Digidevil4

K heres the deal.

I am 15 and no nothing about programming...
I have been told quite abit good about linux and I have decided that I want to try something diffrent(also my windows CD is lost so I am stuck atm).
I thought before I downloaded anything I would ask you guys about some things(If you dont mind :P)

1.Which is best for running windows based applications?
2.Which is best for gaming?
3.Which is best to run of an external Hardrive (Maxtor One Touch)?
4.Which is best for a Non-programmer?

The chances are I wont use it for much past MSN, Media playing, Games, and browsing the web.

If it helps in any way my computer is a Dell Di(no)mension 8300, its old....

So Please can someone give me some advice.

wmorri

You will find that windows apps don't really work on Linux. That being said there is at least one Opensource program for virtually every windows program. As for gaming. There are a couple of programs that you can use to help make your windows games work on Linux. The main one is called WINE.

As for which one is best for running on an external hdd, I am wondering why you want to run it off it. I would recommend that you partition your hdd and then just run it off your internal hdd. It is pretty easy.

Lastly, you don't need to be a programmer to run Linux. I am not sure who told you that, but they were wrong. Almost, any Linux distro will work for you. A list of good ones for a beginner are Ubuntu, Fedora, PCLinuxOS, and OpenSUSE.

Cheers!

Digidevil4

I am wondering why its harder to install it onto an external HDD. Also the reason I want to is so it is possible to run it on more then one computer.
But if its easyer I will run it on my internal to start off with. Ty for you help
Ubuntu it is.

wmorri

It isn't that it is harder to install on an external, it is just that you have to do some configuring to get it to boot and run from an external. It has to do with the speed of the usb cable, in terms of sending and receiving information. But, it can be done.

When you say that you want to do you mean at one time or be able to move the external to another computer and boot off of it?

Cheers!

Digidevil4

Yep I meant like going to a friends house and being able to boot my OS with all my files. But not so bothered anymore Ive been using Ubuntu all day and I am starting to understand it alot better, still abit new to using programs from terminals and these wierd file names but I like the OS.

sobeit

you cannot run windows from an external drive unless the bios allow it. Linux falls under the same rules.

My suggestion would be to get ubuntu. Its is one of the newest and most popular linux distro there is. Like most, it would be best to check out the livecd, this is where you can run linux from a cd without installing.

Another big advantage with ubuntu/kubuntu, is you can install it within windows but it will still dual boot. If you decide you dont want it, then all you have to do is to uninstall it from windows add/remove. As far as I know its the only linux distro that does this.

af3

WINE has come a long way. I can play all of my Steam games on Linux with the exception of Hammer Editor. With PCLinuxOS Gnome, if you install WineDoors, and install DirectX and other core components, many games work great, but the graphics are not quite DirectX 7 level lets say.