who here uses ubuntu
 

i have been using ubuntu since i got rid of my mac.. tried windows for a while didnt like it.
(however still have dual boot so i can vpn into work and stuff)


i am still learning to troubleshoot linux issues and stuff. anybody know any good resources, learning tools.

I use Ubuntu on an occasional basis. It's a great OS, very light-weight; however you will run into driver compatibility issues, and lack of software alternatives (from Windows) on a regular basis. To truly maximize your experience, you must learn the Linux Command line. I find that Linux users love to use the Terminal, which is not for most everyday users, so it's not for the beginner and novice users whom are familiar with Windows. I find that some tasks in Windows that requires only a few clicks of a mouse would translate to entering a series of Linux command lines to achieve the same task. Sure, it may be great for the advanced users as they say it's faster, but they don't make up for the general population.

Ubuntu is not very user-friendly, it's alright if you plan to use it "right-out-of-the-box", but if you want to tweak it, like say, auto-mounting your hard drives at startup. You would risk going into the Terminal, and begin playing with the sudo command which then exposes your operating system from being corrupted if you cause a slight mishap.

Believe me, when that occurs, it's not as easy and simple as popping in a Recovery CD and have the utility auto-repair it for you like Windows.

xubuntu + XFCE on my netbook.

What does it mean when people say an OS is "light-weight"?

You can put Ubuntu on a 10 year old PC and it will run fine. Try that with Windows 7. Also, the GUI (Graphic's User Interface) is far snappier on Ubuntu than Windows on modern day PC's. That, my friend, is light-weight. It's less resource demanding.

triple boot Win7, ubuntu and OSX 10.6 here

ubuntu is alright if you need something no one has. No game, no awesome software, can't run photoshop unless you have WINE installed

The current Ubuntu has much more GUI than previous built.
Using Terminal is still part of the whole system but for general getting app and drivers there's a GUI for it now.

Haven't touched Ubuntu in years. Last time I used it was like version 7 (I think) ... Gave up on it.

I only use it for assignments and projects that must use the UNIX/Linux terminal.

I agree. Recent releases of Ubuntu has become more user-friendly by enhancing the GUI experience. It still has much to improve if they want it to become mainstream and less reliant of the Terminal.

For example, I had to go into Terminal just so I can install true-type fonts from Windows. There is no GUI interface to allow me to fetch and install it. 99% of the online Ubuntu tutorials are terminal driven. Pretty ridiculous.

Most computer users would feel overwhelmed and intimidated if they wanted to customize the OS.