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click "Get it"
1) Select Installation
Medium (DVD, Live on CD or Network) *
Type of Computer (usually 32 bit) ** be sure to check 64 bit if you need it
Download Method (Direct Link/BitTorrent/Metalink/Pick
Mirror)
* Choose Installation Media (DVD or LiveCD) I usually choose DVD...if you don't have a DVD burner and only a CD burner then choose LiveCD--it just comes with a smaller installation to start with and you can install other programs via the internet once the basic install is there.
** Type of Computer (for 32 bit processor systems (hint: usually less than 4GB memory (RAM)) choose the 32 Bit PC; for 64 Bit (4 GB or greater systems usually indicate 64 Bit processors) choose 64 Bit PC
*** Download Method: Direct Link aka Standard (Http or ftp)...usually standard although it can takes longer (especially if it is a recent release & everyone is downloading at the same time)--in this case, you probably want one of the other choices.
2) Start Download here: click to start the download
3) After the ISO image downloads, you will need to burn the image onto your media (DVD or CD)...you need to have software to do this. (I believe Windows Vista® and/or Windows 7® have built-in software to burn ISO's; Roxio® and Nero® will open to burn the image if you have these programs installed), If you don't have the above versions and need a free ISO burner, check out the downloads tab on CNET.com and type in Free ISO burner...check out the reviews from both the Editor's rating and the User ratings...also, check out the total downloads (higher the better). Linux has a GREAT program for this--K3B. Be sure to burn an ISO image NOT a Data DVD/CD).
4) If you need further help, instructions can be found at the bottom of the openSUSE download page. Follow this link:
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Ubuntu or Kubuntu: (Ubuntu is the Gnome desktop look and Kubuntu is the KDE desktop--look is closest to Windows®) My husband and I prefer the Kubuntu desktop, so we will provide the install for Kubuntu--you can install Kubuntu and include Gnome Desktop Manager and software or you can go to Ubuntu and download and install KDE from there as well)
Kubuntu: (current version is 13.04) Go to:
Click "Get Kubuntu"
1) Choose the method of download - Download Now (burning an ISO image as above), Buy on CD/DVD (this will cost and really isn't necessary UNLESS you don't have a CD/DVD burner in your computer (most newer systems have one), Request a Free CD (this will ship from Shipit through Canonical--it can take up to 6 weeks). Quickest method is to Download Now.
2) Choose Release (I usually choose the newest, but you may want to choose one distribution behind as it may be
more stable)--New option includes a Netbook version.
3) Choose type of computer: Standard (32 bit systems) or 64-bit AMD® or Intel®
4) Choose a location to download (if in the United States, I usually choose a download site closest to my location)
5) Click Start Download
(new option is the alternate CD with a text-based installer)--not
recommended for newbies unless you are comfortable without graphical install (I'm not after 7-8 years w/Linux)
6) There are links for BitTorrent and Wubi (Windows) installs as well (Wubi allows you to install Kubuntu from within Windows to give you a trial of linux inside a windows environment)
MD5 sums (these can be checked to see if your download was good)
7) As with OpenSUSE, there is help on the page if you have trouble downloading/installing Kubuntu.
As I have installed both of these Linux versions multiple times in my home, I would be glad to offer help by e-mail if you feel overwhelmed by the process. It is just slightly more complicated than installing a Windows OS®...the install and configuration takes a little bit more time than in the windows® environment; but, My husband and I and thousands more feel it is worth it. My husband's system has only locked up a few times in years and is as rock solid as the windows® machines in our home.
Red Hat Fedora®:
While I have been using SUSE® and openSUSE® for my Linux flavor, I have become interested in the Linux version I started with over ten years ago. That distribution is Red Hat®. The non-enterprise version is Fedora® through the Fedoraproject.org.
The link for their current version (Fedora 19 Desktop Version®) is here:
Download and Enjoy the beauty of FREE Operating Systems!