“In a world without walls and fences, who needs Windows and Gates”
WARNING OFF TOPIC POST FOLLOWS
This post is going to be about operating systems and open source software. It has nothing whatever to do with the declared intention of this blog but I make no apology.
This morning I came across a new (to me) WordPress blog that I immediately added to my bookmarks and the blogroll. One of the best sources of views in recent days has been the WordPress.com home page. I don’t not know how I come to be there – and I do not see myself there when I go to it. So I suppose there must be some clever code that decides what to show me that I do not already know about – like my own blog. So I look around and find Linux Owns.
It has a number of things useful to Ubuntu and other Linux distro users. But what I want you to look at is Why the normal pc user should try ubuntu. It does much better than I could what I think needs to be done. If you are still captive to Microsoft, you need to break free. And Ubuntu is the way to do it. (I did try Knoppix but I cannot recommend that in good conscience as it drove me nuts: it may have got better since, but Ubuntu is now much more popular).
You do not have to give up Windows. This machine I am typing on now still has XP – because the hardest thing for me to do is to forget old software, not learn new ones. And there are some things that I know how to do that are easy and work, and are frankly not worth climbing the learning curve again for. But you should know if you use Open Source software (like Open Office) you can still easily use files that need to be used by others on Windows systems.
Linux is free. Ubuntu can be run from a CD. You do not have to give up anything. You can try it risk free.
What are you waiting for?
And now, back to our regularly scheduled programming
Stephen Rees's blog 
Ubuntu – for example – has everything and more that a casual (non-gamer, non-business) user needs. For someone new to computers, it’s probably easier to learn than Windows.
However, when I last tried it, I found that initial setup was excellent, but I needed to install “non-free” codecs to play music, hunt for drivers, and use terminal, among other things. The worst experience I had was trying to install a video editor, which required a chain of dependancies – and if it’s not built for your system, you have to compile from scratch.
This is a critical time for Linux – if they can make a product that “just works”, XP users scarred from Vista will have a place to turn to.
(personally, I use OS X, but have also lived under linux and windows)
Eric
April 16, 2008 at 5:09 pm
Eric – if you read some of the blog I linked to you can find the fixes for the problems you identify. I do not know how long you have been away from Ubuntu but it gets better and easier every time it is updated – several times since I first installed and all automatically.
I have never ever compiled anything – indeed I have no idea how to do that. Using terminal is easy. Usually just cut and paste someone’s instructions. Oddly enough the “hunt for drivers” can be minimised by keeping hold of older equipment. Windows keeps demanding hardware upgrades. Linux works best on smaller cheaper machines. You simply do not need the latest and greatest kit. But then you apparently like spending money on Macs. I cannot afford to.
I also have Linux on my Asus Eee PC – and that just works right out of the box and is simplicity itself to keep updated.
Stephen Rees
April 16, 2008 at 5:33 pm
I just have to add my praise for Linux and the EeePC. I bought one for my mother who knows only WinXP, on the understanding that I could install XP if necessary. It hasn’t been necessary 😉 The price was fantastic (no licence fees!) and the do-what-i-mean interface has worked flawlessly for her, working with all her existing peripherals and MSOffice files without a hitch. This is the sort of thing that will make open source a winner.
Don
April 17, 2008 at 7:57 am
[…] “In a world without walls and fences, who needs Windows and Gates” April 20083 comments 5 […]
2010 in review « Stephen Rees's blog
January 2, 2011 at 10:09 am
My experience with Ubuntu is that it has great graphics and compatibity, but for someone like me, a website designer, open source software to help me is very very limitted. Personally i believe that in order for Ubuntu to step up higher, open source software designers need to design not only software to do what we do with windows, but also make it better, yes im asking you clever people to make a great piece of software for free, but just add a “donate” button and people will donate. Thats my only problem with Linux OSs. Still using Windows XP… had a mac, for sold it for the same reason (lack of software) Also someone needs to make software for Linux where we use the terminal much less. We don’t need newbies having the experience of DOS.
Marco
February 20, 2011 at 11:15 am
Yes I so agree I have been spreading the good word about Linux ever since I laid eyes upon it
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