Ubuntu surprised the heck out of me. I was fiddling with the Wifi to try to get it to work when I decided I needed to download something. I connected the machine to the router using CAT5, and Ubuntu connected to the internet and figured out what to do for me. All I had to do was to tell it to proceed. Of course, in reality, it just probed the hardware configuration and downloaded a script someone else had figured out, but still, that was way impressive!
Nice to know it does that for somebody. I'm using the x64 version of Ubuntu on a desktop with a USB wireless peripheral. Since I installed in March I've spent months without a functioning wireless connection and several weeks without a functioning wired connection. Currently I have a length of cat5 cable strung out under my door, across a hallway, and into my roommate's bedroom where the router is kept.
My Ubuntu laptop also no longer has a working wireless connection. It's slightly older hardware (3 to 4 years) and I've given it up for dead.
I love using Ubuntu, but unless you luck out in the hardware compatibility lottery, it is a second job to get a system up and running. I actually did not have a functioning Ubuntu system until I quit my job and had the hours to devote to configuring everything over a period of 3 to 4 days, and then another 3 to 4 days when I updated to 8.04.
Day One: "Oh boy, Mandrake Linux sure is easy to install!"
Day Two: "What the hell is this 'make' bullshit?"
Day Three: "I think I'll try another distro..."
Day Four: "Fuck it, I'm getting a Mac."
Ubuntu was the first Linux I ever tried, on my previous computer.
It installed smoothly and I was pleasantly surprised. Apt-get was working its magic and it seemed like I could escape from Microsoft's clutches!
But then I made the mistake of getting a new computer which could handle modern games, and suddenly things weren't so simple anymore..
Long story short:
I've got a 8800GTS which required proprietary drivers etc, and for some reason the picture seemed somehow fuzzy.
The whole computer didn't boot up without adding "irqpoll" to the boot options, and Ubuntu refused to recognize my fairly standard Samsung 226BW monitor, or use its native resolution at the normal refresh rate, etc.
After "enough" googling and getting Ubuntu to refuse booting up by fiddling with my xorg.conf etc, I decided I'd wait for Hardy, hoping there would be fewer or no problems.
Along comes Hardy, and now the install-CD doesn't want to boot up even despite casting the "irqpoll" spell!
After installing maybe four different flavors of Linux (over a period of maybe less than a year), two flavours of BSD, I just couldn't get things to work, and finally gave up.
I'm writing this on a MacBook, and happy to be using one.
The thing is, I really wanted to use Linux, but as someone who just wants to use things and not investigate and fix them, Mac OS X seems to be a much better fit.
Besides, it's really pretty and offers a coherent, consistent user-experience! :)
Back in late '99 early '00 I was given a retail boxed copy of SuSE Linux 6.2. Between that and Slashdot (believe it or not) I ended up on a path that took me to working with Unix professionally and programming on Free Software stacks. I learned C and compilation and kept going on up the chain.
The personal growth and achievement which was spurred by my introduction to Linux has just been phenomenal.
Hm... I look at this as a history lesson. I jumped on Linux wagon fairly late, in 2006. Since then I had to install it on 4 laptops and 3 desktops, with minor hiccups related to wireless and video: nothing that Google couldn't solve.
And I never had to recompile the kernel. In fact, the only software I ever had to compile on Linux was mine (I did compile my own builds of a few apps, but only because I wanted to enable some "experimental" features not available in standard repositories).
An isomorphic Windows comic would be about computer virus eating your cat or a pop-ups window bumping your grandma in the forehead.
I am beginning to think the creation of xkcd cartoons could be automated. Just place some random stick figures, and use any one of the million computer poetry generators to fill the bubbles.
From my own experience as a GNU/Linux NOOB, I believe that if you research the hardware and the distro you want to run in relation to that hardware BEFORE you purchase, you will be fine. Sticking to the Intel chipsets (as I believe Linus himself recommended) will go a long way toward a smooth experience. And that's coming from a noob. I am on my first Ubuntu install on my soon to be old machine. I just built a new machine, and Hardy installed without a problem. Ran my 24 hour burn in test, no problems. So a diligent noob can indeed have a smooth experience provided he/she does his/her homework.
[+] [-] stcredzero|17 years ago|reply
[+] [-] Prrometheus|17 years ago|reply
My Ubuntu laptop also no longer has a working wireless connection. It's slightly older hardware (3 to 4 years) and I've given it up for dead.
I love using Ubuntu, but unless you luck out in the hardware compatibility lottery, it is a second job to get a system up and running. I actually did not have a functioning Ubuntu system until I quit my job and had the hours to devote to configuring everything over a period of 3 to 4 days, and then another 3 to 4 days when I updated to 8.04.
[+] [-] deathbyzen|17 years ago|reply
Day One: "Oh boy, Mandrake Linux sure is easy to install!" Day Two: "What the hell is this 'make' bullshit?" Day Three: "I think I'll try another distro..." Day Four: "Fuck it, I'm getting a Mac."
[+] [-] KirinDave|17 years ago|reply
Goes to show a valuable lesson for all aspects of life: Presentation matters.
[+] [-] kaens|17 years ago|reply
2003: I haven't been able to get X working under Debian Woody for a month or so. This terminal is actually pretty nice though once you get used to it.
december-2003: Holy shit I got X working. Oh my god. Well, at least I have a good understanding of just about everything else on my system now.
2004: What's this Ubuntu thing, hmm. Oh, X worked without a hitch. I think I'll use this for a while.
2008: LORDY! I CAN DO ANYTHING I WANT WITH MY OS!
[+] [-] shiranaihito|17 years ago|reply
It installed smoothly and I was pleasantly surprised. Apt-get was working its magic and it seemed like I could escape from Microsoft's clutches!
But then I made the mistake of getting a new computer which could handle modern games, and suddenly things weren't so simple anymore..
Long story short:
I've got a 8800GTS which required proprietary drivers etc, and for some reason the picture seemed somehow fuzzy.
The whole computer didn't boot up without adding "irqpoll" to the boot options, and Ubuntu refused to recognize my fairly standard Samsung 226BW monitor, or use its native resolution at the normal refresh rate, etc.
After "enough" googling and getting Ubuntu to refuse booting up by fiddling with my xorg.conf etc, I decided I'd wait for Hardy, hoping there would be fewer or no problems.
Along comes Hardy, and now the install-CD doesn't want to boot up even despite casting the "irqpoll" spell!
After installing maybe four different flavors of Linux (over a period of maybe less than a year), two flavours of BSD, I just couldn't get things to work, and finally gave up.
I'm writing this on a MacBook, and happy to be using one.
The thing is, I really wanted to use Linux, but as someone who just wants to use things and not investigate and fix them, Mac OS X seems to be a much better fit.
Besides, it's really pretty and offers a coherent, consistent user-experience! :)
[+] [-] sant0sk1|17 years ago|reply
[+] [-] superchink|17 years ago|reply
[+] [-] LogicHoleFlaw|17 years ago|reply
The personal growth and achievement which was spurred by my introduction to Linux has just been phenomenal.
[+] [-] tx|17 years ago|reply
And I never had to recompile the kernel. In fact, the only software I ever had to compile on Linux was mine (I did compile my own builds of a few apps, but only because I wanted to enable some "experimental" features not available in standard repositories).
An isomorphic Windows comic would be about computer virus eating your cat or a pop-ups window bumping your grandma in the forehead.
[+] [-] joshwa|17 years ago|reply
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