Linux HALP!

[Matthewmagic]

So everytime I get linux I'm thinking.

"Okay it is free, kinda cool, open source, runs games with some tinkering."

Then I boot it up, and I get google crome on it then I'm like "WUT..." I have no idea how to do some of the most basic things. Save pictures, find saved files, find a good video player, change the desktop picture. Every once in a while I open up some box that I can type in at makes me think of dos, which I figure out how too change the color Black and green so I feel like I'm in the movie Hackers, but the effect is diminished by the realization I don't know what to do with it.

So is there a good 20 minutes too an hour tutorial on the basics just to make the OS usable, because I want to learn it, it is just hard when I have too switch too windows to watch a tutorial then back to linux to try it, and it doesn't work.

 

[DoPo]

Hmm, I don't know of a good tutorial. I mean, I'm pretty sure there is one, but I haven't been looking for it. As for how to learn it...dunno, the easiest thing to say is "just use it" but I don't think it helps you much. I suppose you could try using it and then running off to Google when you get stuck. Might feel it's a lot of times in the beginning, though.

Which version of Linux do you have? Zorin [http://zorin-os.com/] is supposed to be closer to Windows so it might be more comfortable. Also consider Mint [http://linuxmint.com/] - Mint 14 came out just last week and it's looking good. I'd suggest getting the Cinnamon version, I think you'll like it more. Finally, you can try Ubuntu [http://www.ubuntu.com/], but I'm not sure how good it is lately (as in, for first time users).

Another thing you can do, is install Linux inside a virtual machine software, such as VMware Player [https://www.vmware.com/products/player/] or VirtualBox [https://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Downloads] - that would let you run Linux from inside Windows, so at least you'll always be in a familiar environment, rather than feel "in hostile territory" (heck, that's how I felt at first).

Finally, swing by the Linux users group [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/groups/view/Escapist-Linux-Users] and any time you bump into something, just drop a line in the chat, we'll be glad to help.

I guess, I'm trying to give a bit of advice but also bump the thread for if somebody else has a guide that can help you.

 

[The Artificially Prolonged]

Yes there are several depending on what distro you ate using. Youtube is good start but many linux distros have wikis to help new users, as far as can remember Ubuntu, Mint, Fedora and Arch have good wikis. You can also call in at the Escapist Linux group who will be of help. /shameless promotion.

Edit

Man Dopo, you move fast.

 

[Chromatic Aberration]

There is a very nice page called tuxfiles [http://www.tuxfiles.org/] that has a bunch of decent tutorials about the most basic things like file structure and command-line usage. Started reading there a few months ago and haven't regretted it. That said, I'm personally running Ubuntu on two of my computers and they work reasonably well. Out of the box they are already very intuitive, sometimes even more than windows. What the best programs are you need to learn, true, but it's not really that difficult. Just do the same as in windows: trial and error. I'd also recommend to invest time in learning the basics on how to work with the command-line - it's just so....convenient for the most part.