Linux

[Stampkonijn]

I was looking for Linux to put on my extern hdd to put in an old pc that I was given. But when I googled I got 'Linux Mint' and 'Ubuntu'. Which one should I use?

[dragosudeki]

I think Ubuntu is better, though I've been absent from linux for a long time.

[Volbet]

Linux Mint with Cinnamon Desktop is my personal favorite, but Ubuntu is said to be more user friendly. It really does depend on what you want to do. Both are good systems, but if you just want to install and be done with it, Ubuntu is probably the better option.

[SirRoderick]

Mint is more popular right now I THINK, but I'm using Debian and never tried Mint.

 

Linux has hundreds of distros, you can try out a bunch and see what appeals to you. For a first time user I might suggest Ubuntu because it's quite straightforward as a desktop OS. You can basically get going with windows-knowledge and learn the nuances along the way.

[Createinator]

I was looking for Linux to put on my extern hdd to put in an old pc that I was given. But when I googled I got 'Linux Mint' and 'Ubuntu'. Which one should I use?

As you are a first time user, go with Mint. It is very easy to use, updates automatically, comes preloaded with all the basic software and codec for general use and entertainment.

Hope it helps!

[xXxYOLOxSWAGxXx_420BlazeIt]

Ubuntu comes with Amazon spyware preinstalled.

 

I would suggest something like Arch if youre new, or Gentoo if you know the basics of the command line. Youre not going to learn anything if you just use Ubuntu or Mint.

 

 

I think Ubuntu is better, though I've been absent from linux for a long time.

 

I was looking for Linux to put on my extern hdd to put in an old pc that I was given. But when I googled I got 'Linux Mint' and 'Ubuntu'. Which one should I use?

[Jack.EXE]

my personal favorite is fedora, with Unity installed.

[Roby]

I found Linux Mint to be the most user friendly distro when I first loaded Linux on my system. Ubuntu is user friendly as well, but I personally found Mint easier to navigate being a first time user. I'd recommend checking out some YouTube videos for reviews on both so you can get a sense of what they look like etc.

 

Also, if you create a live DVD/USB for your install, you can test the OS before you make any changes to your current setup.

 

That being said, if you're looking to dig deep and learn more about Linux (assuming you have an alright grasp of the command line), xXxYOLOxSWAGxXx_420BlazeIt made some good suggestions. 

[marioo1182]

Zorin OS?

[loepa]

I'd say go for ubuntu

[Lyons]

Ubuntu comes with Amazon spyware preinstalled.

 

I would suggest something like Arch if youre new, or Gentoo if you know the basics of the command line. Youre not going to learn anything if you just use Ubuntu or Mint.

 

Unless you're trolling, this is terrible advice.

[LimboNimbo]

Both Ubuntu and Linux Mint are on the more resource heavy side with fancy graphics and animations which might not be ideal for an old computer. Lubuntu with LXDE desktop would be more optimal for older system.

It might help so say that lubuntu still is ubuntu, it just uses a different Desktop environment. So any help that you find online for ubuntu also works in lubuntu. An alternative would be antix os, which is like ubuntu debian-based and is easy to use.

I have lubuntu running on a 5 year old thinkpad T400 and it runs very smooth.

 

The amazon spyware can be disabled- just google it and you'll find tutorials.

[xXxYOLOxSWAGxXx_420BlazeIt]

Unless you're trolling, this is terrible advice.

In what way? Please explain.

 

He isnt going to learn a single thing about Linux if he just installs Ubuntu or Mint. He may as well use Windows if he doesnt want to learn anything new.

 

The online documentation for Gentoo and Arch are more than ample for somebody new to Linux to install and configure those distributions. You are a fool for even trying to suggest otherwise.

[xXxYOLOxSWAGxXx_420BlazeIt]

I'd say go for ubuntu

He would need to remove the Amazon spyware after installing it.

[LimboNimbo]

In what way? Please explain.

 

He isnt going to learn a single thing about Linux if he just installs Ubuntu or Mint. He may as well use Windows if he doesnt want to learn anything new.

It seems like his goal is not to learn how to work with linux but to make an old pc useable again. If you really want to learn about linux, then yes go with arch or debian. But if you just want it to work and run smooth on old hardware then go with lubuntu. It is easy to use and there is a lot of help on the internet if you run into trouble.

[loepa]

He would need to remove the Amazon spyware after installing it.

removing it is not a problem

It's everywhere just ask google

[MG2R]

Debian should work fine for you as well.

 

These questions will be answered with people's personal preferences and, to be honest, if you're just here to try it, the only difference for you will be the default GUI a specific distro comes packaged with. Just pick whatever looks nice to you.

 

 

Ubuntu comes with Amazon spyware preinstalled.

Exactly. I'm not recommending it to anyone anymore.

 

 

removing it is not a problem

It's everywhere just ask google

They shouldn't have packaged it in the first place.

[loepa]

 

 

 

They shouldn't have packaged it in the first place.

 

Yes that's true but IMO it's not a big problem since it is removable and we only need to do it once after installing the OS.