A Year Without Windows
The way I do things may not be efficient at first, but I end up learning more.
Maybe I should've simply installed regular Ubuntu in the first place -- but now I've done enough homework to be able to unequivocally recommend it (v8.10).
See, yesterday I tried again to reinstall Windows, thinking maybe I had missed some steps or something. Again, it took forever and was frustrating. Again, at the end of it I had no connection to the intertubes and couldn't resolve the monitor's aspect ratio. Adding insult to injury, I had to reinstall Xubuntu just to get back online...
...and download, burn a disc for and install Ubuntu in the space where Windows used to be. Windows, to borrow a phrase from Futurama's Bender, can kiss my shiny metal ass.
We had actually been experiencing a few problems with Xubuntu, partially because the partition it was on wasn't large enough but mostly (I'm guessing) because of compatibility issues with updates.
Again, as with other Linux installations, the Ubuntu install went quickly, was not confusing, and was running perfectly from the single restart -- and, as a nice touch, the install disc automatically ejects when it's done. Some things are going to be missing at first (such as Flash), but I've never had an easier time installing plug-ins, add-ons, or new programs -- and this isn't just because I have experience. Ubuntu 8.10 makes these tasks simple.
...And, what's this? Is this the "3D desktop" I've been hearing about? Cool...
Everyone in the family got at least some experience with Xubuntu, on their individual user accounts, and I've created accounts for them here on Ubuntu (not that I've given up control of the computer just yet). With a quick d/l & install of an application I can now share my music folder with all other users -- maybe could've done that on Xubuntu, but certainly not as painlessly. Remains to be seen if we can install & play PC games (such as the soon-to-be-released Sims3), but I know this is supposed to be possible...
How long can we go without Windows? How does forever sound?
Comments
Pretty much the only thing we use Windows for is...
the Connections Academy virtual public school website requires Internet Explorer and doesn't work properly in LINUX even when I'm running IE in Wine.
Also, I've had limited success with video games. If you want to play games in LINUX you pretty much need an nVidia GeForce video card (I use an ATI for reasons explained elsewhere on this site). You can sometimes get them working in Wine, but if you are a serious gamer you might want to consider either Crossover (which isn't free but I've got a copy I could e-mail you) or else Cedega (which used to be called WineX, and requires a paid subscription account to download the easy, gui version). Crossover was designed more for Windows Office applications, but they have a video game version. Regardless of what software you use, the final result you get is usually not as good as what you had in Windows. Just wanted to warn you about that up front.
A good site for info is linux-gamers.net, just bear in mind some of their information is outdated. They do have a step-by-step process of getting WineX or the free version of Cedega installed somewhere on their page. Of course, I'm sure if you looked you could find a torrent of Cedega easily enough.
As far as the Windows issues are concerned - the reason you couldn't get online is most likely because that series of Dell has a network adapter that is not supported by Windows XP out of the box. You _can_ get the drivers from Dell's website, which is...to put it mildly...retarded. It's as if they WANT you to fail so that you have to buy another computer. Of course, if you install LINUX you then have access to the internet and your Windows partition, so potentially you could download network drivers, video drivers, sound drivers, etc. and save them to the Windows site, reboot and run the installers and be fine from that point forward. It's a pain, yes - one I go through almost daily - so I barely notice anymore. Of course, it helps to have bootable USB drives, bootable CDs, external USB network adapters, wifi adapters, and other computer systems to use for internet access as needed.
Anyway - if you need help / questions answered I've covered quite a bit of ground in this area. Bear in mind I still primarily use Windows for gaming, but don't let that stop you...you might have better success than I.
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