[Novalug] Linux For Beginners

[Bonnie Dalzell]

On Sat, 29 Nov 2008, Jean Figarella wrote:

JF >Lawrence Fides wrote:
JF >> Howdy!
JF >>
JF >> So I am new to Linux OS. However, there's too many different Linux 
JF >> distribution; ie Red Hat, Ubuntu, Fedora, etc. I was wondering which 
JF >> would be best for someone who is a "noob" to Linux.
JF >>
JF >> -- 
JF >> Thanks,
JF >> - F
JF >
JF >If you really want to learn Linux, then avoid SUSE, Ubuntu and Fedora 
JF >and go for a more "challenging" distribution like Slackware, Gentoo or 
JF >Arch at first. There is no really a distro that is better for newbies. 
JF >It all depends on the individual and how far is he/she willing to go and 
JF >read/search for documentation. This will actually force you to learn the 
JF >internals of how most Linux distributions behave and in the way will 
JF >also learn a lot about networking in the process. My first distribution 
JF >was Red Hat 5.x (if I remember correctly) but I didn't get to really 
JF >learn Linux, and the command line until I used Slackware. Yes I know is 
JF >not as bleeding edge and as automated like the other distributions are, 
JF >blah blah blah; but its simple with no GUI interfaces and basically YOU 
JF >have to do everything yourself.

On the other hand if you want to set up a working non-windoze OS and 
gradually learn more about linux - then do a dual install - two flavors 
of linux on one computer and use Ubuntu as the working OS that is not 
windows and then something like Slackware Gentoo or Arch as the other 
install that you can boot into and learn the basic linux. I can tell you 
however that even a flavor that is as easy to run from a GUI as Ubuntu 
still has a command line and all the command line tools are available.

If you only have one computer hooked up to the internet (the source of 
help) it is not very useful to have a non-working linux install on your 
computer. This is the great advantage of having a multi-boot 
installation...

Here is a useful site I found today while researching "clean old 
kernals off your harddrive". The Online version of The Linux Cookbook - 
table of contents (gives access to all of LCB) 
http://dsl.org/cookbook/cookbook_toc.html



JF >
JF >Basically, while the other distributions are very good and perhaps more 
JF >"modern", ( I use Ubuntu on my laptop, and CentOS at home) I can tell 
JF >you that for learning hands down Linux then Slackware, Gentoo and Arch 
JF >are better tools.
JF >
JF >Just my two cents and I don't represent any body's opinion, just mine. :)
JF >
JF >--Jean
JF >_______________________________________________
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JF >Novalug at calypso.tux.org
JF >http://calypso.tux.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/novalug
JF >

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
                       Bonnie Dalzell, MA
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