Linux Graphical Environments

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KarmaPolice

It Wandered In From the Wastes
Well, this problem is way out of this forum's remit, but I'm hoping that there is someone here who can answer this.

I've been charged to build a PC with the bare amount of cash. I've got all the hardware, and to keep the cost down, I've decided to use Linux as the OS. (It's not like they are a gamer or anything). I've DL'd the components for Debian, but then I remembered I'd need to get a graphical environment to get it usable.

I've gone for KDE, but their DL page just has a long list of files - and no info on what to get. I looked for a 'complete install' or whatever it's called, but couldn't find one.

So...

Is there a complete install DL somewhere?
Or what files do I need to get?
Or should I go with another GE?
 
Normally, you use a file manager to download and install things on Linux. I don't know anything about Debian, though.
If you want an easy to use distribution, I'd recommend Ubuntu, it comes with GNOME and all neccessary programs.
 
KDE 4 is heavy, and full of crappy additions. You'd be better off with Trinity (enviromnent based on discontinued 3.x line of KDE), XFCE, LXDE, Fluxbox or something like that. I don't think Trinity is in Debian's repository, but other should be there. Although I never used Debian, it's much like Ubuntu, it even uses same package manager, so just type 'sudo apt-get install xxx' (xxx change for lxde, xfce (or xfce4), fluxbox) into console and let it resolve the dependencies by itself. I don't think any of those weights more than 500MB.

In case you don't have them in repo you should be able to use Ubuntu repositories (you'll find info about adding new repositories on Ubuntu wiki/forum)


PS:Ubuntu (at least as of 9.10, 10.x is imo crap) has awesome compatibility with Wine -> most games are playable (but you'll need to fuck around with them for a bit), although I've never been able to play Fallout :P
 
Well, my home PC's connection is slow as hell, so I'm DL'ing from work (not like they'll find out, as I'm the one employed to snoop of it) What do I DL for offline install? I am tempted just to grab the lot and twiddle around with it untill it works.

Installing like this is rather daunting when the ordinary person is used to Microsoft DVD's which do 90% - 95% of the work themselves. It reminds me of the mid-90's when you would have calibrate every new thing you installed - often in DOS. The fact I couldn't find a handy, newbie-friendly walkthrough to help was a problem too. I suspect that these two issues between them put off many people who may use Linux otherwise.

I looked into WINE, but it only supports around half of my current games rosta. Damm shame. It's the only thing keeping me with Windows.

Sorry about the lagtime in reply, but RL decided to blow up on me last week.

Thanks
 
Dude. Just get Ubuntu (GNOME) for a Mac like interface, or Kubuntu (KDE) for a Windows-like interface.

Ubuntu does an amazing job of bundling all of the great 'common-use' apps in one easy-to-use package.

You can even boot the OS straight from the CD to test it.

http://www.ubuntu.com/
 
I was having some performance issues with Ubuntu so I tried a different distribution called Linux Mint: http://www.linuxmint.com/

The have an Ubuntu Maverick based distribution that I've used and it worked pretty good on a very low spec machine.

As for your original question, I strongly urge you to simply download an install CD for Debian and pull Gnome or XFCE desktop environment off that using aptitude. Installing via .deb packages is theoretically possible but you'll most likely end up in dependency hell.
 
Lower end PCs should work fine with Xubuntu. It's Ubuntu but with Xfce instead of Gnome.
If you're hardcore, have some time on your hands and don't mind doing everything, you can also get Arch Linux and use it with Fluxbox.
Can't get much faster than that :D
But for beginners Ubuntu or Xubuntu are best.
 
Good luck mate, I'm sure one of the distros will work out good for you.

KarmaPolice said:
Installing like this is rather daunting when the ordinary person is used to Microsoft DVD's which do 90% - 95% of the work themselves. It reminds me of the mid-90's when you would have calibrate every new thing you installed - often in DOS. The fact I couldn't find a handy, newbie-friendly walkthrough to help was a problem too. I suspect that these two issues between them put off many people who may use Linux otherwise.
Click to expand...

I don't know about this... Was Debian the first one you tried to install? Because installing Ubuntu is a breeze, especially as a standalone system. It's pretty much next next next done, and in my case, and in contrast to Windows, all my hardware usually works out of the box (*last three major releases did at least).

The only semi-complicated step for me is manually setting up partitions because I normally install it as a dual boot and don't trust the automated partitioner...

If you're referring to installing/compiling additional software, one of the greatest strengths of Debian and derivative distros (Ubuntu) is aptitude (command line) or Synaptic (GUI in Ubuntu) software managers. Repositories hold most of the stuff you're likely to need and dependencies are checked automatically, you don't have to compile anything.

As you don't have solid internet connection Debian may actually be best for you because you can download pretty much all of it on DVDs (a lot of them) and installing software boils down to:

Fire up aptitude
Find/select software you need
Juggle DVDs
...
Profit!
 
I guess I'm late to this thread, but I installed LinuxMint 10 Gnome on my new laptop a couple months ago, and it's been very nice. One or two minor problems that were easily fixed, but other than that no complaints at all.

Gnome doesn't seem Mac-like at all to me. It's very Windows-like, only better and simpler in most respects.
 
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