Just wondering if there are any Linux nuts out there, that wouldn't mind the odd question every now and again? :)

Yeah sure, depends what the questions are mind... you might be better off looking at the Ubuntu forums. But go for it.

Ubuntu forums are great, I spent just as much time there as I do here ;)

This server runs Ubuntu ;)

I am a nut and use linux but get stuck alot myself.

Gentoo wiki and linuxquestion is good too.

Just learning, no help to anyone, yet.....

http://www.google.co.uk/linux isn't bad as a first stop either

kubuntu?

theres a designer version too for all you creative types,

ubuntustudio

its been a long time since ive built linux machinery, but i might be able to answer the odd question...

i use and sort of like debian, though sometimes i don't know..


computer porn?

I am pretty up on Debian. I built up all our servers on it so I may be of some use.

I'm prone to Linux and open source zealotry in general-- see this thread

I agree: ubuntu forums is a pretty good source of advice. My main advice if people ever ask for it is "don't be afraid of the command line". There are lots of gui tools now which make some tasks easier but if you really want to make it sing a command line is great: try changing the permissions on all the files in a directory with names matching a certain pattern with a file manager gui.

Yep. Command line all the way.

In fact, the *first* thing you need to do when installing ubuntu is to remove the network manager otherwise you may end up in al sorts of hell

Q: What version distro (edited) of Linux has the easiest setup for laptop wireless networking? Are they all good now?
Last time I tried to get my laptop running Linux (2006) I was plagued by driver issues and gave up..

...just want a heads-up as to what people are using? I will go dual-boot if y'all geeks think things are robust now. :-)

Ubuntu Gutsy for me.

I run Ubuntu 6.6 LTS on the servers at work.

All the joy of Debian stability, with Ubuntu user friendliness.

geez, look at all the computer nerds come out of closet!!

Gutsy here as well for my home media centre. painless

shoo! ...look dogs, cheap frame&forks on ebay! quick! ;)

Cheers for the info vb, hamster - I'll look into Ubuntu Gutsy.
Dale - I am not a nerd..

I have used

SUSE, did not like too many do it for you things that you never could figure out what they where doing. It stopped me really learning how to do stuff, however that was a few years ago and a friend now uses it. He recommends it for wireless support. Not very good documentation / comunity

REDHAT, similar impression to SUSE did not get on with it.

Slackware, good but did not like the package management system, plus it can be (at least it was for me when I tried it) a little old school. Still runs 2.4 kernel and some installation instructions require a boot 3.5" disk to be made, but I think that was just the old box I was using at the time. Good documentation / community.

Gentoo. Great package management but can take some time to install. It can give you a nice fast system though and is very customizable. Excellent documentation / community.

Installed debian but never really used it good package management again. Good documentation never used the community but have been told you just get told to read the fing man page. May be hearsay

Never used ubuntu but only hear good things. Stable easy to use for beginners but still not something you feel like you will grow out of from what I herd from friends. Documentation / community seems good too from what I can tell where I have stumbled on it looking for stuff. Seems to have good hardware compatibility.

provenrad some times if you have new hardwear the support is not too good so coming back in 6 months can make a big difference even on the same distro.

Real men / geeks use Linux from scratch and ask all questions on Usenet.

Linux is like anything else. once you get to a critical mass of knowledge solving problems becomes alot quicker and easier.

Gentoo is the "fixed gear" distribution ;) everything else sucks.

(okay, Gentoo might not be the first choice for a new linux-user)

akin to going brakeless with 50x14 gearing on a london-to-brighton run as your first fixed ride...

bit big!

prav, thats phunny!

hi all:

nice to see some linux interest here. yeah man, *nix is the way to go.

in addition to linux(gentoo/debian), things like dwm, emacs are kewl too:)

so, for the geeks out there, let's try this again.

i have just created a #fixie channel on irc.goto10.org, its for IRC chat (wikipedia it if you don't know what it is). maybe we can get it going this time:)

cheers

chun

screw emacs, vi is where it's at

http://xkcd.com/378/

vi is what I use. It's so simple and universal I just don't see the point in trying to learn emacs.

Fuck that shit. You only need to use a command line editor for config files. Any programming can be done in a nice advanced text editor with all you files clearly on view with a nice debugging window running to the side etc. Vi requires you to spin on you heads, knock three times and whistle to even edit a file and sure emacs has a command to do every thing but I don't want to have to go a course or read bloody tutorial on how to use a text editor.

how predictable... emacs vs. vi

emacs *is* a command line editor, so does vi for that matter.... also, if you see emacs as a text editor, then you are missing the point;)

I know. that is what I am saying a command line editor does not need lots of functions. They should only be used for editing config files not programming, unless you like to make life difficult for no reason.
I know I know. Geeks like to over complicate their life's with silly tools like emacs to take their mind off of their next impending trip into the outside world.

And as I tend to use SSH sessions via either a 80 char wide terminal, or even a 20 char terminal (my phone), I prefer vi. It's modal and voodoo to new users for sure, but if you know the keyboard commands and want pure screen space and minimal key presses... it's wonderful.

Haha, well said, i rest my case:)

you boys should get out more...
;)
I stopped dealing with Linux, because using it sucks for everything non-server for a fact
Buying a Macbook with OS X put my mind to peace....a proper OS with a BASH
Until the big revolution comes I am fine with that

bumpity bump.

after another soul-destroying run in with xp virus on my increasingly slow laptop i'm considering a change.

at the moment i only really use;

wireless internet access (firefox)
outlook express
ms excel (multiple sheets, bits of VB etc.)
itunes
paint.net

now i'm not really very technically minded but i think i would be ok with linux if somebody could point me towards which distro would fit my requirements or altenatively a website with pointers for beginners. . my main concerns are file compatibility etc.

thanks, rambling post over.

p.s. I washed all three of my bikes this weekend, very satisfying.