Moving from Windows 7 to Linux
 

I have become frustrated with Windows 7 on my laptop and I am thinking about moving to a Linux distro. I will admit that I am a neophyte when it comes to Linux. I use to pride myself on my knowledge of DOS commands back when they ment something. (Am I showing my age????)

I have an HP/Compaq Presario CQ61 Notebook with an AMD Semphron M120 2.10Mhz processor with 4 GB RAM on a 64-bit system.

Which LINUX distro will provide me with the most software with the Windows feel until I can acclimate myself to the Linux command line manipulatives.


^^^Please don't say Linux Mint!!!****


I'm willing to learn with the help of this forum.


Thanks.

FR8TRAIN

OpenSUSE is a good choice
BUT , yes there is always one

it is a bit bloated
they tossed in EVERYTHING including the kitchen sink

but once you remove some not needed programs and turn off some auto start services , it's not bad

with 4 gig ram - it will not be lightning FAST but it will be very usable .

suse even has a "windows 'START' button"
it is called "computer" but is is there ( until you decide you hate it and remove it )

Thanks John.

I just burned the Live CD of Open SUSE (GNOME) and I'll see how it looks.

Any other suggestions? Although I am a neophyte with Linux, I am willing to take some chances. I have Mint on another laptop and have had Ubuntu on a previous PC. I also have a CD of Puppy for a couple of older PC's that I will be using as servers on my home network when I relocate to Charleston, SC.

FR8TRAIN

Hi,

Maybe this BlackPanther is interesting to look at, but it's based on Mandriva (which I don't know of)

or maybe some Ubuntu or Fedora.

I wish you patience in finding the right one.

Regards

Is there a big difference between GNOME and KDE platforms? I have burned a live cd of each of Open SUSE. Remember, I am a Newbie to this.

Thanks,

FR8TRAIN

I see that GNOME is the GUI running on top of the OS and KDE is the community producing applications that run on Linux. Correct?

OpenSUSE 12 uses Gnome 3 and KDE 4

or xfce or lxde

or IceWM -

but YES there is a big difference in Gnome and KDE
both are GOOD , just " different" .You like it or not . It is a left brain VS right brain thing
there is also a BIG difference in the older Gnome 2 and the current Gnome 3


google that for the story

Researching. Thanks John.

OpenSUSE has the most polished KDE 4 setup in my opinion. On some other distros Gnome is the native desktop and they try to unify the looks of both desktops.

KDE offers you much more graphical features to play around and configuring different features but people say that menus are too confusing whereas gnome has simplicity and this way they hides certain configuration inorder to achive simplicity and people says it lacks some functionality. But both offers more or less the same functionality, it's upto you what you choose, in what way you are comfortable with. The good thing is you can install both and can switch back and forth whenever you feel like.

Linux is modular if you don't like either Gnome or KDE there are many other options for DEs(Desktop Environment) and WMs(Window Managers), WMs are super fast and don't eat RAM. Debian is a good choice too the default install have 3 options for your desktop Gnome, Xfce, Lxde.
To know more about DEs and WMs take a look at: http://xwinman.org

Regards

I can't say that OpenSUSE doesn't have it, as it's default install KDE, Gnome, Lxde, XFce.

I've played with both openSUSE KDE and GNOME and I prefer the feel of the KDE distro best. So, I'll probably start my foray into Linux out with openSUSE 12.1 KDE. I'm sure that once I have learned more I'll move on to one of the other flavors.

OpenSuSE KDE is a good choice. If you are familiar with W7 KDE kind of resembles it a little bit. Gnome lean more toward resemblance of Mac Os X. The truth is both are good. KDE lovers will tell you Gnome SUCKS and Gnome lover will tell you KDE stinks. In my opinion everyone should try them no just for a day but for few months.

However my advice for you will be to test you new OS with out installing it first just like a live session to test all your hardware works fine. Test your wireless card, test the sound and video. If you haven't yet make a windows recovery set of disks in case you wish to go back for some reason.
Once you are using Linux try no to get frustrated if you don't know how to do something that was simple is Windows and you cant figured out in Linux. Allow yourself time to adjust to the new system, Come back to this forum and ASK!

Good luck to you and enjoy!

gday mate. I use opensuse with kde. I think it will make u happy. yast is kind of like windows control center (think that's what it's called.). in regards to desktop environments, some people will tell you kde is like windows but gnome is like Mac os x. kde does resemble windows on default setup, but it can be configured to be completely different if you so choose to. I've little experience with the current gnome, gnome 3, but had some with gnome 2 and I personally don't think it resembled os x, but either way, it could be configured to be comoletly different to the default look too, and most desktop environments in Unix like operating systems, such as Linux, can be configured to look very different to the default. something to keep in mind that no ones mentioned, no matter what desktop environment u are using, you can use the other environments programs if you wish.

Fedora is a good choice although Gnome3 IMHO is totally screwed so if you try Fedora (which is a polished distro based on Red Hat) go with the KDE GUI. Fedora is a bit complicated compared to Ubuntu but to me it's more intuitive because I've used it since Fedora Core 4 and now use Fedora 16. All distros change from one release to the next however, so that's something you have to deal with just like you did when Windows introduced a new version. All that being said, the above recommendations of OpenSUSE are good. I have a nephew who swears by it and has used it for a good ten years or so. And yes, you are giving away your age talking about DOS. I remember using DOS internet. At that time the only GUI web browser for DOS was Arachne, developed by a Chec guy whose name escapes me. Then I tried the forerunner to Windows, I can't remember what it was called now but it was DOS based and provided for several different instances on which you could call up with certain keyboard shortcuts. It was short lived before the first Windows came out but Windows remained DOS based up through Windows 98. Whew, those were frantic days sometimes. Thank goodness for Linux. The last Windows version I used was Windows 2000. A lot less holding my breath during boot since then. Good luck with SUSE! Don't forget, there are lots of people here willing to help you.