Back in the year 2000 when I got my first Windows machine, it was a default choice and the only one that I had heard of and could scantily understand. And although, Windows 98 looked horrible and was nowhere near what you would call visually appealing, I would still spend hours playing with the computer. Most of us who are hooked on to computers since that long have never ever contemplated our boxes without the familiar Microsoft sound that welcomes the user upon booting and the desktop icons along with Bliss, the default desktop image.Yes, this is the Windows world! No matter how many times the computer crashes, no matter how difficult it is to reinstall the OS along with the drivers, and no matter how awfully long it takes to boot itself up to a working state, Windows is still the software that regulates our tech-savvy lives. It’s a love-hate relationship we cannot do without.
About a few months ago, I happened to lay my hands on a monthly issue of the extremely popular magazine on open-source software Linux. One of the titles on the cover page went something like “tired of driver Issues in XP, go Ubuntu”. Now I am not one of those technically-advanced geeks who are fascinated by technology, coding, and tons of technical jargon about the hip-hop gadgets around. I am just a regular guy who uses computer for some fun (don’t get me wrong). But those words hit me. Yes, I am tired of Windows! Let’s face it. Apart from the infamous driver issues and countless installation pains, once you get the system right, I have to keep updating the OS with regular security updates (don’t even get me started on the Windows Validation trap), install Office suite, anti-virus, anti-spyware, music and video players, and tons of other apps just to get started. So out of pure curiosity, I read through the entire article that boasted of an alternative to Windows called Ubuntu 8.04 (based on the extremely powerful Linux kernel) that could not just perform everything that windows did but even outshine it in some of the departments.
The article aroused such curiosity in me about trying this Ubuntu thingy, that I spend the next couple of weeks browsing the Web researching about it. This was about a couple of months ago. Today I have only Ubuntu 8.04 on my modest and somewhat ancient Pentium III serving me dollops of unadulterated fun and a browsing experience that I have never known.
Open Source Software (OSS) is a term coined to denote a community or network of programmers who volunteer to work on projects. Thanks to this revolution that started sometime in the early 60s, largely with the introduction of the Internet, today we have scores of apps delivering goods as efficiently as their closed-source counterparts. Some of the most popular being the HTTP Apache Server, the Internet Protocol, and Mozilla Firefox but the most successful of such ventures has to be the Linux operating system, an operating system similar to Unix.
As I said, the world of computers is clearly dominated by Microsoft and although I have huge respect for the multi-billion dollar company and its esteemed ex-CEO Bill (after all, he is solely responsible for bringing computers and technology to the world), over the years Microsoft has been diseased by the same plague that spreads with monopoly, the I-don’t-care syndrome. For long, users have been complaining about the unstable platform, loose security holes, issues of hardware compatibility, long release cycles, and worst of all, ever increasing costs of software. Yet, even today, Windows Vista, the latest offering remains the same old wine in a new bottle.
All this while, Linux has been slowly spreading its wings by improving its kernel with every subsequent release. For the benefit of the unaware, Linux comes with various distributions or flavors such as Red Hat, Suse, Mandriva (formerly MandrakeSoft), Ubuntu and several others. Basically what happens is that different groups of individuals, high school students, engineers, and programmers take the fundamental Linux source-code and transform it into their own packages also called distributions. Linux has for some years now dominated the Enterprise Server market but its foray into the desktop section is recent and some distributions such as Ubuntu and Suse have been consistently receiving rave reviews. Ubuntu 8.04 LTS code named Hardy Haron assumes special significance due to its resemblance to its big brother Windows. Linux, they said is all about executing commands through the command line and hence unsuitable and un-usable for non-techies but the recent Ubuntu distributions have changed that so much so that this latest release has been touted as Linux for Human Beings.
While the idea of building a Windows machine has the potential of unnerving even the most seasoned professional, a less technical user like myself was done installing Ubuntu right from the scratch in just under 50 minutes. With built-in applications like Open Office 2.4, Firefox 3 as the default browser, music and video players, and amazing out of the box support for all hardware (It may sound freaky but I didn’t even have to configure my internet connection), I did not need to install anything extra.
Apart from the ease of installation, the speed at which the system performed was also much improved, although I am sure that with faster processors of today, it will literally fly.
The biggest edge that Ubuntu or any other Linux distribution has is greater security. Windows is a vulnerable OS prone to all kinds of virus, spyware, and malware attacks largely due to its popularity but mostly due to its loosely built architecture and design. So a sound antivirus application is more of a compulsion rather than a choice on Windows. Contrary to this, the concept of virus on Linux is virtually unknown. Not that there aren’t any viruses for Linux but its design is so fool proof that you will have to be ridiculously stupid to infect your machine with any of it. I say this because for any virus to invade a Linux machine, it will have to first download itself to the system, then gain root access, and finally install itself. Only the root user has those kind of privileges and so as a root user, all you need to be sure of is the applications that you download and install on your system.
Is it any wonder then that Dell Inc, the largest computer manufacturer has decided to pack the Ubuntu punch in its latest laptop offerings? Check out http://www.dell.com/content/topics/segtopic.aspx/linux_3x?c=us&cs=19&l=en&s=dhs
Did I miss something? Well! Save the best for the last, goes the saying and in case you are wondering what this Ubuntu hoot is all about, guess what! It’s absolutely FREE. You do not shell out a single penny for enjoying the wonders of a great operating system that is so efficient and complete. True, it may not be perfect (and so isn’t any software in the world), but it is on the right track and with periodic releases every six months, it promises to bring even more joy to the computing fraternity.
If you are even half as tempted to try Ubuntu as I was not long ago, get to the Ubuntu website at www.ubuntu.com and download or order your copy. It should be easy. Once you have the CD, you can get a glimpse of the complete OS by booting from the CD itself without modifying anything on your current system. I recommend this check to ensure that your hardware is compatible and working with Ubuntu. If you like it, go ahead and install it in a dual-boot mode.
Initially, as your secondary operating system, you will love it. However, as you move on, you will get so addicted to it that I won’t be surprised if it becomes not just your primary but the only operating system.
