my harddrive just crashed... i was running xp pro on a p4 with 128M ram and a 40gig hard drive. i just ordered another 512M ram for it and a 250gig hard drive (Western Digital Caviar SE16 WD2500KS 250GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive) I use my computer for internet, burning dvd's, music, pictures, and basic word processing... what is the learning curve for linex... is there a basic OS i can start with.. can i partition or run 2 hard drives and run a different OS system on each (windows and linex) until i get the hang of it? i really hate windows! but i was wondering just how different the 2 OS systems are? Any thoughs? Jig
i've edited your post, don't think you meant to post what you did about XP somehow... I wholeheartedly recommend Mandriva Linux, been using it (it used to be known as Mandrake) for over 5years now and i find it's one of the easiest to learn/use and administer. here's some good reading, see how you go with these then come back and we'll go from there - http://forums.afterdawn.com/thread_view.cfm/374720 http://forums.afterdawn.com/thread_view.cfm/374884 http://forums.afterdawn.com/thread_view.cfm/370940
you seem to be a knowledgeable fella when it comes to this Linux stuff... I got my memory today and the harddrive should be here tommorrow or the next day.... and i read all three of the links you sent me... some of the stuff was over my head, others i understood... i took the test and got this as an answer... Mandriva, Kubuntu, Ubuntu I'm guessing all 3 are pretty basic versions. I like using windows. it seems pretty user friendly. I just hate how unstable things are. this is why i'm seeking a change and taking a look at linux. 1. Now am i going to be able to use programs such as adobe, i tunes, the software for my digital camera, dvd shrink, imgburn, mozilla? I'm guessing there is a way to use some of this stuff and or find something similar. I hate soundinglike a newbee but i am one... 2. Can u give me an example (in terms i will understand) of what a major difference between windows and linux is. maybe somrthing i 'll have to get used to. I guess I just dont know what to expect. I have used windows all of my life. 3. how much would i benifit from using one of these live CD distro's to start? 4. will i need to partition my hard drive? at first using a live cd? when i install linux? does the copy of linux show u how to do this? or give u a program on how to? I have PowerQuest PartitionMagic 8.0 on my dell right now... 5. what about VECTORLINUX for a live cd to start? thanks for your help Jig
after taking the test again there are a few questions i dont unbderstand... What is a 64 bit processor? I have a pent4 1.3ghz 640 ram... is this considered mor ethen a few years old? is my computer too slow to run linux? jig
Most of the answers you want can be found in the more recent threads made by other users in this forum, i suggest you read those for some of the basic answers. I will tell you beforehand that unless a program is specified as being available for linux (usually on it's download page), you won't be able to use it (unless it is supported by WINE, a program which can run some windows only applications) Also, you can answer most of your questions yourself by using google and wikipedia, they are invaluable sources of information.
@PDR60 - as you know it's against our rules to push other forums.. pls amend your signature and refrain from doing this in future
you're not getting it...the address of your site is still there. how about this: just delete everything that follows your question marks.
He got something... a kick in the @rse. Too bad it wasn't a permban. I hate it when people come here just to get people over to their own forums. Either come here and help out with ansers or sod off already.
Back on topic: 1> There is similar programs for all you mentioned or they can be configured under WINE to run in Linux. 2> Major differences, hummm... This is a difficult question. Linux is a completely different OS. Alot of things need to be done with command lines. Linux is smaller (takes up less hard drive space) and runs faster. You'll just have to try it and see. 3> Quite a bit. It would give you a chance to see the different distributions in action without installing anything on your computer. Since there are two main GUI's to Linux, you might not like one but like the other. It would give you the chance to see if all your hardware works. Lots more benifits but those are a couple of the main ones. 4> A Live version doens't install anything. If and when you decide to install a distro, there are Wizards (just like Windows) to help you partition your hard drive and install Linux. 5> VectorLinux is based on Slackware. I wouldn't recommend it for someone just trying Linux for the first time. Slackware is very close to the UNIX system and can be difficult for newbies. 6> Your system will run Linux just fine without hardware upgrades. Your processor isn't 64bit. That is the newer generation of CPU's coming out.
