Ubuntu

[Marshall]

(Sorry this is OT)

 

Inspired by our revamped forum, I have decided to download Ubuntu and see what the crack is. It is just downloading as I write.

 

Gonna use a partition on my hard drive and install. Is there anything I should watch out for or does anyone have any suggestions or recommendations. e.g. what to do about antivirus etc.

 

Quite looking forward to checking it out. Will report back with my feelings.

[dieselnutjob]

personally I prefer KDE rather than gnome, kubuntu in other words, but it is just a personal preference

however if you don't get on with standard gnome ubuntu it might be worth a try

[dieselnutjob]

oh

you don't need antivirus with ubuntu, honestly you don't

 

obvious back up everything important on your PC before you start (like photos or whatever) because one tiny mistake and you can loose the lot

[Inspector Morose]

Been converted to Ubuntu for a couple of years now. I'm no geek and I get on with it fine with no problems for anything I want to do. There's a new version out on the 10th October (Ubuntu 10:10 Maverick Meercat) I'm running a beta version right now on my old netbook and it does seem alot quicker and sleeker; it just keeps getting better.

[myglaren]

I've been using Ubuntu since the 5.04 release (Hoary Hedgehog) and find that it suits me admirably.

Do expect a few frustrations though as things won't happen the same way they do with Windows. Usually the difference is better but you may not know how to do things straight off.

There is lots of help available though, firstly, have a look at Psychocats, a very informative and informal guide for new and prospective users.

 

For help with specific problems, the Ubuntu Forums are probably one of the best forums on the net, fast, accurate and very friendly advice.

 

Run it as a live CD first to see if you might have any hardware issues. If you have SiS graphics there is an almost insurmountable driver problem. It will work but only in a very basic format.

Some wireless networking hardware can be problematic.

Linux Mint is supposed to be better for handling wifi simply. Doesn't always though and sometimes Ubuntu does it better.

[Spiny Norman]

I've got Ubuntu 10.4 on this machine along with Vista, which everyone on the planet except me seems to hate, and I'll chuck in my 2p worth if I may.

Ubuntu's great, but no matter what Linux fans might have you believe, it's not as user friendly as Windows or Mac.

In Windows, just about anything you'll ever have to do to the system is done either by downloading and installing, a few clicks and it's done, or altering some sub menu somewhere in the depths of the machine, again usually by ticking a different box somewhere, but in Linux you have to get down and dirty with the code if you want to change anything and that puts a lot of people off.

 

Go and have a look at some of the questions and answers on the Ubuntu forum and see if you can understand what they're on about. I can't.

I'll get shot down in flames for this, but in 2010 most regular folks who own a computer just don't want to be bothered with that level of user input. It's like asking someone to give up their new VW Polo and go back to a 1969 Beetle. Fair enough as Autoshitists we'd relish the experience but we know that 99% of the great unwashed couldn't be bothered with the constant tinkering you have to do. That's what Linux is like. It runs sweetly for a while and you start patting yourself on the back that you've stuck it to the man by running a free OS, then your printer goes bang and you buy a new one, which of course would simply plug in and work out the box with Windows, but that's not necessarily the case with Linux.

 

Don't believe me? Go onto the Linux forums and ask how to get a Canon all-in-one printer/scanner to work.....Or an Epson.... Neither of these are esoteric machines but I've been unlucky enough never to have owned a printer that's worked with Ubuntu. Ditto wireless routers.

 

Also as for anti-virus, technically Ubuntu doesn't need one but only if there is never going to be any transfer of files between that and a Windows machine. Linux fans can get quite pissy over this saying it's up to the Windows machine to have AV, but if you're going to share your stuff with Windows owning friends (or your own Windows PC) then you should have AV to protect the Windows machine.

 

That said, try it. It's free and you might get on with it.

[MrDuke]

If you've never had any experience of Linux before, I'd strongly recommend getting hold of some decent reading material - my first go was on SUSE version 10.something and I had a massive but very accessible book (from the library) to go with it, which explained exactly how to do things that you'd normally do on Windows XP. After you're confident in one area, you'll feel better about trying other things.

 

Also, I've never really seen a reason for there to be proper 'rivalry' between Windows & Linux - as far as I can see, Linux has for a long while been preferred for use with servers, or for I.T. admin duties in medium-sized companies, while Windows will always be the choice for the kind of people that only ever buy new cars for the warranties. There's not even any commercial battle going on, as Linux desktop distros are virtually free.

[scaryoldcortina]

All I have to add is that if you choose your hardware sensibly (there is a compatability list) you shouldn't have any trouble. Yes, some printers are a total pain in the arse, because they are non-standard and only work with a binary windows driver but since Apple started using CUPS (common Unix Printing System) the days of the win-printer are limited. Same goes for webcams. Avoid the cheapo XP ones, and buy something with a "Vista Ready" certification because (shock) microsoft decided to use the same standard as video4linux uses.... Same goes for wireless. Have a quick look at what chipset your dongle uses (hardware list again), even google the model number of a potential purchace before buying. Some stuff works out of the box, most will with fiddling but there are some out there that only graft on windows due to the driver.

[Marshall]

Thanks for the comments and advice guys.

 

I have had a quick play with my Gnome now (Oh matron!) and it seems quite good.

Of course, I have immediately run into an issue with my printer driver but it appears I should be able to solve this.

Think I will try the advice on doing a bit of homework before I continue any further but I dont have a great deal of time at the moment.

I will persevere though as I quite enjoy a challenge and I am intrigued to see how it all works in the long term. AND, of course, it is free.

[HillmanImp]

I have clicked on this link about 4 times now wondering 'Whats a Ubuntu, sounds like some sort of 1970's Jeepesque kitcar' or suchlike......

[myglaren]

Also as for anti-virus, technically Ubuntu doesn't need one but only if there is never going to be any transfer of files between that and a Windows machine. Linux fans can get quite pissy over this saying it's up to the Windows machine to have AV, but if you're going to share your stuff with Windows owning friends (or your own Windows PC) then you should have AV to protect the Windows machine.

 

There is an antivirus - "ClamAV"

It is there principally to check for and eliminate any virus that may have come from a Windows machine via email/attachments and may further propagate to other Windows users that you are in contact with.

 

I started with SüSe 7.3, bought it for £23, came with a 400 page handbook that I still have somewhere, in a posh box, 6CDs and a years online/phone support that I never ever needed.

 

I knew nothing about Linux, was merely curious.

It installed the printers faster and easier than Windows although they never worked quite as well.

Found and installed the modem with no issues, online faster than Windows did it.

Networked all the computers in the house automagically - could never get Windows (95 at the time) to do that. We had seven machines on the go at the time.

 

Ubuntu has done all this but quicker. Wireless routers no problem whatsoever*, with my machines and others I have installed Ubuntu on for folks with trashed Windows systems, no installation disks and no desire to stump up god knows how much to install it again.

 

*Netgear, D-Link, BT HomeHubs and some other obscure thing I forget the name of.

 

Canon printers are a well known issue as Canon refuse to assist in any way at all in the generation of drivers for their products.

HP printers on the other hand just work.

My Brother printer took five minutes to install, as opposed to about 45 minutes on Vista.

 

I will agree that in some cases the help in the Ubuntu forum is for the already converted BUT if you say you are new to it and don't understand the shorthand they will explain fully and hold your hand until you are happy with it - or in the rare case admit that the problem is insurmountable (SiS Graphics - same problem as Canon)

[MrDuke]

Also, if for some reason you don't get on with Ubuntu or its variations, remember there are numerous other flavours of all shapes and sizes. Distro-watch has a list of the alleged 'top 100' distros around, with descriptions and reviews of most of them.

[M'coli]

Just how long does it take to bloody install on a laptop without USB2? 2 hours and counting at the moment...

 

Edit: boots lovely from the pendrive on the wife's laptop, which has USB2 - so I think that answers my question.