Linux Partition

[Flying Mullet]

I'm taking Operating Systems this semester and it requires Linux for the homework. Thus, I must set up a partition on my desktop and install a Linux so I can do my homework. I know people have their favorite distributions, but I'm looking for a simple to install and use distribution.

Any suggestions?

[Shoeberto]

If you want simple you can't beat Ubuntu.

What will the class require you to use it for? Occasionally Ubuntu has things work differently than most Linux distros for the sake of usability, e.g. you can't "su" any terminal session by default, you have to use the sudo prefix before any root commands you want to do. I'm not sure that it'd affect things too much, but it's something to look into.

But yeah, it's definitely the easiest one to setup and maintain in my experience.

[Krelian]

Most modern Linux distributions should be easy enough to install and maintain. Almost all of them feature some kind of auto update and install system that makes installing new software a breeze. For beginners I can recommend Ubuntu, Fedora and Mandriva. Installation shouldn't be hard with any of those. They mostly differ in package management and some of them have distro specific applications to configure new hardware, etc..

[rubah]

installing ubuntu takes like twenty-three minutes, which is good because if you're like me, you'll install your dualbooting OSes in the wrong order and will have to reinstall about three times to get the MBR to be right.

(this is time without partitioning)

[o_O]

Yeah, I have to add my vote to Ubuntu as the easiest distro to use. The lecturer for my OS paper at uni taught everything in Ubuntu as well - unless you're taking a second or third level OS paper I doubt they'd expect you to pick up any distro more complex. Fedora/Mandriva/Redhat/SUSE etc. all come in at one tier down from Ubuntu in terms of usability, in my opinion. Personally, I'd avoid SUSE if you're looking to pick up the principals of Linux, since a lot of the software included is quite hacked. Everything from the bootloader to the desktop environment. And then there's the hard to use ones like Slackware and Gentoo.

My favourite distribution of course is Gentoo, but try coordinating an entire class of students trying to install Gentoo for the first time. :p If the choice were given to me though, I'd recommend Arch, which is kind of like an easy Gentoo. It's easy to use if you want it to be, but it's still flexible and powerful enough to satisfy serious nerds - something you'll find isn't quite as true of Ubuntu.

P.S. I dunno how comfortable you are with Linux installation, but if you want something hassle-free and fast then you might want to check out <a href="http://wubi-installer.org/">Wubi</a>.

[Flying Mullet]

My professor said that the lowest calls we would be making are system calls. I don't know if that makes a difference.

EDIT: And now the 700 MB download of Ubuntu begins...

[o_O]

Assuming he's talking about making calls to the kernel space from user space then don't worry, it can be done from any distro. By that, I mean calls to file I/O like creat(), read(), open() etc. and true system calls like sleep(), fork() and exec(). :p

[Flying Mullet]

It didn't like the way the partitioning was set up on my desktop so I decided to wipe my desktop of Windows and make it solely Linux.

EDIT: The installation's done and now I'm downloading 225 MB of updates. I feel like I'm installing FFXI instead of Ubuntu. xD

[Flying Mullet]

Go go double post!

Anyway, I wanted to say thanks. I'm writing this post from my desktop which is running Ubuntu. The entire process was extremely painless and a lot easier than when I installed Red Hat 7 a few years ago.

[Krelian]

The entire process was extremely painless and a lot easier than when I installed Red Hat 7 a few years ago.
Linux has come a long way since then. I was pleasantly surprised when I installed Ubuntu after not having used Linux for four years. Unfortunately some things got worse, like the sound situation. But overall, it's not very difficult to install and maintain nowadays.

[crono_logical]

You should have used Wubi to install Ubuntu, it's ridiculously easy - just give it a username, password, and virtual hard disk sizes, and that's it :p You don't even need to repartition or anything, I installed it on one of my work laptops like this on Monday :p

I personally prefer Gentoo myself too, but Ubuntu's great to install when you're feeling lazy and/or don't have the hours to compile everything from source :p


I'll also use this thread to recommend the PartedMagic linux CD - it allows repartitioning for dummies
from a bootable disk, and is way more slick and functional than Partition Magic :p