i've been a windows fan since i was in diapers, started with DOS and never looked back since. i'm curious though and willing to be convinced. what makes Ubuntu better?_{apart from the fact that its free.}

HAHA

These are 10 advantages of using Ubuntu

1) Eye Candy
If I am completely honest, the biggest reason why I converted was the eye candy. Sure Windows Vista comes with lots of it, but it just isn’t as good. Ubuntu 7.04 comes with just a few of the effects seen a lot nowadays, these effects include the rotating cube desktop and wobbly windows, it just makes it much nicer to use. I have installed Beryl on my computer to give much more eye candy. I base a lot of my judgments on looks first, features later.

2) Easy to Install Applications
Installing new programs in Ubuntu is a doddle, far easier than in Windows, because there is one program that basically gives you access to most applications available to Ubuntu, simply click the program you want and it will install, you don’t need to accept agreements because its all open source so there is no need to click Next 20 times before the program is installed. Simply select the program and click OK, wallah! done.

3) Secure
In Windows Vista, to change a setting requires a ridiculous amount of dialog boxes and passwords, in Ubuntu, you are never logged in as an administrator (root), you are logged in as a simple user, you can change options that are only applicable to your user area but for changing options that affect the system you are required to input the administrator password, one dialog and you’re in, simple and secure. There is also the added bonus that there are very few viruses for Linux, I haven’t ever come across one yet so you can feel safe, imagine not having any virus protection software installed in Windows, there is no need for it in Linux, freedom from the threat of losing all your data.

4) Easy to change options
Ubuntu comes with a control panel but also comes with a menu next to the Applications menu where you simply select the thing you want to change, be it the Desktop background or the network settings. Everything on the windows that appear is simple and there are just the options you need so it is easy to change the options.

5) Community
The community behind Linux, especially Ubuntu is what attracts many people to the operating system. People in the Linux community are mainly ex-Windows users so they know what it feels like to be new to an operating system, so they are happy to help. Whenever I had and have a problem with Ubuntu I simply post on the Ubuntu forum and within minutes there are answers to the problems. I never got put on hold or had to phone up customer service and wait for hours if I had any problems.

6) Free
Everything about Ubuntu is free, the operating system (you can even have them send you a free copy of the operating system, they even pay the postage charges), the software installed is free (including all the software you can download) any help and support is free. The whole experience is 100% free, because it is open source. Open source means that you can distribute and even edit the code behind the program.

7) Simple Networking
The other day I was amazed with how easy it was to connect my Ubuntu laptop to my Windows XP PC. I simply plugged in my laptop to the network hub and it immediately connected with no problems, I didn’t even have to configure it.

Mozilla Firefox
OK, I know that you can use Firefox on Vista as well, but on Ubuntu, there is no Internet Explorer that keeps popping up and cant get rid of. Mozilla Firefox is the number one web browser (remember, my opinions).

9) Fast
Windows Vista is slow and takes up a lot of resources which means you need a pretty decent computer to run it, I know with my 1GHz computer with 512MB of RAM it was too slow to work with. Ubuntu is just fast, it doesn’t slow down in performance when it has been on for a couple of hours, it just keeps on going and everything opens literally a second after you click the icon, and closes when you click the X, with Windows Vista you have to wait for like 30 seconds before a program starts and try shutting down a program like Word 2007 or Visual Studio after using it for a couple of hours, it takes forever.

10) Updates
Ubuntu gets updated every 6 months, well as close as it can do, and whenever I turn my computer on there are updates for the programs installed. Compare that to Windows, how often does that get updated, well the 5 years between Windows XP and Vista sort of answers that question.

ralph d convincer, lol
well i have finally installed d ubuntu 32bit, but one thing how do i install ccsm to get d cube effects , i have searched all over but its just not working, its not on d addon programs , even d terminal is sick to helping me on that say it can find it, well guru talk to me , i am on yim

which of the distos are u using now?
Gusty Gubbon?

nkc:

ralph d convincer, lol

oh! he got you too eh. 4 me, i just can't wait to install it

but b4 i do that, i want to know, will my favorite office packages like ms word, excel, coraldraw etc, work on the ubuntu linux os?

why not

nkc:

why not

Use your money and get the value of your money together with simplicity

Its a pure waste of time giving people reasons or even comparing operating systems period. Ralph i'd suggest you use your time for something else. Anyone who wants to know should go and use a live cd and see what linux is like. am away no pc now although there's a windows pc in my room i can't use it because its a pure waste of time

Guys. . Pls I'm a new entrant 2 d c0mputer w0rld, I'm m0stly engagd wt f0ne stufs. So I'd want u 2 xplain tings 2 m bit by bit . . Firstly whats d universal c0mpatibility of ubuntu? Lyk I g0t a n0kia pc suite which is m0stly c0mpatible wt wind0ws can it w0rk wt ubuntu? 2ndly .is it p0ssible 2 use s0ftwarez 4 flashn f0nes n all wit ubuntu? & h0w easy 4 me is it 2 change back to any0ther 0perating system if I want 2 do so? Lastly. . How do I get d ubuntu ? As I said earlier I'm kinda new 2 c0mputer w0rld n0t dt I dnt hav a lil kn0wledge abt it but I want u guys 2 clarify n enlighten me beta, I'd b glad if u do so

see,i'm a windows fan too but i love ubuntu.its really cool,it has some sweet applications.the fact that it is fast and virus free helps me alot.

Opss!

i wud love 2 see wat all the hub bub is about ubuntu.thing is how do i format my vista OS n install the ubuntu stuff sef.hope theres no side effect with the transformation.like drivers n stuff

Now for the person who wants to format vista, a better alternative would be to dual boot. Now to dragnet and the rest try ubuntunigeria.

What is ubuntu

@ralv
can it run on the hp dv series and would i have driver issue?

i have installed ubuntu on an hp dv series b4 and everything went smooth most of the drivers were installed except for sound wh could easily be fixed by installing a package from the ubuntu package manager called synaptics , ok when u do ur installation let me know , 08022982697

@bigbrov
pls where do u advice i download it from.
wld call u once i do d downlaod.cheers

if u have a good internet connection u can get ubuntu from ubuntu.com
if not go to ubuntunigeria. look for a number closer to u call the number and he would arrainge how a copy can be obtained , and yeah its free

Question to all ubuntu users:can i use stuff like beryl,edgy or sabayon on the Ubuntu live CD?

pein:

Question to all ubuntu users:can i use stuff like beryl,edgy or sabayon on the Ubuntu live CD?

what a question , to start with what u ask is quite impossible, 1st beryl is a composite manager for linux but it is nolonger supported and it has become compiz fusion which gives all those awesome effect u see in ubuntu , it comes with ubuntu gutsy gibbon by default although u would need a graphic card to run it, most intel cards are open source and are supported out of the box, the rest would work after a small configuration, ati and nvidia would work after u enable them in the restricted driver manager which is for managing does drivers that are not open source , it would download the drivers and configure them for u, 2nd- edgy is a previous version of ubuntu , so u cant run it on a live cd , because edgy it self comes as a live cd, and sabayon is another linux os on its own ,

@bigrovar
alrite,so how do u get compiz to work cuz ive searched evrywhere and aint seeing it and for some reason i cant go on the net its see's my modem(ARRIS 502) but can't connect to it tho its usb and not ethernet anyway round it?cus its driving me nuts

bro i suggest u go to the ubuntu forums, because there are pple there who would help u , www.ubuntuforum.org , about the driver thing, i have installed ubuntu for lots of pple and on different systems , and i have never come across the driver problem u speak of, ok why dont y go to system/administration/restricted drivers , if u see any driver there unchecked check it , ubuntu would automatically connect to the net and download the driver for u , u can aslo contact an ubuntu loco group closer to u, since u are in the uk their are quite a lot of loco group made up of experienced ubuntu users u would be willin to help u free of charge , remember what makes ubuntu thick apart from stability abd security is the backing of a strong active community

Good work Brovar, bin a while since I heard from u . . .
Pls update my info on the blog, I have been very busy. .
I'm now at Benue State, but I'm arranging for someone to help with distribution at Abuja. . .

My Ph# 08055331431

Regards