When it comes to Linux people come up with a lot of excuses to not use it.  These are from a recent survey on why people quit using Linux:

1. Linux doesn’t run a program I use
2. I installed Linux but some element of my hardware didn’t work
3. I tried Linux but I had to type commands
4. I did *this*, and *this* happened. That doesn’t happen with Windows
5. I posted a message on a forum, but Linux people were mean to me
6. I just don’t like it
7. I installed Linux and things went honey-nut-loops crazy

I definitely understand a couple of these reasons especially #2 when it comes to my Asus gaming laptop.  Sometimes things just do not want to work correctly.  Thankfully though there is still help available without having to go to forums and be abused.

Ubuntu Pocket Guide is an excellent resource whether you have been using Ubuntu for a while or are just getting started.  It is written in a very easy to understand manner and well laid out.  Even if you are using another Linux distribution you can still benefit from it.

If you are thinking about trying out Ubuntu make sure you have this guide on hand.  It will save you a lot of the time and frustration in getting used to a new operating system.

Check It Out> Ubuntu Pocket Guide

And today is the day for Ubuntu 9.04!   Jaunty Jackalope, the newest version of Ubuntu is going to be a hot download today with it’s inclusion of Netbook Remix.

You can check out the release notes or just head straight to the downloads.

UPDATE: As expected the Ubuntu servers are overloaded and even the mirrors can’t keep up with all the hits they are getting right now.  The best way to get a hold of it is via BitTorrent.

ubuntu-9-04-release-candidate

Ubuntu 9.04 Jaunty Jackalope Release Candidate was released yesterday and now that puts us just a week shy of the final release.  One thing that has always amazed me with Ubuntu releases is how well they stay on track and deliver the end product on time.  This release brings with it many small updates and changes and one big one, the addition of Ext4 file system support.

Most users will want to wait until next week for the final release of Ubuntu 9.04 which should be a pretty good one from the Canonical team.

Check It Out> Ubuntu 9.04 Release Candidate

One of the coolest things in recent years has been the introduction of portable operating systems.  They can be booted from a CD/DVD or even a USB pendrive and allow you to have your own custom operating system anywhere you need it to be.  Ubuntu has always been famous for this method of usage with its Live capabilities but now they are taking a huge leap forward in a direction most would not have anticipated.

Portable Ubuntu for Windows is a distribution that lets you run Ubuntu within Windows.  Yes you read that correctly, use Ubuntu while using Windows at the same time.  You can load the operating system to your pendrive and then any Windows computer you go to you can use Ubuntu.  Any changes you make to the operating system are persistent and maintained no matter what computer you go to.

portableubuntu-500x375

The package itself is only about 438 MB and can be downloaded from the Sourceforge project page.

Check It Out> Portable Ubuntu for Windows, gHacks, Lifehacker

kdeAt the end of last month Kool Desktop Environment (KDE) announced the release of version 4.2 and the best way to get it is with Kubuntu.  Pretty much everyone knows about Ubuntu as it has been featured everywhere including the New York Times.

Kubuntu is the little brother of Ubuntu that features the KDE interface and while it may not be the most popular it does have a very loyal fan base.  KDE has now been around for more than 11 years since it was first introduced on October 14 1996.

I have personally been a user of KDE on and off since about 1997 and always found it to be a pretty comparable to the Windows interface.  It makes it more comfortable for users to switch from Windows to Linux with as little trouble as possible.

KDE vs. Windows 7

Now with Windows 7 coming out there have been a lot of comparisons between it and KDE 4 claiming that Microsoft stole a lot of KDE’s ideas.  ZDNet Australia decided that they would even try to pass off KDE as Windows 7 in demonstrations to customers.  Basically what they found is that customers like it simple and have no idea what Windows 7 or KDE looks like.

All of this is good for KDE for one rather large reason, exposure.  It has always been in the background shadowed by other interfaces but now it is starting to come into it’s own and getting the exposure that it really needs.  You can use it with any flavor of Linux and even Windows but  by far the best distribution is Kubuntu.

Ubuntu over the last couple of years has been taken for granted by the old-school Linux community as they see it as too “simple”.  But isn’t that point of it?  Canonical the guys behind Ubuntu have struck gold by making the first distribution of Linux that normal people can use and love.  KDE added on to it then makes it even more simple and beautiful.

kde_desktop

Enterprise  Possibilities

One of the biggest reasons that enterprises have stuck with Windows for their workstations is learning curve.  Training takes time and money, both of which can be difficult to extract especially in today’s economy.  But one of the most time consuming aspects of any operating system switch is the time it takes to configure the new OS images to deploy to the workstations.  But with Windows 7 coming isn’t that time that will need to be spent either way?

In the last couple of weeks Microsoft has been pushing for enterprises to really dig into their pockets and upgrade to Windows Vista so they are ready for Windows 7 when it is released.  The Ubuntu community should be pushing this same message right now so they don’t miss the boat on this one.  They can tag along and use some of Microsoft’s own marketing dollars to benefit themselves.

Linux is extremely customizable especially the Ubuntu/Kubuntu distribution. Many IT departments love to lock down machines and make it difficult for users to change anything.  Switching to Linux is an excellent way to do that as most users are not familiar enough with it to screw anything up.  The spyware and virus risk is also substantially reduced if not non-existent.  Malware is a huge time waster for IT departments right now as they continuosly have to re-image machines to ignorant users “click OK on everything” mentality.

Learning Curve Opportunity

With all of these new operating systems coming in and impacting everyone isn’t there going to be a learning curve either way?  The vast majority of users today are using Windows XP but in the next year with Windows 7 being released there will be a massive switch to Windows 7 which is basically a service packed Windows Vista.  But everything is in how you spin it and Microsoft is spinning Windows 7 correctly and people will buy it.

All of this however comes back to a huge opportunity for Kubuntu.  With it being visually appealing and to be honest much simpler than Windows 7, they need to be advertising it with everything they have.   If they can get it into more peoples hands their popularity will open up and maybe even make an opportunity for themselves in the enterprise market.  If they are able to get consumers comfortable with it they could start to make that push into the enterprise market and win over users by droves.

It’s All About Simplicity

At this point in the operating system market it is all about simplicity.  People are realizing that when an OS such as Windows Vista is complicated (sorry but Windows 7 is too complicated as well) they lose time and only get frustrated.  KDE is simple and just needs that media attention to bring it into customers hands.

Windows 7 might be loved by the Geeks of the world but they have not had to start supporting it yet.  When they do I have a feeling that the love is going to fade pretty quick.  It’s overly complicated and not getting any simpler.  Microsoft is not listening to those that say KISS or Keep It Simple Stupid but it looks like the guys at both Kubuntu and Ubuntu have been listening.