Newbie to DSL
Forum: User Feedback
Topic: Newbie to DSL
started by: alba1314
Posted by alba1314 on April 19 2006,16:43
I have just booted my PC up for the first time using a DSL LiveCD as per the instructions in issue 213 of Computeractive magazine, to which I have been a subscriber for a long time...A friend in the States has been saying that he uses Linux on one of his PC's and has given it great reviews, but I have always been sceptical about the O/S, as my only other experiences over the past 5 years or so of computing have been with the dreaded W*nd*ws O/S, working my way up from 98SE to XP.
I've always understood Linux to be complicated in its installation, but am impressed with my "experimentation" period today - so far... If Linux is as easy to run as it appears to be, I would like to be able to install the O/S onto my PC (creating a dual boot system) - but I am confused about the vast amount of versions of Linux there seems to be available. Can anyone please advise on the most stable, least confusing and convoluted version for me (a Linux newbie!) to install on my PC and which site offers the download I am looking for?
I understand that Linux is available as a free download, but each site I visit that offers Linux as a free download has at least 3 installation CD's of the O/S to download and an "extra" CD also - what is this extra CD and why does Linux come in 3 different installation CD's - as opposed to just one installation CD to load W*nd*ws onto my PC??
Can anyone please help a newbie who wants to expand his computing experience, in the least hassle-free and pleasing way, without having to tear his hair out during the learning curve of adjusting to a new O/S?!
Many thanks,
alba!
Posted by doobit on April 19 2006,16:53
Windows XP comes on one DVD these days, not a CD. Anyway, Linux often comes on more than one CD because they include a tonne of applications for you to use right away. You don't usually need to go "buy" office apps, for example, because an office suite is included in the download. There are actually quite a few distributions that are on one CD Damnsmall Linux is on one very small CD - credit card size, in fact. If you want something more Windows like, then you may wish to try Mepis, or Ubuntu.
Posted by Guest on April 19 2006,17:14
Or fedora core or Suse or Mandrake or Dsl or Vector linux or Libranet or .....Vector linux was my first linux ( ver. 5.1 couple of months ago ) it is easy to use and has great support forum, highly recommend.
Welcome to Linux world.
Posted by alba1314 on April 19 2006,17:19
| Quote (fxb @ April 19 2006,13:14) |
| Vector linux was my first linux ( ver. 5.1 couple of months ago ) it is easy to use and has great support forum, highly recommend. Welcome to Linux world. |
Thanks to both doobit and fxb for their warm welcome!
I've switched over to W*nd*ws XP O/S again to check my mail etc... and can notice a HUGE difference in the two operating systems straight away!
I'm interested in the Vector Linux that fxb mentioned and recommended - can you please advise on where I can download it from??
Posted by Guest on April 19 2006,17:29
http://www.vectorlinux.com/There is the temple of vector
I use the standard version.
VL-5.1-std.iso is the correct one.
Posted by doobit on April 19 2006,17:53
I'm using Mepis on my big, fast machine. Mepis is nice because it includes a lot of the non-GNU free software that you would need to download and install yourself with some of the other distros. On everything else I use DSL.
Posted by clivesay on April 19 2006,18:05
Doobit and I are cut from the same cloth I have a DSL remaster for most everything but do like my Mepis 3.4.3 install. OS's like DSL are great for learning and have a ton of functionality in a small footprint. OS's like Mepis are built to have everything fully integrated and they do a really good job. I love tinkering with config files but sometimes it's nice to boot into something where everything 'just works'. For me, Mepis has been just that. It's a livecd also so you can test drive before you install. Good luck.
Chris
Posted by aveline on April 20 2006,00:34
I tried Mepis too, liked it but I didn't like how they treated their community so I switched to PCLOS which also comes with a lot of non-GnuFree (spelling?) software out of hte box. I tried ubuntu but my god its a pita if you want to right away use mp3's & other stuff most ppl expect to work "out of the box". I highly recommend PCLOS for any new user because it also uses Synaptic if you want to install new software (which is far more intelligent than most RPM based distros I've seen). Other than that, I use dsl on a small TS server I run here at home. I really need to dualboot PCLOS with XP again and to find out if PCLOS supports SATA drives (I think they do)... Happy distro hopping.
Avey
Posted by cmanb on April 20 2006,02:40
I tried installing Red Hat and Slakware on my laptop years and years ago and failed. So my first linux was an old version of Mandrake.I'm about to upgrade that same laptop to Debian.
But I really use DSL for just about everything.
alba1314, I'd suggest going and poking around < distrowatch > and seeing all the different distros for yourself. There's a lot of stuff out there.
Good luck finding your favorite!
Posted by green on April 20 2006,03:32
I agree with Aveline. PCLOS (PCLinuxOS) is a very smooth and very polished distro, Texstar has done a superb job. I use DSL most of the time, but others in my house use PCLOS exclusively. I partake and enjoy it myself from time to time, but I just can not stay away from DSL. PCLOS, as a desktop OS, smashes all the other big dogs,... hands down. It does just about everything outta the box and it comes on ONE cd, not 3 or 4 or a dozen. I have read that SATA support exists with PCLOS, but do not have SATA drives so I have not really looked into it. Bottom line is, DSL rules. PCLOS comes in as a very close second.
Posted by alba1314 on April 20 2006,08:17
| Quote (fxb @ April 19 2006,13:29) |
| http://www.vectorlinux.com/ There is the temple of vector I use the standard version. VL-5.1-std.iso is the correct one. |
Thanks fxb!
One question springs to mind... VL-5.1-std.iso is one disc download - is that correct? The reason I ask is that I mentioned earlier in the thread that mot versions of Linux seem to be 3 disk installations?!
I take it that with VL-5.1-std.iso installed to my HDD, I am good to go, without having to track down any necessary drivers - I am aware that I will need to install Linux drivers for some (or most) of my peripheral equipment.
Please advise....
Posted by lovdsl on April 20 2006,08:58
If you like dsl via live cd and it has most of the programs you will commonly use have a look in the repository to see if additional programs you want are also available..if so then why not just install dsl to hd with a dual boot system..or run the live cd with extensions..dsl is very versitile, small, and for me offered the least resistance when installing..it is a linux newbies dream
Posted by alba1314 on April 20 2006,14:43
Many thanks, lovdsl. There seems to be as many foavorable opinions on the different versions of Linux as there are versions?! 
The various replies I have had so far have given me food for thought on the way forward in my discovery of Linux.
It seems to me that I should see how I get on with DSL, booting from LiveCD for a wee while before I make the big leap (for me!) of installing any version permanently to my HDD.
To all who replied, thank you for your many comments and recommendations. This thread will be added to "My Favorites" for future reference, though any other comments would be greatly appreciated!!
Posted by Guest on April 20 2006,15:07
The reason for multiple cd`s is guite simple, they try to include something for everyone, like 6 different net browsers etc. Who needs 6 browsers? No one, 1-3 is reasonable 6 is madness. Thats the reason for many install cd`s, those distributions are named as mainstream distros (mostly newbie friendly).And yes Vector comes only on one cd.
Posted by doobit on April 20 2006,15:12
So does Mepis. You might also be interested to know that the developers of DSL are making a different distribution that's similar to DSL, but a little bigger and with a newer kernel and bigger, juicier, apps. It's in the alpha stages right now, but so far it's still only 80MBs large.
Posted by cbagger01 on April 20 2006,17:32
For a full-featured Linux distribution with nice out-of-the-box hardware detection and supporting a huge repository of 14,000+ packages, I suggest that you give the KNOPPIX livecd a try.It should automatically detect and configure just about all of your hardware and it is easily installed to the hard drive. Once installed, it uses standard (both "stable" and "cutting edge" versions) Debian pacakges for installation.
Think of it as "The power of Debian Linux" but with astounding ease-of-installation.
FYI, the DSL core OS+autodetection is built upon a KNOPPIX foundation.