Ubuntu Linux - try this great distro for FREE!

[dman]

*Edit* dman I almost forgot, whats your experience with LFS (Linux From Scratch), I like how you try to get us into it lol and I do appreciate that, but what has it done for you, or I should say what have you managed to do with it?

@lilo,

I mainly work with XP as well in the capacity of programmer/service tech. I have a partition dedicated to this project that I have worked on a little at a time (it's not overwhelming if you take it slow, beacuse they provide detailed instructions and explanations.) I have managed to build the LFS core and the BLFS (beyond linux from scratch) project, and while time consuming, was not really that hard. I now have a Linux system that I know every package. It runs kernel 2.6 with KDE 3.4 desktop, open office and other goodies, and my geforce 5200 nvidia drivers work like a charm (you have to get them from nvidia, as they dont supply their code to linux team). The whole key to Linux is in the bootscripts , and that is what you will learn doing this project. Compiling the code itself is a snap. If you take it slow and work on it a little at a time you will have no problems.

I wouldn't try to push it if I hadn't done it myself and learned a lot from it. Thats what this forum is for, right? ... sharing ideas and knowledge!

[kwpro]

Ubuntu you can't choose which packages you wanna install or not install during the process

It really easy to remove packages that you dont require, just load up Synaptic and search for the program you want to remove.

anyway, I was rather dissapointed to see that it didn't recognise my GFX card

Ubuntu can only install 2d drivers, download the kernel headers with Synaptic, install the nvidia drivers, look for the works "nv" in the XConfig config file and change it to nvidia. Works every time for me. Just read the read me file on the Nvidia website.

i was left with a distro that DOESN'T create a root acount by default (thats right, you heard me lol), and my own acount that has limited permissions so I couldn't install my own drivers to get it working.

Ubuntu disables the root account, if you need access you have to type sudo then the command in the terminal or when the pop up box appears asking for root access just type in your limited account password.

The Ubuntu website is an excellent source for information, browse through there wiki or forums you will find all the answers that you need.

[dman]

@digerati, hope you find time to try it. Before I give any advice and sound like a poser let me say straight up I am not a Linux expert. But for what it's worth, if you are learning by taking apart, spend your time in ETC folder, especially sysinit and rc (might be different name, not everything in same place like windows) That is where all the boot and app init action happens and where one distro is different from another.

@u41, doesn't sound like you have time to pee with 3 women in your life. I feel for ya bro. (the multi-million $$ part sounds good though)

[un4given1]

@u41, doesn't sound like you have time to pee with 3 women in your life. I feel for ya bro. (the multi-million $$ part sounds good though)

I only run it, I don't own it. My sister does own it though, so it's kinda a family thing

[Xeon3D]

I dabble in Linux fairly regularly and I was certainly interested in Ubuntu, so i got the iso, burnt it off etc. The install process for it was great, very very easy to use (even without the actual graphical interface, its all text for Ubuntu), the downside though is that with Ubuntu you can't choose which packages you wanna install or not install during the process, you gotta go through the LOT, and so the install does take a long time compared to most Linux distros. I'm talking a good half an hour or so before I even got to the login screen (quite a while considering other distros can be installed in very little time), anyway, I was rather dissapointed to see that it didn't recognise my GFX card (FX5200) so i was left with a distro that DOESN'T create a root acount by default (thats right, you heard me lol), and my own acount that has limited permissions so I couldn't install my own drivers to get it working. It's meant to be a very promising distro but I just thought I'd let you know of my bad experience with it

If anyone gets any success with it on the graphical front, please let me know how it works out for you

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I've got an old GeForce 2 MX400 working perfectly (OpenGL and such) in Ubuntu

The reason it doesn't create a root password (the user is there, but it's disable by nature) is because having a root password is a potential security breach. Using root for non-need-to-use-root tasks is what most people do (as most of them use Administrator-powered accounts for day-to-day Windows use.). As ubuntu is intended for everyone and still be secure, the root account is disabled by default. But remember, it is Linux afterall (and linux has the known ability that everything is changeable, as long as you know how to do it), so there is a way (a very simple one I might add) to turn the root account on.

Get into a Terminal and do a sudo passwd root. It'll ask you for the password you want to use for root and unlock it. You can also unlock the ability to login as root

from the GDM. (I don't remember the steps well as I'm on a windows machine ATM. If you need it just reply).

Also you can start any program as root by using sudo on a terminal (sudo = Super User DO) or gksudo (same for Gnome apps).

Try launching a terminal and writing gksudo xchat for an example.

Also.. if anything asks you for a root password just input your normal username's password. on ubuntu you really don't need the root acount.

As for installing NVidia's drivers into Hoary, there are plenty of threads over at www.ubuntuforums.org for it, and that's one of the biggest "pros" of this distro. The people on the official forums and on the IRC Channel as as helpful as a helpful person can be (Unlike #debian..for an example).

try doing (to install nvidia driver):

sudo apt-get install nvidia-glx

sudo nvidia-glx-enable

and then restart gnome with CTRL+ALT+Backspace.

Hope I helped.

Xeon

[indianarchie]

Has anyone gone for this offer and actually received the 10 cd pack from them? I ordered mine long back and it hasnt arrived till date.

[prathapml]

Has anyone gone for this offer and actually received the 10 cd pack from them? I ordered mine long back and it hasnt arrived till date.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

When have you ordered yours? Was it the 5.04 release?

Then try reading the shipit FAQ page for details of when they will ship to your location. And also, being in India, I haven't got mine yet either. Allow it 4-6 weeks (or more, for the sin of living in India ) and it should come through.

Oh, and try logging in and check out if they already dispatched your order. Maybe Customs department held it up - in that case you have to pay the customs duty yourself and get it home. It won't be much, considering the duty for 100 CDs was 800 rupees only. Also, expecting them to pay that charge would be too much, since they are already taking care of the software and the discs and the packaging and the shipping and the delivery......

And hey, considering that you say you ordered it long ago, if you come across more such offers, do give posting it here a thought. Thanks! :

Nobody is interested in even trying this?

http://www.linuxfromscratch.org/

lylo, you said you are a Linux regular, how about it?

prathapml, you sound like you could spare a box to try this out.

You will get more out of it than loading every pre-fab distro out there.

digerati too, I know you are all geek enough for it.

tell me to pi** off if you want.

(yes I am trying to goad you into it)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Haha, thanks for mentioning it dman!

I don't even need the goading, just gimme some time and I shall run through it.

By the way, is anyone here interested in getting Linspire 5.0 ?

I could fetch an offer, of a free digital download, through coupons. Totally legitimate too (remember Linspire is a paid-only product). A 2 MBps download from their servers, of the full and latest release (one ISO). For your information, Linspire is the same linux-distro maker that got sued by Microsoft, they were formerly known as Lindows.

Linspire is a full-featured operating system like Microsoft Windows XP or Apple Mac OSX. Linspire is designed to save you money and protect your computer against crashes, viruses, spyware, hackers, popup ads, and all the other dangers computer users face today.

Linspire offers you the power, stability and cost-savings of Linux with the ease of a windows environment. In addition, Linspire's CNR technology makes installing software on Linspire one-click easy -- simply find the software you want in the CNR Warehouse, then click and run it!

What is Linspire?

linspire 5.0 new features

this the review

Anyone interested?

[dman]

@prathapml,

thats the spirit. It's a great project, really teaches the guttyworks of a Linux distro.

And also, I would be interested in checking out linspire if you could send info,

thanks

[trilliji]

To get a root login just type in a terminal window:

sudo passwd

And set the password

Then login as root.

[Carmon]

Ordered sum and ill fink ill have go testing it when comes

[nateklomp]

Hiya Folks,

I ordered on April 9th, when this thread started.

I'm excited to try it, especially as it'll be (almost) my first Linux experience. I say almost because I have tried to try a couple of Linux distros; each time I tried I got a message from "live" CD, KERNEL PANIC! followed by a lockup.

Anyhow, I'm eagerly awaiting my CD...

Question: has anyone gotten theirs yet?

It's only been ~4 of the ~6 weeks Ubuntu stated it's take, so I'm not too worried yet, just wondering.

Thanks!

[nateklomp]

Hiya again,

Seems Ubuntu is having a problem sending out CDs?

It's been 2 months since I placed my order and still nothing...

Anyone received their CDs yet?

[aktivedesign]

Look forward to receiving mine, have always used Feodra in the past after trialing many many distros, but Ubuntu escaped me back then.....who knows, maybe it ill rpelace Fedora for me.

Can't wait for Core 4 out in a few days....13th i think.

Anyone used both and prefers one or the other?

[indianarchie]

OK...i got my 10 CD pack last week!

[Blam-O!]

Thanks for the info and link prathapml!

Downloading....

@indianarchie

how long did you have to wait after you ordered the 10pk of cds?