Which Linux is better?

[Terminal23]

Heres what I'm looking at.I want whatever is closest to how WIndows funtions.No command line stuff if possible.

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage....oryId=cat01123
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage....oryId=cat01123

[DanGrease]

If you want a Linux distro that is very close to be like Windows then I would recommend your Lindows. Although this distro is not free it is the one that is most close to be like Windows. It has a feature called Click-n-Run which can make your Windows programs work for Linux adn works like Windows, you install the program without any commands and complicated stuff. The site is Lindows.com where you can find information about this distro. Although many Linux fanatics don't like this distro a lot, it is something to look at if you want something very similar to Windows. Red Hat and Mandrake are both excellent distros and they are both very newbie friendly, but they are not even close to be like Windows, but they shouldnt actually since Linux is not Windows. Just my opinion

dan

[Terminal23]

Lindows..Ok I'll try that one out.thanks.

[Starfury_2260]

bleh lindows you gotta sign up for a service (like $99 a year i think) to download software that is FREE otherwise.

[novadragoon]

For a guy with the name terminal, you shouldnt be afraid of the cmd line

they are FUN!!!!

[CMonster]

I want whatever is closest to how WIndows funtions.No command line stuff if possible.

Both Red Hat 9.0 and SuSE 8.2 are excelent, but SuSE 8.2 Professional will give you a bit better out-of-box hardware support and more included software applications than Red Hat.

Most Linux distributions have window managers and/or desktop environments that are similar in functionality to MS Windows, including Red Hat and SuSE. It is probably best to have more flexibility than less -don't you think so? Why not have both the GUI and command line at the same time?

If you really want to duplicate the functionality of MS Windows -get Windows. I'm serious, wouldn't it be better to get MS Windows than some hoaky, dumbed-down (Lindows) version of Linux? Lindows is a rip-off! They are charging for many programs that are free to the Linux community -like OpenOffice.org -Lindows Office is just OpenOffice.org with their name on it for $49

[the jester]

Originally posted by CMonster


Lindows is a rip-off! They are charging for many programs that are free to the Linux community -like OpenOffice.org -Lindows Office is just OpenOffice.org with their name on it for $49

I'm not disagreeing, but you can turn to the terminal to spare the wallet by using apt
as Lindows is based on debian - example:

apt-get install openoffice.org

should work

However, all of the distros mentioned (mandrake, redhat, suse) are good introductions - grab the isos for free first, find your flavour, then go get the boxed-set with manuals and support numbers.

The nice thing is that at least you do get to try for free (note that suse is not available as an iso, but as a purchase-encouragingly daunting ftp-install).

Hope you like what you try

[nukes]

I'm not disagreeing, but you can turn to the terminal to spare the wallet by using apt
as Lindows is based on debian - example:

apt-get install openoffice.org

should work

Sadly not. In Lindows everything runs as root. Bad idea from the start. They've created a Linux distro that actually requires virus scanners etc, which isn't a good thing.
The layout of Lindows is going to be very different to that of debian, so while you probably could install some of the stuff from debians sources, most of it wouldn't work right.
Lindows in general is a bad idea unless you're really limited with what you want to do with your computer, such as surf the web or send email. Its just a bad go-between that is neither windows, nor Linux and is pretty incompatible with both. I've never heard anything positive about it, and one of my friends installed it and it was useless.
Go with Mandrake. That will get you started and has lots of GUI tools to help you.

No command line stuff if possible.

You will sooner or later need to use the command line. Once you get used to working like that again (or if you're like me and prefered that all along) then you'll be perfectly happy with it. It normally provides a quicker and simpler way of doing things, so no need to be scared.

[DanGrease]

I agree that if you really want windows possibilities then you just have to have Windows, there is no Linux distro that can handle everything the way Windows does because its not a Microsoft OS. As for Lindows, I recommended it because its the closest distro IMO to be like Windows, but I agree they can rip you off with things that are freeware in the Linux community. But if you really need something that is the most similar to Windows from the Linux world then the answer is Lindows. As for me having it, no, I actually use Mandrake 9.1 which I believe is a great distro. Although I cant live without Windows it helps me do the usuall stuff with a different OS that is not Windows.

dan

[Terminal23]

I decided and bought SuSe Linux Professional 8.2 at Best Buy today.Looks pretty interesting.Can't wait to try it.I take it they don't have any of this activation like Windows I hope. Thanks for the replies.