For years I've been using Windows as my OS. I used Windows 98, Windows 2000, Windows ME, Windows XP, and Windows Vista. That's five generations of Windows! whew! Until recently, I took up an MA with a subject that focuses on FOSS (Free and Open Source Software). During our classes, we would discuss and report anything and everything about FOSS. I was a bit confused about everything that was coming my way 'cause everything seemed so new to me. I don't know what FOSS is. What's Linux? What's Open Office? What's Apache? What's LAMP? It was hard to understand! But later, a friend of mine (sir RJ, my classmate in MA) convinced me to try requesting for a CD from UBUNTU and install it on my PC. I was like "Duh? What for?" He said, "Just try it. It's free." So I made my request from https://shipit.ubuntu.com/ and after 4 weeks the CD's arrived. I made some researches before I installed Ubuntu on my PC. And I found vidoes in YouTube which showed the unique features and advantages of Ubuntu. I was amazed with the desktop effects that ubuntu has and I was so excited to give it a try. I installed Ubuntu within my Windows XP (Dual Boot) and then tried out the features that it had. At first look, the desktop would look dry as hell! But later I found out how to modify things here and there, and I was able to make the desktop look the way I want it to be. Ofcourse, I first tried out the effects. It was MIND-BLOWING!!! But that isn't the only feature that Ubuntu has. I was wondering if it was possible to run Windows applications in Ubuntu. The answer came from sir RJ himself. "YES! Just download and configure wine from http://www.winehq.org/
" and there it was. I can run most of the windows application in just one click. But most of the applications would not run due to hardware issues. That's when I researched about restricted hardware. What's good about Ubuntu is when you attach a device to your computer it automatically detects it. You don't need to install any other drivers for your devices. It just works! Well except for other hardware that Ubuntu considers as "restricted" this means that the software being used for the hardware is not open-source. But the internet works great! It also has pre-installed applications like Open Office, Pidgin, Movie Player, Games, etc. Open Office is the counterpart of Microsoft Office. MS Office has MS Word, Open Office has Open Office Word Processor. MS Office has MS Excel, Open Office has Open Office Spreadsheet. And what's good about it is that you can open your old .doc, .xls, and .ppt files in Open Office. And you'll be given an option if you want to save the file in its original MS Office format or in the Open Office format. Pidgin is an IM tool. What's good about pdgin is that you could activate multiple IM's at once. It supports AIM, Yahoo Messenger, Google Talk, IRC, MSN, ICQ, and more! It's a universal chat client. Unfortunately, Pidgin does not currently support video and audio conferencing, nor any form of audio/video communication. But the developers plan on implementing multimedia messaging in the future.
These are only some of the features that Ubuntu has. I am still an Apprentice in the Ubuntu-Linux world. And I am still learning so much about it. I am actually planning to study systems administration using the Ubuntu server in the future. For now, everything is still a puzzle to me. I am like a baby who was given a new toy. Curious. But I am already benifiting from it. Simply by using it. Why? 'Cause I don't have to pay for updates! I don't have to buy registration keys. I don't have to pay for anything! (well except for the electric and internet bills... hehe...) but software-wise, NADA!
I'll ask you this, if you're a Windows user, how much did you pay for your OS? If you're in the Philippines and you're using Windows VISTA you would've spent P9,000 to P12,000 for the OS alone. You're gonna have to purchase Microsoft Office 2007 and that's around the same price. Unlike XP, well you'll find lots of downloadable applications in the web, and there are lots of pirated CD's out there in the black market. But still, you'll have to pay for those pirated CD's.
Come to think about it, I made a good move by switching to Ubuntu. And one more thing... it's VIRUS FREE!!!
So, what do you think? Is it time to switch? You decide.
Best regards,
Jonathan Paul Solis
Ubuntu User
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