[Jorsoft]

Okay I want to experiment with Linux. I'm not interested in upgrading to Vista and I'd like to hop onboard the freeware train.

I know almost nothing about Linux. Basically I want a distro that's easy to use and install, it also needs to be compatible with WINE so I can try playing some games on it and see how that all goes.
Here's my test rig:
Celeron 700mhz
256mb ram
20gb hd
8mb ATI Rage Pro (probably will stick in a tnt2 later)

So it's also got to run soothly on this computer.
Any help here will be greatly appreciated, I really don't know where to start here.

[jakec]

jorsoft03,

you can run just about any distro that you like, first off I'd reccomend trying a Live CD to see if you like Linux. To dicide WHICH distro I'd recomend trying these Linux distro choosers:

http://eedok.voidofmind.com/linux/chooser.html
http://www.zegeniestudios.net/ldc/

A few personal reccomendations:

Kubuntu
http://www.kubuntu.org/

PCLinuxOS .92
http://ftp.nluug.nl/pub/metalab/dis...nglish/preview/

This is the distro I use and recommend, Why because it works right out of the box. No need to configure Everything, everything just works. It also comes as a 1 CD install that is a live CD that you can install later if you wish.

Mephis
http://www.mepis.org/

Everything you will ever need on 1 CD. Hardware detection is exelent, as is the feel and look of the distro

OPENSUSE
http://www.opensuse.org/Download

if you want to try somthing that has a windows Feel try Xrandros, good solid distro with great usability: http://www.xandros.com/

Install Guides

Installing Mepis http://www.mepisguides.com/install/...Partitions.html

Dual boot mepis: http://www.mepisguides.com/install/...-and-clear.html

Most pepole on this forum will reccomend Ubuntu 6.06, I've resigned to the fact that ubuntu is in fact popular... so here is an install guide

http://www.psychocats.net/ubuntu/installing

Then i'd reccomend some bedtime reading:

Linux Tutorials: Introduction to Linux, Hands on guide
http://www.tldp.org/LDP/intro-linux/html/index.html

Ultimate guide for beginners
http://www.linuxlots.com/~jam/

The beginners Linux guide
http://www.linux.ie/newusers/beginners-linux-guide/

Linux online bible
http://rute.2038bug.com/index.html.gz

hope this gives you a start,

Jake