Hello everyone. I'm new here at linux?'s.org. I'm not new to computers but I am new to linux. I basically have no knowledge of it but I am determined to learn. I have 2 different types of linux. The first one is Xandros the other is Redhat 4. Which of these should I install to begin my learning process. And what books should I start reading? Thanks in advanced.

I don't know about Xandros, but RedHat is easy to install and use. Don't buy books, browse the ones you already have to see if you like them. There is an ocean of Linux info on the Web just dive in. I use following links:
http://kernelnewbies.org/
http://www.reallylinux.com/
http://tldp.org/

My opinion is exactly the opposite - go with Xandros!

Xandros is the most Windows-like distro imo.

Hy , I think that is the best to begin with other linux-es like Slackware or Debian. Those what you have are easy to use but you don't learn much on them. Anyway if you don't want to change the installed distribution is the best to begin with Fedora . For the book you want to learn linux, try first to read man pages for familiarize with the commands, try some of them and after that search a book who explain them in large details.

I recommend reading the following:
http://linux.oneandoneis2.org/LNW.htm (Linux is not Windows) A good comparison article
http://rute.2038bug.com/index.html.gz Linux 'Rute' tutorial

Interesting. Everywhere I look I can see the same question asking again and again. Is this is because people from Micro$oft world were forced to used and pay for software and now suddenly with the linux they are confused because there are so many options to choose from for free ? Maybe :-)

But anyway, I agree with Death914. I would go with debian. It will test you if you really want to learn linux. In this case the more complicated path you take the more you can learn. Get used the terminal and command line, learn some linux commands create couple shell scripts and discover the power of linux from scratch :-)

I would definitely not go for Debian as a total newbie. I agree that it's very powerful, and you learn a lot more from it than from a lot of other distributions, but you have to learn to walk before you can run. Debian can be frustrating at times because it requires you to fiddle around with the system and change commands manually to do things that other distributions will let you do straight away. For example, I couldn't get my scanner to work under Debian because I had to add myself to the scanner user group. For an experienced user this is a simple inconvenience but it can be a real headache for a newbie. I think that when you start out with Linux you need to learn the basics on a simpler-to-use system before going onto distributions like Debian, Slackware and Gentoo.
Personally, I find that Ubuntu is the most approachable of the distributions for a newbie. Ubuntu is based on Debian and it takes some of its big brother's good aspects (like apt, which is truly a brilliant file manager) and simplifies some of the trickier things. If you're coming from a Windows backround, you may be more at ease in Kde rather than the default Gnome environment. Technically Ubuntu is then known as Kubuntu.

Good luck!

...agreed 100%

Out of the two that you have, I'd go for Xandros for two reasons:

i) they make an effort to be friendly towards 'windows refugees'

ii) starting with any of the debian-derived distros makes it easy to 'step up' to the real thing after you have got over a bit of the initial learning curve

Equally, kubuntu (kde being my preference over gnome and also the preference of most windows refugees, but gnome ubuntu is good for those who like gnome) and simply mepis would be good choices too.

Of course, you'll also want to choose something reasonably recent, too. I hope that isn't really RedHat 4 but Fedora Core4 (still old!) or Red Hat Enterprise 4, otherwise its from pre-history. There is really no reason to be installing anything more than a couple of years old and even a couple of years old is pushing it a bit, unless you have ancient hardware.

Me too! Red hat is a bit old hat these days! It's mostly used in business as a server. Fedora is the domestic offshoot of Redhat and is probably the better of the two to use. BUT, and here I come with my own personal bias, I don't like RPM distributions very much(those that use the Redhat file management system). This is because you can get into RPM hell if you don't use the built-in file manager. What this means is that if you want to install a programme you'll need to install the dependencies too but that these require in their turn other dependencies, which require their dependencies... So, if you want to install programme A, you'll need to install programme B and programme C...If you're lucky, pbone (this is an essential site for RPM-based systems by the way) will help you with this and you'll be away, after you've gone round installing all those depencies, that is! If you're unlucky, you might find that programme x won't install because it needs programme y; but programme y won't install because it needs programme x! This happened to me on a number of occasions, and eventually led me to abandon RPM distros in favour of the Debian-based systems (Debian, Ubuntu, Simply Mepis...) The Debian apt file manager is truly wonderful, and you never have that horrible RPM hell feeling with it. Xandros uses the Debian file manager, and this is the main reason why I think I would use it over Redhat or even Fedora. However, I admit to not having tried Fedora 7 which, I believe, has some notable improvements over Fedora Core 6.

well i would go with red hat 4 from your choisees but well i use fedora 7 but if you wait untill november 8 you can get fedora 8 but any way good books that i read to learn more about linux is linux for dummies gide to using linux/unix an more? check on google

-Eddy (gundumfx)

My fave distro is FC7 but i found ubuntu the most user friendly straight out of the box. almost all the distro's i've tried needed some fiddling but ubuntu required the least by far

yea i know that i use to run ubuntu but not any more i use fedora 7 now but ayways well yea it is a eazy distro ubuntu but when you get more in to linux but you are a noob now but the more you get in to linux the more harder you want it.

A lot of people put Ubuntu on their machines and stay with it. I don't think it's correct to call it a beginner's distribution - it's just that it's a distribution that's good for beginners. I don't agree at all that people actually look for a difficult distribution just because it's difficult. Some do, I know, because they enjoy the challenge and want to learn; but I think most people who have a computer at home just want it to do the job - and it's to these that we have to gear Linux to. Ubuntu is great for this. I myself changed from Ubuntu to Debian because I wanted the real McCoy, not a derived product. I was also motivated by an article I read of an interview from one of Debian's chief developpers who explained that Ubuntu uses the Debian technology and advances, but doesn't share the bug reports. I thought that was a little unfair. And, yes I have to admit it, I was one of those that wanted to learn more about Linux. But let's not slate Ubuntu - it's a great distribution and some very savvy people use it.

What version of Xandros do you have? The newest released is 4, so if you have an older version it may be obsolete. Red Hat 4 is definitely obsolete.