No one asked regarding the hardware being used. I suppose all assumed that, being a physician, vyver runs a supr-duper top-of-the-line machine! Many assumptions have been made, it seems.

Worth reading, if I do say so myself, is http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...e-best-836827/
Best wishes, in any case!

To hilyard,
Yes! I should have given the comp.specs. much before and would have been helpful for the folks who so kindly replied to my query!

WINDOWS XP PRO SERVICE PACK 3.(OS : Windows_NT)
VERSION 2002
COMPUTER: ACPI MULTI-PROCESSOR PC. 1TB INTERNAL HDD, 750 GB EXTN.HDD (BOTH SEAGATE AND SATA)
PROCESSOR NAME : INTEL CORE 2 DUO CPU E7400 @...2.8GHz
PROCESSOR FREQUENCY :2815 MHZ
RAM : 4GB INSTALLED, USABLE :3.25GB
NUMBER OF PROCESSORS :TWO
PROCESSOR_ ARCHITECTURE :86
PROCESSOR_LEVEL : 6
PROCESSOR_IDENTIFIER :86, FAMILY 6 MODEL 23 STEPPING 10
PROCESSOR REVISION :170A
_COMPAT_LAYER : EnableNXShowUI

sound :REALTEK HD AUDIO
Video :NVIDIA G FORCE 8400
Modem :EXTERNAL
Network Adapters(3) : TWO INTEL 1394 ADAPTERS
ONE INTEL(R)82566DC Gigabit Network Connection
INTERNET CONNECTION : DSL
INTERNAL HDD :4 PARTITIONS. C:PRIMARY. D,E,F--ACTIVE

REGARDS,
vyver.

For a newbie who would prefer not to use th CLI (Cmd Line Env), the usual recommendations (this year..) seem to be Ubuntu (Gnome desktop), Kubuntu (KDEd esktop), Mint.
These come with a very user-friendly interface and a very large library of apps you can install from the offcial repositories.
You can have a look at www.distrowatch.com for a long list of distributions (aka distros).
I do recommend the LiveCD route: this enables you to run the distro direct from your CD/DVD drive WITHOUT having to install it. Like a car test drive.
Be aware that it will be slower than if run from a hard disk.
For Ubuntu, the LTS (Long Term Stable) version is a good idea.

Hi, if you know the network details it'll help, but

You can look up your modem on the net to find it's default addresses.

It'll probably just work with DHCP.

Open a browser and type in a local address, to find the dsl-modems address.

Usaully 192.168.1.1 or 10.1.1.1.

Just open a browser and see if it connects to a web-page.

regards Glenn

Great post here but I would like to say a few as well.

Most of the time CLI isn't really needed for general needs. If you are moving from windows then you may find your self with no need. There are much window alternatives that are prepacked by ubuntu and the communities. But install proprietary drivers may require a little bit of command line usage. But once your all setup most of the time CLI can be avoided.

Hope you like Ubuntu!
There's another way to try it out : Wubi Ubuntu Windows Installer. It's not for permanent use, but it's valuable to trying it out, without affecting your Windows installation at all.
In an earlier post, you mentioned that Kubuntu was aimed at children. In fact, that is Edubuntu. Kubuntu is just like Ubuntu except with KDE instead of Gnome.
Also, you wondered (quite reasonably) how can so many applications fit into an ISO? I think the reason has to be far less bloat in the OS leaving more room for applications. The same is true with memory and processor as well as disk space. One of the many advantages on Linux over Windows.
Having said that, another possibility is Damn Small Linux - as its name suggests, it's damn small! For a newbie (I'm still quite new) I still think Ubuntu's the way to go.

If it's a wired connection, the answer is undoubtedly. If it's a wireless connection, it depends on the wireless chip. Support for different wireless chips varies tremendously, primarily because some manufacturers are friendlier to Linux than others.

It's probably best to test with an ethernet cable jacked into your router.

A little wireless war story: I recently upgraded my Ubuntu netbook from the factory-installed 8.04 to 10.10.

The Live CD could not fire up my Broadcom wireless at first, but, when I found the "Applications" item in the menu and opened the "Additional Drivers" application, it found and installed a driver from the CD and I was able to connect. Note that this is specific to the Ubuntu 10.10 Live CD.

I wrote it up at a blog that I post at from time to time, if you are interested in more of the story.

About dot com has a great intro to Linux for newbies (and we were all newbies once--I wish it'd been there when I started with Linux!).

To echo what the others have said, for normal websurfing, email, playing media, and stuff like that there, you will have little need for the command line. Eventually, you will probably find yourself using it for some things, because the command line is always faster than the mouse, once you know the commands.

Well, yeah, less "bloat" might be part of it (), but also keep in mind that on a typical LiveCD the filesystem is compressed with SquashFS, so there probably actually is more than can fit on a single CD when it's uncompressed.

To, ALL,
I am sorry that i did not respond early!
1)Downloaded the .iso of ubuntu10.10 and burned it to a "CD-R" using Nero! Could not install.
2)Downloaded the same .iso and burned it this time to a "DVD-R" using Nero and the install went on like greased lightning!!
3)As mentioned, i used the DVD as a "live"option and was pleased at the look and feel!
4)Tried to play a "Dire straits" song and Ubuntu needed a decoder and the same went with a "music Video"Linkin park! Any help please! I should say i was "short on patience and long on enthusiasm" because a friendly patient gave me a "cold and body aches".
5)TO-->GLENN, THANK YOU!I guess i will have to configure the DSL connection to ubuntu ,as i want to shift the Ubuntu to a Toshiba laptop! I will be most grateful for any tips on it!
6)Since i was using it as alive DVD, there was access to my Win. file system as well and i have a few snapshots of two Hill stations taken from Google Earth and were saved!I could see them with blazing clarity on the Ubuntu screen!
7) Thank you for correcting me about KUBUNTU!
8) I will read the blog as there is nothing like learning from others lessons! THANK YOU ALL! ONCE I CONFIGURE THE INTERNET CONNECTION AND DOWNLOAD THE DECODERS AND CONFIGURE THE "EMPATHY"MAIL,I WILL REPORT BACK.i UNDERSTAND THAT I "HAVE" TO DO SOME HOMEWORK ON MY OWN!(sorry for the bold type)
9)Downloading the LTS! Grateful!
10) To,Frankbell,--> will read your blog!

Regards to all
vyver.
ps: i am not closing this thread as i need a bit more info' and i have to answer back!

To all,especially mericet and Glenn,
Iam really grateful for all the advise you offered. Now i have a dual-boot of ubuntu10.04 co-existing with Win.Xp. Surprise,i am already using Ubuntu more!The internet conn. went on fine(DSL). During all this period,the "CLUE" was not needed even once!

TO--->GURU,
Your idea to use the ubuntu LTS was a gem of advise!Special thanks to you.
regards,
vyver.

I have shifted to the 10.10 desktop and it's better than the LUCID-LYNX LTS (10.04).Tried the live DVD of Linux Mint and the KDE desktop was a dampener.The Gnome suited me, i guess! I have read that Ubuntu is closing the doors on Gnome and going for KDE, lock Stock and Barrel! Can anyone please confirm?

regards,
vyver.

it is better to understand the command line,usually from books which you can refer to when youre just stuck or forgotten the command,as i say its like medecine you have to specialise and theres a lot of confusion which you must try to understand.
an understanding of the Linux command line gives you a superior understanding of how a pc works and its many diagnostic tools.

These tutes from IBM (2006/8) are a nice intro, with working examples you can practice.


http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/vi...e_by=Tutorials

There's much more there too.

Regards Glenn

Ubuntu will stay with Gnome, but they will not use Gnome-Shell as UI, they will use Unity, an UI developed by themselves.