LINUX, ready for the masses? (a newby guide)

 Written by: UmbiliciformCraterOnFace


Secondly, HTF do I make a module?
What do I do?

 Written by: _pOp_


ok, I did a durbs and really only found one other threads on Linux: (very basic) LINUX questions.
this thread is a bit outdated, since it was written in 2003 and a lot has changed since then. It's not as negative as portrayed in that thread. so I want to give you my 2 cents about linux. I've been using it for almost 2 years now, and won't turn back.

if you don't know anything about linux yet, read the linux Wiki for the basics.

if you are thinking of trying Linux, you might consider "(K)Ubuntu". it's the distro I'm using and it's supposed to be relatively easy to switch to from Windows. it's a 'Debian' based Linux system and it comes in 2 main flavours: Ubuntu and Kubuntu. the difference between the two is the Desktop Manager. Ubuntu uses "Gnome", Kubuntu uses "KDE". which uses more eye-candy, so is more windows like. for this reason I chose Kubuntu, to make the switch easier.

read about (K)Ubuntu here

CONS TO USING LINUX: not all hardware (like printers) have drivers for Linux. But for most things, the community comes up with their own drivers. Check http://linuxprinting.org for a list compatible printers.

almost anything you want to know you can find in the Ubuntu guide, but here is the easiest way I can think of to get Kubuntu running smoothly from scratch without reading the whole guide:

-INSTALLING KUBUNTU-

to install Kubuntu, I present to you the 5 step plan which I'll add at the end of this post.

because Linux is an open source platform, they are opposed to using software you need to pay for, even for much used things like the mp3 format of flash in internet sites. these things are NOT installed by default, but easy installable by "step 5".

anything else you need to install you can find in the synaptic program, in the K menu.

anything more you need to do to have things work, you can find in the Ubuntu Dapper Guide

if questions are still unanswered, or if you run into any problem, the very helpful Ubuntu Forums are there to help. any problem you can have, has been met and solved by somebody else before you...

that's it.

One last remark:
it is NOT easy to switch to Linux. you best only do it if you know a bit about computers or have somebody that already has linux to help you out, and it also helps if you like solving puzzles (like getting your TV-out card to work, or loggin in onto a windows network).

here are all the links I used:

http://www.kubuntu.org/
http://www.ubuntu.com/ubuntu
http://www.linuxprinting.org
http://ubuntuguide.org/wiki/Dapper
http://ftp.ussg.iu.edu/linux/ubuntu-releases/kubuntu/6.06/
https://wiki.kubuntu.org/RestrictedFormats
http://www.ubuntuforums.org/search.php

 Written by: Linux Install


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step 1: download a version of Kubuntu here.
choose the “alternate CD”, this is an install only version.
I usually also burn a “LIVE CD” (desktop CD) for later comfort.
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step 2: burn the .iso image onto a CD and make sure you have some free, unpartitioned space on your computer (7GB or more is preferred) and boot from above mentioned CD.
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step 3: boot from CD and install Kubuntu
the installer CD is quite self-explanatory, but when you get to the partitioner you need to know the following: you need to create 2 partitions: a SWAP partition (called swap, sized: 1-2 GB) and a root partition (called / , sized 6 GB and up).
after this, the basic system is installed.
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step 4: installing some handy programs through the console
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start Kubuntu.
click the blue K logo, bottom left of the screen, which will open your program-list.
from the list select: System > Konsole
in this console type step by step, followed by 'enter':
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sudo cp /etc/apt/sources.list /etc/apt/sources.list_backup
sudo kate /etc/apt/sources.list
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this will open a text editor with a long file, replace that file with the one you get from this site and click 'safe': close file.
go back to Konsole type step by step, followed by 'enter':
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sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install synaptic gedit firefox
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after this you can install any program you like through the just installed “synaptic”.
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step 5: tweaking:
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now we are going to use a program called easyUbuntu to install all the non-free formats:
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in Konsole type:
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wget http://easyubuntu.freecontrib.org/files/easyubuntu-3.022.tar.gz
tar -zxf easyubuntu-3.022.tar.gz
cd easyubuntu
sudo python easyubuntu.in
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this will open easyUbuntu and let you install all the formats

that's it!!!

nothing to it.