The Mystic Bird

No, that’s not an offer to dance but one of the best desktop OS (operating systems) out there today that runs on Linux instead of Windows. Interested?

Good because this article is about the process of installing Ubuntu Linux right along-side Windows XP Pro, my expectations and what actually happened. Egads, you say! Are you nuts? No, in spite of the rumors I’m quite sane and if you read on you’ll see why.

Been keeping up with the latest news on the Vista home front? All the bugs that are beginning to come out in the light? Again? Hear the horror stories about the costs of the upgrades? The extra hardware that’s needed to make sure that Vista will run like it’s advertised? It can be intimidating to say the least. Well read on gentle readers as I have a sound solution for you and your computer. The sweet part of it? All it’ll cost you is a little time. That’s right, it’s free! (more…)

Hi! Glad you made it back. I’ve been getting more done with Ubuntu since my last post so let me fill you in.

For starters, I came across a great site that really goes into detail on the installation of Ubuntu. The name of the site is How to Forge and the article about installing Ubuntu 7.04 makes the process so easy to do. They even have an article on how to Install Ubuntu alongside Windows. The screen shots are a nice touch too.

Well, I had already installed Ubuntu on my second drive so that part was accomplished. The updates were downloaded and installed. Firefox was loaded with my bookmarks from a file I had exported to my Windows desktop previously. Time to check out the other neat things that awaited me. This is where I picked up on page 3 of the installation guide on How to Forge’s web site.

After checking my menus and adding what was needed, I compared what I had at the moment to the list on How to Forge’s page. I was in need of some more apps to replace what I had in Windows. So, off to add some more software! Free, full featured software I might add.

Now, you may or may not need what all this fella has listed for your installation but after experimenting with the various apps and software, you’ll get a feel for what works best for you. The rest can be removed as easily as they were installed. Just follow the same directions for installing software except this time, un-check the box beside the name. Then click “apply” and it’ll be removed. Simple as that.

Some packages will require that you agree to their license. This is normal and doesn’t present any problems for you. I think some of the media players, java and another one asked this.

Now, the page about the VMware Server is totally up to you. I chose not to install it at this time due to my ability to be able to read/write to my Windows disk already. That and my plans to install Wine so I could run my Windows programs. So, if you prefer to go with this part of the installation, that’s up to you.

One thing that wasn’t addressed in the tutorial was Beryl. This is one sweet script that does for Ubuntu’s desktop what Aero does for Vista’s. Once you get the hang of it, it’ll create all kinds of neat desktop effects that will make your installation both pleasant to operate and to look at.

You can download Beryl by way of Applications > Add/Remove Applications. When the screen loads and checks for packages, select ALL and then type Beryl in the search field. Press enter next and there should be three entries that appear next. Check the two with 4 stars beside them for installation and click Apply.

Once the download completes and you click OK, you’ll find Beryl under Applications > System Tools.

Now, go play with your installations to find what works best for you and get the hang of the cool desktop effects that Beryl provides. My next installment on Ubuntu’s Feisty Fawn will be a comparison between apps/software found on Windows and Ubuntu. How they rate, their ease of use and any difficulties found.

Also, what to expect from viruses. malware and hackers.

So far, my copy of Ubuntu Linux has cost me only some time for installation and experimentation. Seeing as it’s free open source software, I think Microsoft is going to have serious competition in the home PC market before too long. After all, they want $199 for me to upgrade to Vista Basic. That is IF my hardware will run it.

Well, so far Ubuntu is cruising along without nary a hiccup. That and the fact I never reached for my wallet once gives me reason to smile. Wouldn’t it you?

As I posted previously about doing the upgrade to Ubuntu 7.04 (Feisty Fawn), all I can say is: WOW! Why didn’t I do this sooner?

For those of you still thinking things over and in need of a little “shove” in the right direction, allow me to tell you this:

One of the things asked during the installation process was what logon credentials were used to access the Windows OS. I was stunned. No having to configure a mount point for windows. No entering commands in a Terminal. Just fill in the details and away we go!

That’s right. Ubuntu 7.04 detected my other hard drives’ OS (XP Pro) during installation. That’s awesome. It shows the developers are really thinking about those of us that still need Windows for whatever reason and are making things so simple to do that just about anyone can install and operate Ubuntu in no time at all.

I think it took me all of 20 minutes to get 7.04 installed from start to finish. Throw in around 15 more minutes for all the updates to download and install (this is done for you pretty much automatically) and you’ve got a full blown system to use as you please.

Now, I did run a nice little app called GParted to wipe the drive of any remains of 6.06 (Dapper Drake) before installing the newest version. I prefer a clean install over just overwriting the disk. It’s a simple way to make partitions or just reformat the drive if needed.

Now, if you have only one drive I’d recommend just installing Ubuntu as a dual boot alongside Windows. Especially if you are a little skittish about tinkering with the insides of your computer. It’ll run just fine happily booting from a menu that’s offered for your choosing.

This menu will allow you to choose from either Ubuntu or Windows as your operating system of choice.

I’ve been blown away by this latest version of Ubuntu and have been busily downloading and installing applications, games, widgets and other things of interest. I’m going to give Wine a try too to make use of those apps I’ve purchased over the years for Windows.

Wine allows one to run certain applications in a Linux environment that you would ordinarily only be able to run in Windows. How’s that for cool?

Anyway, more later as I delve deeper into this new OS called Feisty Fawn!

In case you missed the last few posts about Linux, let me bring you up to speed: Now is a really good time to give Linux a look. Ubuntu Linux 7.04 (the “Feisty Fawn” release) is out, and there’s very little about it that doesn’t completely rock. From installation to daily usage to a lifetime of free updates, nearly everything “just works” in an intuitive way that tends to incite reactions such as “Wait, this is Linux?”

I’d like to offer up as reference points for anyone considering Ubuntu the four links below:

Psychocat’s Ubuntu Installation Guide:

Installing Ubuntu Linux is by no means scary, but if you get second thoughts, they’ll likely fade after you look over this guide, which makes the entire process seem simple.

Seven Post-Install Tips for Ubuntu 7.04:

Taken from PC World, a list of steps to take immediately after installing Ubuntu. Look here for fixes to common problems and a couple of ways to take your Ubuntu desktop to the next level looks-wise.

Ubuntuguide.org:

Every Ubuntu user should bookmark this site. If something goes wrong, you can often find excellent troubleshooting advice in this document before you ask for help in the Ubuntu Forums.

Ubuntu Forums:

Yet another important link to keep in your bookmarks as this vast online community is packed full of assistance from experienced users that are there to help. Be sure to register and then do a search through the forums for information that will amaze you.

Presently, I have Ubuntu 6.06 (Dapper Drake) installed and running smoothly on a second hard drive residing in my computer. I find this much simpler than having the two operating systems reside on the same drive. To each their own though.

I’m planning to upgrade to the latest release Ubuntu has out called 7.04 (Feisty Fawn) as soon as time allows. I’m looking forward to it and will keep you informed on how things go from the perspective of a simple user.