Ubuntu is a complete Linux based operating system. Only a month ago, I installed Ubuntu on my computer and since then I never looked back to Windows XP that I previously used for all my work. The purpose of this blog is to tell the world that it is not very difficult to use Linux based operating systems like Ubuntu. I will talk about what made me switch to Ubuntu and how I configured all my hardware and software. I will also talk about the open source software that I am currently using on my Ubuntu installation. So here I go:
Why I switched to Ubuntu:
I had a copy of pirated Windows XP installed on my computer. Almost every one in my country (Pakistan) has pirated copies of Windows installed on their machines. Even some government, educational and business institutes do not bother to buy a license from Microsoft Pakistan. The two main reasons for this piracy at such a big level are:
- Pirated CDs are easily available in all big and small towns at just Rs. 30 ($0.5). Government usually doesn’t take any hard action against piracy. It is illegal in Pakistan to sell or buy these CDs but still government ignores this huge business for the sake of promoting Information culture in Pakistan.
- Microsoft Corporation, has a office in Pakistan and they usually do not pressurize government of Pakistan to combat Piracy. Perhaps it is because they don’t want people of Pakistan to start using legal copies of Linux based operating systems. Microsoft knows very well that Windows is quite expensive for Pakistanis and most computer users in Pakistan will not be able to buy it.
Unlike everyone else, I felt really bad using an illegal copy of Windows. I first bought Red Hat Linux and tried to install it on my computer nearly an year ago. Installation went smoothly but I was unable to configure my modem. I was also unable to fix screen resolution and install fonts. Now I know that it wasn’t very difficult to do that. At that time I had a small hard disk so I wasn’t able to dual boot. Hence, I had no Internet connection to learn how to configure my modem and do things. I gave up way too early and way too easily.
Two months ago, I found Ubuntu. They were sending free CDs of Ubuntu to anyone anywhere in the world. I ordered a package for myself which arrived at my doorstep with in two weeks. I popped in the install CD and ran through installation wizard. Just like Red Hat, Ubuntu also installed smoothly. After the installation I was happy to see that it not only had my favorite web browser Firefox pre-installed, but it also worked with my Network proxy. With easy to use interface I configured my network easily. I still had windows XP installed on the other partition, but I was spending my time to learn how to do things in Ubuntu. It was not very difficult and I am now a happy and satisfied Ubuntu/Linux user. Finally, I am free.
