UNIX for Dummies Questions & Answers

Hi all,

I'd like to install either Unix or Linux on my PC and I don't know which way to go- I've tried with HP-UX 11.11 and it failed but I've heard that LInux is the fastest growing operating system in the world.I am asking you thus what sort of Linux distribution would be the best choice for a PC : ubuntu, fedora, mandriva or suse?
Thanks,
Adrian.

1. You need an operating system that will work on your hardware. HPUX is for PA-RISC or Itanium.

2. Solaris can be used for home use for free and is a "real" UNIX.

3. NetBSD/OpenBSD/FreeBSD derive from BSD UNIX.

4. Linux is a very popular UNIX-alike. Which distribution is a matter of personal choice, but Ubuntu is supposed to be good for first time users.

Hi Porter,

thanks for help. I am inclined to choose Solaris but I am not sure whether I could install it on a PC and use any programs written for Linux.
Thanks,
Adrian.

Hopefully in this day and age people don't "write programs for linux". Hopefully the write portable code that can be compiled and work on different platforms.

Are you prepared to compile programs yourself?

Else have a look at www.sunfreeware.com.

First check that your hardware is supported on the HCL

Many programs which run on Linux are available, many others can be compiled from source, many others do not work under Solaris, at least not without a fair amount of work ( badly written )

Hi ,

Porter and Reborg thanks for your answers.
I want to install an OS on my PC to work on the internet with no concerns regarding hackers, spyware, etc. I've heard that Unix and Linux could do the job -they are more secure than Windows- but practically only a Linux distribution could be installed on a PC; now I have another problem do I need to install a software firewall on my PC like a Linux version of McAfee or ZoneAlarm, or to install a security enhanced Linux distribution - see www.linux.org/dist/list.html - on another PC to act like a firewall? Could I choose Mandriva over Ubuntu?
Thanks,
Adrian.

Then why not look at OpenBSD? Secure by default and all that.