Hello. I have a modern Intel CPU Win 7 setup.

I have tried Linux in years past, but never had the time to put into it.

I have a spare SSD and some time now.

What distribution would you recommend?

 

Hello,

It depends on what you want to do with the linux.
Have a look at distrowatch and see how many distros there are:
http://distrowatch.com/

I am using OpenSuse myself ( http://distrowatch.com/table.php?distribution=suse ).

Bertus

 

I guess availability and ease of installation of isolated downloads would be the biggest factor.

I could install from packages ok.....but the selection was limited.

And if I found a software that I wanted to try.....I could never figure out how to install it.

I have a i7-4770K processor and compatible MB, if that makes a difference.

Goodness....that list sure has grown.

 

Hello,

Here is a screenshot of YAST for the electronics programs available:

These will become available when you add the education repository.

Bertus

 

Hello. I have a modern Intel CPU Win 7 setup.

I have tried Linux in years past, but never had the time to put into it.

I have a spare SSD and some time now.

What distribution would you recommend?

Linux has come a long way in the last few years and many distro's offer state of the art computing, way beyond what windows and apple can offer. Our company switched to linux about 5 years ago and now compete with the biggest and best in our industry around the planet, yet we are pretty small.

We use mint for back of house and POS and Ubuntu studio for our promotional and operating work, which have been customised to our requirements by our own techies. They are not totally compatible with each other, its just the type and variety if codex which is different, as studios has all the dedicated codes needed for multimedia work. Mint is great for personal work and excellent for business operations.

Personally I use mint, as it is the easiest and most stable of distro's' at the moment in my opinion. Tried most others and when helping someone drop last century bloat ware, find they take to mint very quickly with no hassles.

Just about every linux distro works out of the box and the range of software available for free is almost unlimited in choice and variation. Installation and drivers are automatic, you just sit back and watch it do it for you.

Depending on what you want, there is a linux flavour for just about everyone. Down load a few and try them as live cd's first, but if you want a seamless transition to linux, I'd start with mint to get the feel of linux and then look around for what suits your purpose.

If you want electronics, have a look at these. With a bit of looking, you will probably find many other great elctronics distro's

http://linux.softpedia.com/get/Syst...ions/Fedora-Electronic-Lab-LiveCD-30229.shtml

http://ceeld.weebly.com/

 

ok....I installed linux mint xfce.

But I can't figure out how to turn it off or re-start it. There is no shut down button or restart button.

I searched the linux mint forums.......but nothing about missing buttons.

Any ideas?

I really hate cutting power to get out of it.

 

Hello,

On the left corner there is the menu button:

There should be a way to find an exit.

Bertus

 

That's what I expected.......but not there.

 

Hello,

Wich version of linux mint are you using?

You might try this:
http://community.linuxmint.com/tutorial/view/1113

Bertus

 

The newest linux mint xfce.

I've spent the last 3 hours on there.

 

Your link is for the Mate version.....and the directions there don't work on this version.

 

Hello,

What does the wheel next to the menu do?

In Suse you have a green button, that open a menu.

Bertus

 

That's what I expected.......but not there.

Please post a screenshot of your desktop.

 

Try looking into this to add a shutdown button to the desktop.

Otherwise, you can always use the terminal commands...

 

Just click on the menu and when it opens you will see on the bottm left, quit and log out, just click quit and that's it. It won't matter if you just switch the power off, when you log back in it will just resume where you left off. You may find it easier if you set log in to automatic, then you wonlt have the hassle of logging in and logging out.

Check this link out, http://blog.linuxmint.com/?p=2656

 

Ok.....think I got it. The version is linuxmint xfce 17.1 "Rebecca"

There were also several setting apps....that would not load.

So I re-installed.......and from what I can tell.......everything looks good.

I now have shutdown buttons.

Is there any way to set the machine to only require one password entry per session?

 

Ok.....think I got it. The version is linuxmint xfce 17.1 "Rebecca"

There were also several setting apps....that would not load.

So I re-installed.......and from what I can tell.......everything looks good.

I now have shutdown buttons.

Is there any way to set the machine to only require one password entry per session?

If you go to log in, you can choose to log in automatically and then you don't need to use a password. However when using the terminal or installing software, you will always need your password.

 

It depends on what type task you want to do with the linux.

 

Well, it's been over a week now. I have tried several distributions.

I wish that I had done this years ago.

I have settled on Xubuntu. And it's like having a new toy.

If you talk nice to it....it will do anything you ask.

The support base is immediate and better than Windows, and if you want to know something in detail....every aspect of the software is documented.

Ubuntu and Kubuntu broke my PIA(Private Internet Access) install script. They think is it because of new encryption coding.

There was a work around...but it limited my PIA options(like changing servers quickly).

The PIA script went right in Xubuntu with all options and was up within a few seconds of boot. It took Windows almost a minute to connect. A minute is a long time.

And it turned out that my concern for software and installation was not important as advised in an answering post.

Believe it or not, my primary concern became the ease of obtaining fat scrollbars and scrollbar up and down buttons.

I hate the migration towards those thin-no button scrollbars.

While researching work-arounds for the premier editions(ubuntu and kubuntu), I was made aware of a serious security flaw in some browsers. It's called WEB RTC. These are Chrome, Firefox and Aviator....that I know of. This happens both in Windows and Linux.....I tested all this myself. This did not happen with MS I.E..

These browsers, when asked, will transmit your fundamental IP address and your local IP address. I tested all this, I was really disappointed when I saw my addresses being transmitted though my VPN.

I posted a link.

Anyhow, I just wanted to say how surprised I was and satisfied I am with Linux.

 

Anyhow, I just wanted to say how surprised I was and satisfied I am with Linux.

Welcome to the club. I am not surprised that you're surprised.