which linux distribution should i choose?

[DataFlow]

I think it's time for a change..
I'm using windows for about 9 years.. and i wanna go linux .

So i'm newbie with linux so which distribution is better for me?

I have on cd's Linux ubuntu 8.04 original cd and backtrack 5... well i can download other distributions from internet if necessary.

I will keep windows too .. i will dualboot for now util i can handle linux

[geXXos]

I am new linux user too and i use debian.

Regarding which distribution to use, there is no correct answer imo. Try a few and then keep the one that works best for you. Most distros have live discs which you can use without installing anything to your hard drive, so download those and try them out. distrowatch has a lot of useful information regarding Linux distros.


I think Ubuntu is a good starting place,all though i started with debian to learn linux in general , is quite complicated for a beginner,Ubuntu is derived from it making most configuration tasks smarter.


More experienced users should give you better advises.


You can visit this site and take the test http://www.zegeniestudios.net/ldc/
It gathers info from the answers you give and in the end it gives the user a list of distros.

[Ethereal]

hey man. take look about linux mint or (slackware, gentoo)  that i like and no problems, i like backtrack's gui but backtrack is for penetration testing.

[DataFlow]

I see mint has different editions : MATE & Cinnamon with/without codec

[Daemon]

I see mint has different editions : MATE & Cinnamon with/without codec

Try searching the forums, theres several other posts regarding this very topic. And it really depends on what you want, do you want an easy to use windows replacement? If so, ubuntu is what you want. If your looking to actually get into *nix and gain control of the CLI then I personally would start with Debian. And if your ballsy and don't get easily frustrated then go for Arch and don't say I didn't warn ya.

[DataFlow]

Arch looks nice

[Kulverstukas]

Arch could be hard and frustrating for people that has no prior knowledge of Linux. I mean with arch you basically recompile the whole system

[DataFlow]

I will try it tho i like things to be a bit harder and i got all the time in the world no rush

Btw what good books or tutorials recommend for linux?
 

[Ethereal]

I think Arch linux is not good for you now, you are still newbie take other (Try Mint cinnamon )

[DataFlow]

What about unity ? people say is good.

I will check mint too

[Kulverstukas]

Unity is a Window manager (like Gnome, AwesomeWM, KDE etc.), not a distro. And it sucks.

[DataFlow]

ok i choose i will use mint its easy to use for a newbie i tried ubuntu too but i don't really like it..

I will stay with mint for a while then i will jump to another distribution and so on.
Thanks all for the reply's

[Axon]

Gentoo is for professionals, start with Ubuntu,Mint or any of their variants, there are all based on Debian so there is almost no difference between them.

[bluechill]

Gentoo is for professionals, start with Ubuntu,Mint or any of their variants, there are all based on Debian so there is almost no difference between them.

There is a big difference between Debian and Ubuntu.  Debian is the original and doesn't have all the crap.  Ubuntu is the crap filled one.  My recommendation for a new linux user is either Fedora or Debian linux.  My personal preference for a distro is either Fedora, Debian, or Arch.

[lucid]

First time? Don't do Arch. Unless you are willing to spend more time reading and posting help threads all over the internet than actually doing anything productive on the computer.

Debian. Go Debian. Don't bother with Ubuntu. Especially not now that they've scrapped Gnome 2 and went to Unity. It's complete crap. It's practically worse than windows..

Ubuntu 12.04 -

Code: [Select]

Sorry, Ubuntu 12.04 has experienced an internal error.
 If you notice further problem, try restarting the computer.
 Send an error report to help fix this problem


You - Well gee ubuntu is there anything I can do to fix or avoid that?
Ubuntu - NO!

Code: [Select]

Sorry, Ubuntu 12.04 has experienced an internal error.
 If you notice further problem, try restarting the computer.
 Send an error report to help fix this problem
You - Fine fuck you Ubuntu!


Ubuntu -

Code: [Select]

Unity has crashed.
Send an error report to help fix this problem

You - FUCKAHHAHAFHHAHAHFHFD AFDHAF FAGGOT BITCH UBUNTU!!!!