Hello. I wanted to give Linux a try just for laughs because I'm perpetualy annoyed by Windows. Sadly, I don't know the first thing about Linux. Where would a good place to download a copy be? How do I know what copy I want? How do I use it? is it like Windows?:doh:
Linux is a free, open-source UNIX-like operating system. It is stable, secure, and does not require antivirus or anti-malware software to operate correctly. Its default filesystems resist corruption and fragmentation, so you don't need to defrag or spend a lot of time maintaining the system. And unlike Windows or Mac OS X, its performance is very consistent, and does not gradually slow down over time. As for me, I run Debian Linux on my desktops, and CentOS on my servers at present. But most new Linux users these days tend to gravitate towards Ubuntu, a descendant of Debian designed to be as easy as possible. For instance, my dad is a non-tech, but when he migrated away from Windows (same reasons as you, I imagine), Ubuntu was the only one he could figure out without a lot of help.
I'd just like to throw some names into the bin. Among the Linux community, its generally frowned upon to make a Linux distribution look or behave in some way like Windows. Ubuntu is really nice because most of its user base is pretty active in their help communities. As far as usability goes, i've never really understood the draw, but whatever floats your boat. For me, i see no reason to not use a Linux distribution that is similar looking to windows just for the sake of getting used to how Linux works. Linspire is great for this reason, its very easy to use for some one who has used Windows solely. Other easy-ish to use distros that i have found are Mandriva, Mint Linux, PCLinuxOS. Also, Fedora is definitely worth checking out, it will be a lot more of a transition, but its a nice distro.
Quickly responding to your posts, and therefore not taking into account what's already been said, I'd recommend downloading and installing Ubuntu. Quite simply, Ubuntu is what everyone uses and (in my opinion the best) is very easy to gain support.
[ot] Not really.... Mega has been an Ubuntu power user and advocator for quite sometime.... on that not, I might as well give my two pence worth - I cannot stand Ubuntu because it uses Gnome (meh, damn ugly, brownish stuff). If one is to try a *ubuntu, I would go for Kubuntu.... much bluer, very cool![/ot]
I've been using Ubuntu for some time now. Before that I was using Kubuntu. I did have a short spell on openSUSE but thats long over. Since being on these forums, I suppose my only major change of opinion is that of GNOME vs KDE. I used to be an advocate of KDE but felt it was going in the wrong direction and I also didn't like the fact that Kubuntu was the forgotten sister to Ubuntu. I much prefer GNOME these days. I feel its better integrated and besides, with the exception of Skype and Last.fm, I only use GTK applications anyway. P.S KDE 4 is still a joke
I can agree with that, wholeheartedly. [ot]I am still using KDE 3.5.9, and thank GOD that's what Debian "Lenny" is going to ship with. I shudder to think I'll ever be stuck with a dumbed-down Gnome interface, or a broken KDE4 one. Oh well, I guess I'll cross that bridge when I come to it![/ot]
