What is the proper or best way to begin learning Suse/Linux?

English Install/Boot/Login
1

Hi.
Please forgive if this is in the wrong place in the forum.

Way back a long time ago I tried to leave Windows and move to Suse. The latest dist was v9 but I found the transition very difficult and gave up.
I tried it again when v10 came out. I was more serious about learning it but was determined to keep using my Win programs and tried as many work arounds as I could with Wine, Virtual Box etc. My main program was highly graphical intensive, lightwave 3D from NewTek and I could not get my latest version of LW3D running properly.
I finally gave up trying to run the Win programs and turned to the Suse software repositories (Blender etc) but became frustrated when one dependency ran into another, then another (Seemingly endless) and gave up, reformatted my machine back to XP only.
Somewhere along the way I also tried to figure out how to compile tarballs with utter falure.

I recently installed Suse 11.2, again hopeful to learn this through trial/error but was discouraged when Kaffine didn’t understand the formats of an .avi, .mov or .wmv video.
I downloaded VBOX to the desktop and clicked for Yast to install it, which it did.
But upon running the Programs > Newly Installed Programs > there was a missing file and was suggested to re-install it, which I did to find the same problem existed. Between the Kaffine and VBOX troubles I again uninstalled Suse from my machine.

I’ve just read this article:
Linux is not windows
And it made a lot of sense to me. Which brings me here again.

I would love to learn Linux, specifically SUSE but it seems I’ve approached it in my past with either a wrong attitude or otherwise resulted in frustration and failure.
I consider myself an intermediate XP user (Not novice, not expert or pro) and I can find my way around the Suse GUI fairly well.

I believe that I understand the concept of the Linux terminal and kernal compilation but remain unfamiliar with 99.9999% of its commands and specifically what they do and what they effect.

I am almost 50 years old and my learning probably isn’t what it was at 20 but would still like to tackle this.
What is the fastest or best way to learn software installation, how to solve problems correctly when they arise and to learn how to compile tarballs?

I am always sticking myself into a corner which I can’t seem to avoid in the past.

  1. I’ve usually ran a dual boot XP/SUSE machine meaning to have XP a backup for those still needed Win programs while learning Suse.
    My problem is I’m so used to Win and take the least path of resistance and SUSE ends up sitting there, taking space and GRUB becomes a burden the less I use SUSE.

Eventually SUSE just takes HDD space and gets removed.

  1. I’ve tried to avoid #1 by running SUSE only. It’s a big problem because I don’t know enough yet to install the SUSE-friendly Win replacement programs and get them running without big hastles.

I’m thinking if I can get through enough tutorials and increase my general knowledge then maybe I can successfully do #2.

Maybe it’s just more self discipline and make it through #1 and keep SUSE in the forefront rather than being pushed further and further back.

Any suggestions at all?
Am I ***completely ***messed up and hopeless?

Thanks in advance.

2

First of all, welcome SteveFury61. There is a learning curve involved, and the only way to learn is to jump straight in and get your hands dirty. When you get stuck, search the forums, and make a post for help if you need to. We’ve all been stuck from time to time, so chances are someone will always be able to provide help and overcome any challenge(s) you may have. Try not to let problems get on top of you - there’s always one or more solutions available, if you’re willing to rise to the learning or effort that may be involved.

Anyway, this is a great reference to start with

Concepts - openSUSE

Multimedia support is usually an issue for new users. This how to thread is a good reference to assist here

http://forums.opensuse.org/information-new-users/new-user-how-faq-read-only/407184-multi-media-restricted-format-installation-guide.html#post1940596

3

Hi and welcome ‘messed up and hopeless’ :stuck_out_tongue:

Linux is going to take commitment or you’ll just keep going in circles till your too dizzy to stand straight. I would recommend you learn about YAST and zypper before messing with building/unbuilding tarballs. Package management is a foreign concept to Windows users. So let me start by saying, openSUSE with the four repositories (4 download groups) has a wealth of applications available learn what is there and readily available, choose a direction you want to become familiar with and finally read up on it using web searching,and locally in a terminal for info, man, and help pages. Write down what you need help with and come here and ask for help with clear titles and descriptions of what you need.

4

Read the information for new users section of the form.

On the command line you can ge more info about specific commands with the following commands followed by the command of interest.

man
info
help

Here is a good tutorial on the command line

course:book:index [LinuxBasics.org]

Use Yast to install remove programs until you know more. Avoid adding and keeping active additional repositories. If you have a question ask here.

5

There is also good info hereNovell Doc: OpenSUSE 11.2 - Table of Contents

As an example of using yast2 for installing software I just installed blender, with all dependencies automatically installed.
Up and running in under 4 minutes. With just a few mouse clicks.
You can install a huge range of software with yast in this way.

Lightwave 3D is a different issue, Visualization with XEN looks promising.

6

Thank you all for the suggestions and information links.

I’ve already digested these:
Introductory Guide to Linux Basics
and
User documentation

I beleive the biggest problem I had before was my approach. I would run the default SUSE install then tinker and hope for the best with repository installs, trying to get WIN programs to work under Wine or VBOX and only take the time to read if absolutely necessary or just keep on tinkering and get frustrated.

My personal machine now is an Acer Aspire One D-150 netbook 2gb ram. I’ve had 11.2 installed before and seemed to run just fine- at least all the hardware appeared to automatically set up properly.

I just sent it off for repair for a bad ethernet port which was dead even with the factory XP OS. I should have it back in a week or so. I have some time to read manuals etc and absorb as much as possible before it returns.

I’m kinda excited about this again after reading some of the doc’s and I plan on working a dual boot system again for a while.

Lightwave 3D:
I’ve been working in that program for around 8 years now on a hobby level, not professional. I’d like to stick with what I’m familiar with but also willing to switch to Blender.

I’ve liked Suse from my 1st try back in v9 and think the Open Source concept and activity is just simply great.
If an old fuddy-duddy like myself can make a switch from closed to open source I think it would say a lot.
Reading the Doc’s clears up a lot of questions.

Thanks …

7

SteveFury61 wrote:
> I’ve already digested these:

welcome, patience is a big help…so is a willingness to admit that a
PhD in Redmond software is more harm than good here…begin
again…READ READ READ…here is an old post of mine (using a
different identity), listing SOME of the best stuff to read:

http://tinyurl.com/ybklh48

patience…if you can, get another machine so you can keep one for
must do…and one for must learn…at least that is the way i did it…

–
DenverD (Linux Counter 282315)
CAVEAT: http://is.gd/bpoMD
posted via NNTP w/TBird 2.0.0.23 | KDE 3.5.7 | openSUSE 10.3
2.6.22.19-0.4-default SMP i686
AMD Athlon 1 GB RAM | GeForce FX 5500 | ASRock K8Upgrade-760GX |
CMedia 9761 AC’97 Audio

8

More or less I can only repeat what the other posters wrote already: just do not give up, stick with it if you really want to keep a Linux on your machine. No problem you described here seems exotic or hard to solve, it’s just a matter of knowing how it works - learning package management (which isn’t complicated either, it’s even pretty convenient once you understood it) will bring you much closer to a flexible and working system, so I suggest to start with that.

9

My best advice: take your time. You did not ‘learn’ winders on a lazy afternoon. Give it the time you took to ‘learn’ winders, and you will find you learned a lot more than you expected soon.

And…a warm welcome here

10

You’ll have a happier and easier time if you can switch to ‘Linux-native’ programs. That’s not to say that Windows programs can’t be useful for some purposes and in some circumstances, but the less you do this, the happier you’ll be.

I finally gave up trying to run the Win programs and turned to the Suse software repositories (Blender etc)

Good move!

but became frustrated when one dependency ran into another, then another (Seemingly endless) and gave up, reformatted my machine back to XP only.

You don’t say how you tried to do this, but you shouldn’t have this problem (usually). You might, if you tried to use the ‘rpm’ command directly though…

Somewhere along the way I also tried to figure out how to compile tarballs with utter falure.

…this shouldn’t be your first line of attack…

In order to install software, your first port of call should be either Yast > Install software (exact title varies slightly depending on SuSE version and which GUI you are using, but, while there are fine detail differences, they do the same job) OR zypper. I think many people would consider yast to be the more ‘newbie-friendly’ way of going and using zypper directly is the more ‘advanced user’ tool, but either way will get the job done, and you should select one and learn it.

Only if this fails, should you consider any other approach. Installing from tarballs is a possibility, but it obviates the advantages that the package manager gives you (how are you going to find out about updates, particularly security updates, if you go this way?), so you shouldn’t even consider this, if yast or zypper are going to do the job for you.

I believe that I understand the concept of the Linux terminal and kernal compilation but remain unfamiliar with 99.9999% of its commands and specifically what they do and what they effect.

You don’t need to learn kernel compilation; you might do it if you want to, but at this point, there is no real advantage in doing so.

OTOH, you should put aside some time to learn the command line. There are some things that it makes easier, and, if you never try,you’ll never find out that you are going to like it! This may not be the next thing that you do, but I would advise you to give it a try.

I am almost 50 years old

Ah, that’s the problem. You’re a youngster!

  1. I’ve tried to avoid #1 by running SUSE only. It’s a big problem because I don’t know enough yet to install the SUSE-friendly Win replacement programs and get them running without big hastles.

If you have taken the yast route to installing programs, you’ll have found that it comes with a ‘software search’ facility. So, if you find that you need something like a Word Processor or a DTP program, you could search on ‘Word’, ‘Processor’ or ‘DTP’. This will not work for you 100% of the time, but you shouldn’t have the problem often.

Am I ***completely ***messed up and hopeless?

Well, aren’t we all, in our own way? At least, I’m not messed up and hopeless because of the computer crashing on me. And, the software that I want to use is just a click away, and, from there, it is up to me to learn it. There may be a certain amount of effort involved, but at least, I don’t have to write out justifications and get purchase reqs signed off, in order to find out that the software has problems that stop it doing the job (well, I guess you could also install lots of different bits of shareware, but, if you ever tried to use a windows computer that has had lots of miscellaneous utilities installed (and uninstalled and updated), you’ll find the platform is really designed for that, even if the programs aren’t malware…