Take It Up Yours Windows, I am now Open
After so many years of Windozing, I have now given up. I am switching to LInux (Ubuntu to be specific) forever. From OpenOffice to Firefox, from GIMP to Brasero, all Open Source.
I hereby pledge never to use Microsoft Windows unless absolutely required or forced to do so. All the required work like blogging/Social Networking/ <insert useless activity> will be done on Open Source Software. It is now my duty to spread awareness about OSS (Open Source Software). Richard Stallman is my God now.
I don’t know what was holding me back from switching to Heaven from Hell, but whatever it was, it has been killed by Windoze itself. Trouble shooting has been one thing on which I have spent too much time while using Windows (any version, doesn’t matter). Either there’s was a virus or a bug or one of the Windows nuisances . Sometimes it’s the guilt of using pirated software (excluding Windows). No doubt that the trouble shooting has made me understand my computer more than ever before but now that I can handle most hardware and software problems I think it is now time to bid goodbye to an old friend who has ruined things when they were of utmost importance.
I am going Open Source (no pun intended)
I’m still getting used to Ubuntu 9.10 (for why read next paragraph). Finding software is a bit difficult since I am unaware of most of the things and communities/forums. Also since I don’t have to manually install Office every time I re-install Ubuntu, I am loving it. The system is more responsive, does not hang (at least not as often as windows), boots faster, does not have any virus and last but not not the least, it frees me of the guilt of using pirated software. It’s not that I am using Linux or Ubuntu for the first time, I have used it for testing purposes many times before but never thought of switching to it at that time. But this time I am
Image via Wikipedia
As to why I am using Karmic Koala and not Lucid Lynx: I don’t know why but my mouse and Keyboard freeze the moment I boot into Lucid Lynx. I have tried both fresh installation and upgrading from Karmic Koala but none helped. Apparently it is a bug and has been noticed by some other users too.
Until there is an official announcement by Canonical about this bug or someone comes up with a fix I will stick to Karmic Koala. Also, I might upgrade to Maverick Meerkat once it will release on 10.10.10.
If you are an Open Source Fanatic then please post some links as comments of some forums and/or websites from where I can get some add-ons and software.
Ubuntu is great for taking a machine and making it usable without too much tinkering, it is as complex as you wish it to be, you aren't forced to spend countless hours setting up if you don't want to, but it can be a victim of it's own customisations when things don't work as they should out of the box. I found Lucid and Maverick both to require too much housekeeping (I work with linux full time so don't want to bring my job home!) so I use Karmic for it's relative simplicity.
I am using Karmic Koala even now because 10.04 and 10.10 render my Keyboard and Mouse useless due to some weird bug.
Welcome to opensource!
I prefer ubuntu to be the best distro (after using more than 15 others).
As for add-ons (as called as tweaks) there are good websites and some softwares I prefer.
Here are some good and frequently updated sites for ubuntu tweaks.
1. omg-ubuntu (official news site)
2. ubuntuforums.org (best place for problem solving in almost real time)
3. numerous blogs.
4. try googling “things to do after installing ubuntu 10.10 or else. People have the most amazing ideas and softwares ever.
5. ubuntu-tweak (nice simple software).
Last tips: Whenever you have some problem, reinstalling is not the best solution (though easier). It is linux, so you can customize, play and then reach the corner from where you think you can’t come back. But most of the time there is some way. And who don’t love the OS to be exactly customized (which is not theme or some simple stuffs only like windows) exactly in your own way?
Nice points! I practice/use all the software/tips/tricks you mentioned above
Presently, I am using a MAC OSX theme on Ubuntu.:P
Are you using macbuntu? That is good, but for me the uninstallation did not go much smoothly(and I don't like mac).All styles in mac can be done much seamlessly (from processor usage view too) in ubuntu and there are lot more. Try simple compiz(not compiz). You will never regret.
Thanks for the tip! I'll try simple compiz.
Welcome to opensource!
I prefer ubuntu to be the best distro (after using more than 15 others).
As for add-ons (as called as tweaks) there are good websites and some softwares I prefer.
Here are some good and frequently updated sites for ubuntu tweaks.
1. omg-ubuntu (official news site)
2. ubuntuforums.org (best place for problem solving in almost real time)
3. numerous blogs.
4. try googling "things to do after installing ubuntu 10.10 or else. People have the most amazing ideas and softwares ever.
5. ubuntu-tweak (nice simple software).
Last tips: Whenever you have some problem, reinstalling is not the best solution (though easier). It is linux, so you can customize, play and then reach the corner from where you think you can't come back. But most of the time there is some way. And who don't love the OS to be exactly customized (which is not theme or some simple stuffs only like windows) exactly in your own way?
meh, ubuntu = windows of linux. Get debian/centOS and ditch gui for a few months and go cli if you really want to learn something out of it. You won't regret it
I don't think I am ready for that but will give CLI a try for sure! Thanks!
Have you used Linux Mint ?
I've got a few Reviews that you may like to read.
No, I haven't used Mint myself but have seen it in action. Why don't you link the reviews? I would definitely love to read them!
Karmic and Leopard are two totally different Operating Systems, I can't compare them without being a little biased
I used Intrepid Ibex and Jaunty Jackalope each for about a month or two. All thanks to that i can now use terminal easily on my iPod.
But, then came my mac and Snow Leopard. IT BLEW ME AWAY. Since then I've become a mac-addict!
How is Karmic Koala as compared to Snow Leopard?
I noticed it for the first time that the versions of Ubuntu are named after the month and year of its release.
Maverick Meerkat is 10.10 (October 2010)
Lucid Lynx was 9.04 (April 2010)
Ubuntuforums.org would be the best place to ask your queries and doubts.You may also give a try at Yahoo! Answers if you are not satisfied with Ubuntuforums(that rarely happens!)
Shifting to Ubuntu is good but you may see yourself typing every now and then weird commands in the terminal for doing your tasks.You may take a while to get used to the way Linux works.
I knew about the naming convention. Here's the Wikipedia Article concerning it http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Ubuntu_relea…
Yahoo! Answers are not for me. I can usually find stuff by Googling.
And yes. I have been typing commands in the terminal a lot.:P