When I first wrote about using Ubuntu Linux last month, I was just getting started. The installation and functionality on the Dell Dimension 4600 desktop was very smooth and the functionality was quite good. The OS recognized all the hardware and everything just worked, including some of the special visual effects. The performance was pretty respectable too for a machine with only 512KB of RAM.
The story was a not so pretty on the HP Pavilion dv9000 laptop. The performance is good. But I had two key issues. First was was getting the right video drivers to work with Nvidia GeForce graphics card to work and second was getting the Atheros WiFi adapter to work. I now have both issues resolved to a level I can live with….sort of.
First, I configured the Nvidia drivers so that I can extend the desktop across two monitors. However, this setup is not capable of using the software that provides the special graphics effects that makes using your computer a little more fun if not actually more efficient. Just take a look at Gnome-Look.org to get an idea of what’s possible at no additional financial cost.
The second issue with no WiFi was a big one for me. This may have been a real deal breaker for me, expecially with a laptop. While looking for some information about another topic, I stumbled onto a solution that got my WiFi working. So I’m a pretty happy camper.
But here’s the rub for most people. Both these solutions required a series of commands at the command line interface (terminal) that required root access. It’s not the root access that’s an big inconvenience. Window Vista asks for the administrator password all the time. But most people, including myself, don’t really have a working level knowledge of the OS command line language. And this, my friends, is why Windows dominates. And Apple? You know Apple is built on Linus, right? Apple has done a great job of developing a graphical interface that most people can use. The catch for most people is the price.
So, here’ my conclusion about Linux. It’s a great operating system capable of going everything Windows or Apple systems do. It’s free, not only to acquire but also to adapt to your own purposes if you have the requisite programming skills. Linux is more secure than Windows with a lot less effort and expense. But is it for everyone? I doubt it. With that said, let me tell you, it may be for more people than we think. My friend Richard asked me for some advice on what to do with his aging laptop that was just about useless with it’s bogged down Windows XP OS. I suggested he might want to try Ubuntu Linux since he was about ready to dump the old laptop. I gave him a copy of the Ubuntu CD and sent him on his way. An hour later he called me to tell me how good his computer was running. Two weeks later he was raving about how he now has an Ubuntu family after he installed it on his wife’s laptop. Granted they are doing the basic task many of us do; using a word processor, surfing the web, using email. For them, Ubuntu Linux worked without a hitch.
If you are at all curious about escaping from some of the pitfall of Windows, test driving Linux is not that hard. You don’t even have to install it on your hard drive. Just download it and burn the ISO image to a CD. Then you can run it right from CD to see how it works with your hardware. I encourage you to visit Ubuntu.com to read about it yourself, download it, and take it for a spin. I believe you will be pleasantly surprised at what you see.
By the way, did I mention I’m writing this post using my Ubuntu installation? Sweeeet!
