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| title | created_at | description | author |
|---|---|---|---|
| Installing GNU/Linux: before you start | 01-11-2016 | A collection of usefull things to know before you install GNU/Linux. | Rien |
So, you want to install GNU/Linux for the first time but you don't know where to start. You're afraid the installation process will wipe your precious data or even brick your newly bought laptop. This checklist will help you to avoid the most common pitfalls.
0. When you get stuck
Before you start, you have to know that installing Linux takes time. It takes time to solve possible issues, to get used to the workflow of Linux and once you know Linux from the inside out, you can't stop tweaking your system configuration.
Don't let your hopes down, the internet is full of useful resources and the more issues you fix on your own, the more you learn.
1. Choose the right distro
Before you install GNU/Linux, you have to know which one you want. GNU/GNU/Linux comes in a range of different flavours. Some want it stable while others like to experiment a lot. The main differences between GNU/Linux distributions is the package manager and the default look.
Package Managers
The package manager adds a layer of abstraction to the installation process of software. It allows you to just type sudo apt-get install firefox, which is much easier and faster than compiling firefox from source and managing the dependencies one by one. In the world of package management you have two different paths you can take:
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Long Term Support
The distribution has stable version updating your whole system or a single package within the same version is guaranteed to not break your current system. Updates are almost entirely security fixes.
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Pro: your system is more stable
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Con: you get less new features and upgrading to the next version can have drastic changes
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Rolling Release
There is only one version. You get security and feature updates which break your current system, although this does not happen very often.
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Pro: you receive more features and you learn faster how Linux works under the hood
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Cons: every update has a chance to break your system
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