Linux

[martint235]

I'm looking at installing a dual boot alongside Windows 7. I've used Ubuntu, Kubuntu, Xubuntu and Mint before, I've been trying over the last few days to have a go with Fedora but it just won't pick it up as a boot option. Before I waste more of my time getting that to work, I thought I'd ask what other people would recommend as a distro?

 

[threebikesmcginty]

Apart from fedora hats I don't understand my of that.

 

[Beebo]

Apart from fedora hats I don't understand my of that.

I think it is deodorant aftershave for teenage boys.

 

[vernon]

They are all much of a muchness. Use the one that you've liked the most or found easiest to tweak.

Everyone has their favourite and mine is Raspbian but its a Raspberry Pi derivative of Debian.

 

[Edwardoka]

As vanilla as it is, I've used Ubuntu on my laptop for about 4 years, never had any breaking issues with it.
I'll generally use CentOS for servers but it really depends what you want to get out of it (and what packages you need!)

 

[Scoosh]

You'll probably get more useful/ technical/ knowledgeable info over here ...

 

[Edwardoka]

You'll probably get more useful/ technical/ knowledgeable info over here ...

There's MORE of these sites?

 

[martint235]

You'll probably get more useful/ technical/ knowledgeable info over here ...

I know but there's hardly anyone lives over there.

 

[Rasmus]

Any reason you don't like ubuntu? I've been running dual boot ubuntu/windows for years with essentially no issues.

 

[Scoosh]

I know but there's hardly anyone lives over there.

... and those that do tend to be real geeks ! Very knowledgeable and helpful, so nice geeks.

I have Ubuntu as a dual boot but confess I haven't used it very much, as I am more familiar with Win7 (much as I dislike MS ). What is the real purpose/ benefit of a dual boot ? (and no footwear jokes, please ... )

 

[martint235]

Any reason you don't like ubuntu? I've been running dual boot ubuntu/windows for years with essentially no issues.

I never really liked Unity and lost interest in it around then. I understand you can now install different desktop environments on it, I may have another look.

 

[Dan B]

There's lubuntu or xubuntu, either might be worth a look if you like ubuntu but not unity. Or cut out the middleman and install Debian, which these days is probably about as user-friendly as Ubuntu is anyway

My distribution of choice these days is NixOS, but it's still pretty "niche" and I probably shouldn't be recommending it to anyone who doesn't already find the description on its web site compelling - http://nixos.org/nixos/about.html

 

[Edwardoka]

I don't see the benefits of dual booting. A far, far more useful technique is virtualisation.

 

[Rasmus]

I never really liked Unity and lost interest in it around then. I understand you can now install different desktop environments on it, I may have another look.

Fair enough, a matter of taste. I quite like unity, probably because its introduction was timed well with my own transition from "tinkerer" to "consumer".

I don't see the benefits of dual booting. A far, far more useful technique is virtualisation.

I keep windows around for two reasons: Stupid streaming services that require silverlight, and gaming. Virtualization could work with the first, don't think it would be great for the second. Luckily more and more games are being released for linux these days.

 

[Elswick Cotterpin]

Puppy Linux, very small, has just about everything most users need, I've been using it for a few years and if I can do it anyone can..http://murga-linux.com/puppy/