Linux - NewbieThis Linux forum is for members that are new to Linux.
Just starting out and have a question?
If it is not in the man pages or the how-to's this is the place!
Notices
Welcome to LinuxQuestions.org, a friendly and active Linux Community.
You are currently viewing LQ as a guest. By joining our community you will have the ability to post topics, receive our newsletter, use the advanced search, subscribe to threads and access many other special features. Registration is quick, simple and absolutely free. Join our community today!
Note that registered members see fewer ads, and ContentLink is completely disabled once you log in.
If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please contact us. If you need to reset your password, click here.
Having a problem logging in? Please visit this page to clear all LQ-related cookies.
Get a virtual cloud desktop with the Linux distro that you want in less than five minutes with Shells! With over 10 pre-installed distros to choose from, the worry-free installation life is here! Whether you are a digital nomad or just looking for flexibility, Shells can put your Linux machine on the device that you want to use.
Exclusive for LQ members, get up to 45% off per month. Click here for more info.
I bought a new laptop recently (Lenovo Y430) and since I can't game on it I figured there was no reason to stick with Windows. I cleared the drive and installed Fedora 10 without backup media!
Anyhow, I don't want to be a GUI user. I'd prefer to learn from the bottom up and start at the console. Considering it would be nice to get it right the first time I'm coming in advance for advice.
My goal is to be as minimalistic as possible while retaining the ability to access web sites(with or without add ons). I'd like to avoid a full blown GUI like Gnome or KDE entirely. Though I do realize some type of GUI is probably necessary for web browsing.
If you can, advise me of anything I need to know in addition to the below:
Minimalist Linux based OS(Non-GUI)
Within OS:
Driver install and setup for generic USB mice and touchpad if applicable
Driver install and setup for onboard LAN and Wireless(WPA2) NIC's
Web Browser and vid drivers if needed.
Method of obtaining system information, particularly key software and hardware info.
(Bit extra here- Favorite virtualization method for running a Windows XP based VM so I can work with Cisco's Packet tracer software)
Any great resources that could help me complete these objectives on my own are welcome as well as any direct guides. I am currently a potent noob with Linux but am very technical and self reliant. Help me get started and become a Linux/Open Source convert!
For a minimalistic window manager, openbox, lxde, or fluxbox are nice and lightweight. Plenty of documentation too. Wpa_supplicant will tend to your wireless needs. It's straightforward and well documented also. For your non-gui needs, links as a webbrowser, alpine or mutt for email. Some hardware specs might help you get better answers, but you usb stuff should be found for you, and your vid drivers will depend on which card you have.
Irssi for your irc, and read about screen, and you'll be off to a good start.
Ok, so I started looking at Fluxbox and the others your mentioned but they seem to be just GUI. I do plan on wiping Fedora, but am looking for a distro thats simply light, compatable, and is non-gui. I can't really address the other suggestions until Ive got an OS to work with
IF you're feeling froggy, shoot for a gentoo stage3 install...if you want complete control over what you're putting on there, then give it a shot. Piece of advice, if you try it, have another computer with net closeby. They have great online docs to get you through..
In any Linux , you can use twm or xfce4 desktop environments if you want less GUI options ,
how ever , you can boot in CUI mode in any linux for your practice.
if you wanna download small distro . DSL is best option
and in elinks,lynx and links browers. you cannot open JS,Flash, Ajex sites.
Please check ....
LinuxQuestions.org is looking for people interested in writing
Editorials, Articles, Reviews, and more. If you'd like to contribute
content, let us know.