Linux - Ubuntu

Bikedevil

I'm fed up with Microsoft Windows (there's just so much crap on it),I'm running XP at the moment and Vista doesn't seem to have anything to offer other me.
I've been looking at running Ubuntu but I'm not sure if it really gives any advantages over Windows other than the "screw bill gates" factor.
The other bit is I run programs such as AutoCAD and it doesn't appear to be compatible at the moment which would mean dual booting. This I don't think my laptop would take to too kindly and I've only got a 60GB hard drive as I went for a better spec rather than loads of storage.

In your, opinons, is it worth bothering going with Ubuntu or just putting up with Windows???

Underscore

Well, I run a few OSes at home: win2k on my desktop, Ubuntu on an oldish laptop that was being thrown out at work and Debian on a hacked NAS unit as my music/email/web server. My wife is totally non-techie and she is happy to use either our Windows box or the Ubuntu laptop - though most of her usage is email/web-browsing so most of the time she uses the laptop.

Ubuntu does have some advantages over Windows - mainly the package manager that allows you to install new applications easily and the fact the updates cover all the installed packages.

However, Windows does have the application support and I would suggest that, if you are maintaining a Windows system due to applications that won't run under Linux, there is little benefit to be gained from installing Ubuntu as well - unless you just fancy a play, of course.

HTH,

_

dirtbiker100

what about WINE etc? windows emulator?

Bouyaka

I ever use WINE through Ubuntu before than my laptop motherboard crashed and if I remember I encountered problems with some application which are compatible only with Windows, so I can't confirm that Autocad will work with WINE. In my mind, the best way is in a first time to use a live Ubuntu which launching on a CD directly without installation, after that, if Ubuntu is convenient for you it will be preferable to have a dual boot with LILO for example or GRUB (installed in same time with Ubuntu) and try to install Autocad with WINE. For ending, if all works well, you can reduce the size of windows partition and use only Linux operating system. Don't suppress windows partition because some hardware firmware upgrade are easier to apply through windows.

redddraggon

Underscore wrote:

Ubuntu does have some advantages over Windows - mainly the package manager that allows you to install new applications easily and the fact the updates cover all the installed packages.

However, Windows does have the application support and I would suggest that, if you are maintaining a Windows system due to applications that won't run under Linux, there is little benefit to be gained from installing Ubuntu as well - unless you just fancy a play, of course.

Ubuntu is a good operating system, especially with the package manager. Alas, it only lasted a week on my laptop before I started missing windows.

I run XP on my laptop, and Vista 64-bit on my Desktop, no problems with either. I can't really see anything I'd use a linux distro for, that my windows OSs can't do. I've always got on with Windows, but I know people who use solely linux (I think Ubuntu), and they are happy with it, but I know I wouldn't be.

jayson

Have u considered buyin a cheap external HDD and installin Linux on it to see how u get on??

If u dont like it u can always format it and use it as a storage medium for ur photos,music,vids etc.

Bikedevil

I'd considered kit as i already have an 80gb that i use for backing up to

Shadowduck

I've been using Ubuntu exclusively (at home) for the last couple of years and find it much preferable to Windows for the stuff I do. Not having to worry about viruses, spyware etc. is wonderful and the range of software available free is quite surprising! There's not much I miss about Windows, though there is sometimes a bit of faffing about involved if you buy a mobile phone or some such which uses it's own proprietary comms format and therefore requires the installation of their MS based software package (solution: use bluetooth). As more people use Linux, more manufacturers will provide support out of the box.

My 'puter is still configured as a dual boot, as originally I had the need to run some Windows software which I couldn't get working with Wine, but I found that I gradually switched over to using open-source software exclusively and I haven't booted XP for over a year now.

Rather than whittering about it at length, I'd second Bouyaka's recommendation to download and run the Live CD to have a play with and see what you think*; then if you like it, install it as a dual boot and take it from there.

*Bear in mind the Live CD will run slower than a proper install.