Ubuntu Linux for Non-Geeks

Ravi writes "It is a fact that GNU/Linux has grown from a hackers operating system to be a viable alternative to any commercial proprietary operating system. And the plethora of books on Linux that are being published underlines the popularity of this OS. There are hundreds of flavors of Linux distributions — some of them more popular than the others. Ubuntu Linux is one such distribution which has caught the fancy of many Linux enthusiasts and which enjoys the number one position in the popularity rating chart." Read the rest of Ravi's review.

Ubuntu Linux for non-geeks
author	Rickford Grant
pages	360
publisher	No Starch Press
rating	9
reviewer	Ravi
ISBN	1-59327-118-2
summary	A very good book targeted at newbies for installing and configuring Ubuntu Linux

I recently came across a very nice book titled "Ubuntu Linux for non-geeks" authored by Rickford Grant and published by No Starch Press. What attracted me to this book was the obvious title which makes no bones about the fact that this book is targeted at non-geeks.

The book is divided into 18 chapters and 3 appendices spanning over 300 pages. The author starts the narration by imparting a good understanding of the history of Linux and the relationship between Ubuntu and Linux. In this chapter, the author clears a few doubts arising in a lay person's mind about Linux such as the difference between a distribution and an OS, the hardware requirements for running Ubuntu and so on.

In the past, I have seen Linux books using well over 50 pages just to explain the installation process but Ubuntu is famed for its simple 6 step installation. The next chapter is a very short one which gives a good illustrated explanation of the steps needed to boot Ubuntu using the latest version of Ubuntu live CD (included with the book) and install the OS on the hard disk.

The third chapter explores many common features of the Gnome desktop which is the default desktop in Ubuntu. Here the readers are introduced to different aspects of the desktop from the panels, the menus, the applets to the steps for customizing.

One thing I really like about this book is the obvious way in which each task is split into separate chapters. For example, you have a chapter explaining the file and disk management , a chapter which explains how to set up the network and log on to the internet, another for setting up your printer and scanner, still another explaining different ways of downloading and installing software and so on.

I especially liked the 8th chapter titled "Getting to know the Linux terminal and command line", where the author introduces the shell and a number of command line tools to the readers. What I found really interesting was that at the end of the chapter, the author walks you through installing and configuring so you get to try out all the commands introduced earlier.

In the 11th chapter, the author explains how to make the fonts on the Ubuntu machine look prettier and the steps needed to install different kinds of additional fonts such as Microsoft true type fonts.

Ubuntu Linux bundles with it a rich set of applications which more than meets the need of an average home user. The 13th and 14th chapter introduces some of the most popular ones such as office suites, image viewers and so on.

The next three chapters deal exclusively in setting up and configuring audio and video in Ubuntu. Considering that some of the audio/video formats are patented, it is not possible to include support for them by default in Linux. Rather, it is up to the user to get these proprietary audio and video formats to work in Linux. And through these chapters, the author explains all that needs to be done to get all audio and video formats to work in Ubuntu.

The appendix also contain a section where the author gives a list of web resources where one can find more information related to Linux — more specifically Ubuntu Linux.

This very nice book on Ubuntu Linux is clearly targeted at the neophytes who wish to take their first steps in installing and using Ubuntu. The author explains in a step-by-step manner the solutions to the problems that one might face in installing, configuring and using Ubuntu Linux.

If you are a person who has installed and used Linux in the past, this book probably doesn't cover anything new to you. Having said that, it could be an ideal gift for your grandparents, parents or even friends who wish to learn to setup and use Linux. Another positive aspect of the book which attracted me was that the narration was surprisingly devoid of any slang. One of the common mistakes that authors make when writing a book targeted at newbies is treating them like idiots and introducing a lot of slang in the narration, but Rickford Grant has stayed clear of this and his language is clear and lucid.

Ravi Kumar is a Linux enthusiast who likes to share his thoughts on all things related to GNU/Linux through his blog All about Linux.

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You can purchase Ubuntu Linux for non-geeks from bn.com. Slashdot welcomes readers' book reviews -- to see your own review here, read the book review guidelines, then visit the submission page

I switched from gentoo

After 2-3 years as a die hard gentoo user, I just wanted simple and easy home administration. ubuntu is just that.

XOrg/Apache/Perl/BSD/GNU/Linux

Yeah, mod me how you feel instead of responding, I like that.

I would have to say that XFree86 and Apache, as well as components listed under Perl Artistic and BSD licenses, have as much to do with the usability and adoption of Linux as a platform. Why is GNU singled out for more attention than the other amazing personal contributions of self-motivated non-commercialized developers? Just because RMS' ego outscales his last decade of coding efforts doesn't mean that he should automatically be ignored, but neither does it mean his face should be on the proverbial wheaties box at the exclusion of the rest of the team.

Excellent

The Ubuntu, and Linux community needs more pro-active members like the author of this book. God knows how many people have bought those "For dummies" books, but calling them non-geeks as opposed to dummies would make a user more willing to buy the book, and hopefully try Ubuntu. The more mainstream media attention that Ubuntu gets, the better it will become and we'll see more and more users adopting it. Good work.

Non-geeks?

Well, Ubuntu never seemed to be designed for geeks (I'm using it for about 8 months now) - it's one of the friendliest distros for beginners (as much as I've tested different distros)
But well, a book might be a good idea - making Ubuntu even more user friendly.

"for Non-Geeks"

I've been waiting to say this for a long time:

My mother uses Ubuntu (6.06 Desktop) and she is not computer savvy at all!

Non-geeks will never finish it

What attracted me to this book was the obvious title which makes no bones about the fact that this book is targeted at non-geeks.
The book is divided into 18 chapters and 3 appendices spanning over 300 pages.

I've seen similar 300 page books to teach windows to non-geeks. I'm sure there are people who feel lost and buy the book thinking they'll learn. I have serious doubts that many actually make it through the book. They'll make it through the first chapter and, at best, pull it out occasionally to search for some answer (and probably not find it).

A lot of people have moments when they feel ambitious and decide they will learn linux. How many of the non-geeks actually do, though? Of those that do, I doubt it's from books like these but actually from geek friends walking them through it.

Re:Non-geeks will never finish it

For a typical non-geek, "learning Linux" is a lousy idea. So is "learning Windows". That's because they don't want to use an operating system. They want to send email, work with their digital pictures, write a novel, or whatever. Non-geeks need to learn how to do the tasks that interest them, and that is how geeks should present this information to them.

Ubuntu is for geeks too

It's a great distro for both the non-technical and technical -- geek and non-geek. I had used Debian unstable for 4 years before switching to Ubuntu (64- and 32-bit versions) 6 months ago. All of the lovely configurability and software tools (like aptitude, apt-build and so on) from Debian are available.

The reasons I made the switch were because (1) I wanted to see what all the fuss was about, and (2) I wanted a more frequent "stable" release cycle for my desktop system. However, I continue to use Debian stable for any servers and simulation clusters that I manage.

Ubuntu books that don't focus on installation?

The book that I need, and I haven't yet found, is a beginner's Ubuntu guide which doesn't focus on installation, and instead devotes most or all of its space to basic use of the desktop and common applications (Nautilus, Firefox, OOo Writer, etc.).

I suspect my situation is not unique: I install Ubuntu for parents and other non-techies; no matter how good the book, they're not going to be able to install it themselves. Then I bugger off and leave them with it. What they need is a straightforward and thorough user guide for basic use of the system. (And I mean basic: things like "you can move windows by dragging the title bar", and "if your mouse has a scroll wheel, you can use it to scroll through a window").

Any recommendations?

Re:Ubuntu books that don't focus on installation?

So you didn't read the review of *this* book then?

"In the past, I have seen Linux books using well over 50 pages just to explain the installation process but Ubuntu is famed for its simple 6 step installation. *The next chapter is a very short* one which gives a good illustrated explanation of the steps needed to boot Ubuntu using the latest version of Ubuntu live CD (included with the book) and install the OS on the hard disk. "

Ubuntu Linux is ALREADY for Non-Geeks

I tried using Ubuntu and just ended up hating the default install, and the themes, and the package manager. In the end I switched back to using YellowDogLinux and FreeBSD.

Now I don't see what the big deal about Ubuntu is.

I suppose the install is prettier since you load it up as a LiveCD and then run the installer program, but in the end you end up with less, imho. And the installer just runs more sluggish.

Huh?

If you need help to install Ubuntu then you shouldn't be in front of a PC :P

Honestly, I believe that Ubuntu's online resources, wikis and forum, are extremely well maintained, which makes the book a little bit useless. I guess he's catering to those people who just can't do anything without having a hard book next to them to explain everything with pretty pictures.

1- download ISO. 2- Reboot from CD, and click on install 3- Run Automatix. The next time somebody tells you that they use Windows because it's easier to install, slap them with some humanity towards others :D

Re:Huh?

I have also bad news for you: attitude like yours is one of the major reasons Linux is just about nowhere in desktop adoption right now.

No this is a myth. That the geek elitist attitude has anything to do with linux adoption misses the mark by a wide margin. That linux adoption even has anything to do with how easy or difficult to install misses the mark also. The fact that you have to install it at all is the issue. It is simple, if Dell, HP and/or Gateway offered Linux preinstalled on their consumer desktops right now, then Linux would have a much wider adoption as long as the expense was the same or less than Windows.

Tried Ubuntu, didn't work for me.

After testing it out on the live CD on my PowerBook I attempted an install of Ubuntu on an HP Pavilion 6740c, it hangs up and freezes at random both on an install and running it off the CD. Windows 98 still runs fine on it. It's a 500 mhz celeron with 384 megs of ram, but Ubuntu doesn't like it for some reason.

Maybe this book offers some sort of insight on why Ubuntu won't run on that computer. I'd read it just to find out.

For non-geeks, get rid of "flavors"

For starters, we can stop calling versions "flavors" when the word "version" will do just fine. "Flavors" are for suckers. Who wants to lick an OS anyway? Especially one called "Warty Warthog"?

Since when did number of books == popularity?

And the plethora of books on Linux that are being published underlines the popularity of this OS.

There has always been a "plethora" of books on Linux and a variety of other subjects that no one in the general public gives a shit about. I'm interested in knowing just how this means anything significant.

ubuntu is disappointing

i remember in the 90's when getting linux installed made you a geek god. ubuntu is a breeze to set up and pretty much just works right out of the box. customizing the kernel for your processor and everything is super easy as well. thanks ubuntu for ruining linux for elitist pricks like me :-(

It is a FACT that blah blah blah...

It is a fact that GNU/Linux has grown from a hackers operating system to...

It is a fact that anytime someone starts a sentence with "it is a fact", they are really slamming an opinion against the wall and hoping it sticks.

Ubuntu works for me

I'm not a Linux expert, but I'm no noob either. I started using Unix in 1982 and I've used Red Hat, SUSE, Mandrake, and Gentoo over the years. I use Red Hat every day at work. I just installed a Ubuntu machine and although my install is much more complicated and more difficult than the standard 6 step install, it is still far and away the best experience I've ever hand with Linux. (Gentoo was far and away the worst. I've got better things to do with my time than recompile code that has already be compiled thousands of times before.) I've actually been enjoying using it, at least when things go well. I'll probably pick up the book and I'm sure I'll learn some stuff.

Why all the flaming?

Here is *MY* deal with Ubuntu...

My wife is horribly bad at downloading and installing crap and malware, visiting crappy, malicious pages with internet exploder, etc.

Her machine used to run slackware that I had set up for her, no problems at all.
However, updating things usually meant me sitting there for a few hours to do so.

I tossed Ubuntu onto a cd, told her to install this, and she did it.
She loves it.

She can install things she wants with the GUI, it keeps itself up to date...
The layman can do it... it is painless.

I was skeptical at first but, I saw, I believed.

Why flame it or call it crap?
For what it is, and it is actually quite good, it just works.
I am not a fanboy, by any means.
I have Gentoo and Debian machines all over, for my use.

Remember the target audience for Ubuntu: people that are not computer savvy.
(like my wife)

It works for her, I would ask everyone to at least LOOK at it before you flame it.

Unreal 2004

I installed this distro on my pc with dual boot and I was able to play unreal tournament 2004 without tweetking anything else. It ran it off the bat. Other distros needed the nvidia driver installed.

Dual-boot?

As someone who has never used Linux but has been intrigued (and intimidated) by the prospect, this book sounds like it would be right up my alley. Not mentioned in the review is whether the book discusses how to set up a dual-boot system, as I (and I suspect most Linux neophytes) don't want to forgo Windows straight away.

What definition of "non-geek" is he working with??

I think the author missed a very basic point, which is that non-geeks don't wanna read books about computer stuff.

Noob Who?

Linux, no matter how much you like it is still not ready for the masses. It lacks the ability to easily install programs such as the Macintosh and Windows has. Online repositories are not the answers as they are maintained by individuals who do not write the programs themselves. Repositories are specific to a distro and sometimes even a version of a distro.

Computers were never meant to be used solely by the likes of those who love to tear things apart. That is the second of two major roadblocks keeping Linux out of the main stream.

Get programs to install as easily as they do on OSX and Windows and rid the community of the mentality that you are a noob and weak if you don't want to play the game at the lowest disassembled level.

Ubuntu is no where near as good as it could be. The developers have given up on the idea of making it simple and strong and capable for your grandmother to use and maintain by herself.

Drivers are still a problem. There's alot of proprietariness out there that the Linux community can't handle. Much of the video driver capabilities (for example) are left out of the generic drivers installed during the setup. Much of those left out capabilities will always be left out because they are precisely that, proprietary.

I've run Linux for 3 years and I can only say that I spend significantly more time maintaining it than I do any other OS (my OSX boxes and my Windows boxes). The online repository never worked and it relies on high bandwidth to do its job. The vast majority of people still are on dial-up. Some can't afford high speed and others can't get it. Those majority won't ever be able to use linux when the idea is that the updates should come from on line.

To expect, nay demand, that the users have a compiler on their computer is the worst notion in the idea of personal computers. Remember these are personal computers. You can't and should not be telling others what they can or should be doing with them. That's why they are called "personal". You do what your person wants to do.

The notion of insulting people because they choose one distro over another is ludicrious. Why is that? It is because most of you are noobs at virtually everything in life. You can't design your own refrigerator. You won't design your own home. You don't know the laws, regulations, and codes necessary to build anything. You won't put together your own car nor will you assemble your own TV. You can't make your own medicine. You don't know how to repair your plumbing, you can't figure out how to make electricty. You can't make paper, nor ink, nor most anything that you use regularly in life.

SO WHY THE HELL ARE YOU CALLING OTHER NOOBS?

Most of the zealots can't even think through the above argument to give a solid reasonable applicable reply. I'm not insulting people. I'm trying to get across that you expect people to build their own OS, compile code, debug the issues, as a granny or a teenager. You don't even understand the fundamentals of most people's lives (marriage, children, education, transportation, etc are the primary concern of people's lives), allt he while you disrespect those that want to use their computer to do a task rather than making the computer the task.

If you can't get on the bandwagon and apply your own real-life issues and recognize others have their own, then you are a retard.

I know this post will get me some negative karma because alot of people really support linux here. I'm not saying linux is bad at all. I'm just saying it is not ready for mainstream use. Over the past couple of years there's been alot said about that. There's been this on-going debate abou whether Linux is desktop ready.

The kernel is a fine piece of work. It is a spectacular piece of work. It is at the top of the dog pile when it comes to stability. But the average user doesn't seen the kernel. They don't want to see the kernel. They just want the computer and their programs to work. They don't want to sit an

Ubuntu is great for experienced engineers

I've been using Linux since 1995, and I have spent a lot of time learning system administration of Linux boxes. Before I switched to Ubuntu, I was using Gentoo, so I've compiled my share of apps and kernels. After a while, though, the novelty of manually editing configuration files wore off. Professionally, I am an X11 driver developer and graphics chip designer. Academically, I've done web programming, AI, high-performance computing, and many other things. There's nothing wrong with wanting to manually configure your Linux box, but my interests and needs have shifted to where what I need and want to do has nothing to do with Linux system admin. If I want to install an OS, I want to just install it. If I want a new app, I want to just install it. I do lots of coding, but little of it has anything to do with hacking other people's open source software. So I have chosen Ubuntu so that I can get the system to do all of the low-level stuff for me so I can think about other things.

Ubuntu out-of-the-box experiences

A friend is attempting to try "30 days of Linux" for office use for a total Linux newbie (but experienced Windows/DOS user). Anyway, he's having a blog of the attempt at http://blogit.tietokone.fi/linuxinjaljilla/ [tietokone.fi] (in Finnish). At first, he naturally asked for recommendations on what distros to use, and Ubuntu/Kubuntu was most popular, so he went with Ubuntu.

So far encountered problems seem small but trivial: His monitor (CRT) remained at 60Hz and he couldn't find any setting to change it to higher refresh rate. Eventually, with lots of help, he was able to edit xorg.conf directly and get the thing working.

To me this seemed very odd - I remember back in 2000 or so when installing Suse Linux and SaX pretty much auto-configured everything and allowed the settings changes too.

Today, another issue surfaced - no auto-mounting existing ntfs volumes. He eventually had to manually edit /etc/fstab to get the Windows partitions to show up. I thought that if you have a "clickety click" installer that they would automagically include existing partitions in fstab and create mountpoints...

Anyway, so far my perpection of Ubuntu as a friendly distro has plummeted and I think I'd now recommend Suse's corporate instead (Personally, I'm using Gentoo, and love it, but for someone looking for an user-friendly and easy-to-learn distribution...).

Here's a suggestion for Ubuntu

Could you guys maybe license the tech and legally package media playback, font hinting, etc. on a $35 "Ubuntu Addons" CD or something like that. I know there's Automatix, but I don't like the fact that when I run it I break a shitload of laws, no matter how retarded they are. Personally, I'd rather pay a license fee and enjoy computing the way it should be in year 2006.

Ubuntu - Linux for Lamors

or people who demand that their OS have more of a brain than they do.

When I see the stock photos on the ubuntu site, it clearly reminds me that I am not one of those 'normal' people, and don't want to be, nor do I want to share a distro with people like that.

Slackware on the other hand... =p

i don't believe in books or looks

as distro's change you have to buy new books to keep up. ubuntu is very user-friendly (i use it now after starting with debian in 98, getting on with mandrake in 2000, going forth wit mandriva until 2 months ago. i just wonder if buying a book will inspire people to visit help sites, forums, newsgroups etc. to learn more once they have to upgrade Ubuntu, or install new (unknown) software, and learn that not everything is point-and-click like windows makes them believe. use of the terminal is a must, IN ANY LINUX DISTRO. we are talking to a non-DOS generation here.

Doh! #1 because it's scott free!

Gee, giving quality away for nuthin'? No wonder it's popular. What is this, the worker's paradise?

http://shipit.ubuntu.com/ [ubuntu.com]

Training wheels

After reformatting my Windows box more times than you can shake a mouse at, due to security issues (I didn't know you needed it!), about two years ago I decided to check out Linux. A true n00b in Geekland. Still am. After going through dozens of distros, I finally landed on one that didn't make me want to put my fist through a wall. When Dapper came out, I was actually licking my chops. My wife just pointed and laughed -- she thought I had become a convert. To Linux, yes, but not to Geekdom. I take no pride in saying I am still ham-fisted at the command line. I'm a writer, not a hacker. And I got all the books, the usual suspects, the O'Reilly tomes, et al. With all due respect, I really did not need to read what kind of shirts Richard Stallman wears and whether pigs have wings. I just wanted MP3 capability. So I skip to those pages, via the index. Now that I actually know what a forum and a wiki are, I go there. Books are nice. I hope to publish many some day. But tapping into the friendly minds of Those Who Know has proven to me much more effective and efficient. I'm sure it's a fine book. But n00bs who just want to know how to put tab A into slot B are better off asking legitimate, bona fide geeks. Who knows -- I might even be one some day. And look at me now -- I read /.

GNU or Linux??

I'm confused. Is he writing about GNU or is he writing about Linux? Or is he writing about them both at the same time in the same book. I don't see how the term "GNU/Linux" could explain or clarify or lend ANY kind of understanding.

It is [NOT] a fact...

It is a fact that GNU/Linux has grown from a hackers operating system to be a viable alternative to any commercial proprietary operating system.

I love linux and use it all the time, but sweeping statements like this one do little to futher the Linux cause. It's simply untrue that generic open-source Linux has all the process isolation, quota management, acl support, etc. that OpenVMS or MVS has. Ok so you can get glue-on, paid-for patches & extensions and stuff from proprietary vendors who'll sell you the support contracts you'll need to manage such patched boxes, that have somewhat equivalent features, but...

Let's stop painting Linux as equally capable, out of the generic box, as all proprietary systems (some of which have features that far exceed Windows too). Facts, not semi-warm BS, will further the Linux cause.

OT

I like Ubuntu and all and have it installed, but Flash is unfortunately universally needed. Mplayer with proprietary codecs maybe not. And PDF support works somewhat. And Java... But so many webpages use Flash now.

There is no Flash in the apt sources that come with Ubuntu. So to add Flash you have to change /etc/apt/sources.list (you can install it by hand, but then you won't have security updates).

So Ubuntu is NOT for Non-Geeks. I can install it for Non-Geeks, but they won't be able to do that by themselves. Period. (and this sucks, because otherwise Ubuntu is pretty cool)

And I don't like Flash either. And I don't like taxes...

Advantages vs. SuSe?

Been using the 10.1 release on a couple servers at work, been pleased with it. I've been around the mortal coil long enough to remember when SuSe was the distro du jour, and my impression is that it just became unkewl for the kewl kids when Novell bought them. Since I'm old and fat now, and have learned from experience that in the geek world, reinventing the wheel is a way of life, I'm not eager to investigate yet another King of the Distros just to find out it is more or less the same as the last three, only with transparency.

Any views on how this stacks up vs. Suse 10.x?

Ubuntu Linux for Non-Geeks

I bought the book after browsing the section dealing with gtkpod alone
it was so common sense and respectful how he treated the reader...

I was not used to reading a linux book that was so clear
and understandable.

Let's teach them use firefox!!

Yes, because is very hard send an email from firefox on Linux, very very hard! And is worst when you need to teach them use aMSN...

ok GIVE ME A BREAK

Only a geek would be installing there own OS. Whether its windows or Linux or Mac OS. Only a geek would EVER want to even know what the terminal is let alone use it. Its like writing a book for non gear heads who don't want to be gear heads and then explaining how to use a torque wrench to properly tightening the bolts on the valve cover. Really what is more geeky then , "......the relationship between Ubuntu and Linux." Really OK go ahead tell me I am flamebaiting or trolling but I am not I am telling you that the only people that would care about anything in this book are geeks. Non Geeks by there nature as non geeks would have to become geeks to want to learn this thus making them geeks. Aaaaaaaaahhhhhhhh CIRCULAR LOGIC. Non geeks are for sure not going to want to deal with the installing of proprietary blah blah blah. Damn I am a geek and I am like F this. I mean really. A 300 page book on how to use my computer would scare the hell out of me. Let alone non geeks that just want to plug the thing in and surf the inter-web read there email. They Don't want to know how are why it works. They just want to do it. I think Ubuntu can do this and I think this book is a bad idea if it is really targeted to non geeks. If you really want to appeal to non geeks you write a 10 page book with lots of nice color pictures. Really. Again just to be clear. I think Ubuntu is easier to use then Windows and I wonder who would really read this book?

An idea for a "non geek" book

I've been using Linux for 2 years now and just love it. When I started it was really difficult getting things to work. Over time I learned how to get Linux to do what I wanted but the most important thing I learned was how to find answers to problems I get, whether it can be solved by reading the man page, do I need to google and whether I have ask for a solution on IRC or some forum.
Since I got confident about using linux Ive been trying to get my friends and family to switch to Linux they love Linux, they love not having to deal with anti viruses and the logical structuring of everything. They keep asking their problems but the problem comes when someone is not there to help them with it. They don't read the man pages, they never google. Once one problem becomes two they'll say windows is better at this thing and in a short amount of time they are back to using windows.
In every "non geek" book there should be atleast one detailed chapter on how to find solutions to your problems where everything like --help,man pages,info pages,google,IRC,websites and forums is explained. I don't think its enough to give an appendix telling the readers these are some websites you might get some help on. The "non geeks" should learn to search for information if they want to use Linux.

Good for everyday usage, but still has issues.

I have ubuntu installed on a couple of machines and have been using it for some time. It still is a total pain in the ass, though, I'm afraid to say.
On the plus side, it sets itself up *ok* if you let it do it's thing, and run the http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=138405 [ubuntuforums.org] Automatix install script. However, it's still got all the same issues as any other linux distro.

I spent hours trying to set up an application that used the wireless card (I was trying to find out how hard it would be to break into my own wireless network). It seemed that for every step I wanted to take forward, I needed to take 10 steps backwards. For example, I needed to installa a driver, so I research which I need (find the chipset of the card, hunt around in forums, etc), download the driver and boom! No go. Why? Oh right, I need to compile the driver, but there is no compiler installed (I find this after much hunting on the net). OK... so I need the compiler.... more hunting, more hunting, bingo! I find how to install the compiler. Easy enough, I just have to run a command or five in the terminal (didn't windows 95 remove the need for a terminal? That was 11 years ago...) and it's installed (oh, that's once I set up ubuntu to allow root logon, which it doesn't do as default (more researching!)). Ok, so I have the compiler installed, I compile the driver. Hunt around for the obscure location to which it's been installed and run it. Goody goody! I'm going to use my wireless card soon and it's only been three hours! Uh oh.... something's balked... oh right... hmm.. now I need to recompile my fucking kernal to install a bloody driver!! Some more research uncovers that it can take several hours for a kernal to compile, at which stage I switched off my linux box, turned on my mac and was doing what I had originally intended within 10 minutes, including research and application download time.

My previous mission was to get quake 3 running on linux. After much research and time spent, I got the game running with accelerated graphics, but I never got sound to work. I dunno... I guess I've been spoilt by windows and osx where I just double click on something and it works. Yeah, I may have to reboot the machine for a driver update, but that time spent is *nothing* compared to the time spent trying to get linux to run.

I see linux as the kit car of operating systems: you can get it to do anything, but you really need to learn a huge amount before you get anywhere worthwhile. I guess OSX would be more like a Mercedes in that you turn the key and it works, and if you lift the bonnet (hood) you have a big piece of plastic hiding everything with a shiny logo on it. Windows would be something like a ford or renault: cheap, cheerful, fairly reliable.

ubuntu to the rescue .....

My wife's Compaq computer died (fried motherboard) so I ordered a new motherboard for it.
(the dead one had a socket A semptron cpu, the new one is a socket 754 Athlon64). I couldn't
find a cheap OEM Compaq MB to replace the original, so I just got a Biostar that had the same
mounting hole layout and fit in the box. I was able to reuse the memory and HD. I also had
to get an OEM copy of WIndows XP because that was the only way to restore the OS on a new MB.

While we were waiting for the USPS to deliver the new HW and SW I took my daughter's old Duron-800mhz
system and installed Ubuntu on it so my wife could still read her email. It took a while for her to
get used to it, and she eventually found the games. Other than being a little slower than her windows
box (800-vs-1800mhz....duh!) it wasn't bad. Now that the windows box is back on line I'm going to have to find a cheap KVM so she can have the Ubuntu box back as well. It will be interresting to see
if I fixed her only compaint, web sites not 'working' due to no flash or java. (I installed easyubuntu).
I'm really surprised at how useable Ubuntu was for someone who only used Windows. (I did have to swap the top and bottom panel bars to make it more like 'doze). I was also surprised at how useable Ubuntu has configured Gnome, almost enough to make me give up KDE if I put Ubuntu on my machine.

I read this book about 18 years ago!

Actually I only read the 1st chapter...
The book came with about ten 1.44 Meg diskettes labelled "Windows 3.1"
After getting totally bored by chapter one, I just popped the 1st Windows diskette into the A: drive and typed 'install'.
18 years. Huh.
Well, perhaps Linux still has a chance with non-geeks... I hope so.

I still wouldn't recommend it to my 80+ yr-old ex-Mother-in-law! (yet)
But perhaps my ex-wife.. (heh heh)

I wish Shuttlesworth all the best.

(incidentally I also run the DDrake as a file/print server on one of my other older PCs. Works great!)

-Facade

My First Linux...

Was ubuntu. Sure, I installed KDE afterwards (basically Kubuntu), but that fact is that it is simple enough for myself, a first timer to get the hang of it, and I have gotten a number of people to give it a shot as well. I am not yet near using it as my primary OS, but it managed to get me in the linux world as no other OS was able. The four flavors of Ubuntu are enough to appeal to a lot of people and groups. Plus, the community is so awesome and helpful, and I personally expect a lot of growth of Linux Desktop users over the coming years.

Maybe they can make an easier distribution

called Noobuntu?

for the record...

I use Ubuntu at home and have for a while now. It has become my primary OS. I tested a few of them and it ultmately came down to SuSE and Ubuntu. While a strong argument can be made for either one, Ubuntu finally go the nod - not only for all the reasons you mentioned, but because of its relatively small footprint.

I wouldn't call myself a zealot, but I am a tinkerer. However, I also have a wife and kids who need a computer that just works the way they think it will. Ubuntu fits that bill nicely. In fact, my 5-year old son developed a decided fondness for penguins as a result of exposure to things like gcomris, Tux Raxer, Tux Paint, Pingus, etc.

Re:Ubuntu isn't that good a distro..

Why does it need to detect your Keyboard/mouse? I assume they are either USB or PS/2 units, hence they should just work. If they don't it means the hardware is wrong. There is a standard protocol for USB peripherals called HID, and if your Logitech units don't support it, they are garbage.

Re:Ubuntu's new slogan

I'd have mod'ed that up if you hadn't posted AC and I had some points. Its important that there be an easy starting point just to keep it moving forward.

Maybe out of 1000 people trying Ubuntu only 340 move on to something more advanced like Slackware and maybe out of that 340 only 50 or even just 5 contribute something to an open source project it's still new blood and fresh meat which is never bad for creativity.

I'm sure this will get mod'ed redundant too. Such is life.