Where to start with Linux?

[Matt_TPrice]

I want to start playing around and learning about Linux.

 

Where should I start?

 

Could I get a little info on some Distros?

 

I am such noob with linux and I am really just interested.

 

I want to be ready for it when the Big switch is made to linux.

 

Ive heard Wendell from Tek Syndicate saying that Debian is his favorite. I know Ubuntu is Debian based.

 

Should I just put Ubuntu on something? Thanks!

[trama09]

I want to start playing around and learning about Linux.

 

Where should I start?

 

Could I get a little info on some Distros?

 

I am such noob with linux and I am really just interested.

 

I want to be ready for it when the Big switch is made to linux.

 

Ive heard Wendell from Tek Syndicate saying that Debian is his favorite. I know Ubuntu is Debian based.

 

Should I just put Ubuntu on something? Thanks!

Just Google distros, learn up, pick one, and  try it. If you don't like it, pick another distro. 

[CornOnJacob]

Could I get a little info on some Distros?

 

I am such noob with linux and I am really just interested.

 

Should I just put Ubuntu on something? Thanks!

To start, either dualboot or run VMs and try to use linux as much as possible. For distros, Mint is also built off of Ubuntu and is great for beginners. Debian is good as well. If you want to fast-track your learning and work with something more complicated, try Arch or Gentoo.

[CoreInvictus]

OP, you should really check out distrowatch.org and take this test: http://www.zegeniestudios.net/ldc/.

 

I recommend Ubuntu for beginners.

[Probenja]

Linux Mint is THE best for begginers, then the other Ubuntu-based distro's.

[Matt_TPrice]

Thanks everyone for the Input!

[ohJey]

http://distrowatch.com/

[Opcode]

Ubuntu 14.04 is my current favorite distro. Linux Mint got widely popular from the love/hate relationship users had with moving from Gnome2 to Unity. Now that Unity is all ironed out and better than ever I strongly suggest giving 14.04 a try. Best part is once you learn it, the 14.04 LTS (Long Term Support) build will not change for the next 3 years. LTS desktop versions get updates and support for 3 years. Ubuntu 14.04 is bringing forward new features out the box, and has other tweaks like TRIM support enabled by default. It's shaping up to be imo one of the better 24/7 desktop distro's.

[Hidden Orange]

There's also the recent course being offered at edX (LinuxFoundationX: LFS101x: Introduction to Linux | edX), but you'll have to wait until summer for it to begin. So, if you're okay with waiting then go ahead. Otherwise, you could sign up and tinker around in the mean time. You can also audit the class and keep the course's materials, tests, and access to its forums.

[Opcode]

There's also the recent course being offered at edX (LinuxFoundationX: LFS101x: Introduction to Linux | edX), but you'll have to wait until summer for it to begin. So, if you're okay with waiting then go ahead. Otherwise, you could sign up and tinker around in the mean time. You can also audit the class and keep the course's materials, tests, and access to its forums.

Better to start learning on his own now, then taking the course. That way he will be much more prepared for the criteria and can try and get a Honor Code certificate (what I am going for ).

[fsck_you]

I want to start playing around and learning about Linux.

Where should I start?

Mint GNU/Linux is a good place to start. Looks really nice and is easy to use.

Could I get a little info on some Distros?

Distrowatch is a great site for that.

Should I just put Ubuntu on something? Thanks!

Wouldn't recommend it, since Ubuntu uses Unity as it's Desktop Environment which contains some amazon spyware.

If you do however choose to go with Ubuntu, use the script provided here to remove the spyware.

[Opcode]

 

I want to start playing around and learning about Linux.

Where should I start?

Mint GNU/Linux is a good place to start. Looks really nice and is easy to use.

Could I get a little info on some Distros?

Distrowatch is a great site for that.

Should I just put Ubuntu on something? Thanks!

Wouldn't recommend it, since Ubuntu uses Unity as it's Desktop Environment which contains some amazon spyware.

If you do however choose to go with Ubuntu, use the script provided here to remove the spyware.

 

It's not spyware, and you can disable it simply by going to "settings -> privacy -> search results -> include online search results" and turning it off.

[fsck_you]

It's not spyware, and you can disable it simply by going to "settings -> privacy -> search results -> include online search results" and turning it off.It, by definition, is spyware.

spy·ware

ˈspīˌwe(ə)r/

noun

1. 1.

   software that enables a user to obtain covert information about another's computer activities by transmitting data covertly from their hard drive.

And yes, as I said you can disable it. That's why I posted the fixubuntu link.

[Opcode]

spy·ware

ˈspīˌwe(ə)r/

noun

1. 1.

   software that enables a user to obtain covert information about another's computer activities by transmitting data covertly from their hard drive.

And yes, as I said you can disable it. That's why I posted the fixubuntu link.

I can see the confusion, but as for someone with black hat background I personally don't consider Amazon's search tile as being "Spyware". Especially when you can easily turn it off in the system settings. Real Spyware is used to collect malicious data, not suggest you stuff based on your previous search results. To be even considered "Spyware" in my book, the software has to collect data without the end user knowing. In which this case every Ubuntu user knows about the online search results. The shoe fits for the "laymans terms" definition, but there's more to Spyware than just collecting search history.

 

[fsck_you]

To be even considered "Spyware" in my book, the software has to collect data without the end user knowing.

 

 

It's opt-out, not opt-in.

And nice spyware is still spyware. It still harvests your information and gives (or rather sells) them to third parties.

[b45op]

get yourself Virtualbox or some other virtual machine program. then go to distrowatch and play.

 

Ubuntu is a decent start, there is a lot of issue about their unity desktop but go for the Xubuntu or Lubuntu or Kubuntu and you will be happier but by no means stop there... I like Crunchbang for instance because I am a minimalist you might like arch because you are insane its all up to you  Debian based might suit you but also take a look at the other bases they each have their strengths.

 

Some good places to find help:

If you are on ubuntu or a debian based system look in the ubuntu or mint forums they will help as long as you use the search function first.

If Arch based use the Arch wiki it has heaps of info, use this for some debian stuff too.

Fedora the fedora forums.

This will get repetitive...

 

Also consult the great oracle Google for any problems. The best advice I can give you is run a distro for a few weeks as a virtual machine and be diligent not to minimise back to windows, learn to fix the problems as they arise and you will learn a lot about your computer.

Try out different Desktop environments, programs, try and break things try and fix things!

 

Edit: Wanted to add that you should be very careful copy and pasting commands into the terminal, there are some commands that can really do a lot of damage. Read through them google them and only when you are sure run them. As you will start on a live session or a VM it is not that important but good habits and all that.

[Opcode]

It's opt-out, not opt-in.

And nice spyware is still spyware. It still harvests your information and gives (or rather sells) them to third parties.

It's quite obvious the first time you even click the Unity launcher. No Ubuntu user can say they didn't know about the online search results built into Unity.

 

[b45op]

It's quite obvious the first time you even click the Unity launcher. No Ubuntu user can say they didn't know about the online search results built into Unity.

 

 

People know about it that is why we turn it off. What would be a decent way to have something like this is for during the install have a checkbox that says enable/disable online search. we would then have the choice to install those modules or not, yes I know it can be done afterward and that is what I do but as @fsck_you said it should be opt in rather than opt out.

[fsck_you]

It's quite obvious the first time you even click the Unity launcher. No Ubuntu user can say they didn't know about the online search results built into Unity.

 

For all the user knows, it could be a local thing and no private information changes hands.