Which one should i go with?

[Deomedes]

Hey Everyone,

Deomedes again. I come to you, not with a problem, this time, but a question. Which linuxmint should i go with? I am going to have to take classes in a semester or so on linux, and i want to get a head start on learning it. So far i have how to install it, down, (roughly) and am wondering which linux version has it all, or can have it all if necessary, eventually i will get a new driver that ISNT on the compiz blacklist, and at that point i would like to be able to switch right into the latest and greatest of features for linuxmint. so my question to the great sages and gurus of the mint tree, is which one should i go with? Thanks a bunch everyone!

- Deomedes

[67GTA]

Which version of Linux Mint, or any Linux distro? As far as being the most usable "out of the box" without much configuration I would say:

Mint
Ubuntu
Mepis
PCLinuxOS

[muskratmx]

I am going to have to take classes in a semester or so on linux, and i want to get a head start on learning it.

As for getting a head start in linux, Linux Mint is alright. But I don't think any school is going to consider any of these....

Mint
Ubuntu
Mepis
PCLinuxOS

.... as distros of thier choose, I could be mistaken, but most of the linux classes I've seen prefer a parent distro for teaching. Since all the above are branches off Debian then that might be a better choice.

But the schools I've seen are more likely to teach RedHat than anything else. Don't ask me why!

[Deomedes]

Thats good information to know, but it doesnt quite answer my question. I would like to know which Linux MINT, i should use, to try and get the most learning experience out of it. Even if its just about linuxmint and ubuntu, i would still like to be able to get the most of these two programs. So which one should i go with? I have main going right now, but it doesnt have nearly all the features that i've heard about. (still keeping in mind the fact that my driver is compiz black listed.) Hopefully someone can help me out further? Thanks for all the great suggestions!

- Deomedes

[67GTA]

Do you mean Gnome, KDE, or XFCE?

[muskratmx]

Which linuxmint should i go with?

If that's your question and we shouldn't consider anything else!

but it doesnt quite answer my question. I would like to know which Linux MINT, i should use, to try and get the most learning experience out of it.

As a rule of thumb you should always get the latest version that your hardware will run. Due to bug fixes, (which will hender your learning because the system won't operate right) and security patches, which are a must on any system.

But to be quite honest, both Ubuntu and Linux Mint have built numerous addons that were meant to dumb down the learning experience, or should I rephrase that, (dumb down to make it easier for newbies.)

Please no Flames over this. I really like some of the dumb down aspects. It saves me a lot of work.

Even if its just about linuxmint and ubuntu, i would still like to be able to get the most of these two programs.

Frist off, to start your learning. Linux Mint and Ubuntu are not programs. They are distros. If you installed each side by side and installed all the same package selectment, the only real difference would be, Kernel, modules, addons, and graphics. Not much else.

but it doesnt have nearly all the features that i've heard about. (still keeping in mind the fact that my driver is compiz black listed.)

Not all hardware will support all features. I'm using the latest LinuxMint, but I'm not using 3D or compiz. So 20 people install the exact same Linux Mint will have 20 different systems with a whole lot of differences between them.

I tried to install, two installs the same, (my laptop, and desktop). I didn't accomplish it. They are close but quite different.

If you really want to learn, then study the howtos, ether here or at Ubuntu and practices some of them. Don't be afraid to do the unthinkable, just be prepared to reinstall if need be. Break it! Then fix it! That's how you learn. And maybe try some other projects, there's a good project that is often used in school. Build your own system, on floppy disk.

Toms Boot Disk, http://www.toms.net/rb/ "The most GNU/Linux on 1 floppy disk." That's a great exercise. You will then understand, booting, from power up to bash prompt.

But if what you really want to learn, is point and click the gui, in only two of hundreds of linux flavors. Then I suppose it really doesn't matter which one you pick.

[BAD]

Looks like the replies say to try a distribution that will test your skills not have everything done out of box or in the package manager.
Many people like Gentoo. Mint is a great desktop but if you want to learn how to use the Terminal, apt-get and manually configure hardware then there are better choices.
I am wondering what this class is going to teach and where it is?
Also why are you choosing Mint to learn on? Clem has done everything for you.

[MagnusB]

If you want to learn, use Arch (or Gentoo), if you REALLY want to learn, use Linux From Scratch. However, Mint is a good starting point, to learn the basics. If your school goes for Red Hat, I would use Main Edition (both are GNOME). Heck, you could even try Fedora, the "free Red Hat". But it all boils down to personal preference, just go with your gut, and choose what you want to try out. I personally have a 50 GB partition which I use for testing purposes, currently I am running Mint and DreamLinux.