Milton
US Veteran
Anyone here run the latest version of Ubuntu on their desktop? If so how do you like it?
Ubuntu?
- Thread starter Milton
- Start date
Register to hide this ad
TAC
Member
It's awesome! I like the MINT derivative of Ubuntu.
OP
Milton
US Veteran
Thank you ! I am thinking about loading it on a USB Flash Drive and booting from there as I am now running Windows XP as my standard OS. How hard is it to learn,assuming that I am only familiar with Windows?
TAC
Member
These days Linux is very easy to transition to from Windows. The GUI (Graphic User Interface) is very similar. Most all operations are menu driven. Ubuntu in particular is one of the easiest, most user friendly distributions available today. It is also one of the best supported, especially for beginners.
I know a lot of people that were using it on a XP/Ubuntu dual-boot setup, but soon after, dumped Windows completely, and run Ubuntu Linux 100% of the time.
I know a lot of people that were using it on a XP/Ubuntu dual-boot setup, but soon after, dumped Windows completely, and run Ubuntu Linux 100% of the time.
OP
Milton
US Veteran
That sounds good ,I will have to give it a try! Free is hard to beat,especially if it works!!!
I had it on my desktop. HAD it.
I had a dual Operating System setup...ubuntu and Windows XP.
It was a nightmare making my Epson printer work. No drivers available, I ended up writing a long-winded article about how to make it work. The scanner portion of it was even worse. Cordless mouse didn't work right, but I decided I could live with that. Make sure ahead of time that your hardware is compatible, like I did not.
I actually liked ubuntu a lot while it ran. But one day, for reasons I can't remember, I interrupted the boot-up sequence and that screwed it up. The harder I tried to fix it, the deader it became until finally I just gave up.
I had a dual Operating System setup...ubuntu and Windows XP.
It was a nightmare making my Epson printer work. No drivers available, I ended up writing a long-winded article about how to make it work. The scanner portion of it was even worse. Cordless mouse didn't work right, but I decided I could live with that. Make sure ahead of time that your hardware is compatible, like I did not.
I actually liked ubuntu a lot while it ran. But one day, for reasons I can't remember, I interrupted the boot-up sequence and that screwed it up. The harder I tried to fix it, the deader it became until finally I just gave up.
TAC
Member
This must have been awhile ago? If so, you should revisit it. I think you'll be impressed.
TAC
Member
Also try Open Office (also FREE), which is a viable substitute for Microsoft Office.
venomballistics
Member
I use Linux quite a bit.
Mine is Debian which is from where Ubantu is derived.
Ill admit that printer support can be a bit hit and miss but overall you cant kill it, the price is right and in contrast to the microsoft way its somewhere around a quarter of a million bucks worth of software for the low price of some CD's or DVD's to burn it to
Mine is Debian which is from where Ubantu is derived.
Ill admit that printer support can be a bit hit and miss but overall you cant kill it, the price is right and in contrast to the microsoft way its somewhere around a quarter of a million bucks worth of software for the low price of some CD's or DVD's to burn it to
I had ubuntu 7-10? So it must have been in 2007-2008. I had Open Office, too, and liked it. I liked the speed and all the available apps.
But, I think I'll pass. It's just too difficult to make it interface with other things and the way it tanked on me left a very sour taste in my mouth.
Linux is traditionally "geeky" and tends to scare folks off, coupled with "bad" experiences, whether first hand or anecdotal, doesn't always put it in the most favorable light. As a former Windows apologist, one can make Linux one of the easiest point and click environments available or simply opt for the CLI.
I use Windoze all day and regularly deal with its shortcomings, both real and perceived. Simply put, I use Linux because it works and does a better job at all the things I like my computers to do. I have not had a driver problem since probably '06.
I have 10.04 on my laptop and 9.10 at home. I don't particularly care for Ubuntu's release cycles as it is one of the things I constantly bitch about in my real job as a vendor supporting an application. I do maintain a dual boot environment because my computer came with Windows 7 and I like to poke about and experiment.
I use Windoze all day and regularly deal with its shortcomings, both real and perceived. Simply put, I use Linux because it works and does a better job at all the things I like my computers to do. I have not had a driver problem since probably '06.
I have 10.04 on my laptop and 9.10 at home. I don't particularly care for Ubuntu's release cycles as it is one of the things I constantly bitch about in my real job as a vendor supporting an application. I do maintain a dual boot environment because my computer came with Windows 7 and I like to poke about and experiment.
venomballistics
Member
Linux has come a long way.
its much more user friendly than it was when I started to play with it in debian 3.something.
hardware support is a world and a half better than it was.
I have nearly full sound support where I had none before, Linux tends to run videos and play dvd's far more effectively than under windows.
if you didnt have to have a geek streak to get all its ducks in a row and love the fiddely setup akin to building a digital sand castle in your PC, it would have my universal recommendation for any user.
but since most users are not all that keen on learning that each piece of hardware has a life of its own in a PC ... its only for the willing.
If you have an old spare PC to torture ... by all means, get ye to debian.org and make a set of CD's then have at it. That way if you fall in love with it ... you may put the power of the penguin to your main machine ... if not ... your only out the cost of a handful of CD-R's.
But then, the CFDisk function in its boot is a life saver for reclaiming a virus or malware stricken windows box that needs an artillary strike to break the grip of the enemy.... so ... keep em in your crash kit.
its much more user friendly than it was when I started to play with it in debian 3.something.
hardware support is a world and a half better than it was.
I have nearly full sound support where I had none before, Linux tends to run videos and play dvd's far more effectively than under windows.
if you didnt have to have a geek streak to get all its ducks in a row and love the fiddely setup akin to building a digital sand castle in your PC, it would have my universal recommendation for any user.
but since most users are not all that keen on learning that each piece of hardware has a life of its own in a PC ... its only for the willing.
If you have an old spare PC to torture ... by all means, get ye to debian.org and make a set of CD's then have at it. That way if you fall in love with it ... you may put the power of the penguin to your main machine ... if not ... your only out the cost of a handful of CD-R's.
But then, the CFDisk function in its boot is a life saver for reclaiming a virus or malware stricken windows box that needs an artillary strike to break the grip of the enemy.... so ... keep em in your crash kit.
marlin.357
Member
Started experimenting with dual booting XP with various versions of Linux several years go. Managed to break most of them, but about a year ago I tried Ubuntu 9.04. Continued with XP for only one reason, I was addicted to Quicken. Found Moneydance and haven't booted into XP for 6 months. Moneydance isn't quite as slick as Quicken, but it works. Now running Ubuntu 10.4 exclusively.
As other have said, you have to put in a little effort in learning, but Ubuntu, and maybe other versions as well, is an easy transition for a Windows user. Try it, you'll probably like it!
As other have said, you have to put in a little effort in learning, but Ubuntu, and maybe other versions as well, is an easy transition for a Windows user. Try it, you'll probably like it!
enfield
US Veteran
I'm dual-booting Windows XP with Linux Mint 9 at the moment. I did it the easy way -- the first HD has Windows on it and the second physical drive is Linux. I keep the Windows drive for the rare occasions that I need to run a Windows app.
Mint is one of the easiest distributions of Linux to try. It's still true that you'll probably have trouble with wireless network cards and printer installation, but with a little help from the user forums, all these problems are fixable.
You really don't want to be restricted to dial-up internet access, though. Installation and upgrades involve massive downloads.
You can try almost any distribution by downloading the .iso file for a live CD, burning it and booting your computer with it. It's a neat way to preview what you'll be getting.
Mint is one of the easiest distributions of Linux to try. It's still true that you'll probably have trouble with wireless network cards and printer installation, but with a little help from the user forums, all these problems are fixable.
You really don't want to be restricted to dial-up internet access, though. Installation and upgrades involve massive downloads.
You can try almost any distribution by downloading the .iso file for a live CD, burning it and booting your computer with it. It's a neat way to preview what you'll be getting.
venomballistics
Member
yeah the live CD's are good to see if your core hardware will take the penguin but understand that these CD's have no way of addressing peripherals since it cannot configure being on a read only medium. you wont have sound or print or alot of other things under a live CD.
you may still not have them under a full install either. you just dont know.
It has improved considerably in the past few years and all but a few things are at least partially supported now.
you may still not have them under a full install either. you just dont know.
It has improved considerably in the past few years and all but a few things are at least partially supported now.
Mod10
US Veteran
I have the Karmic Koala distro on my laptop. Love it, very safe and stable, and my laptop runs a lot faster now without Windows.
I have 9.10 Ubuntu on an older (PIII-500 MHz) laptop with 256 meg RAM. Runs very well for all I require on that machine.
10.04 is supposed to work better with older computers with smaller amounts of RAM, but it wouldn't see my older PCMCIA wireless card like 9.10 did.
wyo-man
10.04 is supposed to work better with older computers with smaller amounts of RAM, but it wouldn't see my older PCMCIA wireless card like 9.10 did.
wyo-man
