Yet another request for advice on which distro to get
Linux - DistributionsThis forum is for Distribution specific questions.
Red Hat, Slackware, Debian, Novell, LFS, Mandriva, Ubuntu, Fedora - the list goes on and on...
Note: An (*) indicates there is no official participation from that distribution here at LQ.
Notices
Welcome to LinuxQuestions.org, a friendly and active Linux Community.
You are currently viewing LQ as a guest. By joining our community you will have the ability to post topics, receive our newsletter, use the advanced search, subscribe to threads and access many other special features. Registration is quick, simple and absolutely free. Join our community today!
Note that registered members see fewer ads, and ContentLink is completely disabled once you log in.
If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please contact us. If you need to reset your password, click here.
Having a problem logging in? Please visit this page to clear all LQ-related cookies.
Get a virtual cloud desktop with the Linux distro that you want in less than five minutes with Shells! With over 10 pre-installed distros to choose from, the worry-free installation life is here! Whether you are a digital nomad or just looking for flexibility, Shells can put your Linux machine on the device that you want to use.
Exclusive for LQ members, get up to 45% off per month. Click here for more info.
I haven't had any of the same problems you've described using debian(for the last 6 years), even in dual and triple boot configurations..even with multiple drives.
If you want to use a lowkey linux-like environment from within windows for the purposes of application development or to add a little more power to windows(like a powerful shell) cygwin is by far your best bet.
If you have a reliable amount of ram you could run off a livecd with a persistent home/configs setup. Livecds, like knoppix, have the disadvantage of not being package-friendly...but having a lot more than you'd ever use right when you boot. I recommend slax over knoppix.
Otherwise, it seems like you're going to need to get your drives reconfigured a bit.
If you do have fast internet but want it on one CD, no problem. Try PCLinuxOS. It is a single Live CD which means you can run the CD and see it before you install it! It installs from the same CD. Once installed you can get more software over the internet using a program called Synaptic, which is already set up and good to go. It's about the easiest install there is. You can update with confidence without breaking the system, and it has a very friendly help site.
re: Yet another request for advice on which distro to get
You have a master's degree in computer science and you don't know how to use the search, check out distrowatch, or read any of the quintillions of distribution comparisons out there?
This is a sad statement of the quality of modern education.
LinuxQuestions.org is looking for people interested in writing
Editorials, Articles, Reviews, and more. If you'd like to contribute
content, let us know.