Re: [Hampshire] Best choices of Linux for newcomers.
On Thu, 13 Feb 2025 at 17:53, Gordon Scott via Hampshire < hampshire@mailman.lug.org.uk> wrote: > I'm soon to give a talk to my local U3A computer interest group > (Beginners and intermediates) on Linux, for which I'll likely use main > subjects "Why Linux?", "Why Not Linux?" and "Getting started with Linux". > > Which distributions should I shortlist to demo and advise for newcomers > to Linux? I'd probably advise a try-before-you-install distro, which > might shorten the list a bit. > > Any suggestions or advice welcome. > For those that are currently using Windows but want to experience a Linux CLI, then you could demo WSL. -- Philip Stubbs -- Please post to: Hampshire@mailman.lug.org.uk Manage subscription: https://mailman.lug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/hampshire LUG website: http://www.hantslug.org.uk --
Re: [Hampshire] Best choices of Linux for newcomers.
Hi, Depends a little on their target hardware. If you've got the GHz and GBytes for a fast/simple/complete install I use Linux Mint. Ubuntu based but not so fussy about the purity of drivers etc, as long as things just work straight out of the box. If resources are a little tighter then my default install these days is MX Linux with Xfce desktop (their "flagship" combo). Like Mint "it just works". I think it's important for newbie users who might be trying things out on an older set of hardware that they still get a crisp response. Better simple and fast, than fancy and slow. Both these will handle Zoom and movies well if the hardware is at all capable. MX do an even lower resource version with a Fluxbox desktop and a smaller default set of apps, although I've not had reason to try it. On Thu, Feb 13 at 05:52, Gordon Scott via Hampshire wrote: > Hi guys, > > I'm soon to give a talk to my local U3A computer interest group > (Beginners and intermediates) on Linux, for which I'll likely use main > subjects "Why Linux?", "Why Not Linux?" and "Getting started with Linux". -- Bob Dunlop -- Please post to: Hampshire@mailman.lug.org.uk Manage subscription: https://mailman.lug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/hampshire LUG website: http://www.hantslug.org.uk --
Re: [Hampshire] Best choices of Linux for newcomers.
To me the best Distro for a newbie is the Distro with the best support, While I use Debian, I would not recommend it to a newbie, I would suggest Xubuntu, because of it is a very simple interface. There is also MX Linux, they are based Debian stable, with XFCE and a very good community forum. I would demo how you get the the downloaded ISO onto a USB stick, it is not something windows users have to do. Then maybe a bit about dual booting and the proper way to set it up. If they can't do that bit it does not matter how good the linux distro they choose it going to start badly for them. Tim H On 13/02/2025 17:52, Gordon Scott via Hampshire wrote: Hi guys, I'm soon to give a talk to my local U3A computer interest group (Beginners and intermediates) on Linux, for which I'll likely use main subjects "Why Linux?", "Why Not Linux?" and "Getting started with Linux". I'm probably fine with the first two, but I tend to stick with just two distributions that suit me well and I'm well aware that there are many others. (FYI, my two are Xubuntu and AVLinux). Which distributions should I shortlist to demo and advise for newcomers to Linux? I'd probably advise a try-before-you-install distro, which might shorten the list a bit. I'm working on the assumption for now that most people will want web, email, photos and office tools, maybe a calendar. Generally I trust suggestions from the LUG more than trying to filter useful stuff from the various distro fora. Any suggestions or advice welcome. Thanks, Gordon. -- Please post to: Hampshire@mailman.lug.org.uk Manage subscription: https://mailman.lug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/hampshire LUG website: http://www.hantslug.org.uk --
[Hampshire] Best choices of Linux for newcomers.
Hi guys, I'm soon to give a talk to my local U3A computer interest group (Beginners and intermediates) on Linux, for which I'll likely use main subjects "Why Linux?", "Why Not Linux?" and "Getting started with Linux". I'm probably fine with the first two, but I tend to stick with just two distributions that suit me well and I'm well aware that there are many others. (FYI, my two are Xubuntu and AVLinux). Which distributions should I shortlist to demo and advise for newcomers to Linux? I'd probably advise a try-before-you-install distro, which might shorten the list a bit. I'm working on the assumption for now that most people will want web, email, photos and office tools, maybe a calendar. Generally I trust suggestions from the LUG more than trying to filter useful stuff from the various distro fora. Any suggestions or advice welcome. Thanks, Gordon. -- Please post to: Hampshire@mailman.lug.org.uk Manage subscription: https://mailman.lug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/hampshire LUG website: http://www.hantslug.org.uk --
Re: [Hampshire] Best choices of Linux for newcomers.
Hi Gordon, > I'm soon to give a talk to my local U3A computer interest group > (Beginners and intermediates) on Linux, for which I'll likely use main > subjects "Why Linux?", "Why Not Linux?" and "Getting started with Linux". Have fun and good luck! > I'm probably fine with the first two, but I tend to stick with just two > distributions that suit me well and I'm well aware that there are many > others. (FYI, my two are Xubuntu and AVLinux). > > Which distributions should I shortlist to demo and advise for newcomers > to Linux? I'd probably advise a try-before-you-install distro, which > might shorten the list a bit. There are lots of good distros out there, but I always say that the best distro for a new user is the one that the person who is going to help them with it, uses. I use Debian and I'm much more useful with Debian than say Ubuntu or Fedora. I don't think there is anything wrong with Ubuntu or Fedora or any other distro, but I know Debian best, so it's the one I can offer the most help with. After the distro there is also the desktop environment. Depending on their system and previous systems I'd say stick with one of the major front ends. I prefer KDE and can't get along with Gnome, but that doesn't make Gnome bad. > I'm working on the assumption for now that most people will want web, > email, photos and office tools, maybe a calendar. > > Generally I trust suggestions from the LUG more than trying to filter > useful stuff from the various distro fora. > > Any suggestions or advice welcome. -- Adam Trickett Saint-Malo, Bretagne, France I've found that people who are great at something are not so much convinced of their own greatness as mystified at why everyone else seems so incompetent. -- Paul Graham, "Great Hackers" 2004 -- Please post to: Hampshire@mailman.lug.org.uk Manage subscription: https://mailman.lug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/hampshire LUG website: http://www.hantslug.org.uk --
Re: [Hampshire] Best choices of Linux for newcomers.
On Thu, 13 Feb 2025 at 22:15, Philip Stubbs via Hampshire < hampshire@mailman.lug.org.uk> wrote: > > On Thu, 13 Feb 2025 at 17:53, Gordon Scott via Hampshire < > hampshire@mailman.lug.org.uk> wrote: > >> I'm soon to give a talk to my local U3A computer interest group >> (Beginners and intermediates) on Linux, for which I'll likely use main >> subjects "Why Linux?", "Why Not Linux?" and "Getting started with Linux". >> >> Which distributions should I shortlist to demo and advise for newcomers >> to Linux? I'd probably advise a try-before-you-install distro, which >> might shorten the list a bit. >> >> Any suggestions or advice welcome. >> > > For those that are currently using Windows but want to experience a Linux > CLI, then you could demo WSL. > > Not just CLI these days ;) https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/wsl/tutorials/gui-apps -- Please post to: Hampshire@mailman.lug.org.uk Manage subscription: https://mailman.lug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/hampshire LUG website: http://www.hantslug.org.uk --
