In one of my previous articles I talked about Linux as an alternative desktop operating system to Microsoft’s Windows. I recently read that Apple is now being targeted by virus writers, and that leaves only one operating system alternative that does not have any issues with viruses and spyware – Linux.
I decided to investigate Linux myself, and attempt to install it on my old laptop computer. This article describes the process I’ve been through and the results, which have been interesting to say the least.
Linux is a free operating system. With the right tools and some knowledge, anybody can get up and running with Linux without spending any money. Even better, there is a huge variety of free software available that will run under Linux, giving the user the ability to do anything he could do with Windows, albeit with more effort. Linux will also run on older computers – perhaps that dusty relic in the attic has potential after all.
The process of downloading Linux from the internet is a bit complex, and for those who would rather just buy Linux, it is available on CD for a very reasonable price from a variety of vendors. The various flavors of Linux, called “distros”, are abundant. You can choose from Red Hat, Debian, Suse, Ubuntu, Madriva and many others. Each distribution has pros and cons and each one offers features that depend on the user’s needs.
I chose Ubuntu Linux because it is reviewed as being quite simple to install and includes some productivity applications. Not knowing a thing about Linux myself, I thought this would be a good choice.
To get free Linux, the first step is to download the installation CD image file. I used BitTorrent to download the very large image file; even with the speedy technology that BitTorrent employs, the 630 Mbyte image file took an hour to download over a high speed connection. The next step was to create an installation CD with the image file. I accomplished this using Nero’s CD burning program that comes with many burners, Nero Express 6. I had never done this before, so with baited breath I inserted my freshly burned Ubuntu Linux installation CD into my laptop to see if it would boot up and start installing the OS – and it worked! The process took a long time, partly because my laptop is quite old, but the installation went smoothly and so far I am quite impressed with the results.
Compared to any version of Windows prior to Windows XP, Ubuntu was extremely adept at detecting the various hardware components in my laptop and configuring them. I did not have to search for device drivers, Linux detected them all perfectly. The big four typically problematic devices (in Windows) are Video, Soundcard, Ethernet, and modems. Ubuntu detected and installed all of them, and after the installation was complete I wanted to see if connecting to the internet would be challenging. The Ubuntu CD includes Firefox as part of the installation, so I launched it and Voila! I was Googling right away, without doing any configuration work. Impressive!
After a few hours playing around with Linux, it became evident that this is a very different beast from Windows, and routine tasks in Windows require a completely different mindset with Linux. More on that next week.
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