Ubuntu

[ryno]

So I've been wanting to try it for awhile and I'm downloading it now. What should I expect from it? I've always been a Windows guy and right now I'm running 7 and just want to try something different.

[noodle]

[quote name='ryno' timestamp='1292205580' post='491071']
So I've been wanting to try it for awhile and I'm downloading it now. What should I expect from it? I've always been a Windows guy and right now I'm running 7 and just want to try something different.
[/quote]

Start off with Linux in a dual-boot setup. I've been using Linux and BSD as my main platform for more than 10 years now. Something I've noticed about Windows 7 is that the window decorations are incredibly wasteful of screen space. They changed the way menus work for no good reason. Window configs for Linux are almost always much more efficient and sensibly-laid-out than MS Windows. Wine does a reasonably good job running MS Windows software, including games. Drop me a line if you have any specific questions.

[Tom1]

I took a class to learn the terminal commands using redhat(13?). There really isn't much of a difference if you're just using the GUI.

While the terminal is much better and expansive than dos, you really don't need to use it with the exception of things like server maintenance / file permissions. The amount of free software for linux is awesome though.

[CarePolice]

Tried Ubuntu. Then realized it wouldn't run WoW, so trashed it. I know little about it other than that, but it seemed like a nice operating system for someone that isn't into gaming. Not sure if there are games for it or not.

P.S. Fairly certain there are next to no viruses for it, that could be a plus if true.

[ezxen]

I love to toss Ubuntu on old laptops ,not the latest release tho because feels too macish for my taste.Overall ubuntu is really nice . Speed and simplicity is a big win. I run win 7 on all my machines for gaming purposes.Only downside is drivers .i always have wifi problems.

[Josh Hamilton]

its not windows...

Ive been through several versions and dont bother installing games in wine app...

its good for old pc as its not so resource intensive as windows...

if only I could install games (all of them) then maybe Im willing...

the newer version of Ubuntu should be as easy to install as the previous versions...and the driver support for hardware always gets better

[ryno]

Only thing I don't like so far is I can't set up my dual monitors and I seem to have to go through hoops and bounds for DVD playback

[noodle]

According to the app database at WineHQ.org, [url="http://appdb.winehq.org/objectManager.php?sClass=application&iId=1922"]World of Warcraft[/url] is fully supported by Wine. Disclaimer: I don't play WoW and don't plan on it even if they make a Linux client. I don't want to get dragged into stuff like that. For modern games, I prefer the stuff offered by [url="http://www.telltalegames.com/"]Telltale Games[/url]. They're very good about playing nice with Wine.

[Allstar]

I like ubuntu. It is big for people that are into computer programming. It is a very sleek and easy to use OS. Very secure and free. I am going to image my netbook with windows 7 and ubuntu. On the partition with ubuntu will have true crypt running over it to conceal it.

[spectrum055]

Well I think Ubuntu is pretty interesting. Don't know much about the linux environment, but from what I've gathered from people who use Linux stuff I've been told Ubuntu is great for getting your feet wet in the Linux world, while Kubuntu is I guess for more advanced users and what not. Don't know exactly how true this is but after using straight up Linux and Ubuntu I tend to lean towards Ubuntu since in set up it's been easier for me since I'm a hardware guy trying to get deep into the programming world that well run's my hardware : P

[willbb123]

A couple weeks ago I tried to install [color="#1C2837"][size="2"]ubuntu on an old desktop I've had sitting around. My goal was to then connect it to my tv in the living room, and use it to run boxee. [/size][/color]
[color="#1C2837"][size="2"]I really liked the UI, and the fact that it wasn't windows. But I had problem after problem with drivers (graphics card, wireless networking), and it turned out to be more trouble then its worth. Once I find my XP install disc, I'll be reinstalling windows. I know that if I put more time into it, It will work; I'm just not really interested in learning linux.[/size][/color]
[color="#1C2837"] [/color]
[color="#1C2837"][size="2"]Their netbook version looks really good. I may look into it further for my netbook.[/size][/color]

[Allstar]

Ubuntu 10.10 will allow you to run it off of an external harddrive/thumbdrive until you want to put it on the netbook. It will automatically partition the hard drive for you. Really nice feature, considering back in the day you had to set up partition on the orginally install.

[magick777]

I run Ubuntu as my primary desktop operating system, by choice, and have done for a few years now; it is a rare event that I resort to a Windows system for anything. That being said, I'm an experienced Linux systems admin, I run very plain standard hardware that is usually a few years old, and I don't play Windows games or want to use bleeding-edge technologies. For web browsing, e-mail, word processing, CD/DVD use, instant messaging, audio recording or graphics work, it perfectly well rivals Windows.

But, there is a learning curve, there are frustrations with it, and as friendly as Ubuntu is, you'll have to put some work into getting it to do what you want. It won't do half as much for you without asking as Windows does, which subjectively is a good thing. I have known Windows users to embrace Ubuntu by choice, and it is more robust in my experience than Windows, but, no-one should be under the impression that it does anything in the same way as Windows or that it will ever be a drop-in replacement. It is certainly not an operating system for those who wish to play Windows games, and the fact that a game may work through emulation does not make it a smart idea; if that is what you want to do, you're better off using Windows to do it.

Personally, I don't encourage users to dual boot unless it's a laptop we're talking about, where having the flexibility to use multiple OS on the same machine is useful. Put Ubuntu on a machine that was worthless with Windows XP, you'll likely improve the machine and have fun learning Ubuntu. Dual boot it on your shiny new Windows 7 PC, and you may find Ubuntu allows you to break something you wish you hadn't broken.

If anyone on here has any quick "how do I.... / how can I" questions where Ubuntu is concerned, I'll gladly help if I can (though the Ubuntu forums may get you a quicker response).

[avielth]

I love ubuntu and have been using it on my older laptops for many years now dating back to college. However, it does require a degree of tech savvy-ness if you haven't used linux/unix distros before.
To be honest...most people are still better off using some flavor or windows, unless you are using it to make use of older harware. There are still a lot of things that the casual computer user can't do in ubuntu that they can do in windows...at least not without a lot of effort and research. If you play any games on your computer or use complicated windows software, then ubuntu isn't for you. Wine and Mono have taken big steps forward to get some of this stuff to work, but they still need a lot of work. Higher end graphics cards and other add-on hardware often lack first-party driver support, as well.

All that being said.. ubuntu is the best linux distro for end-users imo. If I were going to recommend a distro for someone new to linux, then i would recommend ubuntu.