Thread: Switching to Ubuntu?

I am absolutely fed up with windows. Has anybody switched to Ubuntu? Is it any good? What problems might I encounter in the change.
I would buy a mac but unfortunately funds don't allow it right now. Any advice would be appreciated.
Thanks

Been there, tried that, it's a POS. Awful font rendering, and multimedia management. Tried Knopix, Ubuntu, Kubuntu, none of them worked for me. Instead, I focused of getting the best out my existing OS, WinXP...

Nenad

Originally Posted by nickyspaghetti

I am absolutely fed up with windows. Has anybody switched to Ubuntu? Is it any good? What problems might I encounter in the change.
I would buy a mac but unfortunately funds don't allow it right now. Any advice would be appreciated.
Thanks

I have switched to Ubuntu and there are a few glitches that I need ironed out but I certainly prefer it to Winblows. Sometimes I am using the internet and all the windows just vanish, so I have to restart, thank Firefox for the restore session option. Sometimes the OS just freezes so just requires a quick jump start as I call it.

My hardware more than meets system requirements but I can't get Compiz Fusion to work, so that is one thing I personally avoid.

I can't get a driver for my printer to work on Ubuntu so I must use Winblows for that, but if it weren't for that I would completely remove Winblows from my computer.

Ubuntu all the way.

Just my .02 Don't spend it all at once

I have used linux as a development platform for several projects, and I was less than impressed.

I have also played around with BSD, and I was much more impressed by that.
it was properly documented, all configuration tools / software just worked, and it did what I expected.
Have a look at PC BSD, which some say to be a windows-user userfriendly open source unix.

Now I have to say that I still use and develop only on windows.
I never experience any of the instability other people sometimes mention. But then again I only install a limited amount of software and don't install banners, screensavers, toolbars, .... so my system stays clean.

That being said, If I start to use open source, it'll probably be BSD because a system without up to date documentation is &*%^&*%& as far as I am concerned.

I never had freezing problems with Ubuntu. It supported all of my hardware and it's ridiculously easy to install/config.

Never tried Ubuntu, but have heard it's easy to install and has decent hardware detection. Another benefit is its "one package for one task" philosophy - on other linux distros there might be anywhere from 3 to 50 different packages to do the same task (eg DVD burning, or whatever) - at least that's what I've been told...

A recent review in Linux Format rated Fedora 7 very highly. That's what I'm currently using. It's a great little distro actually. Almost everything worked out of the box, and I have some pretty recent hardware. The only exception was my wireless card - had to do a bit of tweaking there. I've had absolutely no stability issues with Fedora 7 (or FC5 for that matter).

With any of the linux distros you can resize and keep your windows partition and make a dual-booting machine (you select the OS you want at boot time from the bootloader). That is also what I've done, as I need some windows-based software for work purposes. It's a good compromise as well if you want to try linux without completely committing. Another option is to get hold of live CDs - you can see what flavour of linux might best suit you without the need to install to your hard disk first.

James.

Ubuntu is a great flavor of Linux for those tempted to try alternative and/or free operating systems. Installation is pretty much on par with installing XP/Vista, very GUI orientated. Most hardware is supported and that which is not right out of the box has more than likely been figured out by someone else and posted to www.ubuntuforums.org

In fact, the forums are a great place to find how to configure odd or new hardware and general tweaking of the OS. Most people will gladly help new members migrate from Microsoft to Ubuntu, just be patient and don't be afraid to ask questions.

Personally, I've only had a handful of problems with Ubuntu, mostly with the fact that Macromedia's Shockwave player does not work as well in Linux as Windows. Also, if you have an older printer, finding the proper drivers and the ability to network the beast may be difficult. Other than that, most Windows programs have a Linux counterpart. The only program I miss and cannot find an equal to is Quicken.

Good luck...

I have been using Ubuntu in a a dual boot system and really liked it, I have not made the switch fully due to two programs that I use all the time "TheBat" for email and "MediaMonkey" as the media player. It also dod not support my scanner. Other than that I found it to be excellent and easy to use, I plan to migraget to it over the next year or so.

Installation was far easier than Windows, an enormas amout of free software and great deal of support available.

Before you try any version of linux I'd suggest you download the latest KNOPPIX, burn it to a CD or DVD and try it out. it allows you to run linux from your Disk Drive without the installation process.

Knoppix comes in a bare bones version for CD tryout and a full blown version for DVD tryout (DVD only works on machines with bootable DVD options in the cmos).

Knoppix will allow you to see the basic featurs of linux and the various desk top environments such as gnome or KDE, open office, gimp, and much more.

Once you've decided whether or not you like the desktop options and standard applications packaged with most linux installations (such as knoppix demonstrates), you can then go about trying out the flavors of linux for permanent install.

Ubuntu and Kubuntu are Novell renderings from what I've read so I stay away from them since the post about Novell selling out and entering into a license agreement with Microsoft.

RedHat has the free "fedora" that is its experimental version. TAO linux has the free version that is essentially the more stable RedHat Enterprise.

I personally like the versions with automated installers such as yum or yast so I typically stick to fedora. KDE is supposedly very similar to windows for those who prefer the windows environment for the comfort of familiarity.

What I've found with linux is that 1) finding and installing software takes advanced user skill and sometimes IT professional patience , this is regardless of the flavor. 2) Microsoft has taken a lot of the open source functions within the open source compilers and rewritten them, added to them, etc. and tried to pass them off as original so that those who try the compilers are often left with the misimpression that linux has offered a poor clone of microsoft coding abilities when in reality the linux functions are more stable and less bug ridden , and microsoft's codes are the poor pathetic clone attempt as far as I can see .

There is no perfect OS but linux has several million developers working together and contributing to the projects and 99% of the software provided for linux is FREE. Additionally Linux doesn't try to make it easier for the government and the developing organizations to control what You the user can and cannot do with your machine. It seems to me that Microsoft wants you to pay for the privilege of them controlling and eventually owning your computer while you beg them for permission to use it.

"Hi, My name is Glen and I'm a recovering Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer"

Everyone in unison now . . . . "HI GLEN"

Let us begin our Microsoft's Anonymous meeting . . . . .

Glen F