Posting from Ubuntu 8.04 Linux trial
Thought I’d burn the latest Ubuntu 
version (8.04) and see how it panned out on the new-ish computer I built a couple of months ago. Like most really “wannabe” tech geeks, I’ve messed with Linux installs over the years, and have just never been able (willing?) to go the full monty and just learn to live in a Linux world.
Initially, a lot of that had to do with Microsoft products. Much, much less so now days. In fact, other than using XP Media Center (though I’ve yet to do any media using with it! Go figure) and the ubiquitous Internet Explorer (only for web development, I PROMISE!) the only bit of MS software I’ve used of late, and really enjoyed, was Windows Movie Maker.
The bigger picture, I imagine, is all the software goodies that we tend to use based upon the operating system we employ. My forays into Linux in the past have yielded much confusion and angst regarding not only finding software to do a job (yes, I realize there is TONS and TONS of good Linux/Open Source stuff out there, give a guy a break!) but more importantly, to installing it. You tend to learn a lot when you start your annual (tri-annual for me) Linux experiments. You learn until you get tired of learning to use the tool instead of actually productively using the tools.
Already, I’m unsure about this install. Yes, Firefox came with the install. Yay! And I ran through a bunch of extra applications I’d like (and a bunch of games I’d not like), only to find that when the OS finished and required a reboot to finalize (not unheard of) when I came back up, everything that I thought I had installed was not installed. For some reason the installation doesn’t seem to finish all the way at boot up, and I’m forced to “quit” (which is a bit confusing with “cancel” but hey, what do I know?!)
The other disappointing aspect of this “trial” is that it installed almost the entire disc on one of my drives in order to allow me the luxury of checking out Ubuntu on this computer without wiping off the XP install. I’m cool with that, though.
Oh, another disappointment is the fact that I’m not able to get my two widescreen monitors to work during this trial. The OS clearly tells me it sees the second video card, and attempting to activate it required a reboot. And guess what, yupper, it reverts back to the fresh trial install. Again, no big deal, but I’d have severe reservations about transforming this machine to all Linux before knowing “for sure” that I was going to be able to use both flat panels.
What I am seriously considering, however, is going ahead and wiping my 17″ widescreen laptop and putting this install of Linux on it. That might be fun, and I really don’t depend upon the laptop now days except when I decide to go to Jerona, one of the few (if not only) Internet cafes here in Cottonwood, AZ.
That’s it for now. Going to publish this Ubuntu powered post, and reboot to Windows. When I get it installed onto the laptop, I might do a follow up and create another series; something called “Living between Linux and Windows” or something more creative.
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