Hello,

I have installed Slackware and it seems really overwhelming, seriosuly.. I heard that if I start with slackware all other distros will be easier but, whatever.

I want some opinions, should I start with Fedora, Slackware, other distro?...


I just don't know.


Thank you!

-- Dani

I personaly started with mandrake, it has a lot of gui tools for the stuff i didnt know how to do and it pretty much configured everything but my network on instalation.

Thanks for the comment.

I'll look up some info about it. Any other recommendations for a first distro?

You should give Slackware a try [edit]oops, you have tried it... but i suggest you stick with it[/edit]. It doesn't have a lot of GUI's for configuration but I have tried so many different distros and I didn't learn much and didn't get far and didn't stick with anything until I tried Slackware. I highly recommend Slackware. www.slackware.com

If you're really new, go with SuSE. SuSE's YaST interface offers many Windows-like features, and the distribution has a good selection of RPMs. Note however that SuSE is not ideal for experienced users - which you're doomed (you'll go for weeks on end without seeing the sun) to become eventually - so make sure that you put your /home (and possibly your /usr as well) in a separate partition, so that you'll be able to switch to a different distribution at a time of your choice. This is good practice for any distribution. If none of this makes any sense, first choose your distribution and then look for documentation as to how can this be accomplished.

I found RedHat / Fedora really easy to use to get to grips with as a complete newbie.
SuSE is good too, but RedHats hardware compatibility was a big plus for someone who had never even used Linux before. The first I had to play with drivers in Fedora is when I found a UT2004 demo and had to install NVidias own drivers to use the 3D acceleration.
Another big plus for RH/Redora is its networking. All I did was plug it in for the install, and it knew exactly where it was going to use the internet.
Fedora is pretty hefty though, weighing in at about 3 or 4 CD's, or one DVD. Then again, SuSE isnt much smaller, 8.1 Professional comes with 7 discs, or a single DVD.

Edit: RH/Fedora is also good for advanced users, not just beginners like SuSe, so you can learn one OS and if you like it you can stick with it.

Chris

Fedora, Mandrake, Mepis and many others work well for beginners. I'd suggest trying them all out and deciding which you like best. There really is no "best," just one that works best for you.

Best of luck!

Why has nobody asked what Dannni wants to use his system for?

Seriously. If the idea is just to replace Windows with a Free alternative without delving too deeply into how everything works, then something like Mandrake will probably be fine.

I'll second Ethitop by saying Slackware is a good choice for a 'learning' distro. I've learned far more through tinkering with Slackware than I did with Mandrake, which was my first install, but it does require a bit more attention and commitment to get everything juuust right...

I completely agree with you, i've learned so much more using slackware than i have using mandrake or RH. I suggested mandrake because he didn't specify that he wanted it for any particular purpose other than to get rid of windows. Usually i suggest they go get a copy of knoppix so they can get a feel for what they are going to be diving into. I really don't know if i would still be using linux if i had slackware for a first distro. I was extremely newbish. If i installed it and X didn't work for some reason or another, i just reinstalled it until it found a way to work on its own. Very bad practice, i know, but hey, that was three years ago. Anyway, if someone does want slack for a first distro then all the power to them and get ready for a WHOLE LOT of reading

If your not learning and screwing up, then you aren't trying hard enough