Linux

[dimtim]

Hey guys I am probing the idea of installing linux on my PC. I've heard that you can run both XP and linux and switch back and forth when you want. The only reason so far that I want to install it is for fun, and I know most of the advantages, but my question is: what are the advantages in reguards to media? Like I know it is free, faster, more secure, but does it do anything to movies, music, games, browsing the internet, exc? Those are the things I do most, and I would definately like to see those improve.

Thanks
Tim

[Cobra]

If you would like to try Linux out, I would definitely use a Live CD or Llive DVD instead of installing it. That will run Linux on your machine, then when you reboot it will be as if nothing ever happened. If you then decide you like it, you can install it.

You could try Kubuntu:

http://www.kubuntu.org/

Or any one of these:

http://www.frozentech.com/content/livecd.php

[isogonic]

i have a duel boot (mandrake/W2k). some of those distros that run from the cd may be difficult to install to a HD, but there a good way to try/learn linux, there are loads of them, ive tried knoppix and beatrix from cd. i perfer a made for hd version. i plan on putting red hat/XP on another comp.
get the iso image here:

http://www.linuxiso.org/index.php

does it do anything to movies, music, games, browsing the internet, exc? Those are the things I do most, and I would definately like to see those improve.

you can do all that, not sure what you mean by improve

[Dv8ted2]

You would use a program like partition magic to partition magic, and install windows first, then install linux.

[Faustus]

Cobra you are the first person I've ever seen suggest Kubuntu over Ubuntu.

What up with that?

[zoobie]

knoppix runs from your cd tray...give it a spin without installing it

[Dv8ted2]

There is also Damn Small Linux which is a modified version of knoppix. It also runs from the cd tray.

[Faustus]

A lot of Distros have LIVE CDs which is what you are talking about when you say "Runs off a CD". Just google it, even Ubuntu has one.

[energy80s]

Look out for Dyne Bolic Linux - It's a live CD running "multimedia" linux.

[Baldrick]

any good live cd with good htpc support? with something like mythtv...I just want to test it a bit

[Faustus]

Not sure of the answer on that because I think myth is going to have a lot of specific configs for each setups.

I know I got knoppmyth to install quite easy though.

http://www.mysettopbox.tv/knoppmyth.html

[Garibaldi]

Cobra you are the first person I've ever seen suggest Kubuntu over Ubuntu.

What up with that?

Well Ubuntu uses the Gnome desktop, Kubuntu uses KDE which I along with Cobra prefer. I would recommend using the System Rescue CD to resize or change your partitions, it has a Partition Magic-like program called QT Parted, just use this command to start the graphical interface:

run_qtparted

Also I would recommend Kanotix as my personal favorite distro. It is based off of Debian which means it has full integration with apt-get, a great program for installing and uninstalling things. Also it is compatible with klik, another 1 click installer. Also the disk is both a live cd and install cd. Kanotix is based off of Knoppix's hardware detection, so its the best in the biz

[greymalkin]

I have always heard linux is faster but in practical application have never seen this to be true whenever the linux distro even begins to approach the functionality/ease of use of a windows machine. The two in particular I have most familiarity with are mandrake and ubuntu. While they are pretty usable and user friendly out of the box..the load times of anything is painfully slow compared to xp on the same machine...i'm sure I could tweak x, y, z and write a custom 200 line script to fix this..but out of the box it's rather disappointing.

more secure? definitely. Faster?...

p.s. - and no i'm not talking about running the "live" cd-rom only versions. I have installed them to HD and even run them /toram with unimpressive results.

[vitualis]

My experience is that desktop versions of Linux are not "faster" than Windows XP.

Regards.