[NTLUG:Discuss] Linux Dist.

[greenglow484@juno.com]

On Sat, 05 Aug 2000 15:32:59 -0500 Steve Baker <sjbaker1 at airmail.net>
writes:
> al wrote:
> > 
> > Shel Johnson wrote:
> > >
> > > Egad!!.. Now I'm REALLY confused.. Maybe I should just get an 
> iMac??..
> > > just kidding.. Just when I've made my decision, I'm informed of 
> different
> > > advantages, although I've learned to stay away from debian for 
> now.. My
> > > plan is to learn how to drive an automatic transmission car 
> before
> > > tackling a standard...
> > >
> > 
> > that makes it SIMPLE
> > 
> > Mandrake 7.1 Deluxe( then you get the penguin too)
> 
> Cool - I guess that trumps the "User friendly" cartoon stickers you 
> get with
> SuSE - yeah - definitely go with Mandrake :-)
> 
> -- 
> Steve Baker   HomeEmail: <sjbaker1 at airmail.net>
>               WorkEmail: <sjbaker at link.com>
>               HomePage : http://web2.airmail.net/sjbaker1
>               Projects : http://plib.sourceforge.net
>                          http://tuxaqfh.sourceforge.net
>                          http://tuxkart.sourceforge.net
>                          http://prettypoly.sourceforge.net

Shel --

I repeat my own vote for Mandrake 7.1.

After I wrote last night, I realized I about half-way did_not_answer your
question.  Your Q was:  "...> What is the easiest linux distribution for
beginners??..."

Answer:  Mandrake 7.1, IMO.  

Their install on version 7.0 and 7.1 is as close to flawless as I've had
with any distro;  it is attractive, functional/ informative, IMO; it lets
you choose your own level of knowledge (novice/ whatever; medium;
expert).  It has a Mdk-specific tool that lets you choose the level of
system security you want to start off with (note:  if you choose the most
restrictive, "paranoid" I think it's called, then it will_not_let you log
on directly as root/ super-user/ Admin.  You first have to log on as an
ordinary user, then su (substitute/ switch user) to root.  Actually, kind
of an un-handy surprise, IMO, but their heart is probably in the right
place.)

Other stuff:  disk partitioning, package selection; Mdk install routine
just seems to be sensible, thought-out, attractive and easy for me to
use, and it works for me.  

Caution:  at very end of 7.1 install routine, when you configure the X
server (the "windoze"/ graphical settings), be careful to push the
buttons exactly right and let it go all the way thru that step, else when
you reboot, it will not automatically start the x-server/ graphical
display, and you'll have to go thru whole install again.  (no, you don't
have to maybe, but as a newbie, you may.)

Hardware:  Mdk and Red Hat both have a soundcard configuration program
(it's Red Hat's), called "sndconfig", which is the only or main way I've
ever gotten my sound card to work; (SuSE also had a similar, but no other
distro ever was as easy to config. for me.)  What this means is:  if your
sound card is an older card as mine is (I've a 3-year old Sblastr AWE 64,
which I think is PCI; I always get PCI and ISA confused), the sndconfig
in Red Hat or Mdk is, IMO, the way to go.  (SuSE now has a similar
routine in version 6.4; first time I ever had sound in a SuSE try-out,
recently).

After you install it, Mandrake is IMO more user friendly to look at and
start using.  (to some people, that's the same thing as being
windoze-ified, or "dumbed down".)  Example:  Mdk automatically makes, and
puts onto your graphical desktop, icons for each of your Windoze/ other
partitions; it makes it easy to access the other non-Linux file systems
on your machine.  Can you do it yourself?  Of course; when I first tried
RedHat, with use of LinuxConf (Mdk's variation is called "Drakeconf"), I
learned how to do it myself; see my prior post, about how that
is_a_good_thing_to_do.  But, Mdk makes it easier for a newbie/ novice,
IMO.

> .. My
> > > plan is to learn how to drive an automatic transmission car 
> before
> > > tackling a standard...

Precisely; I concur; that's how I've been doing it.  

But, definitely do start to "tackle the standard"; as I said yesterday,
learning how to do things without relying on all the graphical, cute,
windoze-ified stuff that each distro sticks in (and which is different,
distro to distro, for many of the distros).  Am I glad they stick in that
stuff?  Yes.  Does it help me?  Yes, definitely; example:  sound config. 
But does it make it a better system when I know how to tinker with it/
hack files or scripts/ whatever myself?  Also, yes, definitely; you
understand how the whole thing works together.

Just my opinion.  But for the forseeable future, my vote stays firmly
with Mdk.  Plus, like I said yesterday, their current 7.1 contains the
latest V. 4 of the x-server (the "windoze" graphical display), and the
"Helix Gnome" desktop enhancements (IMO, very attractive), although, as
others have pointed out, the other distros all pick up stuff quickly, so
the others will be there quite soon.  Again, enjoy the ride!
--
  Douglas D. Darnold	Principal/ Attorney
  LAW OFFICES OF DOUGLAS D. DARNOLD <greenglow484 at juno.com>
  P. O. Box 12461	Dallas  Texas 75225-0461	Voice: 214-368-0068




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