one step to install the codecs and not an impediment to a new user. Even
Windows does not provide all of the codecs that you need.
Ubuntu is a leader. Mint is a follower. You can choose what you want to run,
but should know what is what. Mint sees what Ubuntu is not doing and reacts
to that. Ubuntu looks forward and tries to innovate. When Ubuntu switched
window buttons to the left it was no surprise that Mint stayed on the right.
No surprise there.
I do not wish to malign Mint but it is not all that it is cracked up to be.
Most people are lazy and Mint exploits that. Ubuntu's stance on non-free
codecs and drivers is based on principle. They could provide them but they
make the user accept responsibility for them based on their personal
principles and their country's laws. Mint does not appear to have any
principles to stand on except to capitalise on the laziness of users and
users who extol this are missing the point. You may be flaunting the law by
using non-free codecs depending if your country such as the US recognises
software patents. This is why Ubuntu walks the fence. I have nothing against
Mint but Ubuntu should not be penalised for taking a principled stand and
Mint should not be given a free ride. I look forward to Mint being
innovative and doing something new and worth bragging about. Anybody can
copy someone else's work and change the branding and then flaunt the law.
The only things that someone may want Mint for that you cannot do in Ubuntu
IMO is the Domain Blocker and Backup Tool and I have no use for either. So I
take a pass on Mint and stick with Ubuntu.
I would recommend SimplyMEPIS (Debian based with KDE), PCLinuxOS (unless you
want 64-bit), Ubuntu and Mint. Notice that I recommend Mint, but I do not
give it credit for things that it does not deserve credit for. With Ubuntu
installing the restricted extras is easy and simply done and with it you are
joining the largest community and it is a leader in the Linux world. With
Mint you get Ubuntu a month later with some things thrown in, some of value
and some not. It is not a leader, but reactionary. They follow Ubuntu or
take an even more conservative approach and stick with the status quo.
I would avoid openSuSE and Mandriva for the time being because their status
is up in the air. Mandriva is for sale and Novell may be taken over. Besides
OpenSuSE is not for newbies, IMO. Fedora is great, but definitely not for
newbies.
You should try out lots of distributions. All play differently with
different hardware and each has its own unique philosophy. Settle on the
distribution that meets your needs.
If you think that I am being hard on Mint then think carefully about the
principles involved and why Ubuntu does things its way. Usability is its
main focus. But that usability should not be at the expense of the rights of
others. It is a trade off and Ubuntu recognises that and makes the drivers
and codecs available, but it forces the user to agree to the EULAs and
accept responsibility. Even Windows forces you to click through them and
agree. I take exception that any Linux distribution would take this issue
lightly and even ignore end user license agreements altogether. Rather than
extolling it I am aghast at the prospect that licensed software is being
installed without any recognition of licenses.
Roy
On 26 June 2010 11:47, c c <sandmannc40@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
>
> There are several ways to get Linux on a CD/DVD. You could go to the
> bookstore and get a Magazine or book on Linux. Many have a disk. You could
> download it and burn it to CD/DVD/Thumb Drive (Flash Stick, Flash Drive or
> whatever they call them). The advantage of a Thumb Drive is you could use
> the CD/DVD Drive. Unless you have 2 CD/DVD drives.
>
> Now for someone who wants to play with Linux and not have to worry too much
> about this or that working I suggest Mint Linux. It is built on the
> shoulders of Ubuntu which is built on Debian. So just about any Debian or
> Ubuntu program will work on Mint. The only draw back is the Desktop. KDE,
> Gnome, Xfce, are the most popular, I have come across about 16 different
> Desktops but I have used the three listed. All three work good.
>
> If you want movies, java and almost anything else to work I would suggest
> Mint, Mandriva and PCLinuxOS. All will run movies, sound, Java and almost
> anything else right out of the box. Sorta speak. The others like Ubuntu,
> Debian will not you have to download and install the codecs. I have not
> played enough with Fedora, Gentoo or Knoppix to know if everything works
> right out of the box there. Those that do work are most like Windows out of
> the box. The only place you can't go is places that require Windows or Mac.
>
> I am still fairly new to Linux myself. Been playing with LIVE CD/DVD's for
> about a year and a half and have Ubuntu installed on my desktop for about 5
> months. No problems. I prefer using my Linux Desktop over my Windows Desktop
> or my Windows Laptop.
>
> There still glitches on programs but usually when you restart the program
> you get your work back. Not always but most of the time.
>
> One problem you will come across is the Desktop Apps. If you use Gnome,
> then KDE programs will not work. If you use KDE, then Gnome programs will
> not work. I suggest that once you get a good feeling for Linux to jump to a
> Fedora, Red Hat, Debian, Gentoo, one of the bigger Distros that offer
> different Desktops. That way you can load all the programs you want and just
> switch desktops to use the different programs.
>
> Carl
>
> ________________________________
> From: loyal_barber <loyal_barber@yahoo.com <loyal_barber%40yahoo.com>>
> To: LINUX_Newbies@yahoogroups.com <LINUX_Newbies%40yahoogroups.com>
> Sent: Fri, June 25, 2010 9:29:07 PM
> Subject: [LINUX_Newbies] Re: Ready to install Linux
>
> --- In LINUX_Newbies@yahoogroups.com <LINUX_Newbies%40yahoogroups.com>,
> "Gabrielle" <dawnyisrael13@...> wrote:
> >
> > Thank you to everyone that responded. It looks like I need to do some
> studying in the file section here. The Toshiba did come with Windows 7. It
> is both good and bad. A lot of my beloved programs will not work. sure The
> laptop did come with a lot of "junk" downloaded. I am not sure yet what is
> needed and what is not. I am a former Mac person that has been using a PC
> for a bit now. I really want to learn Linux, and it looks like the best bet
> may be for me to obtain it on disk.
>
> > <snip>
>
> Why not burn your own? Go to this link and see if this will get you
> where you need to go:
>
> http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/LINUX_Newbies/message/27626
>
> Yes, I wrote it, but I think it is pretty straight forward.
>
> Loyal
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>
>
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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