[ultimateslacker2]

Hello everyone again. Well my cousin was nice enough to give me a old gateway. Well the thing is, I wanna practice linux a little more and what the heck I could practice it on this pc. Well It's a pentium 2 450mhz, upgraded from 96mb ram to 384mb ram and it has a 10gb harddrive.


What is the best easy to use linux-distro that has a close enough Windows like desktop and is easier to use than the other distros?

Thanks everyone!

btw, my typing is horrible because im on a friends laptop and i am not used to typing on a laptop.

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with those specs one is spoilled for choice, I use compaq 6gb, 256ram,

each member is going to suggest his or her own distro, I am not different kubuntu linux, why/because, no matter how good the distro the forum is needed to tweeking and kubuntu's is good, also it is very ungeek'ish being an install without command lines, also it does not have the bin on the desktop(instead it is on the taskbar), works with lots and lots of drivers, can be tweeked to use windows shortcuts, etc., etc.,

but the problem with linux is drivers so if kubuntu does not work, try puppy, and since there are so many distros out there one just goes through the distro until one has the right one, another advantage in the live CD meaning that you don't waste time installing to see which drivers are missing like windows, one boots up on the live CD and it shows you.

last point, I have suggested kubuntu but this is a very personal thing so don't be put off if this distro is not for you, just try the next, anyways, if it is a laptop that ran windows98se I believe that you will be very happy with linux, it takes some learning but once understood it is very stable without cost, malware or creep factor.

Edited by fleamailman, 29 July 2007 - 12:30 AM.

[fleamailman]

with those specs one is spoilled for choice, I use compaq 6gb, 256ram,

each member is going to suggest his or her own distro, I am not different kubuntu linux, why/because, no matter how good the distro the forum is needed to tweeking and kubuntu's is good, also it is very ungeek'ish being an install without command lines, also it does not have the bin on the desktop(instead it is on the taskbar), works with lots and lots of drivers, can be tweeked to use windows shortcuts, etc., etc.,

but the problem with linux is drivers so if kubuntu does not work, try puppy, and since there are so many distros out there one just goes through the distro until one has the right one, another advantage in the live CD meaning that you don't waste time installing to see which drivers are missing like windows, one boots up on the live CD and it shows you.

last point, I have suggested kubuntu but this is a very personal thing so don't be put off if this distro is not for you, just try the next, anyways, if it is a laptop that ran windows98se I believe that you will be very happy with linux, it takes some learning but once understood it is very stable without cost, malware or creep factor.

Edited by fleamailman, 29 July 2007 - 12:30 AM.

[silverbeard]

Give Mepis Antix a look. I've got it installed on an old Celeron 400mhz with 256MB of RAM and it runs quite nicely.

Fluxbox or Ice windows managers to choose from. Plenty of pre-loaded programs and the repositories have most anything else you may want/need. It's a little different from a KDE or GNOME distro but is very functional on older hardware.

Puppy works well on older hardware but I find it lacking in the available programs in the repositories and lacks the developmental programs to add source packages. Grafpup is a little better and allows you to set up user accounts.

[ultimateslacker2]

I was thinking about Kubuntu.

But the thing is, I tried Ubuntu before and I had lots and lots of trouble trying to install programs by command. Does any distro simply just let you execute the file like Windows does so it makes the job easier?

Thanks

BTW, I'll take a look into Mepis Antix.

[Tyger]

Try the one in my signature. There are also "liter" versions of it. It's the most Windows like I know of, it even has a Redmond theme in the repositories and it's hardware pickup is great and the installation is a breeze. It would like a bit more HD space as it unpacks 2gb of system files, but it can live with ten. I've installed it 500mhz machines with as little as 256mb of memory. It works for PII and up. Its appearance is also very nice.

[fleamailman]

Try them all, one distro after another, that is the joy about linux the more you try out the more you see the difference, kubuntu and has no command lines to install, very straight forward, but once it is installed one has to change the source files to allow plugs ins for mp3 and codexes so yes there is a little tweeking to do. I will probably try some of the other distro mentioned here too so I am very glad you asked. thanks ah but don't forget about visiting the distro's forum, it is very hard doing things alone, much easier when helped. btw here is the video of instalation link:

http://www.linux.com/feature/117051

Edited by fleamailman, 29 July 2007 - 03:56 PM.

[The Matt]

Hello everyone again. Well my cousin was nice enough to give me a old gateway. Well the thing is, I wanna practice linux a little more and what the heck I could practice it on this pc. Well It's a pentium 2 450mhz, upgraded from 96mb ram to 384mb ram and it has a 10gb harddrive.


What is the best easy to use linux-distro that has a close enough Windows like desktop and is easier to use than the other distros?

Thanks everyone!

btw, my typing is horrible because im on a friends laptop and i am not used to typing on a laptop.

I would say you could try almost all of the linux distros out there i have no special one that i really like but with a gateway you may want to look at the requirements on that linux distro before you download it....

You may want to look at Distro Watch... They have almost all the linux distros out there....

[ultimateslacker2]

I Just tried PClinuxOS, I am not really into it so I will try Kubuntu.

Will post in a while with results.

[ultimateslacker2]

Kubuntu was the best.. but I am having a real tough time trying to install AIM for linux.

Anyone with any suggestions?

[The Matt]

Kubuntu was the best.. but I am having a real tough time trying to install AIM for linux.

Anyone with any suggestions?

Try and use Kopete.... It's just like AIM but it does ICQ, IRC, MSN, and Yahoo. It's more like Trillian for Windows....

The Matt

[fleamailman]

hi, might be a good idea to pass the kubuntu forum too, the "help the new guy" forum is card blanc for just about asking anything at any level, Very ofter the very first thing one asks there is if someone can give one a copy of the amended source files, because, when first installed, kubuntu only allows supported installs whereas one often needs for mp3 and codexes unsupported stuff and propriety stuff, well that or one could just go into add remove programs and click the boxes. Sorry if my explanation is patchy, it has been working fine so long that I have forgetten what I did mostly.

http://kubuntuforums...orums/index.php

(I myself am now going to try pclinuxos because although I find kubuntu best for my needs at the moment I still keep an eye out for something that might be more me or more suitable for my old computer)

Edited by fleamailman, 01 August 2007 - 12:20 PM.

[I.D.S. Administrator]

Xubuntu. Great interface, fast response.