What's the best free linux?

Hi all,

Happy New Year....burp :MILD:

I want to download a free decent linux release...any suggestions? I need a reasonably user-friendly version as I can't be arsed with excessive fannying around searching for drivers, but have been a linux and unix user previously so don't need super-simple-but-restrictive release...(if there is such a thing)

Of course, this is not the type of thing that should be concerning any of you tonight, but I have young kids so must content myself (does that sound right?) with wine, woman (singular ), and song....with occasional visits to my pc while she tops up my various glasses, ha ha.

 

ubuntu been using it for a few months after much windooze problemo ,initally i didnt know much about linux and had a few problems getting the usb modem to work but know totaly microshaft free.give the live disk a try,if you get any problems there forum is very helpfull

 

Looks interesting, I'll download it! Thanks.
After I posted my initial missive I found and partially downloaded a Mandrake variant (Mandriva) but I see no reason why I should limit myself to a single linux OS, as I have plenty of drive space!!

 

I'm such a dufus ; in my inebriated state last night I downloaded a Mandrake version suitable only for Mac's...durrr...! Ah well, if anyone wants Mandriva 2005 LE on 3 CD's for:
"A PowerPC and PCI (not Nubus) based computer, see the MdkPpcHardware page for details. Automatic bootloader configuration is only supported on "new world macs" (Blue&White G3/iMac and newer, PowerBook G3 "Lombard" and newer)."

.....then let me know and I'll send them on.

Ubuntu it is then!

 

I have Fedora Core 4 on my main PC its ok, a lot of people have said how good Ubantu is though. Linux seems to be come in trends, every 6 months there is a different distro in fashion. At the moment it is Ubantu.

I did think Vector Linux was good for older PCs until I discovered just how easily Windows XP can be tweaked to run on really old PCs.

 

I'm only doing it for my own entertainment as much as anything else, although if it works out well is a good way of getting an OS for a work PC that doesn't require a licence buying for it. I'm running XP Pro at home at present but am getting a 2nd PC for my business, and I'd rather it have legal software running on it than unlicenced copies. I'll only need to perform fairly basic word processing and spreadsheets, possibly a simple database, and internet access. I've bought a PIII 833Mhz PC with 40Gb hard drive 128Mb RAM off ebay for a whopping £32 (ooh the expense) that should be able to cope with all my requirements pretty comfortably.

 

Yeah thats a good machine, if you stick in another 128mb in that you have a modern super quick machine for office duties.

Some of the newer Linux distros may struggle with 128mb as like windows they tend to be extremely bloaty.

 

Mr toilet where did you download the apple version?

 

Gary:

ftp://anorien.csc.warwick.ac.uk/Mandrakelinux/devel/iso/2005/ppc/
....was the specific location I used (stoopidly).

This link gives mirrors for all available platforms:
http://frontal1.mandriva.com/en/downloads/mirrors/2005iso

....and the following link gives more options with regards to other Mandriva releases:
http://frontal1.mandriva.com/en/downloads/mirrors

AT: Yep you're right, may well be worth slapping some more memory in, and SDRAM sticks are cheap as chips!!

 

If anyone else needs cheap pc's for linux, or anything else, just let me know.
I'm getting some more in probably on Thursday which I have been selling on ebay, but can get extra's if anyone here is interested. Not sure on the spec yet, am hoping for some older Dell's, hopefully Celeron 700Mhz ish, depends what they have in stock.

I can also pre-install linux, or leave them blank if necessary.

Price will be around £20-£25+postage

Drop me an email or pm me if interested and I'll get extra's

Andrew

 

Suse Linux 10 (Full, not the openSuse halfbake). easy install, everything works out of the box, wireless works straight away, works like a gem.