Switching OS

[Shinylight]

I am really getting fed up of Windows Vista and I don't want to pay for Windows 7 as most of my money is spent on food or having fun.

I was wondering what the best Linux Distribution for a laptop is.

Any suggestions?

[Oldandeasilyconfused]

I am really getting fed up of Windows Vista and I don't want to pay for Windows 7 as most of my money is spent on food or having fun.

I was wondering what the best Linux Distribution for a laptop is.

Any suggestions?

I recently installed Linux Mint on an old Pentium 4. It's lean,at under 700MB and stable. I like it a lot. I think it would be dandy for a laptop


I guess it depends on exactly what you want to do with your OS. Not all applications are available in Linux. Your ISP may not provide support for Linux if you have any problems. (mine does not)

Before installing MINT, I spent some on time on the forum linked below,reading and asking questions.

http://forums.linuxmint.com/

Perhaps consider downloading and trying a live CD of say both Ubuntu and Mint ?

[fr0d0]

Ubuntu is pretty awesome. I've installed it on a few laptops recently and it more or less works out of the box with no messing about with drivers needed (Samsungs and Dell's). Something impossible on the same latops running Windows. 'Designed for Windows' - what a joke.

I personally run Kubuntu because I like the customization potential.

[Violet]

I am really getting fed up of Windows Vista and I don't want to pay for Windows 7 as most of my money is spent on food or having fun.

Keep Windows Vista... buy MoO + MoO2 for six USD... pop the MoO disc in once you get it...

FUN!

[Tiberius]

Ubuntu 10.4 (latest) is immense.

[Autumnlicious]

I am really getting fed up of Windows Vista and I don't want to pay for Windows 7 as most of my money is spent on food or having fun.

Keep Windows Vista... buy MoO + MoO2 for six USD... pop the MoO disc in once you get it...

FUN!

Neg repp'ed for pushing Vista, one of the worst MS products since Bob and Clippy. Yes, I feel that strongly about Vista and the people who make light of it.

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To be serious, I'd suggest you try Ubuntu. Their free ShipIt service can send you their most recent release free of charge via mail to you if you do not want to download it.

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No, really. Advocating Vista is in the same vein of bad as advocating the Bible to solve some issue. Just don't do it.

[leo-rcc]

I've tested various versions of Linux for my other website and from a beginners standpoint I agree that Ubuntu or Mint are the best starting point. When I'm not testing I use Ubuntu for my day-to-day browsing, emailing, chatting and some simple tasks. Not that it can't perform more complex stuff but I just don't use anything more at home.

[Violet]

Neg repp'ed for pushing Vista, one of the worst MS products since Bob and Clippy. Yes, I feel that strongly about Vista and the people who make light of it.

And you are telling me that you can play the many video games designed for windows on any other operating system (than windows)? Vista is really not as bad as you make it out to be. Yes: it is bad. But it also works. If you've already got it, and are looking simply for a good time, then why change it at all?

No, really. Advocating Vista is in the same vein of bad as advocating the Bible to solve some issue. Just don't do it.

I am not advocation Vista... I am advocating video games, in particular my favorite of all time, and another solid game, for 6$. It's cheap to keep Vista, and it is not like you can't enjoy yourself with they system.

Next thing you're going to tell me is that System 7 can do more than Vista

[Oldandeasilyconfused]

Ubuntu 10.4 (latest) is immense.

How does it compare with Mint? Easier to use?

I'm installing Linux for my sister, on her old PC. She only uses her computer for Email and a bit of surfing, and is computer illiterate

Would the new Ubuntu be easier for her?

[Autumnlicious]

Neg repp'ed for pushing Vista, one of the worst MS products since Bob and Clippy. Yes, I feel that strongly about Vista and the people who make light of it.

And you are telling me that you can play the many video games designed for windows on any other operating system (than windows)? Vista is really not as bad as you make it out to be. Yes: it is bad. But it also works. If you've already got it, and are looking simply for a good time, then why change it at all?

No, really. Advocating Vista is in the same vein of bad as advocating the Bible to solve some issue. Just don't do it.

I am not advocation Vista... I am advocating video games, in particular my favorite of all time, and another solid game, for 6$. It's cheap to keep Vista, and it is not like you can't enjoy yourself with they system.

Next thing you're going to tell me is that System 7 can do more than Vista

System 7? Really? You'd think I'd tell you to use an outdated OS (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/System_7) instead of Vista? Wow - your understanding of my tech-fu is of creationist proportions.

Now Windows 7, on the other hand... Yes - it is better than Vista, in more ways than one - I like to think of Windows 7 as what Vista should have been. Administrating Vista clients is like pulling teeth - of course, I know you like to troll me

Actually, for you, it will not be cheap to keep Vista if you plan to add games and additional applications - Vista is less and less supported as a target and seen more as an after thought, as it is trivial to extend a Windows 7 driver to work on Vista if and only if they do not take advantage of the changes in the Windows API.

Basically, XP has gone the route of long term support as a stable API and Windows 7 as the second generation of the new API. For Vista, there is no love.

To make the comparison complete on your cluelessness over Vista (the NDIS stack is busted, wtf MS, wtf), you basically advocate it because it works for you right now. That is good - however, placing statements on an internet website between two posting heavyweights (The other being Adrian), a bystander may be persuaded to follow your advice, however poor it may be. I'd prefer to set the record straight - Vista is a poor thing to remain on right now given the options available today.

Now, about the issue of games (FYI - Windows 7 has a revamped compatibility layer for playing old games and a fixed UAC), yeah - games that are designed for a particular target system most likely will run on it. What a surprise (not). Old games will, probabilistically, run more often than not on the OS they were designed for (XP Ftw!).

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How does it compare with Mint? Easier to use?

I'm installing Linux for my sister, on her old PC. She only uses her computer for Email and a bit of surfing, and is computer illiterate

Would the new Ubuntu be easier for her?

What kind of hardware? It makes a difference.