Ubuntu/Linux Tips and Tricks?

[natediddy1120]

New Linux converter here. Been on it for about a few weeks now. And so far I LOVE it. I'm trying to become a solid Linux user. So, that means, I need programs and applications that will serve as good alternatives to Windows programs.

Everyone please feel free to suggest any nice Linux programs that you have found useful. And also any tricks you have found useful in Linux also.

 

[Droidfish]

I'd like to listen in on this one...

 

[bwhite82]

Welcome! If you give linux a little patience and time for transition, you will soon find no use for Windows anymore. Check out:

Find Open Source Alternatives to commercial software | Open Source Alternative - osalt.com

...for good open source alternatives to popular applications.

Tips are numerous. Here is one that I found out after a long time on linux which I wish I would have known from the get go.

-Use TAB completion on the command line! Saves you oodles of time.

 

[thebowers]

I would like to know what is the easiest version of linux to dual boot with windows vista. Just shoot me a guide or a download link. What do you use Nate?

 

[bwhite82]

I would like to know what is the easiest version of linux to dual boot with windows vista. Just shoot me a guide or a download link. What do you use Nate?

Can't go wrong with the top three:

Ubuntu
Fedora
OpenSuse

You can dual boot just about any Linux distro. Most of the popular distros you simply pop in the livecd or installer cd and they will detect your Windows partition. Very little interaction on your part needed. After the install, you will see both Linux and Windows at the boot screen.

 

[natediddy1120]

thebowers,

Download "Unetbootin", then search for the Linux distro you would like (since I just noticed the ones provided in Unetbootin are a little outdated), download the distro.

It uses a USB flash drive and burns the live iso disc image of the distro you want onto the flash drive. Therefore basically making your flash drive into a CD of the distro you chose! Pretty cool IMO lol.

Then you have to reboot and get into the BIOS menu before the computer actually starts and select the option to point the computer to boot pointing to the flash drive. When the computer restarts it should launch the installer automatically if I remember correctly.

BTW I'm about to find out actually lol cause I'm downloading Linux Mint so I can triple boot Win7, UNR, and Mint

 

[christim]

Welcome! If you give linux a little patience and time for transition, you will soon find no use for Windows anymore. Check out:

Find Open Source Alternatives to commercial software | Open Source Alternative - osalt.com

...for good open source alternatives to popular applications.

Tips are numerous. Here is one that I found out after a long time on linux which I wish I would have known from the get go.

-Use TAB completion on the command line! Saves you oodles of time.

Good tip, using TAB.

For those not on Linux and using windows: You also can search for just about any program feature you want on your favorite search engine and include the words Open Source to get some free open source software.

open source office
open source music converter
open source video converter
open source paint
You even can use expensive brand name software packages in your search:
open source photoshop > leads you to gimp

etc etc etc

 

[thebowers]

Cool thanks for the tip on that Nate. What version of Mint are you using? Also I have to ask what is UNR?

 

[natediddy1120]

Cool thanks for the tip on that Nate. What version of Mint are you using? Also I have to ask what is UNR?

I'm downloading the latest Mint right now, version 8. Haven't used it yet though. And UNR is Ubuntu Netbook Remix. I have an HP Mini

 

[Abe21599]

not to go off topic, but anyone using linux right now, can anyone suggest a good starting guide on the process? Ive been wanting to for a while now but cant seem to find that all-in-one guide im looking for

 

[christim]

Run Ubuntu From within Windows without rebooting | Portable Ubuntu | USB Pen Drive Linux
Linux boots into a vm, and both linux and the vm can sit on your usb thumbdrive. No need to dual boot. There are other solutions out there too to let you run linux on a VM on your pc.

The Linux Documentation Project Want a project....tons of cool stuff to choose from here.
Should be all you need Abe....man pages explain what each command does: cp, mv, cat, mount, and others you might find familar.

 

[Abe21599]

thanks christim ill deff check those out