Back on linux
Following is the timeline of my linux installations.
| Sep.1995 | First installed Slackware Linux over Windows NT 3.51. Couldn’t get to the GUI; Could not upgrade. Rolled back after a few days. |
|---|---|
| Dec.1999 | Installed Redhat Linux the painful way. My BIOS (1995 make) didn’t have the option to boot from a CD and so, I was forced to create a boot floppy image. Was happy with Redhat Linux for a few months, before rolling back to Windows—for the need to use Windows specific software. |
| Mar.2004 | Used Knoppix live CD for a few months—because My Windows XP notebook hard drive died. |
| Nov.2007 | Ubuntu 7 installed as a dual boot option along with Windows XP on our primary home computer. |
In the first instance above, I had no connectivity whatsoever. I collected printed articles and used those instructions to install. In the second case, I had a dial-up access, which obviously was not good enough to patch an operating system or upgrade.
Ubuntu, today, does some things that were inconceivable to me earlier:
- Prior to installing, the Ubuntu installer CD, which also works like a live CD, allows you to check if your computer hardware is well recognized, and if things like sound, video and other things work as intended. If things don’t work for you, you may choose not to install it on your hard drive, thereby avoiding the pain of uninstalling Ubuntu and reinstalling, say, Windows.
- During installation, if you have Windows or other operating system pre-installed, Ubuntu is smart to recognize it; creates partitions without disturbing other file system(s); and then auto-creates a dual-boot menu—giving you a choice of OS to load at start.
- Auto-configures your internet connection.
- Reads files from your Windows system simply like another folder, thereby letting you access all files from within Ubuntu’s file manager.
- Mounts USB thumb (pocket) drives automatically, when plugged in, and are ready to use.
- Auto-downloads and installs security and recommended updates, and patches.
- Upgrades the OS to a new version completely via the Update Manager.
Installation simplicity. I didn’t time it, but I think it took about 20 minutes to partition and install the entire Ubuntu OS. Ubuntu installer is breezy, runs almost in an autopilot mode. Never before has Linux been this plain and simple. (Even Windows installer poses more questions than Ubuntu installer does.) The point is, I felt like a complete end user while installing Ubuntu. I think that’s a great feeling.
Why dual boot? Going with Ubuntu alone on a primary home computer is not an option, because like many, we are essentially a one computer household. My wife uses it; my 7-year old daughter uses it; and I use it.1 So there are a couple of users, and a few applications that cannot do without Windows. Ubuntu makes it painless by installing a boot loader at start. This is thoughtful, highly commendable and the right approach to getting a typical user warm up slowly to Ubuntu’s computing environment.
Wishful thinking. People usually don’t care what operating system they use, as long as it does not get in their way of doing things. Lack of available applications, in my opinion, usually force people to opt out more than, say, in coping up with the workings of the new OS. Fortunately, Ubuntu comes with a myriad of useful applications that you can use to get the job done.
Still, I would love to see a user-rated or user preferred Ubuntu applications site—category wise, from which, newbies can browse, download and install opensource applications.2.
Other than that, I am happy to be using linux again—now almost full time at home.
- Then, there’s a 3-year old candidate in the waiting to join our list of users. [←]
- It goes without saying that installation instructions would most be most appreciated on such a site, be it
sudo apt-get installmethod, or by source compile method, or via the Synaptics Package Manager. [←]