[TonyVT]

A radio segment claimed there is a new front page that makes Linux easier to use by those of us who are technologically challenged. Any truth to this?

[tomdkat]

A new "front page"? Did they mean user interface, by chance?

Peace...

[TonyVT]

While they did not use those exact words, I understood them to mean that the new front page or front end would make Linux easier to use by us common folk. They said Linux was originally "written by techies for techies" and that this new version would make Linux easier for non- techies.

[tomdkat]

Gotcha. Sounds like they were talking about a new distribution with a user interface different from existing distributions.

I must admit it's pretty easy to use Linux these days and all the major distributions have pretty "friendly" user interfaces. You can see what GNOME looks like here as part of the Ubuntu distribution. You can see what KDE looks like here as part of the Kubuntu distribution. Of course, there are many other distros and several other desktop environments available.

Peace...

[TonyVT]

The "new" Linux was mentioned in the context of some $300 laptops that would meet the needs of someone like me who has relatively simple computing needs (e.g.: word processing, spreadsheets, email, web surfing, etc) rather than heavy duty users who can really take advantage of Linux. I was hoping to learn if Linux is easy enough for someone like me to use before I investigated the rumor of inexpensive laptops.

Thanks for your help.

[tomdkat]

Well, you can easily find out if Linux is "easy" enough for you first hand by trying to actually run it!

You can download a "live CD", which is a fully functioning Linux distribution you can boot from a CD or DVD, no installation required. Of course, this is intended for you to take Linux out for a test drive and see how it can support your hardware, etc.

There is also a Linux distribution you can install inside your current Windows filesystem, just like a Windows application. When you're done with it, you can use "Add/Remove Programs" to remove it.

If you want to go the "live CD" route, you can pick one of many distributions that offer live CDs, download the ISO image, and burn it to physical media. Then you boot your system from the CD/DVD drive with the CD or DVD you burned in it and voila, Linux is up and running for you to play with.

If you want to give Ubuntu a try, you can download a live CD for free from here. The "live CD" from Ubuntu also serves as an installation CD. You can get good instructions here.

Peace...

[TonyVT]

Many thanks for the links. Maybe one more scotch and I'll find the courage to give it a try.

[tomdkat]

LOL fair enough... Just BE CAREFUL if you do this while intoxicated... I mean the Linux experience itself can be quite intoxicating.

Seriously, the live CDs give you a chance to try Linux out for close to free. You're out the cost of the physical media and the time spent downloading and burning.

If you like it, you can shop around for a distro you will want to keep around long term.

Peace...

[TonyVT]

So I could test drive it on my machine that already runs Windows; decide if I can handle it; and then find a "distro" to load it onto a new laptop for use as my sole operating system (?) I assume I'd then have to find sources for the office functions (word processing, spreadsheets, email, web browsing, etc) or would they be part of the "distro" you mentioned. I'd probably visit my local college and see if someone from the administrative computing department could be convinced to help me load it to a new laptop. Can you recommend a basic primer for an understanding of what Linux has to offer?

[tomdkat]

Originally Posted by TonyVT

So I could test drive it on my machine that already runs Windows; decide if I can handle it; and then find a "distro" to load it onto a new laptop for use as my sole operating system (?)

Yep, you could do that. Boot off the CD and run it on your desktop and see if you like it at all. If you do, boot it on your laptop and make sure you can get online, etc. Then click the "install" icon to install it as the sole OS on your laptop.

I assume I'd then have to find sources for the office functions (word processing, spreadsheets, email, web browsing, etc) or would they be part of the "distro" you mentioned.

Yep. OpenOffice provides the MS Office kind of productivity suite. Mozilla Thunderbird or Evolution provide the MS Outlook Express and MS Outlook e-mail kind of apps. Mozilla Firefox (or Iceweasel) provides the web browser. Flash and Java plugins are available as well. Oh yeah, those will come WITH the distro.

I'd probably visit my local college and see if someone from the administrative computing department could be convinced to help me load it to a new laptop. Can you recommend a basic primer for an understanding of what Linux has to offer?

You can get some rudimentary computer use information here.

You can get the experience of one person's migration to Linux here.

As for what Linux has to offer, there are TONS of resources on the web to describe that. Linux is an operating system, just like Windows. It provides the same kind of functionality Windows does but in different ways. The Linux approach to security is different than in a Windows environment. Not all applications available for Windows are available for Linux natively, meaning not all Windows apps have been developed to also run on Linux, BUT there are TONS of alternative applications that run as well, if not better.

If you use Trillian to chat with people online, you can use Pidgin instead, as one example.

If you're a big time PC gamer, there are currently more games available for Windows than for Linux BUT the game(s) you like best might be available for Linux.

As you have questions, post them and others will happily respond as well.

Peace...

[TonyVT]

Thanks for the Linux introduction. I appreciate it.

[1002richards]

Wubi's another easy way to try out Linux on a Windows machine:
http://wubi-installer.org/

Easy to try, use or uninstall from within windows if you wish

[namenotfound]

Originally Posted by TonyVT

The "new" Linux was mentioned in the context of some $300 laptops that would meet the needs of someone like me who has relatively simple computing needs (e.g.: word processing, spreadsheets, email, web surfing, etc) rather than heavy duty users who can really take advantage of Linux. I was hoping to learn if Linux is easy enough for someone like me to use before I investigated the rumor of inexpensive laptops.

Thanks for your help.

gOS (Google's Linux operating system) is on some of the $300 laptops, if that's what you're referring to. You can also download and install gOS from here http://www.thinkgos.com/

They have two kinds "Spaces" and "Gadgets". "Spaces" is crap, and only MySpace fanboys would like it. "Gadgets" is the real operating system

[namenotfound]

Originally Posted by 1002richards

Wubi's another easy way to try out Linux on a Windows machine:
http://wubi-installer.org/

Easy to try, use or uninstall from within windows if you wish

With Ubuntu 8.04 and later, a version of wubi is included on the LiveCD. One of the new options when installing Ubuntu is "install as a file on windows".

[tomdkat]

Originally Posted by namenotfound

gOS (Google's Linux operating system) is on some of the $300 laptops, if that's what you're referring to. You can also download and install gOS from here http://www.thinkgos.com/

They have two kinds "Spaces" and "Gadgets". "Spaces" is crap, and only MySpace fanboys would like it. "Gadgets" is the real operating system

Thanks for the info!

Originally Posted by namenotfound

With Ubuntu 8.04 and later, a version of wubi is included on the LiveCD. One of the new options when installing Ubuntu is "install as a file on windows".

Really? Cool!

Peace...