Hi There, Im FreakyMac (i sound like a noob) And i was wonder what Linux distro would be great for me and i want it to support ALL my hardware. Here are my Tech Specs

Laptop: Dell Inspiron 600m
Operating System: Windows XP Home Edition SP2
Processor: 1.40 GHz Intel Celeron M Processor
Memory: 512 MB DDR SDRAM
Hard Drive: Hitachi HTS541040G9AT00 40 GB
CD-RW: HL-DL-ST CDRW/DVD GCC4244
Mouse: ALPS Trackpad
Graphics Card: ATI Mobility Radeon 9000 32MB
Ethernet: Broadcom 440x 10/100 Ethernet Card
Wireless: Dell Wireless 1370 MiniPCI WLAN
Audio: SigmaTel 9750 STAC AC97

Any Reccommendations?

Debian 4.0 "Etch"
If you had a faster computer (especially more RAM) and a GeForce I might have recommended OpenSUSE, but with those specs I believe you'll be better off with Debian. You'll have to learn a thing or two, but it is worth it, IMO.
You could also install Debian with Kanotix 2006-01 RC4 (easier, plus better defaults and tools), but then you need to dist-upgrade to Etch. I would, if I were you.
If you decide to go ahead I'll help you with the next steps.

Edit: Mandriva 2007 Spring isn't bad either. It has some minor bugs, but other than that it is very nice. If you want the Powerpack, look at the green demon.

Try Ubuntu... if you really want to use Linux ystems only. If not, keep with your WXP.

My Acer laptop in my sig runs the latest Ubuntu without a problem. Also wireless on the Centrino chipset works great.
Be sure to check out the 3D enhanced accelerated fancy desktop graphics - transparencies andwobble effects and all...

depend on your usage..if you want good multimedia support out of box then go for freespire..

other then that go for suse..at least for me..

Go Opensuse 10.2. I use it on my laptop 1.3GHZ 256mb ram runs fine.

Try Ubuntu Feisty 7.04 or the latest version of Litrix Linux (Litrix Linux 7.4).

I agree, if you can take the complications. Othewise, take Mandrivia, freespire, ubuntu, or mepis.

i'd recommend Ubuntu 7.04 or POSSIBLY Sidux...they've both got pretty good hardware support and are pretty easy to use/install. I wouldn't recommend Debian 4.0 (Etch) because it's kind of difficult to use and it becomes out-dated very quickly...For example, it only came out about 2 months ago and already it's pretty out-dated...plus Stable is only updated ever year-year and a half...Ubuntu is updated every 6 months and Sidux is updated every few months.

I suggest compile of your own...

Come on! Installing deb etch in EXPERT mode would be easier.

Not by much.

My opinion: Threads like this are kind of pointless. Linux geeks are the ultimate fanpeople.

Everyone will stick by their distro though world war 3 depended on their changing to a different one. Myself, I'm a fan of Slackware (Runs on a 486 or an 8 core Xeon workstation, although it's x86-32 only so far.) but I also find that Sabayon (If you can get the bloody thing to boot) is an incredibly modern distro out o the box. Dreamlinux is an attempt at creating Mac OS X on Linux as far as I can see (As opposed to Sabayon, which is more of a vista clone) Slackware is OpenSolaris before OpenSolaris and Red hat/Fedora are Windows Server 2003.

To be honest, there's never a cure all solution. I can't stand Ubuntu - but most love it. You'll need to try out about 30 different distro's before you're sure which one you like best. Just have a play with a few of the suggestions in this thread, and you'll hopefully find one you can live with.

I'm not an exclusive fanboy. I say that windows, OSX, and linux all have their uses and are equal in some areas.

Actually installig Etch in expert mode isn't that difficult. It simply gives you more choice.





Well, if you have tried literally hundreds of distros as I have, and always keep coming back to the same (2 in my case), it is only normal that you suggest others your favorite.
However I always take other people's needs into account. I won't hesitate recommending distros other than my favourites if that is in the user's best interest.



Same here with Sabayon. As to Dreaminux it fails at installing a boot loader to partion.



I couldn't agree more. Besides I totally fail to see why the bloody thing is "newbie friendly". There are plenty of distros which are more "newbie friendly" than Ubuntu. Even Debian isn't much more difficult than Ubuntu (no wonder, Ubuntu is almost a Debian carbon copy, without many of the benefits, especially stability).

Then just select Ubuntu!!



OK, I'll change to to gentoo in expert mode.

Opensuse or Mandriva. Both are nice.

Try Sabayon

New version 3.4 is out in a few days. Should be very stable.

slackware, or dreamlinux

id go with ubuntu or pclinuxos of course you can never go wrong with slackware

going from windows to linux the best solution would be pclinuxos
that a great place to get your feet wet.

Fedora 7.Fedora is one of the most secure distributions with things like SELinux and Exec-Shield plus has plenty of easy-to-use security tools. Fedora has some nice GUI tools for common and advanced tasks; unlike SUSE and Mandriva, however, the GUI tools aren't centralized into one fat control center that tends to be buggy and slow. Version 7 version speeds up package management speed multi-fold, which brings Yum (RPM) at least upto par with Apt (DEB) in terms of performance.Ubuntu is also good but it lacks security features that even Vista users have, while gathering more than it's fair share of hype.Ofcourse I cant tell you whether or not I prefer OS X or Fedora or Windows yet because yesterday was the first time I really got to try it.It seems OS X really packs a punch for visual appeal but I'm pretty sure a happy OS X on PC experience leads to a Mac sale later on?

Ubuntu Feisty ist the best one ever!

For Server and also for Desktop!
So for Server you can also use the desktop one and connect VNC (remote desktop).

:-)

its just great!

SUSE

Hi,

I tried alot of different distros and must say I'm also waiting for the Sabayon 3.4 release in a few days.

I like the Opensuse 10.2 and Mandriva Sping 2007 Powerpack.

Right now I still have Ubuntu Feisty (7.04) installed which is also pretty nice.

Grtz and I would suggest you just dowload a few live cd or dvd and have a look at the different distro's, it's all about taste.

Just don't OpenSuSE or Fedora... They're both at least as bloated as Windows, which defeats one of the main points of running Linux, really...

In terms of Linux (though I don't like Linux very much, mainly because of the GNU philosophy - I've always been a fan of BSD-style licensing), I've been a Gentoo person as long as there has been Gentoo myself, though that's only recently come into the realms of reasonable installation for a first timer. As somebody pointed out, Linux users are all zealots for their distro of choice and they will always recommend a certain one or two that they like, which is why no two responses to this thread have bourne the same recommendations. It's probably best to go somewhere like here, read up the goals of different distros and decide for yourself.

suse was nice, i used it as my first distro


i hear alot about ubuntu, never really did anything for me.


Mandriva powerpack was great, like it stood out compared to the other distros, but its not free (torrent it.)



anyways enjoy your stay with linux =]

Pardus Linux

Fedora isnt bloated. There is a installable Live CD version now.

Ubuntu Feisty 7.04 is the best one (right one) for joe user.

I'm a linux user since 1995.

BELIEVE ME

if you are an expert user, you can use debian etch or Gentoo.

I would go with ubuntu instead of slackware, only because slackware can be a REAL pain to get running and you need a floppy drive to install it. Also slackware is more advanced and ubuntu would be better to start off with, learn the basics and then if like linux you could try more advanced distros.

Ok I've been Toying Around with Diffrent Distro's (Including BSD) and here are the results

Ubuntu: lack of Remember Password Feature and some key features but a Pretty Good Distro

Mandriva Powerpack: Uses ALL my Hard drive and leaves 5.1 GB Free.

Dreamlinux: Where the hell is my network Icon and my wireless don't work

Debian Etch: What they say on the CD: Touchpad is experimental and too damn slow

PCLinuxOS:.....................

Fedora Core 7: Try to get my wireless to connect, Will not connect to my network >.< Very GOOD Distro

Freespire: Ugh, VERY slow

Linspire: X.org crashes after install

PC-BSD: Very Beginner friendly, Installers, .PBI packages

FreeBSD and DesktopBSD: GOing to try

Sabayon: Going to Try

Gentoo and (X)ubuntu are my favorites

opensuse with smart package manager would be best imo.

http://susewiki.org/index.php?title=SMART_Package_Manager

update with smart after you install, then install the ati driver via the wiki instructions. And you'll be good to go with codecs and all.

I would recommend openSUSE or PCLinuxOS. Mind you, those my not be the best if you are looking for pure performance. 'Bloat" (as long as its not BS software) doesnt bother me. I like over the top GUIs and useless, but fun effects.

I also could care less about free software. Software and Operating Systems (IMO) have every right to be closed source and charged for. I use Linux because its exciting to follow such a worthy Windows and OS X alternative.

I'm quite surprised nobody has listed Arch Linux. If you're going to get into Linux, might as well learn about it while you do it. Of course you can do the same with Slackware and such but I would recommend Arch because of its rolling release (always up to date) and easy package management (even though its CLI).

Not exactly the most user friendly, but a great way to learn.

BTW I have tried Ubuntu Feisty, Fedora 6, openSuSE 10.2, and Slackware 12, as well as previous releases of each and have found Arch the best fit for me.

sdelano

looks like agood distro, ive heard of it before, but i never really tried it, i think i will now though.

I'd recommend Ubuntu or PCLINUXOS 2007 (now thats what i call a distro)

I used ubuntu/kubuntu for 2 1/2 years, then I discovered PCLOS 0.92/0.93.

Since the latest PCLOS 2007 has been released there is no reason to go anywhere else!!

I think this is THE best distro bar none!!

cheers

wanger

Actually openSUSE 10.3 is going to be very fast. According to some faster than anything else, including Gentoo.The ugly fonts and the package management issues are going to be solved as well, thus: a killer distro.I am (very) glad that people are leaving K/Ubuntu for PCLOS: I never saw the value of the former, I can clearly see the value of the latter.However I am going to stay with openSUSE.