Mate was convincing me to use Ubuntu for ages. As I was using Microsoft for the last 18 years I hated it at the start but it is very good. It still does frustrate me at times when I can't be assed looking for a feature but I know it is lurking around somewhere

Anybody else use it

If anybody doesn't know what it is ... its basically a Linux operating system all for free including the software

Worth a try, you can install it from CD to give it a bash

For an old PC that you might only use for interweb browsing and pron surfing (not that I do of course - ahem.....) an Ubuntu PC is a good safe bet.

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I use Ubuntu. Just find it hassle free compared to Windows. Still not got my head around it totally like getting my webcam to work but I only use the PC for surfing, usual office docs and thats about it

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Mike
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You will never get a virus if you use Ubuntu. I'm not saying its impossible, as there are viruses that cannot affect it but the odds of you getting one are virtually nil and the damage it can do is more restricted than with Windows. If you use a Ubuntu boot CD and always run from the CD, you start with a clean computer every time you boot. Its the safest way to bank online for example. There is one proviso. If you use an Open wifi hotspot that isn't using a password, like some restaurant chains, it isn't safe to do anything, as you are vulnerable to session hijacking.

I have a love hate relationship with Ubuntu, I love it on the whole, but I hate the fact they keep breaking stuff!!

The latest release 10.10 (10th month of 2010) aka maverick meerkat though is good...very good.

To the point where I gave my mrs a choice between an ubuntu install and a vista reinstall, she was like "Ubuntu, windows annoys me too much"
Only thing she misses is photoshop (I know about wine but its too buggy, especially with CS5), If only adobe would write a native linux version of Photoshop.

TTD very true, you can also create a usb key and boot from that very quickly, insecure wireless networks are like posting your pin numbers on your window and in the paper.

I love software with open source. And I love Ubuntu ofcourse!

Some stuff is irritating like not mounting drives automatically, simple search facility from a Right Click mouse key etc

Some of my Windows programs do not run well under WINE but using the Virtual box is perfect.

And the major befefit is using your ISP, I have sky and I can download up to 1.5mb/s a minute in Ubuntu with a movie! Most I get out of Windows is 300kb/s

I was told that ISP have a throttle limitator but is not implememnted for Linux systems.

Is Virtual Box another Windows emulator as well as WINE? Only need an emulator to run the software for my mobile so I can take pics off etc. I tried WINE, it connected to the phone but showed all the folders to be empty

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I tried office under Wine and it didn't do VBA well nor be able to use personalised templates. For the general run of the mill, its not bad.

Virtual box is runs a complete operating system inside a window so you get a C: drive etc. Its not an emulator so you need the windows CD.

The key advantage is that you can run 2 OS simultaneously so don't need a dual boot system and can have shared folders to connect windows to Linux I only use it for my Rosetta stone DVD's and when I need to use iTunes (i.e. to restore the iPod to do a complete restore to factory settings - only ever did this once)

The reason is that linux has a much more efficient network stack, meaning you get better throughput and therefore better data transfer rates, windows speed issues could be issues with the network card driver or incorrectly set MTU (maximum transmittable unit) size.

I never have problems with auto mounting, everytime i put a USB key in, CD or external hard drive it auto mounts and gives me a list of things i can do, or if not that shows the icon in the places menu and usually on the desktop also.

My favourite part is stuff like my epson printer just...works, no driver cds, no fiddling...just plug in and press print and done.
Even the inbuilt scanner finally works reliably (even if the scanning software ocassionaly crashes mid scan)

I don;t know about more modern ipods, but with the wife's gen 4 ipod, it just normally works with rhythmbox on ubuntu, Ubuntu identifies it as an Ipod and gives you the option to open Rythmbox to manage the ipod.
On windows I used Ephpod, but I'm not sure if its still being maintained or not.

your ISP dont have a clue what operating system you're using. TCP/IP protocol is the same no matter what OS you're using.
and even if it wasnt, why would the favour Linux over Windows or Macs etc??

No idea Joe, that’s why I was told by our Networking team here but probably cr@p.

Must be the way Linux systems handles networking is much faster.

I have a dual boot system, one with a clean install of XP SP3 and the other Ubuntu, speed test shows dramatic difference, odd