Linux on VM and Dual-boot? Also what distro?

[Claryn]

Hey there.

 

After finishing the first semester on my 5 year MSci Computer Science program, I figured it was a good idea to start using Linux. Now, there are a couple of things I want to know before I dive into this.

 

- The first one is what distro. to go for. I will mainly use this for development in Python, C++, Java and some external control-boards.

The client desktops at campus all run Ubuntu, and I occasionally need to use those. I assume distros are similar enough that I can get used to another distro than Ubuntu and still be able to effectively use the client desktops at campus?

- Second of all - I'd prefer to be able to run my install as a VM in Winows, AND have the SAME installation as a native install alongside Windows? No biggie if I cant, Ill just have to install it next to Windows and macOS on my Mac instead, and have slightly less storage. 

 

Thank youuuu. 

[jj9987]

I would suggest Arch Linux - the learning curve is pretty steep (whole installation process is done manually by yourself), but it is very lightweight and you can decide everything about the OS. If you want a simpler way, I recommend looking up Antergos - based on Arch Linux with additional tools already built-in for the slightly more advanced people.

 

If you want to go more mainstream route, then Debian, Ubuntu, Linux Mint.

 

You can have 2 separate ones, one in VM and one next to existing operating systems, as long as you have enough disk space.

[Claryn]

10 minutes ago, jj9987 said:

I would suggest Arch Linux - the learning curve is pretty steep (whole installation process is done manually by yourself), but it is very lightweight and you can decide everything about the OS. If you want a simpler way, I recommend looking up Antergos - based on Arch Linux with additional tools already built-in for the slightly more advanced people.

 

If you want to go more mainstream route, then Debian, Ubuntu, Linux Mint.

 

You can have 2 separate ones, one in VM and one next to existing operating systems, as long as you have enough disk space.

Are there any good ways to easily sync files for IDEs like PyCharm, Eclipse etc.? I have a 1TB OneDrive account that I was planning to use to seamlessly sync files and workspaces across OSs and computers, but unsure how well it works, specially for Linux. 

[Granular]

Arch is lean alright, but Ubuntu is lower maintenance and it's what you'll see most frequently used in how-tos and as a basis for docker containers. I'd say get Ubuntu if you like the Mac OS GUI better or Mint, which is based on Ubuntu if you prefer the Windows interface conventions.

As for wanting the same install as a VM and a native installation, look into using drive partitions as storage in whatever virtualization solution you use. I gather that there's a way of doing it in Virtual Box.

[Granular]

8 minutes ago, Claryn said:

Are there any good ways to easily sync files for IDEs like PyCharm, Eclipse etc.? I have a 1TB OneDrive account that I was planning to use to seamlessly sync files and workspaces across OSs and computers, but unsure how well it works, specially for Linux. 

https://www.maketecheasier.com/sync-onedrive-linux/

[Claryn]

28 minutes ago, Granular said:

Arch is lean alright, but Ubuntu is lower maintenance and it's what you'll see most frequently used in how-tos and as a basis for docker containers. I'd say get Ubuntu if you like the Mac OS GUI better or Mint, which is based on Ubuntu if you prefer the Windows interface conventions.

As for wanting the same install as a VM and a native installation, look into using drive partitions as storage in whatever virtualization solution you use. I gather that there's a way of doing it in Virtual Box.

What are the main downsides of Arch and Antergos compared to Ubuntu and Mint? I am not necessarily fond of the Winodws-like, nor macOS-like GUI, and I have no problems with it being a bit more manual. I will be using Windows and macOS for mostly everything except for development during studies. 

 

[Granular]

3 minutes ago, Claryn said:

What are the main downsides of Arch and Antergos compared to Ubuntu and Mint? I am not necessarily fond of the Winodws-like, nor macOS-like GUI, and I have no problems with it being a bit more manual. I will be using Windows and macOS for mostly everything except for development during studies. 

 

Arch is less stable and the community is somewhat elitist. Ubuntu has third party software repositories available from various developers, while in Arch you're more often than not expected to be compiling what you want.

[WiiManic]

31 minutes ago, Claryn said:

Are there any good ways to easily sync files for IDEs like PyCharm, Eclipse etc.? I have a 1TB OneDrive account that I was planning to use to seamlessly sync files and workspaces across OSs and computers, but unsure how well it works, specially for Linux. 

I wouldn't say something like OneDrive is supposed to be used for something like that, unless you mean massive binary files.

If its simply just code, then you'd be much better off using Git.

If you mean the syncing of config files, you'd still be much better off using Git.

If you mean something a lot bigger, like images, videos etc, then OneDrive/Dropbox etc would be a better bet.

 

If you've not used Git before, its honestly a very very worthwhile skill to pick up early in your career.

I knew just enough to interact with GitHub for stuff I had to install, but I wish I had known about using it early on in my Uni course. (They've actually swapped the course around now I think so its done very early for that exact reason.)

Make a GitLab account or similar if you need Private Repos (which for Uni work you'll probably want so class mates can't look), or if its for config you probably won't care, as long as you are sensible with what config you upload.

 

As for your actual questions,

 

- Any Linux distro will do what you want. Really the big differences for a starter are the ease of use and what comes when you install the OS. When you install Ubuntu, you get a full desktop environment that will be very easy to pick up since its like any other Windows / Mac. Arch after a much more complicated install, you are dumped to the terminal, and then you install the Desktop environment bits you want and build up from nothing. The obvious advantage being you get exactly what you want and nothing more, but its also more work to get to that point. I started on Ubuntu, got a feel for the terminal and then jumped into Arch and haven't looked back since. Either will work for you, its just Arch will teach you more about the OS on the way as you have to do a lot more to get it running. Just as much Ubuntu is much easier to start learning in, and you aren't thrown in the deep end. I'd say start with Ubuntu since you can have it installed in a VM in 20 mins, and then you can see for yourself. If you get annoyed at bits or wish you had more control, then maybe swap out.

 

- As for running the OS as both a VM and a full install, it is technically possible. VirtualBox has a "createrawvmdk" command, which makes a "Virtual Harddrive" which just points at your actual hard drive. Its a lot more awkward and would need its own HDD (I think?). Either way, its a lot less used way, and I'd expect you'd have some problems with drivers (ie VirtualBox display drivers, and normal display drivers etc). I'd stick with either VM or Real install only, or 2 separate. 

 

 

[Claryn]

3 minutes ago, WiiManic said:

I wouldn't say something like OneDrive is supposed to be used for something like that, unless you mean massive binary files.

If its simply just code, then you'd be much better off using Git.

If you mean the syncing of config files, you'd still be much better off using Git.

If you mean something a lot bigger, like images, videos etc, then OneDrive/Dropbox etc would be a better bet.

 

If you've not used Git before, its honestly a very very worthwhile skill to pick up early in your career.

I knew just enough to interact with GitHub for stuff I had to install, but I wish I had known about using it early on in my Uni course. (They've actually swapped the course around now I think so its done very early for that exact reason.)

Make a GitLab account or similar if you need Private Repos (which for Uni work you'll probably want so class mates can't look), or if its for config you probably won't care, as long as you are sensible with what config you upload.

 

As for your actual questions,

 

- Any Linux distro will do what you want. Really the big differences for a starter are the ease of use and what comes when you install the OS. When you install Ubuntu, you get a full desktop environment that will be very easy to pick up since its like any other Windows / Mac. Arch after a much more complicated install, you are dumped to the terminal, and then you install the Desktop environment bits you want and build up from nothing. The obvious advantage being you get exactly what you want and nothing more, but its also more work to get to that point. I started on Ubuntu, got a feel for the terminal and then jumped into Arch and haven't looked back since. Either will work for you, its just Arch will teach you more about the OS on the way as you have to do a lot more to get it running. Just as much Ubuntu is much easier to start learning in, and you aren't thrown in the deep end. I'd say start with Ubuntu since you can have it installed in a VM in 20 mins, and then you can see for yourself. If you get annoyed at bits or wish you had more control, then maybe swap out.

 

- As for running the OS as both a VM and a full install, it is technically possible. VirtualBox has a "createrawvmdk" command, which makes a "Virtual Harddrive" which just points at your actual hard drive. Its a lot more awkward and would need its own HDD (I think?). Either way, its a lot less used way, and I'd expect you'd have some problems with drivers (ie VirtualBox display drivers, and normal display drivers etc). I'd stick with either VM or Real install only, or 2 separate. 

 

 

Thank you for this.

I will take a look at Git, as it is more about syncing code etc. rather than large files.

 

After doing some quick research on Arch I see that is uses slightly different terminal commands as well, like instead of apt, you use something else. Id rather stick to Ubuntu or Mint in that case, and maybe sniff at Arch later.

What would the main differences between Ubuntu and Mint be? What should I start with?
 

Also, I do have some limited experience with Ubuntu. I do, from time to time, have to load up my live-cd to change some partitions or whatever, but it isnt much. 

 

 

[SCHISCHKA]

the main difference is kernel version. debian is using 3.6, fedora is using 4.8, ubuntu 16 LTS is using 4.4. 

26 minutes ago, Claryn said:

After doing some quick research on Arch I see that is uses slightly different terminal commands as well, like instead of apt, you use something else. Id rather stick to Ubuntu or Mint in that case, and maybe sniff at Arch later.

 

thats package management. debian uses apt, arch uses pacman, fedora uses yum. not hard to use any of them.

 

27 minutes ago, Claryn said:

I will take a look at Git, as it is more about syncing code etc. rather than large files.

 

you have to learn some form of version control when doing project work with other students and also when you start working version control is a requirement. Git is the most popular IMO.

[Claryn]

9 minutes ago, SCHISCHKA said:

the main difference is kernel version. debian is using 3.6, fedora is using 4.8, ubuntu 16 LTS is using 4.4. 

Im sorry but this gives me 0. 

[SCHISCHKA]

1 minute ago, Claryn said:

Im sorry but this gives me 0. 

kernel version is important for things like driver support. I switched to ubuntu from debian when i purchased a 10 series nvidia because ubuntu stable ships with a kernel that supports it without any mucking around with the testing branch. I used arch linux when i owned a netbook because it included a recent kernel that had the wifi driver i needed.