So I'm thinking of sticking my toe in the Linux waters...

[MisterW]

Does that include multi-function devices do you know?

Yep, I've got a networked PSC 2610 printer/scanner and that works fine.
I must admit that, when I tried Ubuntu two years ago, having got a basic system working for a test I thought 'ah how do I get it to talk to my printer then!!'. I just went to System->Printers->Add , selected networked printer , it found it and it just worked!!

I'll feel naked without one.

It's liberating, enjoy

Another good thing about Ubuntu/Mint is that all updates ( both OS and any installed applications ) are handling by the same update method from the repositories. There's none of each application prompting you to download an update, there's just one update manager which runs periodically and notifies you what updates are available for your system. Much simpler, but different to Windows...

[kinmel]

I would start with a straight Ubuntu install.

It is stable and has great online support, with the answer to almost any question ( a bit like here really ). The whole thing just works out of the box and Ubuntu comes with the hassle already taken out.

Once installed you can change between GUIs at will and if you break it, a new install takes less than 30 minutes.

Once you have played a while you can try all the other flavours and choose then; none cost a penny and all work very well.

[Simon]

Ubuntu is what I dipped my toe in a while back.  I found it reasonably easy to get to grips with, as long as I stuck to the point and click UI.  Getting into command lines wasn't my bag, though, and I struggled trying to install apps that weren't in the repository (which sometimes didn't seem to be all that up to date, eg, it didn't have the latest version of SeaMonkey).  It's definitely a learning curve, and had I devoted more time to it, I'd have probably got the hang of it, but without the spare time, the 'comfort' of Windows won the day.

[JB]

There is one thing that Mint has over vanilla Ubuntu. All the little 'non free' additions, such as video and audio encoders/decoders, are included in the Mint distribution but not in Ubuntu. They are fully available for Ubuntu and installation is trivial and free, provided you have some Linux experience. Mint will get you going more quickly out of the box if you intend to work with sound and video.

[Steve]

Anyone got the additional repository listing for Ubuntu for adding the audio and video codecs. maybe useful? Also thinking about wifi chipsets and Linux compatibility is NDISwrapper easy to use?

[DorsetBoy]

PCLinuxOS always seems to work pretty much out of the box for me 

[Rik]

And there I was trying to narrow the field.

[Simon]

That's partly the trouble with it, isn't it?

[Rik]

Big pond, lots of little fishes...

[kinmel]

the joy is you can try them all

[Rik]

And find time to post?

[D-Dan]

I'm late to the party with this, but my recommendation would be Mint (Not the LMDE which is currently not as well tested or supported). As has already been mentioned, this covers Ubuntu with the restricted extras thrown in.

Wireless issues (if your wireless doesn't work out of the box) can usually be solved using the Windows driver and NDISWrapper (which is helpfully located in the Mint menu after install - though I personally didn't use it, my wireless card just worked).

The vast majority of printers will, likewise, just work, though not necessarily with all the functionality of the Windows drivers, but usually enough to, ermm, print stuff.

As for MFPs, YMMV with regard to the likes of the scanner etc, though I have to say that SANE is pretty good generally.

Steve

[Rik]

Sane I can do, Steve. Thanks.  LMDE?

[D-Dan]

LMDE is Linux Mint Debian Edition. I'd steer clear for now (I tested it in a VM and it's not as polished or stable as the standard Mint).

Steve

[Rik]

Thanks. No wonder I'm getting confused - too many choices.

[D-Dan]

A few more listed here

http://www.gigatux.com/linux.php

(These are some of the specialist distros out there)

Steve

[Rik]

Stop, I surrender! 

[pctech]

I lost patience with Linux after dabbling to try and get used to the CLI so that I could maybe manage a Linux server but I'm one of those folks that likes to study documentation but trying to find some complete documentation is like finding a needle in a haystack.

[chrisga]

I lost patience with Linux after dabbling to try and get used to the CLI so that I could maybe manage a Linux server but I'm one of those folks that likes to study documentation but trying to find some complete documentation is like finding a needle in a haystack.

Had the same problem with servers - I'm sure it's OK when  you get a  way into it, but finding  readable  documentation  that corresponds to what you want to do  seemed a bit of a  nightmare. Time is of course always of the essence - I gave up as well, other things seemed rather more fun for the time expended . I have however been running Ubuntu (regular) as a 2nd boot on my PC and laptop for a number of years without a  hitch - The specialist  Ubuntu forums are  helpful and  generally more tolerant of  "early learners" than some of the Linux fraternity traditionally were 

[pctech]

I work with a guy who has his own hosting business as well (he works part time) and every day he comes in with his laptop and sits there doing stuff on his server, always typing.

I asked him how he got into it and he said 'I just did', the guy is much more of a geek than I could ever hope to be.

At least with MS-DOS and Windows you can get hold of documentation.

[JB]

Well Rik,

You have heard all the discussion, the like and dislikes.

Question is, will you or won't you?

[MisterW]

Anyone got the additional repository listing for Ubuntu for adding the audio and video codecs. maybe useful?

You need to install the ubuntu-restricted-extras package from the multiverse repository ( which is usually enabled by default ).
See here https://help.ubuntu.com/community/RestrictedFormats
There is now also ( for Ubuntu 10.04 ) a start script which guides you through the most common additions and tweaks to a fresh ubuntu install. http://www.webupd8.org/2010/04/what-to-do-after-fresh-ubuntu-install.html

 

[Steve]

Thanks 

[Rik]

Question is, will you or won't you?

First get the new lappy sorted...

[Glenn]

There is another OS http://www.openbsd.org/