Linux Distribution Choice

tikkus · 10-04-2007, 10:14 PM

I bought a new laptop, pre-loaded with Windows Vista Home Premium.

The main reason why I bought it was to program and I find Vista is generally counter-productive for anything not dicking around on the internet/playing solitaire. In this mindset, I've decided to make the move to Linux on it.

Now, I have Ubuntu on my desktop and like it just fine. However, for laptop compatibility and power efficiency I'm unsure what the best distro would be. So, any Linux guys out there have a preference? I really don't care about user-friendliness, as a hard learning curve would only benefit me in the long run.

As always, I appreciate it.

tjac · 10-04-2007, 11:10 PM

For starters, I would just burn an install iso and see if you can get any linux distro onto it. The Vostro 1400 laptop I just bought won't allow a linux install without a fight -- it has to do with the SATA setup on the motherboard. So for the moment, I'm stuck with Vista.

Other than that, I would look into PC-BSD or maybe Kubuntu variation of Ubuntu.

Oh, one other thing. Beforehand, try to find out what distro can recognize your wifi without too much fuss. For me, that makes all the difference, too.

niteflyx · 10-07-2007, 01:27 PM

Personally, Ubuntu works fine for me.. I think there's something you can download for intel processors that effectively double the battery life on laptops for optimization.. I get way more battery life on Ubuntu than I do on Windows now.. Just getting games to run on it is kind of a hassle, but most Linux Distros will give you that..

darkblue · 10-08-2007, 02:38 PM

Running Kubuntu on one of my laptops, which is my distro of choice. Haven't really noticed that much of a difference between the different distros in terms of effiency for laptops, so in your case I would just go for the most user friendly one if your trying to get into Linux. Which in this case would be Ubuntu/Kubuntu.

tikkus · 10-08-2007, 10:41 PM

Yeah, I've ran Ubuntu on my desktop for quite a while, but wanted a less user friendly distribution to get me more "experienced" I suppose. However, I wasn't going to pick a tricky distro if Ubuntu/Fedora had better battery life.

I think I'm going to wait for Fluxbuntu in a couple of weeks.

Typo*

darkblue · 10-09-2007, 12:13 PM

Well, you could just start out with Kubuntu, and then go and get Fluxbox. Especially now when 1.0 is out.

tikkus · 10-09-2007, 05:09 PM

Would it be better to start out with a KDE x manager to migrate to Flux? I don't really want to fuck anything up, which is why I was going to wait to get Fluxbuntu.

darkblue · 10-10-2007, 10:23 AM

Shouldn't mess anything up, I've done it a couple of times and haven't had any problems spawn from that. So i'd recomend getting Kubuntu and possibly trying it out for a while, or just apt-get fluxbox right away and that way have all the good things that comes with Kubuntu without having to individually having to look for em afterwards. I'ts easy switching between the two as well.

tikkus · 10-10-2007, 06:21 PM

I appreciate the help. I'll do that.

Edit: Also, having a Core 2 Duo, can I use AMD64 versions of the distro?

Lenas · 10-10-2007, 11:38 PM

Wubi - The Easiest Way to Linux

Install program that downloads / runs setup for Ubuntu for you. You enter a few boxes, tell it which distro to install (it has like 6 flavors, dont know if fluxbuntu is one of them) and it automates everything onto whichever partition / drive you tell it to. Restart comp when told, choose linux from boot menu, let it finish setup, and log in for the win.

Takes 30 min or so for all of it. I was downloading the distro over 1mb/sec

tjac · 10-14-2007, 09:02 PM

Kubuntu 7.10 Release Candidate is available for download -- very smooth installation so far.

Menoz · 10-14-2007, 11:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lenas

Wubi - The Easiest Way to Linux

Install program that downloads / runs setup for Ubuntu for you. You enter a few boxes, tell it which distro to install (it has like 6 flavors, dont know if fluxbuntu is one of them) and it automates everything onto whichever partition / drive you tell it to. Restart comp when told, choose linux from boot menu, let it finish setup, and log in for the win.

Takes 30 min or so for all of it. I was downloading the distro over 1mb/sec

Sounds fucking awesome. I'm going to try it.

10-04-2007, 10:14 PM	#1 (permalink)
tikkus Banned Join Date: Nov 2003 Posts: 1,219 -3 Internets	Linux Distribution Choice I bought a new laptop, pre-loaded with Windows Vista Home Premium. The main reason why I bought it was to program and I find Vista is generally counter-productive for anything not dicking around on the internet/playing solitaire. In this mindset, I've decided to make the move to Linux on it. Now, I have Ubuntu on my desktop and like it just fine. However, for laptop compatibility and power efficiency I'm unsure what the best distro would be. So, any Linux guys out there have a preference? I really don't care about user-friendliness, as a hard learning curve would only benefit me in the long run. As always, I appreciate it.

10-04-2007, 11:10 PM	#2 (permalink)
tjac Registered User Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 1,303 +1 Internets	For starters, I would just burn an install iso and see if you can get any linux distro onto it. The Vostro 1400 laptop I just bought won't allow a linux install without a fight -- it has to do with the SATA setup on the motherboard. So for the moment, I'm stuck with Vista. Other than that, I would look into PC-BSD or maybe Kubuntu variation of Ubuntu. Oh, one other thing. Beforehand, try to find out what distro can recognize your wifi without too much fuss. For me, that makes all the difference, too. Last edited by tjac : 10-04-2007 at 11:12 PM.

10-07-2007, 01:27 PM	#3 (permalink)
niteflyx Fuckin' 07er Join Date: May 2007 Location: Philly Posts: 340 +0 Internets	Personally, Ubuntu works fine for me.. I think there's something you can download for intel processors that effectively double the battery life on laptops for optimization.. I get way more battery life on Ubuntu than I do on Windows now.. Just getting games to run on it is kind of a hassle, but most Linux Distros will give you that.. __________________

10-08-2007, 02:38 PM	#4 (permalink)
darkblue ./ Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Sweden Posts: 297 +7 Internets	Running Kubuntu on one of my laptops, which is my distro of choice. Haven't really noticed that much of a difference between the different distros in terms of effiency for laptops, so in your case I would just go for the most user friendly one if your trying to get into Linux. Which in this case would be Ubuntu/Kubuntu. Last edited by darkblue : 10-08-2007 at 02:40 PM.

10-08-2007, 10:41 PM	#5 (permalink)
tikkus Banned Join Date: Nov 2003 Posts: 1,219 -3 Internets	Yeah, I've ran Ubuntu on my desktop for quite a while, but wanted a less user friendly distribution to get me more "experienced" I suppose. However, I wasn't going to pick a tricky distro if Ubuntu/Fedora had better battery life. I think I'm going to wait for Fluxbuntu in a couple of weeks. Typo* Last edited by tikkus : 10-09-2007 at 05:08 PM.

10-09-2007, 12:13 PM	#6 (permalink)
darkblue ./ Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Sweden Posts: 297 +7 Internets	Well, you could just start out with Kubuntu, and then go and get Fluxbox. Especially now when 1.0 is out.

10-09-2007, 05:09 PM	#7 (permalink)
tikkus Banned Join Date: Nov 2003 Posts: 1,219 -3 Internets	Would it be better to start out with a KDE x manager to migrate to Flux? I don't really want to fuck anything up, which is why I was going to wait to get Fluxbuntu.

10-10-2007, 10:23 AM	#8 (permalink)
darkblue ./ Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Sweden Posts: 297 +7 Internets	Shouldn't mess anything up, I've done it a couple of times and haven't had any problems spawn from that. So i'd recomend getting Kubuntu and possibly trying it out for a while, or just apt-get fluxbox right away and that way have all the good things that comes with Kubuntu without having to individually having to look for em afterwards. I'ts easy switching between the two as well.

10-10-2007, 06:21 PM	#9 (permalink)
tikkus Banned Join Date: Nov 2003 Posts: 1,219 -3 Internets	I appreciate the help. I'll do that. Edit: Also, having a Core 2 Duo, can I use AMD64 versions of the distro?

10-10-2007, 11:38 PM	#10 (permalink)
Lenas Usually only fucks with female pilots, 'cause they got the illest cockpits Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 1,297	Wubi - The Easiest Way to Linux Install program that downloads / runs setup for Ubuntu for you. You enter a few boxes, tell it which distro to install (it has like 6 flavors, dont know if fluxbuntu is one of them) and it automates everything onto whichever partition / drive you tell it to. Restart comp when told, choose linux from boot menu, let it finish setup, and log in for the win. Takes 30 min or so for all of it. I was downloading the distro over 1mb/sec __________________ 360 / PSN - LenasUchiha

10-14-2007, 09:02 PM	#11 (permalink)
tjac Registered User Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 1,303 +1 Internets	Kubuntu 7.10 Release Candidate is available for download -- very smooth installation so far.

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