reccommend me a Linux version/Distro/etc.

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earlyre

earlyre

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so my older brother sends home a bunch of parts to rehab a broken older Lenovo PC we have around the house to have a "spare' to "play with"

i've not opened any of the boxes, and have no specs, but know he sent at least a refurb psu, a newer processor(should fit the exisiting MOBO), upgraded ram, and a video card.
not sure if it still has it's HD, or if he sent one, but i have some "spares" lying about.

anyway, we decided, this would be a good summer project for our 12 yr old nephew. he's in the Tech Club@ School, and will have to build a Computer as an assignment school year after next.

the Biggest thing we DON'T have is an OS for it. the case does have a Vista license on it, but...come on...VISTA?

so i'm Looking for a good, free, newbie friendly OS.
which makes me think something in the Linux Family, with which i have next to ZERO experience, out side of being on my 3rd android smartphone...

so what say you people of BITOG? what should i d/l and have ready for him?
 
Linux Mint, or Ubuntu. Both are very popular for new users of Linux.

Never used Mint myself, but as far as Ubuntu its as easy as burning a bootable disk and clicking install. They will give you every thing you need and you shouldn't encounter any problems what so ever.

Linux isn't know to be "bug free" it has its quarks between systems but its free and security. Ita as easy as installing a firewall threw the app center and setting it to block all incoming traffic (internet will still work).
 
If you want a "traditional" type layout, Linux Mint 17
-Cinnamon version for newer computers
-MATE for a little older or if you just simply want a lighter (memory use) system

If you want even light and plan to only use it for surfing the web and such, check out Peppermint OS. Based on Linux Mint and developed by the guy who used to do the LXDE version of Linux Mint (when they offered it).

These are all based on Ubuntu 14.04 which is supported until 2019 and very stable. Nothing really more beginner friendly than these three in my 8 years of using Linux.
 
I've used Mint and Ubuntu and have pretty much settled on Mint, Cinnamon edition.

It's a combination of, I like the Mint interface better AND I like the Ubuntu interface less.

They're both darned good OS's and it's really a personal preference thing, I think.
 
Quote:

what should i d/l and have ready for him?


Pick several; try and then buy install; that is the beauty.

Zoris OS is based on ubuntu and has a windows feel.
 
It will depend on the capabilities of the PC. If you have less than a gig of RAM, try Vector Linux. ( I have an Old Dell as a backup and that one worked well on it.)If you have more RAM, 2 GB minimum, then Ubuntu, Linux Mint, or Zorin OS are all very good. Personally, I have a pc that came with Windows 7 Home premium, 4 GB Ram and 1 TB disk drive. I have 3 OSs on it because I was trying some Linux distros. I have tried Mint, Ubuntu, and Zorin OS premium( cost about $11, for the Zorin Premium). The others are free and there is a Zorin core that is free. I have settled on Ubuntu because it seems more professional to me. But, I still like the others too, and occasionally boot to Zorin OS, and hardly ever to Windows 7. Don't think I am going to load the free Windows 10. I am Linux now. The Ubuntu, with Unity desktop, is least like Windows in the desktop functions. Both Zorin and Mint are more like Windows.
 
Another vote for Mint, but I roll with KDE instead of Mate or Cinnamon. I currently triple-boot it with Win 7 and 10 on my desktop, and it's the only OS on my laptop.
 
Originally Posted By: uc50ic4more
Mint. Use the version with Cinnamon if your graphics card can handle 3D-acceleration (if it is meant for Vista, it can) and MATE if it can't for some reason. 64 bit is probably going to work just fine, but a 32 bit version is there is the system is too old.

http://www.linuxmint.com/download.php


This
 
The best recommendation (aside from my preference for Mint and Ubuntu) is to burn a few Live CDs/DVDs and see what you like best. Play around, find what you like, and install. If you don't like it, change up. That's the beauty of it. Or, be stubborn like me and stick with an LTS version long past its expiry date.
wink.gif
 
ok, lots of rec's to look into.

now, i also have (most of) My old PC, just need a 1/2 way decent video card, and would prefer a different case (Pref a Desktop, not Tower) that will take a full atx Mobo, to turn into a dedicated media center. I have a recent version of kodibuntu downloaded for it. (i have messed with the windows version of xbmc a few years back, since then XBMC became Kodi..)

it's not a gaming pc by any stretch of the imagination.
built in 2010, Athlon 2 quad core, 8 gigs of ram, currently using it's video card(Diamond ATI Radeon 2400 HD, originally purchased in 2008-ish), in this computer, since it's much newer card died.

so, TL;DR, for my other system, any one ever used Kodibuntu for a Media Center?
 
Originally Posted By: earlyre
so, TL;DR, for my other system, any one ever used Kodibuntu for a Media Center?

For media pc, you might want to go with just plain ubuntu as it has been tested and approved for various media applications such as Plex and XBMC.

I guess you need to start with the media center application that you want to use, and then pick an OS version that has been known to fully support it.
 
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