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Jumping Into Linux

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by a former member

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Hello everyone, I've been for the most part a heavy Windows user ever since I touched a computer. A friend of mine during our junior year in high school really got me into the open source movement and now I want to jump into Linux too. I downloaded a copy of Debian etch and have it installed on a spare computer of mine. I've been searching the web for information on Linux, but all the information I've found suggested that I already know something about Linux, such as how to install a program and clearly I don't. My question to you all is, where can I find information about Linux that a newbie to Linux, like me can understand.

12 replies

by Former member

Clarifications

by oh smeg

Ideal Beginners Platform to work with. While it is a Rock Solid Working Platform for anything it's not the easiest of things to use when you have been brainwashed by the Windows Juggernaut as the way that things work are so different.

PC Linux would be a better option as a starting point for you and then when you have more experience move up to Debian.

Anyhow look at these following URLs

PC Linux

http://tinyurl.com/5zxw7a

Linux is not Windows

http://tinyurl.com/8b9s6

Linux Central

http://tinyurl.com/yr2pzh

Distro Watch

http://tinyurl.com/yrolnq

Linux User Groups this is a World Wide listing

http://tinyurl.com/fu97y

http://tinyurl.com/6yay7f

Because the World Wide link isn't loading at the moment I've included a Google Search of the same thing which gives local contacts without the need to log onto the main User Groups Web Site.

If you are using IE you may need to turn off Content Filtering or use Mozilla.

Col

by rfink

linux.org

It was courses for beginners, intermediate and advanced users. Learn at your own pace.

I just started using Linux about a month ago. Did you check out Ubuntu 8.04? It has an easy install and plenty of user forums for support.

by Former member

I originally planned to start with Ubuntu, but my friend, the one that got me into the open source movement, said that the computer I planned to run it on wouldn't handle it. I knew some Linux distros can run on old hardware, but he said that the Pentium II I planned to run it on was too old and told me to use Debian.

by oh smeg

I have Ubuntu 8 whatever running on a Dual Pentium 200 MMX System with 64 MEG of RAM Per CPU without any problems at all.

It flies along with Ubuntu on it and while not a Desktop M'Board it way below what is recommended that it's not funny.

Col

by the scummy one

reallylinux.com

It goes through basics of commands and other 'beginner' and 'intermediaet' users needs.

As for installing in Debian, you may want to look up the package manager for that distro.

by Former member

I went there before to learn up on Linux, but the more I read, the more it seemed like it was made for people who knew something about Linux. Guess I'll go back and try again, thanks for your replies. I really want to try and learn this stuff.

by Former member

This is an excellent site. It breaks down Linux so that you don't get frustrated easily. That's what happen when I first started learning, I got so confused I didn't know what was what.

by Former member

Linux for Dummies.

by Former member

I'm guessing that to have a full understanding of Linux, I have to understand where it came from which was Unix. Thanks for the link.

by Former member

OK, after checking out the useful links I downloaded and installed PCLinuxOS from a Live CD. I've been playing around with it for a while and I like it, with the combination of all the sites the learning has been going smoothly.

But I've run into a problem, I'm trying to get my Linux system and my XP system to communicate with each other. I've been looking at reallylinux.com for solutions on how to do this, I've made my C: drive on XP sharable and I went to configure Samba on Linux. A problem occurred saying that the computer needed a host name, so I gave it one. Now when I go back to configure Samba an error pops up saying that "This program has exited abnormally". And it's not just for that option, everything in the Administration Center says this same error when I click on them. Any tips on how to configure Samba.

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