What is Ubuntu linux?

Ubuntu Linux is an operating system, like Microsoft Windows or Mac OSX, but with the huge difference of being totally free and Open Source. It can be installed on basically any PC, Mac, or notebook. It is owned by no company, as it is being developed by community of people all around the world.

Whether you use it at home, at school or at work Ubuntu contains all the applications you'll ever need, from word processing and email applications, to web server software and programming tools.

Ubuntu is and always will be free of charge. You do not pay any licensing fees. You can download, use and share Ubuntu with your friends, family, school or business for absolutely nothing.

The latest Ubuntu release brings the best of open source together on a platform that is here to stay with 3 years of free updates. With hundreds of improvements and the addition of the latest version of Firefox amongst other outstanding applications, more and more users are assessing why Ubuntu wins more and more converts with every release.

Productivity tools: Ubuntu supports all of your favourite web-based mail programs like Yahoo(TM) or Gmail (TM). But for the office, Evolution provides all the calendering, contacts and full function office email you need. Pidgin IM also puts you in instant touch with colleagues and integrates with your personal IM services simply and easily.

Browsing: Including Mozilla Firefox (Beta 5) - tested and stabilised for a platform. Faster, safer and themed for Ubuntu.

Photos: Upload from your camera or phone to F-Spot and manage, tag, share and sort your photos and upload easily to you favourite social networking sites.

Music and video: Plug in your PSP, iPod, MP3 player; share playlists with your friends; buy in the creative commons online music stores, stream more live radio and plug in more devices with UPnP.

Office applications: Word processing, spreadsheets and presentations can all be delivered through Open Office. And, they completely integrate with the proprietary office applications out there. The big difference is that they are free.

Accessibility: At the core of the Ubuntu philosophy is the belief that computing is for everyone and access should be free and complete whatever your economic or physical circumstances. Ubuntu is one of the most accessible desktop operating systems around.

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Who is using Ubuntu?

Check out who and why is using Ubuntu Linux. Read the stories below.

Leslie, IT System Management

IBM Thinkpad 770E - ReBorn

Old machine will start only with choke...

One of my colleagues gave me a prehistoric IBM Thinkpad 770E notebook - the very first "notebook" of my life. It is really arrived from prehistoric times, the BIOS date is from 1999, the hardware specs are the following:

- PII 266 MHz
- 160 MB RAM (it is the official maximum limit)
- DVD-ROM reader (instead of floppy drive)
- 20 GB HDD (it is also a newer part)
- 56 Kbps modem
- PCMCIA ethernet
- supposedly there are 2 USB connections available, althoug I saw only one.

Pic: http://www.thinkwiki.org/images/b/ba/ThinkPad770z.jpg

Recently I spend more and more times with Linux, so I've decided to use an Ubuntu-spawn. I have Windows on my desktop machine and I didn't want to spend a day with installing XP...
Ubuntu's basic window manager is GNOME but I thought that the available amount of memory can be too less and this is the reason, why I also dropped Kubuntu because it requires more amount of memory than GNOME. The possible alternatives were Fluxbuntu and Xubuntu. Flux was not so nice for me (I believe that it can be so customized) and I translated an article from Full Circle Issue 3, so I've decided to install Xubuntu 7.04 with alternate install (I've omitted 7.10 because there are a lot of bad experience with this version). Of course - because I was the translator of that article - I made awful mistakes with great success.

I remembered that I have some Xubuntu iso-s on DVD; fine, I have a Desktop and an Alternative also... of course for x86-64 platform, so I went to Xubuntu's homepage. First I've downloaded the Desktop iso and burnt onto a rewritable CD because the CD is required only for installing, after then I will download everything from the Internet. The machine is booting from the CD... Khmmhmm... where is the text-mode install??? I opened the Full Circle - of course I've downloaded the wrong iso. Ok, let's go with the LiveCD. I had a coffee and a smoke while I have the desktop. Ok, now there is the Install icon, doubleclick... I did a doubleclick... Achso, so have U received the signal? Nice :) I went through until the partitioning. The previous system was a TinyMe Linux with 2 pieces of 8 GB partitions; I do not need these, so use the whole disk. After killing of the first partition, I had an error message, that the partition table is not readable... Ahha, understand... or don't because the previous system worked properly. Well, I couldn't bypass this, so I've tried a different one.

I've burnt the Alternate iso to the CD, the machine have booted and more, I could step over the partitioning screen. The base system installation began... and it stopped around 82% with the message that the base kernel image couldn't be installed... Thanks, it's nice. After the reboot I was asked about which kernel image should be installed. I've choosen the latest one and the installation goes on... until the installation of applications, where there was another defective file. Fascinating, now it is around 22:00 CET and I didn't make any progress. Reboot, I've selected the Checksum of the CD, error at 99%. Okay, continue on tomorrow.

On the next day I've downloaded a PCLinuxOS2007HU system, because the TinyMe is a PCLinux-clone; I assume that if TinyMe had worked, then it will also. That's too bad that the theory and the pragmatics are not the same - as I experienced. Booting from CD, LiveCD selected, the screen went black... It was a long-time black, so it became doubtful; I pressed the DVD's door opening button and after some noise, it has been opened. Nice, so the system didn't do anything otherwise I couldn't open the door... Ok, let's have a closer look of the CD. At the edge of the disc, I have seen a lot of scratches. I replaced the CD, burnt Xubuntu 7.04 Alternate iso, CD-checksum ok, installation goes over without error. At the end of the setup, the DVD door had been opened to don’t let the disc in - although there is an option on the CD's menu to boot from harddisk.

I don't have experience with the newer Thinkpads but I explicitly dare to say that these kind of old machines are not desultory nerve-patient... The machine starting leisurely and then the Xubuntu bootsplash is shown. Little red joystick is working perfectly without any magic, I've logged on and the Ubuntu + Xfce combo is shown to me as Xubuntu. I have four virtual desktop, filesystem and home icon on the desktop, menu is upper left, thrash is lower right - as I like :)

Ok, let's have some customizing: Mailchecker to the tray, Weather forecast isn't work, Gaim icon went also to the tray with a CPU-load display. Ok, but it is not the whole system monitoring, let's have a search. On a hungarian forum it was recommended to install Conky. Nice, good and fully customizable... but the Conky's display is flashing. There is an option in the configfile but it didn't help.

Before I've deinstalled Conky, I've checked the values: 92.5/160 MB of RAM used with 50/455 MB of swap with Conky, 2 terminals and a FF window. Very good...

At the booting stage, the system is a little bit slow but after the desktop is shown, the usage of it is smooth. Of course, the speed is not comperable to a modern system because if CPU and memory limitations... but I use it gladly and it is available for translations and for blogging.

Pic: http://viszlat.extra.hu/desktop_res2.png

Old machine will start only with choke... but it can please to anybody, who knows how to play on.

(Hungarian versions are available at
http://logout.hu/iras/ibm_thinkpad_770e_reborn.html
http://ubuntu.hu/blog/sh4d0w/ibm-thinkpad-770e-reborn)

Giacomo, Pensioner

My turning point came when Vista came around. I felt that Microsoft's grip was getting tighter on me. I had to break free, so I took the courage and I installed Ubuntu 7.4. That was the best decision I have ever made. Finally I had "THE OPERATIVE SYSTEM" I had waited all my life. I love the comradeship amongst its members who are always eager to help. It is a fantastic sensation. Thank to all those people who gave their time and resources to make this dream come true. Linux is not just an operative system, Linux is about freedom. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Nick, Broke student

I first tried Ubuntu 5.10, but wasn't convinced at all: I was unable to get Wifi working with my USB stick, slowdowns everywhere. I kept XP on a dual-boot.
6.06 was great and worked very well, as 6.10. 7.04 was great and 7.10 really the best release in my opinion.
I dumped XP since 6.06, and never looked back. Except when I bought my new laptop, with Vista Basic (don't kill me please). I found this OS to be quite good, and 7.10 wouldn't recognise my sound card or my Broadcom wifi PCI card. So I kept Vista (and 7.10) on a dual boot.
I finally figured out how to get everything working, and dumped Vista too.

Now, I'm running Hardy Heron (8.04) and I really think it's the best OS I've ever used. Simple, fast and beautiful with the Human Murrine theme, I will probably never be able to use Windows on my notebook. I installed it on my girlfriend's laptop (which is not my girlfriend anymore, sadly :-( , but not because of Ubuntu, because I'm a f***ing cheater) and on my parents computer too. They all enjoy it so much that they spit on Windows like I never did...

Well, with the features included in the last version (Windows installer and Live CD), I guess everyone should give it a try. And for the gamers and pros, there is totally Wine which allows Win32 programs to run on Ubuntu. It runs quite well and almost every songle soft I tried, so no reason to pass, is it?

Anyway, this is a really great website, nice, well animated, you should totally market it towards Ubuntu Forums and maybe Ubuntu website. It gives a really nice overview of the OS.
PS: sorry for my awful english, I'm french...

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