Acmlm's Board - I2 Archive - Hardware/Software - Best Linux
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FreeDOS
Posts: 893/1657 |
Not all pre-built machines are proprietary, like ones from local computer stores.
Knoppix isn't meant to be a recovery OS, and has little power in actually being one. SystemRescueCD is a much better Live CD for that purpose. Knoppix is mainly for demonstration and an introduction to the wide variety of software to Linux. I also use Knoppix at school and other people's houses so I don't have to use Windows, it's awesome  |
Sokarhacd
Posts: 844/1757 |
ive decided I would go with the compaq...better then what im using now(much much better), and ill make a partition with partition magic, about 10-15 gb in size, and install probably fedora on it...thanks for all the help  |
||bass
Posts: 110/817 |
Any pre-built machines are expensive AND propriatary. You DON'T want them.
Also... knoppix and gnoppix are NOT proper linux distros. They are designed to be run from the cd itself and do not have much in the way of package management. Both of those distros are useful mainly for recovery purposes. Do not attempt to use them as a running desktop os. They may look cool, but they arent what you want. I _strongly_ recomend that any beginner to Linux use Fedora. |
FreeDOS
Posts: 892/1657 |
I hate both eMachines and Compaq. 
Gateway are nice... the expensive Dells are nice, too. |
Tarale
Posts: 836/2720 |
Personally, I have a fair bit of distaste for all of the Compaq / emachines / gateway / dell things out there, but then this is also cause I build my own systems and I know that I can build a hell of a lot better, a hell of a lot cheaper.
For absolute best value for money, you are best to consider building your own system, or having a system built for you by one of the smaller computer retailers. They can build a machine specific to your needs, and they will generally give you better quality at a price that doesn't include the "Compaq" brand label pricing.
But then, that's my $0.02, and like I said, I'm a system builder myself so I have a bias. |
Sokarhacd
Posts: 842/1757 |
cool, maybe ill try knoppix or gnoppix first....
anyway, not wanting to make a new thread, are compaqs any good...ive found one for the same price as the eMachines I was gonna get, but this compaq sounds better....
both are similar, but heres the diff....keeping in mind both are celerons.....no other good ones with the price im looking for...
emachines / compaq
Processor: 2.8GHz / 2.4GHz
Ram: 256MB(exp to 1GB) / 512MB(expandable to 2GB)
HDD: 40GB / 80GB
Both have same video card(64MB integrated)
drives: CDRW / CDRW/DVD combo
thats basically all...which should I go for...I think the compaq, is the better deal..
edit: also, does partition magic allow you to partition without having to reinstall windows...cause if I get the compaq, i think im gonna split off a 15GB part, for a linux distro...
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Tarale
Posts: 834/2720 |
As already stated, there is no "best" distro, but there are ones that are particularly suited to some things.
Knoppix is an excellent distro to try if you want to have a look at Linux without doing anything to your HDD. It is a "live CD" distro, meaning it will boot and run straight from a CD. It's based on Debian, and comes with a KDE interface. (Or you can get Gnoppix, same thing, but with a Gnome interface).
If you want to have a play before taking the plunge, this is what I recommend. Plus, it has Frozen Bubble, and Frozen Bubble is great.
I use Fedora, but I use Debian's package management system. Apt-get is just too cool. |
Rydain
Posts: 316/738 |
There really is no distro that's best at everything. You just have to find what works best for your purposes. I'm fond of Debian unstable because it gets software relatively quickly and its package management system is teh r0x0r. It hasn't given me anywhere near the amount of circular dependency headaches I've put up with in Mandrake (granted, Mandrake may have improved since I last used it 2+ years ago, but I haven't felt like giving it another try because Debian behaves well for me). Mandrake or Fedora would probably be much easier to install, though, especially if you're new. |
FreeDOS
Posts: 886/1657 |
You can also use a bootdisk to boot to the externel drive. |
Sokarhacd
Posts: 832/1757 |
ok, thanks, ill probably try Fedora first, and see what its like, if i have too much trouble with the external one, I wont install linux on it, but hopefully I wont. |
||bass
Posts: 102/817 |
It shouldn't be a major issue.
What you might want to do is partition the internal HD to have a Windows and a Linux primary partition (you probably also want your linux swap partition on the internal as well. SYSTEM ONLY. Then just install a bootloader to the bootsector and use that to boot either OS.
Install all your data/mp3s/games/etc onto the external drive. You probably want to use FAT32 for your external drive. I'm not sure that the NTFS modules for Linux are quite up to spec yet. |
Cellar Dweller
Posts: 179/269 |
I have not used an external hard disk, but I think installing Linux on one may be a problem. The BIOS and bootloader will need support for the interface that the drive uses, probably USB or FireWire. If it is possible, it will probably not be as easy as installing on to a ATA(IDE) or SCSI hard disk.
I'd recommend backing up your files to the external hard disk and partitioning the internal hard disk. Reinstall Windows on one partition and Linux on another. |
||bass
Posts: 100/817 |
The "best" distro is no distro.
Ideally it would be nice to compile exactally the software you need yourself, with a kernel specifically talored to your system. But this isn't going to happen without atleast a year or two experiance behind you.
You should start out with the easiest distro of all, Fedora. After that, make your way to progressivly more advanced distros until you know enough to essentially build your own. |
Colin
Posts: 5293/11302 |
Asking "What's the best Linux distro?" is like asking "What's better, Coke or Pepsi?"
You'll be sure to get 4 or 5 different answers from people on the board - everyone has a system that they prefer or that they got used to. |
FreeDOS
Posts: 884/1657 |
There is no best. Keep that in mind.  I'd recommend to just try a few and decide which one to have. You might want to try some of the easier-to-use ones first like Fedora, Mandrake, or SuSE.
Once you're more experienced, I'll recommend to try out Slackware. That's my favourite. Heh, no one's stopping you going there right away  |
Sokarhacd
Posts: 831/1757 |
Well, basically, when I get a new computer, on the 10th of december, im gonna get a seperate Hard drive, which will be external, because the computer im getting has no slots for another internal hard drive, but, what im wondering is, whats the best linux to get, because im gonna put a linux on that other hard drive, and before I buy the pc and HD, i want to know whats the best, so I can do a little research... |
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