# Which linux to choose?



## vinith98 (Jan 24, 2007)

Hello people,

         This is my first post on digit forum. I am a windows XP user and I want to migrate to linux. As I am completely new to linux I have decided to by a book to help me out. I found several books on Linux and so I am a bit confused on which to go in for.

         Firstly I want to know to the difference between different Linux like Fedora Core, Suse, Red hat etc.. Which of this is better and also tell me which is the new version. 

         Also please recommend me a good book. If possible please leave on link to linux tutorial page.

         Please reply,

         Vinith


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## ambandla (Jan 24, 2007)

You can try any of these.

Ubunu
linspire
suse
mandriva

I love suse most but you will find ubuntu most usefull as you are first time user.
__________
Fedora Core/redhat linux is good but is not good for first time linux users .
Suse is very good solution for first time home use as well as first time admin use.

ubuntu, mandriva, linspire: all these are for home-only use and are exteremly simple. They can't do well for servers.

Just browse respective sites for version number.

books: hmm. try Running Linux, 5th Edition, Oreilly.


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## PCWORM (Jan 24, 2007)

go 4 ubuntu....
 u can even try slax or dynebolic which is given with the dec2006 cds of digit....


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## mehulved (Jan 24, 2007)

Just start with Knoppix live cd and learn a few things. Check out the stickies in this section.


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## Siddharth Maheshwari (Jan 24, 2007)

I think u should go for ubuntu.It resembles windows a lot .Morever u can get its 6.06version at ur home for free.I hav already got.
If u want the link for free ubuntu at ur home reply me.


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## ashisharya (Jan 24, 2007)

go for ubuntu
u can download it or order a cd


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## dissel (Jan 24, 2007)

And here is Ubuntu Guide Book
The book is actually focused on Installing and Configaring Ubuntu for Newbies.
It is .chm format...you can easilly view it Window OS.
Or If you already running Ubuntu then you need gnome chm viewer.



> sudo apt-get update
> sudo apt-get install gnochm


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## Aberforth (Jan 24, 2007)

Since you're starting out I'd suggest Ubuntu 6.10 which you could get from a linux friend, tech magazine and burn it to a CD. Or you could do an order in Shipit which will ship home Ubuntu for free. Ubuntu is light and clean, has most apps you need and use can use it's repositories to get more. There are also a lot of third party debian packages which work well on Ubuntu. One point of caution, if you are a power user you'll be most happy with Ubuntu if you have a broadband connection, downloading updates and packages in Ubuntu do take some time.

If you want administrative and server apps out of the box as well as all the special effects, go for OpenSuse 10.2.


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## vinith98 (Jan 24, 2007)

Thanks you a lot for repying.
__________
Ya please give me the link 
Thanx


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## mehulved (Jan 24, 2007)

For ordering Ubuntu CD? Then it is shipit.ubuntu.com


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## kumarmohit (Jan 24, 2007)

Try a live CD first, just to get the hang of things like Knoppix or DSL


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## Pathik (Jan 24, 2007)

fc6 or mandriva 07 or opensuse 10.2.. But not ubuntu


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## gary4gar (Jan 24, 2007)

pathiks said:
			
		

> fc6 or mandriva 07 or opensuse 10.2.. But not ubuntu


Why not ubuntu?


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## planetcall (Jan 24, 2007)

Dont go for suse or any such variant which has commercial version. You will never get all the features in the free versions. Ubuntu is the best option and it is the most widely searched linux flavour as per distrowatch.com . It is better to download the latest ubuntu than ordering the free CD as for free they are giving the previous LTS release CDs only.


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## gary4gar (Jan 24, 2007)

planetcall said:
			
		

> Dont go for suse or any such variant which has commercial version. You will never get all the features in the free versions. Ubuntu is the best option and it is the most widely searched linux flavour as per distrowatch.com . It is better to download the latest ubuntu than ordering the free CD as for free they are giving the previous LTS release CDs only.


+1


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## NucleusKore (Jan 24, 2007)

First of all I would like to point out that a lot of users making a switch from windows to Linux end up comparing the two and cursing. Things are done DIFFERENTLY in linux, that doesn't make it any more difficult than windows. You have to be ready to learn new things.
If you go for a distro like Ubuntu you will have to use command line a little more often, than if you were to go for a distro like Open SuSE which is completely wizard driven. 
I think in terms of third party packages (software), fedora has the widest collection, but then again you will have to fiddle around with commandline. If you are just an end user like me who wants to enjoy your OS and not become a computer engineer go for Open SuSE


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## Aberforth (Jan 24, 2007)

planetcall said:
			
		

> Dont go for suse or any such variant which has commercial version. You will never get all the features in the free versions.



I wouldn't agree with that. OpenSuse is not a low-end free version of SLED, it simply misses the technical support you'd have got with SLED and a few proprietary apps you wouldn't get even in Ubuntu. So you are not losing anything either way, you gain some thing in Suse as has features which Ubuntu misses. And being opensource there will always be a free version of Suse, if Novell considers to discontinue it someone else could take up the OpenSuse project and get on. Novell took over Suse only recently it existed much long before that.

@NucleusKore - Agreed

First Linux is not Windows and neither it is geeky. I am not a geek but after mastering Linux I found it a lot better than Window albeit different. The learning curve isn't that steep and after you become Linux user you'll find its worth it. And it's not Linux's fault Windows games don't work in Linux (which is changing now) and there are loads of free 3D games in Lunix which would require you to pay an arm and a leg in Windows.


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## mehulved (Jan 24, 2007)

NucleusKore said:
			
		

> I think in terms of third party packages (software), fedora has the widest collection


 Debian has the most followed by Ubuntu AFAIK, even Suse has more apps than FC, atleast last time I checked.


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## Aberforth (Jan 24, 2007)

FC's attitude towards proprietary softwares and it's step motherly treatment by RH compared to RHEL led me to choose Suse instead. FC isn't the distro with most packages and neither its the best for a newbie as it is made to be bleeding edge instead of stable.


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## NucleusKore (Jan 24, 2007)

tech_your_future said:
			
		

> Debian has the most followed by Ubuntu AFAIK, even Suse has more apps than FC, atleast last time I checked.


Ok, that's why I said I think


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## vinith98 (Jan 27, 2007)

Hello,

         I ordered 1 ubuntu cd from shipit.ubuntu.com Will they charge me for this. And also how much time will it take to get delivered


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## Pathik (Jan 27, 2007)

u shd get it in a month or so depending on availability....
its FREE


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## caleb (Jan 30, 2007)

I too am new to Linux (2 months old)...tried 
Mandriva 2007
Ubuntu 6.06
Fedora Core 6 
Open Suse 10.2
...all in that order...they are all the latest versions...except Ubuntu...I think Ubuntu 6.10 has already been released if I'm not wrong.

I get the DVD's for the same from "Linux for You magazine". If you are a newbie to Linux that is the magazine to read plus it gives you one new distro each month on a DVD and these DVD's are far superior and easy to install than the DVD's dished out by Digit, Chip or PC World for Linux. 

I stuck with Open Suse 10.2 for it's shere wealth of info, repositoris available. looks & ease of installation from a novice point of view. 

I found Mandriva 2007 to be the annoying & slowest of them all, but Linux as a whole (regardless of the distro) is a bit annoying and time consuming affair for someone new to open source. Also the DVD I got bundled only Firefox 1.5 

Ubuntu was easy and I liked the chocolate color background but it it lacked the kind of "experiance" I was looking for especially because I am a Win XP fan.

Fedora had a lot of neat options during installation but did not give me enough to statisfy a complete mutimedia experiance...guess it's due to my favouratism for GDE as Fedora only offered me Gnome & Firefox. Also I like Konqueror better than Firefox 2 (I know many will pounce on me for this...but it is my personal view with no offence to all the Firefox fans).

For someone like me (who is very new to Linux) I found it easy to install all the required repositories for Open Suse 10.2 very easy including playing & ripping DVD movies, and getting all the Nvidia drivers (which I found very difficult in Mandriva, Ubuntu & Fedora).

Try Open Suse 10.2 you might like it...but regardless of the distro you choose be prepared to invest a LOT of time installing and learning Linux. I think as someone who is new to Linux I find it to be the biggest drawback for anyone thinking of migrating or even trying out Linux plus another biggest drawback is that most Linux forums have really hifi guys discussing open source as if it is rocket science.

I have found very few that actually make it simple for a newbie to understand (no offence to anyone in this forum)...this is where Windows scores over Linux. Maybe this is something for the Linux fraternity to think about.


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## praka123 (Jan 30, 2007)

*Ubuntu edgy default brown theme can be changed*

For Ubuntu Users,u can apt-get install blubuntu-look theme package to transform from default brown color to a pleasent blue theme.presently am using the same.i tried removing even the smallest brown color present on Edgy-while  starting up,U'll see the same brown background even after installing Blubuntu.so i made default a custom Blue color using edgy menu>System>preferences>Desktop Background>Desktop Colors=Blue
yeah it is  "gnome-background-properties" command.but yet to change usplash to BLUE
*wiki.ubuntu.com/Artwork/Incoming/Blubuntu?action=AttachFile&do=get&target=blubuntu.jpg


> Blubuntu aims to be a theme as complete as the default theme that can be a sibling to 'Human'. It aims to maintain the same level of polish, but sacrifice some of the uniqueness for ease on the eye
> The colours will be less bright and more blue than the current Human theme.
> The theme will aim to be cohesive, so that you feel like you are using a system developed as a whole, not made of many different applications
> For edgy we will be pushing ahead with the art centric 'top down' approach for the theme, mainly due to ime contraints. However, there is a /BlubuntuPonder page for collecting ideas and concepts that will allow us to rebuild future versions from this foundation.


 *wiki.ubuntu.com/Artwork/Incoming/Blubuntu
for all ppl here is my edgy /etc/apt/sources.list

```
prakash@ubuntu:~$ cat /etc/apt/sources.list
###gpg --keyserver subkeys.pgp.net --recv KEY
###gpg --export --armor KEY | apt-key add -


deb *us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ edgy main restricted universe multiverse

deb *us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ edgy-updates main restricted universe multiverse

deb *us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ edgy-proposed main restricted universe multiverse

deb *us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ edgy-backports main restricted universe multiverse

deb *security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu edgy-security main restricted universe multiverse

deb *archive.canonical.com/ubuntu edgy-commercial main

deb *download.tuxfamily.org/3v1deb edgy 3v1n0

deb *wine.budgetdedicated.com/apt edgy main

deb *download.tuxfamily.org/3v1deb edgy beryl-svn
```


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## desertwind (Jan 30, 2007)

caleb said:
			
		

> but Linux as a whole (regardless of the distro) is a bit annoying and time consuming affair for someone new to open source.



It may be for a persone migrating from another OS. This problem of course occurs. It happen within distro also. 

Like, my little sis(aged 9), from the beginning, is working on GNU/Linux. She started  playing games on my desktop. Since I didn't want her to mess up my system settings, I created a user for her and she started working. After a few months, she has done things that I never went through.

On a later stage, she found it extreme difficult to work on my cousins laptop, which is loaded with Windows.


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## mehulved (Jan 30, 2007)

caleb 
Those who find linux troublesome are the ones who are well versed with Windows. They have forgotten the effort they had put in to learn windows.
When I started using Linux, I hardly knew much about computers, I was struggling to use windows too.
I needed someone to help me around with both windows and linux.
Like desertwind said about his cousin, same applies to me. I have tried XP and Vista after using Linux for a long time. Now, I find windows too uncomfortable to use, since I am used to Linux's freedom, options offered and ease of software availability that not so with windows.
It's just a person's habit which dictates whether a distro is good or bad.
And what's GDE? I think you maybe saying KDE.
And asto LFY's DVD's they sux. They stop working too soon, most of them. This I was informed by a few GLUG members and it indeed happened to be true.


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## praka123 (Jan 30, 2007)

*tried first itself Linux?*

^^ Did u said u started ur computer life with GNU/Linux?that was gr8,
But in normal circumstances U r forced to learn in Windows.also will make new users thing Windows and Computer is same.

*GDE* may be GNOME DESKTOP ENVIROMENT eh?


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## subratabera (Jan 30, 2007)

*Re: tried first itself Linux?*



			
				praka123 said:
			
		

> ^^ Did u said u started ur computer life with GNU/Linux?that was gr8,
> But in normal circumstances U r forced to learn in Windows.also will make new users thing Windows and Computer is same.


 True...
BTW, the real advantage of having Windows on your system is the availability of drivers. You can use any hardware with windows. Thats make it really simple for newbies. With Linux, they can't even think of installing a new driver for some specific hardware they have. For example, I am a regular Linux user but was unable to enable Beryl on one of my friend's new system which has VIA chipset. I've tried each and every possible way to install it but failed. Even knoppix 5.1.1 failed also. So, I think its the driver part which makes Linux tough for newbies...


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## desertwind (Jan 30, 2007)

Even the driver availability is a matter of time. It's not the fault of gnu/linux, but of hardware manufacturers who are not supporting.

I always choose hardware that supports my software, not a software that support my hardware.


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## subratabera (Jan 30, 2007)

Ya I know that. But many users buy their systems without knowing anything about Linux hardware compatibility issues and when they try to install Linux, it disappoints them. As a newbie they try familiar ways to find drivers and fail. This make them go back to Windows. That's the real problem with Linux IMHO...


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## mehulved (Jan 30, 2007)

*Re: tried first itself Linux?*



			
				praka123 said:
			
		

> ^^ Did u said u started ur computer life with GNU/Linux?that was gr8,


 Didn't start but my friend introduced me to FC2 quite early in my computing life.
__________


			
				subratabera said:
			
		

> For example, I am a regular Linux user but was unable to enable Beryl on one of my friend's new system which has VIA chipset.


 I don't think beryl or any 3D desktop is supported in via and S3 video cards yet.


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## subratabera (Jan 30, 2007)

Yes. But the latest Kernel address such issues I think...


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## mehulved (Jan 30, 2007)

3D desktop's not got much to do with kernel AFAIK. I think it's the DRI and stuff that's matter, isn't present in those cards.


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## caleb (Jan 30, 2007)

To tech_your_future and all the harcore linux fans,

Allow me to clarify the following:
1) Although I am a Windows fan, I am not against Linux. I think it has some really brilliant OS's eg. Open Suse (which is my personal favourite).

2) When I say it is time consuming I speak solely form a novice point of view especailly due the scarcity of the available drivers & what not...it just takes far too long to set up a Liniux OS to achieve a "true" multimedia experiance.

3) I purchased my first computer in 1999 and prior to that I had used my office PC to type some Word documents at office that's it...I even installed Win98 (pirated...which I did not know was illegal at that time) by myself...all I had to do was load the CD and I just followed that instructions and I recall very clearly the simplicity of installation & use of the system...besides that there were hunderds of tutorials and readme guides to make my learning a very smooth and painless process. 

Whereas Linux is a complicated affair. Even the tutorials and readme files somehow make it look complicated....after reading them you feel that it is meant only for geeks. Look at it from a newbie's point of view...once again I am not blaming Linux but merely stating what a newbie has to go through to set up a linux OS so he/she can watch a simple thing like a DVD movie. On the contrary take a Windows XP all you have to do is inset the DVD and it plays...once again I am not saying that XP is better than Linux etc but merely pointing out the ease of operation.

Take what desertwind said for example "I always choose hardware that supports my software, not a software that support my hardware" ... for someone like deserwind (who is a accomplished computing person) it is easier to find hardware that support your software requirements but do you think a newbie will have that kind of knowledge and the time to hunt for a hardware which will support a Linux OS (which most likely will release a new version of the OS faster than the hardware companies can produce new hardware?), so once again a newbie is faced with the decision of choosing the easier option of Windows are the difficult option of Linux starting with selecting the right hardware and the right drivers etc. 

At the end of the day technology should be about how it can simpify our taks NOT complicate and if one wants to have a easy and uncomplicated OS it does not necessarily mean he or she is lazy or is not putting in the effort....because life does not revolve only around PC's & OS's.

So my dear Linux gurus kindly do not take this as an attack on Linux because it is not meant to be. I like Linux and I think it will flourish with time but making it more simpler for newbies will significantly shorten the timeframe of it's mass popularity.

tech_your_future, regarding GDE, it was a typo...I meant to type KDE. Hey can you suggest a good free DVD emulator (like Daemon in Windows) for Open Suse 10.2,  I googled and googled for hours without any success.


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## mehulved (Jan 30, 2007)

caleb said:
			
		

> Hey can you suggest a good free DVD emulator (like Daemon in Windows) for Open Suse 10.2,  I googled and googled for hours without any success.


 You don't need those. Do this to mount an iso located at /home/foo/xyz.iso

```
sudo mkdir /mnt/iso
sudo mount -t iso9660 -o loop ~/xyz.iso /mnt/iso
```
~ stand for your home directory, which is /home/foo in the above example
For udf change iso9660 to udf. But, you'll need udftools.


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## desertwind (Jan 31, 2007)

caleb said:
			
		

> 2) When I say it is time consuming I speak solely form a novice point of view especailly due the scarcity of the available drivers & what not...it just takes far too long to set up a Liniux OS to achieve a "true" multimedia experiance.



I can't understand you. Here's what I do in my PC

1. Watch DVD/VCD Movies (Thanks xine/mplayer/libdvdcss2 and more)
2. Play/Organize Music (Thanks Rhythmbox)
3. Download MPEG4/xvid movies and watch (Thanks xine-libs, mplyer-codecs-all)
4. Encode movies to mpeg4/xvid format (Thanks ffmpeg, mencoder and many front ends)
5. Rip DVDs (Thanks ffmpeg, mencoder, dvdrip etc)
5. Create DVD/VCD Movies from video files (Thanks ffmpeg, ToVid etc)
6. Write CD/DVD (Thanks wodim, k3b, gnomebaker and more)
7. Edit Movies (Thanks cinelerra, kino etc)
8. Image Editing (Thanks gimp etc)

Want more??? What do you mean by true multimedia experience?




			
				caleb said:
			
		

> 3) I purchased my first computer in 1999 and prior to that I had used my office PC to type some Word documents at office that's it...I even installed Win98 (pirated...which I did not know was illegal at that time) by myself...all I had to do was load the CD and I just followed that instructions and I recall very clearly the simplicity of installation & use of the system...besides that there were hunderds of tutorials and readme guides to make my learning a very smooth and painless process.



My first  gnu/linux installation was on Jan 1998, and never found more tougher than a win installation. 



			
				caleb said:
			
		

> Whereas Linux is a complicated affair. Even the tutorials and readme files somehow make it look complicated....after reading them you feel that it is meant only for geeks.



Being a newbie for several years, i never felt so. I won't agree with you about tutorials written for gnu/linux. Please check tldp.org once.



			
				caleb said:
			
		

> Look at it from a newbie's point of view...once again I am not blaming Linux but merely stating what a newbie has to go through to set up a linux OS so he/she can watch a simple thing like a DVD movie. On the contrary take a Windows XP all you have to do is inset the DVD and it plays...once again I am not saying that XP is better than Linux etc but merely pointing out the ease of operation.



The first thing I've done straightaway after a debian installation, is watching a movie. I popped in a DVD video, and bingo! Totem started playing the movie.

I agree that there are some licensing issues with several propitary formats with gnu/linux, but there's no other way to protect user's software freedom.



			
				caleb said:
			
		

> Take what desertwind said for example "I always choose hardware that supports my software, not a software that support my hardware" ... for someone like deserwind (who is a accomplished computing person) it is easier to find hardware that support your software requirements but do you think a newbie will have that kind of knowledge and the time to hunt for a hardware which will support a Linux OS (which most likely will release a new version of the OS faster than the hardware companies can produce new hardware?), so once again a newbie is faced with the decision of choosing the easier option of Windows are the difficult option of Linux starting with selecting the right hardware and the right drivers etc.



FOA, I'm not an accomplished computing person. Second, I have a little knowledge about computer hardware, though software is my playground.

And again I repeat, I will blame hardware manufacturers for not providing drivers. Drivers are the responsibility of manufacturers, not users. And It's my duty to protest against those manufacturers by not using their hardware, and adsking my friends not to buy it.



			
				caleb said:
			
		

> At the end of the day technology should be about how it can simpify our taks NOT complicate and if one wants to have a easy and uncomplicated OS it does not necessarily mean he or she is lazy or is not putting in the effort....because life does not revolve only around PC's & OS's.



I'm happy to say that gnu/linux made my life always easy, if not easier.



			
				caleb said:
			
		

> So my dear Linux gurus kindly do not take this as an attack on Linux because it is not meant to be. I like Linux and I think it will flourish
> with time but making it more simpler for newbies will significantly shorten the timeframe of it's mass popularity.



Never. I had faced more attack than this.

And I'd say, GNU/Linux should remain some of it's geekness, otherwise newbies will remain newbies forever. I know people who doesn't know anything about computing even after using PC's for a long time. That won't be the case if one used GNU OS for six months.


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## mehulved (Jan 31, 2007)

desertwind said:
			
		

> And I'd say, GNU/Linux should remain some of it's geekness, otherwise newbies will remain newbies forever. I know people who doesn't know anything about computing even after using PC's for a long time. That won't be the case if one used GNU OS for six months.


I'd fully agree to this. It's been about a year and half since I am using Linux and I feel I have learnt a lot, which I don't think I'd ever learn in Windows cos it serves you everything on a platter. Then, when it goes wrong you are clueless.
GNU/Linux has a bigger learning curve but IMO well worth it. And things are moving in a direction to make it easier for new users but don't ever expect CLI to go cos CLI is a power house and many advanced users love it's powers.


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## subratabera (Jan 31, 2007)

desertwind said:
			
		

> And I'd say, GNU/Linux should remain some of it's geekness, otherwise newbies will remain newbies forever. I know people who doesn't know anything about computing even after using PC's for a long time. That won't be the case if one used GNU OS for six months.


Very very true...


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## dissel (Jan 31, 2007)

^^^^
Agreed....100% true.
though I am only 2 months old...in linux...and Now, I spend much time on linux than windows.


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