OpenSUSE or Kubuntu

Hello,
I have a few friends who are running on Linux, OpenSUSE and Kubuntu, and i am wanting to install one of these Operating Systems, as i have a spare partition and wanted to learn a little about using other non-Windows based operating systems, i have also been told also about the efficiency of Linux OS's are better than Windows ones. I have read the threads on using Linux and that you can't use it like windows so i am well aware of that. But my main problem is which to choose, from what i have seen they both appear to be very similar in that they both use a KDE GUI. I am slightly werey of installing OpenSUSE because i have heard from my friends that getting the graphics drivers from my card to work on it is quite difficult to do.

Well really what i am wanting is something that is reasonably easy to use considering i am coming straight from Windows to the OS. I am also wanting something that will be quite simple to install, set up and get going... as i really wouldn't want something installed and either not be able to boot back in windows or not being able to use the OS at all.

Thank you in advance.

 

Both are easy distributions to use and install, but I would go with Kubuntu because OpenSUSE feels slow (boot process, software installation,etc.) and I've had many problems with the package manager.

(One thing that you should note is that Kubuntu doesn't have all the features of Ubuntu)

 

What feature differences are there between the two distributions (Kubuntu / Ubuntu) ? I am aware that Kubuntu uses a KDE user interface rather than the Gnome that Ubuntu uses, and personally Gnome looks and feels too much like a MAC OS to me, which is one thing i don't like. But what other differences are there?

Also what would you say there is more support for between Kubuntu and OpenSUSE? Also what is the package manager?

 

1- The package format used by OpenSUSE is called RPM and the format used by Kubuntu is called DEB.

2- Both have great documentation but the community of Ubuntu/Kubuntu is really big (ubuntuforums.org).

3- The base is the same (Kubuntu vs Ubuntu) and the difference is mainly the desktop environment like you said. It's just that Ubuntu has specific tools and everything is well-organized (while Kubuntu is more, in term of look/menus/features, like other distributions with KDE).

 

So as a beginner user i guess i am best to go with Kubuntu i guess

 

Kubuntu would be a good choice but if you really want to compare Ubuntu and Kubuntu, you should download both and run them from the LiveCD (no installation required).

 

When i install will i automatically get a boot manager between Windows and whichever Linux distribution i choose?

 

Yes, Ubuntu/Kubuntu will install the GRUB bootloader. After the installation, you will be able to boot Windows or Linux.

 

i have looked on the site and it says my wireless card and Graphics card is supported out of the box, will this be true. Or will i boot up and it not work?

 

Where have you looked?

 

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/HardwareSupportComponentsWirelessNetworkCardsIntel

My Wireless card is the Pro/Wireless 3945 ABG

I have then seen somewhere else on the Ubuntu site that the x1600 will work on 3D out of the box, am i not correct? If it only works on 2D i can just go onto the AMD site and download the Driver can't i?