Which Distro?

#1 While you will likely get tons of responses (this is a dangerous question) My reccomendation, assuming you are a linux newb, would be Libranet.

#2 Instead of everyone repeating themselves again, here's a thread on the topic with 97 posts. It has the opinions of both skilled and novice Linux users. Here's another thread.

While Linux is very modular and nearly infinitely customizable, some distros will focus on a specific target, to be that niche in the industry. Which Linux distro to use is a very personal question. While many people will have the same answers, they may have different reasons.

As for support with wireless cards...while every Linux distro has a different default kernel, they all provide the kernel source code. With that you can configure your kernel to fit your hardware *exactly* and compile it just for you. Nobody in the world will have the exact same kernel as you.

#3 Thanks Unsung and Jeffrey, I will look at Libranet as well as those threads

#4 I'd suggest Ubuntu, its very easy to configure.

#5 I don't know about those other dists but...

Mandrake 9.2 download edition [3 cds] compiles torque 1.3.0 without any problems.

With the 3 cds all you need to do is.... ( you need to download some stuff like mesa 6.2, nvidia drivers )

########################################
install mandy92

install nasm from mandy 9.2 3 cd set ( as root run rpmdrake - alphabetically list all packages )
install libsdl-devel from mandy 9.2 3 cd set ( as root run rpmdrake - alphabetically list all packages )

install nvidia drivers ( I only use nvidia cards in ALL my systems so if you have ati you should ask dreamer? )

dl mesa 6.3
extract go to it's dir
make linux-x86-static
it will crash after making the library we need...
in the mesa6.3 dir under /lib there are 3 files copy these over to /usr/lib

go to torque dir and...
make -f mk/configure.mk OS=LINUX COMPILER=GCC3 BUILD=DEBUG

then
make


cd example

./t*G.bin

sound is working - torque is working at 1600x1200x32


and you'll see a bunch of warnings but it still works...

to get to the racer... do

./t*G.bin -game starter.racing

// to run the demo...
./t*G.bin -game demo


add dreamer's fix for "out of bin" errors:

the "Isn't properly out of the bins!" error has nothing to do with your compilation, it's a particle effect problem.
I've posted the fix numerous times before but here it is again...

Fix To Annoying Console Message
Files modified...
~/Torque/engine/game/fx/explosion.cc

Found:
if (mDataBlock->particleEmitter) {
ParticleEmitter* emitter = new ParticleEmitter;
emitter->setDataBlock(mDataBlock->particleEmitter);
emitter->registerObject();
emitter->emitParticles(getPosition(), mInitialNormal, mDataBlock->particleRadiu
s,Point3F(0, 0, 0), U32(mDataBlock->particleDensity * mFade));
}

Replaced with:
if (mDataBlock->particleEmitter) {
ParticleEmitter* emitter = new ParticleEmitter;
emitter->setDataBlock(mDataBlock->particleEmitter);
// sr: Adding the if else block and the deleteWhenEmpty, since this emitter isn
't properly
// cleand up in onRemove
if (emitter->registerObject()) {
emitter->emitParticles(getPosition(), mInitialNormal, mDataBlock->particleRa
dius,Point3F(0, 0, 0), U32(mDataBlock->particleDensity * mFade));
emitter->deleteWhenEmpty();
} else {
Con::warnf( ConsoleLogEntry::General, "Could not register emitter for partic
le of class: %s", mDataBlock->getName() );
}
}
END FIX


you'll still get out of bin errors but there will be less.

### to clean out compiled scripts everywhere [aka .dso ] ...
find ~/ -iname "*.dso" -exec rm -vf {} \;


############### to get newer code than 130

cvs -z3 -d :pserver:UR-USERNAME@cvs.garagegames.com:/cvs/torque login
### enter your password from gg login
### press enter

### 131 didn't work unless you combine the 130 and 131 dirs... I think
cvs -z3 -d :pserver:UR-USERNAME@cvs.garagegames.com:/cvs/torque checkout -r Release_1_3_1 torque

### get latest HEAD code- i think this is right but it's a secret... shhh...

cvs -z3 -d :pserver:UR-USERNAME@cvs.garagegames.com:/cvs/torque checkout -r HEAD torque

#6 I remember Slackware on 60 floppies. :)

#7 @Randy: Thank god for network installs.

#8 I think Ubuntu's Easier.

Order Free CD
Wait
Open Package
Start PC with CD in drive
Press Enter to boot from CD
Next
Next
Next
Partitions
Root Password
Reset
Lunix!

Alot of the software is plug-and-paly, so you won't need to recompile the Kernal ever.
It has a windows-user friendly interface, but still has command modes for people who prefer it that way.
The 64-bit version has a few bugs, but it's mostly smooth. It's great for artists who want to compile Torque under Linux, but advance users may find it a bit simplistic.

#9 Mac OSX ;)

#10 When MacOSX come out for PC....
So far Ubunto seems most atrrcative...,

#11 When MacOSX come out for PC....
So far Ubunto seems most atrrcative...,
Gentoo look pretty good too.

#12 Gentoo's okay, I havent had much experience with it though. I'll check it out, I have an old disc of it somewhere...

#13 Don't even try Gentoo unless you already have a really firm grasp on Linux.
I'm a heavy Gentoo user and let me tell you this much.
When it comes to maintainance and package installs, there is no distro easier than Gentoo.
Conversly though, when it comes to initial setup and install there is no distro harder than Gentoo.
Suse is by far and away the easiest to setup.
Stick disk in drive, go watch a movie, or drink a beer, done!

That said no flavor of TGE compiles under SuSE at the moment without heavy patching, and so far we as a community can't even figure out how to get 1.4 to compile at all.

However if TGE will compile under Ubuntu (don't know haven't tried), that would probably be your best bet.
Might even want to look at Kubuntu (it's Unbuntu but, KDE based, KDE IMHO is a much better Window Manager than Gnome, at least for someone coming from Windoze.).

#14 I used to have one of those SGI Indy's. Blue with the camera on the monitor.... after you drive the real thing it's hard
for me to run it on a pc. Even though a modern PC would blow the doors off it. It was all glittery. Sorry UNIX flashback.

#15 Dreamer, is Mandrake/Mandriva a sensible alternative to SuSe for a beginner? It's just that I've seen a number of user reviews of the latter, and many said that it was sluggish on systems with 512 Mb RAM or less.

#16 Mandriva is great for beginners, buy the Limited Edition CD, installs all the drivers ya need. Video, Audio, Etc. With full support.

#17 I'm actually downloading the 2005 Limited Edition CD ISOs from one of the official mirrors. :)

#18 Mmm gentoo
Gotta love the 3 day setup :)

Compile kernel
D/l Compile x-free, go to bed.
Wake up, chek out the 50% status, go to work.
Come home, wait a few hours, d/l and compile kde, go to bed
go to work...... It may be done now! lol

Now after this you can use your comp while its compiling other programs.

#19 Well, I ordered the Ubuntu CD, when it gets here, I will take a look :).

#20 @Wysardry,

I doubt any mandrake/mandriva greater than version 9.2 will just straight out compile 1.3