LWN: Comments on "Five mistakes GNU/Linux neophytes make (Linux.com)"

Five mistakes GNU/Linux neophytes make (Linux.com)

njhurst — Tue, 06 Sep 2005 00:09:01 +0000

Hehe, I have Ubuntu running on an original iMac for our housemate, and she thinks it's running MacOS :)

Five mistakes GNU/Linux neophytes make (Linux.com)

tjw.org — Thu, 01 Sep 2005 18:04:50 +0000

I think any article which talks about newbie friendly, then leaves ubuntu off the list is probably not worth the electrons it is printed on.

Very true. I've used all of the distributions in the article's short-list at one time and while they are all viable options, none competes with Ubuntu on n00b-appeal.

I've been installing Ubuntu on my relative's computers ever since I laid out my no-more-windows ultamatum to them. So far, it's gone over extremely well.

Distribution advice

job — Thu, 01 Sep 2005 09:15:29 +0000

I agree completely. However, when that friend is me (I do most major distributions, but run Debian and Gentoo myself), I have begun recommending Ubuntu. It is clearly the most no-frills, just-works, distribution right now.

The only sad thing about it is that Evolution is buggy and that I miss the desktop integration efforts from KDE (there is Kubuntu but isn't really as slick as Ubuntu). Hopefully that will be better in the future.

Distro choice

odie — Thu, 01 Sep 2005 08:18:21 +0000

There is of course also the aspect of defining a newbie. When I was new to Linux some ten years ago I had had previous experience of MS-DOS, SunOS4 (BSD), and several odd little systems like Sharp's EOS and FDOS. When I was looking for an OS for my brand new PC I first got Windows 95, which was supposedly the top of the line home OS at the time. I found it extremely difficult, so I tried Red Hat, which was equally difficult. I then found Slackware (3.3) and was instantly at home. To me it was the by far most intuitive and newbie-friendly system imaginable. I was quickly more proficient with Slackware than with the systems I had been using before.

I might have been an extreme case, but I still think it is an oversimplification to assume that all newbies need eye candy and well hidden internals. Some prefer transparency and understandability.

Five mistakes GNU/Linux neophytes make (Linux.com)

sjdaniels — Thu, 01 Sep 2005 05:39:34 +0000

The biggest problem for "Newbies" can be that there are so many distro's out there, they sometimes do not know where to begin. Also, unfortunately like assholes everybody has a distro they claim to be the best or prefer!! However, *some* (not all) people cannot put their bias aside to actually recommend what distro the newbie user would benefit from.. For window's users who migrate, you really cannot go past "Xandros' for the look and feel (familiarity), however, a majority of the stable and user-friendly distro's are based on Debian.
Really, as long as they *do* migrate, it really doesn't matter which distro they use.. As long as it does not give them a *bad* experience with using Linux.. which is the last thing we want..!!

There's my two (2) cents worth..!! Take it or leave me the change 8-)

Regards,
SJD.

Five mistakes GNU/Linux neophytes make (Linux.com)

njhurst — Thu, 01 Sep 2005 01:22:09 +0000

I think any article which talks about newbie friendly, then leaves ubuntu off the list is probably not worth the electrons it is printed on. All my linux newbie friends have done the distro shuffle, and without exception, they have all migrated to ubuntu, or rarely debian.

Five mistakes GNU/Linux neophytes make (Linux.com)

csawtell — Thu, 01 Sep 2005 00:20:13 +0000

A major factor in the choice should be the ease with which you can get help. Try out the various support channels on the irc server irc.freenode.net, and see if you are made welcome or not. Some distributions run web forums, have a look through the postings and check that the responses to questions are both polite and informative. Join your local Linux Users' Group and see what other people in your neighbourhood use. These factors are important points to consider. Remember that once you are up and running the applications offered by the Linux distributers are all identical. The differences are in the installation and administration methods.

Five mistakes GNU/Linux neophytes make (Linux.com)

jzbiciak — Wed, 31 Aug 2005 22:12:53 +0000

I personally hate to offer advice on what distro to use. I know I tend to pick something and stick with it awhile, and not use many of the aspects of the distro that make it unique.

Why?

I'm an xterms and shell prompt kind of guy. How I work tends to be different than nearly everyone around me. Thus, the most I care to say is "Well, check out some reviews online and see what you think" and then drop a few names.

Distribution advice

xtifr — Wed, 31 Aug 2005 21:33:19 +0000

Indeed, that is the best advice, where applicable. That or ask your friends which one(s) they think you should use. I, for example, use the not-very-newbie-friendly Debian distro, but I try to get my friends to use Ubuntu or another friendlier Debian-based system--less work for me that way. :)

Distribution advice

dark — Wed, 31 Aug 2005 20:20:40 +0000

I usually tell people to pick whatever distribution their friends use. It makes it much easier to get help when they get stuck on something. This factor far outweighs the relative ease of use of the distribution itself.