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Ubuntu for the Masses!

Ever since I bought my first computer, I have always wanted an operating system that wasn’t Windows. While I was at Ohio Northern University I started looking into alternatives. We had a Solaris lab, but it was for upperclassmen. I started my search for a new OS at that point.

Back then there wasn’t a lot of information on the Internet about Linux. I found a few computer magazines that had some information about Red Hat. Whenever I asked someone if they knew anything about Linux, I got a blank stare, even from my professors.

After much searching I finally found a live disk that didn’t need to be installed to try it out. Knoppix was my first foray into the Linux world. I messed around with it off and on for a few weeks. It had an equivalent program for almost everything I used in Windows. It was all free and pretty simple to use.

I guess I should explain why I am so against Windows. There are many reasons, but I will stick to the main ones. First and foremmost is cost. If you want to run a legal, full-fledged version of Windows, it will probably cost about $150. Most, but not all, programs you use on a daily basis cost more money on top of that. By the time you are up and running, your programs could cost more than the computer they are running on. Then you have to buy each new update for each program separately. There is always the chance you get a virus somewhere along the line. My friends always give me a hard time about this one, but Windows needs to be rebooted quite a bit to run at optimal performance. That bothers me a lot. That and the constant request to reboot after every single program update, Windows and otherwise.

Back to the story… I decided to install Suse as my everyday OS. I liked it while I had it, and I learned a little bit about Linux in that time. Whenever I came across something I didn’t know, couldn’t figure out, or find an answer to, I started getting frustrated. The support wasn’t very widespread or easy to find. I wasn’t ready to give up on Linux, but it was time to try something new.

I had been reading a lot about a new flavor of Linux based on the ultra-stable Debian distro. One day I found a free disc for installation somewhere online. I ordered it and waited. A few weeks later, I had an install disc for an up and coming Linux distro called Ubuntu. From everything I had researched, it had a huge knowledgebase and plenty of people willing to help. It also had the backing of a gazillionaire in Mark Shuttlworth. I was ready to go.

I decided to install it on my old PC and mess around a bit. The installation took a few tries to get right, but after a little searching I was up and running. It had everything I needed for day to day work. There was an entire suite of office software, OpenOffice.org, an instant messaging client that worked for AIM, Yahoo, MSN, etc., a full-fledged e-mail client, Firefox, more basic games than Windows, education software, and even a program about space was available. There were many thousands more programs that were ready to be installed for free too.

This had me pretty well hooked. I ended up installing Ubuntu on my main computer for daily use. Since my first install, I have tried a total of seven successive upgrades, all from scratch. Each iteration has become easier to install and more user-friendly.

Is there a learning curve? Of course. It is not Windows. I am on my fourth year with Ubuntu and still have plenty to learn, but each time I use it I learn something new.

Unfortunately, I still keep a Windows pc handy for a very small set of tasks. The only three programs I need in Windows are my Blackberry software, iTunes, and Rosetta Stone. I did get Rosetta Stone up and running without issue in Ubuntu though, so I guess I only need it for the other two programs.

Does Ubuntu address my dislikes in Windows? Definitely. All the software I use is free and fully supported by the Ubuntu community. When Ubuntu looks for updates, it gets updates for every single program installed if there are any available. It doesn’t require a reboot after the updates, and I definitely don’t have to reboot for performance degradation. I have never even thought about running anti-virus softtware on Ubuntu, and not once have I had a virus program.

This is by no means a tutorial, or how-to, or even very detailed in the inner workings of Ubuntu or Linux. It is only my journey through the different trials. I am pleased with what is available, and the fact that there will always be improvements on a dedicated six month cycle. I would encourage you to give Ubuntu a shot, even if on a live disc. You can test it out for free and without making any changes to your computer whatsoever. Click here for the Ubuntu home page, and here to get started downloading the live disk.

Tags: linux, open source, operating system, Red Hat, Solaris, Suse, Ubuntu, Windows