Ubuntu 7 - A Viable Windows Desktop Replacement?

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Rich Tate

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Could it be that we are on the virge of Linux really securing a firm grasp as a viable and useful desktop solution?

Many are resisting upgrading to Windows Vista. Reasons range from performance issues to the general perception of few, if any, value added features. Unfortunately, many Windows users are being forced into Vista by large OEMs such as Dell. By the end of December, XP will no longer be an option when purchasing a new PC.
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And when I say this I mean capturing a huge market share. No offense to our Linux gurus. ;)
 
This topic seems to come up with every new release of Ubuntu. I am a fan of Ubuntu, but I don't use it for desktops. I have tried using for family machines, but for one reason or another, they always drift back to Windows.
 
I'm not yet sold. As someone who uses both Linux -- CentOS 4.4 at the moment -- and Windows on a daily basis (I'm a computer science student), I don't think I could yet recommend Linux to my parents or my grandparents at this time. Hopefully this will change soon :) Maybe I should try Ubuntu and see if really is "all that."
 
Nope, not that Ubuntu is not good, I think it is great, and my wife loves it...
However, average Joe sticks to what he knows.. If what he knows goes away, (Xp), he will go with whatever is pre-installed on his next computer..

Without oem's shipping great numbers of it on desktop pcs, Ubuntu will stay right where it is.. A great alternative that only a teeny tiny minority of desktop pc users have installed..

Don't hit me with, "but I switched a dozen people over to nix" argument.. While you did that a couple of hundred babies were prolly born that will prolly end up using windows.. Hence nix's single digit market share on the home pc..
 
I still don't think linux is ready for the average users desktop. Hell I have yet to have enough reason to switch my main desktop to it and I've been doing admin work with unix for years. Linux is a good system but a well setup xp system just is still a better option.

Ubuntu is a good step though. I've installed it on systems for a few people. Good system.
 
I've dabbled with ubuntu, it's no where near as easy to use as windows especially when you have a problem. I dual boot atm, I don't see it in anyway becoming a viable alternative to windows for the common computer user.
 
hmm, Ubuntu as a desktop replacement for windows. Not yet. Linux is getting closer to doing it, but still has quite a ways to go.

I used Kubuntu feisty fawn 7.04 for a couple weeks. It was all right, but seemed to be lacking something. I couldn't figure out what that was though. Right now I'm using PCLOS 2007 tr4 and feel right at home. I do have XP pro in WMware if needed though.

With *buntu, k3b kept crashing, beryl became sluggish quite often, wmware server was a pain to install and I ended up needing to download a 3rd party update to get it running.

Maybe when Gutsy Gibbon (ubuntu 7.10) releases it'll be better, we shall see.
 
Not until drivers become easier to work with. I still can't get about half of my wireless cards supported.
 
I recently got tired of Vista and decided to give Ubuntu a second go and I have to say it's definitely a lot more user friendly than it was even 1 year ago. It may not be quite ready for the average user, but it's headed in the right direction. The install picked up all my devices during the install but the graphics card (7900GT) and that driver was installed with a simple check mark later. I'm a Linux newbie and about an hour after install I had dvd copying ready to go and counter-strike in working order.
 
Rich Tate said:
Could it be that we are on the virge of Linux really securing a firm grasp as a viable and useful desktop solution?
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I do have to say that their instructions for installing Beryl are much more convoluted than they need to be. In Ubuntu 7.10 you can install Beryl by going to Add-Remove programs and installing Beryl.

I do have to say, using 7.10 - I almost wish I had done my 30 days with Linux eval with 7.10. I haven't needed to go to a console once to get anything configured or installed. Not even once.
 
BrokenDown said:
I recently got tired of Vista and decided to give Ubuntu a second go and I have to say it's definitely a lot more user friendly than it was even 1 year ago. It may not be quite ready for the average user, but it's headed in the right direction. The install picked up all my devices during the install but the graphics card (7900GT) and that driver was installed with a simple check mark later. I'm a Linux newbie and about an hour after install I had dvd copying ready to go and counter-strike in working order.
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Humm..... games and the like where my big issue.

If Oblivion will work.... I maight be sold.

How does one get a windows game working on linux without a "rebuild" of the game? (or 50 flaming hoops to jump though.)
 
I love how they claim better stability. If XP isn't stable on someones rig, nothing will be. Junk hardware is junk hardware no matter what the OS.
 
If all you do is surf the internet and occasionally type a paper, then I could recommend Ubuntu.
 
Ubuntu is really nice, I liked it but I have to say its not going to replace windows anytime soon. Its not just the os you have relearn, but all the associated software that comes with it, like word to open office, photoshop to gimp. Its a whole package transition rather than a single os transition.
 
"Could it be that we are on the virge of Linux really securing a firm grasp as a viable and useful desktop solution?"

It is definitely creating alot of noise, which is good. For the vast majority of users it is actually an acceptable replacement right now. Everyone isn't going to jump right now but that doesn't mean they could make the jump. If you want to mark where we are right now... it is when the Linux Desktop first became a viable replacement for the majority of users. Next 'milestone' is going to be when you see any significant number of manufactors giving the option for Linux pre-installed.
 
I think it would be easier to get Steves Jobs to open up OSX to work on any PC, than it would be to get full support from the consumers, manufacturer's, and oem's to support Linux in a big way.

Personally, I'd rather have Linux stay the underdog. It's message alone is powerful, and will continue to evolve for enternity because of it's structure. Closed source OS's live and die based on the owner. Linux in some form or another will always exist.
 
m2h said:
]I think it would be easier to get Steves Jobs to open up OSX to work on any PC[/B], than it would be to get full support from the consumers, manufacturer's, and oem's to support Linux in a big way.

Personally, I'd rather have Linux stay the underdog. It's message alone is powerful, and will continue to evolve for enternity because of it's structure. Closed source OS's live and die based on the owner. Linux in some form or another will always exist.
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He couldn't do that, it would crush his buisness model of Apple being the most stable OS. Opening up OSX to multiple hardware/software configurations would have them end up being the same as Windows, except without the funds to pay for all the support people will need when their precious "perfect" OS crashes on them. Apple is just fine where they are because having full control on the hardware and software is what makes them...well them.
 
Nemesis999 said:
Generally when you make a statement like that you explain it, otherwise all you've done is contradicted yourself in 3 words. :D
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sorry, I didn't have much time to explain my self, and to be honest with you, I expected this...

If I could play all of my games in Linux, I'd drop Microsoft in a heart beat. Who wouldn't? I think Microsoft makes a nice OS, but If I can do everything I wanted to do on my computer in Linux, why not make the switch?? My parents are not hard core gamers, as are most users. They want something simple. Most of what they do are word processing, and e-mail. Why pay for Windows if a free distro of Linux serves their needs? Save a couple hundred dollars or so, and get a better cpu or bigger hard drive is the way I look at it.

If Microsoft would make just a gaming OS, Well, I'd be all about that.. Dual booting with some Linux? Oh yeah! It would be like having an upgradeable console, and a pc all in one. kind of scary now that i think about it...
 
Then the Ubuntu devs have to stop screwing up. Edgy had the Flash package thingie, wrong package havoc. Feisty is hell for users with 8800 GTS/GTX cards (no video after kernel boots (fixed by sending vga=0x31B to kernel via bootloader) and the nvidia-glx-new package is missing one module making X crash.

Hoping Ubuntu 7 will be without this kind of mishaps. Many manufacturers like NVIDIA and HP is providing very good support and drivers for Linux. Now if only people would donate more cash and time, we will get a real alternative.
 
Ubunto is as user-friendly as an iron maiden.

"Yeah, this thing works, it just lacks X, Y, and Z, which is really easy to fix if you just <insert billion mumb-jumbo words here>. Oh, it screwed-up V and W? Then simply <insert a few hundred-thousand mumbo-jumbo words here>. Micro$oft sucks!".

If I wanted to be programmer, I'd be a programmer. I work in computer networks, use Cisco routers' CLI on a daily basis, but when I'm at home after work, I still prefer to double click to run my purchased games and media without the many attached headaches Linux provides. I think Linux is still light-years behind Microsoft on this matter, and I don't really care if it's Linux's fault, the consumers' fault, or the manufactures's fault.
 
Kendrak said:
Humm..... games and the like where my big issue.

If Oblivion will work.... I maight be sold.

How does one get a windows game working on linux without a "rebuild" of the game? (or 50 flaming hoops to jump though.)
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I got Oblivion working - kinda - but I did have to jump through hoops and it didn't work as well as on Windows.

Honestly, it's up to the developers to port their games to Linux so that they can be run natively. No amount of tricking or cajoling will get non-Linux software to run on Linux as well as it would on Windows. You either have to run it in virtualization or run it through a third-party API (wine) which doesn't have access to all of Microsoft's trade secrets.

ID software already ports its games to Linux and I'm looking forward to Quake Wars, but until other companies do so as well, I've got a dual-boot system.
 
megalodon said:
Ubunto is as user-friendly as an iron maiden.

"Yeah, this thing works, it just lacks X, Y, and Z, which is really easy to fix if you just <insert billion mumb-jumbo words here>. Oh, it screwed-up V and W? Then simply <insert a few hundred-thousand mumbo-jumbo words here>. Micro$oft sucks!".

If I wanted to be programmer, I'd be a programmer. I work in computer networks, use Cisco routers' CLI on a daily basis, but when I'm at home after work, I still prefer to double click to run my purchased games and media without the many attached headaches Linux provides. I think Linux is still light-years behind Microsoft on this matter, and I don't really care if it's Linux's fault, the consumers' fault, or the manufactures's fault.
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Again - Haven't had to hit the console once with 7.10/Feisty, and most programs can be installed with either a double click or even a "checkbox" Add/Remove programs deal - which is quicker than downloading and double clicking.

Although I empathise with having to use the IOS on Cisco Routers.
 
Brian Boyko said:
Again - Haven't had to hit the console once with 7.10/Feisty, and most programs can be installed with either a double click or even a "checkbox" Add/Remove programs deal - which is quicker than downloading and double clicking.

Although I empathise with having to use the IOS on Cisco Routers.
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Great, but can it play any game or run any application straight out of the box? I doubt that, unless you tell me otherwise.

Thanks for empathizing. Man, IOS should be outlawed! :p
 
Can you just double click on something to install it yet or do you still have to go through the command line?
 
Brian Boyko said:
Again - Haven't had to hit the console once with 7.10/Feisty, and most programs can be installed with either a double click or even a "checkbox" Add/Remove programs deal - which is quicker than downloading and double clicking.

Although I empathise with having to use the IOS on Cisco Routers.
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They do have SDM. Though I can't say it does everything as CLI.
 
mavalpha said:
Or, or "semi-standard" resolutions (1440x900 on my desktop, for example).
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...or games

...or graphics applications from Adobe

...or 3ds max

...or basically anything that doesn't require you to hack or run a 3rd party utility to make a program run.
 
I use Ubuntu and love it...but I mean, Linux for the masses? Let's be realistic. The average computer user has no idea what a command line is, let alone how to use it.
 
...that's the thing...you shouldn't have to use a command line prompt unless you REALLY need it. I rarely use the DOS Prompt in Windows and when I do it is usually b/c something is isn't working properly.

Linux user make it seem like if you don't use a command line window that you aren't REALLY a computer user.
 
Jpitzo said:
I use Ubuntu and love it...but I mean, Linux for the masses? Let's be realistic. The average computer user has no idea what a command line is, let alone how to use it.
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Are you serious? The average computer tech has no idea what a command line is.
 
jag0 said:
...that's the thing...you shouldn't have to use a command line prompt unless you REALLY need it. I rarely use the DOS Prompt in Windows and when I do it is usually b/c something is isn't working properly.

Linux user make it seem like if you don't use a command line window that you aren't REALLY a computer user.
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I've been told that Ubuntu is pretty good. But my previous experience with linux is really bad due to the fact I'm not quite to sure what i'm doing in it. I'm so used to dos commands to really get around in dos, but in Linux -- Even the help command is hard to manage. For example, in DOS I used to type "Help" and I get a dictionary of command and examples of how to use it. In Linux you type "Help" you get crap, you have to use the command "man" (for Manual) then the command. That would be "man [command]". If I'm such a retard that I don't know the commands how the heck am I supposed to get help from that?

I'm playing with Windows Powershell 1.0, and at least if I type "get-help *" I get all the commands or a brief description of the commands.

Anyway, like I said I've just had a hard time with trying to learn something that doesn't really have any help in. And this is just my experience for those who's more experience may think otherwise, not trying to offend anyone.
 
Thanks OP!
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I just got done installing Ubuntu 7.04 and I'm actually impressed. The install went flawlessly except for my 1440x900 screen resolution now working correctly. I just did looked it up and it doesn't seem like too bad a fix so I'm sure I'll correct it soon.

Wow... could this actually be my next OS? :eek:

Thanks again OP!
 
I would have to agree that Linux isn't ready yet. I really wanted to switch but 3 things are holding me back. Video editing, gaming, and Ipod support.
 
I wouldn't necessarily have to use the same software I have now, as long as the software I'd use on Ubuntu delivered the same features or more/better than what I was using. Games would have to work flawlessly, as well.
 
megalodon said:
Great, but can it play any game or run any application straight out of the box? I doubt that, unless you tell me otherwise.
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It can play any Linux game or run any Linux application straight out of the box, in my experience. Running Windows apps on it though is like trying to get Mac apps to run on Windows.
 
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