abdulhakeem
09-07-05, 07:52 PM
By Greg Taylor (http://www.reviewlinux.com/authors/7/Greg-Taylor)
Published 06/20/2005
Ubuntu
Some Background Info
Ubuntu is funded largely by Canonical Ltd., a company headed by Mark Shuttleworth, the director of Ubuntu Linux. Mark is actively involved with the development of the distribution and frequents the community meetings, often speaking directly to the users and keeping involved with discussions. I am thrilled to see this level of commmunity interaction from the higher ups.
Ubuntu has a regular release every 6 months and supports each one for 18 months with security updates and bug fixes.
The Ubuntu Manifesto states that "Every computer user should have the freedom to run, copy, distribute, study, share, change and improve their software for any purpose, without paying licensing fees." As is such, Ubuntu has stated that they will never charge users for a "premium" or "enterprise" edition of their product. A more complete run-down on the underlying philosophy of Ubuntu is located at http://www.ubuntulinux.org/ubuntu/philosophy/document_view (http://www.ubuntulinux.org/ubuntu/philosophy/document_view).
Installation Media
Ubuntu Linux is available via a single-CD install for x86, AMD64, and PowerPC. A wide variety of mirrors exist to make the ISO hunting process much easier, and there is also an option to request a pressed Ubuntu CD in the mail via Ship-It (http://shipit.ubuntulinux.org/ (http://shipit.ubuntulinux.org/)).
Note that there are Live CDs for each of the architectures mentioned earlier, as well as combination Live/Install CDs.
The Installation Process
Booting from the installation CD, a simple splash screen and a prompt asking for boot/install options appears. Hitting <ENTER>and accepting the defaults worked fine for me on my Inspiron 5150 and my AMD system.
A curses installer based on Debian-Netinstall appears and asks you some questions about your language preferences and hardware, eventually leading to partitioning and choosing whether you want a Custom/Server install or Default Desktop install.
Server vs. Desktop
The server install for Ubuntu is best described as bare bones and minimal. This is great for servers that don't need a desktop environment, or customizing Ubuntu for a slower machine with a more lightweight desktop such as XFCE. The casual user will definitely want to stick with the defaults and go for the full-blown desktop. The Partitioner
The installer's partitioner is the only area that sticks out to me as being a real weakness. It is a bit kludgey for newer linux users to use if they don't want to go with the default partitioning scheme, and re-sizing doesn't always work as intended. In my opinion, it's extremely important to be able to re-size NTFS partitions easily and reliably within the installer since Linux converts usually arrive courtesy of Windows frustration. Although the partitioner generally works fine, I have had problems with it in the past, especially so with laptops.
Installing Packages
This is where things take a turn for the easy. After partitioning, the installation whirrs by and a basic desktop system installs itself without any further user input. The latest versions of the software included with Ubuntu are downloaded directly from mirrors and shortly after, you are able to reboot into your brand new desktop.
The actual installation time depends largely on your connection speed. I would estimate no more than 2 minutes worth of answering questions and selecting options if you've installed Linux at least once. In the case of a newcomer, expect to spend anywhere from 5 to 10 minutes, which is still small in comparison to many other distros.
The actual downloading/installing of the software is what currently takes the longest amount of time. Those with dial-up will find the process grueling, but broadband users will quickly zip through the process in around 15-30 minutes.
Awakening the Hedgehog
The Hoary boot process is still a bit crude and un-polished. A basic GRUB boot screen appears and asks you what kernel you want to use and will automatically select the default after a period of time. The init scripts run by and the lack of color or decoration often spooks some users, but re-assurance arrives when an Ubuntu themed GDM screen appears from the black nether of the boot process. The default login prompt is very sleek and attractive (and may be changed easily to the user's tastes) and if fingers could drool, they most certaintly would at the looks of this thing.
The Ubuntu Desktop
Ubuntu "Hoary" Linux features Gnome 2.10 and other very up-to-date versions of popular software commonly bundled with Linux distros. Firefox is the default web browser and Evolution comes out of the box. OpenOffice is ready to go, as are a number of other must-haves. The standard Ubuntu desktop is very much ready and raring right "out of the box."
Looking at the Ubuntu desktop theme, it is sleek and stylish much like the login prompt. Combinations of gold and brown adorn the wallpaper and everything looks very clean and put together.
Launching a few of the included programs reveals that Ubuntu is not only good looking, it is also quite fast. I connect my USB key drive and am immediately listening to music from it and browsing the web.
Everyday Maintenance on Ubuntu
Adding, removing, and upgrading software is extremely easy through Synaptic, a graphical front-end to Apt. This is perhaps one of Ubuntu's biggest selling points: Its roots in Debian. With the combined power of Synaptic and Apt, users are able to easily install, remove, and upgrade packages with simple mouse clicks. Absolutely no knowledge of the command line is needed for what can be a daunting task on other distros. Not only is package manipulation easy, users are notified by an icon in their system tray when new updates need to be applied.
Hardware Compatibility
In my experiences at Linux InstallFests, I've found Ubuntu to support a staggering variety of hardware with little to no work at all. Most of my dealings with Ubuntu have been on the laptop side, which is often the trickiest with Linux. Surprisingly, Ubuntu usually handles laptops without a problem.
Many cameras, external drives, mice, and other peripherals work just by plugging the devices in. The majority of the time, the devices need no configuration at all.
Wireless: A Big Hurdle for Linux Desktop
The tricky part has always been wireless support for Linux. Many hardware manufacturers refuse to release Linux drivers for their products despite complaints and requests from their customers. If you're lucky, your hardware is covered by one of the popular Linux Wifi drivers. If not, be prepared to venture into the murky land of ndiswrapper.
In the case that your wireless card is made by one of the brands lucky enough to have Linux drivers, you may find your card working the first time you boot up. If not, be prepared to spend some time finding your Windows drivers, copying them to your drive, and using them with ndiswrapper, a sort of Windows emulator for wireless drivers. Given you are able to find and install the correct driver, you will not notice a difference from other cards once it's working.
The Ubuntu Community
One thing that really struck me as a distro-hopper was the Ubuntu community. There are tons of resources for new and old Linux users to get help and learn what their system is capable of. A massive amount of how-to's and supportive people exists under the name o f Ubuntu. A few good examples are the Ubuntu Wiki (http://wiki.ubuntu.com (http://wiki.ubuntu.com/)), the Unofficial Ubuntu Starter Guide (http://ubuntuguide.org (http://ubuntuguide.org/)), and the Ubuntu Forums (http://ubuntuforums.org (http://ubuntuforums.org/)). Every one of these resources is full of useful information and are often concise and easy to understand.
Development is very open and almost anyone can get involved with helping the community grow and prosper. Everyone is made to feel welcome and the Ubuntu users are some of the friendliest I've ever seen as a whole.
Desktop Linux: Is it Still Too Early?
Despite a few rough edges, I think Ubuntu is probably the closest of any Desktop-oriented distro to achieving the long sought after level of usability that will bring Linux to the mainstream. Things work well with little hassle, if they don't you can find a lot of help within the community, and the Ubuntu desktop is attractive and fast.
Installation, while not overly attractive, is fast and simple and the setup process after that is equally easy. Synaptic makes augmenting your system with new applications easier than ever.
Ubuntu very rarely locks up or even stutters and has been very stable on the hardware I've tested it on. Those bothered by the frequent restarting of Windows will find refuge in the stable confines of Ubuntu Linux.
Summary
Keeping in mind that this is only Ubuntu's second official release, the quality of this distribution is absolutely outstanding. With a regular release cycle of 6 months, we will get to see if Ubuntu "Breezy" Linux holds up to the reputation for stability and ease of use that has been set early on.
As a result of being easy to use, well supported, and a very positive boost to the Linux desktop, I give Ubuntu a rating of 10 out of 10 and would recommend it to anyone (including SpyWare-infected Grandparents). Try this distribution out if you are skeptical about Linux desktops and you just may be very surprised at how far it has come.
A Note on Ratings
My ratings are given on a 1-10 scale which is relative to the "best" and "worse" Linux distribution currently in circulation. If a distro receives a 10, it is the best or one of the best, and if it receives a 1 it is the worse or one of the worse. A rating of 10, although rare, does not constitute perfection. It means that I think said distribution is top notch.
http://www.reviewlinux.com/articles/8/1/Ubuntu---A-New-Approach-to-Desktop-Linux
Published 06/20/2005
Ubuntu
Some Background Info
Ubuntu is funded largely by Canonical Ltd., a company headed by Mark Shuttleworth, the director of Ubuntu Linux. Mark is actively involved with the development of the distribution and frequents the community meetings, often speaking directly to the users and keeping involved with discussions. I am thrilled to see this level of commmunity interaction from the higher ups.
Ubuntu has a regular release every 6 months and supports each one for 18 months with security updates and bug fixes.
The Ubuntu Manifesto states that "Every computer user should have the freedom to run, copy, distribute, study, share, change and improve their software for any purpose, without paying licensing fees." As is such, Ubuntu has stated that they will never charge users for a "premium" or "enterprise" edition of their product. A more complete run-down on the underlying philosophy of Ubuntu is located at http://www.ubuntulinux.org/ubuntu/philosophy/document_view (http://www.ubuntulinux.org/ubuntu/philosophy/document_view).
Installation Media
Ubuntu Linux is available via a single-CD install for x86, AMD64, and PowerPC. A wide variety of mirrors exist to make the ISO hunting process much easier, and there is also an option to request a pressed Ubuntu CD in the mail via Ship-It (http://shipit.ubuntulinux.org/ (http://shipit.ubuntulinux.org/)).
Note that there are Live CDs for each of the architectures mentioned earlier, as well as combination Live/Install CDs.
The Installation Process
Booting from the installation CD, a simple splash screen and a prompt asking for boot/install options appears. Hitting <ENTER>and accepting the defaults worked fine for me on my Inspiron 5150 and my AMD system.
A curses installer based on Debian-Netinstall appears and asks you some questions about your language preferences and hardware, eventually leading to partitioning and choosing whether you want a Custom/Server install or Default Desktop install.
Server vs. Desktop
The server install for Ubuntu is best described as bare bones and minimal. This is great for servers that don't need a desktop environment, or customizing Ubuntu for a slower machine with a more lightweight desktop such as XFCE. The casual user will definitely want to stick with the defaults and go for the full-blown desktop. The Partitioner
The installer's partitioner is the only area that sticks out to me as being a real weakness. It is a bit kludgey for newer linux users to use if they don't want to go with the default partitioning scheme, and re-sizing doesn't always work as intended. In my opinion, it's extremely important to be able to re-size NTFS partitions easily and reliably within the installer since Linux converts usually arrive courtesy of Windows frustration. Although the partitioner generally works fine, I have had problems with it in the past, especially so with laptops.
Installing Packages
This is where things take a turn for the easy. After partitioning, the installation whirrs by and a basic desktop system installs itself without any further user input. The latest versions of the software included with Ubuntu are downloaded directly from mirrors and shortly after, you are able to reboot into your brand new desktop.
The actual installation time depends largely on your connection speed. I would estimate no more than 2 minutes worth of answering questions and selecting options if you've installed Linux at least once. In the case of a newcomer, expect to spend anywhere from 5 to 10 minutes, which is still small in comparison to many other distros.
The actual downloading/installing of the software is what currently takes the longest amount of time. Those with dial-up will find the process grueling, but broadband users will quickly zip through the process in around 15-30 minutes.
Awakening the Hedgehog
The Hoary boot process is still a bit crude and un-polished. A basic GRUB boot screen appears and asks you what kernel you want to use and will automatically select the default after a period of time. The init scripts run by and the lack of color or decoration often spooks some users, but re-assurance arrives when an Ubuntu themed GDM screen appears from the black nether of the boot process. The default login prompt is very sleek and attractive (and may be changed easily to the user's tastes) and if fingers could drool, they most certaintly would at the looks of this thing.
The Ubuntu Desktop
Ubuntu "Hoary" Linux features Gnome 2.10 and other very up-to-date versions of popular software commonly bundled with Linux distros. Firefox is the default web browser and Evolution comes out of the box. OpenOffice is ready to go, as are a number of other must-haves. The standard Ubuntu desktop is very much ready and raring right "out of the box."
Looking at the Ubuntu desktop theme, it is sleek and stylish much like the login prompt. Combinations of gold and brown adorn the wallpaper and everything looks very clean and put together.
Launching a few of the included programs reveals that Ubuntu is not only good looking, it is also quite fast. I connect my USB key drive and am immediately listening to music from it and browsing the web.
Everyday Maintenance on Ubuntu
Adding, removing, and upgrading software is extremely easy through Synaptic, a graphical front-end to Apt. This is perhaps one of Ubuntu's biggest selling points: Its roots in Debian. With the combined power of Synaptic and Apt, users are able to easily install, remove, and upgrade packages with simple mouse clicks. Absolutely no knowledge of the command line is needed for what can be a daunting task on other distros. Not only is package manipulation easy, users are notified by an icon in their system tray when new updates need to be applied.
Hardware Compatibility
In my experiences at Linux InstallFests, I've found Ubuntu to support a staggering variety of hardware with little to no work at all. Most of my dealings with Ubuntu have been on the laptop side, which is often the trickiest with Linux. Surprisingly, Ubuntu usually handles laptops without a problem.
Many cameras, external drives, mice, and other peripherals work just by plugging the devices in. The majority of the time, the devices need no configuration at all.
Wireless: A Big Hurdle for Linux Desktop
The tricky part has always been wireless support for Linux. Many hardware manufacturers refuse to release Linux drivers for their products despite complaints and requests from their customers. If you're lucky, your hardware is covered by one of the popular Linux Wifi drivers. If not, be prepared to venture into the murky land of ndiswrapper.
In the case that your wireless card is made by one of the brands lucky enough to have Linux drivers, you may find your card working the first time you boot up. If not, be prepared to spend some time finding your Windows drivers, copying them to your drive, and using them with ndiswrapper, a sort of Windows emulator for wireless drivers. Given you are able to find and install the correct driver, you will not notice a difference from other cards once it's working.
The Ubuntu Community
One thing that really struck me as a distro-hopper was the Ubuntu community. There are tons of resources for new and old Linux users to get help and learn what their system is capable of. A massive amount of how-to's and supportive people exists under the name o f Ubuntu. A few good examples are the Ubuntu Wiki (http://wiki.ubuntu.com (http://wiki.ubuntu.com/)), the Unofficial Ubuntu Starter Guide (http://ubuntuguide.org (http://ubuntuguide.org/)), and the Ubuntu Forums (http://ubuntuforums.org (http://ubuntuforums.org/)). Every one of these resources is full of useful information and are often concise and easy to understand.
Development is very open and almost anyone can get involved with helping the community grow and prosper. Everyone is made to feel welcome and the Ubuntu users are some of the friendliest I've ever seen as a whole.
Desktop Linux: Is it Still Too Early?
Despite a few rough edges, I think Ubuntu is probably the closest of any Desktop-oriented distro to achieving the long sought after level of usability that will bring Linux to the mainstream. Things work well with little hassle, if they don't you can find a lot of help within the community, and the Ubuntu desktop is attractive and fast.
Installation, while not overly attractive, is fast and simple and the setup process after that is equally easy. Synaptic makes augmenting your system with new applications easier than ever.
Ubuntu very rarely locks up or even stutters and has been very stable on the hardware I've tested it on. Those bothered by the frequent restarting of Windows will find refuge in the stable confines of Ubuntu Linux.
Summary
Keeping in mind that this is only Ubuntu's second official release, the quality of this distribution is absolutely outstanding. With a regular release cycle of 6 months, we will get to see if Ubuntu "Breezy" Linux holds up to the reputation for stability and ease of use that has been set early on.
As a result of being easy to use, well supported, and a very positive boost to the Linux desktop, I give Ubuntu a rating of 10 out of 10 and would recommend it to anyone (including SpyWare-infected Grandparents). Try this distribution out if you are skeptical about Linux desktops and you just may be very surprised at how far it has come.
A Note on Ratings
My ratings are given on a 1-10 scale which is relative to the "best" and "worse" Linux distribution currently in circulation. If a distro receives a 10, it is the best or one of the best, and if it receives a 1 it is the worse or one of the worse. A rating of 10, although rare, does not constitute perfection. It means that I think said distribution is top notch.
http://www.reviewlinux.com/articles/8/1/Ubuntu---A-New-Approach-to-Desktop-Linux