In the last
three days I have been programming in android since I get up until I go to bed,
so the last thing I want to see now is Java. For that reason I'll talk about another topic:
Linux distributions.
As it happened
to me, anyone who wants to move from Windows to Linux will face her first
difficulty, choosing between a big number of distributions.
But what is
a distribution?
Just like in windows family, you have Windows 9x, NT and CE,
and for each of them, you have versions (as: 95,98,ME). In Linux it isn’t so different,
with the particularity that the core (kernel) are the same.
So what’s
the difference?
In Windows
you have a company with total control over the core, applications and interface
that the operating system will have, the final user may change something, but
not as much as he may want.
In Linux
anyone could grab the kernel, append a bunch of applications, tweak some
parameters and puff, there’s a new distribution!
The freedom
offered by Linux can look very good, but it isn’t always. This leads beginners
to get confused and to have a fragmentation of the “help content”. Even worse
is the fact that normally for the same thing there are at least two
alternatives, both with their flaws and both have their qualities.
So I'll
give some tips to help you choose one, and facilitate your entry into the magic of
Linux
1 - Linux
is not Windows, stop fooling ourselves, do not choose a distribution similar to
Windows just for that reason.
2 - Remember
that README file in windows that usually nobody reads? In Linux it is really necessary, forget the "next, next, next, finish"
3 - Stay away of mini distributions, usually they lack a really needed set of programs
and it becomes harder to find support.
4 - I hate
to say that, but if you don’t have an Internet connection and you aren’t an computer
expert, Linux is not for you, for now...
5 - That
console gives you fear? Don’t have, it isn’t so complex as it sounds and often
lets you do more and better than with the GUI
6 - Do not
be afraid of trying new distros, eventually you will change
7 - Do not give up just because on Windows you do it in seconds and on Linux you need to look for tutorials, nobody is born knowing everything.
And now
some names…
Are you a
perfect beginner in Linux? Ubuntu is for you.
Do you know
how to make partitions in Linux? openSuSE, Debian or Fedora
Do you use
a netbook? For me a netbook is a laptop with less resources, so… openSuse
Do you
really know how to use Linux? Slackware, Gentoo or Arch (or other if you like)
To conclude
here I leave some links that may be useful to help you decide
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