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Ubuntu 9.04 For the Windows Power User
crazipper writes "Know a Windows power user who is (honestly) good with technology, but hasn't yet warmed to Linux? Tom's Hardware just posted a guide to installing and using Ubuntu 9.04, written specifically for the MS crowd (in other words, it talks about file systems, mount points, app installation, etc). Hopefully, by the end, your 'friend' will realize just how easy Ubuntu can be to use and start down a long path of exploration with a new operating system."
I skimmed over the key parts and think its a good article.
However i think there are some mistakes regarding his recommended setup: :P
10-30GB if your going to install lots of applications seams excessive, i fit my system in 4 and I'd be amazed if you could end up with >10GB for desktop programs perhaps 10-15GB would have been a better recommendation?
Swap should never be more than 1GB unless you plan on hibernating in which case 75% should be enough
(1473M with 951 swap hibernates fine), does anybody really use 4GB swap?
Also why would you use GNOME on ubuntu, KDE3 on debian forever!!!!!!!!
IranAir Flight 655 never forget!
Know a Windows power user
Please stop! The cognitive dissonance entailed within that phrase makes my brain hurt.
I actually know plenty of "Windows Power Users" who can probably run circles around me patching broken registries, applying service packs and otherwise working around Windows peculiarities. But when it comes to doing Actual Work, if Gates/Ballmer didn't build them a cute little GUI, it obviously isn't worth doing, or even possible to do.
I've spent a couple of decades working around brain-damaged engineers who thought that the end product of our department was a PowerPoint presentation. Let the staff in Russia actually do the analysis and CAD work.
Have gnu, will travel.
Except that Windows offers much more to choose from. Including many of the same Open Source projects Linux zealots seem to think they have excursive access to.
Indeed, sometimes the quality of Linux software isn't up to snuff with Windows. Even programs that have Linux ports aren't up to the same level. For example, the Skype version of Linux is far outdated, and Firefox is much slower on Linux. Some of that is due to technical reasons, some if it is simply the lack of motivation on the part of the developers. Either way, Linux means less choice and fewer features when you actually look at ALL the options.
"When you see a unixer brainwashed beyond saving, kick him out of the door." - Xah Lee
So now you know one of the basic rules of practical computing, if it's not broken, don't try to fix it....
I also wonder who those "people" are, and why I should care about them?
I definitely use my computer for my OS. Because my OS (which includes the GNU apps, and many others) has a million parts, that I can put together like Lego bricks, and make out of it, whatever I need. Like a stack of notes, that I can access to keyboard commands. Or a network-controlled tool to arm StreamRipper, which integrates with AmaroK, so you can say "keep this" after you heard a song, without recording everything. Try that in windows, without programming your own app onto OS-level APIs.
Any sufficiently advanced intelligence is indistinguishable from stupidity.
Exactly. If they are actually good at tech and pay any attention to it at all, they don't have a reason to switch.
Not to mention Linux is still not quite ready for the desktop. Flame away, I just migrated back to Vista, and I'm happy now. At least I will be, when I finally set up Eclipse with MinGW.
P.S. The X log told me direct rendering is not supported with the intel driver. After hours of frustration, and seeing Vista doing just fine, taking about 3 mouse clicks.