Looking for a Linux version which is simlar to Windows

Discussion in 'all things UNIX' started by roger_m, Nov 9, 2014.

  1. roger_m

    roger_m Registered Member

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    I own several Windows laptops. Soon I plan to put the hard drive of my current laptop into another more powerful laptop I have and use my current Windows installation on that laptop, and then put a smaller hard drive in this one and use it for Linux. I have no intention of dropping Windows anytime soon, but I am interested in using Linux as well.

    I want a version of Linux which can be run without ever using a terminal window. I recently tried Linx Mint Cinnamon from a bootable flash drive via LinuxLive USB Creator, and there were a situations where I had to open terminal windows to issue commands to fix some installation problems. In these cases, Mint did display a notification windows telling me what commands I needed to enter in the terminal.

    Also I want to be able to install software by opening the downloaded installation package instead of having to munally open a package installer. I downloaded Maxthon to use instead of the included Firefox as I do not like Firefox, and did not like that I was not able to install it by opening the installation package I downloaded.
     
  2. Gullible Jones

    Gullible Jones Registered Member

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    Run without ever opening a terminal -> depends heavily on the computer, and whether there are driver issues etc. In theory any of Ubuntu, OpenSUSE, or Mageia should work. In practice, it depends on the hardware and what you're doing with it.

    Install software manually -> no distro I know of. Also Linux will not run Maxthon, at all, ever, on any distro.

    Not trying to put you off Linux, but it still has some serious user friendliness issues, especially for people who are allergic to text interfaces. I would like to tell you otherwise, but them's the breaks unfortunately.
     
  3. Daveski17

    Daveski17 Registered Member

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    Yet, ironically, Maxthon have a Linux version. I'm guessing it's pre-alpha and they're not being totally honest. I would NOT recommend trying to download or run Maxthon on Linux. Oddly, Maxthon is superb on Android (I find) which is based on Linux.
     
  4. Kerodo

    Kerodo Registered Member

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    Try Zorin OS. It's around #9 now on Distrowatch. It's as complete out of the box as I've seen yet in any linux distro. It has music and video codecs already installed, flash, and even MS Core Fonts. Usually you have to add a few things or install this or that with most, but Zorin you can just install and update, and you're good to go. Super simple, and it has a familiar Windows look n feel, also a look changer so you can make it look like Gnome 2 or XP (so they say) and Win 7 look. It's as complete out of the box as you can get.... Give it a try, I think you'll like it.

    Link: http://zorin-os.com/
     
  5. lotuseclat79

    lotuseclat79 Registered Member

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    Kubuntu is a version of Ubuntu that looks and feels a lot like Windows, i.e. with a Start button. You can download Kubuntu at: http://www.kubuntu.org/getkubuntu There is a Feature Tour on that webpage that may help you decide.

    -- Tom
     
  6. Joxx

    Joxx Registered Member

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    I'm giving Kubuntu a spin on VMware player and I quite like it.
    I prefer KDE to other desktop environments, I find it more configurable and more similar to Windows.
     
  7. roger_m

    roger_m Registered Member

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    I am going to try it shortly. LinuxLive USB Creator is downloading it for me right now.
     
  8. roger_m

    roger_m Registered Member

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    I'm downloading Zorin now. If I don't like it I will try Kubuntu.
     
  9. roger_m

    roger_m Registered Member

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    The beta version ran fine for me, and even let me login to my Maxthon account. The fact that it is a beta version is somewhat of an issue for me. But, I highly doubt there is another Linux browser which I will like. None of the other browsers I like (i.e. Sleipnir, TheWorld and Avant Browsers) have Linux versions. I have never liked Firefox.
     
  10. roger_m

    roger_m Registered Member

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    I must point out that the Windows style interface is not that much a big deal for me. As long as it's nothing like OS X - which I hate with a passion, I'll be fine with that. The major point for me is to not require the use of a Terminal window in day to day use.
     
  11. Joxx

    Joxx Registered Member

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    I don't think most distros require the terminal on a daily basis, but all do require it.
    If you're so adverse to it better stick with Windows.
     
  12. 142395

    142395 Guest

    I agree, and at least recent Ubuntu don't require terminal for most user's daily use such as internet or creat/edit documents.

    roger_m, I think theoretically you can use Ubuntu or its derivations w/out terminal like GJ said, as you can use GUI for file navigation (very explorer like), and can do installation from that (as long as the installer don't require command input), and package update or network config or etc...etc. can be done through GUI (to some extent).
    Well, you may get trouble to edit text, I don't know if any Linux have notepad like text editor (I used VIM, which is far from notepad).
    But generally if you get trouble, just search in Ubuntu forum, and Googling.
    Even though it may require CUI/command operation, you can just copy & past the command as a magical charm, in most case it works and if not, just ask in the forum.

    However I think, it will help you much to learn very basic commands such as 'sudo apt-get install (package name)' or 'cd ..'.
     
  13. Daveski17

    Daveski17 Registered Member

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    Well, you had more success with Mx on Linux than I did. I found it virtually impossible to use. Chromium runs well on Ubuntu and there is a way to add Pepper Flash without using the terminal. In fact, I think you can do almost anything with Ubuntu now without using the terminal. There are other browsers in the Ubuntu Software Centre like: SlimBoat, Web/Epiphany and certain browsers more often used on Android IIRC. Epiphany is fast and light, but broke a couple of pages for me (including Wilders lol) and I haven't tried SlimBoat.

    http://slimboat.com/en/

    https://wiki.gnome.org/Apps/Web

    I find Ubuntu particularly user friendly, although it's very Mac-like IMO, which is fine for me as I like Macs.
     
  14. deBoetie

    deBoetie Registered Member

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    I'm curious that using Windows is presumed to mean you don't need a terminal. Depends what you're doing, and even if the gui is available, sometimes the labyrinth of the gui means that the command line is a blessed relief! Often, there will be some option that you can't get to with the gui, and also, if you're getting suggestions off the internet, or documenting a procedure or script, a script or batch file is actually what you want.

    You seem to have conflicting objectives here. Do you want to run Maxthon, or do you want some form of sugar-coated OS? Your OS should be the servant of the application (in this case presumably Maxthon) - which case continuing to use Windows would seem a better use of time.

    If you're interested in Linux, then it will pay you to learn some simple command line stuff - it's not hard.
     
  15. oliverjia

    oliverjia Registered Member

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    You really want an Ubuntu flavor, particularly Kubuntu if you want it to be Windows-like. The reason is simple, use the most popular distro and you'll have a much better chance when you come across a problem. Google it and you'll find there are already answers to it. At least that's my experience with Ubuntu.
    As far as browser goes, if you don't like FF, then go for Google Chrome. It's the most secure browser you'll find.
     
  16. fblais

    fblais Registered Member

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    Linux Mint Mate (or even XFCE) is nice too.
     
  17. roger_m

    roger_m Registered Member

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    While I use the Command Prompt in Windows 7 as often as every day at times, I never have to use it, it's just a matter of choice. I really don't have a problem with opening a terminal window and entering commands to do certain tasks. But, I don't want to have to use a terminal window for basic day to day tasks like installing or uninstalling software.
     
  18. roger_m

    roger_m Registered Member

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    I'm running Kubuntu now as I didn't like Zorin. I am liking it on the whole, but it bugs me that no icons for hard drives are shown on my desktop like in some other distros. I did not like the explorer in Zorin as scrolling behaved differenty to Windows Explorer. The scroll bar would move to where I clicked the mouse rather than scrolling up or down a single page. I like the Dolphin manager included with Kubuntu now that I have changed its settings so that I have to double click on a file or folder to open it.

    I do realise that I could have installed a different file manager in Zorin, but as a newcomer to Linux I prefer to use the included file manager.
    While I don't mind Chrome, I'm sticking with Maxthon becuase I can configure it to work exactly how I want without having to install any addons.
     
  19. J_L

    J_L Registered Member

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    Installing and uninstalling software is simple with a package/software manager. As for those files you download off other parts of the Internet, try finding repositories for them, or use something like GDebi.
     
  20. roger_m

    roger_m Registered Member

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    I have an issue with Kubuntu. I installed Maxthon. I was able to install it just by opening the .deb file I downloaded. However, despite it being installed, when I go the start menu (if you can call if then under Linux) it is not shown there. If I do a search for Maxthon, I get an option Run Maxthon, so I can use it, but would like there to be an actual icon for it. On its first launch, Maxthon gave me the option of adding a shortcut to the desktop. I clicked yes on it, but nothing was added to the desktop.

    When I installed Maxthon under Mint, it was added to the start menu alongside Firefox.
     
  21. Daveski17

    Daveski17 Registered Member

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    In Ubuntu you can press the 'Microsoft' key on a conventional keyboard to launch the applications menu. Then you can click and drag the application icon into the dock.
     
  22. roger_m

    roger_m Registered Member

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    I restarted and now Maxthon is shown on the applications menu. Previously there was no icon at all for Maxthon and I was not able to drag it anywhere. When I entered Maxthon, I was shown a generic icon of a gear with the text "Run Maxthon." Maybe it is an issue with running a Linux from a flash drive, even though it is persitant with 4GB write space on the flash drive.

    Also, with Kubuntu and Zorin, pressing the Windows key does nothing. It did work in Mint however.
     
  23. Daveski17

    Daveski17 Registered Member

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    It may be a problem with Maxthon's Linux version. I'm wary of downloading anything outside of the Ubuntu Software Centre as it can sometimes cause problems. I was a tad disappointed with Mx on Linux. It runs really well on Android and I've run it on Windows for years. Oddly, it was the only WebKit/Blink engined browser that didn't BSOD my laptop when it ran Vista.
     
  24. mattdocs12345

    mattdocs12345 Registered Member

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    Im sorry to break it to you but to solve some issues you do need to at ONE point sooner or later use terminal. It's actually quite easy, just google it and then copy and paste.
    The closest I got to not using terminal are probably ubuntu derivatives such as kubuntu or mint.

    Now I do understand your need to make Linux look like Windows. Frankly I think Windows UI is a winner over Mac or Gnome, it has worked for years and what aint broke shouldn't be fixed. I use Debian with XFCE customized to look very closely to Windows 98 with few Linux modernizations. Everyday, I never use terminal, I only used it several times during installation.

    I think if you can get some patience you can learn how to copy and paste into terminal and how to do some basic research on google. Once you get your favorite distro set up it's just a bliss to work with. My Debian never freezes or slow downs, never gets infected with a virus or malware. Of course not everything works, I gave up on using Amazon prime or Netflix, I bought a dedicated box for my TV which can do both.
     
  25. roger_m

    roger_m Registered Member

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    I understand that, and it really isn't a problem for me to use it when it's absolutely needed. I've been using the Command Prompt in Windows, and DOS for 28+ years, so mind doing using the command line. My issue was that with Mint it had a few problems when installing software and told me I needed to enter certain commands into a terminal Window. I don't want to have to use the Terminal for something like that.[/QUOTE]
    Once you get your favorite distro set up it's just a bliss to work with. My Debian never freezes or slow downs, never gets infected with a virus or malware.[/QUOTE]
    That's was I was hoping.
     
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