I personal took the challenge and haven't looked back. :)
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.
But what if you had a choice? Would you stay with a Microsoft operating system if you knew that a free alternative exists that provided better stability and comparable features?
People have long avoided Linux desktop distros because of driver support, interoperability issues and limited software packages. While that may have been the truth in years past, the days of Linux obscurity are just about over.
Several Linux desktop operating systems have been rapidly gaining in popularity worldwide. One such operating system is Ubuntu.
Ubuntu has just released version 7 of their desktop and server operating system. After a close look at the ease of use and feature sets, one quickly realizes that the need for Vista or any other Microsoft desktop operating system is waning.
Installation is very simple. Download the ISO disk image and burn it to CD. You not only have a live CD version to take on the road, but you also can install the OS right to your hard drive by double-clicking the “INSTALL” icon that appears on the desktop after booting the CD.
Proof is in the features
As if ease of installation and stability weren’t enough, the available feature sets are excellent. Let’s go over a few of the “must haves”.
Automatix is a GUI based tool used to automate the installation of common applications that people use. After patching up your Ubuntu installation, the very next thing to do is setup Automatix.
Visit http://www.getautomatix.com/wiki/index.php?title=Installation from your Ubuntu host and simply allow the GDebi Package Installer run by clicking OK. Once the install is complete, browse to Applications > System Tools > Automatix. Once you arrive, you'll be faced with a wealth of useful applications to choose from.
Several worthwhile apps to check out are the Firestarter firewall and ClamAV combo. Firestarter offers a very intuitive interface and filters inbound and outbound connections. ClamAV is, of course, the long standing open source antivirus scanner, which is also extremely simple to use.
For those with NTFS hard drives, Ubuntu offers an auto-mount tool that easily provides access to all of your files that reside on NTFS drives.
Ubuntu makes adding the Java JRE browser plugin much less painful than most other Linux distros. No more symbolic links or the like. For proof, have a look at the many browser plugins that can be added to Firefox with a simple mouse click.
Read all about it here, courtesy of itmanagement.earthweb.com
Eric