Discussion 2: Getting Started with Linux: The fun Begins! Picking a Distribution There are many different distributions (versions) of Linux to download and use for free. This is because Linux is an open source operating system that allows anyone to modify or create new versions of Linux. Sometimes it can be a challenge to find just the right distribution that fits your needs either as a programmer, developer, or everyday user. Later in this discussion I will review some of the distributions that I have used, but for now I will explain the installation process with Ubuntu 14.04 as I did when I installed Linux for the first time. As of the creation of this project, this is the current release of Ubuntu which is a very simple, easy to use, very refined distribution that looks and feels like a mix between Windows 7 and Mac OS. I use this distribution every day because it is a very capable distribution. It is also a great distribution to use for the first time Linux user. In this discussion I hope to guide first time users of Linux through an installation process that I use. This process only works on Windows computers, but is very simple and safe since the distribution will be saved on an external hard drive instead of partitioning the internal hard drive. This may not be the preferred way to some people, but by installing and running a distribution is safer, easier for beginners, portable, and dedicated to just that distribution. Let's get started! Steps for Installing Linux to an External HD (Ubuntu 14.04) - Download a distribution ISO file (32 or 64 bit for your computer) - Download and install Universal USB creator and install - Transfer (convert) files to USB device - Needs to be at least 16 GB since it will be installed on to a USB drive. - Restart computer and boot to USB drive - Finish installation of distribution Downloading a Distribution (Ubuntu 14.04) Downloading a distribution can take a while unless you have lighting fast Internet. Most fully developed graphical interface distributions are around 2 to 4 gigabytes to download. First, I want to clarify that when you get ready to download a distribution, make sure that it is from a reputable site and that the Internet connection is solid and your computer can download continuously until it is finished. Do not download half of the distribution one day then finish downloading another. This could cause problems with the files when you go to install the distribution. Let's begin installing Linux! The first step to installing a distribution would obviously be choosing a distribution. For the purpose of keeping this project simple, I will only show how to install Ubuntu 14.04. However, the process by which you install the distribution applies to almost any other version with a graphical interface. Now that a distribution has been chosen by doing research, reading forums, or watching videos reviewing a distribution, we need to download the Ubuntu 14.04 ISO file. The ISO file, or ISO image, a single file then holds the contents of a CD or DVD in one file. This is where the term 'burning' comes from when you burn an ISO file to a CD or DVD. ISO file can be thought of as a box that contains parts for something to be built. The ISO file will then be opened, assembled, and used after downloading. More about ISO files: http://pcsupport.about.com/od/termsi/g/isofile.html Again, there are many web sites out there that contain Linux ISO files which makes picking and choosing a distribution a little bit of a challenge sometimes. There are a couple of sites that I use most of the time to find distributions. Here are some sites: http://distrowatch.com/dwres.php?resource=major http://www.linux.com/directory/Distributions/popular-distributions http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linux_distribution#Installation-free_distributions_.28Live_CDs.29 Download Universal USB Creator There is also another way to choose and download distributions in one step that I actually prefer most of the time. This way also uses the same software that will be used to open and mount the ISO file to a USB drive or external hard drive. The software we will use is called Universal USB. This will take the ISO image and mount it to a USB drive so that the computer can boot from the USB drive and install the distribution. This software only works on a windows computer, but this should be okay since this project is geared towards beginners. Don’t worry, it’s free! Download: http://www.pendrivelinux.com/universal-usb-installer-easy-as-1-2-3/ Transferring Files to a USB (Universal USB) There are two ways to continue the installation. Either install the distribution directly on to a hard drive, or install to an external If you have not installed the Universal USB creator, please use the link above to download the software. Once this software has been installed to a Windows computer, run the program. This free software is a really simple to use tool that makes unpacking the Linux ISO files to a USB storage device really easy. Once Universal USB is opened, select the distribution from the pull-down menu under step 1. This is where you could also download the distribution directly from here by selecting the link and going directly to a download web site. This is really helpful if you are still trying to find a certain distribution. Next, in step 2, use the ‘browse’ button to find the downloaded distribution ISO file within your computer. Last, in step 3, use the drop down menu to select the USB drive that you want to install Linux to. BE VERY CAREFUL! Do not select the internal drive of your computer. This could wipe your entire hard drive. If you do not know which drive is the internal drive (usually C: drive) stop and find out which is which. To do this, go to start