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jcoley2
2011-12-30, 19:16
My 15 year old is getting very interesting in programming. Bought him a OS 5 book for Christmas and he learned Java and Python this last summer.

Now he wants a Linux desktop to play around. I am looking for a recommendation for something not too expensive. I was hunting around on Dell and seems like everything is preloaded with the Darth Vader OS i.e., Windows 7).

Any recommendations?

torifile
2011-12-30, 19:36
You know an OS X computer is a full fledged UNIX computer, right? If he wants to learn programming you might not need anything other than what you've already got.

jcoley2
2011-12-30, 19:38
You know an OS X computer is a full fledged UNIX computer, right? If he wants to learn programming you might not need anything other than what you've already got.

Yes I was aware of that. I think he wants a dedicated Linux computer to goof around on. I do not want to spend a lot of money.

He took an old Windows server I had that I purchased from Dell like 5-6 years ago and trying to load Ubuntu Linux OS on it but it just is not working.

PB PM
2011-12-30, 19:51
Get the kid a Linux Netbook, they are cheap enough.

jcoley2
2011-12-30, 20:03
Get the kid a Linux Netbook, they are cheap enough.

Ok do you have a recommendation?

Something like this?

http://www.linux-netbook.com/acer-aspire-one

Noel
2011-12-30, 22:36
Another option would be to install Parallels or VMware Fusion on a Mac (or other virtualization software) and let him create as many Linux VMs (for as many distros) as he wants to. Cheaper than a new computer, to be sure.

PB PM
2011-12-30, 22:49
Ok do you have a recommendation?

Something like this?

http://www.linux-netbook.com/acer-aspire-one
That should be good enough. Linux OS's don't tend to push systems like that too much. The newer models have better specs regardless. You shouldn't need to spend more than $350 to get something good enough.

Brad
2011-12-30, 23:02
Another option would be to install Parallels or VMware Fusion on a Mac (or other virtualization software) and let him create as many Linux VMs (for as many distros) as he wants to. Cheaper than a new computer, to be sure.
Or the free rough equivalent VirtualBox (https://www.virtualbox.org/).

I use VirtualBox on my home desktop for occasionally firing up Ubuntu. VirtualBox has far more limited graphics support than the commercial competitors, but it's plenty good enough for bumming around in the CLI as a programmer.

jcoley2
2012-01-01, 13:15
Another option would be to install Parallels or VMware Fusion on a Mac (or other virtualization software) and let him create as many Linux VMs (for as many distros) as he wants to. Cheaper than a new computer, to be sure.

Thanks all. We ended up downloading Parallels 7 and loading up Ubuntu on his three year MBP and it seems to running fine.