When I first started with Linux I found it hard to find a decent distribution because most seemed to have complicated package managers which made it hard to install a program due to dependency issues. However I found Gentoo which seemed to fulfil what I needed.
Gentoo is a great Linux distribution because it uses a brilliant package manager called ‘portage’. This allows you to find and install a wide range of packages and versions without the worry of having to specify dependency issues yourself. It even allows you to install multiple versions of some programs (such as gcc) if you need to. However, Gentoo has always been a distribution for enthusiasts and people who have the time to learn about Linux in depth. It’s not really designed as a mainstream distribution – it’s designed to be used by people who want to configure their systems right down to the smallest config file and compiler optimisation.
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About a month ago I was deciding what to do with my old desktop machine which seems to have been used very little since I got my MacBook. I had Gentoo (a Linux distribution) on there, but I decided to install Ubuntu along side to see what it’s like, as I had heard good things about it. Then, a couple of days ago, Helen asked if I had any old computers lying around, so I commissioned an old box I had and installed Ubuntu on it for her.
The installation on both machines was very quick and easy, resulting in usable desktops within about 10 minutes. Helen’s machine did however require a slight modification to the display settings because it wouldn’t allow a screen resolution over 640×480, which is shockingly small these days! I fixed that by changing the monitor type in the settings to a generic 1024×768 monitor and that allowed me to set a more respectable resolution.
Since this is Helen’s first time using Linux, I shall be interested to see if Ubuntu lives up to its chat and actually delivers a truly usable, open source desktop solution.
I would certainly recommend Ubuntu to anyone thinking of trying out Linux – just download the CD/DVD image from http://www.ubuntu.com/ , burn it to a blank CD/DVD, insert it into your drive and reboot. There’s an option to try it out without actually installing it, which is useful for people not wanting to commit straight away.
