Ubuntu or other?

[ukgimp]

Racked off with Vista and I dint want to spend loads on win7. I used to like ubuntu. Any other good GUI based Linux systems that you might recommend?  I want it to just work not for me to spend a week wishing I could launch the laptop out the window.

Cheers.

[jetboy]

I want it to just work not for me to spend a week wishing I could launch the laptop out the window.

If that's a priority, stick to Windows. Why not go back to XP?

[littleman]

There are so many to choose from, but I think Ubuntu or its cousin Kubuntu are good choices for someone not too familiar with using Linux on a desktop.  Kubuntu uses KDE which is an easy to use desktop system.  Slax is nice too.  Jetboy, I've been using Linux as my primary for 10 years now and I find it much easier to use than anything from MS, I think its a matter of what's familiar, not what's simple.

[Torben]

Why not Apple?

[jetboy]

I think its a matter of what's familiar

Agreed. And I think that unless Gimpy's already very comfortable with Linux, the learning curve is going to be a lot more hassle in the short-term than Windows is. IMHO, moving from Windows to Linux is something you do when you've got surplus time and patience. If I can't talk you out of it, Ubuntu all the way. There may be better distros out there, but its market share means there's a far better support group out there for Ubuntu.

[Adam C]

I never used Vista extensively, but do have a Windows 7 machine and find it pretty good on the whole.  Very intuitive.  After a couple of hours or less there was no looking back.

Our IT guys rave about it as well.

[Rooftop]

Vista to win7 upgrade is about £80 and for once worth it.  In fact £60 of that value comes from just getting the heap of crap that is Vista off your system.  XP = OK, Vista = shit, Win7 Good.

I like Ubuntu, but unless it is something that you are particularly up for learning anyway you are going to waste more than a win7 upgrade fee getting to grips with things and find ways to work around stuff that isn't nix friendly.

Someone suggested Apple.  As the upgrade fee was questionable I am guessing a new Mac isn't on the cards. You can run Mac OS on a PC, but it might turn out to be a bit of an adventure.  License fee would be more than a Win7 updgrade as well.

They might not be the fun and sexy options, but I'd either go Win7 upgrade or go back to XP (home ed about £40)

[4Eyes]

If you are still thinking it over, take a look at 'Mint' - it is based on Ubuntu, but is a bit more 'Windows like'

I am on the verge of giving it another go as my main OS, using Virtualbox to run Windows 7.
(there is no real logic to me doing this BTW - just the same kind of suicidal 'urge to meddle' that had me pushing wires into plug sockets when I was 5)

[Brad]

If you are still thinking it over, take a look at 'Mint' - it is based on Ubuntu, but is a bit more 'Windows like'

I am on the verge of giving it another go as my main OS, using Virtualbox to run Windows 7.
(there is no real logic to me doing this BTW - just the same kind of suicidal 'urge to meddle' that had me pushing wires into plug sockets when I was 5)

Yeah I'm meddling too.  Been playing with Mint on a LiveDVD and it looks worth installing.  IMO it has a more usable interface than Ubuntu and more attractive GUI.  Nothing wrong with Ubuntu either. 

[4Eyes]

Much against my better judgement (as in "this is going to hurt in the short term"), I am part way through the transition back to Linux.

Mint installed fine - Virtualbox ditto - Windows 7 up and running too.

Looking pretty good so far.


To start with I will duplicate my old Windows setup in the VM, but will try to migrate as much as possible over to Linux.

One nice surprise, the new-to-me 'seamless' mode in Virtualbox - puts the windows menu bar above the linux menu bar (or even on a 2nd monitor) and lets you run the windows stuff almost as if it was Linux - ie the windows share the same workspace.


Downside:
* Running Windows 7 in a virtual machine loses some speed, hardly noticeable in most applications, and a fair amount of graphics processing speed (but then I don't play games anyway).
* More learning needed (OK - I admit, thats part of the fun as well)

Upside:
* All the advantages of Linux   Mint is very nice - it is basically Ubuntu with all the bells and whistles that are not pure OpenSource rolled in - it also has a more Windows-like interface by default.
* The Windows VM is now in a dynamically expandable virtual disk - it can be cloned and run on any Virtualbox installation on any PC or Mac - which is interesting.

As I said, I have been down this route before (2 years ago) and there were too many irritating niggles, so I switched back to Windows.
Its still too early to say if it will 'stick'; this time. but I haven't hit any of those niggles yet.

You will all be the first to know when/if I do.

[4Eyes]

Progress report:


Installed "Mint" Ok - Loving it so far - no driver issues at all - really has improved a lot in the last year or so

Installed Virtualbox 4 with Windows 7 and Windows XP Virtual Machines - all working just fine too.

It seems that the Linux windows emulator 'Wine' has improved a fair bit too - got some of my essential windows stuff running Ok with that.


Genuinely think I might stick with it this time.

[Brad]

I'm not doing anything sophisticated like 4Eyes, but I have Ubuntu installed on a new 15" laptop and quite like it.  I do think Mint has a slight advantage in not being quite so bound to open source. For instance you get a bigger selection of games with Mint right out of the box.  That and Mint being slightly more user friendly.  If you are moving from Win to Linux I think Mint will be more what you are used to.  Mint lets you chose to have the window (Close, Minimize, Full Screen) on the right (like Windows) or left like Mac whereas Ubuntu you have to change the whole desktop theme.

Coming from a mostly Mac world, it is nice to have all sorts of FREE software ready to download.  But it really is the switch to cloud computing that makes me able to have linux, OS X, iPhone and iPad share things like calendar appts. and email across devices.  Using Apple's Mobile.me service ($99 a year) let me do it so long as I stayed locked into the Apple proprietary orbit.  I'm getting tired of both Apple and Microsoft trying to lock me into their walled gardens which is why I'm trying linux again.  However the down side is with a Mac software it just works - now I have to get used to figuring out things again.   

If I buy another linux laptop (smaller, lighter, more portable) it will have Mint on it.

[4Eyes]

Brad - what I am doing is really pretty simple - not that sophisticated at all really.

Just install Virtualbox (free) and you can run install and run any version of Windows within it (or for that matter, different flavours of Lunix).

I have to say, this latest version of Mint is exceptionally easy to install - it worked 100% our of the box for me - as has every bit of software I have installed so far.

[Brad]

>different flavours of Lunix

Thanks for that info.  I didn't know that, I might just try it.

I'm liking Gwibber the default social networking client, I use it for Twitter which has in many ways replaced my RSS reader as a source of news. 

I found out that Adobe Air will run on Linux so you can run things like Tweetdeck and other software that runs on Air, but the instructions are command line so I haven't tried that.

[bill]

Thanks for the updates on Mint 4Eyes. You've piqued my interest and I might play around with it if I have some spare time. My question was the type of hardware you're using this on. I have a slew of laptops, desktops and netbooks to choose from...and I'm wondering which one to sacrifice.