Time to try Linux on your desktop? [BT broadband office]

Time to try Linux on your desktop?

Posted 11 May 2007 at 8:24AM by Simon Dickson in IT systems and support

Open-source operating system Linux is well-established in the world of servers (such as this one!); despite optimistic predictions, it has yet to break through to the consumer market. But that could be set to change, with the release of possibly the most user-friendly, and certainly the best-looking version yet.

Linux comes in countless variations, all sharing the same base code, but with different tweaks. The current favourite in the field is Ubuntu, founded by Mark Shuttleworth, a South African entrepreneur living in London (and the first African in space). The latest version of Ubuntu was released in mid-April, and they've just done a high-profile deal with Dell, who are to start selling PCs with Ubuntu pre-installed instead of Windows (but only in the US for now). Other manufacturers are rumoured to be thinking along similar lines.

I've been playing around with Ubuntu over the last couple of weeks, and it's certainly the most polished Linux product I've ever used. All my hardware works automatically - which, sadly, isn't something you can take for granted where Linux is concerned. The initial download includes all the software you're likely to need to get started, including the Firefox browser and OpenOffice word processor, spreadsheet and slideshow programs. The new 'desktop effects' are gorgeous to look at, and I've already spent far too long dragging windows around for the sheer fun of it.

If you're curious, it's never been easier to try Linux. First thing to do is download a free 'live CD' version suitable for your PC hardware. You'll end up with a file whose name ends in '.iso': think of this as a 'virtual copy' of a CD-ROM. (It's going to be around 600MB, so beware any bandwidth limits on your broadband account.)

You'll then need to burn it to a real CD-ROM... I heartily recommend using the free BurnCDCC (available from here). Put it in your PC's main CD drive, then reboot. Your PC should recognise the CD when it powers up, and will boot from there, rather than your Windows files.

Ubuntu loads itself into your machine's memory, without actually touching your hard disk (until you tell it to), so your Windows installation is safe. You'll be able to see and use all the files on your hard disk, and should be able to connect to the internet without too many problems. And really, that's all an operating system needs to do; the rest is down to personal preference.

Tags: burncdcc, dell, linux, operating systems, ubuntu

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Comments

1. At May 11, 2007 3:16 PM, Myk wrote:

Linux is the refreshment that Windows simply cannot offer. For all its charm and shine, Vista just doesn't hold up to the bar; it's basically OSX with bugs. I've found Ubuntu to be a reactive, reflexive and relaxed environment to work within. Give it a go.

2. At May 12, 2007 9:36 PM, Robert B wrote:

Ubuntu 7.04 or Fiesty really does work straight out of the box. Whilst some media formats are not catered for there are plenty of support groups to help you load the relevant software and yes it will even run a lot of your windows programs!!
So why pay £100's for software which is totally FREE Give LINUX a go you know you want to.......

3. At May 14, 2007 6:21 PM, Jen Ockwell wrote:

Ubuntu rocks. I don't have a need for Windows anymore. It's much more secure and is free, how can Windows compete?

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