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#1 2009-02-11 9:55 am
- dv
- Negusa Negest
- Moderator
- From: Minneapolis, MN
- Registered: 1999-08-30
- Posts: 18092
Linux Distro Suggestion?
Hi,
If I wanted to put a lightweight linux on a laptop with OpenOffice and Firefox, what would be the best place to start?
I'd like something prepackaged, since I'm lazy, and it should run well on a 1GHz machine with 512 MBs of RAM, if possible.
Also, is there an iTunes equivalent for Linux? (rip/mix/burn/playlists)
Thanks
"Now commences the process of cutting off the head, which generally takes from an hour to an hour and a half by an expert workman with a sharp blade." -Reuben Delano, Wanderings and Adventures
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#2 2009-02-11 11:45 am
- Funkey Monkey
- Il Maestro spettacolare
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- Registered: 2003-01-27
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Re: Linux Distro Suggestion?
You'll probably get a pile of different answers on this subject. I was in your boat about a year and a half ago, and I just wanted to USE linux. I didn't want to LEARN linux. Some Distros are more user friendly than others.
I tried lots of 'em, but in the end I went with the most popular, Ubuntu.
To answer your specific requests, Ubuntu comes with OpenOffice and FireFox preinstalled. (As do many others.) I run it on my Toshiba laptop with similar stats to yours. There are plenty of flavors of ubuntu, but I suggest just going to Ubuntu download page and just hit the big green button to download the default. I found that with Ubuntu I spent much less time LEARNING about linux in order to keep things running.
I've also tried Fedora -- it's similar to Ubuntu, but IMHO, just a bit more difficult to find and add additional programs and such.
Some people might try and steer you toward smaller distros, like Puppy Linux or Xubuntu, but I think you'll find that you'll spend too many hours just trying to make them work the way you want them to.
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#3 2009-02-11 11:48 am
- Funkey Monkey
- Il Maestro spettacolare
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Re: Linux Distro Suggestion?
Oh, and yes most Distros include a media player application. Ubuntu comes with a program called Rhythmbox. Some other distros use a program called Amarok. Both are OK -- neither is as clean or easy to use as iTunes. (Matter of OPINION!)
Songbird looks like it's going to be a very good iTunes replacement for Linux. I haven't tried it yet, though.
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#4 2009-02-11 7:08 pm
Re: Linux Distro Suggestion?
Amarok is the music player for the KDE builds and Rhythymbox is the player for the Gnome builds.
Ubuntu is Gnome.
Kubuntu is KDE.
A lot of the distros give you an option to choose which interface that you want.
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#5 2009-02-11 10:13 pm
- Macskeeball
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Re: Linux Distro Suggestion?
Either Xubuntu (XFCE) or Ubuntu (Gnome) would be good choices. Try their Live CDs and see what you think. They'll let you get the feel of the OS without having to install anything.
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#6 2009-02-11 10:32 pm
Re: Linux Distro Suggestion?
I put Xubuntu on a 5 year old Toshiba with 256 megs of RAM. It loaded, and it works. It's a bit sluggish, and will be getting a RAM upgrade soon for some breathing room. Oddly enough, it runs the Mixxx DJ software, as well as the Ardour program for multi-tracking (although it probably wouldn't allow very many tracks!)
Xubuntu feels a bit light for my taste in the packages it loads, but it may suit your needs.
"We are all atheists, some of us just take it one god further" Richard Dawkins
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#7 2009-02-12 10:41 am
Re: Linux Distro Suggestion?
Since you want something that comes "prebuilt" I would shoot for Ubuntu since it has the most support and the largest community. However it isnt going to run as fast as some other distros out there such as gentoo and slack. As for your itunes question you could always use Amarok or I believe they made songbird for linux.
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#8 2009-02-12 2:34 pm
- Booksley
- Zombie Genocidest
- From: Toronto, Ontario
- Registered: 2001-02-16
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Re: Linux Distro Suggestion?
dhack21 wrote:
Since you want something that comes "prebuilt" I would shoot for Ubuntu since it has the most support and the largest community. However it isnt going to run as fast as some other distros out there such as gentoo and slack. As for your itunes question you could always use Amarok or I believe they made songbird for linux.
Don't forget to -funroll-loops! 
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#9 2009-02-12 9:53 pm
- Bat
- Flawless Cowboy
- Royal Wombat
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Re: Linux Distro Suggestion?
Booksley wrote:
dhack21 wrote:
Since you want something that comes "prebuilt" I would shoot for Ubuntu since it has the most support and the largest community. However it isnt going to run as fast as some other distros out there such as gentoo and slack. As for your itunes question you could always use Amarok or I believe they made songbird for linux.
Don't forget to -funroll-loops!
Real Gentoo users understand, it's not about OPTIMILAZIATIONS, it's about USE flags.
I'm going to bookmark that page for when I need a laugh. 
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