Other Distros/OSes...

[jimi_hendrix]

So i love ubuntu and plan on continuing to use it when ibex comes out...but in the mean time if im going to reinstall anyway i thought i might have some fun...

before ibex releases, what other OSes/Distros should i try?

i would prefer something with a decent community for troubleshooting reasons

any suggestions?

[zmjjmz]

Arch Linux.

[cardinals_fan]

* Slackware
* Arch
* SliTaz
* NetBSD
* FreeBSD
* OpenSolaris

[Sorivenul]

* Slackware
* Arch
* SliTaz
* NetBSD
* FreeBSD
* OpenSolaris
+1 to all of these.
You'll find reasonable support for many of these on these forums as well.

[Sealbhach]

You could try some of these:

http://royal.pingdom.com/2008/09/26/10-amazingly-alternative-operating-systems-and-what-they-could-mean-for-the-future/

Also MikeOS

http://mikeos.berlios.de/


.

[smoker]

i've heard the new mandriva is good, going to try it myself shortly, may be worth a download for you also:
http://www.mandriva.com/en/download

they also have a good community forum :-)

[jimi_hendrix]

Also MikeOS

http://mikeos.berlios.de/


16 bit cli only os...sadist...jk

[Soldierboy]

Linux From Scratch

[exploder]

Mepis might be one for you to try. The Mepis community will go out of their way to help you with any problems you might have.

[jimi_hendrix]

great suggestions so far...any other ideas?

[Sorivenul]

@OP:
Are you looking for fun/experience or for production use? This factor alone could make a big difference in more suggestions.

[SomeGuyDude]

Mepis
Arch
SUSE
Mandriva

Those have the best communities outside of Ubuntu that I've seen (testament to Ubuntu's community strength is that the forums for other distros on here are almost as active as their respective official forums!).

[oldos2er]

great suggestions so far...any other ideas?

Of course, Vector Linux.

[Sponzenbroekske]

vista :p
windows 7 build????(serious)

maybe Kubuntu, Xubuntu would be great

PCLOS

Debian

[jimi_hendrix]

@OP:
Are you looking for fun/experience or for production use? This factor alone could make a big difference in more suggestions.

fun/experience

vista :p
windows 7 build????(serious)

maybe Kubuntu, Xubuntu would be great

PCLOS

Debian

im dual booting vista anyway

ive tried kubuntu and xubuntu
im not feeling PCLOS...
how close is debian to ubuntu (since ubuntu is based on it)

[Sorivenul]

Debian is very similar, though it supports less "out of the box" than Ubuntu. A little more manual configuration is involved, but it's a nice difference, and fairly educational. You've still got the familiar package management tools, and the default GNOME install unless you choose a different default desktop environment CD1.

[Sponzenbroekske]

Debian is very similar, though it supports less "out of the box" than Ubuntu. A little more manual configuration is involved, but it's a nice difference, and fairly educational. You've still got the familiar package management tools, and the default GNOME install unless you choose a different default desktop environment CD1.

Can I add that Debian is even more stable, it really only uses stable stuff (kernel, software) to build the OS.

[SomeGuyDude]

fun/experience

Then Arch all the way. Or if you're incredibly adventurous, Slackware.

[cardinals_fan]

Then Arch all the way. Or if you're incredibly adventurous, Slackware.
You can't lose with either :)

[perlluver]

Might I recommend trying any of the top contenders listed here: http://www.distrowatch.com, mainly the ones towards the top.

[Sorivenul]

Can I add that Debian is even more stable, it really only uses stable stuff (kernel, software) to build the OS.

This depends on which branch you use. Stable (currently Etch), is very stable, and Lenny will hopefully be comparable. However, testing and unstable branches do have breakage. If wanting to test a more up-to-date Debian, I personally suggest sidux.

[igknighted]

I can't believe Fedora hasn't been mentioned yet. Fedora 9 is probably the release I would try, there is a beta out for Fedora 10, but it is pretty unstable as of yet.

I would recommend trying something with KDE4.1, like Suse 11 (if you enable the community KDE repo). Ibex has it as well, as does Mandriva 2009 and Fedora 10.

[mikjp]

- Centos or Scientific Linux (RH clones)
- Desktop BSD or PC-BSD for a simpler FreeBSD
- FreeDOS :D

[Sorivenul]

I can't believe Fedora hasn't been mentioned yet.
I personally don't suggest Fedora, but that's mainly because I think that any release after 8 has been a disappointment. Fedora 9 is still buggy and a F10 is already in Beta. Not a good sign, as far as I'm concerned. However, if you want to try Fedora and relatively enjoy it, F8 is the best "recent" release, IMO. Just my two cents.

[jimi_hendrix]

mandriva isnt working so on to the next choice but two questions:

what is the fastest booting distro that you know?

is there a FreeBSD liveCD or do i just have to install it?

[init1]

Minix is fun
www.minix3.org

[Soldierboy]

what is the fastest booting distro that you know?

Just downloaded and test drove the newest Damn Small and it is damn fast to boot!

[Sorivenul]

what is the fastest booting distro that you know?

is there a FreeBSD liveCD or do i just have to install it?

FreeSBIE is a FreeBSD LiveCD, but as far as I'm concerned, to truly test and use FreeBSD an install is best.

As far as fastest booting, my Arch install goes from cold to desktop in 20 seconds. You can make any distro boot quickly, depending on what you want loaded at startup and what you feel comfortable loading yourself.

[jimi_hendrix]

so far i have tried the following without sucess (as in wont boot from cd):

centOS
mandriva

[crazyness003]

Double post. See below

[crazyness003]

might i suggest Puppy Linux (http://distrowatch.com/table.php?distribution=puppy)

Its tiny. Im gonna try it real soon.

Also, as suggested by others
Arch Linux (http://distrowatch.com/table.php?distribution=arch)
Gentoo (http://distrowatch.com/table.php?distribution=gentoo)
SuSE (http://distrowatch.com/table.php?distribution=suse)

and all the other listed distros at http://distrowatch.com/

Also, a BSD live cd is BSDanywhere (http://distrowatch.com/table.php?distribution=bsdanywhere)

[jimi_hendrix]

suse does not work also

it will boot and load all the way but when it hits 100% the screen goes black and then slowly white and then black

[jimi_hendrix]

@crazyness

does gentoo install a boot loader

and how hard is arch to install?

[cardinals_fan]

does gentoo install a boot loader

and how hard is arch to install?
I wouldn't use Gentoo unless in the mood for a vertical learning curve, in which you'll learn Gentoo-specific skills that you won't use anywhere else.

Arch is really quite easy, which is its biggest advantage.

[Sorivenul]

The Arch install and setup is incredibly simple. Just follow the Beginner's Guide (http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Beginners_Guide). Beware: Arch is addictive. :)

[jimi_hendrix]

The Arch install and setup is incredibly simple. Just follow the Beginner's Guide (http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Beginners_Guide). Beware: Arch is addictive. :)

chances of me breaking my windows (school) install?

[cardinals_fan]

chances of me breaking my windows (school) install?
Slim, unless you screw up :P

It just uses cfdisk for partitioning. As long as you know your labels (sda1 vs 2) you should do fine.

[Sorivenul]

chances of me breaking my windows (school) install?

Again, low. If you follow the guide and know your partitioning setup, you shouldn't have any problems. Just don't install Arch to your Windows partition by accident or choose to format the Windows partition by accident.

You may find this guide (http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Windows_and_Arch_Dual_Boot) of interest.

[d_skillz]

Fedora 2009
OpenSuse 11
Arch Linux

I'd say you can't go wrong with any of these but none of them can touch Ubuntu package management

[Sorivenul]

I'd say you can't go wrong with any of these but none of them can touch Ubuntu package management
I'd beg to differ on that, and I'm sure others would as well, but package managment is a wholly different recurring discussion.
pacman vs. apt-get/aptitude
yum vs. urpmi
yast vs. tazpkg
portage vs. conary
The list goes on and on.
Package management is just another choice in the world of Linux, and one of vastly different personal opinions and impressions.

[crazyness003]

@crazyness

does gentoo install a boot loader

and how hard is arch to install?

I installed Arch once (i didnt RTFM) so I ended up doing something wrong.

Havent tried Gentoo. I do wanna give it a shot just for the kernel builing. I feel like compiling my own kernel for some reason (of course you can do this with any Linux distro)

[jimi_hendrix]

I installed Arch once (i didnt RTFM) so I ended up doing something wrong.

how bad was it

[crazyness003]

how bad was it

Well, its like installing the alternate cd for ubuntu (a psudo-gui). I did get all the way through the installation, but after that, i was met with just a blank, black screen. After repeated attempts, i just gave up, and erased that partition (using DiskGen, THE best partitioning software to run on a windows 98 live floppy. Yes that spinny plastic cartrige-like thing)

But, i didnt bother looking at any instructions. I went all "im a badass look at me pwn arch install w00t"

[cardinals_fan]

how bad was it
Oh, just give it a try :D

If your hardware is supported, it isn't bad at all. For my first Arch install, I had one 3x5 notecard (front only) of notes on packages to install / config files to edit and I did fine.

[jimi_hendrix]

ill do it tomorrow since i have off

[chucky chuckaluck]

+1 for arch. it's kind of an opposite to ubuntu. without being as excessive as suse, i think ubuntu has an "in case you might need it" approach to what it includes in an installation. arch differs in that it is most assuredly a "if you didn't say you wanted it, we didn't put it in" distro (which i prefer).

there are a bunch of live cds you could try any time - slax, elive and sabayon come to mind. dreamlinux is pretty and the last time i tried it, it had xara (is that it?) instead of inkscape.

[SomeGuyDude]

ubuntu has an "in case you might need it" approach to what it includes in an installation. arch differs in that it is most assuredly a "if you didn't say you wanted it, we didn't put it in" distro

Nailed it in one. Since Ubuntu's target crowd is the general user, they can't afford to leave things out even if it's unlikely anyone will need it. It's no coincidence that the easiest OS's are also the heaviest ones. So you install this big system and then chances are it'll work.

Arch says "you want it, put it in there". It really does give you a feeling like you "built" the system afterwards, even though all that happened was you said "yes install please". :lolflag:

[jimi_hendrix]

arch = fail (could not connect to internet so i couldnt get DE from repo)
mandriva = fail (wont boot from liveCD)
openSUSE = fail (dont ask...)
mint = fail (wont boot)

any others?

[cardinals_fan]

Try something Slackware based. Zenwalk is a decent choice.

[jimi_hendrix]

*hits head* slackware is what i forgt...how hard is slackware?

[cardinals_fan]

*hits head* slackware is what i forgt...how hard is slackware?
<declares bias>Slackware is my favorite distro</declares bias>

Slackware is not an easy distro. It is usually considered the distro to learn Linux with, both because of its vanilla packages and the manual configuration required. However, I have found that Slackware rewards those who put time into it. You get a rock-solid distro with a simple, clean design.

I recommended Zenwalk because it provides a good intro to Slack while keeping things easy for a newer user. Vector and Wolvix are other Slack-based options.

[jimi_hendrix]

is it common for me to have about 40% of the distros ive tried work?

[cardinals_fan]

is it common for me to have about 40% of the distros ive tried work?
Depends on how you define "work". Of the distros I've tried, many don't work perfectly with everything. However, almost all of them are usable to a degree (my NVIDIA card is often trouble).

[jimi_hendrix]

does slackware have a good community?

[jenee]

If you go with a distro that has a small support community then additional support can be found @ the legendary linuxquestions.org regardless of the distro





jenny

[jimi_hendrix]

ok...on to trying slacks...ill be back when i botch this up somehow lol

[jimi_hendrix]

actually...wait a sec do i need multiple CDs to install slackware?

[Hyper Tails]

slax linux

[JawsThemeSwimming428]

I am somewhat of a distro junkie so I have tried numerous distros with varying degrees of success. Some of the ones that I have had a good experience with are:

Mepis
antiX (Mepis based)
Debian
Linux Mint
Dream Linux
Arch
Sidux
Elive
Puppy
CentOS
grml (new but interesting)

Good luck!

[cardinals_fan]

actually...wait a sec do i need multiple CDs to install slackware?
You only need one, but the others have some useful packages (such as X ;)).

You can also try installing SLAX, setting up slapt-get, and syncing with the main Slack mirrors. This has some risks and is not officially supported, but minimizes the downloading.

[MisfitI38]

I always used the Slack DVD to install.

[C!oud]

I always used the Slack DVD to install.

It good to install from the SlackDVD if you're a first time slackware user but otherwise it's just a collection of bloat and software that I never use anyways which is why I always prefer the minimal install.

[SomeGuyDude]

arch = fail (could not connect to internet so i couldnt get DE from repo)
mandriva = fail (wont boot from liveCD)
openSUSE = fail (dont ask...)
mint = fail (wont boot)

any others?

Do you mean wireless or with an ethernet cable? I'd be EXTREMELY surprised to learn that you couldn't connect with a cable.

[crazyness003]

Seems to me you're having fun. Sweet. Let us know how SLAX (or whatever) goes.

Personal Note: When i first started getting curious about Linux and looking at the Hundreds of distros on Distrowatch (http://www.distrowatch.com), Slackware had the name that just screamed: TRY ME FIRST! But after a brief look-up at the distro, installation, and "recommended Linux IQ," i decided to go with good ol' Ubuntu.

[jimi_hendrix]

You only need one, but the others have some useful packages (such as X ;)).

You can also try installing SLAX, setting up slapt-get, and syncing with the main Slack mirrors. This has some risks and is not officially supported, but minimizes the downloading.


i prefer to code my own gui from scratch...lol

[jimi_hendrix]

Do you mean wireless or with an ethernet cable? I'd be EXTREMELY surprised to learn that you couldn't connect with a cable.

wireless...i connected than downloaded xorg and stuff but then i missed something while configing xorg and had to reboot...

after that i got some weird error (check out my post in the arch directory of the forum (i solved it but than i messed up the configuring, rebooted, and i couldnt fix the problem the second time)

[jimi_hendrix]

*sigh*

slacks = fail...im giving it 1 more shot with a reinstall from dvd (so i dont need 6 cds) but it gets to the part where it says it found no new modules then the boot stops

[cardinals_fan]

*sigh*

slacks = fail...im giving it 1 more shot with a reinstall from dvd (so i dont need 6 cds) but it gets to the part where it says it found no new modules then the boot stops
I'm not trying to deter you from using Slack (it will teach you so much!), but it would be a lot easier to start out with a simplified derivative such as Zenwalk, Vector, Wolvix, or SLAX.

What exactly happened during the install?

[jimi_hendrix]

I'm not trying to deter you from using Slack (it will teach you so much!), but it would be a lot easier to start out with a simplified derivative such as Zenwalk, Vector, Wolvix, or SLAX.

What exactly happened during the install?

mounted the drives and everything...then i selected packages (un-checked anything that i didnt need for xorg and kde to load such as programming tools) and hit full install...burned all 6 disks but it only seemed to need 2 of them (read them then asked for the next...) after that i finished up with the config part (did all the recommended stuff) and installed lilo, rebooted and now it stops either by where it says the module thing or when it finishes scanning for usb devices

[cardinals_fan]

mounted the drives and everything...then i selected packages (un-checked anything that i didnt need for xorg and kde to load such as programming tools) and hit full install...burned all 6 disks but it only seemed to need 2 of them (read them then asked for the next...) after that i finished up with the config part (did all the recommended stuff) and installed lilo, rebooted and now it stops either by where it says the module thing or when it finishes scanning for usb devices
Hm, that's strange. Perhaps the kernel wasn't configured correctly...

You could check out this guide: http://www.howtoforge.com/the_perfect_desktop_slackware12. It's exhaustive (perhaps too much so), and maybe you'll see something interesting.

[jimi_hendrix]

o well...maybe another day ill try again (not in the mood to burn 6 cds...)

ill try fedora now...or maybe install zenwalk because that worked well

[jimi_hendrix]

mint = fail (tried a newer version)

on to fedora

[cardinals_fan]

Fedora releases are, in my experiences, either very good or very bad. I thought Sulfur was very bad, but maybe you'll have better luck.

[anticapitalista]

Earlier posters suggested Mepis and antiX.
Have you tried them?

Anyhow, I can't believe that all the distros you have tried have failed.
So what do you mean by 'failed'?

If every linux distro you try fails, I suggest windows.

[jimi_hendrix]

by "fail" i mean there is some error that stupifies me beyond belief or does not boot...

fedora just said i had a bad image...so ill re download that

mepis did not work but i cant remember why (i think image failed to load)

any BSD recommendations other than freeBSD?

i will try antix or i might install zenwalk

[cardinals_fan]

any BSD recommendations other than freeBSD?

I adore NetBSD, although it doesn't work well with my main hardware. DesktopBSD is good for those who want a GUI out-of-the-box (or who hate sysinstall).

[crazyness003]

...If every linux distro you try fails, I suggest windows.

Hooray for great advice! (sarcasm)

Wow.

As for you jimi, I admire your attempts. Thats the best way to learn. But you do ahve to remember to catalog your finding. Make a list of distros you download, the release dates, image sizes, install times, etc. So when you do decide to retry them, youll know what to expect in timeframe, and any revolutionary changes.

Unlike Ubuntu, the realeses are allways every 6 months. But whith other distros, when they go from verions 2.x to 3.x, there must have been a big enough change.

Just some advice. Maybe even post/publish your findings so others can benefit.

[Sorivenul]

any BSD recommendations other than freeBSD?
OpenBSD and NetBSD are also both excellent. I prefer NetBSD myself, but then again, that is personal preference and what works for me. The new release of OpenBSD (4.4) might be worth a try.

[zakirs]

i tried freezylinux (http://freezylinux.com) recently .. its kinda polished ubuntu .. u can try it :)

[jimi_hendrix]

before i install zenwalk or a BSD (or maybe just ubuntu intrepid :)) is there anyway i can install debian without 21 cds or 4 dvds (i only have wireless availibe so internet is annoying during install)?

[cardinals_fan]

before i install zenwalk or a BSD (or maybe just ubuntu intrepid :)) is there anyway i can install debian without 21 cds or 4 dvds (i only have wireless availibe so internet is annoying during install)?
http://cdimage.debian.org/cdimage/weekly-builds/i386/iso-cd/debian-testing-i386-xfce-CD-1.iso

[MisfitI38]

If that many distros are failing to boot or install on your machine, I would start looking at the media you are burning to, the speed at which you are burning, and/or the burner itself..

[jimi_hendrix]

If that many distros are failing to boot or install on your machine, I would start looking at the media you are burning to, the speed at which you are burning, and/or the burner itself..

im burning with either a CD-RW or DVD+Rs

i am using burn4free on windows

[jimi_hendrix]

debian worked! but it wont even recongnize wlan0 so i have no internet and im stuck with some terrible themes...

[jimi_hendrix]

the latest mandriva liveCD is working well...perfect hardware detection and network configuration im installing it now

[L815]

debian worked! but it wont even recongnize wlan0 so i have no internet and im stuck with some terrible themes...


A good idea when dealing with Debian and wireless is to get the deb for your driver and put it on a USB drive. That way you won't have to connect to the internet at all to install it (via eth0).