Subj : Re: Linux for a Beginner
To   : comp.os.linux
From : Gerard Wassink
Date : Fri Jul 02 2004 12:54 pm

On 1 Jul 2004 22:44:02 -0700, David R scribbled:

> I'm a Windows person who grew up from DOS to Windows 3.0 and now
> Windows XP.  Now I want to try Linux but there are so many
> distrabutions (I don't know the proper term).  Is there one
> distribution that stands out for beginners over the others?  Should I
> buy with support or download?

Well David,

Be welcome!!!

The answer to your question is not an easy one to give. It depends greatly
on what you would like to achieve.

You could, as suggested in other replies, start with a more or less
full-blown distribution (yes, this *is* the proper term to use ;).

Another way to approach your obvious desire to learn something about Linux
is the hard way (and, as I believe, the most rewarding). That is: buy
yourself a good book (for example the latest edition of "Linux Unleashed"
by Tim Parker (ISBN of my copy is 0-672-31372-3), the third edition still
serves as my reference manual) and install your own.

As I said, it greatly depends on what you want. You might want to brag to
your friends about having Linux on your system. Method 1 will suffice then.

You also might want to show them around and be able to teach them how to do
it themselves. This would require method 2.

Of course these methods do not exclude each-other ;>)

That's the great thing about Linux: no need to follow predefined hardened
paths, although there are some...

Anyway, whatever you decide: have fun!

-- 
GerardLinux ay tee filternet dee oo tee ann el

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Jesus is alive, I spoke with Him this morning!

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