Every post I have put up today has been done with my Dell laptop running Ubuntu 7.10. And it is running like a tank. I can "see" all the computers on my home network, can read all of their shared files and can print through a printer attached to another network computer. I have two desktops to use right out of the box, which is, I am finding, incredibly handy. Every peripheral I have tried plugging in has worked, including a tablet I had laying around.
In other words, this operating system is up and running – and running very well indeed. This one could give Windows a real run – a complete tyro could run this right out of the box.
OK this is a really stupid question: what about programs? I would love to leave windows and its long tentacles behind but I use my computer for a lot of programs. I assume that means I am stuck with windows.
It’s just that no windows sounds so lovely. . .
There is a program – costs $49 – that allows you to run Windows inside the Ubuntu system and run applications for Windows in their native environment. I’m going to get it for the main box when I convert it over.
Because I am going to convert my main computer over now.
Here is a thought, keep one outdated PC on Windows and move on to Linux. Linux is based on the UNIX operating system developed by a small team of programmers at ATT. I have 20 years experience with UNIX. The big difference is you can repeat things on Linux and expect the same result each time. I am always amazed with Windows; you do the same thing three times and have three different results.
Windows is not a real operating system with a real file system; it is just a collection of year’s worth of dissimilar programs woven together.
Why do you think everything somehow winds up in the c:\windows directory?
Thanks Gaius, I had RedHat Linus as a dual boot a few year ago and then had a lightening strike that blew up two PCs. I needed to recover so much I never put Linux back on. I’m downloading Ubuntu as I type.
I’ll get it up and running soon.
I’m really impressed this time. No – and I mean no – screwing around with it. It worked right off the first boot. What tweaking I have been doing is for looks and for personal convenience – all of which is easily done. (Really small footprint, too. Even after transferring all kinds of files into the system, including image files and downloading a lot of different applications I’m only looking at about 5.5 gigs on an 80 gig drive.)