For those of you that missed the news:

http://www.ubuntu.com/

Quite a few changes. They've; updated the kernel; updated GNOME and updated GRUB to name but a few. This also means that the distro's based on Ubuntu (looking at Mint and #!Crunchbang here) should be getting new releases soon, and Mint 8 looks set to be amazing.

I'll stick to the OS that the rest of the world uses.

Fixed. Quite an overstatement there though, it's pretty inferior in every way but integration and compatibility, both of which are direct effects of it being there 'first', when it in fact has nothing to do with it being well made. For one thing it's bloated, partially due to security being an afterthought and being piled on top instead of coded directly into the kernel from day 1, and partially because they're using a kernel from a company that they bought out just to get.

Besides, this is a thread for people who actually understand this

I can't say I've ever found myself using Ubuntu over 7, but meh. Maybe if I was dirt poor and building a computer I'd get Ubuntu to go with it.

I installed Mint and 7 at the same time, and the only viable reason i can think of using 7 for is gaming. I doubt i'll ever buy another Windows OS again, due to one thing: Chrome OS. Google's new OS should boost the Linux market share tenfold, meaning manufacturers will have a reason to start creating decent drivers and Linux ports for their games. Then all that remains is for the DX v OpenGL war to restart and gaming will be just as liable an option on a Linux based PC. The only problem then may be if online play would work 'multi platform', but that's being pedantic.

Oh, how 9.10 is great.
I've noticed that they fixed every bug that I found in the Beta and RC, so I'm really glad! It is really fantastic, and is going to be my main OS until Windows 7 Upgrade ships... Within the next "5-7 "days (most likely weeks))...

Anyways, I am quite pleased with 9.10.
~Vincent

My friend uses ubuntu, not sure if hes go this yet. But I've played on his computer, ubuntu is awesome.

If anybody's thinking about using it with (or indeed instead of) Windows then this is a fabulous read:

http://linux.oneandoneis2.org/LNW.htm

I love 9.10. I tried Windows 7, but if felt like XP with some nice graphics, and more CPU hogging.

@Redmonke: Linux isn't just for poor people. It's for intelligent people, but, because it's free, it's seen as 'poor people software.' Same thing with open-source.

All the boasting about how it uses less resources makes it seem like it's only for people with low end systems.

If I'm buying a new rig I'm not going to castrate it with Ubuntu.

I have a rather nice setup, yet I use an OSX / Ubuntu dual boot. Of course, if you want to buy the best setup possible, I *might* understand loading Windows, but Linux is so much more convenient. Windows is so slow and boggy in comparison, and you don't have to worry about the many security threats that Windows has.

In addition, I've learned that the Linux community is much more accepting and friendly. But that's probably because preteen girls don't dominate Linux communities.

Except Windows does everything and MORE than Linux OSes.

I don't worry about security threats, either.

My computer also runs Windows better than it runs Ubuntu.

I'll use my old argument here, Linux is for nerds and programmers, Macs are for arts (graphic art, music etc.) and Windows is for solitaire.

Edit: typo

That's a terrible stereotype, especially when Windows excels in all of those subjects.

That was a bit harsh, but I feel like it's true. Linux isn't THAT well known, especially to average Joe, and it's mostly computer savy (read: geeks) people that use Linux. I've also found that it comes with a great amount of tools for Programming, that mostly are free.

Macs have Garageband, and Photoshop and Quark run great on them.

I think you'll agree here, that Windows is very much for gamers. A lot of games run great on Windows, no doubt about it. I've even used Windows for gaming, but Photoshop is too slow (at least in my experience) on Windows. This might be because I didn't have a very, very high end machine, though.

I spend a lot of time with/on computer (read: no life ) and I've used my fair share of Ubuntu. The only thing I liked about it over Windows was GRUB.

GRUB is very nice. I do have a (rather loaded) question about Windows. Can Windows change GUIs to different ones? Linux has KDE, Gnome, Enlightenment, and others. Changing windows managers is very similar to completely changing GUIs.

Edit: Going to sleep. Will check tomorrow.

Red, if i remember correctly you stopped using Linux because of driver niggles with your accursed intel graphics. That seems a rather trivial thing to dismiss the whole idea of Linux for anybody...

You can easily change your themes with a simple hack (that many programs do for you in under a minute). If you want a whole new GUI you can get http://rainmeter.net/RainCMS/ I believe. I tried it out once it was pretty cool.


No I stopped using it because GRUB got overwritten and I couldn't even boot into Ubuntu/repair GRUB/access Ubuntu. I have Ubuntu installed on a virtual machine, but I barely use it (no use for it really).

@ Bolded text: Is this encouraged? If it requires a hack, then it's generally not approved my Microsoft, and my void the warranty. That's just another problem that Linux doesn't have. Microsoft is like the KGB to a Russian peasant. "No, you can't do that!" "We'll do everything for you, all we ask is your money"

Linux, being free, and no warranty, and you're encouraged to change stuff is much better.

I didn't know OSes had warranties.

Usually when you buy a new OS, like Windows or OSX, you get a warranty, in case something screws up. Although, warranties aren't that great for OSes, they're still there. It mainly to prevent people for sueing for no warranty on their software.

So, I installed Mint 7 on a virtual machine last night...It's kind of useless. I can't honestly think of one thing that I'll ever need it for and I'm kinda regretting giving it 20 gigs of my HDD...

Just delete the virtual machine if you don't like it. It only seems useless because you are still using Windows (I assume...) for everything. As an OS to replace Windows, it's very capable and certainly not useless.

Nah, you're thinking in opposites. Bar serious gaming there's nothing Linux can't do; with improved resource usage and the ability to do much more without it being thought of as 'wrong'.

my only complaint with karmic is the difficulty of changing grub2 menus, as it's not a text file like in the old grub.