what version of free linux

[rookie1010]

Hello

I want to taketo finally take the LInux plunge, have got a bit of Unix experience and have installed red hat at some point.

I was just wondering which version which would be the best to use today

 

[nweaver]

The search version....

there are currently about 3 active threads on this subject. Ubuntu, fedora core, simplemepis

 

[SleepWalkerX]

SimplyMepis, PCLinuxOS, or Ubuntu I would say.

 

[paradisel0st]

I say Ubuntu.

 

[BlueWeasel]

I'll throw out my choice.....PCLinuxOS

 

[pkme2]

Try Fedora Core 4.

 

[KoolDrew]

Debian.

 

[rookie1010]

thanks for the replies guys

 

[n0cmonkey]

Forget Linux, install NetBSD.

 

[rookie1010]

what is netBSD?

 

[n0cmonkey]

Originally posted by: rookie1010
what is netBSD?

A free unix-like system. Check out their webpage.

 

[corinthos]

Easy. Slackware.

 

[Doh!]

Choosing a linux distro is like choosing a doughtnut at Dunkin Doughnut. Everyone has his/her favorite.

I'll throw in Suse.

 

[Brazen]

Originally posted by: Doh!
Choosing a linux distro is like choosing a doughtnut at Dunkin Doughnut. Everyone has his/her favorite.

I'll throw in Suse.

Very true. I like Fedora, though I may try out Ubuntu for the desktop.

 

[The Linuxator]

Originally posted by: Doh!
Choosing a linux distro is like choosing a doughtnut at Dunkin Doughnut. Everyone has his/her favorite.

I'll throw in Suse.

That's absolutely true. I'll throw in Fedora Core

 

[imported_LoKe]

Ubuntu for the win. They'll send you as many free CD's as you'd like.

 

[daniel49]

Originally posted by: Doh!
Choosing a linux distro is like choosing a doughtnut at Dunkin Doughnut. Everyone has his/her favorite.

I'll throw in Suse.

I'll take a glazed with strawberry filling...oops I mean ubuntu

 

[Robor]

I've had Fedora Core 4 on my laptop for about 2 weeks and am pretty happy with it.

 

[rookie1010]

thanks for the replies

why do ubuntu send in free cd's

what's in it for them?

 

[thecoolnessrune]

Nothing. Canonical does this for them as a free service. It is open source you know. Unlike Microsoft, the point isn't to make money. It's to help. Thats why they give CD's for free. Definitely Ubuntu for the newb in Linux. I've been using it and its been the easiest Linux yet for me. (Fedora is in second) However I think Fedora was the easiest to install. Although its still hard to really mess anything up with either of them. However, I have still never been able to install the nVidia drivers on any Linux distro. I try to look up walkthroughs but I can't decipher those either. So if your going to install those drivers, you might want to wait until you have a little more Linux knowhow.

 

[rookie1010]

thanks for thew reply

i have an nvidia 5700 ultra video card, does that mean i cant run linux on my machine since it has an nvidia video card?

 

[Nothinman]

The closed source nVidia drivers work fine, the ones included with the distro will probalby also work fine but they don't do hardware accelerated 3D and they'll be slow in 2D as well.

This page was done for the previous Ubuntu release, but I believe everything should still apply: http://www.ubuntuguide.org/#installnvidiadriver

 

[rookie1010]

thanks for the reply and the link

what do you mean by closed source nvidia driver

 

[LokeanSon]

I'll jump in and add a vote for Suse 10... Installation of the Nvidia drivers for my FX5700 based card was trivial. You do the install, then run the online update and choose the Nvidia drivers. Then you enjoy OpenGL flying.

I'd recommend, if you're going to try Suse, to get the Evaluation version over the open version. The evaluation version isn't crippled in anyway and won't time out, it's just a way to try their boxed offering for free. The difference is it includes closed source apps and drivers.

 

[LokeanSon]

Originally posted by: rookie1010
thanks for the reply and the link

what do you mean by closed source nvidia driver

It means it's software developed by a company that doesn't share the source code with the open source community. Some people are annoyed that Nvidia, ATI, and others won't release their source code. The problem is, those companies spend a lot of money on developing their intellectual property, and part of that property is in their drivers, so releasing it would let other people/corporations see what they're doing and how, creating the potential for others to profit from the development they've paid for.

Personally, I say more power to them as long as they release drivers for their hardware that I can use under my OS of choice.