John_the_M
i was just wondering because i thought that the only type of computers out there were mac's and pc's
Answer
Linux is the kernel upon which all Linux distros. (distributions) are built upon
http://www.linux.org/info/index.html
Why Linux is Better
http://www.whylinuxisbetter.net/
Here are some options for installing or trying out Linux
Option One (Full installation)
I thoroughly recommend Linux Mint 9 Main Edition which is built upon Ubuntu 10.04 Its easy to install and easy to use plus it comes with much of the software you are likely to need preinstalled
Linux Mint 9 Download
http://www.linuxmint.com/edition.php?id=52
The Perfect Desktop - Linux Mint 9 (Isadora)
http://www.howtoforge.com/the-perfect-desktop-linux-mint-9-isadora
Linux Mint 9 User Guide Download pdf.
http://www.linuxmint.com/rel_isadora.php
You download the ISO. image of Linux Mint 9 then you need to create a Bootable LiveCD for installation
Linux Mint 9 can also be run direct from the LiveCD from Booting up without touching your Hard Drive
Also worth considering :
Fedora Remix (Fedora with elements of Linux Mint)
http://www.linuxmint.com/blog/?p=1418
http://fcoremix.wordpress.com/2010/05/25/lucky-13/
http://iso.linux.hr/community-fedora-remix/
Again Fedora Remix can be run direct from the LiveDVD without touching your Hard Drive
Option Two (Install Linux inside Windows)
Installing Ubuntu as a dual-boot with Windows without partitioning
http://www.psychocats.net/ubuntu/wubi
You keep Windows as it is, Wubi only adds an extra option to boot into Ubuntu. Wubi does not require you to modify the partitions of your PC, or to use a different bootloader, and does not install special drivers. It works just like any other application.
Wubi keeps most of the files in one folder, and if you do not like it, you can simply uninstall it as any other application.
Boot in to windows insert the Ubuntu 10.04 LiveCD and you will offered the option of installing inside windows which is where the Wubi installer comes in, you will be asked how many gigabytes you wish to allocate to Ubuntu (I recommend 8gb) then you set a password for your installation then click install and thats it.
Once Ubuntu is fully installed upon starting your PC you will be given a choice of which operating system you want to use Windows or Ubuntu
Ubuntu 10.04 Download
http://www.ubuntu.com/desktop/get-ubuntu/download
Ubuntu 10.04 (Lucid Lynx) User Guide
http://ubuntuguide.org/wiki/Ubuntu:Lucid
Linux Mint 9 which is built upon Ubuntu 10.04 has a similar feature called mint4win and the directions given above for Wubi can be followed
http://duncsweb.com/2009/09/27/mint4win-a-wubi-based-installer-of-linux-mint/
As with Linux Mint 9 and Fedora Remix, Ubuntu 10.04 can also be run straight from the LiveCD without touching your Hard drive
Option Three (LiveCD)
Here the possibilities are endless as you can try out as many different Linux distros. as you like until you find the one thats right for you DISTROWATCH.COM gives full listings (second lists the major distributions)
http://distrowatch.com/
Major Linux Distributions
http://distrowatch.com/dwres.php?resource=major
LUg.
Linux is the kernel upon which all Linux distros. (distributions) are built upon
http://www.linux.org/info/index.html
Why Linux is Better
http://www.whylinuxisbetter.net/
Here are some options for installing or trying out Linux
Option One (Full installation)
I thoroughly recommend Linux Mint 9 Main Edition which is built upon Ubuntu 10.04 Its easy to install and easy to use plus it comes with much of the software you are likely to need preinstalled
Linux Mint 9 Download
http://www.linuxmint.com/edition.php?id=52
The Perfect Desktop - Linux Mint 9 (Isadora)
http://www.howtoforge.com/the-perfect-desktop-linux-mint-9-isadora
Linux Mint 9 User Guide Download pdf.
http://www.linuxmint.com/rel_isadora.php
You download the ISO. image of Linux Mint 9 then you need to create a Bootable LiveCD for installation
Linux Mint 9 can also be run direct from the LiveCD from Booting up without touching your Hard Drive
Also worth considering :
Fedora Remix (Fedora with elements of Linux Mint)
http://www.linuxmint.com/blog/?p=1418
http://fcoremix.wordpress.com/2010/05/25/lucky-13/
http://iso.linux.hr/community-fedora-remix/
Again Fedora Remix can be run direct from the LiveDVD without touching your Hard Drive
Option Two (Install Linux inside Windows)
Installing Ubuntu as a dual-boot with Windows without partitioning
http://www.psychocats.net/ubuntu/wubi
You keep Windows as it is, Wubi only adds an extra option to boot into Ubuntu. Wubi does not require you to modify the partitions of your PC, or to use a different bootloader, and does not install special drivers. It works just like any other application.
Wubi keeps most of the files in one folder, and if you do not like it, you can simply uninstall it as any other application.
Boot in to windows insert the Ubuntu 10.04 LiveCD and you will offered the option of installing inside windows which is where the Wubi installer comes in, you will be asked how many gigabytes you wish to allocate to Ubuntu (I recommend 8gb) then you set a password for your installation then click install and thats it.
Once Ubuntu is fully installed upon starting your PC you will be given a choice of which operating system you want to use Windows or Ubuntu
Ubuntu 10.04 Download
http://www.ubuntu.com/desktop/get-ubuntu/download
Ubuntu 10.04 (Lucid Lynx) User Guide
http://ubuntuguide.org/wiki/Ubuntu:Lucid
Linux Mint 9 which is built upon Ubuntu 10.04 has a similar feature called mint4win and the directions given above for Wubi can be followed
http://duncsweb.com/2009/09/27/mint4win-a-wubi-based-installer-of-linux-mint/
As with Linux Mint 9 and Fedora Remix, Ubuntu 10.04 can also be run straight from the LiveCD without touching your Hard drive
Option Three (LiveCD)
Here the possibilities are endless as you can try out as many different Linux distros. as you like until you find the one thats right for you DISTROWATCH.COM gives full listings (second lists the major distributions)
http://distrowatch.com/
Major Linux Distributions
http://distrowatch.com/dwres.php?resource=major
LUg.
A few Linux (Ubuntu) questions?
Gnome
An old PC of ours just got attacked by a virus. It desperately needed to be formated for along time and now looks like the right time. Trying to get rid of the virus is just not worth it. So it turns out that I've also wanted to install and try out Linux on a computer. I was thinking of downloading Xubuntu since it's made especially for slow PCs and installing it on that computer. We mainly use that PC for video chat (Skype), web surfing, instant messaging (MSN) and listening to music. We intend to keep using it that way. A few questions have risen, though:
1. Will the computer have any driver problems? Xubuntu needs to be able to handle a webcam, wireless mouse and keyboard (all Logitech), integrated Wi-Fi an external WD hard drive.
2. Is Xubuntu the right choice or would you install Ubuntu instead?
3. What software do you recommend for an Windows Live Messenger substitute?
4. Is it relatively easy to install (compared to Windows formatting)?
5. What's a good alternative to iTunes? Should I install iTunes with Wine?
6. Does Xubuntu have any SOFTWARE compatibility problems compared to other Linux platforms?
7. Got any tips?
Additional Info:
256MB RAM
Mobile Intel Pentium 1.80 GHz
28GB Hard Drive (So.... Small....)
Gerry and Jaypoc, really helpful answers. Thanks so much to both. It'll be hard to pick a best answer....
Answer
Using an older PC to try out a different OS is a great idea. The PC should run Ubuntu without any problem. I'll do my best to address each question.
1. Driver Problems - Yes and No. Because of it's Open Source nature, there's hardware drivers for virtually all hardware. The down-side is, just like a Mac can't run PC software, Linux can't (for the most part) run PC software, so if your cam or wireless devices require any software to operate properly, you may run into an issue. What I would recommend is to google "Ubuntu Logitech QuckCam Web", of course replacing Logitech QuickCam Web with the manufacturer make and model of your devices. See if anyone has gotten them working before, and if they have, read what they had to do to get them working. Some devices will work out of the box and others may need tweaking.
The WiFi most likely will be autodetected by setup and the external HDD should work alright as well. The keyboard and mouse depend on how they work.
2. Ubuntu or XUbuntu - I don't know. I would add more RAM and try Ubuntu, but if thats not an option, try both. Put Ubuntu and if it runs too slow, try XUbuntu. I use Ubuntu (and Kubuntu which is just Ubuntu with KDE instead of Gnome...different desktops/customizations basically)
3. There's an IM client called Pidgin which I use mainly for AIM (even on my Windows PCs) It supports:
* AIM
* Bonjour
* Gadu-Gadu
* Google Talk
* Groupwise
* ICQ
* IRC
* MSN
* MySpaceIM
* QQ
* SILC
* SIMPLE
* Sametime
* XMPP
* Yahoo!
* Zephyr
4. Ubuntu is easy to install, though I wouldn't say AS easy as Windows. The installation is pretty much the same, but the current versions of Windows are much better at auto-detecting third party devices and installing necessary drivers.
5. Ahh You know of Wine. There's a few Windows Emulators, WINE is probably the most popular. You sound like you've researched iTunes more than I have since I never liked it on my PC and use a Zune, I dont use iTunes. There's alternatives (Depending on which iPod you have)... Songbird is a nice alternative and works with most "classic" iPods (Just not the iPhone or Touch). There's others if you search around, including Amarok which comes with Ubuntu. Another option is to run either VMWare or Sun XVM. They allow you to run virtual machines and you could install Windows XP for the few applications in which you need it. I used to run XP in Sun xVM and was able to sync my Zune through it over USB
6. I've never heard of software compatibility problems with Linux. Linux programs are compiled from source code to run on various kernels (operating system versions) so there shouldn't be any problems. If a program was compiled for another OS (Say RedHat or Slackware) it may or may not run, but can often be re-compiled from the source. Also, most Linux software is open source, so if you are a programmer (or are willing to learn) you can customize, patch or fix most issues.
7. Tips... Go for it! It's a great experience and you can learn a lot from it. If you want easy/mindless computing, use Windows or get a Mac, but if you'd like to get your hands dirty and try something new, Ubuntu makes learning Linux enjoyable.
Hope I helped.
Using an older PC to try out a different OS is a great idea. The PC should run Ubuntu without any problem. I'll do my best to address each question.
1. Driver Problems - Yes and No. Because of it's Open Source nature, there's hardware drivers for virtually all hardware. The down-side is, just like a Mac can't run PC software, Linux can't (for the most part) run PC software, so if your cam or wireless devices require any software to operate properly, you may run into an issue. What I would recommend is to google "Ubuntu Logitech QuckCam Web", of course replacing Logitech QuickCam Web with the manufacturer make and model of your devices. See if anyone has gotten them working before, and if they have, read what they had to do to get them working. Some devices will work out of the box and others may need tweaking.
The WiFi most likely will be autodetected by setup and the external HDD should work alright as well. The keyboard and mouse depend on how they work.
2. Ubuntu or XUbuntu - I don't know. I would add more RAM and try Ubuntu, but if thats not an option, try both. Put Ubuntu and if it runs too slow, try XUbuntu. I use Ubuntu (and Kubuntu which is just Ubuntu with KDE instead of Gnome...different desktops/customizations basically)
3. There's an IM client called Pidgin which I use mainly for AIM (even on my Windows PCs) It supports:
* AIM
* Bonjour
* Gadu-Gadu
* Google Talk
* Groupwise
* ICQ
* IRC
* MSN
* MySpaceIM
* SILC
* SIMPLE
* Sametime
* XMPP
* Yahoo!
* Zephyr
4. Ubuntu is easy to install, though I wouldn't say AS easy as Windows. The installation is pretty much the same, but the current versions of Windows are much better at auto-detecting third party devices and installing necessary drivers.
5. Ahh You know of Wine. There's a few Windows Emulators, WINE is probably the most popular. You sound like you've researched iTunes more than I have since I never liked it on my PC and use a Zune, I dont use iTunes. There's alternatives (Depending on which iPod you have)... Songbird is a nice alternative and works with most "classic" iPods (Just not the iPhone or Touch). There's others if you search around, including Amarok which comes with Ubuntu. Another option is to run either VMWare or Sun XVM. They allow you to run virtual machines and you could install Windows XP for the few applications in which you need it. I used to run XP in Sun xVM and was able to sync my Zune through it over USB
6. I've never heard of software compatibility problems with Linux. Linux programs are compiled from source code to run on various kernels (operating system versions) so there shouldn't be any problems. If a program was compiled for another OS (Say RedHat or Slackware) it may or may not run, but can often be re-compiled from the source. Also, most Linux software is open source, so if you are a programmer (or are willing to learn) you can customize, patch or fix most issues.
7. Tips... Go for it! It's a great experience and you can learn a lot from it. If you want easy/mindless computing, use Windows or get a Mac, but if you'd like to get your hands dirty and try something new, Ubuntu makes learning Linux enjoyable.
Hope I helped.
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