Is anyone here using UBUNTU? --- Linnux based op system
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From: AndyS on 25 Jan 2010 07:56 Andy asks: I am considering switching from WINDOWS to UBUNTU, which is a Linnux based operating system. Has anyone here had any experience with it or have any pointers that I should be aware of ?? Thanks, AndyS W4OAH
From: Tim Watts on 25 Jan 2010 09:02 On Mon, 25 Jan 2010 04:56:50 -0800, AndyS <andysharpe(a)juno.com> wibbled: > Andy asks: > > I am considering switching from WINDOWS to UBUNTU, which is a > Linnux > based operating system. > > Has anyone here had any experience with it or have any pointers > that > I should be aware of ?? Yes, yes and yes. Hi Andy... Ubuntu is a separately maintained branch of debian with more regular releases (6 monthly) and perhaps a more polished end-use experience (no disrespect to debian). It therefore benefits from the *massive* set of available packages that the debian guys crank out (and many debian devs are ubuntu devs and vice-versa). You can trial it from a live CD to check if a) it works on your hardware (very likely) and b) you like it. When you are ready to instally, it is possible to dual boot linux and windows, though you may need to shove windows down into a smaller disk partition (reinstall or borrow some software that's good at re-partitioning disks whilst preserving data). 9.10 (Oct=10 release, 2009) is current. 8.04 (2008, April=4) is the last LTS or Long Term release which will have bug fixes and security patches made available for 3 years for desktop variant and 5 years for server variant which is good if you don't want to be reinstalling every couple of years... The next version which will be an LTS as well is scheduled for April 2010 (10.04). Get the current one from here and burn to a CD: http://www.ubuntu.com/getubuntu/download There are some options worth considering too: Obviously double check if you want the 32 bit version or the 64 bit version. In addition, you can use Ubuntu (Gnome windows based), it's sister Kubuntu (KDE windows/desktop based), Xubuntu (XFCE based) or the Netbook remix (perfect for flash based little netbooks like the eeepc). The Ubuntu/Kubuntu/Xubuntu is a matter of taster - start if Ubuntu if you don't know. Once (if) you install it on the hard disk, the rest of the packages are available via the internet - and you can add KDE or XFCE to a base Ubuntu install. IME, Ubuntu is pretty stable (there are bugs from time to time, might as well be upfront) - more stable than most MS desktop OSs. You get a lot for free, including a rich set of applications. The ones most likely to be of interest to you might include: OpenOffice (word, spreadsheets and presentations - fairly reasonable MS Office compatability) Gimp - raster paint progam - very advanced for free software Firefox Thunderbird Pan/Knode/Thunderbird for USENET Eagle PCB for PCB stuff and schematics (free version limited but usable, paid version fairly powerful). Cycas for 2D CAD (free or paid) Inkscape for vector graphics Lots of ucontroller programmer/utility software (certainly decent AVR support) Excellent chess if you like that... HTH Tim -- Tim Watts Managers, politicians and environmentalists: Nature's carbon buffer.
From: Phil Hobbs on 25 Jan 2010 09:52 On 1/25/2010 7:56 AM, AndyS wrote: > Andy asks: > > I am considering switching from WINDOWS to UBUNTU, which is a > Linnux > based operating system. > > Has anyone here had any experience with it or have any pointers > that > I should be aware of ?? > > Thanks, > > AndyS W4OAH Yup. I'm more of a KDE fan, so I've used Kubuntu at various points on several machines from old Thinkpads to dual-CPU SMPs. It's pretty painless initially, especially the way it installs itself as a dual-boot with Windows, which is quite slick. (Do a backup first, though!) The main issue I have with Ubuntu (and maybe Debian in general, I don't know) is that it won't do as it's bloody well told, especially when it comes to disc partitioning. If I have a 1 TB disc, say, and I want the partitions to start on cylinder boundaries (due to some issues with other OSes), I should be able to do that...but Ubuntu insists on changing the partition table to do what _IT_ wants, even if I tell it to install on a pre-existing partition. And for what? To save 5 MB of disc space. Maddening. Cheers Phil Hobbs -- Dr Philip C D Hobbs Principal ElectroOptical Innovations 55 Orchard Rd Briarcliff Manor NY 10510 845-480-2058 email: hobbs at electrooptical dot net http://electrooptical.net
From: Gerhard Hoffmann on 25 Jan 2010 10:35 Tim Watts wrote: > On Mon, 25 Jan 2010 04:56:50 -0800, AndyS <andysharpe(a)juno.com> wibbled: > >> Andy asks: >> >> I am considering switching from WINDOWS to UBUNTU, which is a >> Has anyone here had any experience with it or have any pointers >> that >> I should be aware of ?? > > Yes, yes and yes. I have just converted my production machine to Ubuntu, the file server has been for a long time. There is also Virtual Box from Sun that creates a virtual PC with simple hardware (IDE, Floppy, CDROM, network card..) C: is mapped on one large Linux file. You can get access to part of the Linux file system and USB ports may be passed to the VB. I run XP in the virtual box for the few utilities I still need. The state of the windows box can be saved to disk, copied and reanimated. I can also move the virtual machine to the laptop and have the identical environment, although slower. (not tested yet) It is possible to access the internet, limit networking to the local machine, the VBoxes or pull the virtual Ethernet plug with a mouse click. Usually my XP has no internet access any more. Performance is surprisingly good. The only thing I could not get to work is the DG8SAQ network analyzer that does lots of real time stuff over USB. XP installation was faster than on the bare machine. Must be the the RAID0 driver under the ext4 file system and the Linux disc cache that really works. regards, Gerhard
From: oopere on 25 Jan 2010 11:12
AndyS wrote: > Andy asks: > > I am considering switching from WINDOWS to UBUNTU, which is a > Linnux > based operating system. > > Has anyone here had any experience with it or have any pointers > that > I should be aware of ?? > > Thanks, > > AndyS W4OAH Yes, my machines are now ubuntu based (6-9 months now). It features a decent environment although there are several minor aspects that need some polishing. But now you can work with it. However, it helps if you have someone nearby who can provide some help since this is a nontrivial change. I would not have been able to without some support. A great plus for Ubuntu is that you (almost) have not to worry about finding a place to download software: (almost) everything you need is in the repositories! BUT, this switch has only been possible thanks to sun's virtuabox, where I still run an XP system when needed: certain applications are not available for linux, there are scanners, etc which are not supported in linux and you often have to read or write that M$-office document from/to someone. OTOH, openoffice, while usable, is still not as usable as the M$ alternatives. Since you can save your virtual machine state with open apps, it is even faster to start the virtual system than a real machine! Also, with this approach, there is (almost) no need to worry about virus protection: you simply restart at a known snapshot, provided that your data is somewhere outside the XP system. Pere |