While I'm busy with Richmond Code Camp, today's blog is a guest post from a wonderful guy, Jack Leblond (aka web_guy on Twitter).  Jack Reviews Ubuntu and seems to have had a lot of the same fortunate experiences with the latest version as I had.  Make sure you visit Jack's website! Thanks Jack! - cgc

I have to start by saying that as much as I have always wanted to be a “Linux guy”, I’ve never been able to fully wrap my head around it. And, even though I’m a former DOS user, for some reason I could never get past the cryptic lingo and the need to compile things before you could use them.

Over the years I have occasionally downloaded and installed (or attempted to) the flavor of the month.  Sometimes the install would get completed, but as I tried to use them I was usually confronted with requests to download tarballs (sounds like a condition road workers would get), or modules or something I didn’t understand.  Or, even worse I would need to log in as “root” and make changes to config files from a command prompt.   [Insert sound of my panicked scream here]  Often, I would not even finish the install because I would be faced with lists of hundreds of choices, many of which had different names, but similar descriptions?  How do I know what I should or should not select?

A Linux So Easy a Cave Man could do it

Recently Dell computers released a new line of mini laptops, some of which feature a distribution of Linux named Ubuntu.  I figured if it was good enough for Dell to sell to average users, it might be worth a look.

I headed on over to ubuntu.com and downloaded the desktop version.  It’s almost 700 MB, so if you are not on a high-speed connection you may want to consider getting the CD.

I installed Ubuntu on a Medion model MD 42100 laptop with a Centrino M processor, 768 MB ram and an existing Windows XP installation that I left in place.  The installation went incredibly smooth and fast, not once was I asked a question that was even somewhat puzzling.   The installer recognized all of the built in devices, without any manual intervention; display, modem, ethernet and even the wireless card (which XP needed help with).  I was amazed.

Ubuntu ‘Just works’

Even after the smooth install I remained skeptical about how it would operate – I was wrong.  Just like it says on the Ubuntu page, “It Just Works.”  The Ubuntu interface is, well – easy.  It’s much like the Windows XP interface, making it a breeze to navigate.  Applications have familiar sounding names which helps knock down the learning curve some.  And those that do not easy names, have what they do in the link to them.  For example; I have no idea what “Gimp” is, but since the link for it says “Gimp Image Editor,” I have a pretty good idea what it does.  The standard install includes OpenOffice – which is 100% compatible with Microsoft Office, FireFox, a variety of games and other miscellaneous tools.  One tool I was pleased to see was a Terminal Server Client – one that will connect to windows remote desktop, without complicated configuration.

Faster Than A Speeding Bullet

I’ve always heard that Linux was fast, but having never had a good opportunity to play with it, I had no idea.  I did several non-scientific tests of web browsing speed.  Running side-by-side I loaded pages in FireFox on the Ubuntu machine and on my HP Pavillion dv9000 laptop with AMD Turion(64) X2, with 4 GB of ram, but running Windows Vista.  On every page the Vista machine loaded the text about a half second faster, but the Ubuntu machine finished the complete download 2-3 seconds faster. 

Is There a Linux-English Dictionary?

I have one gripe, and it’s small.  Ubuntu has an auto-update utility that will check for new versions of software and drivers – just like windows update.    I like that, especially since I know nothing about the software, how could I know what needs to be updated and when?  Here’s the gripe – the list of updates is written in “Linux-ese.”  As I look at the currently available updates I have something listed named “anacron.”  Its description says “cron-like program that doesn’t go by time.”  What?  Or, how about one called “eog” or “gvfs”.  OK, so for the sake of progress, I’ll assume that Ubuntu knows what I have, and what needs to be updated – and hope that I don’t end up creating an open access FTP server hosting hacks and cracks.

OK…so after all this, I have to say I LOVE Ubuntu.  I am planning to wipe this install and doing it all over so I can remove XP and give myself some more workable disk space.

If you have some old machine laying around wanting something to do, do yourself a favor and take some time to try out Ubuntu – I don’t think you’ll regret it.