Ubuntu: Why the World Don’t Need Windows
Filed Under Technology
Oh yes, I got the title from the latest Superman movie, Superman Returns.
It has been two weeks, I’ve been using Ubuntu Linux on my machine. For average user like me, it’s not really easy to migrate. I’ve been using Microsoft products since I got hold of computers a decade ago and I must say that they are great! When Windows95 came in, it was a blast! And their Office suite has brought in more productivity to our workers. Microsoft has given us great computer tools that we can never deny has helped us in many ways. But through the years, with all the ‘THE BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH’ instances, the viruses and the exhorbitant prices of licenses(that led us to resort on pirated copies of MS softwares), comes LINUX!
Linux isn’t new. I can still remember during college days the pain on typing all the commands in the terminal window. Not like the Windows we were used to. As a beginner that time, it is just too overwhelmingly technical for me and my friends. And after that brief encounter, I forget about it. It was just too convenient for me to stay with Windows. There’s games, Office(R), Visual Basic, and a tons and tons of softwares. Add to that, drivers for hardware isn’t readily available back in the old days.
But when I tried Ubuntu, I was shocked! It was so easy to install and it was miles away from the old RedHat I tried years ago. All my hardwares are detected and drivers are automatically installed properly. That includes my NU DVD Combo Drive, the old but trusty ASUS CD Writer, my on-board sound card, LAN card, and my new ATI Radeon 9200 video card. Wow! When I installed XP on this machine, I have to install the drivers for those. No headaches, really!
And then some more… the softwares….
- OpenOffice Suite (linux counterpart of MS Office)
- GAIM Internet Messenger (the only software you need to use YM, AIM, MSN, etc)
- FireFox Browser
- gFTP (FTP Client)
- GIMP Image Editor (alternative to Photoshop)
- SCREEM Code editor (For PHP, HTML, XML,XSL, etc programming)
- Movie Player
- Music Player
- Thunderbird and Evolution Email Client Softwares (alternative to Outlook)
- Games (well, not the warcraft or anything but tetris, snake and the likes)
- and a lot more.. ALL FOR FREE!!
Maybe we really need Windows but that’s because the computer industry has been very centric to Microsoft products since the early nineties. Maybe we still need Windows because most of our applications specially legacy apps are written specifically for Windows. Games are still created for Windows. But slowly and surely, it is beginning to change. With the advent of Web 2.0, availability of broadband internet, free and open source softwares and a lot more new technologies, it is beginning to change.
For me, I consider migrating to Ubuntu Linux as a big step. It creates a good feeling that you no longer uses pirated software. When I use my computer, that voice that tells me ‘Hey, you are stealing somebody’s property’ is gone. But then again, that’s just me. It must be noted that one of the reasons I moved is that Ubuntu can provide what I need at no cost at all. I wouldn’t advise you to move as I do. We might have different needs and Ubuntu may not really be for you. What I can tell you is that it’s worth trying. I did and I liked it! But then again, that’s just me. 