Back in my university days, when Netscape was the latest web browser on the scene and the Pentium MMX was the power user’s processor of choice, UNIX was part of my everyday life. Since graduating, my chosen desktop operating system has been Windows of some variety. This is partly because it was the most readily available consumer desktop operating system and also because it served me well for the most part.
As with most other Windows users I know, I’ve experienced my share of frustrations, lost data and the expense of buying software licences.
With the recent release of Windows Vista, there’s been a big push to get existing Windows users to upgrade although looking at the Vista hardware requirements I’d need to upgrade more than just my operating system. By many accounts, Vista is resource hungry and would require more processing power than my computer hardware can offer.
That doesn’t mean I’m in a bad position because I’m ’stuck’ with Windows XP. I can do everything that I want to with my current set-up so there’s nothing to encourage me to upgrade to Vista. I can continue to build websites, develop software, surf the web, use email, create PDF documents, edit graphics, carry out SEO, in fact everything that I need to run a web design business whilst developing online income streams.
As someone who loves to dabble with gadgets and new technology, I once tried to install SUSE Linux onto a spare PC, but encountered problems early on with drivers for an ethernet card. This put me off Linux for a while, but recently I chanced upon Ubuntu and I must say I’m very impressed with how different the whole experience has been.
If the thought of Linux brings about images of command lines interfaces, having to compile software before you can use it and geeky nerds then you might be surprised to learn that all of those things are still there, but today’s Linux is also graphically driven and very user-friendly.
Unlike Windows Vista, you can take Ubuntu for a trial run by booting your computer with a Live CD. This allows you to run Ubuntu directly from the CD with no need for any installation. Not only do you get to find out how Ubuntu performs with your computer hardware, but you also get to test drive the operating system as if it were installed.
Contrast that with a recent account I heard of someone attempting to upgrade from XP to Vista and after several wasted hours they were left with an unbootable system. Cue a complete reinstall of Windows XP.
If you decide to take the plunge and actually install Ubuntu, if you find you can’t drag yourself away from Windows completely then dual-booting is an easy option and you can simply choose whether to boot into Ubuntu or Windows each time you start your computer.
What about applications?
An operating system alone isn’t going to get very much done and when it comes to Linux there are thousands of software titles to choose from. Some will be already be familiar with Windows versions already in the mainstream such as Firefox, GIMP, Open Office and then there are the Linux-only applications too.
Installing new application software couldn’t be easier. No longer do you need to visit a website to download installation files. Almost all of your software needs can be fulfilled by the built-in application installer. Just search for the functionality you want, choose the applications you want to install and you’re ready to go within a few minutes.
The screenshots below are actually from my Kubuntu installation. The Gnome desktop that comes with Ubuntu was fine, but the KDE desktop was more tempting to me and so easy to install onto Ubuntu. Okay, there was some command line involved, but when was the last time you installed a replacement desktop under Windows?
Upgrading software is also a very user-friendly process with the built-in Update Manager. Unlike Windows Update, Ubuntu’s Update Manager maintains all of your installed software and not just the operating system. This feature alone can save you a huge amount of time as you’ll no longer need to maintain each individual piece of software separately.
Hardware compatibility
Ubuntu had absolutely no trouble in recognising and installing the appropriate drivers for almost all of my computer hardware. The only issue it had was with the wide screen monitor I was using, but with a quick search I found a forum thread that provided the solution (Setting 1440 x 900 resolution for Samsung SyncMaster 940BW on Ubuntu). Admittedly, the workaround I had to apply wouldn’t be the most intuitive for the typical Windows user.
Getting online was a cinch. Not only did I connect to my secured wireless network successfully with the first attempt, but Ubuntu also recognised my Palm TX PDA!
When it comes to system resources, Ubuntu runs very lean. Whereas you’re going to need at least 1GB of RAM to get any decent mileage from Vista, Ubuntu will run quite happily with less than half of that. Go with Xubuntu and you’ll only need 256MB for a fully-functional installation.
Ubuntu as your primary operating system
There are still a number of Windows-based applications that I rely on, but with some determination I’m confident I could adapt to a Linux-only life. Should Windows XP no longer be a viable platform then I will definitely consider abandoning the Microsoft ship.
If you’re interested in seeing whether or not you could survive with Linux then I’d suggest trying the Live CD or setting up a dual booting system.
Even if you’re a die-hard Windows user, one way in which Ubuntu could benefit you is to resurrect any obsolete computer hardware you might have. Got an old Windows 98 laptop that you can’t use any more because the battery is spent before the OS finishes starting up? Xubuntu might just transform your old hardware into a useful piece of equipment again.
I’ve only scratched the surface of life with Linux, but all I can say is “watch out, Windows!”
With Ubuntu, Linux is becoming the safer, more user-friendly and pocket-friendly operating system of choice for today’s and yesterday’s computers.
Technorati Tags: Microsoft, Windows, Vista, Ubuntu, Kubuntu, Xubuntu, KDE, Gnome, UNIX, Linux
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60 Responses to “Ubuntu: Who Needs Vista?”
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What Windows applications can’t you live without? Depending on the DLL’s required, Wine (http://www.winehq.com) running in Ubuntu takes care of some of that, and their compatibility and application support just keeps getting better.
Check out my gallery for a screengrab of Photoshop 7 running Wine:
http://www.jasonchiu.ca/v/Linux
It’s interesting you should say that as UltraEdit is just one example of a Windows application I couldn’t live without and I’ve just noticed someone posting on the UltraEdit forums about using it with Wine.
I’ve not investigated Wine yet, but it seems like I should!
Thanks for the tip
Linux as a few killer-apps, and the Text Editors are no exception.
You should probably check out Geany (my personal favourite) SciTe (also available in Windows) and a few others, some specific to the Desktop Environments one uses (gedit and Kate, for example), and that’s not to enter into Vi or Emacs territory.
Even so, for those Windows apps one really, really needs, you should check out Virtualbox. I was able to install Windows virtually with Virtualbox in as meagre a hardware as a Pentium III 800MHz with 512MB of RAM, and I could hardly notice any difference in speed, it’s really incredible, because other virtualization solutions can be hard on your hardware (pun intended).
I run a very stripped down version of XP (nLite is a wonderful Windows application), just for InDesign, QuarkXpress Passport and Adobe Acrobat Professional, all tools I need professionally. Transition between Windows and Linux is seamless that way, so you get the very best of both worlds without compromising anything.
So, who needs Vista, really? I keep a partition, also with a stripped down version of XP just for a few games (and that’s while VMWare or Virtualbox still can’t enable 3D acceleration, which is one of VMWare’s future goals), a guilty pleasure I indulge myself with from time to time, but I can imagine someone who no need whatsoever for games to have everything in Linux that they once had in Windows, and then some.
Take a look at Amarok, Grip (which replaced Exact Audio Copy for CD ripping in my Linux system), try Liferea, Claws-Mail (Evolution in GNOME or Kontact in KDE), go stargazing with Stellarium, burn CD’s and DVD’s with glorious K3b (Gnomebaker or Brasero in GNOME)… I could go on and on and on.
It’s a Brave New World, congratulations on your endeavour
Ricardo,
Thanks for all of those suggestions. It’s going to take me a little while to work through them!
I know many Linux users already think that the OS is already a viable alternative to Windows, but without the right exposure the typical Windows user can’t get a taste of what Linux is really like. It’s that fear of the unknown that I’ve been working on this weekend. Not only have I blogged this post, but I’ve also demonstrated Ubuntu to a couple of people (one has influence with computers in a school environment and could be happier) and convinced my brother (who had the unfortunate experience with the Vista upgrade) to check it out too.
Slowly, but surely…
Hey, congrats on taking the plunge. I was in your shoes a few months ago and I couldn’t be happier. I just ‘upgraded’ (and I say that with all the sarcasm I can muster) to Vista and although there are some things that I like about it, I can’t help but think I’ve been enjoying all of those things and more with my Ubuntu install for a while now. Linux is really coming of age and I think we’re going to find that it’s only going to get better and better.
Since you’re a KDE user I can’t really recommend any applications to check out as others have done, but I will say that if you haven’t checked out Beryl or Compiz yet, they’re definately worth a look. The cube desktop is more than just a gimmick, I find that it really increases my productivity, and a lot of the effects just make using the computer a real pleasure. If you’re running Edgy I would recommend making the upgrade to Feisty Fawn as it makes configuration of the accelerated desktop a whole lot easier. It also adds a few other nice additions such as automatic install of plugins like flash and codecs for playing MP3’s, DVD’s and the like.
Good luck with your endeavor and thanks for doing your part to spread the word. The more people that switch, the better it will get
Nice article, Will!
I’m always glad to hear about another person having success with Linux. Modern distributions certainly make Linux a lot easier than it used to be even a few years ago.
One note on the Live CD - performance will be worse than a hard disk installation of Ubuntu, since hard drives are faster than CD drives. It’s worth bearing that in mind if you’re trying it out for the first time, and certain things (especially booting, opening menus, launching programs) seem slow.
I agI agree that Vista doesnt seems useful compared to the already fine XP. But I fail to see any
need for LINUX either, considering 99% of all free open softwares (including those
mentionned on the earlier messages) are all available for Windows too. My last real crash
problem with Windows happened I think even before the XP era. So I just don’t see what
Linux can offer that I don’t already have …ree that Vista doesnt seems useful compared to the already fine XP. But I fail to see any need for LINUX either, considering 99% of all free open softwares (including those mentionned on the earlier messages) are all available for Windows too. My last real crash problem with Windows happened I think even before the XP era. So I just don’t see what Linux can offer that I don’t already have …
I don’t care–there is nothing wrong with my Windows 2000 Pro.
Steve,
Its not that you need Linux, its that you don’t need windows. And for most people I know, keeping a stable Windows OS running requires a bit of know-how about Viruses, Ad-ware, Spy-ware and the works. The average user running windows is a nightmare, as the system slowly bloats up with installed software, and in about a year every software application they’ve installed is trying to pre-cache itself at startup. I put Ubuntu on my families home computer after getting sick of having to fix it all the time , and they love it because they don’t depend on me to fix their computer every few months. Windows doesn’t own 95% of the OS market because Windows is that much better, but rather because Microsoft is a great at doing business in my opinion. In the hands of a skilled user, Windows works great, but Linux works even better in my opinion because it’s incredibly more configurable and customizable than Windows could ever be. You have complete control of the OS. In Linux, I am a benevolent dictator over the kingdom of my system, while in windows I am a member of Congress. Sure you don’t need it, but who wants to be a Congressman?
Ubuntu is really grate on the condition that one has internet working. I installed ubuntu very easly, but I could not install my broadband modem. And that was it as far as usability of ubuntu(linux) is concerned. Without the internet you cannot do anything, you cannot read any forums, you cannot download any package to play mp3/avi, you virtually cannot solve any problem!!!
Steve …
I think his main points are as follows.
1: Vista needs some pretty hefty hardware …
2: Linux IS a viable alternative to Windows.
You could reverse your argument and say Windows is no longer necessary as there are plenty of open source alternatives available for Linux !
BP …
I totally agree …
I still run 2000 Pro …
Its fast, lean and does just about everything XP does …
Cheers.
Very good article, I enjoyed reading it.
And as many other Linux veterains might say Ubutnu is OK
as (almost) any other Linux distribution is. Linux operating system is
such a fast moving beast that your article’s title really make sense.
My Linux favorites are PCLinuxOS, Vector 5.8 and Fedora.
Besides easy (or user friendly) Linux, there are also easy BSD Unix
operating systems such as PCBSD , DesktopBSD and of course, FreeBSD.
They are all ( Linux and Unix distributions) very mature, stable, slick and
elegant computing platforms winning more and more battles over dekstop (as opposed to server) computing where they rule the world,but, as you said, they just need little bit more exposure.
Anyway, more and more people are aware that Windows is not only
way for personal computing.
Just couple of screenshots I made on my Linux/Unix computers:
http://nedvis.bravehost.com/ss/vector.html
http://nedvis.bravehost.com/ss/kdescreen.html
http://nedvis.bravehost.com/ss/activedesktop.html
Steve,
I only wish that when I made the plunge into linux, I would have chose Ubuntu over Fedora Core 6.
Whilst they are both amazing OSs, Ubuntu makes life easier for things like mounting NTFS partitions etc, loading codecs and software etc. When I go to upgrade again, it will be Ubuntu all the way. Thanks for a great article.
Thanks everyone for the replies. But I still don’t see why I should change, as in the end I just don’t see any gain. And I’m someone who like to toys around with OS (developed in the past, for fun, on BeOS, early-2000 Debians, and even SkyOS). It’s all fun, but in the end, I always end-up back to Windows for any work.
An other example: I got my MacBook last year, and splitted the hard drive half half with Windows. After the first few weeks of toying, I ended up spending 90% of my time on Windows, that other 10% barelly myself forcing to go to OSX because I felt stupid not using it on a Mac.
I already use Open Office on Windows, I don’t think there’s much difference uner Linux. I program quite a lot of .NET softwares for fun (for my Smarthphone and the XBox 360). There’s not much options on Linux on that regard (yes Mono, but I found it very clunky compared to the official MS framework). And of all the programming IDEs (KDevelops, Gideon, Studio Gold, etc) I still find Visual Studio ahead and above. Even my PHP/MySQL development wouldn’t be easier/better under Linux. Then add all the games I play, and Linux just seems like a no-show. At least for my own needs.
As for virus and adawares, I didn’t get a single virus since I have XP (circa 2001) coupled with Symantec. And run Adaware only once every few months. All in all, servicing my Windows XP has been more than painless.
I’m sure Linux is great. But then it seems to offer nothing for me that would make my life better, only problematic (Wine for games? .NET clunky development under Linux, etc)
BTW sorry for the badly formatted first message I sent earlier today. It got obviously corrupted when I sent it from my Nokia N800, which ironically is running on a Linux flavor ;-P
Wake me up when Ubuntu can support my NVidia GeForce 8800GTX without me messing around with a bunch of text files. It didn’t support my previous card (a year+ old ATI) either.
I run dual boot on my acer ferrari 3200 laptop (winXP contra OpenSUSE 10.2)
the ONLY reason I keep xp is becouse I cant skip my addiction to world of warcraft. and I cant get wine to play it properly since the expansion release.
I think of buying a cedega license so I can skip XP and get the extra 10gigs of space it occupies.
else I only had a wifi driver problem with linux with is becouse of broadcom is such crybabys.. (no it’s my firmware kitty) bah. but fixed it. bcm43xx-fwcutter for the win.
well.. thanks for putting a nice article up for us ^^
Mark, perhaps you should tell nVidia that you want them to natively support your 8800 under Linux, being that the Linux kernel developers are willing to write the code provided the appropriate information is given to them.
http://www.kroah.com/log/linux/free_drivers.html
In the mean time, if you’re using Ubuntu, I recommend the Envy program, which totally automates the installation of both nVidia and ATI proprietary video drivers for Edgy Eft (6.10). http://albertomilone.com/nvidia_scripts1.html
When Feisty Fawn (7.04) is release in a a week and some, there will be a built-in manager for all proprietary drivers.
Better set your alarm.
Today is WoW that makes you stick with XP, in one year will be another DX10 game that will force you to Vista.
Rechinica , thats why I went and bought a PS3.
Sayonara Mikey, format c:
Steve, the point is that you have the choice, you don’t have to use Linux if you don’t want to, you can keep WinXP to play your computer games and program .Net crap on if that’s what matters to you, soon enough microsoft will find a way to force you into an upgrade to Vista, be that DX10 based games, a new version of .Net or whatever microsoft junk you next convince yourself that you can’t be without, at that point your behaviour will be so windows centric that you will cough up the money and upgrade to vista without question.
MS wants XP to die as soon as possible and will do their level best to kill it, Ubuntu, on the other hand, is evolving at an astonishing pace with every upgrade being Free and the LTS releases supported and kept up to date for an extended period of time.
Of course i find Linux to be a better place to run most FOSS software and miss all kinds of functionality when i have to use windows but you’ve already made up your mind, it’s as though you’ve brainwashed yourself, that there are to advantages to linux.
One word: games.
You know, the more comfortable I get in Ubuntu, the less I want to work in Windows. I can’t endure the stance that MS has taken towards its customers: guilty (of piracy) until proven innocent, we’re just doing what is best for you, etc etc. WGA prompted me to try Ubuntu, I ended up dual-booting XP, and I honestly haven’t booted into Windows for weeks now (even though I downloaded the Vista Transformation Pack to make it look cooler). MS used to be a good company, but now their interests have superseded the interests of their users. I’m sorry MS, it’s my computer, not yours. When Ubuntu’s new version is released, I will delete my XP partition and go full-out Ubuntu. I’m very much looking forward to it, too.
That 99% of the free software is also ported for windows is a staggering exaggeration.
Actually, no KDE program except Kexi works under Windows for now. At the end of the year though most of the part of the KDE desktop will be ported for windows.
Not the shell, but the programs.
I think then windows user will see the many benefits of open source software, especially because I tend to think that Koffice is a slick alternative to OpenOffice.
Nevertheless, for the time being I still depend on Linux for Krita and Rosegarden.
I haven’t found other solutions which work as good for me.
Of course, XP is still important for games. But I rarely play and I can often turn to older ones, there are still enough to explore!
Also, of course Linux progressed much further, especially on the desktop, since 2000.
Not everybody must use Linux. It’s a free choice.
But at least you should know that you have one.
Linux puts the Personal back in “PC” - that’s good enough for me.
I’ve wanted to just jump into linux for the sake of just being familiar with it since a lot of the people I know have been using it for some time. They once swore by it but never really seemed to be too knowledgeable about it. For the most part it seemed like they were some techno hipster with the whole done with Microsoft. Now XP seems great and their abandoning Linux since they can still hate Microsoft for creating Vista.
I’m worried about it being a fad, but with the stories and blogs I’ve come across with stumble I’m getting a live cd to work with for a while. I’m a half ass unmotivated student, so the idea of free computing sounds really great.
This was a very good article but there are so many different versions of Linux that the new user is occasionally turned off by a bad experience from not being able to install proprietary codecs or getting their wireless broadcom chipset to work. I have run Ubuntu/Kubuntu since 6.06 and have tried several different distros.
My new favorite is PClinuxOS simply because it works very well out of the box and has a very good wiki for setting up the ATI radion in my Dell E1705 along with the broadcom 4311 chipset for the wireless.
Other distros that work well for windows to linux conversions are freespire and simply mepis. The new simply mepis will also set up broadcom wireless chipsets out of the box and also uses on the ubuntu repositories. Mepis also has a live cd with the installer built in and the usability is great.
I also have a 13 year old son and a 9 year old daughter using linux as primary operating systems and have set a friends kids up on edubuntu. The kids using edubuntu are 4 and 6. Linux works pretty well for these youngsters, as a matter of fact, they like all of the educational games built into edubuntu.
I found ubuntu 1 year ago installed it. And it just works. Thats about all I can say maybe I am just lucky but I have never had any problems. It just runs day in and day out “kind of boring.” My kids use Xp I like that too but ubuntu is the most stable.Nice article.
Nope I’ll stick to Vista. Vista is really cool. Vista to me is way better than XP. More stable. I like the Aero look. Funny how he says people had a hard time installing Vista from XP. To me I had a harder time installing Ubuntu from XP than I had with Vista. Ubuntu just didn’t like my Nvidia 8800 GTX card, too bad. Vista been great for me.
Great article!
I’ve been using computers since the Heathkit Days, then to CPM then to DOS then to Windows 95, 98, then XP.. Then VIsta arrived and along with it an increase in the Windows Tax.. That’s when I drew the line. Activation for big brother along with his snooping coupled with virus problems and malware were the straw that broke this camel’s back. It’s been a year and the only time I use Windows XP is to run my flight simulator for my RC skills. Other than that I’ve run most major versions of Linux, OpenSuSE, Ubuntu, Mepis, Knoppix, Sabayon, RedHat, Gentoo and many others. I’m running Novell’s SuSE Enterprise 10 now. I’ve pretty much settled on it for my Desktop System. My old Dell Laptop PIII has 256MB of memory and a 64MB Nvidia Video card and I installed Simply Mepis 6.5 RC on it over the weekend. It setup my Linksys Wireless Network card on the fly setting up DHCP without question. I was absolutely impressed. My Desktop runs an NVIDIA 7300GS video card with 256MB of video memory on the card. SuSE Enterprise 10 set it up with my Samsung SyncMaster 920 wide screen monitor without installing Proprietary Drive myself. It did it all on it’s own running XGL. Try that with Window XP or Vista without a driver CD.
No, a little bit of research for your system on the Internet will help you find the best OS to suit your needs. I tried a bundle of Linux OS’s. If I had to pick one Distro to recommend to someone to try it would be PCLinuxOS. Texstar has done a super job and it is very compatible with most systems video, audio and network cards.
I for one am not sorry I made the change. It sure is nice not to have to pay a Windows Tax and I actually feel compelled to support the Linux community without being forced to do so. It is refreshing.
Nukem
Too early, a little too early. Ubuntu, PCLinuxOS or Mepis are gradually becoming usable. They are NOT usable yet. Firefox became usable at 0.92. Gimp became (almost) usable at 2.3.14 (the version not included with any distribution yet). OpenOffice is finally becoming usable at 2.3 (not released yet). I am still running W2K. Will not upgrade to Vista. On the server Linux is great. However on the desktop it’s a different ballgame all together. Some fundamental things on Linux that are considered features in true life are just usability bugs on the desktop:
1) Terminal;
2) Concept of Root;
3) Concept of Package;
4) Concept of Mounting;
… many, many other things.
Some further abstraction is needed to envelop the above concepts to make Linux usable on the desktop:
1) GUI should replace terminal in almost all cases;
2) Root should be superseded with a superUSER;
3) Packages should be abstracted into Applications and hidden from the user (any user); boundaries should be established between OS and applications (could be several layers)
4) Mounting should become extinct;
5) Universal installer is needed too.
In conclusion, I am going to wait for a year or two.
Very funny Vi’s post, very funny indeed
Ok, I`m trying to stop laughing.
You’re saying we should turn linux into a windows clone. Hehe
Not going to happen. Ever.
The terminal is deeply rooted into the system mechanics. And it will not be replaced very soon. It’s what gives it a part of its power.
I presumably think you did not experience with it thus have not felt the power it gives you over the system …
I’ll give you just one advice: stop seeing the terminal as an ms-dos prompt. It’s not.
Another thing is that GUI is not the mechanics of the system. It’s policy. It’s a way of interacting with it. Thus, it should not become ‘de facto’, but remain a means of doing things. Policy, not mechanics, that’s what *nix was and is all about.
Root should be superseded with a superUSER => root is the SuperUser, dude.
God of the system actually. Though it’s not used in Ubuntu, it favors usage of the sudo command (running as super user).
Boundaries between the OS (= kernel) and applications already exist. Kernel space vs User space, I guess.
Mounting happens in any Windows OS too, the only thing is that you don’t see it. It’s silent, hidden from the user. Maybe that is what you meant … it should not be visible.
I don’t remember using explicitly the ‘mount’ command in KUbuntu. It all happend automagically, without any of my intervention.
The universal installer is a bit more difficult.. since there is no one true way of installing software (deb, rpm, .tar.gz - oh dear, what package flavour should I chose?). Well, Ubuntu favors .deb, since it’s based on Debian. Each Linux distribution has its own prefered packaging method.
And if you want to wait … wait a bit longer.
At least until you grasp what Linux can really give you.
If I was harsh, I apologize. But Linux was not meant to become a Windows clone (search ReactOS for that topic).
And linux, as a system, since it’s unix, will provide you mechanics, not policy.
Have a nice day!
I dual boot between XP and Linux, if it wasn’t for game playing then I wouldn’t touch XP anymore I can’t find a need for it.
Also I can’t help but laugh at Vi’s post either.
1. Terminal? you never use command prompt for anything? I use it quite a lot when dealing with wireless network problems on windows, so much quicker than the gui.
2. Concept of root? What’s wrong with the concept of root, windows has the concept of admin which is what the vast majority or users log on as which is just one of the reasons so much unauthorized software can install itself on your system.
3. Concept of package? apt-get or download the package from a website double click it, it installs? .exe by anyother name?
4. Concept of mounting? In ubuntu all my drives are mounted automatically. For my ntfs partition I did have to add a couple of packages so I could write to the partition but I don’t have to do re-mount them everytime I wish to do it, a couple of lines in the terminal and I was done.
As to your points of further extending the linux desktop.
1. It’s very close, as an above poster said the next release of ubuntu (later this month) will go some way to address this. I’ve had to use the terminal twice since I installed ubuntu once for the ati drivers and once for the ability to write to ntfs partitions.
2. Root = Superuser = Administrator. Different terminology, don’t see your point.
3. Packages = Applications. Again it’s different terminology I double click a package it installs same as an application on windows does.
4. If mounting becomes extinct then how do you propose you load an operating system or work on it? Windows does mounting albeit in a much more hidden way.
5. I’d agree a universal installer would be a great asset to linux, hopefully it won’t be long before we have one.
Err … I have to correct my previous post, *nix is about mechanism mostly, enforcing policy to be set at a higher level.
I’m a long time Linux user (started 1994-1995) but have not used it as my desktop for some years now. For me the key issue is that ATI always seem to give me more bang for the buck every time I upgrade. And having a high end (or even mid range) graphics solution without being able to utilize it’s potential is something that turns me off.
Also I’m not a fan of dual booting since I tend to get my stuff spread out all over the two systems.
However, now with the Vista menace (tried it, felt like I was negotiating with my computer whatever I tried to do) I’m considering buying a Nvidia card, no matter the cost, as my next upgrade.
Nice article, even though I might be a little too much DIY for Ubuntu, it inspired me.
What about support for
1} Precompile app’s without dependencies like exe’s
2} will there be in future support for such app’s that doesnt require depencies.
3} support for hardware THIS is a must and BASIC requirement including drivers
4} LASTLY i need help in setting up tv? where is support for anykind of tv tuner
no default app for TV,Myth or freevo wud be ideal choice or GNOME tv wud work
as well.
5} preety good suggestion is why not bundle a ADD ON cd for ubuntu?,like suse
which has additional apps and some cool games.
For those who left them, thank you for the kind words. It’s nice to be appreciated and I’m glad some of the people who read my post enjoyed reading it. It was never meant to be groundbreaking news for experienced Linux users, but it’s something new and interesting in my life and potentially something that might prove to be useful to somebody else.
It seems that a number of editors of some popular Linux/OS websites also thought enough of it to put it in front of their readers and send a big bucket load of traffic this way! Thanks to those people for the thumbs up!
Les, I’d love to know more about yours and your friend experiences with Linux/Edubuntu. I’m in close contact with a teacher in a school and I’d certainly pass on any information that could be beneficial to them.
Steve, if you don’t see why you should change then maybe you shouldn’t. If it’s not broken…
With regards to games, I don’t have as much time to play games any more, but I do have a PlayStation 2 for that purpose.
If there’s anything I’ve learnt from the past couple of days it’s that Linux and Windows share many things in common and one thing that’s very apparent is neither OS is the choice for everyone, but then that’s the beauty of having a choice. For many people I know, it’s a not a choice they’re aware of and it’s those kind of people who might benefit from the continued promotion of Linux.
I’ve also learnt that you should always ensure your website images are suitably compressed to reduce file size without too much of a quality hit. Thumbnails to more detailed versions of images are also a good idea!
For ajmal:
I don’t think the dependency is a problem. Windows has DLL hell which is, at a certain level, comparable with dependecy hell in linux.
Dependencies as they are called (libraries in fact) were supposed to solve the problem of code re - usability. You know, write once, use many times. But since a program required a certain library version (e.g. 2.1.4) to run, and you installed 2.1.6 or 2.1.2 resulted in dependency hell since the interfaces were not compatible (a single difference in the interface is enough).
The solution to this problem is
1. Either bundle all the code in one big program, alas goodbye re - usability or
2. Stick to a package manager. Ubuntu has synaptic as default, Kubuntu has Adept.
Learn how to use one of these … it comes in handy.
As for hardware support, I think it’s not all up to the open source community. It’s up to vendors. They need be educated. They need to know open source exists and it’s not in it’s infancy anymore. It’s real and shows more that a good promise.
I’d like to hear that more and more schools use and promote open source.
And one last thing. Linux should not be seen and promoted as an alternative to Windows anymore, but as a good product. It needs to be promoted because it works.
And I’m sorry but I can’t help you with the TV part, it’s not within my reach.
Hope this makes a point.
Nice post. I appreciate the reasoned discussion as well. The nLite suggestion was worth my time all by itself.
Ajmal,
Linux has support for several TV Tuners and MythTV works well with them. Check the MythTV Website, they have a list of tuner hardware including HDTV Tuners.
I think a lot of the comments about Linux not being up to par are being made by people who used it briefly a few years ago, and thought it wasn’t user friendly. The Linux of today has gone a long way to taking care of a lot of the complaints that are being mentioned right here in this post, but it seems like the complainants themselves haven’t taken the time to do their homework (ie. download Ubuntu LiveCD and try it out).
Hardware support in Linux is becoming less and less of an issue. There are a lot of great drivers available for Linux, more than there are for Vista currently. Of course, Vista will catch up quickly. Drivers are one place where Linux really shines IMO. A hardware vendor has to spend time and money creating new Windows drivers for their hardware every few years. In Linux you can write a driver once and you’ll always have it. Even if the kernel becomes incompatible in the future, you can still make the driver work. You just don’t have that option with Windows, anything you buy today isn’t future proof. That goes for both hardware and software, as many early Vista upgraders are discovering.
There are some notable exceptions in the driver market. It’s not all rosy. I’m writing this on an HP laptop with the dreaded built-in Broadcom wireless and the ATI Radeon Xpress 200M. I’m running 64-bit Ubuntu Edgy. The Broadcom works with ndiswrapper and ATI/AMD started putting out good (3D accelerated) drivers on their site a few months ago. It took a little tweaking but it all works. I’m running Beryl too.
The amount of tweaking I had to do in Linux is nothing compared to the time I spend maintaining, defragging, and scanning my Windows partition to keep it running well. That Linux “tweak time” also made me a more knowledgeable computer user in general.
Yesterday I bought a new HP printer and got it up and running in Kubuntu Edgy in no time (unpack time 5 minutes or so).
My friend called me “Linux Printer Guru”. He he!
Ubuntu’s our all! $-)
It is really nice to see people can talk about this and not degrade into name calling like other blogs. Isn’t it nice we are now getting a choice.If you like windows use windows if you like linux as I do use linux its great to have choice.
Yes, I`m glad I run Linux too, I use PCLinux OS. Most people who I show it too can`t wait to install it as well.
I`m no nerd, and the thought of doing internet banking with mswindows makes me shudder, I also have a version of xp, and the viruses it picks up even with so called protection was amazing. Linux just doesn`t pick up that type of crap..
One of my sons is an IT guy with a big corp, he has just installed Vista and showed me what it was about. A few scrolling window pages on the screen etc…. so I showed him my Linux with Beryl… wow ok, did he take notice of that… real effects….
As mentioned by other writers, the functions do have different names, so there`s a bit of a learning curve, but when I occasionally have a look at my old xp I feel quite alien from it and think, why did I ever use this…
I personally like the fact that there`s 100s of free versions of Linux to try, some conservative and some very cutting edge.
Its also nice to feel like your a part of the Linux community, which you are, and not some consumer being manipulated by a mega corporation.
Good post. I just wanted to note that you shouldn’t need to use the command-line to install KDE. You can install kubuntu-desktop using Synaptic, a GUI application. apt-get and Synaptic are just two interfaces to the same system.
Good point on the last one, but sometimes it “just” happens that you can’t do without the command line. For instance, a lock on the package database that should have been released requires (at least that’s how I did it) working with dpkg.
I have used Linux for a while now and sometimes it is hard to understand. There are some tutorials out there that do not make alot of sense, but usually one of my online friends helps me out. So linux ranks higher in my honest opinion. No viruses or anything like that is the selling point for me. I would like to know how to get Beryl working though. I have a ATI Radeon 200M graphics card as well, but for some reason that cube thing does not work. Oh well, I have windows for one reason, 3DS Max. Other than that screw it. I have Edubuntu as well, which is good and I can unistall the games whenever I like. I cannot wait for Linux to get more driver support. I have Feist now, which is working good.
I installed Fedora Core 8 along side windows and I am now regretting that decision. Many people recommended fedora and I simply could not get it to work. It disabled windows and on top of that I cannot could not get Fedora to run properly. Enter Ubuntu. I overwrote the previous fedora install and installed Ubuntu, it worked right off the bat. Unfortunately it seems fedora did a number to windows as I cannot get it to start normally. After I installed Ubuntu I can now at least start windows in safe mode. I am working on getting windows to start normally along side linux.
I wish I had installed Ubuntu from the start, Would have avoided this problem. Ubuntu seems more beginner friendly than Fedora.
Frank: I did have a go at installing Red Hat way, way back and gave up very early on.
Compared to all of the other flavours of Linux I tried, Ubuntu was like a breath of fresh air!
That said, I’m currently enjoying Xandros although I didn’t have to install it as it came pre-installed on my Asus Eee PC
I enjoy ubuntu although I still can’t make a 100% switch since I have some business software that works only with windows. I have tried winehq but it’s hard to get the .netframework and the software to work together.
I also have a small gametap addiction.
It does not work at all on the linux platform and that would be a plus.
So for now I’ll stick with xp and unbuntu on my harddrive and wait until new linux software comes out for the programs I need to use.
BUT if I could make everything work in linux, it would be linux forever for me.
Dan,
I’m still in a similar position in that there are some Windows apps that I require access to. I’m sure I could do more to find ways to fulfill these requirements, but having the time to spend investigating isn’t always easy to find.
what a load of …. May be for somebody who only uses MS Word the switch is easy. I just install Ubuntu and list of problems keeps increasing, last time I was forced to solve similar problems it was 1993 and Windows 3.1. First it did not recognize my SyncMster N 920 and my Matrox 550 video card - both pretty much main stream, not new hardware. As a result I am running 800×600 resolution which pretty much cuts off all the setup dialogs (great system that does not allow resizing of huge dialogs) . Samba configuration is another nightmare – no luck accessing my linux directory from my windows box – to be fair I found couple of advises on how to do that - something like “sudo go find some obscure file in /etc or /usr, add unreadable line to it and it will work if you do not forget chmod “ - it is so easy I want to cry. Then vpnc and kvpn - no luck making it work with super standard CISCO router. So now I scanning all WWW to find some advise on how to configure my system and guess what except for some useless tutorials no help whatsoever. There are great many discussion groups where people from what I can tell exchange http links to tutorial and “sudo …” advices with each other. At least in terms of marketing Linux movement bypassed Microsoft long time ago - just look at this article. Yeah I wonder who needs windows….