thought maybe it would be interesting to indicate my recent experience with installation of ubuntu.

 

first up if you are a debian user already i would say dont make the switch. although ubuntu has a couple of tweaks that set it apart from debian it is plainly just debian under another coat. as with debian you won't get charged for ubuntu.

 

so why choose ubuntu over debian. well first up most of the debian coders are now coding for ubuntu, hopefully this wont me the end of debian (i doubt it very much) but this means that the group in control of ubuntu has a great deal of experience with deb.

 

Ubuntu is going to be different to debian, instead of waiting it out to stabilize everything across the board (how long has sarge being in 'testing') they plan on a stable build released every six months. This should mean that you will achieve in gaining all the lastest releases (kernel/kde/gnome). They also make the claim that ubuntu should 'just work'. The idea being that all installs/updates shouldn't cause problems for the user but instead just install and work.

 

Instead of constantly being forced to secure older releases (how long has woody been getting patched?) they are going to limit themselves to only 18 monthes of support for the release. This means that if you don't keep up-to-date you won't keep getting security patches.

 

the installer is text based (who needs a gui to install!). i found it to be quite simple, just kept clicking ok to everything. that was that, installed, once booted it was running dhcp. i was done on the net and on the linux-noob forums [img]<___base_url___>/uploads/emoticons/default_laugh.png[/img] id say it took me around 45 minutes total to install the system. this was on a 333Mhz 384Mb RAM PII system.

 

once up and running i used the default desktop of gnome. although i have never been a real fan of gnome, i found it to be easy to use. all the major functions that i would normally undertake where there.

 

of course i then went and installed kde, then fluxbox. all just worked out of the box and now im getting down to customizing the desktop to my liking.

 

not yet tried debian, then shoot for ubuntu.

ubuntu in my perspective is noobish... it's cool but you have to sudo everything

you only need to sudo the first time, then set a root passwd and you can su to your hearts content. as for it being 'noobish' hell yeah it is.. and thats why i see it as the perfect starter distro.

 

First time using ubuntu you need to do this:







 

And then you can use su and other root processes.

i have to say i just installed ubuntu about an hour ago and it seem very nice. i installed it on an old pII acer it just goes. VERY simple to install. i must say its is the best noob-frendly distro around. not only that there's only 1 cd instead of debian's 15 (too broke 4 new dvd players).

I recomend it to anyone who is new to linux.

 

good luck everyone

gus

[img]<___base_url___>/uploads/emoticons/default_dry.png[/img]

 

Ubuntu is definately my Distro of choice. I have used Debian in the past, and still continue to use it now. Debian was the distro I attempted to first learn... A newbie installing woody on a P150. Right... that went over really well.

 

Anyway, I found that Debian is probably one of the best Distros out, and with ubuntu now giving it an easy installation, and quick setup... I've got to say I am pleased.

 

I have recently upgraded from (woody) i know, insecure to the latest of Ubuntu (breezy). Anyway, i must say that my experience thus far has been a very pleasant one. I am hands down an ubuntu fan from start to finish.

 

Debian will always be my distro of choice, but now Ubuntu has now given me a quick simple install for the Debian that I have always loved. Anyway, if you have not tried it, please get it from Ubuntu.com and enjoy...

I wouldn't exactly call myself a complete linux noob (huh,,,irony!) but I use Ubuntu since it's fast, clean, and I don't have to worry about anything going wrong. I've got a box for that...and I've got my work box, which needs to, well, work.