[sclug] Desktop distro recommendations

[Ian Michell]

Well if its a debian-like distro you want, why not try Xandros?

www.xandros.com, it automatically installs the nVidia drivers, setups
everything even has a great filemanager, the distro is KDE based
though... But it is rock solid.

Rgds

Ian


On Mon, 2004-04-05 at 09:30, Chris Aitken wrote:
> Patrick Kirk wrote:
> 
> > Hi all,
> >
> > Just installed Linux on my desktop for the first time in years.  Its 
> > Debian Sarge and X didn't start.  No sound or USB mouse either. Now I 
> > know I could start wading through logs looking for clues but this is 
> > 2004, I did 2/3 of that in the 90s and hated doing it then and I'm too 
> > old to go through all that again.
> >
> > Can anyone recommend a desktop distro that meets the following criteria:
> >
> > 1. Recognises a Nvidia card and is capable of getting at least 
> > 1024x768 without me spending hours on Google.  Even Windows 95 could 
> > get its gui started so I really do not want to muck around with X 
> > servers that don't start without manual intervention.
> >
> > 2. Recognises a SIS 730 motherboard that Win 2k recognised in 1999 and 
> > just loads its sound system without asking me any questions.  I hate 
> > the whole idea of understanding how sound works.  It should just work.
> >
> > 3. Sees a USB mouse during installation and installs it without asking 
> > me endless "Is your mouse on /dev/ps/aux or /dev/pt/mouse or 
> > /dev/ttySn?" questions.
> >
> > I know I could get Debian working if I worked for a few days at it. 
> > But the very idea of configuring X brings back painful memories of 
> > Linux in the 90s and I'm sure things have moved on!
> >
> > Thanks.
> >
> > Patrick 
> 
> Things have moved on, and provided you know the requisute info, you 
> should be able to get X working in 30 mins to 1 hr. There is no need to 
> reinstall another distro after the hard work has already been done!
> 
> Nvidia have released the source code for their drivers, although the 
> sarge version of Xfree86 happily runs on its own version - use the 
> 'nv'driver. Have you  installed hotplug, and various other USB apps?  
> You will need this for the USB mouse, and then just set it up (if it is 
> an intellimouse) as IMPS/2 on /dev/psaux or /dev/mouse.
> 
> Things will never 'just work'. Even with something like Mandrake, you 
> can still load it on and end up without sound, or ethernet, etc. You 
> need to find out what sound chip your PC has, and deal accordingly. Sort 
> X out first - and then worry about sound. You'll need (as before) V sync 
> & H sync rates for the monitor, and some other stuff. The nvidia card 
> will not be an issue.
> 
> HTH
> 
> Chris
> 
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