Linux forum: Pitfalls for the Brave Newbies to be aware of...

Thanks for that Selwyn.

My tuppence worth is this.Much time spent with SuSE
and never a problem.Its a great O/S complete with near all packages ille ever need.Ive tried Ubuntu as well but over a shorter time.Ubuntu is a bit faster to boot on this machine but multimedia and apps better in SuSE.Layout better in Ubuntu and near impossible to wreck.

Both easy to install and use but Ubuntu doesent include the HD partitioner QTParted which makes resizing the windows partition to create a Linux one easy.

Only item missing in SuSE for me is an AntiVirus app but it takes the F-Prot scanner ok.And that will check the Windows partition from Linux so i dont run AV in Windows but only from Linux but mainly for Windows!.

Ive never experienced the so called dependancy hell with either of these two OS's but then ive been ok with the set package that comes with them.I am expecting dependancy problems with my latest Linux Distro though which is Gentoo.Gentoo is for Geeks and i am more of an intermediate but you have to learn about Linux by useing it.Ive just compiled my first Gentoo Linux kernel and its working ok.That was good.By the time i have finished installing Gentoo and the apps ille prob end up with something like Ubuntu so theres no real point other than getting the experience.But its that i wanted.

Linux evolves in communities and there are many of them each with their distro.That can be confusing i know but eg my first try was with the live Linux CD,DamnSmall Linux which is great......part of the work with DSL goes on here in Wales UK,all the more reason to try it i thought.

Ile put it like this.You wont have much of a prob useing SuSE,Ubuntu or DamnSmall Linux these may be different -a little- to MS Windows but they are no harder to learn to use.

Only thing to be carefull about is that Linux and its differing Distibutions are addictive!!,least they are for some including me.Going to try Mandriva sometime.

Best Regards to you all.Chris C.