What is the best way to switch from MS to Ubuntu or Kubuntu, and what is the difference between the two? Is it only the desktop?

I've been wanting to add to my Win2K for a long time but I keep stumbling over the strange words in Linux after so many years with MS. Is the glossary at https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Glossary a good start?

bobberles

What are you going to do, memorize the glossary? I guess it's a decent one-stop reference, but most anything you don't understand can be googled. The best way to switch is to install one of the *buntus (if that's what you're interested in) on a spare partition. Alternatively you can run them completely off the CD although it will be understandably slower than if installed on your hard drive.

And, no, the only difference is not the desktop. One is derived from an operating system that works and one is derived from a marketing campaign that works. I'll let you figure out which is which. Linux ain't Windows, so don't expect it to be.

Ubuntu's

( http://www.debianadmin.com/list-of-u...-live-cds.html )

( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of..._distributions )

( http://www.ubuntugeek.com/list-of-ub...-live-cds.html )

there are probably more

The difference between Ubuntu and Kubuntu and Xubuntu is

Ubuntu uses Gnome for X.
Kubuntu uses KDE for X.
Xubuntu uses Xfce for X.


As for what you should do. I would not do all the reading. Just use the live cd or install it and go from their.

It is not so important if you start with Ubuntu Kubuntu or Xubuntu .
If you have room enough you can install the others GUIS afterwards and change between them

Hello,
You can do as suggested above or you can install on windows the "wubi" installer of ubuntu..It acts like just another windows program as far as
it can be un-installed if you choose..It will give a choice as to which system to boot into when you start up ..There is no need to partition to install it,just enough room on your windows drive..Otherwise it works just like a regular Linux Ubuntu install with the exception that it will not go into hibernation..
Should you choose to un-install it thru the regular windows un-installer,
it will leave windows as it was B4 ..I tried it and it was all positive with no cons for me..
The other suggestions are fine, but this is just another option..
Have fun,
jolphil

Well, I guess I wrote the wrong thing to begin with. I am not looking for distros, I am looking for help in installing either Ubuntu or Kubuntu. I already have the latest Ubuntu CD, but after reading some info on KDE I am wondering if I would be happier with Kubuntu rather than Ubuntu. As far as I could see Ubuntu has the blank desktop while Kubuntu is more like what I see with Win2K.

I installed the Ubuntu in a spare partition (very easy, and quick) but got confused when it came to bringing it to life, that is, installing the printer, getting on line, etc.

So, has anyone been in the same boat that I am in now, who can tell me how I can get the Ubuntu (for a start) all tucked away and humming along so that I can compare it with the Win2K that I like so much.

My goal is not to find fault with any Linux distro. It is to cut the chains that are tying me to MS and other companies that, for example, stopped the updates for my ZoneAlarm Pro in the middle of my 2 year purchase because MS "will end extended support for Windows 2000" in 2010 - after my 2 years are up. AVG is doing the same.

So I waited too long, and now I need something that is more honest, like Ubuntu, to use on the net while my wife and I use Win2K for off-line stuff.

bobberles

For Ubuntu
look here: http://www.psychocats.net/ubuntu/index.php
and here: http://ubuntuguide.org/wiki/Ubuntu:Intrepid

For Kubuntu
look here:http://kubuntuguide.org/Intrepid

I use Kubuntu because I prefer it. The psychocats reference tells you how to install Kubuntu from Ubuntu, and then clean up

Linux is radically different to windows, and it will take you some time to become familiar with some aspects of it, like the filesystem hierarchy and how it deals with hardware, users, etc.

However, Ubuntu makes it easy to use, and while working with the desktop you will find yourself in an intuitive environment where everything will work just like Windows does in many senses.

About the Gnome vs. KDE disjunctive, just download a livecd for each and try it before you install. Then you can decide yourself. For the most part, they are the same thing, except for the fact that Gnome developers think that having options is a bad thing so it's less configurable than KDE. However, some people seem to think that KDE in Ubuntu is not in good shape, and prefer to use SuSE instead.

I found the best way to find if you like linux or not is to just jump in. *buntu is a great way to do that because it is fairly user friendly. Your first week or month will probably be a little rough, but after you get use to the new commands and what not (really not bad, don't memorize all the ones... just ones you need) it is far superior to window$. Like everyone else has said: Linux is NOT windows, so don't expect it to be.

To all of you, thank you very much. I spent most of the day following your suggestions and doing a lot of searching on my own (for example, webchicklet) and it is easier to find things than when I started digging into Win95 (and later Win2K).

I bought SUSE a few years ago, but never installed it for various reasons. Maybe I will try that again after I get familiar with Ubuntu. I have to have everything shipped to me because I have only dialup, very slow. Sometimes I have gone to bed while something is downloading, then a glitch kills it near the end. But it's nice living in the country.

Best to all of you,

bobberles

With wget -c --tries=number you can download anything even on bad connections. It'll keep retrying. Set it to 0 to retry ad infinitum if the connection fails. -c will instruct it to resume instead of restarting the whole download.