Nov 1st, 2008
The New Ubuntu Linux: Want to Spend Less Money on Your Computing?
I’m not an out and out Linux devotee–while I have a full time Linux machine running here, it’s a really old machine on Slackware used for some very specific purposes–but I do have to say that it’s gaining considerable ground as time goes on. The most mainstream of the Linux distributions has been Ubuntu Linux, and its most recent incarnation, 8.10, also known as Intrepid Ibex, was released this week.
Geeks like Linux because it’s open source (meaning that the programming code–the source–is readily available and can be modified, it’s very up to date in its security, and it’s free. In fact, if downloading Ubuntu and burning a CD of its disc image is too time consuming or difficult, you can buy one or even have one shipped to you free. Other reasons to like Linux include its usability on older computer hardware and its efficient use of the hardware it runs on; computers that would be thrashing running Windows Vista can do fine with Linux.
Frugal computists are likely to love the price of Linux and the fact that it can run on older and cheaper hardware. Running Ubuntu on my Acer Aspire One netbook–a modern notebook with a miniscule form factor and modern but far from leading edge specifications–was more than fine, and it recognized my hardware (with the exception of the WiFi card) straight out of the box. The WiFi card required a little hacking, which I’m more than comfortable with.
The two downsides of Linux at this point are that installation isn’t necessarily for the faint of heart, although Ubuntu has made it a lot smoother than it used to be (in fact, it was easier to install Linux on the netbook than Windows XP, never mind Vista), and that not all software will run on it–but that’s changing. Ubuntu.com’s Web site states that, “Ubuntu contains all the applications you’ll ever need,” which is probably an exaggeration, but lots of software you may be using on other platforms runs on Linux, like Opera, Firefox, Flash, Google Earth, Acrobat Reader, VLC, and Skype.
If you’re interested in keeping older hardware going, spending less on your operating system, or learning more about Linux, give Ubuntu a try. I guarantee it’ll be an experience you won’t forget.
[...] XP; you can also, of course, install other versions of Linux, such as the previously mentioned Ubuntu Linux. For under $350, this is a great amount of portable computing power at a fantastic price–and [...]
[...] Suenaga suggests saving money by using The New Ubuntu Linux: Want to Spend Less Money on Your Computing? posted at Uncommon Cents. I have absolutely no idea what Linux is or what Ubuntu would [...]
I recently made the swtich to Ubuntu. I love the price and the price of the software! I have an older computer and it seems to run Ubuntu a little slower than it did XP. I’m still happy.