Which distro would be right for educational purposes?

Z

Zeus-DX

Guest
Hello.
I would like to learn Linux and all stuff related to it including command lines, setting up & managing ftp, sql servers as well as hacking and entering the deep web, everything for educational purposes.

I am in an University in which I study about networks, about how TCP, UDP protocols work, how a network packet is transmitted we also use Wireshark and we also develop programs in Java, C++ and Visual Studio 2013 and we will soon start programming in Python, and I will also learn using SQL and HTML

And I would like to get a headstart on Linux which is great for the above work.

Please note: I am a beginner, at first I thought about starting on Linux Mint (I don't like Unity so I would prefer not to use Ubuntu) but then I found about backtrack and also there are many distros out there and I'm kinda lost.

In the end what would be most right for me?
 


You can download Ubuntu in other desktop flavors such as KDE (Kubuntu), Ubuntu Gnome..etc. Unity is not the only desktop for Ubuntu. Linux Mint however is a fine distro for the beginner and is not top heavy on resources. Backtrack is now called Kali Linux. It does have a lot more tools related to white hat hacking, but for starters I would learn the CLI first before you dabble into the more advanced distros. But the bottom line...Linux is Linux is Linux is Linux.....:)
 
The ubuntus and mints of this world are designed around the needs of a desktop for the average computer end user, not really for those interested in learning what you want to learn.

kali/backtrack is basically ubuntu/debian with some preconfiguration for those interested in penetration testing. Lots of users install it without actually needing it (probably in order to brag to their mates about being 'l33t haxxorz' or whatever the term is nowadays).

For learning purposes just bypass the derivatives and install Debian itself.
 
I am new to Linux and at first I installed Linux Mint. I didn't really care for it, so I checked out what it was derived from and it's Debian. I like it a lot more and it's easy to use.

If you go with Debian and you don't have an incredibly fast internet connection, do not download netinstall.iso . You will spend hours while it downloads and installs. Download cd1.iso and you'll be good to go.

Also, if you want to learn SQL, please take the time and learn database theory or please refrain from creating a database for production without a dba or skilled developer who understands data theory. I cannot tell you how many databases I have had to fix or re-create because someone thought a database was just a place to hold bunch of tables. If you don't know how to calculate how your database should grow, you shouldn't be creating a database. :p
 
I think Ubuntu would be good. LTS releases, timely schedule, paid support available should you want it. Debian just doesn't have the release schedule and commercial support that you may want.
 
Well he didn't say anything about wanting paid commercial support. What he did say is that he wanted to "learn Linux".

The ubuntu LTS releases are every two years, the Debian stable releases are every two years, please explain what is the issue with the release schedule?
 
Well he didn't say anything about wanting paid commercial support. What he did say is that he wanted to "learn Linux".

The ubuntu LTS releases are every two years, the Debian stable releases are every two years, please explain what is the issue with the release schedule?

No he didn't but that option is always nice. Not to mention most software is packaged for Ubuntu and while Ubuntu is based on Debian you can't just install Ubuntu pacakges onto Debian. If you purchase software for Linux and they provide Ubuntu packages, which is the norm, they likely won't help you if you try to install it on other distros.

Debian does have a 2 year cycle but rarely is it followed to the letter. And unlike Ubuntu, there is no real way to upgrade from one major release to another without manually changing the repository lists or using the upgrade tool that does not work as well as the Ubuntu upgrade tool. Its not even recommended to upgrade from one stable to another.


Just because he wants to learn linux does not mean dive right in. Using the user friendly distros and getting used to the Linux way of things is much more beneficial. Debian is not nearly as user friendly.
 
You clearly have never run Debian - post from experience or not at all.
 
1) As a Global moderator of Debian Users Forum I would point out that
Debian just doesn't have the release schedule
is correct and
the Debian stable releases are every two years
is incorrect.

Debian issues Stable when Stable is ready, and not before. Squeeze took about four years to become the next Stable.

2) An old adage was "If you use Ubuntu you will learn Ubuntu, if you use (e.g.) Slackware you will learn Linux". One of the contradictions here is that Ubuntu/Linux Mint are recommended for newbies and other things are more difficult.

Maybe one solution is to start with one of the *buntus/Linux Mint then AND THEN MOVE ON.

@DevynCJohnson who stays with Ubuntu might have other views...
 
1) As a Global moderator of Debian Users Forum I would point out that is correct and is incorrect.

Debian issues Stable when Stable is ready, and not before. Squeeze took about four years to become the next Stable.

2) An old adage was "If you use Ubuntu you will learn Ubuntu, if you use (e.g.) Slackware you will learn Linux". One of the contradictions here is that Ubuntu/Linux Mint are recommended for newbies and other things are more difficult.

Maybe one solution is to start with one of the *buntus/Linux Mint then AND THEN MOVE ON.

@DevynCJohnson who stays with Ubuntu might have other views...
;)
 
Maybe I am missing something, but how does Mint & Ubuntu make learning Linux easier? I am a new user (less than 2 months) and I don't find Debian hard at all. The only difference that I saw with Mint was the a layer of Ubuntu above (which was just a bunch of software) and other software that was included in Mint. If you're going to learn Linux, you're going to need to dive into the filesystem and command line. The command line is the command line, they don't make easier commands just because you're in Mint, or a least I haven't read that anywhere.

Since he wants to learn Linux, wouldn't it be best to dive right in and go for Debian? (if he wants a Debian system and not say, Red Hat)

If he wanted an OS that was easy to use for replacing Windows and he didn't want to learn the command line or filesystem, then yeah, go for Mint. If he wants to learn, go with Debian! (I am a bit partial, I really like Debian)
 
Yes, I strongly recommend Ubuntu. It is not just for newbies, in my opinion. Ubuntu is stable and has a stable release every 6 months (usually in April and October).

On Ubuntu, you can install other desktop interfaces, or you can use Xubuntu (XFCE Ubuntu) Lubuntu (LXDE Ubuntu), Kubuntu (KDE Ubuntu), and others. That way, you do not have to use Unity. You can still learn a lot about Linux via Ubuntu. Ubuntu also has many types of servers in the repos, so you can easily learn every and any server.
 

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