Just bought a couple of games from the deal, and Master of Orion 1+2 was one (two) of them. I have never played any of these games before, but I have played a couple of other 4X games, mostly Civ 4.
My question is wether I should start with the first Master of Orion game or go straight to the second instalment.

Anything else you could advice a Master of Orion noob?

Second one has a lot more options and a better GUI.

I'd say go for Master of Orion 2 from the get go and once you get bored of it play the first one. The first game is good. I've been playing it a lot when I was a kid, but the second game (even if it's a bit different from the first) is still the one everyone should play. I also think Master of Orion 2 is a bit more newbie friendly than the first game. I could be wrong ofcourse, but I found it much easier to play. Besides it's got a nice sound track. =D

How about some newbie tips fort 1 and/or 2? :)

@34Flinching
- There are quite a lot of people who started playing Moo2 and who tried to play Moo1 afterwards, without getting in the game at all. The sequel tells part of the story with better graphics and some catchy elements, so that you (probably) always feel something is missing in the first title.
- OTOH, very few people had problem going from Moo1 -> Moo2 (maybe it's just me, hehe). The first title is not everybody's taste, but if you fall in love, you're lost forever.
So, if you don't want potentially to miss a gem, start with 1, than move to 2.
- If you've played Civ, the second title will be pretty familiar to you. You may find inferior, though.

IF you want to know what's good about the 1, read a review of a guy called J.P.Gray on mobygames [google]. He knows his stuff. Moo1
1) Anybody stepping into Moo1 from a classic Civilization oriented background should start a test game with manual ready. It is necessary to grasp the planet build-up and how does the population / factories / waste mecanism work. Control is simple, mechanics are complex, easy to use, hard to master.
2) After a first few games, read unofficial FAQ [google]. It is excellent guide to the depth of this game.
3) The other necessary part is, to understand the weapon mechanics, how missiles work and what is the difference between other class of weapons (beams, bombs, specials etc...). After that, enjoy the game and discover new things on the way...
4) You need to expand quickly (tech: propulsion) and to get as many planets as possible early! Use scouts to "block" enemy scout and colony ships (they will retreat) from valuable planets - this is a key tactics.
5) Always build Missile Bases on your border systems. The MBs are one of the key elements necessary for the victory in this game. Moo1 is a game about intelligent defense + diplomacy + research, until you get the tech superiority.

EDIT:
This is it. Great review for a greater game.
http://www.mobygames.com/game/dos/master-of-orion/reviews/reviewerId,49896/

Thanks for the tips. Finally started getting into the game :D

MoO 1 is amazing. The 2nd one I played for about 5 minutes and realized I preferred the simplicity the first one offered. which is too bad because the 2nd one looks great.

I think for new people the second game has a far more inviting interface and visual appearance - its just of that era where games look decent and still manage to have appeal today whilst looking stylish rather than dated - the first however has real oldschool graphics.

Also from a playpoint either would be good to start with as each is a full game in its own right - the second has the bonus that the more common and easier graphics interface is easier to navigate and get used to so that makes it feel easier to play for a newer player.

While I haven't played the first one yet, I've been at playing MoO2 for many years. I never had any trouble learning the game - but I also had a friend teaching me. I'm planning to start playing the first sometime soon, but my cursory glances tell me more or less what this forum does: I'll need the manual there and open to start, but once I learn the system it should be pretty straightforward.