I recently received a copy of Mandrake 10.0 official download. It was the best version of linux I have used (SuSe 7.0, Redhat 8.0, Free-BSD). Works well with most PC's and laptops. I am in the progress of setting a wireless laptop with air snort to test my wirless security.

If you are interested you can go to

http://www.mandrakelinux.com/en/features.php3

I suggest downloading the free version. You will need a boot image, CD image or floppy image to make the CD boot.

 

If you're a n00b to the nix world then Mandrake or Redhat would be the place to start off at. Mandrake has to be one of the most easiest distros to install. Plus it has pretty good hardware support, so you shouldn't run into any problems.

 

fwiw, my 15 year old installed it (including repartitioning and setting up a dual-boot environment) with no outside help - just a curiosity to know what *nix is all about.

He loves it!

 

I like Redhat ... but getting all my accessories to work with it has been a challenge (vid, music progs, etc)

 

Still a total Noob on Linux.....need more time and a spare comp to mess around with Redhat, Suse or Mandrake.

 

I've been using Linux almost exclusively (at least for anything other than games) for about 3 years now. Mandrake 10.0 has to be the easiest to install and use for non-geeks that I've run across yet.

 

Don't really need an extra computer ... just an extra harddrive ... partioned to boot either windows or Linux.

 

Greetings,
If you have a Wireless Palm device, you can check your network and wireless settings with that. There is some cool software available if you like.

Most Linux Distro's are very similar if using th command line. If you install a GUI, you might as well use winders, well not really, but maybe. Also if you would like to use Air Snort on a Laptop, you can by a wirless card that you can install a antenna on instead of using a pringles can. ORINOCO makes them and they work great with Linux and you can by an antenna really cheap.

MV