Have an 80gb IDE Drive and want to install Linux

[i3uu]

My question right now is.. which Distro should I get? I've dual booted linux before and all that jazz, but this time I'm going to install it on a completely separate HDD (before I partitioned my drive) and would like to keep it this time instead of deleting it. I also know that each distribution is pretty much unique in its own ways... but I still am looking for advice.

I'm not entirely sure WHAT exactly I'd like to use the linux for.. but I feel as a soon-to-be computer science major, I should get comfortable understanding commands in the terminal and such. I suppose I'd like to use the linux for anonymous browsing and whatnot.. so If there is a distribution that specializes in anonymity, please let me know! If not.. then I'd like maybe one that is good for production (video editing/music editing/photo editing).

Or if there are any other good "all-around" versions, I'd like to hear something about them. I tried ubuntu 9.4(or somethin like that) before and it was interesting.

 

[Solaris17]

Ubuntu. its the most noob friendly imo. But also allows you to explore more advanced routes. you mentioned command line. in ubuntu updating is as simple as windows open a menu click update. or you can open terminal and run an update command.

Many features in ubuntu work on this principle. It allows you to go the hard way or easy. their is one thing you should note however. Not all commands are universal. Ubuntu for example runs on the debian code base. meaning that the commands you use in terminal are pretty much universal for all distributions created using the debian code base.

However take gentoo for example totally different code base commands are far different then debian to get the same tasks do0ne. If your looking into a distribution to help you further your cerrer. I would use a distribution built on a widely used codebase. like debian. This isnt limited to ubuntu though. their are harder OS's built on debian which means you can experiment with easy and hard and not leave the familiarity behind. this may be a good route so you can learn all aspects. as each distro no matter what it offers will offer more and less than other distributions.

happy *nix'ing

 

[regexorcist]

Yes, Ubuntu is noob friendly...
but i3uu is a soon-to-be computer science major
with specific partitioning requirements, so I would
suggest a distro which allows manual partitioning
such as...
you guessed it... Slackware

In addition Slackware is the most "unix like" Linux distro available

 

[Solaris17]

i understand what he is looking for as i stated in my post. I also hope you are not insinuating that ubuntu does not allow you to manually partition.

 

[regexorcist]

i understand what he is looking for as i stated in my post. I also hope you are not insinuating that ubuntu does not allow you to manually partition.

Of course not, but with Ubuntu and many distros, you don't HAVE to manually partition
like you do with slackware.
It seems as though, every person that asks about Linux (no matter what their situation)
gets the same canned "Ubuntu" answer.
It's noob friendly, yes, but also a resource hog which tries to automate everything you can think of
so you can avoid the command line if you so choose.

Here is a soon-to-be computer science major who wants control over his partitioning and
some experience on the command line so Ubuntu is an awful choice (IMHO).

That being said, you can do most anything, w/ most any distro, we all know that!!!

 

[Frick]

I kinda agree on Slackware here actually. He want to be advance, and go advance he should!

But of course all distros could be that.

 

[Solaris17]

Of course not, but with Ubuntu and many distros, you don't HAVE to manually partition
like you do with slackware.
It seems as though, every person that asks about Linux (no matter what their situation)
gets the same canned "Ubuntu" answer.
It's noob friendly, yes, but also a resource hog which tries to automate everything you can think of
so you can avoid the command line if you so choose.

Here is a soon-to-be computer science major who wants control over his partitioning and
some experience on the command line so Ubuntu is an awful choice (IMHO).

That being said, you can do most anything, w/ most any distro, we all know that!!!

my ubuntu answer is hardely canned. I played off of an OS that he said he had used and applied general suggestions to it that he can read and determain the level of difficulty he wants. I would be more than happy to suggest a distro if you want it uncanned.

Try Elive its nice quick fast can be buggy at times. enough but not too much in the point and click department. heavy command use in anything usually over "everyday" use. It will learn you up fast and can be easily fixed when you eventually break it.

 

[monte84]

Sure try slackware, just try it in a virtual machine first, lot less frustrating that way. without having to worry about messing up the MBR.

@solaris, linux commands are pretty much universal amongst the unix world, even macs share a lot of the same, that only changes when your talking about package management system.

 

[Dippyskoodlez]

Sure try slackware, just try it in a virtual machine first, lot less frustrating that way. without having to worry about messing up the MBR.

I'm going to actually Second the VM suggestion.

Using Virtual box on new hardware that supports VT is most definitely the best way to learn the ins and outs of Linux before messing with partitioning and such.

This also allows you to test out multiple distros, (Ubuntu, Slackware, Etc) with almost no hassle, and you don't even have to burn the ISO's to an actual CD. You could learn the partitioning by installing multiple distros to the same VM even