Newbee for Linux

[shorty dog]

Hi everyone!!. I m a bit confused here. Im a windows only person and i would like to know how i can learn and where i need to go to get started in Linux. Anyone with any help in me getting started would be gladly appreciated.. thanks

[myshkin]

hi, this is a great place to start. you might want to get your hands dirty a little bit by learning how to install programs so you can work more productively and efficiently as you were back in windows. if you have any problems, the search button can help. there's a wealth of information here and nicely concise for specific problems. also, you would want to check out the linux documentation project guides (http://http://www.tldp.org/guides.html) . these will give you a rough idea about how linux works, or computers in general. i myself am a newbie too, both in linux and computers, but this forum has been great source for learning.

[shorty dog]

thanks for the words of encouragement. But i tried to access that site you sent me, but for some reason the link is not working..

[endoalpha]

http://www.tldp.org/guides.html

[myshkin]

sorry, my bad, endoalpha has provided the correct link. have fun!

[shorty dog]

thanks for the reply and info on the site. Now I need to know, what to do next, as in where do I go for the software and how I download it?

[endoalpha]

I suggest going to a good bookstore and finding a recent linux book that includes some kind of Linux distribution. That way, you won't have to download one, and you will have some sort of help from the book.

[Atealtha]

well there are many distros to try out. each one has their own 'flavor', adding games and other apps with them. a good place to check out is www.distrowatch.com for reviews, but almost everyone here will recommend you Red Hat 9 or Mandrake 9.1 Linux. Go there and check out their differences, and see which one best suits your style.

Have patience, above all. Ive been using Linux for a long time and I still have a little sign attached to my monitor that reads, "Just wait, there is a way to everything, idiot." Kind of rude to myself, but it gets my attention.

Well enough about me. If you're serious, pick up an O' Reilly Book on Linux. I have "Running Linux" which is pretty solid information, that is not biased on any particular distro (meaning, info you get from the book can be applied to any Linux system).

post in this site often, just remember to do your homework before you ask. that's about all I can give for now. Good luck