It’s been a long time coming but finally, here’s my blog about Linux and my experience over the past few years with Ubuntu.

Now I know to most of you that was all gibberish. To a lot of you though that are used to my ramblings it probably doesn’t come as a shock but for the rest of you, I’ll start with a brief (?) intro into Linux and Ubuntu.

Oh, something I should get out the way now is how to pronounce “Linux”. It’s “lin” as in “linen” or “link” with out the “gk” sound at the end” “ux” as in “ucks” like “ducks” or “Uxbridge”. It’s because the name of the guy that created Linux is called Linus Torvolds and he’s Finnish so his name is NOT pronounced like the name of the kid with the blanket and piano in Peanuts (the cartoon with Snoopy and Charlie Brown) but as “Lin-us” not “Line-us” and because the software that Linus wrote is based on Unix we get Linux. There’s a YouTube video somewhere of an interview with Linus Torvalds explaining this if you want to hear it from the horse’s mouth.

What is Open Source software?

In short it’s software that you can get for free (as in free beer). The people that create it or own the rights to it give it away free of charge. Examples include Mozilla’s Firefox browser, Thunderbird email program, 100′s of Linux based operating systems and Open Office – a free suit of office programs similar to Microsoft’s Office suit (Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint etc.).

What is Linux?

Linux is the basis for alternative operating systems that can replace Microsoft’s Windows XP / Vista and Apple’s Mac OS X. It can be installed either as a complete replacement or as a second operating system, a popular choice for people new to Linux making the transition much easier. This “dual boot” option allows you to choose what operating system you want to load when you start your PC.

What is Ubuntu?

Ubuntu is one of a very large number of pre-configured Linux based operating system. Other popular options include Fedora, Debian and Red Hat (Red Hat is not free though). There is a Linux operating system called openSuse but I’m not discussing that because Microsoft has got it’s hands on it so it’s tainted but is obviously a popular choice for the more hardened Microsoft fan boy *spit*.

Why do I use it?

Over the last few years I had become more and more annoyed and frustrated by Micro$oft and their products. The more I use them and the more they update them the more faults I discover and the worse they perform – slow downs often and crashes almost weekly*. Then one day, a friend asked me what OS I use (which was windows at the time) and explained to me that there was an alternative (other than buying a Mac).

* No, there is nothing wrong with my PC. I built my PC using componants I chose. It was checked frequently almost to point of being anal. I love my Antec Sonata and all the goodies contained there-in.

It’s also a very political decision as I have a loathing and venomous disagreement with how Microsoft treats the computer industry and it’s customers. The then recent destruction of several hard-drives helped somewhat with the decision as well.

Ubuntu was recommended to me and was the first Linux OS I used. I’ve tried a few others including Zenwalk, openSuse and Fedora but always go back to Ubuntu. It’s not the prettiest or the best at integrating with my hardware but with minor tweaking it does work brilliantly and the community is fantastic.

Why did I choose Ubuntu?

Because it was the first one I ever tried and after playing around with Debian, Fedora, Suse and the other *bunutu distro, Ubuntu, I just felt that Ubuntu was the best for me. It’s not necessarily the flashiest distro but a combination of the ease of use and the friendliness of the Ubuntu community convinced me.

What’s so special about Linux / Ubuntu?

For a start it’s not Windows. It works. It’s safe. Viruses do exist for Linux but they’re nothing to actually concern yourself with. It’s practically unheard of to have a Linux anti-virus program; it’s just not required for the average user. Ubuntu is free. It’s free to download, it’s free to modify and I can, if I so wish, even give my copy away whether I’ve modified it or not. It’s free as in freedom. I can do what ever I like, when-ever I like, however I see fit (…ish).

Sounds perfect, any catches?

Yeah, actually, there’s a few. You have to bear in mind that Ubuntu (as are most Linux Distros) was originally written by individuals as a solution to their particular needs at that time. It has since been refined but it’s not guaranteed to install and run perfectly on every machine. This is because there are hundred’s of different computers and laptops made with a selection from thousands of different components. Not all are compatible. The Linux community try to keep lists of what is and what isn’t compatible but it’s not easy, there are just too many different variations. The Linux community also try very hard to write all the necessary drivers required to allow a piece of hardware to work with the operating system but again, this is a mammoth task. Recently however some manufacturers are doing their part. HP (Hewlett Packard) and ASUS go to great lengths to ensure their products are compatible out of the box. If you’ve got a PC that’s less than 5 years old, chances are you’ll have no problems but if you do, it’ll be relatively simple to fix. If it is 5-10 years old or you’ve got a laptop, some initial fettling will often be required but like I said earlier, the support community is second to none. More often than not it will work but will just have a few bugs. Screen resolution issues are probably the most common followed by wireless internet. Having said that, with every release of Ubuntu (the open source community release a new version of the distro (operating systems) every six months) things just get better and better (read “easier”).

Now, I could have saved you all the effort of having to read my ramblings by pointing you earlier to the following link: Linux is NOT windows. I highly recommend you read it if you have so much as a passing interest in Linux and want to know more about the transition from Windows.

I think that’s far too much already for a first blog on this subject to I’ll finish this one here but one day I’ll write a follow up that will hopefully be constructed as an attempt to convince you. The bottom line at this point is that it’s free and you can try it safely without getting rid of Windows. Try it but do give it a chance. It is new to you and it IS different. There’s a learning curve but once you “get” it, you’ll never go back.

Microsoft recently announced that it will continue to support IE6 (internet explorer version 6) until 2014 despite the fact it has now been superseded twice (current version is IE8) and once again web developers and designers (like me) across the world let out yet another defeated groan.
Microsoft’s reasons for extending support for this old, non-compliant browser include allowing them to continue to send out patches for security flaws!

As you may know, I am not a Microsoft fan and I have a special loathing of Internet Explorer so I forgive you for thinking that I’m going to be biased here but try and see through it, I promise the points I make here are valid and apply to everyone.

So what’s the problem? Internet Explorer of any version is not, in general, considered a particularly secure browser neither is it the best at rendering websites as the designers and developers intended. Granted, it is getting better but is it really good enough that M$ have to issue security patches on an almost weekly basis?
Now I know some of you won’t take my word for it but you have to take Eric Lawrence’s word for it! Why? Because Eric Lawrence is Microsoft’s IE Security Manager, that’s why.

Here’s what Eric has to say on the matter (taken from a response as to why Microsoft are extending support for IE6):
“Putting customers at risk isn’t an option,” Lawrence said on the IEInternals blog. “Having said that, we work hard at evangelizing new browser releases and getting folks to upgrade. While we still support IE6, there’s no question that users on IE8 will have a more secure, reliable, and performant [sic] experience.”

What get’s my goat about this is that surely it would be in the customer’s best interest to upgrade to IE7 rather than keep patching IE6? Unfortunately, unlike IE7, IE6 doesn’t seem to have an auto update notification where-as IE7 users got prompted in a very unsubtle way to upgrade to IE8. This is just so typical of the Microsoft mentality.

Regarding the rendering of websites, I do hear a lot of people saying that it’s other browsers that have a problem such as Firefox and Google’s chrome but I assure you, it’s IE. Microsoft themselves have said that their browser doesn’t conform to web standards compliance. IE7 was a massive leap forward from IE6 but is still along way behind the others. The problem is not helped by companies that designed websites specifically for IE(6) because statistically it is the most used (please don’t keep saying “popular”) browser.

Big question then is: “Why should I upgrade”? The number one reason I would give is security. Internet Explorer, especially IE6 is just too insecure. It is prone to attacks by harmful websites and viruses. The risk that someone could attack you pc and obtain passwords or even images of your kids is just far too great. Microsoft are trying their “best” to keep on top of this but they will ALWAYS be several steps behind the attackers. After all, they won’t know there’s a security flaw (9 times out 10) until someone else finds it first. The second reason is for user experience on the internet. For those that say they’re happy with the website experience I have one final question: Do you have a colour TV? Black and white TV’s still allow you to view tv shows but people still choose the more expensive colour TV’s? Why? Because they’re better…

One final point: If you have a really, really old PC and have to upgrade the operating system to XP and perhaps add some memory, the most this will cost you is about £70. Bet your colour tv cost a lot more than that over the B&W equivilent and your TV doesn’t give out your bank details to every passing stranger!!

I really really don’t like Facebook. I don’t like how difficult it is to control privacy. I don’t like all the stupid application.

I like MySpace more. It’s the original. It’s not so annoying. I still don’t really use it though. It’s just another medium to advertise me.

I managed to ignore Twitter for a long time. Years. I didn’t get it. I still don’t get how people get quite so excited about it but I do actually get it now. And I Twitter often. Once or twice a day. It does appeal to me. But different people use it for different reasons. Me? I just use it to post random thoughts that would have otherwise been lost forever. If people find them interesting then great but I don’t care. I don’t care how many people follow me. I’m not big into following other people. I don’t like people that much. I have an interest in SEO so I follow a few SEO gurus and of course, Stephen Fry.

Some people get all upset and angry because someone they are following hasn’t returned the interest. Please. Get over yourselves.

I do also  like Twitter as a method of basic communication. It appeals to my preferred method of speaking to people. A quick drive-by style shout at people. It’s easy, I can do so from my G1 or from my desk. For me it’s almost sociable.

Yeah, I like Twitter.

twitter.com/mr_jmm