Linux Questions

[Proud Liberal Dem]

I've been strongly considering jumping on the Linux "bandwagon" for awhile and becoming a regular user (or at least give it a try) but have been reluctant to install it and use it because I want to be able to keep Windows for myself, as well as the rest of the family to use, especially since (I think) there are several programs (i.e. iTunes) that we all want to continue using but don't appear to be available for Linux as of yet. I had a few questions about Linux that I've been curious about but never had a forum in which to ask them. Since this group appears to be geared toward Linux, I thought that I'd fire away here. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

1.)I know that Linux comes in several different versions(distributions). Are the distributions upgradable? I purchased one distribution of Linux (PC Linux OS Preview 81a) awhile ago but I've never installed it. I ran it once on my laptop off the CD but I didn't want to mess anything up so I didn't try installing it. Do you pretty much install a specific distribution and develop it as you go or are updates periodically released (like with Windows)?
2.)Does running/maintaining Linux require advanced computer programming skills or can it be utilized more or less as easily as Windows? Although I have become rather proficient in Windows and being able to troubleshoot most problems over the years, I have yet to learn even basic computer programming and would not want to use something considerably more complicated than Windows on a regular basis?
3.)How do you install Linux in a way that would allow me to keep my existing OS? I've heard references to being able to install it in a way so as to allow "dual-booting". How is this set up, particularly without trashing my current OS?
4.)What kind of system requirements do most Linux distributions GENERALLY require to run?

[FormerDittoHead]

1. Some considerations...

First, if you want to give it just a try, get a "live distribution" of a linux distribution, which means it boots from a CD, runs and never touches your hard drive at all. Runs like frozen honey, but it WILL run and let you try things out.

I recommend using Ubuntu and starting here:

http://www.linuxfortravelers.com/ubuntu-live-cd-guide

OK, say you like it...

First off, the only real way (I know) of installing it onto a hard drive is to create an unused part of your hard drive.

If your hard drive has only one partition, and it's all used for Windows, I wouldn't recommend any workaround/technique there may be for a new user (and I'm not aware of any work-arounds, either). Rather, do what you have to to create an empty partition or have unpartitioned space (linux creates partitions in unused space, or adopts the partitions which you tell it to use). BTW: you don't need a lot of space to install Linux, only like 3-4 gigs for most everything unless you want to install EVERYTHING...

Assuming you have more, say 10 gigs, upon install it will ask you where you want to install it and about the partitions. There's a lot of info about partitioning in Linux, and I find it frustrating that its such an esoteric (as in, it's not something one does every day) question for even basic setups.

However, in the empty space, I'd create three partitions 1) the swap partition of size the system will recommend 2) the root partition (ie: everything) and 3) the /home partition, the latter of which would contain all of your user files. This way, all of your documents and settings would be isolated away from even installing an entirely different distribution.

I've done exactly this, btw: had all of my 'user' files in my /home directory (Linux uses forward slash as opposed to back slashes), corrupted my system (due to VERY bad advice taken by a new user, ME) but all of my settings, documents, etc were preserved even though I completely re-installed the system.

After installation, it will present you with a "boot menu" which will let you choose between Windows or Linux at boot. This is exactly what I've done with my old notebook which only has a 10 GB drive, 128 MB and 750 Mhz CPU.

Both Ubuntu and Fedora Core have very good update utilities.

[meldroc]

2. Definitely try Ubuntu.

As FormerRushFan mentioned, it comes on a live CD that you can boot to test-drive Linux without actually installing it.

One nice feature of Ubuntu is that it can non-destructively shrink an existing Windows partition to make room for the Linux partition. I've done it a couple times now, and have had no problems, though it is rather major surgery, so I recommend backing up anything important that you might have on your hard drive.

1.)I know that Linux comes in several different versions(distributions). Are the distributions upgradable? I purchased one distribution of Linux (PC Linux OS Preview 81a) awhile ago but I've never installed it. I ran it once on my laptop off the CD but I didn't want to mess anything up so I didn't try installing it. Do you pretty much install a specific distribution and develop it as you go or are updates periodically released (like with Windows)?

There are dozens of Linux distributions, though the major ones are Red Hat, Fedora, SUSE, Debian, Ubuntu, Slackware, etc. Like I said, I recommend Ubuntu. It most certainly is upgradable - Ubuntu uses Debian's packaging system which makes upgrades and software installation very, very easy. It can upgrade over the network.

2.)Does running/maintaining Linux require advanced computer programming skills or can it be utilized more or less as easily as Windows? Although I have become rather proficient in Windows and being able to troubleshoot most problems over the years, I have yet to learn even basic computer programming and would not want to use something considerably more complicated than Windows on a regular basis?

I will be honest here - Linux systems do have a significant learning curve. It's far easier than it once was - Ubuntu and every other major modern distribution comes with a GUI that works very much like Windows or Mac OS. But like any computer, you will have to do some learning.

3.)How do you install Linux in a way that would allow me to keep my existing OS? I've heard references to being able to install it in a way so as to allow "dual-booting". How is this set up, particularly without trashing my current OS?

Like I said, Ubuntu's installer has a feature than can non-destructively shrink your Windows partition to make room for Ubuntu's partitions. Make sure you run scandisk and defrag on your Windows partition first, and BACK UP ANYTHING IMPORTANT! I've done it twice now with no problems, but this is major surgery, so take precautions.

4.)What kind of system requirements do most Linux distributions GENERALLY require to run?

Linux is very forgiving with regards to system requirements. I'd say for the current version of Ubuntu, just have a Pentium-class machine (say 300MHz or faster processor) with 512MB RAM and 20GB of hard disk space, and it'll run great! I've seen it run on far, far slower and older machines. If you can run Windows XP without too much struggling, you can run Linux easily.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

7. Thanks!

Thank you very much for the advice and answering all of my questions. In regards to "test-driving" Linux by using a "Live CD", what kind of tasks and/or programs can you run on it? And what is "GUI" (for the uninitiated)?

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

3. PC Linux OS is very, very good.

The head of that project, Texstar, was my Linux Mentor, way back. He is incredibly knowledgable about Linux and PC Linux has evolved into a very good and stable distro.

IIRC, the install disk is a live disk as well.

[RoyGBiv]

4. PC Linux ...

PC Linux is the only distro I've toyed with that figured out an ATI graphics card without beating my head against three walls first.

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

5. Yes, Linux and ATI is a marraige made in hell.

You can, however, thank the guys at ATI for that. They are known for their shoddy work.

I am not surprised, however, that PCLOS got it right. Many improvements in Mandriva are directly attributable to Texstar, when he was playing in that space. He's damn good. One of the best.

[RoyGBiv]

6. Ayup ...

I abandoned ATI because of it. Just getting a proper screen could be a nightmare, and 3D accel and video capture were ... not something I care to think about anymore.

With my Nvidia card, on every distro I've installed since getting it, I just run a script, enter a single command. Done.

And I found some video capture hardware made *for* Linux machines, so I be happy now.

[Dead_Parrot]

8. It also...

...figured out the 1024x480 screen on my ageing Sony picturebook without skipping a beat: My shop-brand USB WLAN dongle came up and found the network on the first boot, as well - no dicking around playing musical drivers with ndiswrapper (I never did get it to work under Debian).

One caveat: It can have problems with hanging, for various reasons. Power management seems to be the main headache, but even with ACPI switched off my IBM seems to have a spasm on a regular basis...

It's a known problem, so hopefully we'll see it fixed soon. And for a distro that's not reached version 1 yet, It's rather good. Doesn't cost an arm and a leg in downloads or CDRs, either. :)

[SKKY]

9. Whatever you chose, listen to RoyGBiv and do whatever he tells you..

...that cat is on point!