Newbie friendly distros

[raublekick]

What are your opinions of the friendliest distros for newbies? If your feeling really ambitious give a description of why you think so.

I'm trying to sell my desktop, and since I don't have a spare copy of XP to give away, I'm gonna install Linux on it. It will probably go to someone I know who doesn't have a computer, and really only needs one for simple tasks and web-browsing. But, I don't want to give them something and give them a bunch of instructions on how to operate it.

Ubuntu is as simple as I've experienced, but I can't help but think that there is something even simpler. Like something that minimally relies on the command line.

[pinoyskull]

well anyone can operate Ubuntu without the command line

[aysiu]

As long as you've installed and configured it, just about any distro can be "newbie friendly," except maybe Slackware. Though, isn't there something called slapt-get?

Hell, I know someone who had Gentoo installed for her (she couldn't do it herself), but she loves the fact that she can just emerge whatever.

I say install whatever you can best support.

[briancurtin]

thats a great approach, aysiu. people are always looking for "the easy distro" but it often ends up being one they havent used. people always recommend DSL...but if you dont use DSL, then dont give it to someone who doesnt know enough to do things on their own. same with any distro really.

[RAV TUX]

As long as you've installed and configured it, just about any distro can be "newbie friendly," except maybe Slackware. Though, isn't there something called slapt-get?

Hell, I know someone who had Gentoo installed for her (she couldn't do it herself), but she loves the fact that she can just emerge whatever.

I say install whatever you can best support.
Gentoo is an awesome and beautiful distro fully customizable and there are separate distros that will build Gentoo for you also Morphix is quite outstanding also.

RR4 Linux and RR64 Linux are live DVDs designed to transform a computer into a powerful Gentoo Linux system in less than 5 minutes. Gentoo Linux is a Linux distribution powered by a software install manager engine called "Portage". Besides functioning as a live DVD, RR4 Linux can also be installed on a hard disk, acting effectively as an easy-to-use Gentoo installation disk. The live DVD includes a large range of desktop environments and open source software applications, such as KDE, GNOME, XFce, Fluxbox, KOffice, OpenOffice.org, FreeNX, amaroK, Kaffeine, etc. The RR64 Linux is developed in parallel to RR4 and supports the latest 64-bit processors.

RR4 Linux and RR64 Linux are special DVDs that can transform your computer in a powerful Gentoo GNU/Linux box in less than 5 minutes. Gentoo GNU/Linux (http://www.gentoo.org/) is a particular Linux flavour powered by a "software install manager" engine called Portage. What is an "Install Manager" ? It's a software that installs and configure applications for you. RR4 Linux and its 64bit version, RR64 Linux, are completely installable on a plain Hard Drive. In this way you can touch with your hands the power of a Gentoo GNU/Linux Operating System without typing any mad shell commands.

RR64 Screenshots:
http://shots.osdir.com/slideshows/629_th/7.gif (http://shots.osdir.com/slideshows/slideshow.php?release=629&slide=5&title=rr64+3.0rc1+screenshots)
http://shots.osdir.com/slideshows/629_th/4.gif (http://shots.osdir.com/slideshows/slideshow.php?release=629&slide=5&title=rr64+3.0rc1+screenshots)
RR4 Screenshots:
http://shots.osdir.com/slideshows/569_th/10.gif (http://shots.osdir.com/slideshows/slideshow.php?release=569&slide=10&title=rr4+linux+3.0+beta+0+screenshots) http://shots.osdir.com/slideshows/569_th/17.gif (http://shots.osdir.com/slideshows/slideshow.php?release=569&slide=10&title=rr4+linux+3.0+beta+0+screenshots) RR64 Linux x86-64 version: 3.0RC1
- Torrent (3.0b1) (http://www.linuxtracker.org/torrents-details.php?id=1671)
- Torrent (3.0RC1) (http://linuxtracker.org/torrents-details.php?id=1940)
- FTP Unito.it
(ftp://ftp.unito.it/)- Silicon Hill Czech Technical University (http://ftp.sh.cvut.cz/WEB/#RR4)
- Mudrii's FTP
(ftp://mudrii.ath.cx/gentoo-rr4/rr64/) - AMD Planet FTP (RR64 Linux 3.0b1 .7z) (http://www.amdplanet.com/mirror/gentoo-rr4/RR64/RR64-Linux-3.0.b1.iso.7z)
- MD5: 3.0b0 (http://www.lxnaydesign.net/gentoo/md5/RR64-Linux-3.0.b0.iso.md5) - 3.0b1 (.7z) (http://www.lxnaydesign.net/gentoo/md5/RR64-Linux-3.0.b1.iso.7z.md5) - 3.0b1 (.ISO) (http://www.lxnaydesign.net/gentoo/md5/RR64-Linux-3.0.b1.iso.md5)
- 3.0b1 Release Notes (http://www.lxnaydesign.net/gentoo/release_notes/RR64-3.0b1.pdf)
- XDelta patch 3.0b1 to 3.0RC1 (http://www.lxnaydesign.net/gentoo/patches/3.0.b1-to-3.0.RC1.tar.bz2)
- Windows Addon for XDelta patch 3.0b1 to 3.0RC1 (http://www.lxnaydesign.net/gentoo/patches/win32addon/win32-3.0.b1-to-3.0.RC1.zip)
Using kernel: 2.6.14-reiser4-gentoo-r2 (3.0a0 - 3.0b0) - 2.6.15-reiser4-gentoo-r7 (3.0b1) - 2.6.16-reiser4-gentoo-r3 (3.0RC1)
- .config non-SMP 3.0RC1 (http://www.lxnaydesign.net/gentoo/kconfigs/RR64/config-stable-64)
- .config SMP 3.0RC1 (http://www.lxnaydesign.net/gentoo/kconfigs/RR64/config-stable-smp-64)

RR4 Linux x86-32 version: 3.0RC1
- Torrent (3.0RC1) - works with Azureus, BitComet and uTorrent (http://linuxtracker.org/torrents-details.php?id=2241)
- RC ETF Mirror 1 (http://mirror.etf.bg.ac.yu/distributions/Gentoo-RR4/RR4/)
- RC ETF Mirror 2 (http://mirror2.etf.bg.ac.yu/distributions/Gentoo-RR4/RR4/)
- Silicon Hill Czech Technical University (http://ftp.sh.cvut.cz/WEB/#RR4)
- Mudrii's FTP (ftp://mudrii.ath.cx/gentoo-rr4/rr4/)
- MD5: 3.0b0 (http://www.lxnaydesign.net/gentoo/md5/RR4-Linux-3.0.b0.iso.bz2.md5) - 3.0b0-XGL (http://www.lxnaydesign.net/gentoo/md5/RR4-Linux-3.0.b0-XGL.iso.bz2.md5) - 3.0RC1 (http://www.lxnaydesign.net/gentoo/md5/RR4-Linux-3.0.RC1.iso.bz2.md5)
- 3.0RC1 Release Notes (http://www.lxnaydesign.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=726)
Using kernel: 2.6.15-reiser4-gentoo-r1 (3.0b0) - 2.6.16-reiser4-gentoo-r1 (3.0b0 XGL Edition) - 2.6.16-reiser4-gentoo-r10 (3.0RC1)
- .config non-SMP 3.0RC1 (http://www.lxnaydesign.net/gentoo/kconfigs/config-stable-32)
- .config SMP 3.0bRC1 (http://www.lxnaydesign.net/gentoo/kconfigs/config-stable-smp-32)


Other checksums (MD5):
8ba7fde6b24494fd51754c3ba29b582e Gentoo-RR4-2.60.3.iso
e5567073d1f56914989aae56bbfb3748 Gentoo-RR4-2.60.4.iso
7e09810339673273502f469883231c21 Gentoo-RR4-2.65.1.iso
f3b48e5cc160820152c7f89346be131b Gentoo-RR4-2.65.iso
609e05d70028d30fd0adbe4bef981944 RR64-Linux-3.0.a0.iso
bbe1cab809c9edf8f564d340adae4ae9 RR64-Linux-3.0.b0.iso
4f0eac6497b05cf75767b253b140835a RR64-Linux-3.0.b1.iso
6a65035be25e16241ad8942a2f9697b6 RR4-Linux-3.0.b0-XGL.iso
4eecba560d8ec95591627f2a7c72ab65 3.0.b0-to-3.0.b0.XGL.tar.bz2
0ae2b79a981cba5af5caa7126c96565a RR4-Linux-3.0.b0-XGL.iso.bz2

http://img71.imageshack.us/img71/4286/56ah.th.gif (http://img71.imageshack.us/my.php?image=56ah.gif)

http://img71.imageshack.us/img71/6729/284zu.th.gif (http://img71.imageshack.us/my.php?image=284zu.gif)

http://shots.osdir.com/slideshows/slideshow.php?release=629&slide=5&title=rr64+3.0rc1+screenshots

http://shots.osdir.com/slideshows/slideshow.php?release=629&slide=5&title=rr64+3.0rc1+screenshots

[jacksaff]

Mepis. It's like kubuntu with automatix already installed and with a much better set of default apps. It's also based on ubuntu sources now. Doesn't have the commitment to free software that ubuntu has but for someone who doesn't yet understand the importance of such things and who doesn't really know enough to set their system up the way they like it's better than kubuntu.

[aysiu]

Mepis. It's like kubuntu with automatix already installed and with a much better set of default apps. It's also based on ubuntu sources now. Doesn't have the commitment to free software that ubuntu has but for someone who doesn't yet understand the importance of such things and who doesn't really know enough to set their system up the way they like it's better than kubuntu.
Just to clarify--you'd want Mepis 6, which is based on Ubuntu (not Mepis 3.4 or 3.3). Right now Mepis 6 is in RC2 (release candidate 2), so it's very close to being officially released.

I've run RC2 under VMWare, and it seems to be pretty smooth (no bugs that I can see).

[Jucato]

I think different distros for different situations:

1. SimplyMEPIS 6 or PCLinuxOS - for newbies who are set in the ways of Windows and don't want any hassles with codecs and stuff.

2. Kubuntu - newbies who are used to Windows, afraid to try something that looks different, has some idea about other media formats aside from MP3

3. Ubuntu - newbies who are not afraid to try something new and refreshing.

[raublekick]

cool thanks guys. i don't plan on selling my box anytime within the next month, so i think i'm going to set up my laptop to dual-boot XP and Ubuntu, and then triple boot my desktop with Ubuntu/Arch/Mepis(and whatever else I want to try).