java to 1.5.02 and it still didn't work. It actually froze and run the cpu to 100%. The cpu is a Athlon 1700+ with 512MB ram.
The Debian install! That was just way to much for a newbie. I got it installed but it had almost nothing pre-installed. This may be the best distro to install but not for a newbie.


My system specs are:

Onboard sound
VIA chipset mobo
1700+ cpu
512MB memory
120GB HDD
ATI radeon video
ATI TV Wonder VE
cd burner
dvd rom
17" monitor

So the problems I had, had nothing to do with not enough system.


Looks like its going to be a few more years before I try it again.

Thanks for sharing. Very special. If you want to wait longer than 2 years before you try it again, the OS's will probably be installed by OEM's so you won't have to worry about this anymore. Till next time Amigo.. Dude! You're gettin a Dell!

Kind of reminds me of people who are forced to take a semestre of a foreign language and hate it primarily because they don't even understand their native tongue.

As far as I am concerned, that is the problem.
If you have the interest, stick with one distribution (that installs correctly on your hardware) long enough to learn to use it.
Just hopping about distributions and saying "they don't work" is just silly. Of course they work. Some people prefer to use one over the other.
If you find them not suitable that is okay too. That would be your decision.
Good Luck.

I don't know what everyone is talking about when they say "Replace Windows" Linux is not windows and has never claimed to be. It's just that most people who try it have used Windows all their computer life. That is why most people use duel boot machines or have separate machines to use one or the other.

I use both daily, I don't make claim one is better then the other. I have found though that although windows has more applications, (well that would be pushing it too), Linux just handles things better.

Linux is a little more difficult to install and use for the most part because when there is a problem with an application you don't get a bunch of hex code that no-one but MS can figure out. There is usually a straight forward solution and most likely someone here has already run into it.

I say as I have always. Don't try to replace, use what you need to get the job done.

KC

Scoobie, can i suggest something?

Pick up a quality book. Not the for Dummies series, but a quality book. I think Sybex has a couple out there. But I recommend the ones by O'Reilly. And you don't have to dish out an entire paycheck for one either, I picked up Running Linux, 3rd Ed. in a used book store for $10. I hear Linux in a Nutshell is a good one as well.

Even if the one you pick up is not more than a few years old, it will still teach you something because I realized that even if the book is a little old, they don't change the commands that much. And if I still have a problem I go to the MAN page or INFO page. Just bring up a console window and type in man topic or if it says No Manual Entry try apropos topic and it will bring up a list of man or info pages that should get you on the right track.

And lastly the internet, if you run into a problem, you can always Google it. Or maybe search the forums here. Like the man said, someone has already had the problem you are facing right now and has figured a solution to it. Because that's what free software is all about right? If you have a problem you fix it yourself or if you can't fix it, seek guidance from those who have encountered it before. There is a solution out there if you are willing to look for it.

Best Regards,
Dave

Edit to say that i'm not that good at linux either, I was so used to windoz and now I'm finding out that the stuff I did in windoz i can do even better in linux.

Hi,

As the previous poster put it quite truly, it is mainly a matter of reading DOC.
If people don't like reading (and understanding a little), Linux will be quite a
nightmarish experience. Also, you must have patience, it is not learned in a
week, but as long as you stick to it, the haze around many terms dissolves
a bit and you can aplly things which actually work.
Lnux is just like learning a new language.

Cheers

Read the Debian DOC on Debian. org. Very useful, very understandable
and also Running Linux, O'Reilly editions : very interesting.

Well, I can't see a reason why you couldn't use Mandrake if those are your only concerns.

You have two sound sources. No worries. Especially when the other one is AC97. You can turn it off easily in BIOS. If you don't know how, you could ask here and someone would answer without a doubt.

And yes, Mandrake has mp3 support. Or xmms does. It's really easy to use. It's practically winamp with more options you don't have to touch if you don't want to. And it comes with the install. Worked for me straight away.

But of course you have to learn something when you switch to a new system. Linux is fairly easy to use and it's fairly easy to learn if you've used windows, but it's not the same. Did you know how to use windows when you first used it? You had to learn to use that as well and you have to learn to use Linux as well.

I'm still a newbie and I threw out windows immediately when I decided to make the switch. Never regretted it. Sure it took me a week or so to get it running the way I liked and I had to post here a few times and search for solutions via google. But hey, I never got windows working like I wanted it like I did with Linux in that mere week or so.

My Mandrake 10.0 came with immense amount of software in the three cd's I downloaded. Installing from the ready packages is even simpler than installing in windows. And when something's installed, you can be sure it works. Ok, you don't know how to install software. Is there any reason why you don't even bother to try to learn before you throw the whole package away? Did you know how to install software in windows the moment you first stepped to a computer? Only thing I had to download separately from my Mandrake download was libdvdcss because of legal issues so that I could watch coded dvd's. That came with clear instructions as to how install it and I had no problems after that.

Did you learn how to walk the instant you got legs? What if you would've done the same that you did with Linux. You watch them and notice you can't walk yet. Get immediately frustrated and forget the whole thing?

Hi I just spent the last few weeks trying and buying versions of Linux. I can only say at this time it is incomplete, unstable and not worth the effort, time & money messing about with it. very poor system and totally unreliable.

I found your problem...

No newbie does when they first start out. You have to do a lot of reading and playing around with Linux, it's not just going to fall onto your lap. If you would have stuck with Linux those two years, you'd be answering questions on this site vs. asking.

Just your opinion, which is not even true by all the forum members' standards

Hi Samael,
Forgive me for giving my opinion but have you seen all the problem posts since this one in the last few hours ....problem after problem, speaks for itself without my thoughts. I would love to use this kind of software but as I say .....bit of work needed

Keep at it. It can be very disheartening sometimes, but it is a GREAT operating system.
Don't give up, you will love the thing in the end.
Sorry if I may have seemed a bit quick in my answer, I would not like to put you off.

Cheers

Just took a peek over at microsoft.public.windowsxp.general.
There seems to be nothing but problems there. I guess nobody is able to use Windows.

Are you intentionally trolling? Seems like you need more of a social life if you're gonna take the time to register just to flame. Quite how you can come to the conclusion that an entire operating system is "Incomplete" is beyond me. In fact, how exactly do you define a "complete" operating system?
As for time and effort...well yes, learning anything new takes time! But money...well, Linux is free, it's the only OS I use and it hasn't cost me a penny. Actually, it's given me a substantial saving as I don't have to buy the next useless update to the Windows series just because they change a DLL a little.

Oh, and if it were unreliable, why is it I have now had my router switched on for 20 months non-stop without a single failure, and why linux (and other UNIX variants) are the choice OS for over 60% of internet servers?