which version of linux would be best for running pd? I find it runs like shite on os x and am thinking of switcing.

al3esx

demudi 1.2, nice installation, all is intsalled.

Interesting.
I visited http://www.agnula.org/ for more info and I see that there are a few applications that come bundled, but pd is not one of them. What is the learning curve like for this OS. I have never used linux before so I'm expecting to be a little bit lost until I adapt to it. Apart from pure data I have absolutely no experience programing.

!Yo!!
Don't worry about the programing. I've test a lot of Live Cd, an intsllation of Mandrake 10 and a standard debian installation (with a geek of course!!)
I assure you. This one is THE One !
When you download the iso file :http://www.agnula.org/download/demudi
burn and boot from it. It takes not so much time to install. and when you know how it is (after just 2 or 3 installation), you click Yes, Yes, Yes, and it's very quick.

For pd, don't worry. It's on the synsthesis package. Pd 0.37. If you choose all sound packages in the installation (a windows with some choices), it's installed.

After on Linux, it's another story

is there a desktop gui that installs from the cd or do I have to set up a internet connection to download it? I will deffinetly get into using the terminal but I want to ease into it.

I just installed PD 0.38.2 on Ubuntu linux, since I'm new to PD I didn't test things like latency but the sound worked.

Ubuntu is quite easy to install, here is what I did:

0. download "ubuntu hoary preview" iso image from www.ubuntu.com and burn it on CD-ROM

1.install ubuntu (follow the on screen instructions)

2.use the ubuntu update tool to update your ubuntu system

3. download puredata from http://packages.debian.org/unstable/sound/puredata for your processor architecture

4. go to the directory where you downloaded the file and type:

dpkg -i puredata_0.38.2+amidi-3_i386.deb (for i386... change for other architectures)

5.in the ubuntu main menu go to "preferences" > "sound" and uncheck the "enable soundserver at startup" checkbox

6. open a terminal and type pd

This works for me... it might work for you (try it!) Please note you should always be carefull before you install a new operating system (like ubuntu) make sure you have proper backups of the important files on your system!

Lech

PS: There also is a PD package in the ubuntu universe (0.37) which can be installed thru the synaptic packetmanager, but it doesn't work for me(exits with segmentation fault)...

ok I itry it, but ...
How connect in root
the command "sudo passwd root" seems to not work to precize a password for root. (view in the documentation online)

so I can't dpkg, I can"t shutdown .SO NICE !