My Friend Nathan Convinced Me To Try Ubuntu Linux.

I have had it with Microsoft products, but I have these computers here that I can't just throw away. I've been a MS junkie from the word go, and for years I've tried to reconcile my need for all that is Windows by trying, half-heartedly, to install a Linux distribution that was easy to use and had the basic functionality I needed. Last night, as we sat around catching up, I brought up the subject of Linux to my friends Nathan and Tim. Nathan, whose laptop recently crashed, gave me the impetus to try an easy-installing version of Linux called Ubuntu -- and I gotta say, it's the goods.

For starters, the very name "Ubuntu" has weight -- according to ubuntulinux.org, "it's an ancient African word meaning 'humanity to others'. Ubuntu also means 'I am what I am because of who we all are'." Well, okay, that sounds like something I'm into just for the name. I figure I'll give it a whirl.

My System:
Compaq 5840 System with 533mhz Intel Celeron Processor (x86)
512MB RAM
13GB Seagate Hard Drive
Memorex 48/24/48 CDRW
Built-In Video/Sound Card

I downloaded the "Hoary Hedgehog" Ubuntu 5.04 CD image (about 600 megs of download), and I burned it -- the whole thing fits on a single CD. After burning the image, I prepared my old beater of a box for the new system. I used Seagate DiscWizard to write zeros to the hard drive, then used the DiscWizard to format the hard drive for Windows 98 SE (which makes it a FAT32 drive for those who know such things).

I put the Ubuntu installer disc in the CD-Rom drive and booted it up. At the first screen, I installed it for a single system and VOILA! The installer was off and running. The installation process took about 30 minutes (comparable to Windows).

Once installed, it was easy to log in to the GNOME desktop (a graphical interface that actually resembles the Windows interface) and get started. Because I run through a router, I had to set up the Networking for DHCP (so it would get the address from my router).

It takes a bit of time to get to learn how Linux works as opposed to Windows, but there are innumerable comparable programs and packages available for Linux that I never dreamed of! This even comes with OpenOffice, an open source office program that has great functionality for email. GAIM (an instant messenger client) comes pre-installed and allows me to connect to multiple messenger services all at once (ICQ, AIM, MSN). Mozilla Firefox comes built-in as the web browser, and everything glides along so smoothly.

Even on my old system, it was like running a brand new computer out of the box.

One drawback to installing Linux: for some people is that there aren't drivers for Linux available for many types of hardware. Ubuntu seemed to automatically detect all of my hardware flawlessly, install the correct drivers, and go immediately.

I'll keep you updated on how it's running. For now, if you have an old computer and some extra time, I recommend trying Ubuntu to get it up and running. It's a clean, fast, and very user-friendly Linux installation that compensates greatly for the headaches that current versions of Windows so frequently present. If you're already a Linux fan, please feel free to leave comments regarding your experiences with Ubuntu and packages you've tried.