Linux

[rtbcomp]

With a spare PC I've got I thought I'd have a go at Linux, jumping off the Forth Road Bridge would have been more fun.

I'm confused as to the different varieties there are, I installed Ubuntu and the installation went well, but it's really geeky, for example you have to faff around editing stuff in a window just to stop the mouse cursor from disappearing, installing applications seems a nightmare, networking looks simple but doesn't work and I had to re-install after trying to get the num-locks light to stay on after a boot.

Is there a version out there that's pretty close to Windows in that you just download "my-program-setup.exe" and it installs. I'm not interested in editing command files and such.

 

[GW8IZR]

Try this

https://linuxmint.com/

have a read at what it offers, its an easy install and I have used it for years without issue.

HTH

 

[rtbcomp]

^^ I started downloading it as you typed

 

[GW8IZR]

I was using this to run a Plex server while I was working abroad and it just ran and ran with virtually no attention needed.

I stuck win10 on the laptop when I got back as I wanted to use PS and CC which were more of a mither under Linux.

Hope it works out for you..

 

[WorkshopChris]

Another vote for mint.

 

[WorkshopChris]

Another one worth a try is they now have a version of the raspberry pi os that will run on a windows based machine.

 

[pedrobedro]

I run Mint on an old laptop, it was running Xubuntu but I fancied a change. I've run a few older distros and not had many problems with any of them.

 

[bump]

Mint was the favoured distro by a friends self confessed luddite brother. Apparently it just made sense.

Personaly I use ubuntu derivatives on the desktop and ubuntu / coreOS / centos on servers depending on the task in hand.

 

[Maker]

I've played with Mint, it's nice and easy.

 

[pjp123]

LINUX MINT .....100%

I have been using it for a number of years now and never had a problem. Better than anything microsoft has ever done.

Good back up and help forums. Soooo much faster than win7/10.

 

[Kayos]

I used to run Slackware

Then LFS

Then gentoo which was blistering fast but even geekier than Slackware

Stuck ubuntu on an old laptop and was surprised how simple it was

 

[Shedendman]

I've been using Zorin on this lappy for about 3 years now(an old dell latitude e6410) brilliant OS IMO, i'll rate it above mint
https://zorinos.com/
Theres 100's to chose from all with their little bit http://distrowatch.com/
Theres even one at the massive size of only 15mb believe it or not

 

[rtbcomp]

I've got Mint up and running, I like the feel of it and they promoted Wine and Virtualbox. I've got a couple of Windows programs running under Wine (CadStd and NCH Golden for recording audio). The sound drivers aren't as good as Windows, but I can work round that. I might even be able to run Lotus 1-2-3 on it! I suspect this machine will end running security cameras when I've finished digitizing my record collection.

 

[Henrik]

Hmm, I can't think that if you don't want to edit files in an editor, Linux isn't really for you yet (maybe never... The speeches at LinuxCon keep harking on about "is this the year of Linux on the desktop" every year - No, it never is!)

Have you considered a chromebook? I'm typing on one now, and it still feels amazing to use one even after having had it for 2+ years.

 

[rtbcomp]

I've edited autoexec.bat, config.sys and written batch files 35 years ago, I'd have thought things might have moved on a bit! I don't want to buy any more stuff, this computer was left in my dustbin so cheap enough.

http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/threads/acer-aspire-pc.75374/

 

[Wightsparks]

Another vote for MInt. Been using it for a few years now. It is still not 100% dead easy but 98% there and there is always decent help.

 

[Henrik]

you can run chromeos on a normal lap top too

 

[wookie]

Hmm! I can't understand all the problems you lot are having running Ubuntu, I've used it for years with no problems, I guess I must be so much cleverer than you all

I've also played around with ArchLinux, Slackware, Mint, Debian, NetBSD, FreeBSD, Red Hat and Devuan to name but a few, but I always seem to return to a Debian/Devuan based distro.

 

[Farside]

I had a year on Mint, and only went back to W10 because a couple of legacy items just didn't want to play well on any sort of emulator or VM.
I've roundly cursed MS and 10 every few days since.
Several times I've nearly ripped 10 right back out in anger at the stupidly bone-headed updates and stuff that gets in my way.
One thing that really impressed me about Mint was the update method - I chose when and how much, and wasn't forced into it. Only once in an entire year was I forced to re-boot after an update, and that was a mega-serious one that I was still able to set to my convenience.
A couple of the legacy issues are starting to fade, so I might yet kick W10 out and be Mint-abled again.
It's on a dual-boot anyway, so not much hassle involved.
The other thing I liked about Mint was it immediately recognised some old and favourite hardware and just ran them no problem.

 

[rikrobson]

Dont usually run a gui with linux. Just bash. Then type stuff. If i want a windows environment i use windows.

Updating linux is pretty easy. On redhat type yum update and debian apt-get upgrade after an apt-get update. Gentoo compiles as you update cant remember the syntax off hand.
I8f you really want to grt geeky you need to get the source code and compile.