hi I'm a Windows user and I'm considering dual booting

File: Spectacle.J11056.png (28KB, 844x616px) Image search: [Google]

28KB, 844x616px

>>56988063
4.4

sorry I think I meant os not kernel

Gentoo

>>56988318
doesn't look very nice to be honest

if you want linux just so you can say you run linux use ubuntu

I'd just like to interject for moment. What you're refering to as Linux, is in fact, GNU/Linux, or as I've recently taken to calling it, GNU plus Linux. Linux is not an operating system unto itself, but rather another free component of a fully functioning GNU system made useful by the GNU corelibs, shell utilities and vital system components comprising a full OS as defined by POSIX.
Many computer users run a modified version of the GNU system every day, without realizing it. Through a peculiar turn of events, the version of GNU which is widely used today is often called Linux, and many of its users are not aware that it is basically the GNU system, developed by the GNU Project.
There really is a Linux, and these people are using it, but it is just a part of the system they use. Linux is the kernel: the program in the system that allocates the machine's resources to the other programs that you run. The kernel is an essential part of an operating system, but useless by itself; it can only function in the context of a complete operating system. Linux is normally used in combination with the GNU operating system: the whole system is basically GNU with Linux added, or GNU/Linux. All the so-called Linux distributions are really distributions of GNU/Linux!

>>56988063
The kernel is the very base code that the OS runs. You're basically never going to have to interface with it whatsoever. If by kernel you meant distro (a pre-made set of software, packages, etc to install), Ubuntu and Linux Mint are two that are good for beginners and require more or less zero terminal usage.

Also, cool thing about linux is that everything's customizable; most distros come with default desktop environments (basically how the OS looks) and themes (icons, colors, etc), but you can change them. Xubuntu is Ubuntu but with the XFCE desktop environment by default, but you can make Ubuntu more or less the same as Xubuntu by just installing XFCE in stock Ubuntu.

Stuff like Gentoo and Arch don't have any defaults. The reason they usually don't look too good (to you) is because it's super hard to install them (for beginners) and requires a lot of terminal use, so people who use them are usually more comfortable with a less graphical, more terminal-focused interface.

>>56988063
Kernel = part of the OS that Linus messes with
OS: Operating system like windows OSX or Linux distros
Distros: short for distribution, basically versions of GNU/Linux distributed by different teams
Ubuntu the best distro for beginners hands down, just because of the community surounding it. If you have a question it's probably been asked on the official forums or stackexchange. 16.04 is the most recent release, GL!

yeah sorry guys I meant distro

File: 1456473894044.png (83KB, 200x200px) Image search: [Google]

83KB, 200x200px

>>56988063
>Which kernel is good for beginners and doesn't require too much terminal using?

>>56988618
Ubuntu MATE or Mint Cinnamon.

>>56988643
I SAID SORRY OK PLS FORGIVE

>>56988618
one of the flavors of ubuntu (mate, xubuntu, kubuntu, etc --- they only vary by the preinstalled desktop environment) or linux mint

Friendly list of programs for a winrefugee.

>Window Manager
IceWM. This is more easy to use than openbox, or windows. Can look good too.

>Music Player
DeaDBeeF. Good looks means noob friendly.

>Video Player
VLC. Good defaults and doubles as a music player too.

>Office Suite
LibreOffice. It has a word clone, powerpoint, excel, etc.

>Ebook Viewer
Okular. Watch your books in a beautiful way. Is big on Qt/KDE dependencies but noobs aren't generally interested in that.

>Drawing
Krita. Made by artists this is a professional grade software, but easy to use.

>Image Editing (a.k.a. "photoshoping")
Inkscape. Want to cut, crop or add text? Easy and fast.

>Burning CD/DVD
Xfburn. Easy, fast, reliable.

>File Manager
PCManFM. All you need to browse your computer.

>Image Viewer
GThumb. A powerhouse of image organizer and not just an image viewer, triples as a video player.

>Web Browser
IceCat. Secure by default, can have firefox addons, also fast. Disable the LibreJS addon because it can be annoying for noobs.

>Chat, Voip (skype)
Pidgin. Can connect to all chats, videochats, etc.

>RSS Feeds
Liferea. Do yu read feeds? You should.

>IRC
HexChat. Be comfy on one of the oldest ways of shitposting.

>Search Engine
YaCy. Is time to leave the botnet, host your own search engine.

>Java
IcedTea. Launch java natively without losing freedom.

>Virtual Machine
Virtualbox. So you can start distro hoping.

>"Emulation"
WINE. To launch photoshop and play gaymes.

>Download Manager
JDownloader. Download from everywhere without recurring to the command line.

>Torrent
Transmission-gtk. Easy and reliable, don't need more.

>Accounting
GnuCash. So you can keep track of the bucks you are saving when using free software.

>>56988643
thanks for the kek

>>56988063
mint, fedora, ubuntu or manjaro.

>>56988715
ubuntu, some flavor of, or a close derivative is probably the easy answer.

You are going to use the terminal though.