Looking for an elegant, streamlined, yet user-friendly Linux distro...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=3590000&mesg_id=3590000

Thanks!

I responded to your thread in GD, but decided to repost here too.
DISCLAIMER:
I am a Linux novice.
The following suggestions are from my own experience. Others with more experience may have better or simpler ways to do the same things.


So many flavors to choose from.
Last month, I installed 11 different flavors of Linux, looking for the best fit.

You can go here and download ISO's of all these versions and try them out FOR FREE!!

http://www.linuxiso.org /


For my rather generic box, only three versions recognized almost all my hardware, and installed without hassles.

SuSE 9.1
Knoppix...Kanotix
Ubuntu

The sole hardware exception common to all versions was my scanner (HPScanjet 4470C on USB). Most versions correctly identified the scanner, but the software interface failed to initialize. In Linux defense, my scanner is NOT on the hardware compatibility lists.

I really like Mandrake, and worked hard to get it installed, but was unable to get my Net Card working. I even bought and installed a NetCard that was on the Mandrake Hardware Compatibility list and no luck. During BOOT always the same error message {NET CARD eth0....FAILED}. I spent several late nights trying to "build a kernal with a tarball"..lots of fun, but no success yet. Someone with more Linux experience could get this working.



I also downloaded and installed :

Mandrake 10,,,10.1...10.2(peek)

Debian 3r4 (install options confusing for me)

Fedora Core 3 (would like to try again)

Slackware 10.0 (over my head)

Lycoris (almost a disaster...maybe a bad disk)

Knoppix...cool and easy

Kanotix Bug Hunter(a Knoppix knock off update)

SuSE 9.1 (smooth and easy)

Ubuntu 4.1 (Warty) (elegant, my favorite)

Many of these have released a "LIVE" disk that you can run from the CD. Simply boot your box from the CD and get a look at the fully functional distro. Of course, it is slow, but you can get an idea if your hardware is compatible.

Distros known to have a "LIVE disk:
Knoppix
Kanotix
SuSE
Ubuntu


My suggestions for playing with Linux without trashing WinDoze.
I am migrating from WinXP, and will be using WinXP as my primary OS until I am comfortable with Linux.

Partition Magic 8.0 has a tool to partition the HardDrive for Linux installations.
Partition Magic 8.0 is available for download over the Net for about $32.00. I used it without problems.
AVOID LETTING THE LINUX INSTALL PROGRAM PARTITION YOUR HARD DRIVE.
Windows utilities or Partition Magic may not be able to undo partioning performed by Linux install programs.

PartitionMagic doesn't run well from within WinXP, so you will probably have to boot from the PMagic floppy to create the Linux Partitions. To avoid any confusion with Drive Letters, put the experimental Linux partitions at the end of your HardDrive (or at the end of a 2nd HardDrive). I am using about 7 Gigs for the Linux partitions and that is way more than enough.

(I have a small hidden partition with a bare bones WinME. I can boot to WinME and use PartitionMagic8.0 to set up the Linux Partitions without ANY problems)


Almost all of the Linux Installs recognized the pre-partitioned Linux Partitions and asked if this is where I wanted to Install. Say YES.
(Note: Fedora Core was vague at this point in the install, so I backed out, not willing to risk my Windows partitions).

Linux will automatically install a boot loader (Grub or Lilo) that will let you choose either Windows or Linux at boot.
Both worked on my system without problems.
You can edit the boot loader to make Windows the default boot until you are confident to default to Linux.



Removing Linux from your Box without trashing Windows
Easy.

Step 1) Use LILO (or Grub) to boot to your Windoze System and use PartitionMagic to delete the Linux Partitions. If you are using XP, you will probably need to boot from the PMagic floppy (since XP seems to hate PartitionMagic).

Step 2) Boot from a floppy that contains the Dos partition utility FDISK, and type "FDISK /MBR" (without the quotes). This will remove the Linux boot loader (Lilo or Grub).
My system was ALWAYS restored to the regular Windows configuration after these two steps.

Caution Note: My DOS boot floppy is from WinME and contains the latest preXP FDISK command. I don't believe XP comes with an FDISK utility, so make sure you have a BOOT Floppy that has a functional FDISK utility that can work with large Hard Drives. I KNOW the FDISK in ME will work. I believe that Win98se DOS Floppy will work, but cannot vouch for it. FDISK was unable to read or delete the Linux Partitions, PMagic was necessary.

I have read online that you can use the XP BOOT CONSOLE to restore the MBR (master boot record), but I have never used that method.


Summary: After looking at the versions listed above, I preferred UBUNTU. UBUNTU diverges a little from traditional Linux in the methods of logging on as SU, but is conceptually consistent. SuSE was equally as functional, my choice was subjective. I currently use Ubuntu to browse the Internet and play with the Linux system. I am still using XP for my Graphics Software and Games.


Linux has a HUGE online community that is very helpful.
I have bought a How To book on the nuts and bolts of Linux (Inside Linux, Tobler) and am working my way through, learning to work from the command line. The Learning Curve is steep and a little frustrating at times, and I have background in Command Line Dos. But overall, it is fun. I am learning the system of the future and can always boot to WinXP when necessary.

Good Luck.
Remember to have FUN!

:yourock:

Downloaded it and installed it with no problems. I tried Redhat and it wouldn't let me set my graphics to more than 800x600. SuSe did find all my hardware, but wanted to give me an error on bootup. The way I get around dual boot problems is by using removable disk trays. I have 1 with win2K, 1 with Win98 , 1 with Ubuntu, and 1 that I use for whatever I want to try out. Yeah, you have to have more than 1 hard drive, but they're cheap nowadays. But if you get a major crash, you don't lose everything you have.

I ask because I have the Powerquest version of PM 8.0 and it recognized ext2 and ext3 but after installing suse 9.1 with reiserfs, PM listed that partition as "bad". I ask because Norton said they'll acknowledge updates for Powerquest versions but the register process was too big a pain for me to try.

My copy is labeled "Symantec Norton Partition Magic 8.0",
and will recognize:
FAT
FAT32
NTFS
Linux Ext2/3
Linux Swap

No mention of reiserfs.

There is some confusion on the websites because PMagic was just purchased from PowerQuest, so product support is sloppy. I haven't visited the site to check for updates, but I'll give it a look.

the workaround I've used is making the HD partition that contains lilo the default so I can boot into win2000, xp64, suse 9.1, or Mandrake 10.1 without problems. Also, I've been saved by taking PMagic's advice seriously and have made P.M. rescue floppies and bootmagic floppies. Honestly, those 3 floppy discs have saved me from a lot of trouble. Setting one partition as active by accident led into a world of trouble.

peace.

Xandros, KUnbuntu, Mandrake, SuSE... in that order.

http://www.xandros.com/torrent/xandros-301-ocd-installation.zip.torrent

Most other distros are simple twists on a 1998-style Linux desktop... underneath the candy they are rather user-hostile. With the above 4 for instance, you may spend 10 minutes setting up a network printer. With other distros, that period is often measured in days even for relatively advanced techies.

Xandros in particular has consistently gotten the highest marks for user-friendliness for over four years now from sites like PC Magazine and CNet. It is very simple and familiar, and underneath it understands Windows connectivity very well, automating it the way Windows itself would. The hardare compatability has also been excellent (this is the distro that pioneered USB autoconfigure back when it was Corel). I feel I can configure more aspects of the system with its Control Center than any other distro. For $99 you can purchase a deluxe version that is fuly supported and can run a list of (also supported) Windows software such as Office. Xandros is the only distro that can "just replace Windows" in over 90% of the situations I've seen.

IMO KUbuntu is prefereable to Ubuntu for the KDE interface. Ubuntu uses the Gnome desktop which lately seems to be acquiring the worst inconsistencies of an otherwise nice but old GUI (the Mac). It is also newer, slower and more prone to crashing (it is based on a central Registry like Windows). Gnome popularity seems to be plummeting on the desktop.

Xandros and K/Ubuntu are descended from Debian, the overwhelmingly popular base for desktop-Linux distros.

Mandrake is descended from Fedora/Redhat, and SuSE is its own thing, but these all have RPM as the basis for software installation. The quality and ease of the RPM-related tech varies widely, and will land you in "dependency hell" more often than the others that are based on Debian/apt.

Fedora and Debian are server-oriented, and Fedora is notorious for breaking compatability with 3rd-party software when they release new versions of the OS. Knoppix is like a swiss-army knife that can get you around or out of trouble if something happens to your Windows/Linux installation on HD; but when it comes to actually putting Knoppix on your HD, its basically just Debian.