Should I run Ubuntu?

[Alex_P]

I have a friend who uses it. Apparently it's incredibly difficult to install but you can get PC games running on it and it's incredibly customizable. I'm serious about the install though, it takes about 14 hours or something ridiculous and you have to make decisions about what to install so you can't just leave it there.

I've got Ubuntu on a Core 2 Quad desktop and an intentionally-underpowered Core 2 Solo laptop. The installation took about 20 minutes each time. All the questions are at the beginning; the questions are rather non-technical in nature (like picking a password). The only waiting is 30 seconds for the installer to scan your partitions so you can choose where to put the OS.

The main obstacle for a new user is going to be configuring it after installation. The default environment is okay but it's missing a few features that you have to install separately due to license issues; some user-specific customization can also make it more pleasant for you.

-- Alex

 

[Alex_P]

You miss wrote this. Just can't just burn the iso files as a data-cd/dvd. Its must be burnt as an iso disc. That requires a program that can do this. Ubuntu has one built in, but I don't think Vista does(I'm still on XP).

Windows doesn't come with an ISO burner? Seriously? Man, that fucking sucks.

I'd expect Dell to ship something like Roxio, though.

-- Alex

 

[RetiarySword]

Very stable, if the interface crashes the system will run on. Don't get Karmic Koalla (Newest version of linux released like a week ago) yet, its a little buggy, get the one before it. Also only get it if you want just a basic PC, if you want to run games your wasting your time.

 

[cheese_wizington]

I don't know, I've never even heard of it....

I am NOT a loser.

 

[Enizer]

NO! never use ubuntu... their slogan is "linux for human beings"

gah.. that just so stupid on so many levels..

 

[dh04000]

Very stable, if the interface crashes the system will run on. Don't get Karmic Koalla (Newest version of linux released like a week ago) yet, its a little buggy, get the one before it. Also only get it if you want just a basic PC, if you want to run games your wasting your time.

Running windows games on Ubuntu is either very hard or very easy, depending on the users videocard(more mainstream the better). The projest that allows windows apps/games on linux is called WINE. But, I would hardly call Ubuntu a "basic PC" considering Compiz Fusion allows linux to have what Mac and Windows can only dream of.

(http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&client=firefox-a&channel=s&rls=org.mozilla:en-USfficial&hs=gyc&q=compiz&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wi)

 

[Alex_P]

Ah, my friend must have been exaggerating wildly. Or perhaps he's just retarded.

It's possible he used a different distribution of Linux. It is also possible that he used the "alternate installer", which is designed more for when you need to configure something really special during installation.

I've used the alternate install once, to create an encrypted drive. I think it took about an hour. We had to redo it a few times because other stuff we were doing would hose the system. (This was a really custom configuration at work, though, not a desktop system.)

-- Alex

 

[Enizer]

oh, on windows burners..

http://download.cnet.com/CDBurnerXP/3000-2646_4-10409086.html

nice little freeware cd burner program, i use that one myself, when i got tired of all the bloat that nero has now become...

ironic when the free stuff is better then the stuff you need to pay for isnt it?

 

[Woem]

I have a friend who uses it. Apparently it's incredibly difficult to install but you can get PC games running on it and it's incredibly customizable. I'm serious about the install though, it takes about 14 hours or something ridiculous and you have to make decisions about what to install so you can't just leave it there.

Did you actually install Ubuntu yourself at least once? I only did it one time and it took me less than an hour from inserting the cd to getting my wireless network configured and having Firefox and OpenOffice installed. This was on the laptop of my mother-in-law who has happily used it for months now.

 

[RetiarySword]

Very stable, if the interface crashes the system will run on. Don't get Karmic Koalla (Newest version of linux released like a week ago) yet, its a little buggy, get the one before it. Also only get it if you want just a basic PC, if you want to run games your wasting your time.

Running windows games on Ubuntu is either very hard or very easy, depending on the users videocard(more mainstream the better). The projest that allows windows apps/games on linux is called WINE. But, I would hardly call Ubuntu a "basic PC" considering Compiz Fusion allows linux to have what Mac and Windows can only dream of.

(http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&client=firefox-a&channel=s&rls=org.mozilla:en-USfficial&hs=gyc&q=compiz&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wi)

I don't like running games on linux, its just too much hassle when I can easily run it off of windows. especialy with that windows game thing.

Also if you want to put something in an image you do this:

Like so:

Your image is broken so it won't work.

 

[T-Bone24]

I came here expecting Ubuntu to be a country. Thought it was up for grabs. I leave thoroughly disappointed...

 

[A random person]

I haven't tried it, but I have a friend who'd probably respond to the question with a resounding "hell yes!"

 

[SturmDolch]

I was seriously considering trying it out... Putting my laptop into 3 partitions with Windows 7 on one, ubuntu on the other, and shared data in between. But then I realized that Linux seems to be more for the "EVERYTHING SHOULD BE FREE COMMUNISM FUCK YEAH" variety. I know that's not always the case, but that's what seems to be the political statement coming from it. Also, most of the applicatons are freeware, and although there are great ones out there, the ones I need aren't. Also, no games, and I have no idea what you're doing because Windows Vista is a solid OS post-SP2

 

[ZSF]

I use fedora personally.

 

[CakeDragon]

Ubuntu is one of Linux's better interfaces, the Linux PCs at my uni run on Gnome and it's rubbish.
At least there isn't a problem with viruses with Linux... Just don't expect to be able to play games on it.

 

[Ziadaine_v1legacy]

Go for it, worth a try and see how it runs. Cant be as boring as Red Hat 9.0 (Bad memories)

 

[ZSF]

At least there isn't a problem with viruses with Linux... Just don't expect to be able to play games on it.

Get your facts straight plz.
http://www.winehq.org/

 

[Acidwell]

Run it live from the disk to make sure there are linix drivers compatible with your sound card, graphics card and usb hubs. If there is and you like it then install it