Valhalla Legends Archive

General => General Discussion => Topic started by: DeTaiLs on July 24, 2005, 05:39 PM

Title: Changing over to linux
Post by: DeTaiLs on July 24, 2005, 05:39 PM
I have an old computer with windows 98, and I was thinking about putting linux on it. What do u think is the best Linux version to put on it.
Title: Re: Changing over to linux
Post by: K on July 24, 2005, 05:45 PM
Quote from: DeTaiLs on July 24, 2005, 05:39 PM
I have an old computer with windows 98, and I was thinking about putting linux on it. What do u think is the best Linux version to put on it.

If you've never used linux before, I would recommend Ubuntu (http://www.ubuntulinux.org/).  It will auto-detect almost all your hardware and set everything up for you.  Plus, it provides an easy way to keep your system up to date and install new software via the synaptic front end for apt-get.

Others will probably suggest slackware, which isn't a bad choice, but for a new user I wouldn't recommend it.
Title: Re: Changing over to linux
Post by: Yegg on July 24, 2005, 06:59 PM
Ubuntu looks pretty interesting. I was going to suggest Mandrakelinux for a beginner. I might try Ubuntu myself.
Title: Re: Changing over to linux
Post by: K on July 24, 2005, 07:50 PM
Quote from: Yegg on July 24, 2005, 06:59 PM
Ubuntu looks pretty interesting. I was going to suggest Mandrakelinux for a beginner. I might try Ubuntu myself.

The only real downside I had with Ubuntu was that by default it doesn't install a lot of stuff I wanted -- emacs, gcc/g++, automake, autoconf, the development man pages, subversion, some development libraries, etc.  However, this is easily fixed with synaptic or an apt-get.
Title: Re: Changing over to linux
Post by: DeTaiLs on July 24, 2005, 08:30 PM
I just got done talking to my dad and if I get the old computer working he wants to use it to, so is there any other versions of linux that is user friendly or the best bet is to stick with Ubuntu.
Title: Re: Changing over to linux
Post by: Topaz on July 24, 2005, 08:38 PM
What would you use Linux FOR? The best OS suited for you is the one suited to your needs.
Title: Re: Changing over to linux
Post by: Warrior on July 24, 2005, 09:02 PM
Because ANYTHING is better than Windows 98.
Title: Re: Changing over to linux
Post by: Yegg on July 24, 2005, 09:11 PM
Quote from: DeTaiLs on July 24, 2005, 08:30 PM
I just got done talking to my dad and if I get the old computer working he wants to use it to, so is there any other versions of linux that is user friendly or the best bet is to stick with Ubuntu.
Mandrake Linux is said to be one of the most user-friendly distributions of Linux available.
Title: Re: Changing over to linux
Post by: iago on July 24, 2005, 10:28 PM
My personal favorite is Slackware.  It's not newby-friendly, but there's no better way to learn than emersing yourself in it.  And once you can use Slackware, you can use any distro.

However, I've heard a lot of good things about Gentoo.  I would recommend trying that.

Fedora and Debian make life easy by giving you the functionality of having apt-get, which automatically downloads/installs .rpm's, but Slackware has an equivilant called slapt-get, which is nearly as good :)
Title: Re: Changing over to linux
Post by: Newby on July 24, 2005, 10:58 PM
Quote from: iago on July 24, 2005, 10:28 PM
My personal favorite is Slackware.  It's not newby-friendly, but there's no better way to learn than emersing yourself in it.  And once you can use Slackware, you can use any distro.

Bingo. Signed. Quoted for truth.
Title: Re: Changing over to linux
Post by: Kp on July 26, 2005, 09:03 PM
Quote from: Warrior on July 24, 2005, 09:02 PMBecause ANYTHING is better than Windows 98.

Even Windows 3.1? :)
Title: Re: Changing over to linux
Post by: iago on July 26, 2005, 09:11 PM
Quote from: Kp on July 26, 2005, 09:03 PM
Quote from: Warrior on July 24, 2005, 09:02 PMBecause ANYTHING is better than Windows 98.

Even Windows 3.1? :)

Sure, why not?  That's like comparing killers to rapists; at that point, who cares what's "worse"? :)
Title: Re: Changing over to linux
Post by: Warrior on July 26, 2005, 09:29 PM
Well windows 3.1 didn't have as much so not as much to worry about, on the other hand windows 98
REALLY sucks (http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/memory/base/virtual_address_space.asp) :)

Title: Re: Changing over to linux
Post by: MyndFyre on July 26, 2005, 09:31 PM
Quote from: Warrior on July 26, 2005, 09:29 PM
Well windows 3.1 didn't have as much so not as much to worry about, on the other hand windows 98
REALLY sucks (http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/memory/base/virtual_address_space.asp) :)

As much as I like Win3.1 over Win98 (believe me, a LOT), it depended on DOS and himem.sys for its virtual memory space.  :P
Title: Re: Changing over to linux
Post by: shout on July 26, 2005, 10:33 PM
Quote from: mike rowe soft
with potentially catastrophic consequences.
Title: Re: Changing over to linux
Post by: Warrior on July 27, 2005, 12:28 PM
I didn't even know 3.1 had memory protection, I still thought of it as a gui for dos.
Title: Re: Changing over to linux
Post by: MyndFyre on July 27, 2005, 12:38 PM
Quote from: Warrior on July 27, 2005, 12:28 PM
I didn't even know 3.1 had memory protection, I still thought of it as a gui for dos.

In 386Enhanced mode it offered limited memory protection, but in real or standard mode (supported in 3.0), it did not.
Title: Re: Changing over to linux
Post by: Warrior on July 27, 2005, 12:43 PM
man you're old :o :)
Title: Re: Changing over to linux
Post by: Topaz on July 28, 2005, 11:47 AM
Is Windows 3.1 still in distribution? I'd like to grab a copy to play around with :-P
Title: Re: Changing over to linux
Post by: iago on July 28, 2005, 12:13 PM
Quote from: Topaz on July 28, 2005, 11:47 AM
Is Windows 3.1 still in distribution? I'd like to grab a copy to play around with :-P

I have it on cd.  I don't think it has a key.  If you PM me, I can't rip it for you because that would be illegal.