learning Linux... Basic to advanced

[visvo]

hello.. well as i m new to linux things but i want to try to it so as i knew we have a large linux lovers here can any one help me in teaching linux .. i currently use win98 and winXP in my machine and wants to install linux so starting se start karna hai any body help.

[it_waaznt_me]

See this thread .. The HowTos are on almost every topic for Linux newbie ...

[technoteen]

hey buddy try linux.org they have a online tutorial
i too have a material of a coaching institue on how to learn "red hat linux" if you want it just pm me

[GNUrag]

wait: I recommend the best place of it all... The Linux Documentation Project

-> http://www.tldp.org

Otherwise : Google is my best friend

[tuxfan]

The first thing that you need to decide on is the distro and version. Die hard GNU fans will tell you to use Debian. Its a good distro, with lots of online help.

There are others who will tell you to use Red Hat (Fedora), Mandrake and SuSE. I think Digit carried some comparison article sometime back. Although it wasn't entirely accurate or upto the mark, you can refer it for some basic idea.

I would recommend you start with Knoppix or Gnoppix. Both are live distros and you don't need to install anything. Just boot from the CD. Switch off the machine and its out. That will give you some idea of how Linux is. I have Knoppix 3.6 and Gnoppix 0.8. So contact me if you need them.

As regards installation, I would recommend some distro based on Red Hat/Fedora. I use PCQ Linux (based on Fedora Core 1). The main reason for choosing Red Hat based distro is that you will find maximum number of books specifically written for it. So you don't need to rely only on on-line resources. Self learning is that bit easier.

After you select a distro, you need to partition and then install. But that comes secondary. First decide on a distro.

[rakee]

Welcome to the OSS Community pal..rock your world

how i started is--bought the redhat fedora complete reference book with a dvd--installed with the userfriendly wizard--learned a lot to administer using the book--now i am a linux freak--i am currently in application development for linux platforms--this happened within the last 4 months--linux is good,easy,free,secure,lovable.lol

[visvo]

WOW ! a gr8 deal thanx a lot 2 all u ,ya i want to choose one distro but look we have so much in market from where shall i head to ? confused whether i go for rad hat,suse,debian,elx linux,knoppix,gnoppix baap re too much to choose from .. help ! me plz now on choosing the distro what u techie think is best for me plz do tell me i will c for which one u will agree and i will adobt that distro... but plz do tell

[it_waaznt_me]

I would recommend you to first try Knoppix .. its based on Debian (the best distro IMHO) .. you wont have to install it so once you are comfortable with Linux, you can try installing it ...
Knoppix was distributed in Sep issue of Digit .. Burn it and boot from it ..

[cooljeba]

yep knoppix is cool
another newbie frindly distro has to be mandrake ....

..:: peace ::..
Jeba

[tuxfan]

I have got the latest Knoppix (with KDE) 3.6 and Gnoppix (with GNOME) 0.8. I think this version is later than what came with Digit in Sep.

@ visvo : Where are you located? I can send the CDs to you as long as you cover my costs of CD and Postage. I also have PCQ Linux (3 CDs) which I have installed on the hard disk and use regularly. Its a good distro based on Fedora Core 1. But they have customised it quite a bit and included some more necessary application.

But first try out with Knoppix or Gnoppix.

[tuxfan]

Oh now I see, you are located where the India-Australia match is going on. So can I safely assume that you are located in the stadium at present? Anyway, I can send you the CDs by VPP if you want.

[xenkatesh]

www.tdpl.org i srtongly recommend this site for full fluged linux!!!
also knioppix is a base to all the newbie to linux!!!

[visvo]

hi ! thanx guys for such nice suggestion well tuxfan i m from nagpur but not in stadium .. i m in my office yup plz do tell me how much it cost me to pay u for ur cds and other stuff and hey if u have any good book or if u know any good book for linux that u think might be useful for me plz do send me i will pay all the cost.

[tuxfan]

I will inquire with the post department about the costs and let you know. But first let me know which CDs you want. I think post charges will be as per weight. So I need to know the number of CDs.

I have been referring to some magazines and also Red Hat Fedora 2 Bible by Christopher Negus. Actually, if you buy that book, it comes with Fedora Core 2 CDs (4 CDs). So you don't need to wait for CDs from me. But I would prefer PCQ Linux 2004 over FC2. Every issue of PCQuest almost always contains some nice tips for PCQ Linux 2004. So that makes it that much easier to learn

BTW, glad to know you are not in stadium. The match is anyway not worth watching so far :roll:

[visvo]

hi ! tuxfan well .. i m getting confused now what i have to do plz tell me one by one whether i have to buy that red hat fedora 2 bible or pcq linux 04 and on which issue pcq has given their linux version ? do tell me so that can buy it.. well i read chip n digit and prefer their articles over pcq coz its easy i stopped reading pcq after the rising of JDM magz but i will do that if u say..plz guide

[it_waaznt_me]

If you wanna buy then buy a book called Beginning Red Hat Fedora Core 2 .. its by Wrox .. Great book and the distro is stable too ...
Btw .. the distro is in DVD ... so if you dont have dvd drive then its of no use to you ..

[djmykey]

Cool ppl now can we have a thread for customizing Linux as windows is already famous so what abt a Linux thread.

[tuxfan]

Originally Posted by visvo

hi ! tuxfan well .. i m getting confused now

Oops! Sorry for the confusion. But you have to first decide on the distro and then only can you decide what to buy from where.

Almost everyone here has suggested that you first try out Knoppix or Gnoppix. In that, you don't have to partition your hard disk or install anything. Just boot from the CDs. Get comfortable using it and then try an install.

My personal suggestion is PCQ Linux 2004. I find it contains almost everything that I needed (except Firefox and some XMMS goodies). It came with the March 2004 issue.

You are right. PCQuest is in a different league from Digit. Their target audience is different. But since they have given out a Linux distro, they regularly keep giving tips on it in their issues. Those articles at times are very useful. They also have a forum for their distro. So troubleshooting and learning is that bit easier.

As regards Fedora Core 2, I have heard some negative reports. They may not be true. But I am quite okay with my present installation and don't feel like updating it as of now.

So its ultimately your decision on which distro to choose. Accordingly me or someone lese can provide you with the CDs or the source from where to get them

[GNUrag]

Well well.... I somehow dont like Fedora Project only....

As for PCQ Linux 2004, I must tell you history behind it.... They had taken RedHat's anaconda installer's source code, opened it in a text editor.... and gave a search command for the word RedHat and Fedora and replaced with PCQ .... they were trying to remove all instances of the phrase RedHat/Fedora .... with PCQ Linux .... this they had to do because of Trademark issues of the RedHat word .... and Redhat logo...

But what actually happened is, all the instances of RedHat's developers in source code and credits part like andrew_williams@redhat.com got replaced with andrew_williams@pcqlinux.com .... ha ha ha .... what a shame....

[pradeep_chauhan]

i too feel PCQ linux is not the real thing it is like having S*X with two Condoms on realy there is nothing like the real thing (sorry for being a bit vulger but i could not think of any other thing to express the feeling) Try Fedora core 2 and you see the diffrence. Also debian is a good option again the delay in stabalising the versions ie from woody to sarge is taking to long and has made some to migrate to gentoo which is a good option but only for a little experenced users as in gentoo you build up your linux instll from ground up there are no installers that copy and setup the files here all source are got compiled at YOUR machine adapted to your hardware and then installed at your disk :result: a tailor made fully customised steup.

[GNUrag]

Agreed, Debian releases take too much time to stablize and move forward, but see the plus point... its way stable than any other distro around....

btw: Sid is also not that unstable at all

[pradeep_chauhan]

not at all sarge is rock solid and the update via aptitude is the best one can ask for i am a user of debian sarge on my filewall router linux box.

[oldmonk]

@pradeep chauhan
i agree about pcq linux. i found it to be unstable, hanging often on my PC, but it has a great collection of software which i can install on my slackware 10 which has given me much satisfaction.

unfortunately i have a windows only dsl modem, so i use an old pii as a gateway with the modem and M$ ween98, ICS. Sucks man , but dsl modems with an ethernet port are really not available in india. I ave searched everywhere for them.

[oldmonk]

@ gnurag.

Fedora core 2 is really nice and stable.

Pretty userfriendly to get everything set up real easily. But i prefer salckware(at the moment )

[tuxfan]

I have no arguments about the distros and their technicalities. All that I see as of now is that my work gets done and I keep enhancing my knowledge about GNU/Linux.

Secondly, since I am not an expert, I need easily available support and new tips.

PCQ Linux satisfies my needs. So I will stick to it for the time being and will also recommend it based on my experience.

[visvo]

ok ok ...so tuxfan i need ur knoppix cds and that book that u want me to be as must read also plz do send anything that u have and u think might help me in knowing and learning linux i will b gr8ful to u.. well if possible do call me on 09890131844 i will for yur call too so that we can check nothing goes wrong and if u have ur mob no do send me sms i will call u.. waiting for ur reply

[tuxfan]

Ok. Shall SMS you as soon as I get out of this forum

[visvo]

got ur sms .. thanx 4 no .. well i just got a call 4m local book shop wala that he has some new linux books 4 me.. i will check if he has the one u mention as soon as i m fine (abhi i m suffering from fever)and then let u know thanx ..

[pradeep_chauhan]

ok the best part about linux is that a old pentium 2 or 3 can be used as efficently as a p4 when used with the right kind of software. Again i will say (sorry it is repetitive) use a distro like gentoo it updates or infact builds itself of the net and all it downloads is lines of c code which is nothing but text and thus very small in size all the heavy work is done on your pc. giving an example i had to install x it took 25 mins to get the source (YES it took 2 hours for my old p3 to compile and install it) so the point is using this distro you can easily stay uptodate (i update every weekend and it takes about three hours on avarage) .

[oldmonk]

@pradeep :

Gentoo is for the really really die hard linux fans like yourselfi suppose. By the way do you have a broadband connection to do all this downloading?