Desktop Linux finally ready to replace Microsoft Windows?

[Lunican]

Over the years I have experimented with Linux as a Windows XP replacement but there was always something that made it impractical. A few years have passed since my last attempt so I installed the latest version (11.04) of Ubuntu Linux expecting similar results.

This time the results were not similar at all. 

It works so well that I have no plans to switch back to Windows at all. Software such as Skype, Google Earth, Google Talk, Firefox, Chrome, Flash, as well as printer, video, and audio all worked perfectly on three separate computers.

Not only is it faster and better looking than Windows, it is open source and free.

They even have a Windows installer that automatically sets up a dual boot option so you can try it without giving up Windows completely.

From their site:

The launcher

It’s pretty hard to miss the new launcher that sits on the left-hand side of your screen. It’s designed to make getting to your favourite tools and applications quick and easy. You can hide and reveal it in the top-left corner of your screen, add and remove applications and bookmarks, and keep track of your open windows.


The dash

When you click on the Ubuntu logo in the top-left corner of your screen, the new dash will appear. It’s another simple way to get to your shortcuts and search for other applications and programs. So you can get fast access to your email, music, pictures and much more.


Workspaces

Ubuntu 11.04 gives you a really easy way to manage multiple windows and applications. Simply click on the Workspaces icon in the launcher and all your active spaces will pop up. You can move between your different windows easily so there’ll be no more cramping multiple apps into a small space.

http://www.ubuntu.com

[BridgeTroll]

I played with Linux quite a few years ago.  How does it perform when it must interact with MS programs such as Word, and Excel?  Example:  I send you a word doc to edit and you have to send it back to me.  Back in the day... it didnt do very well.

[Lunican]

I have opened a few pretty complicated Excel spreadsheets and Word documents and they worked. Sending back to Windows seems to work, but I think you may have trouble if you aren't careful to select fonts that Windows systems have installed.

[RiversideLoki]

I still don't believe that Linux is ready for prime-time (even Ubuntu, which is arguably the easiest to use distro). Driver support is horrid in most cases, and if you have to do anything that requires any sort of manual changes to conf files, your average user is going to be completely lost. Even simple things like printing and scanning can quickly turn into nightmare scenarios leaving the user frustrated and angry.

Open Office works well, but ODF documents do not play well with Office 2010 and in most cases, DOCX files from office don't work at all in Open Office. And any sort of "corporate" email and collaboration (a la Outlook) is an impossibility at this point. Getting newer versions of Office to work on WINE stably is next to impossible.

[Lunican]

Ubuntu is now using LibreOffice which seems to be able to read Office 2010 docx just fine.

Also, I plugged in a printer, an iPod, a video camera, a still camera, and a cell phone and it detected each one right away.

[Dog Walker]

When we went for a long driving trip last year I was afraid to take the laptop which has our life on it.  So bought an old Acer laptop for $100.  It wheezed when trying to run XP and the battery was cooked.  $35 for a new battery.  Downloaded and installed Ubuntu.  Install included OpenOffice, Firefox, disc burning software, Thunderbird, etc.

We uploaded images of all of our important documents, credit cards, contact numbers, bank numbers, insurance cards, licenses to the storage area provided by our ISP to have them available if wallets were lost or stolen.  Accessed email through browser interface provided by the ISP so never had anything on the computer that was personal data.

With Ubuntu, laptop ran fast and clean; much better than with XP.  Ubuntu also requires a password for logon so one more security step.

Sounds like the new version of Ubuntu is even better than what I have installed.  Time to update my little antique.

I'd be sad if "Traveler" was stolen, but it wouldn't be a catastrophe.

[Jimmy]

Ehhhh... I admire Linux and the hobbyists who persist with it.  But I've long ago replaced Windows with Mac OSX and couldn't be happier...

[Dog Walker]

But Jimmy, Ubuntu is FREE!  So are all the other software programs that come with it.  Apples are beautiful and functional, but EXPENSIVE.

[Lunican]

DW, most likely your laptop won't be able to run the new interface because it requires a decent graphics card, but it will fall back to a simpler interface if it can't handle it.

Also, for storing account information and credit card numbers you should check out a program called KeePass. It can store all of your info and saves it to an encrypted file which you can then store online. It runs on Windows and Linux. http://keepass.info

[manasia]

Ehhhh... I admire Linux and the hobbyists who persist with it.  But I've long ago replaced Windows with Mac OSX and couldn't be happier...

MAC OS X is partly based upon Linux, so we still have you. It is based upon FreeBSD Linux.

I am a Linux Administrator, and I have been Using, Administering and Supporting Linux for about 12 years now.

Ubuntu Desktop is ready for the world, it is pretty good. Microsoft Word incompatibility problems, are not going to hamper many people from switching over. Their are converters and utilities that will help you view this documents if you need them.

Ubuntu has really come a long way. It is based upon my favorite Linux Distribution - Debian.

I currently Dual Boot Windows 7 and Ubuntu.

I cannot say it is ready to replace windows as of yet. I look at IT as a provider of solutions, if Microsoft has a product that does that great, if Linux does even better. Some environments are more suited for Ubuntu and others are better suited for Microsoft.

[Lunican]

I don't think it is going to unseat Microsoft in the corporate desktop world for various reasons, but for home use and small businesses it is ready. I think it is especially helpful for small businesses that can save a lot of money forgoing the costs of Windows and Office.

[manasia]

I don't think it is going to unseat Microsoft in the corporate desktop world for various reasons, but for home use and small businesses it is ready. I think it is especially helpful for small businesses that can save a lot of money forgoing the costs of Windows and Office.

Yea Home and Small Businesses, and Non-Profits in my opinion can benefit from open source technologies.

[Jimmy]

But Jimmy, Ubuntu is FREE!  So are all the other software programs that come with it.  Apples are beautiful and functional, but EXPENSIVE.

In my experience, you get what you pay for.  When it comes to something as mission-critical to my work as my computing platform, I'm not going to put much assurance in the hands of hobbyists.  As a hobbyist myself, I've enjoyed tinkering with various Linux distros over the years.  But there comes a point when you're tired of tinkering with the Hyundai in your backyard and buy the BMW or Benz.

[manasia]

But Jimmy, Ubuntu is FREE!  So are all the other software programs that come with it.  Apples are beautiful and functional, but EXPENSIVE.

In my experience, you get what you pay for.  When it comes to something as mission-critical to my work as my computing platform, I'm not going to put much assurance in the hands of hobbyists.  As a hobbyist myself, I've enjoyed tinkering with various Linux distros over the years.  But there comes a point when you're tired of tinkering with the Hyundai in your backyard and buy the BMW or Benz.

Jimmy Linux is used at major companies, I run it with several mission critical servers here at my own company. It is all in what you are doing.

The best web server in the world Apache, is ran by those hobbyists you are talking about.

Their are Linux professional's who implement open source solutions for companies like myself. I would not have implemented them had they not worked properly, and better than their paid counterparts.

It is all about the implementation, and the required solution. Their are open source products that work better than their paid counterparts, IIS and Apache are a great example.

[Lunican]

Jimmy, Linux runs actual mission critical servers. OSX is the toy.