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Thread: A simple suggestion for the overwhelmed newbie

  1. #31
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    Quote Originally Posted by dragon_harrower
    I'm trying to run Knoppix live cd on my Windows XP system, but everytime it boots it stops when looking for a floppy drive. I don't have a floppy drive on my computer. Is there a way around that? Any help from anyone would be appreciated, even if you refer me to another thread, forum, etc.
    You may need to add some options before booting Knoppix. Here is a list of Knoppix boot options (so called "cheat codes"): http://www.knoppix.net/wiki/Cheat_Codes -- perhaps there is some that disables floppy checking.

    Perhaps: nohwsetup ?

    Borys
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  2. #32
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    Unhappy Re: A simple suggestion for the overwhelmed newbie

    Hello, dragon_harrower.
    Quote Originally Posted by dragon_harrower
    I'm trying to run Knoppix live cd on my Windows XP system, but everytime it boots it stops when looking for a floppy drive. I don't have a floppy drive on my computer. Is there a way around that? Any help from anyone would be appreciated, even if you refer me to another thread, forum, etc.
    I am sorry that you are having difficulty, and the moderators will probably move this discussion to a new thread.

    When you first boot into Knoppix, there are several options from which you can select; have you explored all of them? It has been quite a while since I booted from a Knoppix DVD, so I cannot recall if one of the options offers you something like a "no floppy" boot configuration.

    Someone with more experience with Knoppix will, I am sure, have a solution for you!

    Good luck, dragon_harrower!

    Cordially,

    David
    Linux Distribution: Debian GNU/Linux (Desktop & Server)


    Registered Linux User # 315892
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    "In a world of absurdity, we must
    invent reason; we must create
    beauty out of nothingness."
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  3. #33
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
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    Found a chooser link that is not broken. Some of the ones from earlier posts no longer work. I found this one that I tested an as of 6/2007 it works great!

    http://www.tuxs.org/chooser/

    Linux because I like to do things with my computer not struggle to maintain it.

  4. #34
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    Oct 2007
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    Smile

    I wish that I had found this thread a year ago, apparently I didn't do too bad on my own though 'cuz I started out with SimplyMepis which uses KDE' it was an easy transition from windows!

    I use Debian Etch and Ubuntu now, both with Gnome as the desktop!

  5. #35
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    Quote Originally Posted by blackbelt_jones

    I'll be back with 24 hours to dress up this post with some nice helpful links and screen shots... oh, and I'll also clean up some of the typos.
    That was two years ago. Never believe me when I promise to come back add screenshots later. Obviously, I didn't fix the typos either.

  6. #36
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    Quote Originally Posted by blackbelt_jones
    That was two years ago. Never believe me when I promise to come back add screenshots later. Obviously, I didn't fix the typos either.
    I'll try too add some screenshots of Gnome and KDE, another area that might be helpful for some is differences in package management between distro's!

  7. #37
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    May 2009
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    Ground Zero Merry Old New England
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    First post

    Quote Originally Posted by blackbelt_jones View Post
    Recently, once again, some poor unfortunate tried to get advice about what distro he should start with, and once again, the contridictory cacophony of partisan voices that responded couldn't have been very helpful.

    So I had a thought. While it's perfectly acceptable to just jump in and install something, and then maybe install something else, those who are what I like to call "li-curious" and wonder if there's a way to make a logical, orderly approach might want to forget about picking a distro for a while and concentrate on picking your favorite desktop environment.

    Besides offering a choice of disributions, Linux offers a choice of desktop environments-- graphical user interfaces. Each of them approaches the question of "point and click" in its own way. The most popular and beginner friendly desktop environments are Gnome and KDE. KDE has the reputation for being the desktop most similar to Microsoft WIndows in terms of look and feel, but there's only so many ways that you can point and click, and if you're used to MS windows, you ought to find gnome reasonably intuitive and easy tp pick up.

    Gnome (my personal favorite) is fairly simple and intuitive for me, makes for a nice, uncluttered desktop, and has a couple of features I really love. (I can open a console window just by right-clicking on the desktop). KDE is flashy, powerful, and feature-rich.

    Get your hands on a couple of live CD's. A live cd is a linux operating system that doesn't need to be installed on your hard drive ; it runs entirely from the CD and from the RAM. This means that a live Linux CD is not only easy to try, you can try it without risking any of your current hard drive data. You can go online , surf, play games, play audio and video files from your hard drive, and a lot more. If you have more than one CD drive, you can burn CDs, using data from your windows hard drive. (a live CD won't write to your hard drive unless you enable it, but most can READ from your hard drive.

    Besides being an easy, no risk way to test-drive Linux, live CDs have a lot of great uses, including repair and rescue-- but that's for another post.

    You want to get a live CD for each desktop environment. Live CDs that use KDE include Knoppix and Kanotix. Live CDs that use Gnome include Gnoppix, and the live version of Ubuntu. Try them both out thoroughly, and see which you prefer.

    Remember that you're testing the desktop environment itself, and not the applications. Certain applications are associated with gnome (they tend to have names that start with "g", like gedit and gthumb, and others are associated with KDE (they tend to have names that start with "k", like kedit and k3b). On live CDs, these associations tend to be rigidly enforced due to space restrictions-- but when you pick a distribution to install to your hard drive, you can almost always mix and match with ease, according to your preferences. If (like me) you prefer gnome but love to use the CD burning utility K3B, you absolutely can have both.

    When you've decided which desktop you prefer, you're already starting to get a handle on what sort of distro you want. You can usually pick either desktop to go with most distibutions, but there are definitely distros that don't go so well with gnome (mepis, kanotix, and slackware need to have it installed. In my limited experience, it crashes a lot with SuSE) . Gnome tends to run good on those distros where it is the default: debian, red hat/fedora, and Ubuntu. (If there are distros that don't go well with KDE, I don't know much about them, ' cause I'm not a KDE guy,)

    These are only the two most popular options. I should mention that there are other, more specialized desktops that can be installed on your system, but beginners shouldn't worry about them just yet. Some are good for older systems because they don't use as many resources. Others are (to my uninformed eyes) just plain weird. And then, of course, there's the Linux Power User-- who don't need no stinkin' desktop!

    Anyway, if you find the choices of distro dizzying, there's a chance that knowing whether you prefer KDE or Gnome will give you enough practical knowledge to make it all seem less intimidating-- and there's also the chance that I have confused you further. If I have, I'm sorry. Just remember, it's all about the fun!

    I'll be back with 24 hours to dress up this post with some nice helpful links and screen shots... oh, and I'll also clean up some of the typos.

    HEY! I think that THIS IS MY 1000th post! Before I was blackbelt_jones, I was posting in here as spiderbaby1958. That was when I was posting in here with a Windows computing. When I got online with my fist superslow Mandrake system, I immediately came here and opened a new account. Therefore, I mark my beginning with Linux from the time I joined this forum as blackbelt_jones, three years ago this month.
    Hi,
    I'm old, too. First time with new style Linux OSs. Chose Ubuntu for its recent popularity and its "easier than Mandrake" download. Still learning about the distro; What a steep learning curve this is! (but I've had a little help from my Mensa pals who always seem to want to have fun, especially the gal from NSA). Right now I'm looking for a great cheap color inkjet printer that likes Linux- Ubuntu- Debian (what works). My Canon i900D does do Linux [sniff] and my wife will beat me about the head if I don't get printing up. I did keep the XP on my other HD. Call me Braindamage.

  8. #38
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    Sep 2009
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    Linux friendly Printer

    I think that you will find that the HP Series of printers will work well for you.

    Ubuntu will see it and and let you use it without any painful brain injurys involved..

  9. #39
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    I use a Canon MX700 with my linux computer. It work via USB or with the built-in ethernet port, with some tweaking.
    Slackware current (Dell Latitude D610)
    CentOS 5.2 (Servers)
    Registered Linux User # 375030

  10. #40
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    Thumbs up super helpful

    Recently started using Linux, and this thread was really helpful and gave me great insight. Thank you much!!

  11. #41
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    test

    good post

  12. #42
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    good post

  13. #43
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    test

    good post

  14. #44
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    Thumbs up Great post.

    Thank you one and all for a great thread!

    Sure wish I would have had a lot of this information in '94/'95 when I first started using Linux. Unfortunately been with Windose due to work for too long.

  15. #45
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    Quote Originally Posted by blackbelt_jones View Post
    I'll be back within 24 hours to dress up this post with some nice helpful links and screen shots... oh, and I'll also clean up some of the typos
    Maybe not. God, I never finish ANYTHING!

    That was definitely a long time ago, when I was a Gnome user. I'm definitely a KDE user now, both 3 and 4. I'm reminded that there was a time when I found KDE incredibly distracting and overblown, a little too feature rich... and that was before KDE4! So back then, Gnome was a lot easier and more straightforward. When I wanted to get my friend started, even though I was a KDE fanboy, I started her with Gnome. It seemed like the perfect beginner Desktop. But that was before Gnome 3.
    Last edited by blackbelt_jones; 02-23-2012 at 11:03 AM.

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