Migrateing to Linux doing a lot of reading here

I am thinking of migrateing to linux so I have been doing a lot of reading in this forum.

One of the main reasons being after years of useing windows I am tired of always fighting to keep it the way I want, sometimes to even running at all.

One thing I have noticed is the number of posts by veteran users of linux in many distros that are almost constantly having to fiddle with their distro to keep it like they want.

The thought comes to mind am I moveing up and out to freedom or just from the frying pan straight into the fire.  Just my observation.

While I have experience with the first Unix version long ago. I have barely glanced at Linux.

From what I have looked at for me it may not be as easy to learn as many say.

Linux is pretty easy, and honestly if you just want basic you won't have to do much to it to keep it working. Us more advanced Linux users just like to fiddle around. Breaking things just comes with the territory when you start messing with stuff.

If you install say Ubuntu (it's the distro I typically use), you won't need to do much but hit the accept button to install updates every once in a while. Now of course you may sometimes need to use the terminal for various tasks (not always necessary but using it may require some task you need to do), but it isn't hard and most the time you just copy and paste into it from the different things around the web you find. Linux can seem very daunting at first, but once you get into it, it isn't hard at all. Load up a distro on a CD and take it for a test run. Most distro installers are coupled with a "live" version that you can play around with before you actually install. I would try out Linux Mint and Ubuntu.

Feel free to ask any questions along the way, you'll find that us Linux users are a pretty friendly bunch!

I am of course waiting for my dvd of Mint to come in before makeing final judgement. Need to do more than a casual glance to really tell anything.

I do notice how helpfull yall are to each other and the novice as well as the pro.  I am still looking forward to this.

Ah right, I forgot you ordered the Mint DVD. Again, Linux may seem daunting but it isn't too bad at all. Depending on what you want to run, some of the programs might be Windows specific, but a lot of the times there is a free Linux alternative that you can give a go. For example, there are various free programs that are similar to Microsoft Office. Libre Office, and OpenOffice are two such options.

If you do any gaming, you might not have a whole lot of luck. Steam does work on Linux now, and there are a few good games that run. Most of the Valve games are on Linux and a couple AAA titles have been made for it as well. But for most games you gotta stick with Windows for now.

Edited by DeimosChaos, 10 March 2016 - 03:43 PM.

While waiting for your CD, you might enjoy testing-out Knoppix; its a virtual (runs from the DVD) distro based on Linux, and its fun to play with. Surprisingly beautiful GUI, and you don't have to "fiddle" with installs. I use it for data retrieval on corrupted hard drives, but you can surf and do all kinds of things with it.

https://www.mirrorservice.org/sites/ftp.uni-kl.de/pub/linux/knoppix/

A good link is 16th down from the top, 701 meg download. Burn the ISO to a DVD  and you are on your way.

While waiting for your CD, you might enjoy testing-out Knoppix; its a virtual (runs from the DVD) distro based on Linux...

I don't think it's a good suggestion.  The OP made 25 attempts or more to either burn a Linux disc or a live USB and failed every time.

Somewhere in all this mess [I am a packrat] I have a Nopicks CD just can not find it. Ahhh well I won't be long now.

 

While waiting for your CD, you might enjoy testing-out Knoppix; its a virtual (runs from the DVD) distro based on Linux...

I don't think it's a good suggestion.  The OP made 25 attempts or more to either burn a Linux disc or a live USB and failed every time.

 

Beat me to it.

OP has some issues with burning .iso files....

Awww Guys, c'mon! Just use some initiative. Hows 'bout leaning on a friend to use his burner for 5 minutes? Someone at work, girlfriend? Wife's computer? Mother-in-law?  Heck, all these political candidates will do anything for a vote, hit The Donald up for a minute with his computer.

I buy Linux magazine every month from the local news stand and it always comes with a DVD that has a  distro to try. Plus its a good read and source of information.

http://www.linux-magazine.com/Issues/2014/163/This-Month-s-DVD

Edited by NickAu, 10 March 2016 - 08:07 PM.

I buy Linux magazine every month from the local news stand and it always comes with a DVD that has a  distro to try. Plus its a good read and source of information.

 

http://www.linux-magazine.com/Issues/2014/163/This-Month-s-DVD

Thank you for the info.  Now if I can find a news stand/bookstore around here still in buisness. Barnes & Nobel been gone for 5 years now.

Heres an option.

 

 

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"...One thing I have noticed is the number of posts by veteran users of linux in many distros that are almost constantly having to fiddle with their distro to keep it like they want."

That line jumped out at me from the OP in this thread.  I don't think "have to" is correct;  it's more "want to".  "Let's see what that option does.  Nope, don't like that, let me switch it back".

My experience has been that once you pick a distribution, you can pretty much just stay with it, just doing the updates once in a while.  Any of the *buntu LTS (Long Term Support) based ones are pretty much install and go.  Look at the default user interface to pick which one you want, then decide if you need 32 bit or 64bit.  From what I've seen updates from a distribution have a much smaller chance of breaking things than updating in Windows;  I don't think I've heard of an update leaving a machine unbootable.

Then you have folks like "wizfromoz" that at last count has something like 1024 distributions installed across 64 machines or something.  Does he "need" to do that?  No, he's doing it for intellectual curiousity (probably because someone said he couldn't install every single distribution) and he's learning from every one of them (and graciously sharing his experience with the rest of us).

OP:  it will be as easy or as hard to learn as you want it to be.  Think of it like learning to speak another language:  once you learn to "think" in that language it's easy.  Trying to translate in your head makes it hard.

 

Then you have folks like "wizfromoz" that at last count has something like 1024 distributions installed across 64 machines or something.  Does he "need" to do that?  No, he's doing it for intellectual curiousity (probably because someone said he couldn't install every single distribution) and he's learning from every one of them (and graciously sharing his experience with the rest of us).

Wasn't me honest.

 

"...One thing I have noticed is the number of posts by veteran users of linux in many distros that are almost constantly having to fiddle with their distro to keep it like they want."

Some people like to tweak things their way I am one of them, When one uses Windows do you not have to Tweak things also? Do Virus scans, Malware scans Install browser plug ins like No Script Install Anti Virus Install Graphics card drivers and quite often other drivers, Remove OEM Bloat ware Go thru THE DREADED Windows update reboot update reboot cycle and pray it all works just to name a few Is this also not tweaking to get it the way you want.  No Operating system is perfect out of the box and the more experience a user has the more they want to " Change Things". Just because LOL.

Edited by NickAu, 11 March 2016 - 04:21 AM.

Well shoots I finally found my Knoppic Cd and it won't boot on here.  I think it may be too old. Version 5.1 I think lol I musta burned that 20 years ago. 64 bit computers did not even exist yet. LOL

Guess I will just have to wait.