Consejos "no tecnológicos" y muy útiles para el estado actual de las distros más comunes.
Flipping the Linux switch: 5 tips every new Linux user should know - Download Squad
1. Experiment with LiveCDs
Reason: LiveCDs
are full-bodied, working versions of Linux you can run without touching
your hard drive. Many distributions now offer LiveCDs, and we recommend
trying a few to really get a feel for the different Linux flavors and
desktops. If you've chosen a distribution that doesn't have a LiveCD,
we strongly recommend having a live disk of some sort around. If you
should be unable to boot your system (yes, even Windows!) you can use your LiveCD to repair damage or retrieve files that you can't live without.
2. Install /home on a separate partition
We
have our qualms about mentioning this, due to the involvement of two
subjects new users find intimidating anyway: partitioning and
installing. But it's probably the single most useful thing to know as a
Linux user, and will make management and any subsequent installs of
your system a whole lot easier.
Reason: Installing
/home (your user folders) on a separate hard drive partition means
this: If you want to try another flavor of Linux (or you mess something
up beyond belief) you can keep all your /home folders (and their
contents) intact.
How to do it: This is most easily set up when first installing Linux (though it can be done after the fact).
It's a bit tricky because you'll need to manually partition your disk,
either through the system's installer or through a program like fdisk.
We recommend using the system's installer should your distribution have
one that handles partitioning (Ubuntu, openSuSE and most distros that
new users tackle first have built-in system partitioners). Trust us,
it's easier that way.
In its simplest form, you'll need three
partitions on your disk with the mount points /, /home, and swap. Swap
should be the smallest (the usual recommendation for swap is twice the
size of your RAM). /home and / can be divided over the remainder of the
disk space, and it's okay to make /home larger if you've got ridiculous
amounts of drive space.
What happens: Linux puts all
your programs, logs, and system-wide settings on the / partition. All
of your documents and user-specific settings are saved on the /home
partition. If you decide to change distributions, or if something gets
irreconcilably borked, you can reinstall Linux by reformatting the /
partition and leaving the /home partition unformatted (remember to make
the partition the /home mountpoint again, though!). Set yourself up
with the same username(s) when configuring the system, and everything
from your address book to your photos should be accessible.
3. When in doubt, use the vesa drivers!
Reason:
Graphics support is sometimes an issue with Linux. Many distros give
you the option to configure your card if it is not immediately
recognized by the system. This is where a lot of new users get tripped
up. They tend to pick the driver that seems closest to their graphics
card model. Sometimes they're lucky, and it works. But if you're a
brand new user, your safest bet is to use the vesa driver. You won't
get fancy effects, and it'll look ugly, but you will have a graphical interface. You can then search for the correct drivers for your card.
4. Fear not the command line.
Reason:
You don't need to be a guru to use the command line. Sometimes the
quickest, easiest way of getting to the root of a problem is to whip
open a terminal, and type the name of the program you want to run. If
it's segfaulting, or can't find a component it needs... the output will
tell you. The command line often gives you hooks to dig into a problem,
whereas just clicking on the launcher might just get you an endlessly
bouncing cursor and nothing to go on. Linux is particularly forthcoming
with useful error messages, but you need to know where to look.
5. Ask for help before you get frustrated.
Reason:
Frustration makes things worse for everyone. Going into a forum and
prefacing your problem with "This sucks, I'm going back to Windows/Mac"
(whether you mean it or not) doesn't make people more willing to help.
Best ways to get help:
If you've heard it once, you've heard it a gazillion times: Google is
your friend. If you have a problem with something on your system,
chances are someone else has too. If the solutions you find don't help,
by all means post your question to a pertinent forum or mailing list, telling all the details. We mean all
the details. Tell the world your hardware, distribution, error
messages, show any logs or configuration files you think might be
useful, and explain what you've tried to do to solve it. Nothing makes
an old Linux user happier than hearing a tech question beginning, "I
searched here, here and here, tried this, and this, and I still have a
problem."
Making the switch to Linux can be intimidating, but it doesn't have to be. There is a lot of advice out there, some good, some bad,
and some that just won't apply to your situation. With these five tips
in your arsenal, you're well on your way to a positive Linux experience.
Flipping the Linux switch: 5 tips every new Linux user should know - Download Squad
1. Experiment with LiveCDs
Reason: LiveCDs
are full-bodied, working versions of Linux you can run without touching
your hard drive. Many distributions now offer LiveCDs, and we recommend
trying a few to really get a feel for the different Linux flavors and
desktops. If you've chosen a distribution that doesn't have a LiveCD,
we strongly recommend having a live disk of some sort around. If you
should be unable to boot your system (yes, even Windows!) you can use your LiveCD to repair damage or retrieve files that you can't live without.
2. Install /home on a separate partition
We
have our qualms about mentioning this, due to the involvement of two
subjects new users find intimidating anyway: partitioning and
installing. But it's probably the single most useful thing to know as a
Linux user, and will make management and any subsequent installs of
your system a whole lot easier.
Reason: Installing
/home (your user folders) on a separate hard drive partition means
this: If you want to try another flavor of Linux (or you mess something
up beyond belief) you can keep all your /home folders (and their
contents) intact.
How to do it: This is most easily set up when first installing Linux (though it can be done after the fact).
It's a bit tricky because you'll need to manually partition your disk,
either through the system's installer or through a program like fdisk.
We recommend using the system's installer should your distribution have
one that handles partitioning (Ubuntu, openSuSE and most distros that
new users tackle first have built-in system partitioners). Trust us,
it's easier that way.
In its simplest form, you'll need three
partitions on your disk with the mount points /, /home, and swap. Swap
should be the smallest (the usual recommendation for swap is twice the
size of your RAM). /home and / can be divided over the remainder of the
disk space, and it's okay to make /home larger if you've got ridiculous
amounts of drive space.
What happens: Linux puts all
your programs, logs, and system-wide settings on the / partition. All
of your documents and user-specific settings are saved on the /home
partition. If you decide to change distributions, or if something gets
irreconcilably borked, you can reinstall Linux by reformatting the /
partition and leaving the /home partition unformatted (remember to make
the partition the /home mountpoint again, though!). Set yourself up
with the same username(s) when configuring the system, and everything
from your address book to your photos should be accessible.
3. When in doubt, use the vesa drivers!
Reason:
Graphics support is sometimes an issue with Linux. Many distros give
you the option to configure your card if it is not immediately
recognized by the system. This is where a lot of new users get tripped
up. They tend to pick the driver that seems closest to their graphics
card model. Sometimes they're lucky, and it works. But if you're a
brand new user, your safest bet is to use the vesa driver. You won't
get fancy effects, and it'll look ugly, but you will have a graphical interface. You can then search for the correct drivers for your card.
4. Fear not the command line.
Reason:
You don't need to be a guru to use the command line. Sometimes the
quickest, easiest way of getting to the root of a problem is to whip
open a terminal, and type the name of the program you want to run. If
it's segfaulting, or can't find a component it needs... the output will
tell you. The command line often gives you hooks to dig into a problem,
whereas just clicking on the launcher might just get you an endlessly
bouncing cursor and nothing to go on. Linux is particularly forthcoming
with useful error messages, but you need to know where to look.
5. Ask for help before you get frustrated.
Reason:
Frustration makes things worse for everyone. Going into a forum and
prefacing your problem with "This sucks, I'm going back to Windows/Mac"
(whether you mean it or not) doesn't make people more willing to help.
Best ways to get help:
If you've heard it once, you've heard it a gazillion times: Google is
your friend. If you have a problem with something on your system,
chances are someone else has too. If the solutions you find don't help,
by all means post your question to a pertinent forum or mailing list, telling all the details. We mean all
the details. Tell the world your hardware, distribution, error
messages, show any logs or configuration files you think might be
useful, and explain what you've tried to do to solve it. Nothing makes
an old Linux user happier than hearing a tech question beginning, "I
searched here, here and here, tried this, and this, and I still have a
problem."
Making the switch to Linux can be intimidating, but it doesn't have to be. There is a lot of advice out there, some good, some bad,
and some that just won't apply to your situation. With these five tips
in your arsenal, you're well on your way to a positive Linux experience.
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