There are many valid reasons to switch from Microsoft Windows to Ubuntu Linux. Both the average computer user and corporations can benefit from the switch to Ubuntu. Do not worry if you have never heard of Ubuntu, I will briefly introduce you to the best free Linux distribution available.
The name of the Operating System is an African word which means, “Humanity to others,” this is a strong belief and sentiment held by its founder Mark Shuttleworth. Mark is also the first astronaut from an African nation to go into space, in a 2002 Russian mission to the Space Station. Mark has also worked tirelessly to improve scientific studies in African nations.
Ubuntu is a completely free Operating System, which has all of the bells and whistles available in Microsoft Windows. The fact that this Operating system is completely free should appeal to the average user, but more significantly to businesses, which spend much of their IT budgets on user licenses with Microsoft. Ubuntu comes in a few different versions available to meet the needs of users and companies in need of specific configurations.
1) Ubuntu Desktop is a basic user Operating System which is a very close match to the Microsoft Windows Operating System. It includes many types of free software, including graphics programs, and an office suite, which is 100% compatible with Microsoft Office. Email, Internet browser, games, and other various software is included, and makes Ubuntu just as productive as Windows, without the cost.
2) Ubuntu Server addition, includes everything needed for an individual, or company to run a Server. One of the advantages to using a Linux server is its security. Although, no server can be 100% hack proof, Linux distributions have a better track record than most other Server platforms. Ubuntu Server can automatically install LAMP components at the time of the installation of the Operating System. LAMP stands for Linux, Apache, MYSQL, and PHP. These components when installed will ensure that you have all of the functionality of a complete Web Server from the time of installation. Ubuntu Server also allows updating and system administration control over all workstations connected to it. This gives a company a large financial benefit by eliminating the need to update each workstation independently.
3) Xubuntu, and Kubuntu are merely derivatives of the Ubuntu Operating System, but they utilize different desktop interfaces. Xubuntu utilizes the Xfce desktop environment with a heavy emphasis on GNOME applications. Kubuntu is a derivative that utilizes the KDE desktop and application. This particular setup is my favorite and it feels the most like Microsoft Windows to the user.
4) Finally there is Edubuntu another derivative of the Ubuntu Operating System which focuses mostly on education.
The Ubuntu Operating System is just as easy to install as the Microsoft Operating System. There is a host of free software which is completely compatible with Ubuntu, which can do everything that the costly Windows based programs can do. The only real drawback is for gamers. Most games developed by the gaming industry does not include support for Linux, but there is a way in which you can play some of your Windows. There is free software available which can emulate the Windows Operating System in a Linux environment. As more people switch over to Linux distributions, the gaming industry will most likely recognize the trend and start creating Linux versions of their popular titles.
I can not impress upon you enough that the Ubuntu Operating System is 100% free, and so is the software that is included with it. Just the Operating System and the basic software included is a savings of approximately $1000.00 USD alone. In a company setting, multiply that by the number of workstations you have and you will soon come to understand the benefit of switching to Ubuntu.
Citations
http://linux.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=04/10/25/1634232
Watch the video related to Ubuntu
Mark Shuttleworth Announces Ubuntu 10.04: Lucid Lynx
Help answer the question about Ubuntu
How do i uninstall ubuntu while windows is installed within it?I had ubuntu installed and i installed windows inside it. How do I uninstall ubuntu without reinstalling windows? It is booting using gimp if that's any help.
About Author
Nick Poma served in the United States Army as a communications specialist. He holds a Bachelors of Science and Information Technology Degree.
December 24th, 2009 on 6:01 am
WHY LINUX IS BETTER
http://www.whylinuxisbetter.net/
I thoroughly recommend Linux Mint 8 Main Edition which is built upon Ubuntu 9.10 Its easy to install and easy to use plus it comes with much of the software you are likely to need preinstalled
Linux Mint 8 Download
http://www.linuxmint.com/edition.php?id=44
The Perfect Desktop – Linux Mint 8 (Helena)
http://www.howtoforge.com/the-perfect-desktop-linux-mint-8-helena
You download the ISO. image of Linux Mint 8 then you need to create a Bootable LiveCD for installation
Linux Mint 8 can also be run direct from the LiveCD from Booting up without touching your Hard Drive
INSTALL LINUX MINT WITHIN WINDOWS (not currently available for Linux Mint
To install Linux Mint within windows you will need the earlier release Linux Mint 7 which is built upon Ubuntu 9.04
Linux Mint 7 Download
http://www.linuxmint.com/edition.php?id=38
Linux Mint 7 has a feature called mint4win based on the Wubi installer (Ubuntu) which enables you to install Linux Mint within windows (Windows 7 run Wubi/mint4win in vista compatability mode)
Mint4Win – A Wubi based Installer for Linux Mint
http://duncsweb.com/2009/09/27/mint4win-a-wubi-based-installer-of-linux-mint/
Installing Ubuntu as a dual-boot with Windows without partitioning
http://www.psychocats.net/ubuntu/wubi
You keep Windows as it is, mint4win only adds an extra option to boot into Linux Mint. mint4win does not require you to modify the partitions of your PC, or to use a different bootloader, and does not install special drivers. It works just like any other application.
mint4win like Wubi keeps most of the files in one folder, and if you do not like it, you can simply uninstall it as any other application.
Boot in to windows insert the LiveCD you have just created and you will offered the option of installing inside windows which is where mint4win comes in, you will be asked how many gigabytes you wish to allocate to Linux Mint (I recommend 8gb) then you set a password for your installation then click install and thats it.
Once Linux Mint 7 is fully installed upon starting your PC you will be given a choice of which operating system you want to use Windows or Linux Mint
CURRENT SESSION
Linux Mint 8 ext4 with switchable Beryl 0.2.1* and Compiz 0.8.4
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beryl_(window_manager)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compiz
*Beryl 0.2.1 sourced from Ubuntu 7.04 repositories
LUg.
December 24th, 2009 on 6:15 am
Ubuntu Rulez!!!
December 24th, 2009 on 6:41 am
1. Yes, because you have to edit the xorg.cong file and you can't do it from the Live CD.
2. Yes, it's safe. Ubuntu and Linux distros in general are safer than Windows. You can install it alongside Windows and share documents between both systems. You can have both on the same hard drive, but it's better to get a second one for Ubuntu.
December 24th, 2009 on 6:46 am
I think we should have Parallels for PC
December 24th, 2009 on 9:53 am
I would suggest using the Wubi installer. This enables you to install Ubuntu just like a Windows app. You can remove it from your computer from the add/remove programs. This is a great way to see if you want to use it, without any risk at all to your system. If you decide you want to keep it a permanent part of your computer I would then suggest dual booting the traditional way because the Wubi installer does have some minor limitations mostly its slower. Go to http://wubi-installer.org/ and download the instlaller. It will ask you just a very few simple questions and download Ubuntu for you restart and boot into Ubuntu to complete the setup. I would suggest just good ol' Ubuntu over Kubuntu but that's just a matter of opinion. Hope that helps drop me a line if you need help.
December 24th, 2009 on 10:58 am
yeah, filler up and she’ll stop…
I try to use all 4GB of my ram first…
December 24th, 2009 on 2:59 pm
Yea, Pidgin pissed me off that day. No idea what happened. A simple reboot fixed everything though.
December 25th, 2009 on 8:20 am
Here is a very good step by step to get Ubuntu connected to a domain server. (I suspect you have that if you "login")
http://www.1earthadventures.com/2008/02/06/techie-stuff/how-to-connect-ubuntu-linux-to-a-microsoft-network/
Hope that helps
December 25th, 2009 on 2:03 pm
There has always been more options than windows. BeOS, NeXT, IBM Warp, DOS, Amiga.
There has always been alternatives.
December 25th, 2009 on 6:23 pm
You installed windows inside ubuntu using a photo editing application?
Think you might be a little confused there friend.
You sure you didn't just install ubuntu on a partition on the same drive that windows is on?
Or in a virtual machine within windows?
December 25th, 2009 on 7:04 pm
In order to install ubuntu, first visit the their website. Ubuntu developers have also provided a very nice instruction guide on how to install ubuntu.
I've found it for you:
https://help.ubuntu.com/6.10/ubuntu/installation-guide/i386/index.html
read it well, and do it without any troubles.
Hope, it helps.
December 26th, 2009 on 1:26 am
In all honesty, I have tried Windows 7 and I like it. It runs a lot slower than linux on my old celeron box, but the core functionality is nice.
The only current reason why I would prefer Windows over linux, is if I was a gamer, or a particular tool I needed didn’t run in Wine. I’m not a huge fan of propriety software, I would prefer Open Sourced software where-ever I could. But if it makes my workflow any slower, then I wouldn’t hesitate on taking the propriety route.
December 26th, 2009 on 11:14 am
You can't install Ubuntu from inside of Windows. You need to figure out how to get to your BIOS settings. Your computer may say something about a button to push to enter setup when booting. If so, push that. If not, google your computer brand and "BIOS" and figure out what button you have to push.
After you get to the BIOS settings, you need to tell it to boot for CD before hard drive (HDD). Then, just boot the computer with the Ubuntu disk in the slot.
Ubuntu will handle the dual boot for you. (Just be sure to defrag XP first.)
December 26th, 2009 on 5:35 pm
This will help you
First start the terminal….
(Application–>Accessories–>Terminal);
then type:
cd /etc
then type:
sudo gedit fstab
this will ask root user password(that is administrator,, may be you);
After entered the password gedit will open……
just type this line at the bottom of fstab file.
But type your name of the drive which you want to mount(not drive letter like c,d.. The label like Os, fun, softwares) by replacing in the below <your drive label>(note: it is case-sensitive)…and type your user name by replacing <user name>
type this—— in one line
#——————————
LABEL=<your drive label> /home/<user name>/Videos ntfs defaults,umask=007,gid=46 0 1
#————————————————
to mount another drive(like music dive)
type this—— in one line
#————————————————
LABEL=<your drive label> /home/<user name>/Musics ntfs defaults,umask=007,gid=46 0 1
#————————————-
then save the file and restart…….
this will mount your drive.. ask you asked
If you have doubt in this just mail me……….
vignesh.smart91@yahoo.com
I think this may helped you
December 26th, 2009 on 7:41 pm
Distros are endless.
December 27th, 2009 on 1:40 am
So far Linux has been more productive in my workflow than windows, so I have stuck with it.
It’s good that we now have a choice in our OS. Gone are the dark days when Windows was the only real choice for a OS at a personal computer level.
December 27th, 2009 on 7:47 am
sudo update-rc.d -f gdm remove
this will stop the desktop from loading without removing any programs. then if you want the desktop you can do startx or sudo /etc/init.d/gdm start
December 27th, 2009 on 11:56 am
nope wubi will always install ubuntu on your current partition I got so many error with the wubi installer ubuntu worked fine for a week but then busybox error >_>
December 27th, 2009 on 1:14 pm
Each with their own problems.
Ubu’s got this, where Fedora’s got that, and RHEL lacks both…
In all honesty…I don’t see an end to the list. And as time goes on, it’s gonna get bigger.
eh?