Linux? That's only for geeks, right? Like its forerunner Unix it conjures up visions of terminal windows and cryptic commands.
I've used Windows for decades now, and I switched to the Mac a couple of years ago. I've also watched Linux grow up, but always considered it marginal; not something the average person would use on their desktop or laptop.
Until a couple of weeks ago that is.
I have a Sony Vaio laptop with Windows XP that just isn't running properly anymore. It is slow and the network connection doesn't work at all. A couple of weeks ago friends were showing me the newest version of Ubuntu. It could even be booted directly from a DVD, and they gave me a copy to try out.
I took it home and started it on the Vaio. It was up immediately and working flawlessly.
The out-of-the-box experience here is incredible. Ubuntu comes with everything I need to work -- an email reader, the Firefox browser, instant messaging client, softphone, and the OpenOffice productivity suite. It includes tools for managing and playing music and movies, for managing and editing photos, and for burning CDs and DVDs. It even includes several games for when you need a little play time.
Configuration was ridiculously simple, most of it done automatically at boot time. When I wanted to add a printer Ubuntu quickly recognized the HP Officejet 6310 on my home network and found the drivers. I was printing from OpenOffice within seconds. It also recognized the scanner on the Officejet, which is more than Windows XP was capable of.
The Gnome user interface will feel quite comfortable to anyone who has used Windows XP, and there are some neat effects such as windows that bend and stretch animatedly when you drag them. Everything acts exactly the way a Windows user would expect it to.
That said, a savvy Linux user can still drop into the provided Terminal window and use the familiar command line interface to their heart’s content.
But most of all, this is an operating system that fits completely in runnable form on a single DVD CD (many gracious commenters have noted that I was mistaken here), far less than the space required for either Windows or Mac OS X. This is a system that keeps software bloat to a minimum, and as a result increases performance.
Most people will never install an operating system, choosing instead to use whatever came with their computer. But if you've found yourself saddled with the poor performance of Vista on your computer, or you have a machine that just doesn’t work properly with Windows anymore, then you owe it to yourself to at least boot your computer up with Ubuntu and try it out.
This is not your father's (or your older brother's) Linux anymore. This is consumer-ready, rivaling Windows, but much simpler to get up and running. With an interface you’ll feel immediately comfortable with, and all of the tools you’ll need to be up and working productively -- and completely free. And all without a single cryptic command.
Larry Borsato has been a software developer, marketer, consultant, public speaker, and entrepreneur, among other things. For more of his unpredictable, yet often entertaining thoughts you can read his blog at larryborsato.com.
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Comments
Welcome to linux & free software in general! ;)
It actually fits on a CD not a DVD
You can even just install it right next to Windows (actually inside windows, just like a normal program) this way you can check it out (just like the live CD - not DVD like stated in the article, athough it can be burned on a DVD though) The main benefit of checking it out like this, instead of the live cd, is that the response is much quicker, because its installed on the harddisk and not running from the cd. That way you can get a much better "feel" what linux has to offer regarding speed as well. This option can be found on the cd (besides other install options), this cd you can burn by going to www.ubuntu.com and dowload the ISO file (its just a file, don't be scared) and burn it as an ISO on the cd. (you can find this "ISO burn option" on all burning software)... if you don't have a cd burner... no problem... go to http://wubi-installer.org/
"No need to burn a CD. Just run the installer, enter a password for the new account, and click "Install", go grab a coffee, and when you are back, Ubuntu will be ready for you."
Have fun!
With one, VERY LARGE exception, and I hope they fix that soon:
Have you tried to get WiFi working out of the box (sorry, straight off the CD)? Not in Ubuntu, not in Kubuntu, which is extremely disappointing.
For the rest: well, I've had some end users on Linux 2 years ago. SuSE 9 it was, I think, and the overall comment was that it wasn't hard at all. They especially liked the fact that they could work uninterrupted, and without too many virus worries. The low price was appreciated but wasn't a deal maker - the freedom from malware was..
Wifi can be tricky, but most common drivers are on the install CD.
That said, the ones that aren't are a pain in the backside to get installed and working.
I've used Kubuntu as my main system for three years now and heartily recommend it to anyone to try out. That said, I strongly recommend checking hardware compatibility with the LiveCD first - when the hardware is supported, Ubuntu has Mac-like levels of "It Just Works" ... when it isn't, it's worse to get working than Windows!
That said, I am enormously happy with it on my HP Compaq 6710b - support in 7.10 was patchy, support in 8.04 is flawless. The only hardware that isn't supported is the fingerprint reader, but laptop fingerprint readers are complete snake oil anyway ;-)
I just tried out the Ubuntu live CD (AMD X2 64-bit). I have to say I was very impressed. It even recognized that I have a display with native 1920x1200 resolution and actually set the graphics card to that resolution!! First time I've been able to get any Linux to run at that resolution.
never had a problem with wifi for my part, although it may always be worthwhile checking supported device databases before buying _any_ hardware..
I had been aware of the monopoly political issue for quite some time, even tried OS/2 at some stage, and I am still deeply upset that OS-bundling is permitted in a so-called free-market economy..
i switched away from MS in 2001 and I am just very very grateful for thousands of hours of highly stable, virus-free, just-works linux experience!
I should note that what Larry found goes for Manrdiva, PCLInuxOS and others targeted specifically at the desktop.
I would not recommend Fedora or OpenSUSE to a complete Linux newbie simply because they tend to be leading/bleeding edge with the instabilties that come with being that. They are excellent distros but they do require a lot more care and feeding than the three above.
All distros are getting better at supporting WiFi, my Mandriva doesn't, for whatever reason, recognize the WiFi during installation but configuring it on the first full boot solves that without much being asked from me. (DCHP or fixed IP, get DNS from ISP etc). Part of this is because chip makers are getting more open about their wares. Atheros was the last major holdout and even they are moving to be less secretive.
No, this is not the LInux I was using as a desktop even 2 years ago.
Add to everything Larry found there's also a wealth of other software freely available for just about any task you can think of.
ttfn
John
Try finding windows drivers for a WiFi card that does not come with a CD. For instance a Belkin or Linksys card. Ok, you found the card. Now was the firmware version 1.0? Or 1.1? Or 2.0? Or 3.0? or 4.0? or 4.1? or 5.0? Not always fun.
I even have a wireless card that STOPED working in windows. Native Linux drivers have no problems with it.
From now on, I am buying USB WiFi adapters. So far I have not met a Linux system that does not like the USB WiFi.
Every piece of hardware should state what chipset it uses. It would be a line of text, able to be ignored by everyone who doesn't care, and immediately usable by everyone who does (i.e., Linux users).
Also, Broadcom USB isn't native (yet?).
Furthermore, some older chipsets are a bit neglected. I've got an Atmel card, and the in-kernel driver doesn't support AES encryption, Atmel's own GPL driver was last developed in 2004, and the other out-of-tree driver, which is being maintained, is for the USB versions only, and my card is PCMCIA.
I'm investigating rewriting that driver for the current kernel, though this would mostly be an educational experience.
If you ever need trouble free wifi on linux try to make sure you have a Ralink rt2xxx chip card, have been using my belikn G card with the RT2500 chipset working with the driver from the serial monkey project and it is out of the box with ubuntu 8.04 with WPA
I have 35 years IT experience, was on Design Review team for the development of the first electronic spreadsheet (Visicalc) in 1978, was a Harvard Consultant to the White House on IT and have led numerous development projects etc.
As a M$ OS user of 27 years, I've just tested the latest Ubuntu (8.04) and it installs like a breeze, far easier than M$. The ability to do a test Linux install as a file within Windows C drive is a god-send for people wanting to try it. It auto recognised everything (but not a wireless stick that was not pluggedd in to the USB when it did hardware recognition - but didn't pick up this Netgear wireless card when later plugged in).
The internet connection (cable to router) was automatic. I've used OpenOffice for years, so that was as good as M$... The other apps were sound. Will save $000 for average user. Very robust.
In short, I'd say that Linux is finally ready for easy deployment (esp for One Laptop Per Child etc, where hardware is known)... but also for everyone who does not want to be forced into Vista, given XP support has finished.
My only feedback to Linux community would be:
- Improve wireless support to include most devices;
- Allow file dates to be also transferred when copying from media (copying photos from your camera re-dates them to the minute copied, rather than time photo was taken);
- Improve GIMP to allow photo cropping etc without re-dating the file (per www.irfanview.com) as again don't want to lose file date as photo date (yes I know 'real date' is hidden in EXIF data within JPEG, but who looks there);
- Improve DVD/CD burner to better support long filenames (like Nero or Cheetah) rather than too-easil defaulting back to 8-char file names;
- When burning DVD/CDs don't re-date files - again, preserving file date/time is needed;
- Add some more fonts in initial installation, if copyright allows;
- After install show pop-up screen advising how to get other Open Source apps... and increase the range.... Instead of 'open slather' being killed by choice, it would help to have Ubuntu recommend 1-2 products in each area, one for starters, one for experts, to help people confused as to what works and doesn't. Asking a forum for each such selection is a waste of everyone's time!
- Add a WindowsXP emulator in base install, so people can also switch to go 'the other way', by installing Linux and still having access to XP programs where necessary.
In the scheme of things, these are tiny items, and far fewer than my 'hate list' for Vista... Even the missing drivers issue is far less than for Vista. So I'm all for Linux solutions and think they really have finally become better/easier... but I'd love the tech guys to address the few tiny issues above.
Graeme Harrison (prof at-symbol post.harvard.edu)
Of the issues I listed with Ubuntu, a better CD/DVD burner fixed the date-preservation issue for when writing to CD/DVD. However, the issue of copying from camera (without software - ie just seeing the camera as a connected storage device) is still a problem.
Graeme
I discovered Ubuntu about 8 months ago and am loving it. The community support has been amazing!
I have found that Ubuntu will work well on most computers I have tested. I have also found that there are some computers, especially older that it just will not see some hardware like sound devices, and video devices. I would say Ubuntu works better on a desktop than a laptop today, but that is getting better. I would say that the odds are better now days that it will work, but you should try the live CD first as a test. Linux and Ubuntu are much better today than the Linux in the 90's. If you not want the experience of installing it yourself, you can by PCs now with Linux pre-installed. DELL, System76, Gigastrand and others...... If you have a PC that can not run VIsta, you should consider trying a Linux Distro like Ubuntu. You can get more use out of the hardware you already own.
Thanks very much for all of your comments. I'm astounded by how many people have added their thoughts to this story. I too have had a few problems with WiFi, but Ubuntu has turned my otherwise useless laptop into something I can again work with.
I was especially happy to find that I can run Ubuntu directly from disk, as I would like to see the speed (as opposed to that of the CD) before I install it.
For those of you who also blog, you might be interested to know that I created a freeware blogging tool called Bleezer (http://www.bleezer.com) written in Java - that actually works with Linux.
Thanks again for the excellent sense of community support that you have all brought to the discussion.
Most people will never install an operating system, choosing instead to use whatever came with their computer. But if you've found yourself saddled with the poor performance of Vista on your computer, or you have a machine that just doesn’t work properly with Windows anymore, then you owe it to yourself to at least boot your computer up with Ubuntu and try it out.