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New PC, new OS
Jasconius
sword criminalmad onlineRegistered User regular
sword criminalmad onlineRegistered User regular
I'm making a new PC next week and I wanted to get some feedback on OS's.
I really don't want to spend 400 on Vista.
I'm looking to pick up a distro of Linux, I have used Linux in the past but only lightly, and I'm not an expert on it. I used Mandriva, and enjoyed it.
Here's what I need it to do:
Support dual monitors
Support games (i'll be using an Nvidia card so drivers should be available)
Support some type of Linux installer, like Mandriva, so rather than manually compiling everything I want to install, it does it for me. I don't know the Linux term, but I know that Mandriva supported this.
Support dual-core 64 bit processors and up to 4GB of RAM.
Is this pretty much every Linux distro out there?
Some reccomendations would be nice, for reference I tried Ubuntu and hated it, so leave that one out.
I really don't want to spend 400 on Vista.
I'm looking to pick up a distro of Linux, I have used Linux in the past but only lightly, and I'm not an expert on it. I used Mandriva, and enjoyed it.
Here's what I need it to do:
Support dual monitors
Support games (i'll be using an Nvidia card so drivers should be available)
Support some type of Linux installer, like Mandriva, so rather than manually compiling everything I want to install, it does it for me. I don't know the Linux term, but I know that Mandriva supported this.
Support dual-core 64 bit processors and up to 4GB of RAM.
Is this pretty much every Linux distro out there?
Some reccomendations would be nice, for reference I tried Ubuntu and hated it, so leave that one out.
this is a discord of mostly PA people interested in fighting games: https://discord.gg/DZWa97d5rz
we also talk about other random shit and clown upon each other
we also talk about other random shit and clown upon each other
Jasconius on
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As for Linux distros, what is wrong with using Mandriva again? Or just looking for something new? I haven't looked into many distros lately, but last time I installed one for a friend he went with CentOS and is still running it.
The only game I really play is WoW, which I should be able to run on WINE.
we also talk about other random shit and clown upon each other
A lot of distros have live CDs these days, so why not download a bunch and see what you like?
A lot of distros have live CDs these days, so why not download a bunch and see what you like?
Edit: Yes, Kubuntu is just buntu with KDE instead of GNOME. I much prefer KDE as well.
Edit 2: Apparently the edit button does not work like it did on the old board... no wait, I'm just stupid and typed into the Quick reply field... damn.
Download the live CD for Kubuntu, download the live CD for Mandriva. My most recent experience with Mandriva was back before they merged (and were Mandrake). I found it to install and turn on too many things that, while nice to have on, weren't well configured to actually be usable to the user. As in, FTP on is nice but if it doesn't work without then also going into a config file somewhere and changing some random settings, why have it turned on?
I'm unsure if that's still the case, of course.
Most people like *buntu because it auto-configures a lot of crap and is easy to work inside, for installing and managing apps, and so on. Interface/shell is nothing, as you'll soon discover. When I was playing with Gentoo a few years back, I had a ton of crazy-ass window managers installed, so don't think you're limited to how the OS looks based on a live CD.
Kubuntu is also a good distro (as it's based on Ubuntu) and uses KDE for it's desktop.
You might also take a look at openSuSE, but honestly I'd say that Kubuntu and FC6 are probably your best bets.
Pro is the required version for you to get the most out of your dual cores and 4GB of RAM.
[edit]I mean as a backup to using Linux if you decide you don't want to convert. It's cheaper to buy OEM now rather than Retail later.
He will need the pro x64 version version as he want's to take advantage of that 64-bit CPU and the 4GB of ram.
Maybe I'm missing something here, but what's stopping him from buying OEM later?
And why would you buy XP at this stage? That makes no sense.
Back to the original question: It's gotten to the point where the only major differences between desktop Linux distributions are
1) what software comes pre-installed
2) what package management system is used
3) what software can be easily installed with that system
You said you didn't like Ubuntu that much because it used GNOME. Fair enough, I don't like GNOME that much either. However, Ubuntu still has really nice package management (apt, the same system Debian uses) and very up-to-date repositories. Try one of the derivatives, either Kubuntu or Xubuntu or whatever. They're basically the same thing except instead of GNOME being installed, they come with KDE or XFce, respectively.
If GNOME's bulkiness upset you, I'd really recommend Xubuntu, because XFce is really lightweight and responsive without getting in the way. And since it's based on GTK+ instead of Qt, other GTK+ based apps (like for example Firefox) won't look like ass on it.
OEM versions of Windows are only supposed to be sold with new computers, as a workaround, most retailers like newegg will only sell an OEM version of Windows if you buy at least a harddrive to go with it.
As for buying XP, I'll be building a new computer this year, and as a Network Technician as well as someone who was on the Vista Release Candidate Betas for the last 8 months, I won't be going to Vista any time soon.
We've learned time and time again that you never, ever, jump on the newest microsoft release bandwagon.
No, you're wrong. I know that you're wrong because I bought OEM software from Newegg just a month ago without any hardware. Newegg will freely sell you OEM software without you buying any hardware. The license agreement printed on the outside of the envelope says that you aren't allowed to open it and use it unless you're manufacturing a computer, but you may sell it unopened to anyone else.
And I still maintain that paying money for a windows version when the following version is already out is a waste of money.
But why are we having this conversation in the first place? The OP specifically said that he didn't want Windows.
Home Premium: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16832116202
Ultimate: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16832116213
Now it's not exactly free but it's certainly not $400. For what it's worth, I'm using Vista and I really like it. I run XP on a Virtual PC inside Vista for anything that doesn't work on Vista (Visual Studio 2003).
/me beats head against keyboard.
It's like the goddamn Mac thread in here. He comes in asking for a good Linux distro and three people suggest Windows.
Anyways, go with Ubuntu, or a derivative of it if you don't like Gnome. It uses the best package management (it borrowed it from Debian) and in my experience has the best hardware support out of the "box".
Debian is nice, but they take almost as long as Microsoft to get a new version of their OS out the door.
we also talk about other random shit and clown upon each other
On the plus side, they were supposed to release 4.0 sometime in December 2006. It's been a while already so the update may come soon.
And why would you buy XP at this stage? That makes no sense.
Because Vista drivers cause problems in some 3D games. And unless one has a hard-on for digital typography, Vista has nothing to offer over XP at this time, or any time in the near future.
Which is why he wants to get along with Windows until Vista gets its shit together. And I guarantee you that inside of a year, there will be games that don't run on XP, if only because Microsoft wants to push Vista upgrades.
The only thing dumber than paying money for Windows is paying full price for an outdated version of Windows.
People pay for Windows because they want the comfort and familiarity of an Operating System they've been using for years. Yes, we all know that Windows has seen it's share of bugs and holes, and yes, a lot of us know that it costs more than it should.
As for games only for Vista, I doubt it. The major manufacturers wouldn't want to alienate the large portion of their market that won't be making the jump to Vista. They may make compatable games , but they probably won't make them require Vista.
And I have a feeling Windows XP is going to be supported for a while yet. At this point we're not even sure if Vista is going to work or if it's going to be the new WindowsME.
Debian based systems include I believe freespire and ubuntu which are nice. Personally I run kubuntu which is the KDE version of ubuntu, and which you may like (I'd recommend).
(EDIT: D'oh you're already trying it)
You could also try gentoo, it uses a source-based package management system like the *BSD's, which means that although everything takes longer to install, stuff will run faster, and you do not compile stuff from source yourself, an automated process with the command "emerge" does it for you. It is supposedly the fastest linux distro. I can't really recommend it without trying it though.
Personally I'm going to try freeBSD/desktopBSD as soon as I get a bigger hard-drive which you could do if your were adventurous. It can compile and run all the same GNU apps that linux does (e.g. all of KDE,GNOME, WINE) and can also run linux binaries on a compatibility layer (flash). It is supposedly faster and more stable. It has a source-based package management system like gentoo.
On choosing a distro; linux is just a kernel. Distributions match a kernel version with wanted userland software (KDE, dual monitor support, wine). You can always install these programs from source if they are unavailable in the package manager and you have the necessary dependencies. *BSD matches a different kernel with the same userland apps for the most part.
Edit: Crap, forgot my original advice... Whatever distro you choose, OP, I highly recommend looking at one that supports the apt package system. It makes it a lot easier to install new software, or maintain existing software.
Alternatively: Does Kubuntu have any advantages over OSX?
I tried Mandrake/Mandriva briefly and my impression was that it sucked and after using it for like two hours it began to progressively break itself. (Though that was Mandrake v10.) Things got a lot better when I switched to Ubuntu, though it remains impossible for me to get the ATI video drivers functioning adequately (included open ones give like 0.5fps in any OpenGL app). Meaning no games (if there actually are any that are linux-compatible), and not much of anything else fun either, like Beryl.
Kubuntu is great, but the apt gui front-end apps (adept & co.) seem very buggy and sometimes just sit around doing nothing or refusing to launch.
I'm running Kubuntu now and loving it, Konqueror is the best browser ever.
What advantages does it have over OSX? Not much, it has the best browser and music-player ever, but it does take some time to configure stuff. I switched because I wished to learn something about computers.
CUZ THERE'S SOMETHING IN THE MIDDLE AND IT'S GIVING ME A RASH
Just to chime in about the ATI drivers for Linux, the official drivers (those provided by ATI, called flgrx or something) are famously awful. I couldn't get anything to run using them without frequent crashes. The open-source "Radeon" driver is a lot better, but has to be compiled with direct rendering available (Ubuntu's default setup installs such a driver). Neverwinter Nights ran fine on my 9700 Pro. I don't think any of the current drivers supports 3D acceleration on the X1x00 series cards.
Essentially, ATI cards are not a good idea on Linux, but that's the fault of ATi, not the Linux kernel developers or the Distro maintainers. I'm guessing the OP would have checked that there are Linux drivers for his chosen hardware before buying.
Rumor has it that the AMD buyout might help on that front, but at the same time it might not. We'll have to wait and see.
I have a couple pointed complaints about Konquerer myself. Number one is it doesn't seem to remember window placement, and differentiating GUI setups between file browsing and web browsing doesn't seem to work completely. For example, I don't want to see my bookmark bar when I'm looking at my home folder, but making it dynamically appear and reappear depending on what I'm doing seems nigh impossible. And even if it isn't, the fact that I could never figure out how to set it up illuminates another problem that seems to plague all open software: every option under the sun, complete lack of design so you can find the one you want without getting a headache. On top of all that, the GUI is lots of sluggish, especially tabs, and has a shortage of favicons, which I find very useful to quickly differentiate bookmarks and tabs and so forth.