From The Front End - ZDNet Edition
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Wednesday 23 April 2008, 10:23 AM
New Ubuntu out tomorrow
With the new Ubuntu coming out tomorrow and looking like it will be the best and most user-friendly free Linux release to date is it time to make the switch over?
I have dabbled only briefly with various Linux distros and can hardly say I've given it a fair chance. With my Desktop system on it's knees due to a corrupt partition table (my fault for trying to repartition a drive while it was running vista at the time) I am planning to format and give Ubuntu a try.
I have been a staunch Windows user due to bad experiences whenever I've tried other OS (the worst was using Mac OSX) and so I hope that this time I will not be disappointed.
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I installed Ubuntu Linux this February and the good news is I don't even think about it any more. The biggest drawbacks are lack of support for hardware (in my case an Epson scanner) and trouble configuring wi-fi. The biggest plus is that it's so easy to search for and install new software (all totally free!).
Apparently this version of Ubuntu will enable you to "install" Ubuntu via a Windows environment, which means you won't have to re-partition your hard disk to try it out. And it's a breeze to "uninstall" as well. Bon chance :)
I tried running it from a disc and it detected most stuff pretty well but required a HDD installation to install the video card drivers.
The main reasons I will have to keep windows are:
1) Games - it's pretty much the best gaming platform especially for online. The Linux versions of games come out late or not at all in some cases still it's better than Mac the few games that do come out are usually about 4 years late!
2) Software compatibility - I list this Separate from games as you can usually get a Linux equivalent for most apps whereas with games you can't. There are however, some must have apps that I don't know if they support Ubuntu
3) Lack of tech support from hardware manufacturers. I don't mean just drivers. I also mean when you call up support for anything if you have anything other than the Windows OS they installed they are less inclined or unable to support you even if your issue is unrelated to OS. This happens with Vista too. I was having trouble with my work VPN and was refused support by our internal IT because I was running vista. Even though the problem turned out to be a firewall issue that had nothing to do with Vista.
Turn to Wine for some of your problems David.
Not the drink, that would just be silly lol.
For the software at least Wine which is like a windows emulator, but it isn't according to the manufacturers allows you to run many windows applications in Linux. Its pretty cool I've used it on Ubuntu.
The web adress is http://www.winehq.org/, i think for ubuntu you need to download the Debian based binnaries (i could be confused with another distro) or i think you can add it through the software package manager Ubuntu uses.
It might be possible to use it to install windows drivers and enable linux to understand them for Jake. I don't know this and i've never tried it but it has to be worth a shot. If it does work let me know.
It will be intersting to see this new release as now is the time for Ubuntu to take the home market by storm.
