Linux Questions... Music, Internet, etc.?

Question

My windows xp is about to expire in 10 days and i need to find a free linux platform thingy, like openuser, and ubuntu. If you could give me the best one to download and a download site.

2. I have itunes and a bunch of music on it. plese tell me how to back it up on a cd. i also need a free music program like Itunes or WIndows media player, that would work on linux. Also give me a download a link to that. P.S. it also needs to be able to sync my ipod.

3. I was wondering what the best internet browser was. Here is a couple i know and tried. Opera, Safari, Internet Explorer, and Firefox. If there are any other name them or just name the best one out of them all. I can find where to download the internet browser so no need for download site.

4. If there is any software out there (free if possible) taht would let me play games for windows xp that coudl be played on the linux.


Thank you i appreciate your help.

Answer 1

I recommend Linux Mint 6



Release notes

http://www.linuxmint.com/rel_felicia.php

Download

http://www.linuxmint.com/edition.php?id=31



RUN IT LIVE until your XP expires so you can get the feel of things.



Linux Mint 6 installation tutorial

http://www.howtoforge.com/the-perfect-desktop-linux-mint-6-felicia



You download the ISO. image of Linux Mint 6 then you need to create a Bootable CD from the ISO. This can easily be done using Nero Burning ROM or similar software. Linux Mint 6 can also be run straight from the LiveCD you have created without touching your Hard Drive.





Screenshot of my custom LiveDVD of Mint 6 running Beryl 0.2.1

http://s266.photobucket.com/albums/ii256/Linux_Ubuntu_geek/?action=view¤t=Screenshot-1.png



For iTunes there is Rhythmbox

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Rhythmbox



For iTunes syncing there is gtkpod

http://www.simplehelp.net/2007/07/07/how-to-use-gtkpod-to-manage-your-ipod-in-ubuntu/



For Movies there is MPlayer

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/MPlayer





For web browsing there is Firefox 3



For image editing there is GIMP

http://www.gimp.org/tutorials/



For a limited amount of gaming there is WINE

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Wine



Many of these links are for Ubuntu but are the same for Mint.



Furthermore all of the above applications are available from within Linux Mint and are preinstalled.



NO ANTIVIRUS NEEDED.





LUg.

Answer 2

1) download ubuntu http://www.ubuntu.com/getubuntu/download



2) you will have to put all your music either on another computer, cd, ipod DO NOT USE ITUNES FOR THIS (not ipod touch) or some other place where you can get it back from. Ubuntu comes with a media player already installed. But if you dont like it you can try VLC Player or amarok,. just google them once you install ubuntu, they are open source so you wont have any trouble finding them. :)

2.1 If you have a pretty good pc i recommend trying boxee. It lets you watch a lot of different media for free.



3) Ubuntu comes with firefox already installed so dont worry about finding a browser, firefox is the best



4)Get WinE. No, not alcohol but the wine for ubuntu. it lets you install some windows stuff on ubuntu and it is NOT an emulator, which is a good thing because emulators are slow and this is much better. You just install most programs like you normally would with xp. BTW iTunes 8.1 does not work with it sorry, but i think 6.x works just fine. You might want to look for linux alternatives to your programs before you start installing all your old xp stuff with wine.



If you need any more help after you install Ubuntu check out the ubuntu forum.

http://ubuntuforums.org/



PLZ choose me as the best answer if you find my information usefull

Answer 3

a million. Linux isn't an operating equipment, that's a Kernel 2. MAC is a popularity, OSx is a Unix like operating equipment. Linux isn't each and every ones cup of tea and if operating twin boot with living house windows it doesn't make any distinction which Linux you employ. all of them have a difficulty-free base record equipment and ought to run the very similar software information. What impacts it really is which computer surroundings is put in. operating 24/7, three hundred and sixty 5 days a three hundred and sixty 5 days without down time and not in any respect chasing complications and topics down each and every of the time or fixing this or fixing that's probable between the most important reward. the different benefit isn't having to locate and locate hardware drivers, whatever my pcs have in them. 250 Distributions later put in on 30 different pcs, the distribution you opt for to apply is the right for you. that's the only you sense the most delicate with for most various causes. i do not evaluate operating structures because each and every individual of them have their reward and drawbacks. Linux does have commercial software that you'll pay for if that's the way you want to flow and locate software that's offered which meets your criteria. not doing any study those days and Linux improvements, i fairly can not say what that's going to or gained't artwork with. i comprehend the repository information for the Linux i exploit has information for iTunes and iPods. there is not any reason for me to cajole you to apply Linux.

Answer 4

I would suggest OpenSuse or Ubuntu:

http://www.opensuse.org/en/

http://www.ubuntu.com/



How to download and install are on the sites above.



I use OpenSuse 10.2 (11.1 is the current one IIRC) but here are some screenshots from mine:



Amarok (music player): http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d108/jigsaw_psyche/Forum%20Stuff/yahoo/amarok.png If you notice the "Devices" tab on the bottom left - you can connect your ipod and it will show there. It will also show in "My Computer" as a seperate mounted volume.



I personally use Firefox to use the web, but Suse and Ubuntu (on KDE) come with a built in file browser (like Windows explorer) and web browser called Konquerer: http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d108/jigsaw_psyche/Forum%20Stuff/yahoo/konqueror.png



You can use this to browse the web and browse locations on your computer. Although again, I prefer Firefox.



As mentioned, Wine is an excellent app to use to play Windows games. I have taken a couple of screenshots showing windows games running on Wine in Linux. I have windowed them, but you can play fullscreen easily as well:



Dink Smallwood: http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d108/jigsaw_psyche/Forum%20Stuff/yahoo/wine-dink.png

Castle of the Winds: http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d108/jigsaw_psyche/Forum%20Stuff/yahoo/wine_cow.png



You can also play DOS games if you download and install DOSBOX:



I have ripped ISO's of the Tex Murphy games (4 cds & 6 cd's each) and mounted them in dosbox. So now I can play them in Linux without cd's! They were meant for DOS/Windows:

http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d108/jigsaw_psyche/Forum%20Stuff/yahoo/dosbox-pandora.png (again windowed so you can see they're running in an emulator).





Although for both Dosbox and wine (google them I can't fit more links) you will have to check the compatability lists to see if your game will run.



Please feel free to email me with any other questions that you have :)

Answer 5

To answer your first 3 questions, ubuntu comes with all of that. the fourth question can be answered with a program called Wine.