Linux for noobs

Adam_MD

I have a pretty old AMD dual core in my man cave and think I'd like to ditch windows and have a go with Linux.  Basically the only programs I use on that machine are Google Chrome for browsing, Gimp for designing graphics for pedals and Ableton for messing around with riffs/recording demos etc.  I'd like a striped down OS which is basically only setup to do those things with no other bloatware or annoying updates or involving M'soft telling me how I should use my machine.

Can anyone recommend a good distro for newbs who would like to get into Linux and tell Windows to feck off?

Bridgehouse

Mint, Fedora, Ubuntu, pretty much any of the distros will do what you want. It depends on what you want to get out of it I guess.

I quite enjoy downloading distros, slapping them on a bootable USB drive, giving them a go for a bit then moving onto another one to see how they differ.

Sad, I suppose, but it keeps me out of mischief.

In fact, I've got parallels on my out-and-about macbook, and I reckon there's about two dozen distros on there in virtual machines..

Adam_MD

And I think I’ve run into a problem already.  I use a Line 6 UX2 as an interface I don’t use the line 6 software but do use their driver and it doesn’t look like there’s one available for Linux.  

It looks like Linux will recognise it for playback but not to use the xlr, 6.35mm inputs etc.  

Bugger 

Emp_Fab

I recently went down this path and tried out a variety of distros.  I used Mint for quite a while then found Manjaro Linux.  I found this to be lightweight enough, but more importantly easy to use.  I haven't had to bugger about with cryptic command line stuff hardly at all with Manjaro.

Either way, an excellent way to try a load of distros out is Pendrive Linux....   Check it out; https://www.pendrivelinux.com/

notanon

Worth persevering IMHO. For me in order of preference: *nix, Mac, windows. Depends on what you do, capability etc. 

digitalscream

I've been through all the major distros - I actually started on SUSE Linux. I'd rebuilt my machine with XP (yeah, that long ago) and forgotten to activate it; I had some work to do at a weekend, and it said I'd come to the end of the unregistered period, so I went to activate and all of Microsoft's activation services were down (including the phone activation option), and that was the final straw...so I grabbed a cover CD from a mag, wiped my machine and I haven't looked back. The whole user interface was dodgy as hell back then, but now it's rock-solid stable and has been for a good 6 or 7 years.

I'm on Ubuntu with GNOME as the desktop, but Mint is generally considered the easiest to deal with for folk coming from a Windows background.

p90fool

I've been on Ubuntu for about four years, I have zero software skills and have no idea how any of it works.

It just works day in day out, it's online for hours every day, no bugs, and no viruses. I've never done any kind of maintenance because I don't know how. It's perfect.

I do have a Mac though, for running Cubase and some other stuff which isn't available on Linux, like Zoom and Boss software.  

Grunfeld

I only ever had Windows experience but last year I switch to Zorin without too many issues.  I chose this one cos it had lots of reviews which said it was easy if you've not used Linux before.
https://zorinos.com/

I ended up using the full-fat version which was still less than £20.
The support was excellent, lots of YouTube vids because as a totally new to Linux user you're inevitably going to hit some problems -- which doesn't matter so long as you can solve them quickly.

Adam_MD

I really want to switch chaps but I’m stuck if I can’t get it to play nice with my ux2 interface.  I’ve only found out the playback works but not the xlrs.  I might try dualboot just to try it out. 

Bridgehouse

Adam_MD said:

I really want to switch chaps but I’m stuck if I can’t get it to play nice with my ux2 interface.  I’ve only found out the playback works but not the xlrs.  I might try dualboot just to try it out. 

You could try wine for the ux2, but the biggest issue is drivers... 

prowla

I user Ubuntu and Mint for desktop Linux.

Philtre

I use Linux Mint, but I use VMWare Fusion on a Mac so it runs in a virtual machine. Whenever I tried to install it natively on a PC I never could get my RME Hammerfall soundcard to work as it meant compiling the drivers and that didn't work for me. It's always the drivers that are the problem on Linux...

Phil_aka_Pip

Ubuntu has its uses, but I get on better with Debian. Same kernel, IIRC, but different superstructure.

Jez6345789

I have not tried it as I always find Linux a great operating system for tinkerers but les so if running a piece of software or hardware you just want to get on and use.

but having a google there are interfaces that are supported out the box and you could look at getting something like a 2nd hand Scarlet as they seem to have drivers 

http://https//wiki.linuxaudio.org/wiki/hardware_support


also from google there  are people who have got line 6 toneports and stuff working of that era.

As I said Linux usually it all doable if you are happy to have Linux as a hobby.

Emp_Fab

...and the last few posts demonstrate why I no longer use it.  When it's at a place where I no longer have to type in indecipherable commands copied from a website explaining how to get it to do something I would expect my Windows 10 PC to just handle for me, I'll take another look.

Manjaro was the closest for me, but ultimately, when I'm forced to do command-line stuff where I have no understanding of what I'm typing, it's not polished enough.  Fine if you're just web browsing, but otherwise, it's not for me at the moment.

NeilMcG

Emp_Fab said:

...and the last few posts demonstrate why I no longer use it.  When it's at a place where I no longer have to type in indecipherable commands copied from a website explaining how to get it to do something I would expect my Windows 10 PC to just handle for me, I'll take another look.

Manjaro was the closest for me, but ultimately, when I'm forced to do command-line stuff where I have no understanding of what I'm typing, it's not polished enough.  Fine if you're just web browsing, but otherwise, it's not for me at the moment.

Yes, I'm pretty knowledgeable at the server command-line and software development level and run several linux servers and VMs for web stuff, but I've never been happy with linux as a desktop o/s. It usually falls apart on something to do with printing / wifi / device drivers and life is too short to try and resolve those things when there is work to be done.

I'll probably try again when I retire and can spend days messing about without having to achieve anything :-)

Adam_MD

I’ve been looking all morning and can’t find an easy way of loading my line 6 interface so I’m out for now.  I either use a dual boot with Linux for web browsing etc and windows for recording music or just keep my machine as it is.  

Le sigh as much as Microsoft annoy me I think with the dual boot option I’d be doing it for the sake of doing it.  I also don’t want to buy a new interface which works with Linux when my UX2 works just fine.  

Philtre

It's always the hardware drivers with Linux that are the problem. I develop software that has to run on Mac, Windows and Linux (Java based) so I have to test it on Linux. That's why I use a VM on top of OS X. It just works. If I were to have a dedicated Linux box it would be one without a soundcard or fancy graphics card.

Flink_Poyd

It's a shame Linux never breaks through to the mainstream. there's usually  a "is this the year for Linux?" buzz that goes off for a bit then it slips away again. 
 Ive tried loads of distros over the years and while I love a bit of tinkering and the odd day in command lines I usually end up with it on a USB as a plaything or for fixing stuff. 
 The bonus is you can whack it on a USB stick and try one out, rinse and repeat until you find something you like but you've still got to expect to do a bit of geeking around. 
 

shrinkwrap

Yup - tried a couple via a VM on WIndows - but I have too much time invested in knowing Windows, and before that Macs - that I couldn't justify the leap.
it takes too long to get it all just right when you don't know how.
Yes, it's the same as learning any new system but even the online guides get it wrong - either too basic or they assume too much.

monquixote

Jez6345789 said:

I have not tried it as I always find Linux a great operating system for tinkerers but les so if running a piece of software or hardware you just want to get on and use.

but having a google there are interfaces that are supported out the box and you could look at getting something like a 2nd hand Scarlet as they seem to have drivers 

http://https//wiki.linuxaudio.org/wiki/hardware_support


also from google there  are people who have got line 6 toneports and stuff working of that era.

As I said Linux usually it all doable if you are happy to have Linux as a hobby.

I disagree with this.

Linux is often a pain in the arse to get working if you have specific hardware that don't have good drivers, but compared to Mac or Windows once you've got it working it's generally rock solid forever. I've had more than one Windows machine die after an auto update.