Yes, Once again I find myself (the local linux noob) reviewing a Linux Distro...

Ubuntu 6 was my first choice OS for my new AMD64 machine. It installed in about 20 minutes, and had a nice GUI for the installer. (Quiet you Gentoo fans )

So far, the only problem I have had is a crash while running Google Earth...

But the best thing is the device support... I purchased a new Wifi card, and installed it. According to the box, the card was for Windows only... but Ubuntu didn't even ask about it, it just worked... The same thing applies to my Flash drive.. I plugged it in, and within 5 seconds it had read the contents and was displaying them on my screen.

Overall, I must say Ubuntu has never disappointed me, and Dapper Drake is no exception. It's fast, easy, and seems rather reliable...

I have to agree with this review, Ubuntu is great. I have had almost no problems with it at all. Another great thing is how easy it is to install printers and such. I just plugged in one of my printers and then went to printing, add new printer, and voila!

JUST so you know, Gentoo (x86) now has a fancy GUI installer that will start you off with binaries for everything from Gnome to Firefox, so you can get a full gentoo install in less that 2 days (it would probably take around the same time that it takes any other binary distro to install...), although it won't be compiled (but an emerge -e system && emerge -e world solves that ). In fact, since its installer is in GTK (it boots to a Gnome liveCD), it is nicer looking than the ubuntu installer (at least the ones before ubuntu 6 anyway)

But yeah, ubuntu starts you off with alot of nice things, such as an automount daemon... good for n00bs, but drives those of us who would rather edit the config directly than use a GUI tool crazy

Yes... we lazy folk love our GUIs...

And besides, the Gentoo GUI isn't as good for installing as the command line from what I understand... so meh...

Meh, I actually like the way they setup the GUI installer. Rather than the installer asking you questions as it comes to them, it asks everything straight from the beggining (including what packes you want installed), so that you can leave the installer unattended once it actually starts - which is rather nice compared to, say, the Windows installers which seems to ask you completely worthless questions in the middle of the install just to make you sit there and watch it

But once you go Gentoo, you won't look back.... (you might try linux from scratch, however....)

I would consider trying Gentoo, but not just yet... perhaps later when I feel like partitioning my disc...

Haha, do yourself a favor, and don't use Gentoo. If you really like having features like USB drives that automount, and wifi cards that "just work", then you will rip your hair out with Gentoo, where you don't get ANY of that. You must manually configure and install the automount utilities. You pretty much have to configure your own kernel (genkernel neglects to install alot of things, like Wireless extensions and Alsa support). It is alot of work to get gentoo up and running smoothly, although it is a highly rewarding feeling and you learn a LOT in doing so....

But ONLY, I repeat, ONLY attempt it once you feel VERY comfortable with linux, especially the command line

I figured as much... I like the little gadgets, but I could live without them... having things that "just work" is great, except when the thing that makes them work fails.. and when that happens, you have to know how to configure stuff on your own, or you're stuck in the mud.

That pretty much kicks me out . I have serious issues with command lines...

I am getting comfertable with the command line (NT5 and Linux), but maybe because half the stuff in MCSE still uses the command line.

While we are on the topic of Ubuntu Linux, anyone have a recomendation for an 802.11g PCMCIA Wifi Card?

yeah, the $35 Belkin at Staples (probably cheaper online)

If you can, get one with linux kernel support (I've heard good things from cards with Prism chipsets - I'd also check the madwifi project for other good chipsets), but any card with a RealTek chipset should be OK as well (RealTek has linux drivers for most, if not all, of their wifi chipsets now).

Here's a list of chipsets that work with ndiswrapper:

http://ndiswrapper.sourceforge.net/mediawiki/index.php/List

I tried looking for a realtek PCMCIA, and none exist on a decent brand.

ndiswrapper is a suboptimal solution, and should be avoided. Linux has better networking than Windows, so why cripple it with windows drivers? If you are buying a new wifi card, there isn't any reason to get one without linux drivers.

Just broadening the horizons a little...



Cost, and in some cases, quality.

There are both low-cost and high-quality wifi cards with linux drivers

Same goes for those without linux drivers

But isn't this thread about linux, and wasn't the question about cards for a linux system?

Yes, which is why I posted the link for ndiswrapper (and we have now completed the loop )