How were you introduce to Linux?

Hi guys! I'm starting this new thread about "How you were introduced to Linux".
Please post your messages here.

As for the start, I was introduced to Linux in December 2005 when I got the Live CD of Knoppix. And the very next month I installed Mandriva 10.0 on my system. I kept on trying various distros, but then I stopped on SUSE and Ubuntu. Well please include the following too:-

Fav. Distro :-
Current Distro :-
Fav. Desktop-environment :-
Most hated distro :-
Why you can't live without Linux?

-------------

My details,
Fav. Distro :- SuSE
Current Distro :- SUSE and Ubuntu
Fav. DE :- KDE
M H Distro :- Fedora Core (its very hard for a newbie)
I can't live without linux because it is like a lifeline to me.

So keep posting!

I am introduced to Linux first on 1999

the distro is redhat 6.1 carmen something.I used it for sometime just for learning CLI.the DE are Black and White like ...

then I left usage of Linux and later from 2000 onwards with RH7.1 and later switched permanantly into my kind of distro- Debian!
Currently experimenting with A GNOME distro called foresight linux
I like foresight and rpath for its Conary
package manager.it is really gr8.
i am a GNOME fan;i admit it and hates umm..U now the Other DE
*en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GNOME_desktop

The GNOME project was started in August 1997 by Miguel de Icaza and Federico Mena in response to licensing concerns over software used by KDE, a free software desktop environment that relies on the Qt widget toolkit. At the time, Qt did not use a free software license and members of the GNU project became concerned about the use of such a toolkit for building a free software desktop and applications. Two projects were started: the Harmony toolkit, to create a free replacement for the Qt libraries, and GNOME to create a new desktop without Qt and built entirely on top of free software.[2]

Fav. Distro : Debian GNU/Linux
Current Distro: Debian,Ubuntu and Foresight Linux(the one with conary pkg mgmt)
Fav. Desktop-environment :GNOME and other gtk based lightweight DE/WMs
Most hated distro(not really) :Mandriva,Suse/Open SUse and most .rpm based distros.why the he!! they are sticking with this outdated rpm stuff.they should upgrade their pkg mgmt to Debians dpkg+apt (.debs) or some other better pkg management software.
Why you can't live without Linux?
I am sleeping with GNU/Linux

I love the freedom GNU/Linux and other FLOSS applications offer.

still waiting for "introduction"

Well my crush with linux is a long affair to remember
I saw linux (RH6) first at my frnd's place in 1999 . i was amazed @ another OS..I decided to install it when I bought my HCL pC (810 MB, P-III 700 MHz)in 2000.

I didnt know much abt Linux then..I deleted C: drive accidentally of my new PC

After then lots n lots of frustrating hours with Linux..every CD distro tried out..some was giving video error ..some audio....finally I Installed RH6 but there was no sound..then I installed RH7, RH8, RH9 but there was no sound always...sometimes XMMS crashed...I asked driver problem at every corner of net..tried everything but nothng worked

I started to hate linux so much that I vowed never to install it in 2003....but recently my lost love came back in the form of Ubuntu Linux..so easy to install....so nice...

Thats my story ...just 1 day back I installed Ubuntu on my new PC (AMD 3600+) and its too kool..

My details,
Fav. Distro :- Ubuntu
Current Distro :- Ubuntu
Fav. DE :- GNOME
M H Distro :- Fedora Core (its very hard for a newbie) YES ..ITS VERY FRUSTRATING :X
I can't live without linux because it ALWAYS fascinates me ...

M

vimal_mehrotra said:
still waiting for "introduction"

Then indroduce yourself now.

As to me, I was introducted to linux in July 2004 by my friend as a solution to recurring virus problems. Back then, he installed FC 2 for me. Few months down the line, I got myself to install FC3, which was just released. I used to turn to him for help. I still used windows most of the time, while exploring the 'Novel OS' at times, too.
It was in October 2005, that I decided to finally shift to linux forever, with Slackware 10.2, that's also the time when I started coming to this forum regularly.
Since last year, I have been playing around with various distros, though I have used Ubuntu extensively.

Fav. Distro :- Debian GNU/Linux cos it's the distro that represents FOSS like no other.
Current Distro :- Gentoo
Fav. Desktop-environment :- Fluxbox, though I mostly use KDE/GNOME but it doesn't really matter much.
Most hated distro :- linspire, for being most un-FOSS like
Why you can't live without Linux?
I can, there's so much to try out. I am currently trying out FreeBSD, in virtual machine, then there's also Solaris that I want to take a shot at.

I was first introduced to Linux while doing a diploma from BRAINWARE COMPUTER ACADEMY( 1998 ). The first distro I've tried is Redhat 7.0. It was a CLI environment. While reading study materials I discovered that Linux also supports GUI called "X". After buying my computer I installed it on my system for testing just the GUI part (X). After that the journey continues with different flavours of Linux...Currently I have 5 flavours of Linux on my system...

Fav. Distro :- Fedora, Ubuntu, openSuSE
Current Distro :- Fedora Core 6, Ubuntu Edgy, openSuSE 10.2, DreamLinux 2.2, PCLinuxOS 0.93
Fav. Desktop-environment :- KDE, Gnome
Most hated distro :- No such distro...

Why you can't live without Linux?
--------------------------------
Because I feel very much secure in Linux and also it needs very less maintainance...

*www.thinkdigit.com/forum/showpost.php?p=325460&postcount=7

@mediator:that saved U a BIG Post!

Still not introduced

Here is My Story

Fav. Distro :- Ubuntu (As I configure sucessfully),Waiting for trying SUSE after a minor hardware change.
Current Distro :- Ubuntu 6.10
Fav. DE :- GNOME,(In KDE many unnecessary stuff which I never need)
Most hated Distro:- None still now.

Introduced to Linux in 2005 but i wasn't interested. Then in this new year i read some articles about Linux on MyOpera. Then i thought i should try it. But due to Lack of BroadBand here ,i'm unable to try. But now some one is gonna send me Opensuse 10.2/ after trying that i'll post my thoughts.

Humm, heard abt it in 2004.
Wasnt able to use. ^^^^^^ Same problem.
Asked everywhere cudnt get a single CD.
Then in 2005 got a CD.
Installed and accidently deleted all the partitions.
Vital Data got Deleted.

Then kasam khai never to use linux again.
After Some months got a DVD of SUSe 10.0
I was dying to try it out and took the risk.
After two hours of installation when everything was going Ok and there were only few minutes to complete, light went off. Everything got deleted.
After that linux installing deleting , installing deleting started and now i m here feeling happy being a member of world's BIGGEST Community.
Thats the whole story.

Fav Distro -Suse
Current Distro - Suse
Fav Desktop Envrn- KDE
Hated Distro - Mandriva nd Ubuntu(Not Much but Still)

I in LOVE with LINUX.

M

A bit offtopic but i'd like to ask why do you hate Ubuntu. This is something I don't really hear much, so I'd like to know.

The main problem is that one has to download all the softwares whereas in others, jsut pop the DVD and Install all the softwares u need.

But i really APPRECIATE that they are providing free CD's for installing to people who dont hav any means to get LINUX.

Manshahia said:
The main problem is that one has to download all the softwares whereas in others, jsut pop the DVD and Install all the softwares u need.

But i really APPRECIATE that they are providing free CD's for installing to people who dont hav any means to get LINUX.

I agree with you
It is such a pain to search for softwares for it

M

Tech Geek said:
I agree with you
It is such a pain to search for softwares for it

Did you go to packages.ubuntu.com or archives.ubuntu.com?
And if you're asking about apt repositories, then really good repositories, which can give you almost any software is given at ubuntuguide.org.

But thats a pain, downloading softwares from here and there, means first searching the, downloading them and installing them.

@ Mehul ,Dont they Provide a DVD??

Ordered ubuntu from shipit for fun like 5 months ago, i wasn't gonna install it as my friends had bad experiences with linux, data loss etc, still i posted a topic askin for help on installing it, the person who really made me install it was Mehul

Fav. Distro :- Fedora Core
Current Distro :- Fedora Core 6
Fav. Desktop-environment :- err long story, i was die hard Kde fan but then one night shivji came to my dream and said "bachha Gnome hi sahi hai" , Gnome user here

Most hated distro :- none, each distro is made to suite different people with different needs and tastes, theres nothing to hate in it.

Fav. Distro :- suse10.2/fc6
Current Distro :- suse10.2/ubuntu6.10
Fav. DE :- KDE
M H Distro :- to some extent i ve never liked linspire, gentoo, ubuntu(yea ubuntu .. dont kill me plz

)

Manshahia said:
The main problem is that one has to download all the softwares whereas in others, jsut pop the DVD and Install all the softwares u need.
But i really APPRECIATE that they are providing free CD's for installing to people who dont hav any means to get LINUX.

Yet to understand the super powers of APT and dpkg together!belive me!suse tries to install those umpteen softwares which all of it my not be useful to you.rpm is arguably outdated!
if u r having a good internet connxn,debian or ubuntu is the best.i mean,why you need to install those 7GB+ software which you dont use.while Ubuntu and Debian or mepis or infact most debian based distros are just giving out the most useful software.afterwards,even if u have a 56kbps dial up u can d/l some needed softwares and install thus making the maximum use of available space and apps.

I was introduced to linux when i just got sick the viruses/spywares and other crappy probz in xp

..But Currently me using 3 diff OS-Vista+xp+linux

M

freebird said:
Yet to understand the super powers of APT and dpkg together!belive me!suse tries to install those umpteen softwares which all of it my not be useful to you.rpm is arguably outdated!

Only if they knew the power of debian's admin tools. I am yet to find those in other distros. But, learning to use those tools properly takes some time. I am myself not too familiar with most of them.

introduced to linux by Digit Forum last year.

First Distro:- Ubuntu 5.04
Current Distros:- Ubuntu Edgy and Fedora Core 6
Favourite Distro:- Ubuntu Edgy and Fedora Core 6
M H D:- None, but SuSE didnt work on my rig properly.
Fav. Desktop Environment:- GNOME, KDE, XFCE.

tech_your_future said:
Only if they knew the power of debian's admin tools. I am yet to find those in other distros. But, learning to use those tools properly takes some time. I am myself not too familiar with most of them.

Hummmm... Lemme get some experience in Linux and i wud b using the power of Debian's Admin tools plus lemme hav a BB.
Thnx.

M

Manshahia said:
Hummmm... Lemme get some experience in Linux and i wud b using the power of Debian's Admin tools plus lemme hav a BB.
Thnx.

You can also get Debian from a nearby LUG.

Which is the best Debian??
I mean which distro's r debian based?

Introduced by a digit member he helped me a lot also provided me CD's of 23 distros
Fav. Distro :-Open Suse
Current Distro :-Open Suse 10.2
Fav. Desktop-environment :-KDE
Most hated distro :-Ubuntu (ppl say this is gud but i just don't like )
Why you can't live without Linux?:-Its supports my pocket

Manshahia said:
Which is the best Debian??
I mean which distro's r debian based?

Debian itself. Try out Debian Etch.

Manshahia said:
Which is the best Debian??
I mean which distro's r debian based?

Bhrajji,thx for ur interest in Debian.check debian link itself.although I'll suggest debian Sid for N00bs
Software distributions based on Debian

My friend Ankur, a fanboy forced me to use Dapper Drake until I fell in love with it

.

Fav. Distro :- Ubuntu
Current Distro :- Edgy Eft (Ubuntu 6.10)
Fav. Desktop-environment :- KDE
Most hated distro :- SuSe ( 5 CDs for a single Distro?? Who the hell needs all those tools??)
Why you can't live without Linux? I can live without Linux

.

I was introduced to Linux in 2001 when I started exploring computers after my 12th exam. I tinkered around a bit in Linux, joined a Linux course in NIIT for 3 weeks and then gave up when I went for college. Later when I came to web hosting in 2003 I was reintroduced to Linux and got familiar to it though they were the command line sever versions of Red Hat and FreeBSD with DirectAdmin control panel. I tried installing FC 5.X in my desktop for practice but it didn't work inspite of of disk being checked and 15 reinstalls.

My intro to desktop linux was since last October with an ISO of Ubuntu 5.10 in PC World. I installed, tried out but since my WPA Wireless and sound card didn't work to removed it and went Windows MCE way. After release of 6.06 and ALSA 1.0.14 rc1 I managed to get both sound and wireless working using a few tweaks and compilation and was back on track. Since last december I got into OpenSUSE 10.2 which is the best distro in my experience.

Fav. Distro :- OpenSUSE 10.2
Current Distro :- OpenSUSE 10.2
Fav. Desktop-environment :- KDE
Most hated distro :- None
Why you can't live without Linux? - Apache, ModSSL, PHP Native support, Amazing effects of OpenSUSE+Compiz and free of cost.

first distro:- mandrake 10.1(now mandriva)
Fav. Distro :- UBuntu 6.10
Current Distro :- Fedora core 5
Fav. Desktop-environment :- Gnome
Most hated distro :- None

Is Knoppix Debian Based?

^^^ Yes.

I was introduced to linux by my computer teacher, back in ~june or sumthin like dat of 2003. it was a customised knoppix distro named LiFY, (provided by linux for u)... since then therez no lookin back...
Since then.. i've experimented wid all da versions of redhat(frm rhl7), fc(1-6), knoppix(3.1-5.1.1), Debian, mandrake (8.2-10.1), mandriva, suse, ubuntu, kubuntu, edubuntu and even Darwin adn PC-BSD,FreeBSD.

We( me and our computer teacher), together transferred all the computers n our school usin pirated windows to linux (rhl 9)...

Since then it has added a coolness adn geekiness factor in me...

Fav. Distro :- SuSE 10.2
Current Distro :- SuSE 10.2
Fav. Desktop-environment :- KDE
Most hated distro :- 1)Ubuntu, 2)KUbuntu, 3)EDUbuntu
Why you can't live without Linux?
>Can u live without Air???
>and certainly.. i wud never like to live without the term "Geek" beein prefiexed to mah name.. lol

All hail Linus Torvalds... long live linuxxxxxxx!!!!

The first time I saw linux was on my friend's PC which had RH9. It was mainly his brother who used it and we both used to hate it a lot because of the incompaitbiltiy to play good graphic games

Then, after sometime I lost touch as I didn't see it much and my friend had also removed linux by then. Then came Fedora, used for sometime ,then removed. All this time, I didn't even have my PC, but thanks to my friend, I get a lot of updates

Then, around 2004 I heard about Ubuntu shipping free CDs. I wanted to try out and anyway they were giving it away for free. The CDs dropped in and I wanted to try out. I mostly experimented with the live cds, but I was dissappointed with the GUI. I really don't like the color brown. I also got those CDs so that I could give it away atleast to people who were interested, but none were. Everyone were in love with Windows and the malware it infects

I still have those CDs and I don't know what to do with it. Again, I had lost interest with linux. My friend used to a be a volunteer in Linux Bangalore most of the time. Then, in 2005, I volunteered in FOSS.IN/2005 in Bangalore and that is when my love for linux was instantaneous. I couldn't believe that FOSS could do so much and I had no clue that it had developed so much within a span of just a year. Atleast I felt so, as I had not used linux at all. I didn't even know that there were so many distros. I had used SuSE 9.1 and 9.3 at my friend's place and also used 9.3, but I had to remove it...... Don't remember why

Here, in this meet, I hear about distros which have really cool names and offers features to different users. This is what I like about linux. It gives just what the user wants. In one of the talks, a guy suggested for noobs to try out Gentoo as it really teaches you linux and Gentoo was the OS installed on the systems there. I didn't find it really friendly to use. Then, I wanted to try out other distros. I HAD TO. I had fallen in love!!

I started looking out for the 'BEST' distro out there. I turned back to the distro which I found quite appealing and easy to use. SuSE. I also installed Fedora 5 before this and that distro taught me a lot!!! I would still go back to Fedora if I don't get SuSE on my hands. I also tried out the live CD of Ubuntu 6.10 and I should say, I don't hate brown so much anymore

Fav. Distro :- OpenSUSE 10.2
Current Distro :- OpenSUSE 10.2
Fav. Desktop-environment :- KDE
Most hated distro :- None as each distro serves its purpose to individuals
Why you can't live without Linux? The only thing which I can call my GF

, free, no malware, no maintenance. Learning to hack

so its a must for those stuff

My first introduction was SUSE 5 or 6 or something in 2000 or sometime which was given on Chip as the first anniversary special (when digit was chip - you know what i mean? - I still have it) I installed it but had a lot of trouble, and at that time it was not that easy to find help. So switched back to windows...

I always wanted to switch to Linux, coz using Windows you have this guilt feeling of being a thief. (You Know WHY

). But utmost criteria was to be productive in this New environment that is completely alien to me.

In last few months I first installed Fedora Core 5. Fedora was easy to install, and was able to pickup the internet connection automatically - one of the most important things you need to be productive now a days. However I un-installed it within a day, coz I wanted to use Ubuntu, as I had read much about it being a very easy to install and use for a novice et al.

Then when PCW gave Ubuntu, I installed it. Had trouble with internet etc, (because of my own stupidity - searching for a login as root button somewhere when I was logged in as user, didn't realize I have to login with root as the login id

at the time of booting or switch the user). So switched to Open Suse.

Then day before yesterday Installed Open SUSE again from the PCW DVD, easy to install, it automatically caught the wireless connection, did minor config to come on to the net (DNS settings needed changing - I tried to change it when i was logged in as user - but it won't let you do it, then i tried logging in as "root" and changed the settings and viola it was done). Then I also did some updation of some software (read Firfox),and installed the Grisbi accounting package that I used to use in the Windows to manage my personal Finances.

Since day before yesterday 90% of the time I have been logged into Linux only and switching to Windows for only to have my Outlook 2007 update with the mail, but it is matter of time I'll stop that

.

Fav. Distro :- Open SUSE 10,2
Current Distro :- Same as Above
Fav. Desktop-environment :- Currently using KDE, but liked the Gnome because of its no-clutter interface -compared to KDE.
Most hated distro :-HUh! not enough exposer to HATE.
Why you can't live without Linux?: I thought I lived till day before yesterday, when made the switch. But if I have to answer it in affirmative I have to say I can't live without Linux because I want a clear mind. Sounding senti huh!

bsods , crashes, etc in windows introduced me to Ubuntu, still using it ( for the past two months)

I heard about linux sometime around 2001 when i first bought my PC. that time i got a linux distro named Dragon Linux with Chip CD(Former Digit). i tried to install that but it had some error so failed. later on i tried some small linux (dont remember the name. ~20-30MB). couple of years later a got Fedora core 3 with Digit DVD. that was the time when i first tried to do some experiments with linux, such as mounting NTFS, Wine, Bluetooth GPRS, dialup etc. but i could not continue much long ( coz it didn't serve my main purpose - Gaming). later on i tried many live distro just to have a look how linux is going. I also bough a Suse linux 9 for Rs. 250 from ebay (i think its in 2005), again it dint last long on my desktop. in 2006 sometime in july i heard of ubuntu being so popular. i decided to try it. i installed it in my Laptop. and Ubuntu is the first distro that impressed me. after that no looking back. its still shining on my laptop. I really like to show off my Linux laptop in college

everyone ask me all those stupid questions like.. whats d difference between linux n Windows? why r u using linux? the name Ubuntu is so weird n funny, is it heard to use? bla bla.. n honestly speaking i do enjoy every bit of their astonishment. ;-)

and not to mention the BERYL.. I realy REALLY like Ubuntu's layout n features. Most useful feature in ubuntu i like is Synaptic package manager. it makes life hell lot easier. i think its the main reason ubuntu is so popular.. finally i'd like to share a story with u guys about ubuntu saving the day for me...

one day we were having data analysis class. we had to do some calculations with Excel Solver Add on. by default MS Excel dont install Solver package. u need CD to install. most of the guys neither have solver installed nor the CDs (Pirated ofcourse). So they could not do the problem. where as i had my Ubuntu n Gnumeric spreadsheet installed. guess what? it comes with all the solver Package inbuilt. So i solved the Problem. Ubuntu saved the day for me..

Fav. Distro :- Ubuntu
Current Distro :- Ubuntu
Fav. Desktop-environment :- Gnome
Most hated distro :- distro that does not come with good package management software.

M

amitava82 said:
Most hated distro :- distro that does not come with good package management software.

Slackware doesn't come with any package management software, but in all the distros I have used, I haven't come across such a beautiful distro. There are a lot of things besides package management. Getting hold of different packages from source and compiling them was so much fun on slackware.

I was first introduced to Linux by my ex-gf in 2002. Her brother is a web & software developer, a Delhi LUG senior member and a Linux guru. In 2002, she had 9 PCs at her place, all running exclusively on Linux. She forced me to use Linux and my first distro was Mandrake 9, that I downloaded in those days on my very crappy 32kbps connection. I used it on and off, dual-booting with Win2K. I also tried my hands on RedHat 9 and Debian in those days. Well, RedHat 9 imho looked horrible & was too slow while Debian was just too difficult for me. I couldn't even configure X Server on it so just dumped it.

This chopping and changing went on until early 2003 when I installed XP on my system. All hell broke loose at that time. I had a Motorola SM56 internal modem and it caused so many BSODs on XP that I just lost it. At that time after getting frustrated with XP, I installed Slackware 9.1 and was I in love with this thing or what!!! It is probably THE BEST distro for a Linux n00b that I have come across. It teaches you so many things that you will never need any books. During these times, I removed XP and went exclusively on Linux.

While using Slackware, I came across another distro named Gentoo Linux and the comments about how fast it is and how fast you can make it cos it is source based. I was able to install it in first try but didn't like it much. Honestly, I had not given it much time. After spending some more time with Slackware and getting more accustomed to command line, I installed Gentoo again and this time stuck with it. Now, I am a Gentoo user since late 2004 and around 6 months back, removed Slackware completely. Since then I have also tried Ubuntu 6.10 to see what the hype is about but I removed it after a month because of its GNOME desktop. These days I have installed openSUSE 10.2 as an alternate distro. I must say it is quite polished but it just can't beat the control of Gentoo. Looks like, soon I will be removing openSUSE as well

Fav. Distro :- Slackware (Even though I don't use it now but it simply rocks)
Current Distro :- Gentoo
Fav. Desktop-environment :- KDE
Most hated distro :- Debian (...because of their hypocrisy)
Why you can't live without Linux? :- Because I have forgotten how to live in the world of BSODs and don't have money to waste on expensive "locked-in" operating system

eddie said:
Most hated distro :- Debian (...because of their hypocrisy)

Can you elaborate a little?

desertwind said:
Can you elaborate a little?

Just look at the hullabaloo they created about Firefox trademark. This was coming from a distro that forced a Debian promoting corporation (don't know the name exactly now) to drop the word "Debian" from their name because it is Debian's trademark. It came from a distro whose supporters created a major hue and cry (sometime around june last year) about a German magazine supplying a modified version of Sarge but still calling it Sarge. So they don't mind modifying Firefox and still calling it Firefox but they do mind someone doing the same to them? I mean if they want to protect their trademark so dearly then what in this god's world do they have problem with other product's trademark? Why do such pathetic things like crossing a product's logo in a Linux conference?
*blog.sexylizard.org/dc2/post/2006/10/14/114-debian-c-est-bas
*glazman.org/weblog/dotclear/index.php?2006/10/14/2148-lame-debian
*sexylizard.org/images/ffTm.jpg

Isn't this hypocrisy?

Add to this the fact that how pissed they are with Ubuntu for no reason at all. Some of the guys from Debian recently wore T-Shirts with "F... Ubuntu" printed on them at a Linux conference. These things just put the whole community in bad light and we usually see such things only from the Debian fanatics and its supporters, hence my feelings about them.

S

Fav. Distro :- UBUNTU, SUSE
Current Distro :- UBUNTU
Fav. Desktop-environment :- GNOME
Most hated distro :- -

Hey! That's pretty nice. i didn't knew that this thread is going so long and is quite popular among us, let us keep the good experience coming guys!

Linux Rocks!