When did you come to Linux?

[tdockery97]

January 2010 was my first introduction to Linux and it was, in fact Linux Mint.

[Arch_Enemy]

Like you, my first encounter with Linux was the Mandrake but that was back in 97. I loved it.

At last another Mandrake user! I thought I was the only one out here.

There were a few of us! I got it in a book from Staples for $19.95.

[ImpWarfare]

First heard about open source in 2010 after watching Tron: Legacy then did searches for open source on Google after that then found Ubuntu so I'd queried it with my mum who was a Maths teacher and a head of IT at one of our local schools and she stated that some of her pupils mentioned Ubuntu and the software GIMP and then tried it out since then I've been testing other Linux-based systems like Arch Linux, Gentoo etc. and after that I went onto FreeBSD and other BSD systems including finding out about OSes like ReactOS and Haiku now I'm basically getting settled down using Linux Mint after years of distro-hopping from one system to the next including going back and forth to Microsoft Windows like Windows 10 etc. Love Linux Mint!

[MurphCID]

Like you, my first encounter with Linux was the Mandrake but that was back in 97. I loved it.

At last another Mandrake user! I thought I was the only one out here.

There were a few of us! I got it in a book from Staples for $19.95.

I don't remember where I picked up mine, I think it might have been a bookstore (maybe Borders?). I think I paid $29.95 or similar. I remember it came in a really cool box and had a nice book with it.

[BG405]

I wouldn't mind finding a copy of Mandrake just out of curiosity. Although I was aware at the time that one could get Red Hat or Mandrake disks, I unfortunately never got round to trying them.

[gostal]

I wouldn't mind finding a copy of Mandrake just out of curiosity. Although I was aware at the time that one could get Red Hat or Mandrake disks, I unfortunately never got round to trying them.

I've got disks for versions 7.0 up to 10.2, maybe some versions missing. Years old, so I can't vouch for the quality. If I find time I could make some iso-files and send them to you via wetransfer.com, if you're interested. Which version would you like?

[MurphCID]

I wouldn't mind finding a copy of Mandrake just out of curiosity. Although I was aware at the time that one could get Red Hat or Mandrake disks, I unfortunately never got round to trying them.

I've got disks for versions 7.0 up to 10.2, maybe some versions missing. Years old, so I can't vouch for the quality. If I find time I could make some iso-files and send them to you via wetransfer.com, if you're interested. Which version would you like?

Sweet! I really regret getting rid of the Mandrake box and all the stuff that came with it, even though I no longer have a floppy drive. One of the things that I loved about Mandrake was the ability to load different Windows managers like KDE, Gnome, and others to try out the one you liked.

[BG405]

I've got disks for versions 7.0 up to 10.2, maybe some versions missing. Years old, so I can't vouch for the quality. If I find time I could make some iso-files and send them to you via wetransfer.com, if you're interested.

That is a fantastic offer and really appreciated. Not sure which version - I'll have to consult the list again - but I think the last one before they rebranded is the one I'd go for, if possible. No hurry as I've still not finished configuring the target systems (VirtualBox needs sorting on both); VB has been on the back burner the past few weeks.

Cheers

[puddleglum]

Like the OP I started with Mandrake in 2000. Unlike the OP I didn't really have any problems or catch flak from the Linux community by asking questions. My background was different. I do not come from a MS PC background. I was using Solaris at work and commodore Amigas at home. The Amiga was long dead by that time and I needed something newer. Linux and the command line seamed perfectly natural to me at the time. They still do.

[MurphCID]

Like the OP I started with Mandrake in 2000. Unlike the OP I didn't really have any problems or catch flak from the Linux community by asking questions. My background was different. I do not come from a MS PC background. I was using Solaris at work and commodore Amigas at home. The Amiga was long dead by that time and I needed something newer. Linux and the command line seamed perfectly natural to me at the time. They still do.

Ah, I was a pure MS user, and had never, ever used a Unix or Linux before. It is funny that once I made the transition to Windows, all my hard learned DOS command line knowledge atrophied quickly.

[pgc3411]

I dual booted Linux for about 12 years. When Windows 8 came out I took a pass, when 10 came out I tried the Beta, wasn't thrilled, at that point I started using the Mint series, for the most part. I have LOVED it. Presently I have 2 dedicated Mint systems and 2 systems that are running Windows, I prefer the Linux systems for most of what I do.

[Esbeeb]

Redhat 4.2. It was the year 1997 or 1998. I first installed it on my 1st generation Pentium 75MHz, with 8MB RAM.

[Arch_Enemy]

Like the OP I started with Mandrake in 2000. Unlike the OP I didn't really have any problems or catch flak from the Linux community by asking questions. My background was different. I do not come from a MS PC background. I was using Solaris at work and commodore Amigas at home. The Amiga was long dead by that time and I needed something newer. Linux and the command line seamed perfectly natural to me at the time. They still do.

There are a few things I have always wanted in life, one being a 1972 Ferrari Dino GT, and another being an Amiga 3000. At the time they were $3600, and I could build a DOS/Windows box for $1700...

I always like the way they gave the chips (mostly) girl's names, and the fact it was targeted at sound, video and photography.

At one point the Ferrari was on;y $68,000. Shucks. (Aside. When my kid was 4 years old we took him to Yankee Candle when they had a car museum. We walked in the door, and he went RUNNING right up to a black Dino they had sitting to the side. Smart kid. However, they did let him get into a Lamborghini Countach, and he started crying....guess he REALLY liked the Dino! )

[MurphCID]

For me it was a 1970 Dodge Charger with 440 six pack. Then a Mac computer. I got the Mac (after 30+ years of wanting one) and it now sits in a drawer and I take it out every two weeks to turn it on for a few minutes and then go back to my Mint laptop.

[lsemmens]

I've always liked the Pontiac Firebird Ragtop about 1967 vintage. Never did get one. The Amiga 500 also appealed way back when, but I ended up going PC because I felt that it would become an industry standard.

[Arch_Enemy]

For me it was a 1970 Dodge Charger with 440 six pack. Then a Mac computer. I got the Mac (after 30+ years of wanting one) and it now sits in a drawer and I take it out every two weeks to turn it on for a few minutes and then go back to my Mint laptop.

I had a Mac someone gave me. I used it 3-4 times and put it on a shelf. It is now a museum piece...

[Arch_Enemy]

I've always liked the Pontiac Firebird Ragtop about 1967 vintage. Never did get one. The Amiga 500 also appealed way back when, but I ended up going PC because I felt that it would become an industry standard.

A friend of mine has a '68 3-speed convertible.

Firebird, that is. He has an 8 year old Dell.

[rasmith1959]

To top it all off, I was recently affected by MS's little snafu that deleted personal files. That was the final straw...

Good you didnt stick around for that windows thing. Now, After pulling back that update and reissuing it, It kills your sound

Glad your here

Thanks! Well since I've been using Mint for a few weeks now, I've been reading of other problems that people have discovered with the last Windows update. Makes me glad that I finally woke up and smelled the coffee. Now to get the wife using Mint...

[rasmith1959]

Really ?
You surprise me .... You always come across as very smart

Bwahaha!

I was convinced by OneNote to give them a try -- plus, the fact that my work Win7 machine has been rather reliable made me think I could use Win 10.
And I was right... up until this last update!

Windows 10 is really stable, and not bad at all in that aspect. I just loathe the update process, and the constant spying on me.

I live out in the country and my internet connection isn't the fastest thing around, but it's better than using dialup! So having to download those massive updates every six months really made using the internet a chore until the download was complete, which would take at least half a day or longer. That's another thing that convinced me to switch to Linux with most of the .deb files being so small that they download in a few seconds even on a slow connection.

[rasmith1959]

Like the OP I started with Mandrake in 2000. Unlike the OP I didn't really have any problems or catch flak from the Linux community by asking questions. My background was different. I do not come from a MS PC background. I was using Solaris at work and commodore Amigas at home. The Amiga was long dead by that time and I needed something newer. Linux and the command line seamed perfectly natural to me at the time. They still do.

Ah another Amiga user! I miss my Amiga 2000 and regret the day I sold it. I used to run a BBS on it back in the day, and even had FidoNet on it as well...