I think someone has mentioned this already, but the LiveCDs also act as an installer as well. What I would recommend is that you download both Ubuntu and Kubuntu and run the LiveCDs. See which one suits you best. Although most of us here prefer KDE, you might actually get on better with GNOME. Who knows
Well i can only try cant i I want to finish work and go home and try it now! Thanks for the help guys
Ok so i have played about with the Live CD and went ahead and installed it. Looks good so far. But of course its not all about looks! Had no problems with install or anything. Looking about on a few sites on how to do basic things on it as i have never Used Linux before. Having trouble connecting to the net but i am sure i will get there in the end!
Did you go with Ubuntu or Kubuntu? Dapper or Edgy? And what network card and / or router are you using?
Went with Kubuntu. Made one of the live CD's and went from there. I wont lie, i am unsure weather i am running Dapper Or edgy lol! The wireless card isnt a brilliant make. Would have to open her up to have a look! The router is a linksys one. It searches and finds the router find and has perfect signal strength. The WEP key just doesnt seem to work. I might reset it and try it again.
You should strongly consider starting out with a hard-wired connection first to avoid frustration, then proceed with the wireless part once you've got the initial stuff out of the way.
I can get on if i unsecure the wireless. Looks like its just a problem with the WEP. I am going to generate new keys and see how that goes! EDIT: I have sorted this now. I am now looking for forward to sorting the rest out. I love a challenge lol
Congrats. Sometimes because of poor wireless support (manufacturers don't release technical specs) wireless can be a pain.
Well i have sorted the internet which is the main thing for me! I just need to spend some time with the computer without getting meithered and learn my way round it
WAHEY! Another one joins the community! *Kching*! :waycool: Well done! Hope the transition goes smoothly for you. Welcome home.....
Thanks alot! Well i had the LAptop (windows) and the pc (linux) running for a few hours and the laptop crashed a few times. With all the tinkering with the pc and it hasnt crashed yet! Certainly seems alot more stable.
We seem to argue about everything lol Its because its different. I dont have a clue what to do on it! I can just about load Kopete up and use bits of that. I can work Konqueror but not much else. I dont know how to get the sound working, sort the printer out etc Have been reading all day about it but its making no sense. I dont mean to moan, I like it, Its just since forever i have known Windows and known how to work it. Its like learning to walk again :O
Yes, that's quite true. Imagine how I felt as a Windows domain admin, with years of experience and certifications from Microsoft, learning a totally foreign platform from the ground up. I'd used MS-DOS since the early 80's, and Windows from 3.0 up 'till XP! Adapting to Linux is quite tough at first, especially if you already know Windows well. As you've already observed, UNIX-like systems are really quite different than Windows, in many, many ways. From the filesystem hierarchy to the way it handles hardware devices to the network stack, everything must be thought about in a completely different way. In my case, it took me a few months to really warm up to Linux. But now that I've learned it, there are so many things I can do easily in Linux which are literally impossible in Windows that I could never go back. Especially not back to the instability, insecurity, high cost, high time investment, high-HASSLE that goes along with the Windows world. About the problems you're having... my advice is to take this slow, consider it a learning experience. There's no way to learn quite like working through issues with your own two hands. And try not to be too frustrated, as you're not the first to face them and you won't be the last. I've been 100% Linux for years now, and there are many others on this forum who also have quite a lot of practical experience. If you handle this one problem at a time and consider them as milestones, you'll have your system setup the way you want it in no time at all. You've already got wireless working, which many people consider to be the hard part, so keep your head up! And remember that once you have your Linux system up & running, you won't likely have to worry about it again. If I was in your situation, I would pick an issue in order of priority, post a thread on it, and handle it first. Then when that's resolved, handle the next thing and the next, until it's running exactly how you like it. Then not only will you have a rockin' system, but you'll be able to do it faster than a Windows installation next time. Hang in there!
Thanks for that Well i have a bout a week off work from tomorrow so i will have loads of time to have a play about. One thing is though....its difficult but i am not going back to Windows