ScarTechThe musings of a confessed code junkie.

A Second Look at Linux - Part 2Filed Under: Linux

So I’ve got Ubuntu installed in a VMWare virtual machine. I really don’t think I need to detail the installation procedure because it was so simple. Since I’m using VMWare, I didn’t have to worry if the necessary drivers were included or where to find them. Once the OS was installed, I installed the VMWare Tools. Admittedly it took me a minute to figure out how to install the tools, because I needed to use SUDO to run the installer application on the mounted virtual CD. Once I figured that out though, I was off and running.

The first thing I did once I installed the VMWare tools was to grab all the latest updates. If you’re familiar with Windows Update, then you’ve got the idea behind updating Ubuntu. Again, it was super simple. I was also asked for my administration password before the updates could be installed. It’s nice to know that I need to explicitly grant permission to install/update applications. It’s something Windows should have been doing for years. As I expected, there were a few updates available. They were downloaded and installed with minimal interaction required from my end. And the really nice part was that a reboot was not required! I’m sure that’s not the case for all updates, but it was nice this time anyway.

Next, I tried browsing my network from the Ubuntu VM. Again. It was very simple (are you seeing a theme here?). I was able to navigate to my local file shares without having to do anything special on either the Linux or Windows boxes. This really surprised me. I expected the update to be easy, but I didn’t expect to be able to connect to my Windows file share that easily. To be honest. It was easier to connect using Ubuntu than it was with my other XP machine, but that’s a story for another post.

Now that I had the OS updated and verified my network connections, I started checking out the applications that were installed as part of the default installation. There’s a couple games, the GIMP, Firefox and OpenOffice (just to name a few). The games were of your solitaire/minesweeper caliber games, so I won’t get into too much depth here about them. Suffice to say I could waste some time with them, but they’re not the reason I’m looking into Linux again. As on Windows, Firefox is rock solid and works as advertised. I’m a long time Office user and love the ribbon UI in Office 2007, so OpenOffice is somewhat of a disappointment for me. Again, I’m not looking at Linux to find a productivity suite, so this isn’t a deal breaker for me. I don’t claim to be a *nix expert, but I’ve used some of the command-line tools before. The console was just as easy to use as I remember from my Mandrake days.

There was one thought that kept coming to me as I’ve been nosing around Ubuntu lately and it’s ease of use. Back when I was using Linux in 1999-2002 (ages ago in tech time), the phrase ease of use never came up. I would never have suggested anyone but a geek look into Linux. It was just easier to use Windows (Apple was left for dead back then). I think that’s changed now. I wouldn’t have any problem recommending Ubuntu to a non-geek. It’s easy to use, secure (at least not as big a target as Windows) and free. Not to mention the fact that it can run nicely on older hardware (or even in a virtual machine).

Next I think I’ll dig a little deeper into Ubuntu by trying out some typical power user tasks. Adding-removing software, adding users, changing hardware, and maybe write a little code. Let’s hope I’m still thinking ease of use.

Tags: Linux