Free linux distro similiar to Redhat.

The title may seem a bit confusing to people but I am learning shell scripts in redhat linux in my college, since redhat is not free can someone suggest linux distro that has the SAME shell scripts like redhat linux, i.e same commands.

Also this will be my first time to install linux on a windows machine(dualboot).
I need to know which steps I need to perform, I already have win7 installed on this machine(HP530).

And I also need to know a location to download drivers for my HP530 for linux(hp does not support linux).

Thanks in advance.

Cent OS

right centos will do. but this is not updated too regularly..

i suggest use Fedora *fedoraproject.org which is good for desktop and learning purpose.

1. Try Fedora Core. it's one of the best for college use, especially for developers
2. Installation guide should be availalbe in the CD. If you are not sure how to install linux, check this: Welcome
3. The latest linux versions have become very good in detecting drivers. Anyways, post the hardware configuration of your PC and we will help you out in finding right drivers.

CentOS or Scientific Linux are known to be binary compatible with RHEL.

For learning shell scripts, really you can can use any *nix: any Linux distro, Solaris, *BSD or even Mac OS X.

As for your lappy, Linux doesn't need any 'driver CD', if you run into problems; just fix those problems.

Use lolubuntu !

P

Is there any Linux OS widely used by Electronics students ? (ECE)

If you want an rpm based distro use fedora. You try out Ubuntu and Linux Mint too. But they aren't rpm based, rather deb based.

P

Which is good for use in Virtual box ?

Almost all are if you have enough RAM to spare and a cpu with hardware virtualization support.

Liverpool_fan said:
CentOS or Scientific Linux are known to be binary compatible with RHEL.

For learning shell scripts, really you can can use any *nix: any Linux distro, Solaris, *BSD or even Mac OS X.

As for your lappy, Linux doesn't need any 'driver CD', if you run into problems; just fix those problems.

I know I can learn in any os, but the scripts must match rhel scripts, I need to use this codes in college and learning different codes won't do, so the scripts must be same.

I'll try centos or fedora.

desiibond said:
1. Try Fedora Core. it's one of the best for college use, especially for developers
2. Installation guide should be availalbe in the CD. If you are not sure how to install linux, check this: Welcome
3. The latest linux versions have become very good in detecting drivers. Anyways, post the hardware configuration of your PC and we will help you out in finding right drivers.

Its a HP 530 laptop.
Intel GM945, ICH7, Conexant modem, broadcom wifi(or was it intel?) and the sorts, really ancient stuff.

Scripts won't differ because at the core it is the same thing. I did my scripts on Ubuntu and Arch.

The scripts would be in BASH - Bourne Again Shell. They will work with any *nix with BASH installed.
In fact you can do all the scripting even in Windows with Cygwin + BASH
*www.cygwin.com/

@Praks : Try UberStudent OS. You would find "Qucs and Electric" very useful programs coz they are free and open source circuit simulation programs and they can be installed in ubuntu or any other linux os.
@Liverpool_fan : affirmative.

S

//right centos will do. but this is not updated too regularly//

you are going to learn only the shell script. why you need updated os.

P

@celldweller1591

Thanks for input. Main use will be to learn Linux & Electric circuit programs for ECE students.

Is UberStudent OS Good or Should go with Ubuntu ? Please share more programs like Qucs .

UberStudent is ubuntu based and its good. i have tested it for hours ! i really liked it. whatever distro u use - ubuntu, mint, ultimate edition, uber student or opensuse, just install QUCS and Electric. these are the two applications that server ur best interests in electronic simulation

and keep googling !

S

Use Centos.Its GUI is same as of Redhat .

if u want something similar to RH, u sud use CentOS in my opinion.
stuff in fedora is one step ahead of RH, and RH integrates stable stuff in fedora into their next release of RH,
cent OS on the other hand is RH code recompiled. so expect 90% similarity betwn RH and CentOS in terms of stability.
many organizations who have strong inhouse Linux personnel use CentOS to save support costs

do correct me if i m wrong