Ubuntu on a Dime 531
AussieNeil writes "If IBM had adopted Unix for its Personal Computer and supported open source so *nix desktops were the now the norm, how hard would it be to convince the population to switch to Microsoft Windows? In Ubuntu on a Dime — The Path to Low-Cost Computing, James Kelly shows how easy it is to build a computer and install a complete software suite for US$200 excluding monitor, keyboard, and mouse. You can't even buy the operating system and anti-malware protection for Microsoft Windows for that, let alone have any money left over for hardware and productivity software! Then when you install the software, you have the paradigm of having to restart the computer to complete software installation and you have to learn how to practice safe computing while budgeting for annual anti-malware software license renewals!" Read on for the rest of AussieNeil's review.
Alternate histories aside, Ubuntu on a Dime is a tribute both to the skills of the author and to the decades of effort by those that have developed user friendly software and hardware, so that this 280-page book gives anyone with a reasonable level of self-confidence the recipe to build their own computer, install all the software needed for common activities, and quickly become productive.| Ubuntu on a Dime | |
| author | James Floyd Kelly |
| pages | 280 |
| publisher | Apress |
| rating | 9/10 |
| reviewer | AussieNeil |
| ISBN | 1-4302-1972-6 |
| summary | takes you on a tour of the very best, but low-cost hardware, while only using zero-cost software in each of the many categories that matter to the typical PC user. |
James Kelly, spends just 30 pages in the first chapter explaining how to purchase the required computer parts and assemble a Ubuntu PC or "U-PC" computer and does it in a relaxed, easy-to-follow style. Mind, the task is simplified by choosing a motherboard with integrated sound and video, but that is exactly what you'll find in the standard corporate office PC. (Personally, I would have recommend purchasing a SATA hard drive to avoid the not-touched-on master/slave complications of using a shared IDE cable for the hard drive and CD/DVD drive.) The book is illustrated throughout with frequent, excellent screen shots as the author steps you through hardware assembly, then operating system and application installation, configuration, and use.
In chapter 2, the author explains how to install the Ubuntu operating system and keep it updated. Wisely, he has chosen the Long Term Supported 8.04 version, but has omitted mention of the different Ubuntu support periods. He has also missed an opportunity here to expand on the growing list of Ubuntu variants, in particular Kubuntu, which I would see as an easier migration choice for those familiar with Microsoft Windows.
Chapter 3 is dedicated to a definition of what the author means by "free software" and covers the costs (including the relevant security risk costs) associated with the four software categories; Pay-to-Use, Open Source, Cloud Computing, and Freeware. The remaining 9 chapters look at how to use free software — software either included in the default Ubuntu installation, or available via cloud computing — to complete common computing tasks.
In chapter 4, email using Evolution is covered and word processing, spreadsheets, and presentations using the OpenOffice.org suite is covered in chapters 5 to 7. The Cloud Computing Google Docs Office Suite alternative, with the advantages of everywhere access to your documents and collaborative working is covered in chapter 11. Web browsing using Firefox is covered in chapter 9, with most of the chapter dedicated to finding and installing useful add-ons. Google gets another couple of chapters when photo management with Picasa is covered in chapter 8 and Google Email and Calendar configuration and use are explained in chapter 10. The last chapter looks at a few other useful applications found in Ubuntu: Calculator, Text Editor, Notes, Disk Burning, Movie Playing, and Music Playing. The three appendices cover the computer parts list, three ways to obtain an installation disk for Ubuntu, and finally a bibliography of web sites, books, and must-have apps so you can extend the use of your new Ubuntu PC. The 9-page index is fairly comprehensive, considering the wealth of illustrations throughout the book.
I liked this book because it covered tasks seen daunting by many (PC building, operating system and software installation, configuration, and upgrading) in an light, easy-to-follow manner, supported with excellent illustrations. Further, the author covers a lot of ground without overwhelming the reader, taking you to a level where you can start using your computer productively and showing you how to use help files and online resources to extend your use of your excellent hand-built investment. While extolling the benefits of open source software, he hasn't labored the point. Vendor lock-in costs associated with proprietary office suites aren't mentioned, nor are the lower security risks associated with open source usage.
If you are looking for a way to reduce your computing costs, or know someone that would appreciate a gift that can help them achieve this, then Ubuntu on a Dime is well worth considering — particularly for anyone that gets satisfaction from learning via do-it-yourself.
You can purchase Ubuntu on a Dime: The Path to Low-Cost Computing from amazon.com. Slashdot welcomes readers' book reviews. To see your own review here, read the book review guidelines, then visit the submission page.
your first sentence is technically flawed (Score:4, Informative)
Unix wouldn't run on the original IBM PC, nor with any other cheap processor they might have instead of the Intel one.
So given the IBM PC could only run lame program loaders in lieu of an actual operating system, we got what we got.
Re:your first sentence is technically flawed (Score:5, Funny)
Why stop at the first sentence when the title is flawed? Two hundred dollars != a dime!
Re:your first sentence is technically flawed (Score:4, Funny)
Two hundred dollars != a dime!
Inflation will fix that in time.
Re:your first sentence is technically flawed (Score:4, Funny)
Re:your first sentence is technically flawed (Score:4, Funny)
Did you intentionally make that rhyme?
Would that be a crime?
Re:your first sentence is technically flawed (Score:4, Funny)
Did you intentionally make that rhyme?
Would that be a crime?
No.
Just a waste of time.
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yup, and for $50 on eBay you can get Dell Optiplex desktop that includes windows and a 30 day warranty from mom & pop shop. the monitor will probably cost $60 to $80.
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When I went to college (4 years ago, if you were interested) we went to the salvation army and bought some massive 22 inch CRTs for $10. I bought 3. My Desktop had 2 huge screens, and I had a third over my bed that I doubled up as a TV.
Seriously, go to salvation army for your ultra-cheap computing needs.
Book reviews? (Score:5, Insightful)
How is this a book review? It is a chapter-by-chapter summary followed by a one-liner that the guy likes the book. How about slashvertisement for a change??
And how about a real book review, and how about reviewing books that are great and books that are terrible if you are going to have a whole section on it? Not that this is Barnes and Noble, but it doesn't make sense if you are only posting positive summaries of books every now and then.
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It's "Ubuntu on a dime!" or - "You get what you pay for."
Book that's great: "Programming Perl" (and I'm not even a big perl fan).
Book that sucks enough that I want my money back: "Design Patterns [slashdot.org]" Read the first chapter, then close it, because it goes downhill from there.
Biggest waste of money so far: "C++ Cookbook"
Recommended reading: "Databa
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I've got 25 repositories enabled, and they're all on-line. Do a basic install off the dvd, then enable the online repositories and install everything else from there. I have between 3,000 and 4,000 packages installed, and I run into very few conflicts. a 13-gig update required me to make ONE choice.
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Unix wouldn't run on the original IBM PC, nor with any other cheap processor they might have instead of the Intel one.
So given the IBM PC could only run lame program loaders in lieu of an actual operating system, we got what we got.
Well, the 68000 CPU was available at that time. The Sun-1 systems ran SunOS 0.9, a port of UniSoft's UniPlus V7 port of Seventh Edition UNIX to the Motorola 68000 microprocessor in 1982.
Xenix was running on Intel 80x86 hardware, and on 68000 & Zilog Z8001. Microsoft purchased a license for Version 7 Unix from AT&T in 1979, and announced on August 25, 1980 that it would make it available for the 16-bit microcomputer market. The initial port of Xenix to the Intel 8086/8088 architecture was performed b
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A couple of years later, RISC iX was running on ARM.
Ah, memories of the Unix Kernel Validation Suite project I led for Acorn, March to October 1988. We started out writing it for BSD 4.2 on a Sun workstation with a "Winchester", until an A680 was available. A long, long time ago when I asked questions such as "what is the difference between Internet + ethernet?"
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Indeed; ten years later they wanted to port some mainframe stuff to a desktop computer where I work, but the forty meg hard drive would hardly hold the distro (Don't remember which one, it might have been SCO), let alone the data.
Re:your first sentence is technically flawed (Score:4, Insightful)
That mentality really bothers me. I really hate organizations that give you 50 MB quota on your email. How much does a GB cost versus an hour of your employee's time?
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That would be a good point, if it weren't wrong. There were several UNIX V7 ports or work-alikes. PC-IX, Xenix, Coherent, Minix to name a few. Some of them were even real branded UNIX based upon the AT&T sources.
Unix didn't start out as a virtual memory based operating system with protected address spaces.
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Sorry, but Unix really does require a multi-tasking capability and memory management. You can dream about some assembly-language GUI (or no GUI Unixy thing) alternative to have run on the first PC, but it would not have been Unix.
Unix *was* (barely) possible on the IBM AT, and indeed there were a couple (using kludgy trick for multitasking); I ran a Unix-like thing called Coherent
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It's necessary for Unix, Amiga Unix (AMIX) required 68030 for MMU features.
Running Linux or NetBSD on Amiga requires 68851 which could be had with several accelerator cards like 68020 + 68851
Re:your first sentence is technically flawed (Score:5, Informative)
Yes, there are some specialized UNIX variants that will run on such limited hardware, but they don't support proper secuirty simply because they can't
The original versions of Windows didn't have any memory protection or any concept of security or separate users. It wasn't designed to.
Re:your first sentence is technically flawed (Score:5, Interesting)
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Um... because it would have been fucking slow? I suspect most people wanted their computers back then to work, and do the job fast. After all, they cost a bomb and for the price, people wanted them to have performance to match. Plus I suspect most CPU's of the time didn't have the required support for a HV, after all, only recently have x86 CPU's got Virtualisation technology. I think for a HV you need a virtualised supervisor state in the CPU, which the CPU's didn't have back then.
That's not to say they di
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Not till the 286 AFAICR, the MMU in the 8086 was worthless. Real Unix needed at least a 386.
There was no MMU in the 8086. But then again no MMU was required to run "Real Unix". Xenix was a Unix v7 port using the AT&T source, PC/IX was a Unix v7 port using the AT&T source. Coherent was a Unix v7 work alike. No MMU was necessary for any of them.
Unless you want to rewrite history and claim that the first "Real Unix" was BSD or System V.
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Hopefully $175 (Score:5, Insightful)
... after you buy the $25 book, that is. Anyone know if there's an open source "Ubuntu On a Dime on a Dime"?
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Computer: $200
Book: $25
Keyboard: $10
Mouse: $5
Monitor: ~$60 if you're damned lucky.
Operating system: $0
WiFi: No
Webcam: No
Portable: No
Total cost: $300
ASUS eeePC netbook: $300 (or similar - I only mention the eeePC because I have personal experience with it and Linux)
Nuke the Starter Edition of Windows 7, reload with Ubuntu, Mint, or your choice of distro: $0, in about an hour.
Keyboard: Included
Mouse: $5 (if you want an external)
Monitor: Included
WiFi: Included
Webcam: Included
Portable: Yes, ten ho
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Of course, if you do those, then you just blew way past the $300 price point you were talking about. Also, although I didn't look at exactly what the specs on the two are, chances are that you're going to be
Can't buy the OS for $200? (Score:5, Insightful)
I can buy OEM copies for significantly cheaper than that. Anti-virus/malware protection is a free download from Microsoft.
I use what works for me, leaving dogma aside.
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That was my thought too.
Windows 7 Home Premium: $99.99 [newegg.com] (or Professional for $140)
Microsoft Security Essentials: $0.00 [microsoft.com]
Knowing your wireless card and webcam will work: Priceless
Hm, that's a lot less than $200.
Re:Can't buy the OS for $200? (Score:4, Insightful)
That was my thought too.
Windows 7 Home Premium: $99.99 [newegg.com] (or Professional for $140) Microsoft Security Essentials: $0.00 [microsoft.com] Knowing your wireless card and webcam will work: Priceless
Hm, that's a lot less than $200.
Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 32-bit 1-Pack for System Builders - OEM
That's an OEM version. OEM licensing terms apply.
Also, $99 for OEM Windows? That's a ripoff.
Re:Can't buy the OS for $200? (Score:4, Funny)
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Last time I looked a Windows CD cost about $2 where I live...
Knowing your wireless card and webcam will work: Priceless
That would mean not using Vista or Win 7.
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My sister runs Ubuntu. She neither knows how to do either of those tasks nor ever has had to. She gets a good IP address at boot by DHCP from our router, just as she would if she were running Windows. As far as updating drivers, the only driver she has to worry about is the proprietary nVidia driver for her graphics card, and Ubuntu takes care of that for her whenever there's a kernel update. It Just Wor
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You must not have recent experience with Ubuntu... or Opensuse, etc.
You don't have to compile a single thing to get everything working. The package managers are quite nice, really.
As far as automatic updates, it doesn't matter what operating system you use. Updates can and do occasionally hose things, whether it's Windows, OSX or Linux. So it's wise to *not* h
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Well, yes, there are occasional updates that require a reboot, such as the kernel. It's just that most programs don't need you to reboot the computer to complete the update as they often do in Windows.
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I've had more trouble fighting with drivers with Vista and 7 in the past 5 years than I have with Linux.
Linux could still use better printer, sound, wireless and webcam drivers. Don't get me wrong. But the assumption that all hardware works out of the box in Windows is pretty flawed.
With Linux and hplip, it autodetects a Print/Scan/Copy/Fax device, and sets everything up automatically. Now, try installing the same printer in Windows. See which is more of a pain.
As far as OS configuration, are you also consi
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You're going to cite one specific Microtek scanner? Really?
What percentage of scanners manufactured in the past 10 years work today in Windows 7?
I wager a higher percentage is supported in Linux.
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you have not used ubuntu in the past 5 releases have you.
Zero config.... Z-E-R-O. install software from the "install apps" button has Z-E-R-O skills needed. honestly, I handed my wife a laptop with a blank HDD and a ubuntu CD and she installed and configured it on her own.
That would be IMPOSSIBLE with windows, even windows 7 required a ton of skill to get all hardware working, Ubuntu worked out of the box on her Dell D620 including the wifi card... no installing anything or configuring anything.
Her only
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When I build up a Windows machine I allocate 3 days to getting everything working, tweaking the settings to my liking, installing software and AV (and rebooting at least once per each). When I am finished I have a machine that will run forever if you don't add or upgrade anything, even at an elementary daycare. When I install Ubuntu I figure about an hour for a mostly hands off install, then 2 hours to let updates run. Maybe an hour tweaking the UI. I have built many machines, maybe hundreds; I know which O
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It might be prudent to ask if you're being paid for three days of work to install a single windows machine.
So who is the book for? (Score:3, Insightful)
Building a PC from scratch? What FOSS is? How to use Ubuntu?
I'm sorry, this doesn't sound like a particularly good book for *anyone*
Re:So who is the book for? (Score:5, Funny)
I'm sorry, this doesn't sound like a particularly good book for *anyone*
If it sells enough copies, it might be particularly good for the author . . .
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indeed, better first step would be to buy a $50 used computer system including monitor on eBay from mom & pop shop that gives a month warranty. Just list what's needed for a "good enough" box as far as processor, memory, disk, cd-rom drive, have a keyboard and mouse included, etc.
Re:So who is the book for? (Score:5, Funny)
If you want to make an PC from scratch, you must first create the universe.
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nah, I consider the big bang, world, global economy, my job and other people as a given, the "scratch".
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If I had $200 to spare right now, I would buy the book and try this out so
Plenty of free AV options (Score:5, Insightful)
I find it interesting how they add the cost of anti-malware not only once, but also say that you need to have ongoing license renewals in the yearly budget. Not only is Microsoft's own anti-malware completely free, there are other free options such as Avast and AVG as well. So technically, yes, you COULD pay for Symantec or McAfee, but adding the cost in as though it's the ONLY choice is disingenuous at best.
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...except then you get into Windows-only p*ssing matches regarding what is or isn't an acceptable solution.
That fact alone should turn off anyone (with half a brain) from Windows.
There doesn't even seem to be a "one true solution" like there is for something like word processors or personal finance.
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"except then you get into Windows-only p*ssing matches regarding what is or isn't an acceptable solution."
As if there aren't still some p*ssing matches over which distro is 'best' for your purpose/skill set/relationship/age/residence.
As if there aren't still some p*ssing matches over which Window Manager is best for your purpose/skillset/artistic taste/comfort level/graphics hardware.
As if there aren't still some p*ssing matches over so much else in the FOSS world.
HA! P*ssing matches are the sole domain of
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...which resolves this down to a question of cost.
Except you can try any version of Linux you like. It won't be some crippled version or disable itself at some point in the future.
Cripple-ware is one of those FUN bits about Windows that I really don't miss.
Run as admin mentality (Score:4, Informative)
Microsoft receives the brunt of the viruses because that is what people use.
Or because commonly used software released in the Windows 98 and Windows XP eras expected to run with the privileges of the Administrators group. So home installations of Windows were less secure against unauthorized software changes than Linux until Microsoft copied the basic idea behind sudo in Windows Vista, encouraging new versions of apps to separate user- and administrator-level tasks.
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Actually "Microsoft copied the basic idea behind sudo" in Windows XP, which is when they introduced the runas command. Third party software developers were slow to catch up; just last week I bought my daughter a game that popped up a "you need to be administrator to install this" message on installation (rather than simply having Windows prompt me for admin credentials).
paradigm of having to restart the computer? (Score:2, Insightful)
Every time Ubuntu updates it asks me to reboot the machine, yet in Win7 I can update video card drivers and not have to restart. I'm not sure why you're claiming the opposite is true. Both systems require restarts for certain updates, but these days Win7 has
Re:paradigm of having to restart the computer? (Score:4, Insightful)
Every time Ubuntu updates it asks me to reboot the machine
Ubuntu pretty much only restarts for kernel updates, but if you install Ksplice, even those go away.
Re:paradigm of having to restart the computer? (Score:5, Informative)
I'm running Lucid Lynx. (Score:4, Insightful)
It's BETA software and it gets updates almost every single day.
And yet even with running BETA software and pulling patches down almost every day I am NOT rebooting the system as you claim.
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Here's where you said it. (Score:5, Interesting)
That would be when you posted this:
Note your usage or "Every time" in that statement.
I pointed out that Lucid Lynx is receiving updates almost every day. Therefore, by your original statement, I should be rebooting it almost every day.
That is not my experience. And that is with BETA software.
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That is not my experience. And that is with BETA software.
Wow - imagine how much better off you will be if you install VHS!
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Ubuntu/Fedora do ask to be restarted after some updates. Usually this isn't required, it's just that having the person restart their whole computer is easier than explaining to them how to restart a particular process like X in the case of a video driver update.
The same can be said of Windows; it is usually just a particular service/process that needs restarted not the whole system.
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Are you running Win7 64-bit? MS has some basic hot-swap update service that works better on 64-bit and a lot of things that would require a reboot in 32-bit or in the old XP days, no longer do so. Supposedly the x64 architecture allows for stuff like this in a safer way than 32-bit x86.
I've also been a little surprised at the lack of reboots sometimes.
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This is completely false, all you need to do is shut X down, unload the driver, and restart X there is no need to completely reboot.
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If a file is in use by Windows or a program an installer has two choices: fail and rollback, or mark the file for replacement next reboot and ask the user to do so.
Linux transparently replaces the file as soon as it is no longer being used, AFAIK. Which is great. Only updates for Linux I've needed to reboot for are kernel updates, which is understandable. You can also get Windows to reboot less but it takes some knowledge of how and why that happens to know how to avoid it, whereas Linux "just works". I
Don't under-estimate Acer (Score:3, Informative)
build a computer and install a complete software suite for US$200 excluding monitor, keyboard, and mouse. You can't even buy the operating system and anti-malware protection for Microsoft Windows for that
Permit me to introduce the Acer Aspire REVO. The base model (R1600-U910H - 1 GB RAM - 1.6 GHz - 160 GB HDD) can be had for $199.99 or less [google.com], and includes keyboard, mouse and Windows XP. Of course, I'm planning to install XBMC.
Had IBM used UNIX (Score:3, Informative)
it wouldn't have been UNIX as you know it. The 8088 didn't have privilege levels, so essentially everything would run as root.
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Shhh, don't spoil the fun for the zealots. They love pretending that Unix folks had their shit together back then. It lets them believe that Microsoft won through some underhanded marketing bullshit instead of the fact that there were no realistic alternatives.
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Unix did have their stuff together. Intel didn't. Protection wasn't offered until the 286.
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An x86 that can handle Unix dates back to 1985.
What was that about "spoiling" again exactly?
The fact that it took Microsoft another 10 years to catch up is really sad. Meanwhile, everyone else had better hardware and GUIs. Some of the other options were even CHEAPER on top of being better and easier.
MS-DOS had Lotus123 and the "iPhone effect".
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"An x86 that can handle Unix dates back to 1985."
Yes, but that was 4 years after the PC was introduced so IBM couldn't have used it.
Let the FUD begin (Score:3, Insightful)
You can't even buy the operating system and anti-malware protection for Microsoft Windows for that, let alone have any money left over for hardware and productivity software!
Not true.
Then when you install the software, you have the paradigm of having to restart the computer to complete software installation and you have to learn how to practice safe computing while budgeting for annual anti-malware software license renewals!"
So you're saying people who use Ubuntu don't need to practice safe computing? That's great news! Next time I get an email from a Nigerian prince, I'll make sure I send him my account information with pine instead of Outlook, so then I'll be safe.
Re:Let the FUD begin (Score:4, Funny)
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Indeed, but only because they couldn't read or send email anymore.
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> So you're saying people who use Ubuntu don't need to practice safe computing?
Compared to Windows users? No, not really.
Of course there are scams to consider. However those really have little to do with technology. They're a pure con game that just happens to use email as the communications medium.
OTOH, you could just use the principle of "avoid Microsoft as much as possible" to whatever degree you feel that you can get away with. This could mean dumping Windows entirely or merely avoiding as many Micro
What if... (Score:2, Insightful)
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Apple tried that years ago and the clone was called the "Orange".
I think you might be mistaken. IIRC, there was an Orange PC [wikipedia.org] card that was basically a 486 card that you could insert in your Mac to dual boot into DOS/Windows. You're probably thinking of Starmax from Motorola, Power Computing & UMAX. There were a few others, but I can't remember the names off the top of my head.
and my time is $100 - $200 an hour ... (Score:2)
If i was a broke college student like Linus, then that might be another issue.
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Ludicrous (Score:3, Funny)
Can Too (Score:2)
From the original post:
I can buy a retail copy of Windows 7 Home Premium for $179.99 at Newegg, with shipping for another $1.99[0], and Microsoft Security Essentials is free for download[1], and a
Linux is still not ready for desktop use (Score:2, Interesting)
Windows persists because it's designed to be a desktop operating system. Linux is an adaptation of a server operating system. All of the software is there in Windows, and it has the nifty interface and a company backing it up by writing professional documentation, hordes of device drivers, and being there to issue updates in a timely manner.
No offense intended to the Ubuntu folks, but there's a reason the market often beats the volunteer efforts: it can pay for in addition to inspiring great performance. Op
The cost of the OS is not the primary issue. (Score:3, Insightful)
I could run BeOS for free. And on today's machines, it would play the fastest game of Tetris ever.
Jokes aside, who considers the price of the OS the primary issue? Way to miss the point. The primary issue is "does this OS run the applications I want to run".
I encounter naive Linux desktop converts occasionally. And no, that's not to suggest all Linux desktop converts are naive. It's very frustrating to hear them pontificate about their latest install Ubuntu Malodorous Moose, and then on the other hand ask "what's the Linux equivalent of [some Windows application]?" every two days.
If it doesn't run the applications I need to run, you could give me the OS for free and it still won't run them.
Throwing in red herrings about what certain security apps cost when there are free alternatives for Windows is pretty disingenuous as well.
$200 doesn't really include.. (Score:3, Insightful)
The sysadmin to go with it.
Ubuntu is all well and good until you need something that is not covered by its package manager. It's all well and good until some piece of hardware only has limited support via some hack.
The problem with Linux is that even with all the advancements, it's still a fragmented platform that only works properly if you stay within it's narrow selection of hardware that is known to work.
Re:Its all about the command line stupid.... (Score:4, Insightful)
that's funny because back when Microsoft software became ubiquitous on PC, there was "command line" required.
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How is that funny?
If I say you'll have no success trying to sell a car that doesn't go over 20 MPH, is it funny because 100 years ago no cars went over 20 MPH?
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point is command line not the issue.
anyway, can install and use plenty of Linux distros without the command line for normal household use. red herring.
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I dunno... If someone gave me a car that only went 20mph but cost £0 to purchase and run I might buy one.
(Except I already have a nice bicycle, which goes faster :-)
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nah, she popped in the AOL CD. Oooo, so software and not the so-called OS or need/no need for command line is what makes or breaks the deal? how about them apples! there's a moral for the GNU/Linux and the *BSD crowd (and yes I'm part of both).
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Many games have what amounts to a command line. I would say that a good amount of people would have no problem using a command line interface IF they knew its uses.
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Yup...
Like someone else said: Just buy a Revo.
The fact that such boxes are available are a revelation to most people.
They're sold at BestBuy but they are kind of hidden from view. They're tucked away in a corner so that you don't notice them as you pass by the more expensive machines.
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When you say "most recent" do you mean the 10.04 beta? Hardly a fair test, if indeed there is any truth to your post at all..
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Re:cost of acquisition is everything, huh? (Score:5, Informative)
No disrespect intended, but that's really flamebait. Let's play.
Frustration with overly technical administrative requirements is a cost.
The whole point of this book is to reduce those requirements by explaining things. As stated in the review, it's apparently easy to follow.
Having to ask other people how to do stuff all the time is a cost.
So is a phone call to tech support, where you get told the stereotypical useless answer by a script-reader making slightly more than minimum wage. Posting a message on a forum, where you can get advice from a few dozen fellow users is more "bang for the buck", so to speak.
Listening to overbearing geeks tell you how easy things you can't figure out are, is a cost.
So is having to tell the tech support script-reader that your computer is really plugged in, you did push the right button, and the mouse is not being used as a foot pedal. There's remarkably few arrogant helpers like that, and they usually get chewed out by the benevolent ones.
Having to find and download "free" software to do stuff MS users get with their machines, and then finding out it isn't quite the same, is a cost.
Things included with Windows generally come installed in Ubuntu. Installation is two mouse clicks and typing one word, where Windows installations usually require serial numbers, a drive to the store, and other costs you conveniently ignore. Expecting everything to be in the exact same place after replacing a core component of you computer is a ridiculous requirement.
Not being able to easily exchange docs and pictures with your nieces and nephews is a cost.
If you're having problems running a basic email client, or even opening a file in OpenOffice, perhaps you shouldn't be using a computer in the first place. Maybe now is also a good time to mention the joyous pain of Microsoft Office's ever-changing file formats. Have you forgotten 2007 already?
Do I need to go on?
Nope. You've made your knowledge of the subject fully evident. Thanks for playing correct-a-troll, and have a nice day.
Re: (Score:3, Interesting)
I'd love to, but it's not 2011 yet.
I know a lot of people will argue, seeing as we've been using zeros for a while now, but conventionally, the 21st century started on January 1st, 2001. Therefore the 21.1st century should start on January 1st, 2011.