What is the best linux?

esuhl

Zenwalk is an excellent Linux distro - it's intuitive, lightweight, based on Slackware and runs a lot quicker than Ubuntu as a result. Instead of having everything installed by default, it installs the basics and allows you to add whatever you need (by simply ticking a box in the netpkg application).

Because it's not bloated with OTT eye-candy, it's great for running on old PCs or learning about how Linux works.

I really should use it more... but I keep coming back to XP 'cause it's more familiar!

esuhl

robredz wrote: »

With a reasonable spec, Windows games run fine under Wine in Linux, I have various games running this way, including Half Life2 with steam. There are also plenty of games out there that run on Linux natively.

Yeah - I was astounded when I managed to get Trackmania running in WINE (without network access or sound, admittedly).

gallifreyangirl

I can only saying putting Ubuantu on my mums old Toshiba Satilette Pro 4600 was amazed it would run on such an old laptop. Also ubuantu seems pretty easy to use and quite straight forward to a person that has never touched linux like myself.

Wig

Can anyone tell me what 'class' my processor is? (specifications in a previous post).

Zenwalk say it is for a PIII class....also...
Zenwalk GNU/Linux is optimized for the i686 instruction set, but backward compatible with i486.

What "instruction set" is my processor?

esuhl

Zenwalk runs fine on PIIIs. I think a PIII PC uses the 80686 (aka i686) instruction set.

Baldur

The 'i686' & 'PIII' relate to Intel CPUs - the AMD XP2400+ exceeds PIII and uses an instruction set similar, but not identical to i686. I have run various recent Linux distros on an XP2200+ system and all operate very well.

PeterPerfect

The term "free" refers to the fact that you can get the binaries downloaded. There is usually no support from the manufacture directly, as this is where money starts to appear. You you have a low spec system (which the system looks like) then make sure you do not get a server version of the software as you may install software that you will never use. Check if it is a workstation version

Ubuntu is currently the most popular (and you can order a free cd with it on!), but do not overlook RedHat, SUSE, Debian or many others. Applications are usually available as separate packages which can be downloaded and installed through the installation mechanism of that particular Linux.

If you have never used or feel worried about Linux, there are plenty of books and magazines on the subject. As you will be both an Administrator and user of the system, you will need to gain extra knowledge.

Lastly add more memory to your PC. 256MBytes is very tight if you intend to use multiple applications at once.

dandare1980

After installing/testing/breaking different versions of Linux over the last 4 years on many different machines, I can without doubt recommend Ubuntu (or any of its derivatives i.e. Xubuntu, Kubuntu).

Ubunutu is one of the most popular and also well supported Linux distributions out there. They release a new version every 6 months (current 8.10, next month 9.04).

The things I particularly like are:

1.) It's free!
2.) It comes pre-installed with pretty much everything you need.
3.) To add new software you can simply scroll through Ubuntu's package manager and download and install it in one go.
4.) Set up right, the software updater will update all installed software on your machine. Not just system updates as with Windows.
5.) Much more secure, better performance and stability.
6.) Ubuntu supports hardware and audio/video out of the box better (some tweaking required, i.e. adding ubuntu-restricted-extras package).

I quite regularly update/maintain other peoples computers and if I need to do a complete clean install, Ubuntu takes me about an hour (that's including downloading the .iso, installing, updating and tweaking). On a windows machine I will be there all day........

I use a product called Crossover Linux (formerly Crossover Office) which is a commercial version of WINE. I find it works very well with MS Office 2000, Office XP and I have used quite a few "unsupported" applications which behave too.

My main PC is identical in spec to yours, stick some more ram in (512mb, ideally 1gb) and Ubuntu will fly along very nicely.

I'm certainly a convert

Google "psychocats ubuntu" for a good guide of how to get started.

tomsolomon

Wig wrote: »

But I'll be getting a new Hard Drive - what would be seen as a standard size to go for these days?

Don't......
Get rid of your old HDD that is.
Remove the junk, and add the other hdd to your system, then install Linux to the new drive.
If you realy want, you could copy your existing operating system to a newer bigger drive, and install Linux to your old 80gig. Then you would have the choice of two. Also you can see if there are any issues involved with installing Linux on your system, and correct them before you migrate.

My experience with Linux tells me it's worth checking if it works on your machine. Although not impossible for a begginer. Installing and configuring Linux can be a bit frustrating.

Oh and P.S. It may be worth waiting till next months new release.
9.04 Jaunty Jackalope

old_codger1

maxamos wrote: »

The only problem I've found with Linux is using external hardware (i.e printers and scanners) as a lot of manufacturers don't provide drivers. I use a dual boot system with XP and Ubuntu with a swap file so I can do all my work in Linux and then use XP to access my printer - very easy to make both systems read each others files although I would recommend making a third partion on your computer as a swap file.
I find Linux quicker and pretty much all the disrto's come with everything you're asking for for free.

Just as a matter of interest what sort of printer have you got? I only ask because all the printers I've ever used have been supported by CUPS.

http://www.cups.org/

I imagine there are some that aren't but I've never come across them.

Also, most widely scanners can be used by SANE

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scanner_Access_Now_Easy

Certanly my old Artec scanner works better under Linux, (using the windows driver), than it does under windows.