Taking the dip: Getting started with Linux.

[Arachon]

Throughout most of my gaming "career", I've been a polar opposite to the people who praises Linux as if it were a higher evolved species. Most due to the fact that Linux is worthless for games.

Anyhow, as I have Linux as a subject in school nowadays, I figured I might as well learn it. I'm sure there's atelast someone here who uses Linux, so I was wondering, where do I start? I've got the entire thing installed, and I know my way around at least basic navigation. But I am looking for more, so does anyone have an idea of where to start? An easy to understand guide which isn't too distro-specific?

 

[Toriver]

Well, I use Linux and can help you out with it. First, I need to know which distribution (distro) you're using. This is very important because different distributions are run in very different ways. Some are easier for beginners to use than others. The easier popular ones tend to be Ubuntu, Fedora and OpenSUSE. When most people think of Linux, they think of Gentoo, which is middle-of-the-road when it comes to use, but very difficult to install. If you've got it all installed already, I don't think you're using that. The harder ones to use are distros like Slackware and Arch Linux. Linux is just the kernel, the code that links the CPU to the rest of the computer. The actual operating systems are the various distributions. There are a LOT of distos out there but many are based off of a few core ones. So which one are you using? I can do more to help you from there.

EDIT: FYI, I am currently using Ubuntu 9.10, but have used Ubuntu 8.10, Fedora 10 and 11, and Sabayon 4.0

 

[dsmops2003]

Good for you Linux is great. I can assist as well. I run ubuntu, fedora, and RHEL5.

 

[Baby Tea]

I love Linux!
But I love it for it's 'free' and 'awesomely low requirements that keep it running fast'.
I have Mint 8 installed on a laptop at home, and it blazes.

Good luck if you're learning the terminal commands! I don't know much about that stuff, but enough to help me follow instructions when I need to figure something out. It's great, though!

 

[Arachon]

Well, I use Linux and can help you out with it. First, I need to know which distribution (distro) you're using. This is very important because different distributions are run in very different ways. Some are easier for beginners to use than others. The easier popular ones tend to be Ubuntu, Fedora and OpenSUSE. When most people think of Linux, they think of Gentoo, which is middle-of-the-road when it comes to use, but very difficult to install. If you've got it all installed already, I don't think you're using that. The harder ones to use are distros like Slackware and Arch Linux. Linux is just the kernel, the code that links the CPU to the rest of the computer. The actual operating systems are the various distributions. There are a LOT of distos out there but many are based off of a few core ones. So which one are you using? I can do more to help you from there.

EDIT: FYI, I am currently using Ubuntu 9.10, but have used Ubuntu 8.10, Fedora 10 and 11, and Sabayon 4.0

Currently sitting on Backtrack 4... Perhaps not the most optimal distro to start with, but from what I've gathered, it's kind of like Ubuntu, but with certain graphical interfaces removed (and, thank god, running KDE rather than GNOME). But what I'm looking for mostly, is the CLI-stuff, in which regards Backtrack is almost exactly like Ubuntu (I believe earlier versions of Backtrack were based on Debian, but the latest one went for Ubuntu).