Top 10 Tips For Beginning Linux

Everyday Linux User ^ | 23 January 2014 | Gary Newel

[ShadowAce]

Most of the time when I write articles on this blog I will have planned them out and worked out when and how I will publish them. (I know some of you might be thinking "Really?").

Occasionally though a nugget drops straight into your inbox and you really don't need to put much thought into it at all. Today is one of those days.

Earlier this week I received an email containing a link to a very interesting video, from Steve Barth, who produces videos for CBT Nuggets.
The video linked below is split into two main sections.

In the first part there is an overview of what Linux actually is, from Shawn Powers, who is a trainer for CBT Nuggets.

The second part of the video has 10 points which give an overview of the things that make up a Linux based operating system and how best to try it out.

It really is an overview but a good place to start.

After you have watched the video check out these links for more help:

• 10 things the average Joe won't know about Linux
• Install Ubuntu Alongside Windows 8
• Create a bootable Linux USB drive using Windows Vista
• Create a bootable Linux USB drive using Windows XP

In addition to the above links check out the reviews page above and the tutorials page.

[GeronL]

I have a Windows 7 installation disc... but I can’t find my Puppy Linux Livedisc so I can use GParted to reformat the HDD and load Win 7. For some reason the last 3 distro’s I put on my USB refuse to boot. Something about invalid kernals.

I guess I need to buy some blank CD’s or DVD’s.

Or maybe my computer really doesn’t want to have Windows, maybe I should buy an ethernet cord.

[Rich21IE]

Guess I should really gut up and give it a try. I’m fatigued with the Windows instability. So is my wife! And I’m getting tired of listening to her shout commands at the computer! (it doesn’t listen).

[GeronL]

Not a lot of really good games for Linux though, but if you don’t care about that it’s cool. If someone just surfs the web, writes on LibreOffice and the basic stuff... Ubuntu Linux is great, and very stable.

(make sure to download a stable version, I still use 12.04 myself, there are also development versions)

Doesn’t even have to be Ubuntu, of course. BTW- Burn a disc or make a boot USB and try them out before you erase your Windows. Or better, keep Windows for things you can’t do with Linux yet.

[Rich21IE]

Thanks!

[zeugma]

My #1 tip is don’t plan to use it as your primary desktop unless you plan to dedicate a bunch of time to maintaining it.

It might make sense to compare the time maintaining it to the time you would otherwise spend with virus scanners, malware scanners, and all the other necessary maintenance required with MS-Windows.

[GeronL]

I don’t spend any time maintaining my Ubuntu

[BuckeyeTexan]

Ain’t that the way it always is? :)

[BuckeyeTexan]

Sorry, dude. My 17-year-old daughter who has exactly one high-school Java programming class under her belt converted her laptop from Windows Vista to a dual-boot system running Ubuntu and Vista without any help from her Unix Sysadmin, DBA, LAMP, web admin, systems-level programmer parents.

If she can do it, so can others. She uses Ubuntu as her primary user interface.

[folkquest]

ping

[Organic Panic]

All fine and dandy but until MasterCAM, CATIA, and FEmap all port to linux or mac I’m stuck with windows.

[GeronL]

Work related proprietary software probably doesn’t get ported often

[zeugma]

I run Fedora, which is a little more user-unfriendly than many distros, so I do spend some time with maintennance, mainly because I like to check to see what updates are available rather than just letting it do it automatically. I don't take all kernel updates because I don't like rebooting. I'm still thinking about the F20 upgrade. I'm on 18 at the moment, which I really resisted for a long time, because I don't like what the Fedora folks did to transient mount paths.

[GeronL]

I did just remember I never did a sudo apt-get update or whatever it was

[Kevmo]

I’ve been on Ubuntu for a few months. It’s pretty good, especially for a free OS.

One of the problems is that some video stuff isn’t supported. I’ve gone round & round on Linux websites but there’s just some videos on Youtube & elsewhere that simply won’t be played. Also, my son likes to play Roblox online and it doesn’t support Linux.

[CynicalBear]

Mark for later read

[Bikkuri]

Also--I'd imagine (though not certain) that the link for creating a bootable Linux USB from Vista also applies to Windows 7.

Not sure about the info from the link.. but if it suggested using UNetbootin from Win7, I can verify it works.. made 2 separate bootables last night (Mint 16 KDE and SolyDxK).. ;)

Speaking of SolyDxK, it looks really nice (almost identical to Mint, but prettier and uses Debian instead of Ubuntu).. The only thing that held me back is that it doesn't support encrypting :P

I will stick with Mint until SolyDxK gets the encryption working .. ;^)

[Bikkuri]

Get a Mac.

That is sick :/

[Bikkuri]

For some reason the last 3 distro’s I put on my USB refuse to boot.

I had a similar problem a couple of months ago... For some reason, there is a difference when you make the USB bootable from Linux compared to Win7.. If you do it from Linux (both using UNetbootin), you need to format the USB to FAT16... Doing it from Windows, ANY FAT will work..

[GeronL]

right

I’ll look into that. I have to get the USB boot working if I am to reformat the hdd and install Win 7...

although I might just opt for the ethernet cable instead.

[cva66snipe]

How compatible is Linux with dial up? Will I need to track down drivers on line etc? I have two computers using XP I'm going to have to change over soon. Winders New Mistake 8 my start menu touchy feely will not be on my change option list.