Choosing a DE
Choosing a DE (desktop enviroment) is really all preference. There are quite a few to choose from. The most popular here are Gnome, KDE, and Xfce. Like I said, picking one is all taste, so I recommend going to Gnome-Look.org, KDE-Look.org, and Xfce-Look.org to find some themes or screenshots you like. You can then base your distro choice by DE too. After that, you can customize even more with a differnt WM (window manager). There are a bunch to choose from, like Openbox, Blackbox, Evilwm, FVWM, and more. Google is a good place to find more about those, because installation will vary based on the DE you have.
Using the Command Line
The command line is what makes Linux special (and to some scary). Think of it as DOS on steroids. It's in the same format and looks pretty similar, so if you know something about DOS then you'll be fine with the command line. Here's a list of the most useful commands I've found.
Code:
su - su gives you total root access for as long as the terminal is open.
sudo - sudo gives you root access for one command, but can also be longer if you continually type commands after it.
cd - cd /directory/path will let you "jump" into the directory you specify.
gedit - gedit /path/to/file.conf will open the file you specify so you can edit it. *For Gnome only*
nautilus - nautilus /path/to/folder will open the folder that you specify. *For Gnome only*
Installing Packages
Package installation varies for each distro. Ubuntu uses Aptitude for installing packages, while Gentoo uses Portage and Fedora uses Yum. You'll have to research each installer on your own because it's too lengthy for this, but there is one way that all distros have in common, and that's installing from source. There are really 4 steps to installing from source (for most applications; some use different methods of installing from source, and if that's the case, consult the package README for instructions). The steps go like this:
Code:
cd /path/to/folder
./configure
make
make install
If there are no errors, then hooray! It's installed. If there are errors, consult the README again, or look through bug-reports or use Google to find a solution.
Multimedia
Linux ships with lack-luster multimedia support, but that's because it is free and open source, and it is some sort of copyright infringement. The easiest way I have found to get MP3 support and all that, is to use AmaroK and install the amarok-nonfree extras. To do this, open your terminal, and type:
Code:
sudo "apt-get install/yum install/emerge/whatever your packager uses" amarok amarok-extras-nonfree
Without the quotes. AmaroK is a superb music program, and with the amarok-extras-nonfree package, you get MP3 support as well.
Wireless Networking
For most, wireless networking under Linux is a pain. I myself have decided to give up on it all together and just hardwire myself to the modem, but that doesn't mean you have to. For those who want to still use their wireless cards, but aren't supported out-of-the-box, you need the tool ndiswrapper. ndiswrapper uses certain files from your Windows driver install disk and "wraps" them around the hardware in a way that Linux can recognize. To use ndiswrapper though, you must first install it, meaning you need some way to connect to the internet. For a short time you need to be wired, but there are a few ways of getting around that. For Ubuntu users, I believe you can use the install CD. But I'm not here to talk about that, so Google "ubuntu install cd as repository" to find out how. Back to ndiswrapper. You need to install a package called ndiswrapper and ndiswrapper-utils. You can use whatever means you like, whether it be command line or package manager. Once both of those are installed, it's time to break out the Windows disk.
1. Put it in your drive. You'll be able to open the drive, and you'll see all sorts of files. If you have certain disks, you may have drivers for a few different cards on the same disk. Look at your adapter, find the name (ex. "Linksys WUSB54Gv4") and navigate to the folder called that on your CD.
2. Now, you need to copy the contents of that folder onto a folder on your hard drive. Pick an easy spot to remember (ex. "/home/username/wireless"). When you copy that contents, there will be a few types of files. The important one is the .inf file (but copy the rest too). That's what ndiswrapper will use to "wrap" the driver. Plug in your adapter.
3. Open up your terminal and type this.
Code:
ndiswrapper - That will show you the interface and familiarize you with ndiswrapper (not necessary)
ndiswrapper -i /path/to/file.inf - This command actually installs the driver. -i means install, and the path to the .inf file is, well, the path to the .inf file.
ndiswrapper -l - This will list the installed driver (if it installed) and list the hardware. Hopefully it will say "Present" for the hardware.
depmod -a - If there is no error, continue.
modprobe ndiswrapper
Hopefully that will get you up and running. After completing these steps, you should be able to use the internet. If not, then, I wish I could help more, but that's all I know.
Nvidia 3D driver
3D drivers under Linux can be a pain sometimes. Nvidia is the best at making this easy, but it's still not a walk in the park. Here's how to do it (may vary from system to system):
1. Download the latest driver from the Nvidia website.
2. Log in with no GUI. There are several ways to do this:
a. CTRL-ALT-F1 (sometimes F2-F6). Log in as root, and type "init 3".
b. Type "3" at GRUB boot prompt.
3. Log in as root if you haven't already.
4. Run the driver you just downloaded. ex:
Code:
sh driver-1.2.04.run
5. Edit your /etc/X11/xorg.conf file. Under devices, you should see the name of your card and then "nv" as the driver. Change "nv" to "nvidia".
6. Log out, restart X, and if you see the Nvidia splash screen, you know it worked.
Also, I think I'll be done for now. There are a few things I could add, and I will later, but for now it's pretty much done. If you have any suggestions for things to add, PM and I will add.