new to linux and also to this site
 

i am new to this site. And this is my first question .I am having one one unusual doubt as i am using the linux for the first time which flavor would be better to use. somehow i managed to get a mint flavor .

Welcome to LQ!!!

All Linux distributions are good to use it depends on you which one suits you. As you are new to Linux it will be good to try different distributions. I would say change them every month or so. This will help you to understand why there are so many distributions in Linux and how one differs from another. Once you have established you liking for particular distribution you can stick with it.

Linux Mint is good to begin with, it is a debian derivative. You might want to try Fedora which is Red Hat derivative.

vamshim443,

Welcome to LQ.

There is a large choice of Linux distributions available.

Whoever responds to a "recommend a Linux distro" post is only going to give their subjective assessment and recommendation.
There is nothing wrong with that.

All I will say is that you made an excellent choice with Linux Mint!

To find out more about other Linus distros, I suggest you look at the reviews on Linuxed:

http://mylinuxexplore.blogspot.co.uk...-contents.html

and also visit Distrowatch and Dedoimedo:

http://distrowatch.com/

http://www.dedoimedo.com/computer_software.html#linux

You can gauge the relative popularity (if that is relevant) of the various Linux distros here:

http://distrowatch.com/dwres.php?resource=popularity

Hi and welcome to LQ. You'll find this site is a very useful place. As far as distro choice is concerned: Most distros will allow you to run them in a "live session", which means you can run them without actually installing them.
Use that to try a couple of different flavours and see which one you like best.

Before installing make sure to backup your data. If you want to install Linux alongside Windows make yourself familiar with the concepts of partitioning and do that step manually rather than trusting the installer. I've heard of people whose Windows installs were messed up by the installer when selecting the "automatic" partitioning...

Last not least - Don't hesitate to come here for help when in doubt!

Welcome to LQ,

What do you think of Mint?

Interesting that you call it a flavor. Yes, insofar as food goes, it is, and by some interpretations here you can also call it that, but really it's just a name as are the very many other ones out there.

If you consider Windows, you know that there are different versions, but they're mainly the Windows product, or iOS for Apple is also varied by version, but still their main product. And you likely know that you can customize the desktops for those computers, the colorings, icon sizes, the way folders look, the background, and etc. Linux allows all that, and the varieties of the distributions also provide many, many different looks as well as different ways of presenting the entire desktop.

So I guess there are several ways to approach Linux. For instance very detailed persons involved in server or highly technical aspects of Linux might not even have it look like a desktop, they might be using the command line which is really just a terminal look on your screen. Very boring for those who are accustomed to a desktop environment, but this is a form of Linux which is actually common, just for people who choose it and are well experienced with it.

A more common new user experience is to install something which parallels the more commonly seen commercial user operating systems of Windows of Apple. Those would be desktop distributions like the Mint one which you're presently trying. There are numerous ones which you can choose, and also numerous things which you can do with the one you already have. I'd suggest you explore and determine what you like or don't like about things. And then consider experimenting with temporary boot distributions, called Live Distributions; where you boot off of a DVD or Thumbstick to run the distribution, but not actually install it on your system until you've decided you do like the feel and form of it.

As you learn more, you can choose how detailed you wish to be.

Enjoy the experience!

So what do you do in profession (or student) and how do you want to use linux?

If you are clear on these points, then you can use linux well.

OK