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A year with Linux on the desktop

On January 30th 2007 I installed Ubuntu Linux on my computer intending to use it as my primary operating system. I wrote about the surprises of that switch (both happy and vexing) in a four-part series (part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4) in March.

It’s been very nearly a year now and I’m happy to report that not only am I still using Linux on my main desktop computer on a daily basis, I haven’t had any need or desire to boot into Windows in a long time. So long, in fact, that I can’t remember the last time I did.

Comments

  1. rik on 2007-11-16 12:58:33 wrote: i am this close to taking the Windows life of my almost 6 year old laptop and resurrecting it as a linux machine. your adventures a year ago inspired it, but i just haven’t taken the time to do it yet.

  2. Pat J on 2007-11-16 13:33:32 wrote: I have Xubuntu running on a discarded machine, and as soon as I figure out how to run Windows games on it, I’m seriously considering converting my 3-year-old Dell box to Linux as well.

  3. Jean on 2007-11-16 17:26:23 wrote: If you were still using Windows I would recommend that you check out Windows Home Server… some really great features for your backup requirements.

  4. Simfox on 2007-11-17 06:37:28 wrote: Congratulations. Did much the same myself. All three computers in this house now run PCLinuxOS (which my kids like better than Ubuntu, and I’m happy with too) and only my laptop retains a Windows partition. Last time I booted into Windows was back in July or early August when I needed to flash a Samsung MP3 player (YP-U2) to switch from MTP to USB so the kids could use it with Linux. Samsung only offered the software as an .exe file – shame on them! We’re all happy campers (or should I say, Happy Penguins?!?!

  5. nosrednaekim on 2007-11-17 09:22:27 wrote: Hey, glad Linux has been good to you. I see you are using Kubuntu, so why do you say Ubuntu? It is exactly this attitude of “kubuntu is just ubuntu” that will kill the project. No-one realizes that there exists such a thing as Kubuntu which is (IMHO) better for beginning Linux users coming from Windows. But anyway… enough of my rant :D

  6. Clifton Hyatt on 2007-11-17 18:21:30 wrote: My favorite way to run those “must have” windows apps on my Kubuntu is with Virtualbox (virtualbox.org). A GPL, very polished and lightweight, virtualization app like VMWare or Parallels. I shudder now whenever I have to get on a Windows box. I used to be paid to support them, never again. Welcome and good luck.

  7. Art on 2007-11-18 04:07:19 wrote: Congratulations! I made the switch to Mac OSX about a year ago and haven’t missed Windows one bit. In fact, I’ve kicked myself for not making the switch sooner. I still have two Windows machines at home (wife and kids). The wife is hesitant to learn a new system as she is just so comfortable with Windows. We’ll see… All the best

  8. my4years on 2007-11-18 08:05:53 wrote: I have Linux on now for four years, I haven’t done Windows again.

  9. A Year With Ubuntu — User Case Study « Luddites - Linux User Desktop (LUD) Users And Advocates on 2007-11-18 14:55:47 wrote: […] A Year With Ubuntu — User Case Study See A year with Linux on the desktop […]

  10. links for 2007-11-19 « The Wayward Word Press on 2007-11-18 23:17:06 wrote: […] flagrantdisregard » Blog Archive » A year with Linux on the desktop year with Linux on the desktop. Good case study on using Ubuntu 24×7. (tags: open-source linux ubuntu case-study ubuntu-luddites luddites) […]

  11. Thomas on 2007-11-19 12:41:49 wrote: I have to say that it did take a while to get used to Ubuntu but now that it and I have found a comfortable medium between its interface and my habits I find I am vastly more happy with it than I have ever been with windows, even with some minor compatibility issues.

  12. Wayne on 2007-11-19 16:56:13 wrote: I dumped Windows about 6 months ago - had bought a new Gateway laptop with XP (it was supposed to be Vista ready). I’ve used every Microsoft Operating system since DOS 2.0 (except Vista), and in all those years nothing has improved. Basically Microsoft just can’t seem to get it right. Lack of features, lack of stability, and lots of other problems. So I installed Ubuntu on the machine, worked great, except I couldn’t get the sound working. I tried Sabayon - sound worked fine but I couldn’t get the wireless working. The other night I installed Ubuntu Studio 7.10. Sound works, and wireless is no problem. Both Sabayon and Ubuntu were far better than windows. I’d still be using Sabayon, if I could have figured out the networking problems. As it is, I recommend both to anyone who wants to get away from Windows. Wayne

  13. JayMonster on 2007-11-21 13:37:11 wrote: I have sworn I was going to make the switch many times. This unfortunately is far more difficult for me considering Windows is my own bread and butter. And to be honest I know why that still is and will be for the foreseeable future. Between Ubuntu (Kubuntu) (and notice how testy people are just with THAT distinction), OpenSuse, Fedora, and so on, these distribution(s), flavors or whatever you want to call them, continues to splinter an already minuscule market. Sure there are alternatives for many things, but they are all (well mostly) just that, alternatives, “just likes” and “as easy as” apps. Sometimes I just want the real thing (i.e. Photoshop… not GIMP). It is fun for hobby time fun, but make the switch, I commend you… I couldn’t do it.