Ubuntu makes Linux brilliantly simple

April 23, 2009 By 4 Comments

I may a relative latecomer to Ubuntu, but I wanted to share my first impressions as a couple of offline conversations have shown me that even the ‘digitally aware’ aren’t always that familiar with it.

And it seemed like a good time to post about it, as the latest version is released today, Thursday, April 23, 2009.

I’m not a technical person (As @pjeedai can testify!).  I may work with technology, but the reason I’m fascinated and entranced by it is because of what it enables us to do.  And although I’m always interested in speaking to brilliantly technical friends and colleagues and keen to learn more, time and a lack of natural ability generally mean I don’t get the chance to play around with technical stuff as much as I’d like.

Yet telling people I’m running Linux seems to have given a couple of people the opposite impression!

How hard is it to install Ubuntu?

It’s just as hard as installing any commercial O/S.

Which means it’s as easy as putting a CD into your PC, switching it on, selecting the language you want, and hitting return a couple more times.

That’s it.

Honest.

And having been a big fan of Firefox, OpenOffice and Gimp for a longtime, the fact they’re all automatically installed means an even easier life.

Why bother?

It’s free. That’s for personal and enterprise versions.

It comes with full commercial support for Canonical and other companies.

The Open Source nature of the O/S and software means, and I quote:

‘Every computer user should have the freedom to download, run, copy, distribute, study, share, change and improve their software for any purpose, without paying licensing fees.’

From the page on Ubuntu’s philosophy.

What about actually using it?

It’s not that much different from the Windows O/S you’re likely to be used to, and as a PC user, it’s less of a jump than trying to use a Mac.

(Although I still feel a little weird being told to ‘Mount’ and ‘Unmount’ removable hard drives and card readers etc!)

I’ve only been using it for a couple of days alongside Windows on my work computer, but so far I haven’t encountered anything which didn’t make sense after a couple of seconds.

And the best bit?

At the moment, Ubunut/Linux is still very much a minority O/S compared to Windows, which means hardly anyone would bother creating a virus to target it, especially as Linux makes it harder for a virus to run effectively.

So it’s another reason for switching to a Mac off the list for this PC user!

The latest version is available today, Thursday, April 23, 2009, and there’s a fairly short but interesting interview with Ubuntu CEO Mark Shuttleworth on InformationWeek.

So if you can ignore the fact your O/S will come with a version name like ‘Jaunty Jackalope’, I hope you’ll excuse me while I go and mount another hard drive.

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  • Cherbaka

    So, I too have recently forayed into Ubuntu. A technical professional with over 20 years in IT, I’m pretty well versed with computers and operating systems, having run various flavors of Windows, Macs and Linux over the past decade and more. I’ve installed and run Ubuntu for almost a year and, like you, agree it’s easy to install and operate.

    But that’s where it all stopped for me. You see, the “lure” of a free and open OS does little for me. “It’s about the applications, stupid” is my mantra these days. I frankly don’t care that my OS costs $100 or $200 or $300 to purchase if it means that I can (a) get tons of software to work with it, (b) have great support in terms of vendor fixes and community discussions/fixes, (c) spend little time figuring out how to install/patch/upgrade software or the OS, and (d) get sh*t done.

    The fact of the matter is, as much as I would LOVE to say to everyone that Ubuntu is the way to go, Windows is STILL the OS to run if you ask me. Linux is great for gearheads who love to hack away at their OS, but not for those of us who just want to get things done. And Apples’ OSX (arguably THE OS for those who just want to get things done) is by far more elegant, somewhat safer, and (dare I say) a joy to operate compared to Windows and Linux, but the amount of software and drivers available for the Mac platform pales in comparison to what’s available for Windows. Even taking into account Vista’s application compatibility problems and driver issues (altho diminishing these days) and increased hardware requirements, I simply cannot fathom why anyone who’s computing requirements go beyond simple web surfing, email, and running basic apps wouldn’t run Windows (there are a few exceptions, I admit, namely graphics and music professionals who opt for Macs due to high stability and specialized software – altho this is changing).

    Regarding Ubuntu and Linux, I’ve heard all the fanboyz talk about how there are all sorts of apps on Linux that do what the apps on Windows do. But if it takes me (a 20 year IT pro) hours to figure out how to compile, make, and install an app, you’ve lost me. Fanboyz also point out how using WINE and other tools you can run all sorts of Windows apps under Linux; yeah, but again you sorta have to know what you’re doing and it seems complicated. Why bother? I just run Windows and get to use everything. And finally, just about any piece of hardware I buy will come with Windows drivers and will work. Not so with Linux (or Ubuntu) – you face potential issues finding drivers, getting them to work, and in many cases no drivers at all. And for any more advanced computing, like running Audio, video, or photo software, dealing with codecs, integrating with various peripherals, handling iPhones/iPods, VPNs, etc. – Linux simply can’t compare to Windows.

    Regarding switching to Macs, I DON’T believe that switching to a Mac will solve most of the afore-mentioned issues. Sure, OSX is beautiful, stable, and relatively secure (partly by design, partly by being an “obscure” platform in the eyes of malware writers), and it does have more applications and drivers than Linux does, but Windows is still THE platform to have for maximum compatibility and flexibility.

    Most of us don’t care about “open” or “free”. We want things to just work. One of the most closed, costly, but operative platforms has got to be Apple’s iPhone/iPod Touch. But millions of iPhones and iPod Touch’s have been sold. There’s nothing “open” or “free” about this platform, yet it simply is THE best mobile platform on the market right now. Why? (a) it’s elegant, (b) it works and (c) it has tons of apps (30k+).

    While I know many businesses and government organizations have Linux and Macs running, most of them have “standardized” on Windows. There are so many factors and requirements that business have that really keep them from moving wholesale to Linux or Macs. Read the forums around the net and there’s always someone trying to get such-and-such Windows application to work on Linux or Mac, or looking for drivers for something, or trying to get smartcards or other security hardware to work, etc. Organizations without varied or complex requirements can indeed have Linux and Macs in their environments without too many issues, but my experience shows these to be few.

    So, unless you use your computer for mainly web-based activities, enjoy Ubuntu for a few days. Maybe even go to a Mac and OSX for a bit and enjoy the elegance of that platform. But I guarantee you will most likely end up back on Windows to just get things done. “It’s about the applications, stupid.” :)

  • Cherbaka

    So, I too have recently forayed into Ubuntu. A technical professional with over 20 years in IT, I’m pretty well versed with computers and operating systems, having run various flavors of Windows, Macs and Linux over the past decade and more. I’ve installed and run Ubuntu for almost a year and, like you, agree it’s easy to install and operate.

    But that’s where it all stopped for me. You see, the “lure” of a free and open OS does little for me. “It’s about the applications, stupid” is my mantra these days. I frankly don’t care that my OS costs $100 or $200 or $300 to purchase if it means that I can (a) get tons of software to work with it, (b) have great support in terms of vendor fixes and community discussions/fixes, (c) spend little time figuring out how to install/patch/upgrade software or the OS, and (d) get sh*t done.

    The fact of the matter is, as much as I would LOVE to say to everyone that Ubuntu is the way to go, Windows is STILL the OS to run if you ask me. Linux is great for gearheads who love to hack away at their OS, but not for those of us who just want to get things done. And Apples’ OSX (arguably THE OS for those who just want to get things done) is by far more elegant, somewhat safer, and (dare I say) a joy to operate compared to Windows and Linux, but the amount of software and drivers available for the Mac platform pales in comparison to what’s available for Windows. Even taking into account Vista’s application compatibility problems and driver issues (altho diminishing these days) and increased hardware requirements, I simply cannot fathom why anyone who’s computing requirements go beyond simple web surfing, email, and running basic apps wouldn’t run Windows (there are a few exceptions, I admit, namely graphics and music professionals who opt for Macs due to high stability and specialized software – altho this is changing).

    Regarding Ubuntu and Linux, I’ve heard all the fanboyz talk about how there are all sorts of apps on Linux that do what the apps on Windows do. But if it takes me (a 20 year IT pro) hours to figure out how to compile, make, and install an app, you’ve lost me. Fanboyz also point out how using WINE and other tools you can run all sorts of Windows apps under Linux; yeah, but again you sorta have to know what you’re doing and it seems complicated. Why bother? I just run Windows and get to use everything. And finally, just about any piece of hardware I buy will come with Windows drivers and will work. Not so with Linux (or Ubuntu) – you face potential issues finding drivers, getting them to work, and in many cases no drivers at all. And for any more advanced computing, like running Audio, video, or photo software, dealing with codecs, integrating with various peripherals, handling iPhones/iPods, VPNs, etc. – Linux simply can’t compare to Windows.

    Regarding switching to Macs, I DON’T believe that switching to a Mac will solve most of the afore-mentioned issues. Sure, OSX is beautiful, stable, and relatively secure (partly by design, partly by being an “obscure” platform in the eyes of malware writers), and it does have more applications and drivers than Linux does, but Windows is still THE platform to have for maximum compatibility and flexibility.

    Most of us don’t care about “open” or “free”. We want things to just work. One of the most closed, costly, but operative platforms has got to be Apple’s iPhone/iPod Touch. But millions of iPhones and iPod Touch’s have been sold. There’s nothing “open” or “free” about this platform, yet it simply is THE best mobile platform on the market right now. Why? (a) it’s elegant, (b) it works and (c) it has tons of apps (30k+).

    While I know many businesses and government organizations have Linux and Macs running, most of them have “standardized” on Windows. There are so many factors and requirements that business have that really keep them from moving wholesale to Linux or Macs. Read the forums around the net and there’s always someone trying to get such-and-such Windows application to work on Linux or Mac, or looking for drivers for something, or trying to get smartcards or other security hardware to work, etc. Organizations without varied or complex requirements can indeed have Linux and Macs in their environments without too many issues, but my experience shows these to be few.

    So, unless you use your computer for mainly web-based activities, enjoy Ubuntu for a few days. Maybe even go to a Mac and OSX for a bit and enjoy the elegance of that platform. But I guarantee you will most likely end up back on Windows to just get things done. “It’s about the applications, stupid.” :)

  • http://www.thewayoftheweb.net Dan Thornton

    Wow! Thanks for a fantastic response, and you’ve definitely raised some great points.
    I totally agree that the biggest barrier with Ubuntu is in installing new applications as most don’t allow you to install without compiling, which is going to stop many people.
    However, I do think that perhaps there are two things in Ubuntu’s favour.
    One is that as a technical professional, you’re likely to need to install far more applications than many users. And there’s probably quite a large group of people running Windows etc at the moment who will never actually install a new application, as they just want to browse the web, write the occasional CV or letter, and that’s about it. And with OpenOffice and Firefox installed, they’re effectively sorted.
    The other aspect is the increasing amount of applications which run ‘in the cloud’ or are installed as Firefox plugins, for example, which remove much of the need for desktop installs. If Firefox usage continues to rise, and more people become familiar with the ability to install functionality quickly and easily into their browser, this could be a major plus point for Linux/Ubuntu for those who aren’t interested in taking everything apart for every application they might want to install!
    Personally, I’m probably not proficient enough with installing applications and playing around with Ubuntu yet, but in my case, it’s something I wanted to try and learn….

  • http://www.thewayoftheweb.net Dan Thornton

    Wow! Thanks for a fantastic response, and you’ve definitely raised some great points.
    I totally agree that the biggest barrier with Ubuntu is in installing new applications as most don’t allow you to install without compiling, which is going to stop many people.
    However, I do think that perhaps there are two things in Ubuntu’s favour.
    One is that as a technical professional, you’re likely to need to install far more applications than many users. And there’s probably quite a large group of people running Windows etc at the moment who will never actually install a new application, as they just want to browse the web, write the occasional CV or letter, and that’s about it. And with OpenOffice and Firefox installed, they’re effectively sorted.
    The other aspect is the increasing amount of applications which run ‘in the cloud’ or are installed as Firefox plugins, for example, which remove much of the need for desktop installs. If Firefox usage continues to rise, and more people become familiar with the ability to install functionality quickly and easily into their browser, this could be a major plus point for Linux/Ubuntu for those who aren’t interested in taking everything apart for every application they might want to install!
    Personally, I’m probably not proficient enough with installing applications and playing around with Ubuntu yet, but in my case, it’s something I wanted to try and learn….