This is freakin' awesome. I spent my day yesterday trying to remove a trojan and a bunch of spyware on my moms computer and I thought I wouldn't have to do this if she were using ubuntu. I may have to try to convince her to try it out.
Chiron613
· 2 years ago
I think Vista, with its outrageous DRM nonsense, is going to be Microsoft's undoing. The idea that Microsoft is using my computer's resources to check to make sure I'm not violating some copyright law, is unacceptable. Whose machine is it, anyway?
It's not up to Microsoft to babysit me to make sure I'm not copying a CD. They're writing their software for the RIAA, not for me; so the RIAA can pay for it and use it. I'll use Linux. And really, I *don't* copy CD's. I didn't copy them using Windows, and I don't copy them using Linux.
I installed Ubuntu in under an hour, and had no problems (except, the e-mail program needed a small tweak). Everything else worked right from the start. If I find I need a program, I use the "Add or Remove Programs" feature that actually *does* add programs. The one in Windows was only good for uninstalling stuff; I never once was able to *add* a program with it.
buckykat
· 2 years ago
what do you mean, a sinking feeling? microsoft's own practices got them into this bind, plus the switch to linux is beneficial. i've been using ubuntu for a couple years now, and it just keeps getting better and better. 7.10 gutsy should come out of beta in a couple weeks, and the default enabling of compiz-fusion will undoubtedly make some converts. dell is selling home machines with linux preinstalled, and lenovo might start too. this isn't the "year of desktop linux", but it just might be the half-decade of desktop linux.
johnk
· 1 year ago
I had a problem running the game on my old Linux laptop, but got it working by altering the user agent string so it pretended to be windows xp. Click my name to see the relevant linux tips.
Uncle B
· 1 year ago
No Microsoft Tax Many private computers in the U.S. are now used for gaming only, not serious computing. Microsoft, by patenting living languages throttled interest in programming in the American youth, and fed them pre-packaged pablum in the form of Windows, cheap games and the like! Will rampant and uncontrolled capitalism and greed shape the uses of super computers of the next generation of chips as well? Are there ways to prevent a repeat of this sorrowful situation? I use and personally promote Ubuntu because it is open source. Europeans as well as Americans are seeing the light, and converting to open source. Such wonderful resources as computer languages must not be controlled or taxed by a single monopolistic corporation like Microsoft, they belong to all the people, to develop, enhance, work with and exploit for the benefit of all mankind, taxed for use by no corporation, government, political regime or other form of coercion. God help us to keep it clean and unfettered this time! If we do not, the intelligentsia of China, now rising to the forefront in the world, and unfettered by sick capitalism, will. Happy Computing! It belongs to everyone who can think! Welcome to the 21st Century - a new world dawning, perhaps from China!
Eric
· 1 year ago
It is nice that linux is becoming so easy, and awesome that OEMs are providing it on consumer pcs, but it will be a long time before Windows is snuffed out, if it happens at all. The ease of use that is there with active directory makes it a must have for corporations, and Linux support for a lot of proprietary applications that people use are nonexistent. Wine helps, but it isn't near perfect, and everyone know about the games argument. I could see linux taking over on workstations if it didn't take forever to do things like adding it to an active directory domain. I have some linux machines that I have added to my domain at work, but it is almost more work that it is worth.
Ghost_BOFH
· 1 year ago
OpenLDAP
Enough said.
bob
· 1 year ago
That's great and all. But if ubuntu could hibernate/suspend on close HALF as well as vista does, i'd be a full-time supported.
bob
· 1 year ago
*supporter (what no edit option?)
not to mention the random wireless drops, two different notebooks (old Acer and a new dual core Gateway) wireless drops randomly that can only (easily) be solved by a reboot. Sitting next to a Vista machine that doesn't drop once. Oh well.
stfu
· 1 year ago
Another person that switched to ubuntu and liked it over windows.
Must be the 1000'th stumble blog post i've seen like this. stfu already, we know, ubuntu is better for some people
I think this is great. This post is nearly two years old, and if it was this easy to use back then, just imagine how many improvements there's been since. Supposedly the wifi problems, and standby problems are being focused on this next release. If I had a laptop, I'd be eager to see how these things work. I just have a desktop though, so no wifi, and no battery meter to time how long the battery lasts.
@stfu
This blog post was made almost 2 years ago. Yeah, there's millions like it now, but two years ago I'm betting it was one of the few. So why don't YOU stfu and check the date it was posted next time.
Rob
· 1 year ago
This is a great story! My dad is pretty old, and only uses the computer for playing solitaire, I have a dual boot box so the other people in the house can use windows. I had left my computer for a few minutes without locking it, and I come back to find him playing solitaire on linux! I almost cried, the only thing he complained about was the dealing wasn't the same, not sure what he meant by that.
Jess
· 12 months ago
This is an entirely true story and isn't the first, I had my brand new custom built desktop sitting on my desk when I walked in to see my mom using it to check her webmail. Only question I got was, "can you make my wallpaper pretty like this?" I was using the out of the box config for hardy at the time, and she had no idea it wasn't windows.
I say that we secretly uninstall windows on everyone's computer and replace it with some linux distro with wine preinstalled, presto no more monopoly.
Nate
· 11 months ago
I think that Linux is really coming out of the rock that it has been under for so long. I have Vista on my computer right now but I did have my computer set to dual boot both Linux and Windows. I made the mistake of choosing a relatively new version of Linux that was not widely supported though. Not good for a Linux noob. I think I might try it again and install either Ubuntu or Fedora perhaps. I picked up the Linux Bible 2008 edition and it had around 15 distributions that came with it. It explains from beginning to advanced Linux operations so I hope to dive in to that soon and get cracking with Linux again.
Josh
· 11 months ago
I have a mentally unstable mother who has very hard issues learning new things. I gave her a computer with Ubuntu on it and she never had problems with it.
There is a learning curve to using the applications and the OS but if you do not really know what your doing in the first place, might as well start with the more stable product!
accessko
· 11 months ago
I use both OSX and Linux (Unbuntu and Debian). My first time that I've used (and install) Linux was in 2003. (Redhat)(the old times ;-) ) Sinds then a lot of have been changed. The install process have been made easy and KDE and GNOME are became very good WindowsManagers. Ubuntu is the most popular distro. But......
Also in 2003 I have though that Linux will be THE operatingsystem. Now in 2009 Linux still don't have a lot of market share. I hope this will soon (in the future) change. But I'm a little bit sceptical now.
But you are right Linux have became more accessible.
Ryan
· 11 months ago
With everything moving more and more to online instead of on your local machine, it's becoming less important what OS you're using. All you need is a good browser. I agree it's simple to use and really a lot more regular people would be fine with using it. I would switch myself but I just have a lot my own programs that I need and I get windows free from work and school, so the cost factor doesn't affect me. If I had to pay for it, I would switch.
the
· 11 months ago
Okay, your mom can use firefox and have a few tabs open. Wait till your mother has to open up the console and start giving sudo/bash commands or she has to compile something. I'll be impressed if she can do that if she is so non-tech. Then again you could be amazed your mom is a cracker cause she got your name and password using social engineering. lol
xamox
· 11 months ago
I actually recently did this. My bro's pc was messed up, few years old, didn't have OEM repair cd. I installed windows anyways and could not get the video working or sound. Well video worked, but didn't detect drivers so resolution was 800x600. I said, you know what, let's try linux he just uses it for music and internet. Installed Ubuntu 8.10. Everything worked perfect out of the box.
*note: to the person crying about the command prompt. Apparently you must not use linux either because they have these things called "package managers" that no longer require hand compiling anything.
Your right about the desktop dying, linux will dominate through mobile markets and giants like google pushing android.
That's Cool, I have a hacked version of vista on my PC and I duel boot vista and Ubuntu on my laptop. My wife doesn't understand why I have both on my laptop until she used it and sees how much faster it is. Now she wants me to put it on our PC.
Lucas
· 11 months ago
I couldnt agree more. I've been running some linux flavor for about 7 years now. I started with Redhat and now have several CENTOS servers running and my development box is ubuntu. I've now been with Ubuntu for two releases and I cant believe how cool it is. I'm doing everything with this machine, video editing, ffmpeg ipod and flv conversions, I even share my mouse and keyboard across computers with synergy. Just one problem... Adobe anything. I use Photoshop and Illustrator on my PC laptop, can't live without them - but thats it. That is the only reason I have a windows box at all. I know about wine, I know about VM's its not the same, trust me, I've done it. Somehow, we need to figure out how to pressure Adobe into porting to Linux, ASAP. My laptop is two years old now. When this disk finally dies on me, I'll be damned if I'm loading windows anything on it. You hear that Adobe? I'm done with windows and unless you port, I'm done with you. GIMP, here I come.
Eric
· 11 months ago
I don't get it Ubuntu isn't that cool. If you want to use a stable supported version of Linux, use Red Hat or CentOS. If you want cutting edge if not bleeding edge use Fedora. Ubuntu doesn't give as much back to the OSS community as Red Hat, so if you care about making Linux better you may want to support Red Hat. If you care about knowing a version of Linux that can you can use in the Enterprise Arena, then focus of Red Hat.
TheFounder
· 11 months ago
Why do you say that Eric? Ubuntu sends all it's code back to Debian on each update.
Elmer Gantry
· 10 months ago
I don't know how else to say it............you are deluded.
I like Ubuntu. I use Ubuntu 75% of the time. I agree that it's come a long way.
But there's a difference your mom being able to log on and use Firefox and Microsoft "losing the desktop". Did your mom spend an afternoon getting the audio to work after an install? Did your mom have to manually edit any configuration files to get the video card to fulfill it's intended functions? Did your mom ask why each appliction (with notable exceptions like Open Office and anything distributed by Mozilla) seemed like a bad imitation of the software she might use on a Windows machine?
There's a long way left to go.
anonymous
· 10 months ago
"uninstalled xp"... buckets of lol.
Mike
· 10 months ago
I have Ubuntu 8.10, been running Linux since 7.10. Have not had to do anything to "set it up" since 8.04. Wireless works. Video works. OO works. Everything works. The support community far surpasses any other I've seen, even Fedora or OpenSuSe. Yes, I have looked at them. Yes I have used them. Yes, I like them. Ubuntu is just better, works better, and has a better community. http://www.crunchbang.org/ubuntu-search-engine is a great place to ask the questions you have about problems. I've always found what I'm looking for in the first few posts. I have run WoW, Warcraft 3, C&C 3, so i know it does games. I took a Microsoft Office class in college, using JUST Open Office, and ace'd it. Just sayin...
jonny rocket
· 8 months ago
i use 8.10. i love it. i will upgrade to 9.04 soon.
spuffler
· 8 months ago
NEVER had a version of Ubuntu that worked properly on my 6 bit Celeron system. Ubuntu has never done well by me. PCLinuxOS works flawlessly on it.
FWIW, the wireless dropout problem can be fixed, but YOU need to research how. Mine works fine.
spuffler
· 8 months ago
64 bit celeron (hello? site admin? could you please enable us editing our posts?)
bakedGoods
· 8 months ago
wow!
Sonsum
· 8 months ago
I'm hearing a lot of "your mom can't use a terminal" here.
Who cares? The point of this is that people are trying Ubuntu, realizing that it isn't scary.
I read someone that years ago, a Best Buy had Ubuntu on it's shelves for free, but nobody bought it. As an experiment, they rose the price to $20 and people started to buy it.
People are scared of free. Getting people to realize that the more expensive product is not always better is an important step for widespread linux usage.
People are scared of change as well. I had to set up my parents Vista computer and make it look like Windows 98 (because they were afraid to learn how it worked). Seeing people try to learn something for such a trivial thing as solitaire is a victory in my books.
I think one of the greatest thing lately for Linux is Wubi. This allows users to try linux and remove it easily in Add/Remove programs. Greatest thing ever.
All Comments
It's not up to Microsoft to babysit me to make sure I'm not copying a CD. They're writing their software for the RIAA, not for me; so the RIAA can pay for it and use it. I'll use Linux. And really, I *don't* copy CD's. I didn't copy them using Windows, and I don't copy them using Linux.
I installed Ubuntu in under an hour, and had no problems (except, the e-mail program needed a small tweak). Everything else worked right from the start. If I find I need a program, I use the "Add or Remove Programs" feature that actually *does* add programs. The one in Windows was only good for uninstalling stuff; I never once was able to *add* a program with it.
Many private computers in the U.S. are now used for gaming only, not serious computing. Microsoft, by patenting living languages throttled interest in programming in the American youth, and fed them pre-packaged pablum in the form of Windows, cheap games and the like! Will rampant and uncontrolled capitalism and greed shape the uses of super computers of the next generation of chips as well? Are there ways to prevent a repeat of this sorrowful situation? I use and personally promote Ubuntu because it is open source. Europeans as well as Americans are seeing the light, and converting to open source. Such wonderful resources as computer languages must not be controlled or taxed by a single monopolistic corporation like Microsoft, they belong to all the people, to develop, enhance, work with and exploit for the benefit of all mankind, taxed for use by no corporation, government, political regime or other form of coercion. God help us to keep it clean and unfettered this time! If we do not, the intelligentsia of China, now rising to the forefront in the world, and unfettered by sick capitalism, will. Happy Computing! It belongs to everyone who can think! Welcome to the 21st Century - a new world dawning, perhaps from China!
Enough said.
not to mention the random wireless drops, two different notebooks (old Acer and a new dual core Gateway) wireless drops randomly that can only (easily) be solved by a reboot. Sitting next to a Vista machine that doesn't drop once. Oh well.
Must be the 1000'th stumble blog post i've seen like this.
stfu already, we know, ubuntu is better for some people
sudo stopmakingblogpostsotherpeoplehavedonealready
@stfu
This blog post was made almost 2 years ago. Yeah, there's millions like it now, but two years ago I'm betting it was one of the few. So why don't YOU stfu and check the date it was posted next time.
I say that we secretly uninstall windows on everyone's computer and replace it with some linux distro with wine preinstalled, presto no more monopoly.
There is a learning curve to using the applications and the OS but if you do not really know what your doing in the first place, might as well start with the more stable product!
Also in 2003 I have though that Linux will be THE operatingsystem. Now in 2009 Linux still don't have a lot of market share. I hope this will soon (in the future) change. But I'm a little bit sceptical now.
But you are right Linux have became more accessible.
*note: to the person crying about the command prompt. Apparently you must not use linux either because they have these things called "package managers" that no longer require hand compiling anything.
Your right about the desktop dying, linux will dominate through mobile markets and giants like google pushing android.
http://helpforlinux.blogspot.com/2008/12/instal...
http://digg.com/software/5_GIMP_Tricks_Everyone...
I like Ubuntu. I use Ubuntu 75% of the time. I agree that it's come a long way.
But there's a difference your mom being able to log on and use Firefox and Microsoft "losing the desktop". Did your mom spend an afternoon getting the audio to work after an install? Did your mom have to manually edit any configuration files to get the video card to fulfill it's intended functions? Did your mom ask why each appliction (with notable exceptions like Open Office and anything distributed by Mozilla) seemed like a bad imitation of the software she might use on a Windows machine?
There's a long way left to go.
Ubuntu has never done well by me. PCLinuxOS works flawlessly on it.
FWIW, the wireless dropout problem can be fixed, but YOU need to research how. Mine works fine.
Who cares? The point of this is that people are trying Ubuntu, realizing that it isn't scary.
I read someone that years ago, a Best Buy had Ubuntu on it's shelves for free, but nobody bought it. As an experiment, they rose the price to $20 and people started to buy it.
People are scared of free. Getting people to realize that the more expensive product is not always better is an important step for widespread linux usage.
People are scared of change as well. I had to set up my parents Vista computer and make it look like Windows 98 (because they were afraid to learn how it worked). Seeing people try to learn something for such a trivial thing as solitaire is a victory in my books.
I think one of the greatest thing lately for Linux is Wubi. This allows users to try linux and remove it easily in Add/Remove programs. Greatest thing ever.