Ubuntu

[Poster]

Any Ubuntu or other Linux users here?

[Dan.Linehan]

Aspiring to Clarity is!

(and I am aspiring)

[{aspiring_to_clarity}]

Yep, I use Ubuntu. I really like it.

[sidsavara]

Used to use Ubuntu, went back to windows only for my blackberry + outlook + hotmail contact syncing combination.

I've seen the new one though and they keep improving the UI and making it slicker. The one thing about Ubuntu I really miss was the multiple desktops - it seems in windows I can never get it to look quite right. But at least my dual monitors have never given me trouble - I must have messed up my ubuntu install as external/dual monitors were always flaky for me.

[Trezker]

Mmm, Ubuntu, I love it.
I've said it before and I'll say it again. Windows will never enter my computer again.

[Lauxa]

Yep! I've been on Ubuntu for about 6 months now, it generally works pretty well.

[ragtag]

I use WinXP Pro, WinXP TabletPC edition, OS X Tiger and Ubuntu at home, plus OSX, CentOS and Fedora at work.

At home Ubuntu is my main OS. I recently bought a bigger drive for my main machine and re-installed everything. The latest version of Ubuntu was extremely easy to install, easier than Windows, it even detected my Nvidia card and offered to download and install commercial drivers for me and all. I run it dual boot, with a small Windows partition that I only use for gaming and in case I need to run something on it (haven't needed to so far).

One of the great things about Ubuntu is the package manager. It's an interface you can browse 1000s of free software, select what you like to try and it will download and install it for you. OSX and Windows really need a central service like this for ALL updates (not just their own). Having multiple update managers for different software producers is a pain on Windows.

I'm not saying Ubuntu is perfect for all tasks. I decided to keep WinXP TabletPC edition on my tablet pc, simply because of the handwriting recognition. Neither Linux or OSX has as good a handwriting recognition software. I also mostly use it to draw comics on, and a little web development when traveling. Though I've done a few changes to make it more linux like, e.g. install a handy multiple desktop application, removing a lot of the bloat that came on it and installed emacs on it.

I used to be a bigger fan of OSX, but have kind of been turned off by them. They are fine for a home computer, but are too focused on lock-in when working professionally. You either do things their way, or have a very hard time achieving them your way. I also don't like their insistence on using XML for damn near everything, even stuff where sqlite or plain text config files would have done a much better job (and does in BSD).

Anyways, Ubuntu is really worth checking out. You get an OS that can do mail, calendar, web browsing, OpenOffice for text and spreadsheets, Gimp and Krita for photoediting and drawing, InkScape for vector drawing, Blender and Wings for 3D and much more. All for free, and available at the click of a button from the package manager. I know most of these run on other platforms, but I've found they work best on Linux.

[daredevil83]

I'm a big enthusiast of Ubuntu, I started in early 2007 when Edgy Eft were the newest version. It was the distribution on which I started to learn how to use Linux:-).
And I see that it becomes better and better, 8.04 is really friendly and easy in use.

[PVince81]

I'm using opensuse 11 at work and at home, and I occasionally use Gentoo for fun.

What I like the most is the fact that you can have a lot of control over the system, especially if you know programming.

[rjakobsson]

I've been a Ubuntu user for the last 5 years, I really like it.
I especially enjoy their business model.

/Robin

[Niki]

Originally Posted by PVince81

I'm using opensuse 11 at work and at home, and I occasionally use Gentoo for fun.

What I like the most is the fact that you can have a lot of control over the system, especially if you know programming.

I'm using OpenSuse 11 for some time now, and I really like it. ( I LOVE KDE4 )

Never tried Gentoo, but I liked playing with Arch.

[RTF671]

<3 ubuntu. It's very simple and efficient.

[Kosmos]

I'm a Linux user. I started one year ago. Currently I have Ubuntu 8.4 on both, my desktop and my laptop. My office computer still uses Windows XP. But I just love Linux and the Open Source ethos in general. Sometimes it gets challenging but I take that as a chance to learn and experiment. Fortunately, Linux is becoming more user-friendly.

[Poster]

I purchased a new HP laptop the other day because my desktop of 5 years took a dump. I figured I would try a laptop even though my fingers are big and clumsy. I think I'm getting used to it, though.

Anyway, I immediately installed Ubuntu on it and found my wifi wouldn't work. After some investigating, I learned that the newest "n" protocol will be supported in the 2.6.27 kernel which will be in Ubuntu 8.10 (Intrepid), so I downloaded and installed the beta version. The wireless chip set worked immediately. Some nice features coming in the newest release and I'm looking forward to it......Only 6 days away.

[zhango]

I use Ubuntu, both the desktop version, and as a server-backend, and really like it. For Linux, it's about the simplest install-and-go experience available, I'd say. Upgrades also work smoothly; e.g. I recently went from 7.10 to 8.04 and was amazed at how easy it was, hardly any configs needed manual updating, and it handled potential conflicts cleanly.

Still, for non-power-users (i.e. anyone uncomfortable with typing commands in a terminal) I'd still recommend a Mac, or Windows XP if you must use some kind of Windows software. The occasional hiccup in Linux (e.g. with webcams or external MP3 players) will prove too much for a general, non-techie user.

[Indy107]

I used to own a computer repair store. I fixed Windows for a living. Mostly viruses and spyware. No need on my computer, as I use Ubuntu.

Been using Ubuntu since Dapper Dan. Now I'm on Hardy Heron. No viruses, no spyware, Firefox, Thunderbird for email, Open Office, once click pdf's, been several years now.

Love it, never go back.

[Trezker]

Ubuntu 8.10 is coming soon!

Yesterday it said 1 day left...