[Defy General] skeevydude:
That's the best thing I ever did. I hated XP, wish it was more like Win2k -- I'd gladly pay for Win8 if it had a 2kPro interface. Win2k was awesome, and the only Windows OS I'll give praise to.

I recommend starting out with Ubuntu or Mint (Mint based on Ubuntu, not Debian). There's better support for Ubuntu and distros based on Ubuntu. After about 4-6 months, once you start learning apt, the command line (bash), and some Linux basics; switch to Pure Debian or Mint Debian -- much better than Ubuntu, but not as user friendly (or AptoSid\Sidux -- they're based on Debian Unstable (Sid) -- which is actually pretty stable, ya just gotta be able to fix it if it breaks). I've found that the easiest way to learn it is to just do it. Reading up on it only goes so far without putting it to practice.

After a year or so, try out Gentoo\Funtoo and you'll learn a lot about Linux -- but those distros are not for the faint hearted and require time and dedication to get a GOOD working environment. Once you have it how you like it, it WILL be the fastest desktop you can use with the fastest compile time -- well, WILL should be shall or can. I'm about to turn my old compile PC into a generic x64 Funtoo box (one of my 64's is AMD, the other Intel). A generic build will allow me to use the same base system on both PC's and allow me to rebuild them to they're specific architecture after its all set up. It took me 3 tries to get a good Gentoo box running -- miss one step in that install guide and you can be up that creek. :eek:

11 years on Linux now, 9 years with only maybe 25 boots into Windows -- past 10-15 were to flash an sbf and to reboot back to Linux -- so glad I stumbled across the sbf_flash Linux tool. Last time I booted Windows was after installing Win7 and its drivers....seriously, all I've done is installed it and the drivers and haven't booted it up since. I've used Red Had, Fedora, Ubuntu, Arch, Mint, Debian, Suse, Mandrake, Gentoo, Funtoo, Sabiyon, Aptosid, Sidux -- after using all of them, I find that I prefer Debian\based systems (not Ubuntu\based systems -- I actually don't like Ubuntu, well, since 0910 -- it was a good distro up until then imho). And I like Funtoo for the source based distros -- I've messed around with other source based ones (Sorcerer, Arch) and like Futnoo over Gentoo and the rest in the end.

//You might already know enough Linux, I'm just posting what I think is the easiest way to start using and, therefore, leaning Linux.

///I'm also surprised that there isn't an XDA based Linux distro -- designed by XDA members to make it easier to get into Linux\rom hacking

rom compiling with all the tools we all need an apt-get away.

EDIT

I've been meaning to ask, Do any of you programmers have any good books to recommend? I'm finding myself of the border of power user and programmer and need to start learning some code skills to cross over. I'd like to learn something C, Python3, and Java; but there are a ton of books on them and I'd like a recommendation from someone HERE who knows a bit of programming and what they'd use to learn nowadays. I'm sure I'm not the only one with that question either. Something C and Java for Android, Python3 for Linux (maybe Android if that project has gained some ground). Thanks.

/Bolded that so it sticks out.