Hi there, i've never use linux before and i wana know what are the advantage/differrance with Linux and windows. Thank in advance!

If you have broadband (Looks like they're still letting you order one for free), try out the Ubuntu live CD. (US mirror proudly hosted by my university! whoot!)

There are a lot of differences. It's best to experience them rather than try to get someone to explain it.

If you're totally new to Linux, you probably want to try it first without having to make a new partition and other nasty stuff, so I'd advise you to download Knoppix (http://www.knoppix.net/) You can boot this Linux distro from the CD (you'll download a single ISO) and it comes with a lot of handy programs (like Open Office and Gaim) Later you can also decide to install Knoppix on your HD. Good luck with it!

Bas

Quote: Original post by basananas
If you're totally new to Linux, you probably want to try it first without having to make a new partition and other nasty stuff, so I'd advise you to download Knoppix (http://www.knoppix.net/) You can boot this Linux distro from the CD (you'll download a single ISO) and it comes with a lot of handy programs (like Open Office and Gaim) Later you can also decide to install Knoppix on your HD. Good luck with it!

This is, btw, a Live CD. Same with Ubuntu's.

With Linux, you basically get all the software you ever wanted, for free. Most of the time, this software sucks (there are exceptions), but everyone knows that if you have any objections, you can simply download the source and fix it yourself. [lol] Anyway, it IS free, and some people get some sort of strange satisfaction out of not paying for software and having source code at their finger tips, even if they never touch it.

I went Linux over a month ago and can honestly say that I really like it :)

I'm using Ubuntu as my distro and haven't had much of a problem with it - if you choose Ubuntu I'll send some really good links I've found along the way.

Quote: Original post by Promit
Most of the time, this software sucks

Speak for yourself man. I have yet to encounter a piece of software that came packaged with a linux distro that I didn't love to pieces.

The exceptions are actually the ones that suck - things like Gnome, KDE, etc. I don't consider those "packaged" tho, since I use gentoo and will never install them just because. :-) Maybe that's what you meant.

But yes, to the original poster, I went linux about three years ago. I might use my Windows side once in a month, if that - and everything I need to do, I can do in VMWare (unless it requires access to my 3D accelerator), so I don't even have to reboot. Linux rocks, if you know how to use it. :-)

Goto osdir.com and check out the various distro screenshots. I would try mandrake before ubuntu because I had to do some hand editing of config files in ubuntu and had to fetch some obscure modem driver over internet and install it. I felt like I needed to do a lot of learning in ubuntu still. Like hdparm for udma mode for example and fstab to access my windows partition and stuff like that. But I liked the desktop and I see that linux has lot of potential now that most distros have grown up and there isn't as much to do in terms of desktop look and feel. 2005 will be interesting for sure.

Quote: Original post by JD
Goto osdir.com and check out the various distro screenshots. I would try mandrake before ubuntu because I had to do some hand editing of config files in ubuntu and had to fetch some obscure modem driver over internet and install it. I felt like I needed to do a lot of learning in ubuntu still. Like hdparm for udma mode for example and fstab to access my windows partition and stuff like that. But I liked the desktop and I see that linux has lot of potential now that most distros have grown up and there isn't as much to do in terms of desktop look and feel. 2005 will be interesting for sure.

Well, screenshots don't matter much. You can change your window manager (or just your current one's theme) and your desktop will look completely different.. Mostly the differences between distros is in the packaging system and configuration tools.

I ordered some Fedora Core 3 CD's online (I guess that's the free version of Redhat now?) and it was easy as cake to install. Very newbie friendly if you'd like something like that.