Linux OS help

[HiggsPrime]

Hello Guys,

I am very much interested to try Linux, unfortunately I dont have enough time to explore about it. Watched Youtube vids on the way from work to home but still I did not get some information I need. So I am a newbie to Linux, once I have it , I hope ill enjoy it.

Please answer the following in details:
1. what version of Lunix are there ? (for example Win xp, Win 7, MacOS lepeard, etc..)
2. How do I install this to a fresh new PC ?
3. If there are versions of Linux then which one is the best and each model is good for what?
4. Is it true that it has better security than Microsoft?
5. What is this Ubuntu on Linux site?
6. Can linux be uploaded to a tablet?

Also any idea where I can download free iOS, just want it for apple developing tools.

Thank you for answering my questions

 

[dmroeder]

I guess as a general overview, "Linux" refers to the kernel of a "Distribution". There are many different distributions (check Distrowatch) with many different desktop environments (user interfaces), each made to serve a different purpose. The common distributions are ones like Mint, Ubuntu, Fedora, CentOS, Arch, Debian and so on. The common desktop environments are LXDE, XFCE, KDE, Unity (Ubuntu), Gnome and so on. "Linux" is run on desktops, servers, web servers, super computers, smart tv's, routers, many embedded systems, phones, tablets.

1) answered above
2) Usually you burn it to a CD/DVD or us s program like Universal USB installer to make a bootable USB drive. A lot of distros can be run "live", meaning you run them off of a disk or drive without installing (to test)
3) There is not a "best" as that is very subjective and depends on what you use your machine for. The most common though is probably Ubuntu followed by Mint (I prefer Mint KDE edition)
4) Eh, maybe. A lot of it probably comes from the fact that MS is the vast majority of PC's out there, so they get the most attention from degenerates.
5) Ubuntu is a distribution, and a popular one. Probably the most popular. I'm personally not a fan of their default desktop environment, I'd prefer Kubuntu (Ubuntu with the KDE desktop environment). It's all personal preference thought, I encourage to try as many as you can stand
6) Android is basically the Linux kernel with a different user interface. You can't exactly just install Linux Mint on a tablet, however there is a phone/tablet version of Ubuntu called Ubuntu Touch. I run it on my Nexus 5. Unless you have a Nexus device then you probably cannot run it on your tablet unless someone has "ported" it. You'd have to check XDA Developers for that.

My understanding that developing for iOS is done on MacOS only. I could be mistaken though, I've never put much effort into it. I thought that the tools were free but you need to join as a developer (pay a fee) in order to publish apps to the app store.

 

[HiggsPrime]

"Linux" refers to the kernel of a "Distribution".

Hello dmroeder,

Wow thank you for your indepth answer. I am amazed just wow. My main purpose is to play with this OS explore its potential as what it can do for now. Long term goal is using it for setting up my own server, bounty hunting and for white hacking (ethical hacks).

I am planning to build a dedicated linux PC. I dont know If should spend on GPU ( got 2 spare GTX760) but these are the components
CPU: Intel Pentium Anniversary eddition (devil's canyon) / AMD FX4300
RAM: 8GB
Mobo: mITX Z97 / mATX 990FX

Does the system matter for linux?

 

[skittle]

gtx760 works fine on any modern linux distrobution

 

[HiggsPrime]

Does the processing power matter for linux?
My choice is between AMD and Intel, my goal is to build on mITXsystem for mobility, so whoch one will be powerful?

CPU: Intel Pentium Anniversary edition (devil's canyon) OR AMD FX4300
RAM: 8GB
Mobo: mITX Z97 / mATX 990FX (based on CPU chosen)

 

[skittle]

That depends entirely on your workload... Anything more than a 1ghz cpu and 1gb ram will be enough for any modern distrobution. Specialized distrobutions like puppy linux, will happily run on a Pentium3 450mhz and 128MB ram. Distrobutions like DSL can run 150MHZ 486 and <16MB ram.

Please research this but I believe the pentium (its a 4th generation core) is a better chip than the AMD. Lower power with roughly same performance for most (single threaded) tasks. Also the intel processor has integrated graphic chip so you do not need extra graphics card if you do not need it (if you are not playing games and such)

 

[dmroeder]

The two easiest ways to check out a distribution is to flash an ISO to a thumb drive using Universal USB Installer and boot via USB or if you already have a Windows or Mac machine, install VirtualBox and run a distribution in a virtual machine. I prefer USB because then you get to see how it works with your actual hardware.

 

[dor_nob]

My favorite distro is Debian (www.debian.org). It's not the most user friendly, but it is arguably the most stable version of linux out there. The Debian people never make a change unless they have tested it a jillion times first.

 

[hackintosh777]

My favorite distro is Debian (www.debian.org). It's not the most user friendly, but it is arguably the most stable version of linux out there. The Debian people never make a change unless they have tested it a jillion times first.

Not to get into a distro pi$$ing contest but Debian could be a turnoff. Coming from windows this looks terrible/dated and can be a turnoff from Linux:

I recommend either Kubuntu 15.04:

or Ubuntu MATE 15.04:

 

[skittle]

Not to get into a distro pi$$ing contest but Debian could be a turnoff. Coming from windows this looks terrible/dated and can be a turnoff from Linux:

Debian's default interface is Gnome 3.14 not XFCE as you imply... Not to mention KDE plasma desktop, Mate, LXDE are available on Debian as well. Debian can be customized anyway you want.

btw if you want to see what really sexy linux desktops look like ditch your archaic 'desktop environment'. install i3wm or bspwm, then head over to http://www.reddit.com/r/unixporn

 

[HiggsPrime]

Debian's default interface is Gnome 3.14 not XFCE as you imply... Not to mention KDE plasma desktop, Mate, LXDE are available on Debian as well. Debian can be customized anyway you want.

btw if you want to see what really sexy linux desktops look like ditch your archaic 'desktop environment'. install i3wm or bspwm, then head over to http://www.reddit.com/r/unixporn

I lost my english here, im a cave man interms of Linux. Thnks for the input Ill try to understand this hehe.

 

[hackintosh777]

Not to get into a distro pi$$ing contest but Debian could be a turnoff. Coming from windows this looks terrible/dated and can be a turnoff from Linux:

Debian's default interface is Gnome 3.14 not XFCE as you imply... Not to mention KDE plasma desktop, Mate, LXDE are available on Debian as well. Debian can be customized anyway you want.

btw if you want to see what really sexy linux desktops look like ditch your archaic 'desktop environment'. install i3wm or bspwm, then head over to http://www.reddit.com/r/unixporn

Debian still has outdated packages and isn't the best for a beginner... I would probably start with Ubuntu MATE 15.04 or Linux Mint 17.1 MATE. Why I go back on Kubuntu 15.04: I just removed it in favor of Ubuntu GNOME today because there are so many UI inconsistencies considering that most apps you want to use are GTK and not Qt.