Newbie and using Ubuntu

[Jonathan Byrne]

On Sat, Oct 02, 2004 at 11:12:50PM -0400, s.roman wrote:

>about complex solutions to simple problems that it's overwhelming. I
>haven't installed Ubuntu yet, but am planning to do so soon, and
>coming from windows I have no idea on how to use linux.

There are a lot of newbie-oriented books these days (there's even a
Linux for Dummies; I haven't read it, but most books in the Dummies
series are quite good), so you might want to make a trip to your
local bookstore and examine the selection and pick out one or two
that seem the best to you.

For the actual install, it might be worth getting a Linux-using
friend to do it with you the first time (or go to a local LUG
installfest, if you don't know anyone).  Linux is not hard to use
once it has been installed and configured correctly (and Ubuntu does
a pretty good job of that on its own), but the hardest part can be
getting it installed and configured correctly.  If you know anyone
who is already using Debian, that person would be an ideal helper
for your Ubuntu install.  If you go to a LUG installfest, bring
your own Ubuntu CD in case they don't have one.

Another thing worth doing would be to get a look at some computers
using the Gnome and KDE (the two primary Linux graphical desktops),
use them a bit if you can, and see which one you like better. Ubuntu
will install and give you a working system, but if you find you prefer
KDE, it's not difficult to install KDE from Ubuntu Universe.

Jonathan