Ubuntu Linux

[mb523]

So I got sick and tired of running XP Home on my Dell notebook. The machine isn't slow by any means, but XP is just a little too cumbersome for it. I decided to try open source operating systems. I have heard a lot of good about Ubuntu, a Linux distribution based on Debian. I downloaded the CD ISO (free, of course) and burned it. Backed up my XP installation and popped in the Ubuntu CD. It booted to a menu allowing me to test run the OS through a LIVE CD. I ran that and liked how it looked, so installed it.

The install went great and was pretty fast. Upon restart, I was running Ubuntu from my hard disk. It has a taskbar on the bottom that is home to the 2 virtual desktops, the trash bin, and any open window. The top has a bar similar to MAC's, but with the active programs (network, instant message, sound control, ect), quick launch, and three menus that are used to launch programs and install and uninstall them, open computer, documents, or cd drive and recent files, and another for preferences and system settings. The top bar can be customized with many included widgets. It is very clean looking and very usable and easy.

Upon startup, I was notified that my DELL WIFI card was not supported natively in linux. It uses DELL proprietary drivers for windows only. Luckily, the open source community has a little program that uses the windows driver file to emulate full support for the device. Once I got that running, I installed updates and started customizing. It came pre-installed with Firefox, Open-Office (compatable with microsoft office), email apps, audio and video apps, and a control panel to install MANY MANY more programs FREE.

This OS is fast, controls my CPU speed which saves battery, and does what I want it to do... all FREE! I will try to get some sreenshots of it.

 

[Hayden]

For many desktop Linux users today, Linux is an operating system that they had to install themselves. Canonical, the lead sponsor behind Ubuntu Linux, is hoping to change that by way of a new partnership with hardware vendor ASUS.

As part of the Canonical ASUS deal, ASUS will preload Ubuntu Linux on its Eee PC series of notebooks. The ASUS 1001PXD, 1011PX and 1015PX models will be available with Ubuntu 10.10, with the plan to have more models available over the course of 2011. Canonical's deal with ASUS is part of a larger effort from the Linux vendor to work more closely with hardware vendors.

"This is part of a new engagement and it's great to be working with such an innovative player," Chris Kenyon, vice president OEM Services at Canonical told InternetNews.com. "To put this in perspective we are now working directly with Asus, Lenovo, Dell and Acer on enabling systems."

While the ASUS deal is likely to be a profitable one for Canonical, Kenyon noted that Canonical doesn't comment on the specifics of commercial deals.

"We have over 100 members of the team working full-time with OEMs and ODMs enabling devices," Kenyon said. "There is a real difference between working well on a lot of models and working perfectly on a new device."

In terms of how Ubuntu is actually preloaded onto the ASUS hardware, Kenyon explained that Canonical works with ASUS and its ODM partners in creating an image specific to the PC involved.

"These will be single boot systems with Ubuntu and we would expect them to generally be sold through business, public sector and education channels," Kenyon said.

For the ASUS deal, the Eee PCs will be shipping with Ubuntu 10.10 and not the newer Ubuntu 11.04 release due to timing issues.

"The development cycle for a laptop is typically four months and there was sufficient time to release these with Ubuntu 11.04 release last month," Kenyon said. "The units will be upgradable to Ubuntu 11.04."

In the past there have been some concerns with higher than normal returns for Linux-based netbooks. With the new Ubuntu ASUS Eee PCs, Canonical is taking multiple steps to ensure customer satisfaction. Kenyon noted that they'll be installing flash, improving multimedia codec support and making it clear at the point of sale that consumers are not buying Windows.

"Based on data share with us -- return rates on Canonical-engineered Ubuntu netbooks in 2008 were almost identical to XP and were slightly lower than Vista rates," Kenyon said. "There is a clear market of people who do want Ubuntu pre-installed. Companies, public sector and education deployments continue to drive adoption in Europe."

Going forward, Canonical has plans to continue to push the market for Ubuntu Linux forward.

"It is the nature of the PC market that manufacturers distribute Linux differently dependent on geography," Kenyon said. "We continue to look at ways of encouraging manufactures to make Ubuntu pre-installed at a global level. It is an ambitious goal against which we are making good progress."