Distro Magic

I am an IT person who just recently made the "switch" to Linux. I say that with a disclaimer. I run a dual boot to Windows XP for Sims 2, Star Wars: Empire At War, and various tycoons. I am relatively new to Linux. I've played with K/X/Ubuntu, Suse, SimplyMEPIS, Mandriva, Knoppix, PCLinuxOS, Linux XP, Linspire, Gentoo, Arch. Some more than others. I've attached myself to the *buntus and Knoppix and even SimplyMEPIS. I don't want a Windows clone. I don't want it so simple that it's boring, but I want a distro that will recognize my SATA harddrive or at least let me mount it with rw permissions fairly easily. My ultimate goal is to get rid of Windows entirely, but until the previously mentioned games run on it ... I need to run my DVD editing stuff, music stuff, and web design on it as well.
I recognize that every distro has to be tweaked. My question is, which one (perhaps just in your experience) is best for tackling these issues? I lean towards Ubuntu, but there are still some issues there. I love Knoppix, but I want it installed on my harddrive and from what I've read that's not a great option. I like APT. I want to experiment with different programs. I have broadband. I have an AMD athlon XP +2000 (waiting on a motherboard and processor upgrade I just purchased. I think it's an AMD athlon64 +3000),778 RAM (will have 1gig after upgrade), nvidia geforce 5200. Yes, I'd like the 3d acceleration, so I'll install the drivers.
Please, just give me your opinions and why you feel that way. Thanks in advance.
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EasyOS Dunfell 2.6.1 released for x86_64 PC
Yesterday announced EasyOS Dunfell 2.6.1 aarch64 for the Raspberry Pi4:
https://bkhome.org/news/202101/easyos-dunfell-261-released-for-the-raspberry-pi4.html
Today it is the turn for EasyOS Dunfell-series 2.6.1 64-bit on the PC. This is the first official release in this series.
Same packages compiled in OpenEmbedded. Latest SeaMonkey 2.53.6. A different kernel for the PC build, 5.10.11.
Read all about it here:
http://distro.ibiblio.org/easyos/amd64/releases/dunfell/2.6.1/release-notes-2.6.1.htm
As stated in the release notes, all three streams are being sync'ed to the same version number.
The Buster-series 2.6.1 will probably be uploaded tomorrow. I have to compile the latest 5.4.x kernel, and SeaMonkey 2.53.6.
As to which you would choose for the PC, it is like asking "which is better, strawberry icecream or chocolate icecream?"
| Top 20 Uses of Linux
The Linux OS and its related distros and flavors have transformed it from hardcore software into an industrial brand. Even if you are not a fan of it, the Linux OS might be as common as the air you breathe if you closely analyze your day to day interactive activities. Almost all the modern technologies that transform and innovate the tech industry have a Linux OS DNA imprinted on them.
Those that are yet to be branded with their innovative uniqueness and recognition are waiting in line for the famed chance. Therefore, you might boldly claim that the Linux OS does not run your life, but the world around you cannot avoid the flirty pursuits of this open-source and free software.
Nowadays, almost anything that can be described as cool is either pursuing Linux or is being pursued by Linux. It is the perfect symbiotic relationship in a world that tries to find a balance in technology and innovation. This article explores the awesomeness and outreach of the Linux OS in the world around us. It might even be an eye-opener for some of us to start taking our Linux skills to the next level. Top500 quotes Linux as the powerhouse or engine behind five-hundred fastest computers worldwide.
I do not know of the speed of the computer composing this article or whether it qualifies to be among the listed five-hundred fastest computers worldwide. However, one thing is certain; it is 100% Linux DNA. On this note, let us start parading the top 20 uses of Linux.
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parted-3.4 released [stable]
Parted 3.4 has been released. This release includes many bug fixes and new features. Here is Parted's home page: http://www.gnu.org/software/parted/ For a summary of all changes and contributors, see: https://git.savannah.gnu.org/cgit/parted.git/log/?h=v3.4 or run this command from a git-cloned parted directory: git shortlog v3.3..v3.4 (appended below) Here are the compressed sources and a GPG detached signature[*]: http://ftp.gnu.org/gnu/parted/parted-3.4.tar.xz http://ftp.gnu.org/gnu/parted/parted-3.4.tar.xz.sig Use a mirror for higher download bandwidth: https://www.gnu.org/order/ftp.html [*] Use a .sig file to verify that the corresponding file (without the .sig suffix) is intact. First, be sure to download both the .sig file and the corresponding tarball. Then, run a command like this: gpg --verify parted-3.4.tar.xz.sig If that command fails because you don't have the required public key, then run this command to import it: gpg --keyserver keys.gnupg.net --recv-keys 117E8C168EFE3A7F and rerun the 'gpg --verify' command. This release was bootstrapped with the following tools: Autoconf 2.69 Automake 1.16.1 Gettext 0.21 Gnulib v0.1-4131-g252c4d944a Gperf 3.1 ![]() | Kernel: LWN's Latest and IO_uring Patches
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Suse 10.2 - Dreamlinux - LinuxMint
Pretty much I am in the same boat, while not and IT professional per say, since I make my living in Product Development / Engineering. I recently started following linux news sites again after leaving it alone for more than 3 years... With the imminent release of Vista and the increasing annoyance that I feel towards all things MS and Digital Content Control related I started looking for a distribution to eventually replace or live beside Windows XP which I will no doubt keep simply because my wife is used to it.
I have two Desktop PC's that I use at home, one mainly for managing downloads and files etc. and for my father to use occasionally when he needs to, and a second that I use as my main desktop, for Graphic/Web Design, and some hobby related Digital Media Creation (videos, dvd's etc, music all the good stuff)
After trying out the Ubuntu's, Mepis, Mandrake, PC LinuxOS, DSL, Puppy, Xandros, Freespire, and so many others - Found a few which really worked well for me Suse 10.2, Dreamlinux and LinuxMint. Each of them work well for different things and I currently have both LinuxMint and Dreamlinux running on my old P3 450 and Suse on my main desktop(Athlon 64 3800).
I keep Suse on the main desktop because frankly it was the only distro of all the ones I tested that I could easily get my analog TV Tuner card to work with. Besides it did so flawlessly and without any help from me, so who can argue with that. Installing binary drivers, codecs, and additional software were really easy once the system was installed. VMware, and absolute deal breaker for me, installed perfectly and hasn't crashed on me yet. K9copy from the packman repositories works so well I will no longer be backing up or burning anything in Windows ever again. I could go on and on but if you need a solid desktop that will grow with you as you learn I would most likely go with Suse as recommended.
Besides that the new features in 10.2 (kickoff) are worth sticking it to MS just to see
Linux Mint is another distro that is totally slick. Based on Ubuntu the single CD(Live), boots fairly quickly and installs just as easy as Ubuntu. Comes with all the proprietary codec and DVD playback by default(may not be legal) but who really cares I paid for the DVD why can't I watch it.
If you really want to get a different Gui I would give DreamLinux a try.. LiveCD will let you know whether it's going to work and it gives you a really intuitive interface. One of the things i like best is the built in Make your own distro utility MKDistro. Very cool and one of those feature you will only find in the Linux OSS community. who else would encourage you to create something new based on what you really love yourself.
One final note... I totally agree about letting things settle. Find a distro that supports the hardware you have, and learn to make it work the way you want (if it doesn't already).
Once you have one working well download the VMware trial and set that up so you can test to your hearts delight without pooching your system.
I feel that SuSe is your
I feel that SuSe is your best option. One of the best features about suse that makes it an easy linux distro to switch to is YaST. YaST provides you with a centralized control panel so you can configure all the items you mentioned above (excpet the games).
In regards to simple and boring...its linux...i dont know how you got simple and boring. Im not really into the whole GUI thing but i know KDE gives you endless possibilities with how you want it to look...you just have to "tweak" it to your satisfaction. As you know, linux is open source so its only as boring as its user...you can always dig through the code of any linux distro and find more fun for yourself. As far as the 3d acceleration goes...research your video card and make sure it can support it. The Distro wont have much effect on how your graphics perform...its all about drivers.
It does seem like you went through to many distro's in a short period of time. I suggest sitting down with 1 distro and just learning it...if you dont like it in 3 months then switch. Untill you get a good understanding of the whole linux OS (command especialy) it wont matter which distro you run....especialy if you plan to use it at work. I hope this helps you in your path to zen!
-Sean-
http://www.projecttpan.net