Jul 30 2008
Sit, Ubuntu, Sit
(Those reading my short story “They Keys Are In It” may go on to Part Nine. Warning: not everybody lives through this chapter.)
The month of Ubuntu has begun. I am typing this in the Ubuntu Linux distribution that I installed on Saturday, and so far things are going great, and they’re only getting better (to borrow a phrase).
Let me just say now that I’m not doing this because I’m unhappy with Windows XP. On the contrary, it has treated me well. The only problem I’ve had in years is the incompatibility between Adobe Premiere Elements 2.0 and my CPU, but that’s not Windows’ fault. My XP system has been rock solid, stable, and responsive.
Every couple years or so I try Linux again to see whether it is something that 1) the average computer user can install and use, and 2) a pc geek father and busy blogger/writer can install and use with minimal fuss.
I never have been so pleased with the results.
No need for geeky details about my progress. I downloaded Ubuntu for free (you knew Linux was free, right?) and burned it on a CD, popped said CD into the CD-ROM, booted up the computer, and within 30 minutes I sat blinking in disbelief.
I had a working Ubuntu system that opens my documents, plays my sound and video files, views/edits my photos, and surfs the Web. Without having to enter any manual commands at all. That pretty much covers the average home computer user.
By using the included Synaptic Package Manager, I added the ability to edit my camera’s RAW files using the wonderful, free UFRAW integrated with the amazing GIMP (free photo and graphics editor). To test that, I pulled images from both a USB key and an external hard drive attached via USB, filled with files saved by my Windows XP box.
That goes a very long way toward meeting condition number two.
Tests remaining: home e-mail on Evolution (the included e-mail/scheduling software); photo scanner; printer (with a particular interest in the photo printing); camera; and media reader. Device support has been my stickiest issue with Linux in the past, so I’m trying to maintain a healthy level of skepticism.
Did I mention that I didn’t pay a dime to obtain and install Ubuntu and all the software running on it? Well, not unless you count the blank CD I used to burn the bootable install disk.
Kind of geeky section: With a very user-friendly, graphical interface, I preserved my Windows partition and in the space that was left I created a partition for Ubuntu. This was on an extra PC, mind you, not my main home PC. Any time you start re-sizing partitions with valuable data on them, you risk flinging your data into The Twilight Zone. Such utilities have improved greatly, but implicit trust in them is irrational.
Related reading:
Ubuntu after One Week
August Under Ubuntu
I’m glad you got Hardy Heron to work! (yes folks, Ubuntu likes to use animal names for their releases. The one before this was Gutsy Gibbon)
I truly love Ubuntu Mark… been working fine for me on a PC at home, and in a VM on my work PC for quite some time.
Note, people can download the Ubuntu ISO file, create a CD, and actually RUN Ubuntu from the CD without ever installing it so you can see what it’s like!
PS, Mark, did you get Cube to work yet?
hmmm, you’ve got me intrigued. Maybe after the move…when things settle down (crosses fingers) I’ll hav eto give this Ubuntu a try. I’ve been relatively pleased with XP…but if it’s really that simple, I’m open rolling the dice.
Good luck with your month.
On an incredibly well-timed related note, have you read today’s XKCD comic? I don’t know if you read it regularly, but if not then today’s is sort of the polar opposite of your experience.
http://xkcd.com/456/
I’m curious about Ubuntu, too. But I’m still jonesing for a Mac when I get my next computer upgrade. My PC’s nearly three years old now and I want a laptop for home.
Today’s title, by the way, is right up there with some of your best. Now you just need a picture of your operating system holding a frisbee in its mouth to really blow me away.
Dave - I have a Knoppix distribution bootable CD that has some great utilities — including some for Windows volumes.
Wow, that was geeky.
Moksha - It’s very easy to install. Even if you don’t decide to use it long-term, it’s still fun to feel like you have a new toy for free.
Simon - I saw that XKCD comic this morning before leaving for work, and it was eerily coincidental.
I have wanted to try a Mac OS X for quite some time, but never could justify the cash plunkature. A certain friend of mine has Mac OS X up and running on his Windows PC, but the attempts I made failed, so I went the Linux route again.
Glad you enjoyed the title. I figured at least somebody would remember that little clip. What common cultural bond will our children share if they don’t have television show intros/outros to remember? With DVR’s, they won’t have commercials to recall, either. Instead, they’ll just think nothing of their favorite sitcom character eating a bag of name-brand chips rather than the Cheese Poofios or other fun names the writers used to create.
Any of you ladies still reading? I know I’m giving in to stereotypes saying that, but I’ve yet to meet a woman or hear of a woman who has ever downloaded and installed Linux. Somebody prove me wrong.
I think you’ll be hard to prove wrong there Mark. The hardcore geek culture, especially the more vestigial ends of it, while not exclusively masculine, is certainly dominated by guys. As long as you can find the right woman to appreciate those infrequently used talents, eh?
Mark,
I’ve used Knoppix too, but found that The Ultimate CD is a lot better with more utilities and it works on more PC’s.
Give it a try.. just google Ultimate CD.
Simon - I found one who is pretty good at putting up with my geekiness. In fact,she ended up loving “Star Trek: The Next Generation” (Data was her favorite character) and cried like a baby at the end of Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. A keeper, to be sure. As far as my “infrequently used talents,” I’ll just say that this is a family blog and leave it at that.
Dave - Yes, I have the Ultimate Boot CD, too. But, the subject was Linux, so I threw out the Knoppix reference. With you and Alvis giving me tips, I’m sure I’ll have the best Ubuntu system possible.