Ubuntu Linux

[davy]

I'm not happy with the graphics - it doesn't support 1280x1024 and so I'm left with a big black bar on the right of my screen whereas XP supports it out of the box (along with Cleartype). Also the sound volume is extremely low no matter how I tweak it.

it's funny you say that. when i used ubuntu almost two years ago, it worked perfectly with my 1280x1024.

and you'll have to set your volume correctly.

in both cases, it's likely you have some really strange hardware. ubuntu's hardware gui configuration tools, back then, were really primitive. give them a shot to see if the ubuntu installer correctly detected your hardware.

otherwise modifying configuration files will deffinately get your display and sound working correctly.

 

[3nipples]

noelie,

check out the ubuntu forums. I found the answers to almost all my questions already there and when not, the expert community is very reactive and helpful, much moreso than the other distros that I tried.

Do a search for Automatix on the forums and follow the instructions to install it. It will take care of many of your installation woes with firefox, codecs and other apps... Trust me

 

[miaplacidus]

It works well with my computer (except that it doesn't recognize my sound card, and that seems to be the same with any non-MS operating system). Certainly it does things faster than Windows, and looks better. However, I want to criticize an aspect of the system: the lack of GUI-based configuration tools. I hate having to use the console for everything.

 

[davy]

...the main reason why Linux is more secure than XP is because most Windows users are logged on as admin (root). ...

if that were the case, linux servers would constantly be taken down. typically only admin uses linux server which means that it would be more vulnerable more of the time. but windows servers and machines still go down more often.

it's more the case that linux is more secure because whatever holes that are found and plugged up quickly; whereas windows holes can only be patched my microsoft.

root priveleges do play a role, but not as big as you might think


if any of you wanna check out a distro with better gui hardware configuration, check out mandriva. suse might also be a good way to go, but it seemed that yast2 was a little too fragile on my machine.

 

[Corny]

concerning the firefox updates .. since FF2.0 i didn't need to manually copy/move *anything* under linux. just install flash etc pp right out of firefox

 

[davy]

....
I disagree with you davy - I've read the guidelines for hardening Linux servers and there's quite a lot to do to bullet-proof even a Linux server (just like Server 2K3) - the point wasn't to do with servers per se but with the fact that the average Windows user is permanently logged on as admin (root) and so open up their PCs to more risks and don't forget that there's tens of millions more of them than there are Linux users so when a virus appears 'in the wild' there's a much higher chance of more Windows PCs getting it (from both a numerical and user/admin point of view).

As an MS man I use XpSp2 all the time and my account is an admin account - always has been - from NT3 to NT4 to 2K to XP and I've never had a virus whereas I've seen regular users logged on with admin perms and they'd catch a virus in a heartbeat.

XP will remain my main OS but I'm definitely going to start getting to grips with Linux

i've got data that proves you wrong; but i'm sure you're equipped with our own arsenal of articles and journals that say otherwise. so we'll skip the statistical warfare this time.

you've already admitted that you like windows so i'll just have to admit that nobody's perfect.

 

[3nipples]

^^ but you decided to keep us in the dark about these far better distros?

 

[trawler69]

My keychain broke and my entire life fell down a drain.

 

[-live-]

I were wondeirng a few things about this...

First can it dual boot next to Vista.

Plus if it can, does it effect Vista and speed?

Plus is it easy, do you just put the Ubunta CD in and it says you can dual boot!

Im pretty sure that Noelie did a thread with everything you need to know about doing it and making it dual boot. But ive looked through loads and cant find one!

 

[Corny]

- yes
- no
- depends. you need to configure the boot manager
- i am pretty sure there was already a thread about dual-booting. try to search for "grub" or "lilo" (the boot managers)

 

[mike_n_herrin]

This has been some what of an ongoing argument. It's apparently somewhat harder to get Ubuntu to dual boot with Vista than it was with XP. The thread where noelie posts his pictures is here: http://www.justusboys.com/forum/showthread.php?t=162408
you can do it. you may need to wait until noelie see's this to ask more specific questions if you have them.

installing ubuntu shouldn't affect your windows OS unless you are practically out of hard drive space.