I need to learn using about any Linux distro, i will install it in VirtualBox, but i dont know which is the best for a Macbook pro. Is Ubuntu good for a laptop? cause i heard its better on a desktop, and Opensuse is better for laptop because it has more control on wifi and other things...
which Linux distro works fine on mac?
MacBook Pro, OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.2)
Well first off DO NOT direct install Linux on a Mac unless your geek skills are of a college level computer graduate as it will seriously mess up a Mac.
You can run whatever distro fancies you in VirtualBox.
Scroll down on this page on the bottom right is basically a scorecard based upon hits
Linux Mint has (ever since Shuttleworth went bonkers with Unity in Ubuntu) has been the overall favorite Linux geeks distro of choice and the choice of newbies as well due to it's complete and effortless installation.
There are slight desktop differences for Linux Mint, but that's what a lot of Linux geeks like is choice, which they lost when Unity came along and issues with Gnome 3.
All I can say is try out as many distro's as your boot drive has space and settle on one that has the most software and options and things you like about it.
There are hundreds of distro's some with their own software, some tailored for particular fields or interests.
Just be careful visting Linux websites and registering and asking stupid newbie questions, your likely to get your Linux VM pwned by someone for kicks. 😉
But VM's are usually safe, you just revert to a earlier snapshot. 🙂
It does not matter which distro you install in a virtual machine since it will be using virtual hardware not your computer's actual hardware. I like Ubuntu. It is kept current and is actively supported.
+1 for Ubuntu
I suggest using Parallels instead. VirtualBox seems to have fallen behind Parallels and VMWare. You can get Parallels 7 for $10 (with rebate) from NewEgg right now. I have heard that Parallels 8 isn't quite as stable, but I haven't tried it. I do know that Parallels 7 runs great and has one-click downloads for Chrome, Fedora, and Ubuntu.
True story: I was at a GIS workshop and the people running the workshop were having trouble getting their software running on their (native) Linux machine. While I was waiting, I used Parallels 7 to download and install Ubuntu (the university had a fast connection) and the GIS software. I was up and running before they were.
Now for an even harder question - why Linux? Aside from some funky window managers, any software that runs on Linux will run on OS X. If you need a package manager, I have heard good reports about Homebrew.
etresoft wrote:
I suggest using Parallels instead. VirtualBox seems to have fallen behind Parallels and VMWare. You can get Parallels 7 for $10 (with rebate) from NewEgg right now. I have heard that Parallels 8 isn't quite as stable, but I haven't tried it. I do know that Parallels 7 runs great and has one-click downloads for Chrome, Fedora, and Ubuntu.
True story: I was at a GIS workshop and the people running the workshop were having trouble getting their software running on their (native) Linux machine. While I was waiting, I used Parallels 7 to download and install Ubuntu (the university had a fast connection) and the GIS software. I was up and running before they were.
Now for an even harder question - why Linux? Aside from some funky window managers, any software that runs on Linux will run on OS X. If you need a package manager, I have heard good reports about Homebrew.
I use Parallels 7 as I don't want to pay for an upgrade that is half finished.
The Trial for parallels 8 is good but as I said not quite finished, download the trial if you want to try it.
Tayel,
Tho if virtualbox works for you don't fix it if it ain't broke, im sure you are already familiar with the software also
BobTheFisherman wrote:
I like Ubuntu. It is kept current and is actively supported.
It's a toss between Ubuntu and Mint, both use the same Debian based repositories for software, both are Ubuntu based and equally supported.
Both install LibreOffice suit and other standard software.
The differences are in the desktops:
Mint has a choice of Cinnamon or MATE desktops, Ubuntu has Unity which is more like a touchscreen UI.
With Mint it does a lot of initial installs for the newbie in mind, this may include proprietary software like Flash and Java.
The attention paid to a complete and easy install is remarkable, nearly Mac like simplicity.
With Ubuntu they have a tradition of no proprietary nothing, people who ask get ripped on for wanting to install Flash.
So Mint is easier to install and less political
ds store wrote:
It's a toss between Ubuntu and Mint, both use the same Debian based repositories for software, both are Ubuntu based and equally supported.
He is using a VM, why not install both 🙂
etresoft wrote:
...VirtualBox seems to have fallen behind Parallels and VMWare.
Problem with Parallels and Fusion is they keep begging for more money again and again, are just as bad as Apple with all their stupid OS changes and expect one to keep up whenever they want to loot one's wallet, also their hacks are deep into OS X.
We get users here with kernel panics, and gray screens from the at boot kernel extension files they use.
VirtualBox is just a program, it's free and does the job. It's a hair less feature rich, but it won't cause one's machine not to boot.
sidonsoft wrote:
He is using a VM, why not install both 🙂
Why not install the best Linux Mint for newbies first for assured success?
Then they learn all about Ubuntu's drawbacks next. 😁
ds store wrote:
Problem with Parallels and Fusion is they keep begging for more money again and again, are just as bad as Apple with all their stupid OS changes and expect one to keep up whenever they want to loot one's wallet, also their hacks are deep into OS X.
We get users here with kernel panics, and gray screens from the at boot kernel extension files they use.
VirtualBox is just a program
If you are such an expert on VirtualBox, why don't you see the kernel extensions that it uses just like Parallels and VMWare?
it's free and does the job. It's a hair less feature rich, but it won't cause one's machine not to boot.
Neither Parallels nor VMWare will cause one's machine not to boot either. Neither are free but both are dirt cheap. VirtualBox will do the job. I am just repeating what ArsTechnica said about it:
VirtualBox is free, which is great, and it has made some tentative strides forward in the last few years—the addition of OS X guests is a plus, and the rudimentary 3D support is nice to have if your apps can use it without crashing. If you need virtualization for serious work, though, the commercial products will quickly earn their keep.
I have Linux Mint 15 on my 24" iMac and it runs great. I use Refit to boot it. PCLinuxOS 2013 runs great on it too! If you are new to Linux. I suggest either one! Good luck!
Well, now with refit (do not want to mess up with refind) I have a triple boot (mountain lion, win7 and xubuntu 13.10, each OS on a dedicated partition). And in a external HD I have mavericks and ubuntustudio (so when this HD is conected to the usb ports) I can choose between 5 OSs. No virtual machines needed. If you want the easy path, install windows via bootcamp and then ubuntu 12.04 via WUBI inside windows.
First off, I have recently installed linux (Ubuntu 13.1) directly on a late 2013 mbp retina with no problems so it is doable but I would not recommend 'learning' Linux in this manner as it requires modification of both mac software components as well as linux components. However, once you are more accustomed to linux it is a relatively simple procedure for someone with intermediate linux skills and an online tutorial.
I would recommend either going with VMWare or VirtualBox, running Ubuntu and Fedora in Parallels has caused a number of graphical issues that I do not have with VMWare or VBox. VBox is free and great but I find it doesn't have as high of performance as VMWare does but it's free and performance is rarely a concern. Also, Ubuntu is a great place to start, as is Mint. Ubuntu has a better forum and there is more help available for Ubuntu than Mint in my opinion but in general what applies to one linux distro of the same type can be applied to another (both are debian based) with no or slight modification. If you are trying to get familiar with linux as a whole, start with Ubuntu or Mint then I would start playing with Fedora or Red Hat Enterprise Linux.
I think you will find learning Linux is not very difficult except for certain distros.
Which Linux distro is the best on a Macbook pro?
