News-you-can-use department.
After five years, Microsoft has come out with Vista. It replaces Windows XP, which we've all been using since the (computer) Stone Age. The edict has gone out from Microsoft headquarters that by January 2008 all new computers shall be sold with Vista, the whole Vista, and nothing but the Vista.
What does this mean? Problems, naturally.
If all this convinces you that you'd like to look around, then fear not. There are are alternatives.
If you absolutely hate doing anything with computers except clicking on the icon of what you want, then get a Mac. Macs have their own issues in terms of corralling users, and they're several hundreds of dollars more expensive than PC-based options, but they're easy and they just work. They also have some of the best eye candy in the business.
If you don't mind the level of fussing you have to do in Windows XP, then Ubuntu may be for you.
Ubuntu is a type of Linux operating system, a "distribution" (affectionately known as a "distro"). It runs on PCs and other hardware, and it's open source, meaning the source code is non-proprietary and available for anyone to examine and work on. That might seem like a recipe for disaster, but actually it's exactly the opposite.
Linux systems have much less malware for three reasons. (Malware is the collective term for all the nasty viruses, trojans, rootkits, and whatnot out there.) The main one is that the structure of the OS makes it very hard to get at the kernel, so it's naturally resistant. The second is that fewer people run Linux. (Single digits in the US, low teens in Europe, but between 25% and even over 50% of computer users in some areas of China, India, and Brazil.) That makes it a less interesting target for criminals, which would change with wider adoption. The third is that extremely knowledgeable computer geeks will instantly spot the malware and, since they have access to the code, block it within hours. Linux malware has an extremely short lifespan, and the people who write it don't do much better. An enraged geek is a terrible thing.
It's very easy to try out Ubuntu. Download the current stable version from ubuntu.com. It comes as an ISO file that you can burn directly to a CD. (If that's intimidating, they'll send you a CD at no charge, not even shipping. Thank Mark Shuttleworth.) If you boot from that CD, it will run Ubuntu without touching anything on your computer. That allows you to see whether it'll work with your specific hardware. The weak link, when there is one, is usually graphics, so if there's a problem, try the "safe graphics" mode which is one down from the default option that comes up at the beginning of the boot process.
If you decide you like it, you can install Ubuntu from the same CD. There's only one caveat, but it's VERY IMPORTANT:
To install an operating system, you obviously need to format a drive for it. You probably do not want to dump your old Windows system, and you probably do want a dual boot system. So DO NOT ACCEPT ANY PROMPTS THAT WILL REFORMAT YOUR WHOLE HARD DRIVE. In the earlier installers, that was the default. (Stupid? Yes.) The newer ones tread more carefully, but pay attention anyway. You'll need at least 3 GB of contiguous free space on a drive, and more is better. You can fit it in 1.5 GB, but then it becomes hard to install more neat open source software.
Ubuntu comes with an open source browser (Firefox that also has Windows and Mac versions (AWMV)). There's also the usual office suite (OpenOffice AWMV ) that can read and write Microsoft Office-type files (.doc, .xls, etc.). The mail program is Evolution, which some people swear by. I've always used Thunderbird AWMV. There are open source programs for graphics, the biggest one being Gimp AWMV. It's a Photoshop analog except at the very highest end. Doing high dynamic range, for instance, is much easier on Photoshop. There are open source programs to track your finances, post photo galleries, and play games. Although hardcore gamers prefer Windows. The one thing there isn't, so far, is an open source version of TurboTax. All of this stuff is done, or at least started, by people as labors of love, and I guess nobody loves taxes.
Finding and installing software is easier than on a Windows machine. There are repositories of open source software. Your machine talks to the web to maintain its database of what's available. You can browse the (endless!) list or look up specifc items of interest, tick the box to install, and the "package manager" (aka software installer) does the rest. It's really that easy. I am not making this up.
Open source doesn't mean free, it just means that the source code is open for everyone to see. Some open source programs cost money, and that's usually those that will need lots of support. For instance, specialized business programs, or maintaining operating systems for a whole corporation. If you don't expect support (and individuals don't get it these days, even when they do expect it), then open source programs are almost always free for the downloading.
Support comes from other users via forums. Again, this sounds like a recipe for disaster, but actually works much better. Answers usually come within hours, or at most a few days, whereas my experience with regular technical "support" is that the only support is the one my hand gives to the phone propped to my ear. Ubuntu has some of the best forums in the whole Linux world. It also has excellent documentation and wikis, but those aren't organized as well as the rest of Ubuntu. The easiest way to find what you need on them is to use Google. (your-search-terms-here site:.ubuntu*)
I switched to Linux as my main OS nearly three years ago, although I've used it and its great grandma, unix, since the 80s. It didn't take long for me to grow amazed that anyone threw hundreds of dollars at inferior programs. How could they not know that there was free and faster stuff out there? (Oh, yeah, no advertising budget.) If you're a good member of the community, you donate money to the programs or time to their help forums. If you're not, well, it's a free world.
Alternatives to Windows for your PC
News-you-can-use department.
After five years, Microsoft has come out with Vista. It replaces Windows XP, which we've all been using since the (computer) Stone Age. The edict has gone out from Microsoft headquarters that by January 2008 all new computers shall be sold with Vista, the whole Vista, and nothing but the Vista.
What does this mean? Problems, naturally.
Vista doesn't work with all sorts of peripherals. Some of these are relatively common, like some PDAs, tablet PCs, and the like. Here's how to check all that out. Tedious doesn't begin to describe it. (It's written for HP PCs, but it's much the same procedure for non-HP systems.) Rule #1: Do NOT trust the Vista installer to get it right. Even Microsoft's own Zune is not Vista compatible. What can I say?
Vista makes your computer talk to Microsoft, and validate that all MS software on your machine is legitimate. If it doesn't like what it sees, it can remotely disable the software or your machine.
The "phone home" process is not flawless, and sometimes misidentifies legitimate users. It is up to the users to get this sorted out.
Vista tries to enforce DRM, which chews up CPU cycles. A quarter or more of the computer's resources work on that task rather than on the computer owner's activities.
One way MS seems to be dealing with the potential liability issues of insufficient protection against malware is to continually flash up messages about how insecure your current action is. You get to click "OK" before proceeding.
And then, as if all this wasn't enough, they've redesigned the interface. That would be fine if you had the option to use whatever was familiar until you had the time and inclination to learn where everything was in the new system. You don't. Apparently, MS decided "Ve haff vays of making you hop to it."
Are they nuts?
If all this convinces you that you'd like to look around, then fear not. There are are alternatives.
If you absolutely hate doing anything with computers except clicking on the icon of what you want, then get a Mac. Macs have their own issues in terms of corralling users, and they're several hundreds of dollars more expensive than PC-based options, but they're easy and they just work. They also have some of the best eye candy in the business.
If you don't mind the level of fussing you have to do in Windows XP, then Ubuntu may be for you.
Ubuntu is a type of Linux operating system, a "distribution" (affectionately known as a "distro"). It runs on PCs and other hardware, and it's open source, meaning the source code is non-proprietary and available for anyone to examine and work on. That might seem like a recipe for disaster, but actually it's exactly the opposite.
Linux systems have much less malware for three reasons. (Malware is the collective term for all the nasty viruses, trojans, rootkits, and whatnot out there.) The main one is that the structure of the OS makes it very hard to get at the kernel, so it's naturally resistant. The second is that fewer people run Linux. (Single digits in the US, low teens in Europe, but between 25% and even over 50% of computer users in some areas of China, India, and Brazil.) That makes it a less interesting target for criminals, which would change with wider adoption. The third is that extremely knowledgeable computer geeks will instantly spot the malware and, since they have access to the code, block it within hours. Linux malware has an extremely short lifespan, and the people who write it don't do much better. An enraged geek is a terrible thing.
It's very easy to try out Ubuntu. Download the current stable version from ubuntu.com. It comes as an ISO file that you can burn directly to a CD. (If that's intimidating, they'll send you a CD at no charge, not even shipping. Thank Mark Shuttleworth.) If you boot from that CD, it will run Ubuntu without touching anything on your computer. That allows you to see whether it'll work with your specific hardware. The weak link, when there is one, is usually graphics, so if there's a problem, try the "safe graphics" mode which is one down from the default option that comes up at the beginning of the boot process.
If you decide you like it, you can install Ubuntu from the same CD. There's only one caveat, but it's VERY IMPORTANT:
To install an operating system, you obviously need to format a drive for it. You probably do not want to dump your old Windows system, and you probably do want a dual boot system. So DO NOT ACCEPT ANY PROMPTS THAT WILL REFORMAT YOUR WHOLE HARD DRIVE. In the earlier installers, that was the default. (Stupid? Yes.) The newer ones tread more carefully, but pay attention anyway. You'll need at least 3 GB of contiguous free space on a drive, and more is better. You can fit it in 1.5 GB, but then it becomes hard to install more neat open source software.
Ubuntu comes with an open source browser (Firefox that also has Windows and Mac versions (AWMV)). There's also the usual office suite (OpenOffice AWMV ) that can read and write Microsoft Office-type files (.doc, .xls, etc.). The mail program is Evolution, which some people swear by. I've always used Thunderbird AWMV. There are open source programs for graphics, the biggest one being Gimp AWMV. It's a Photoshop analog except at the very highest end. Doing high dynamic range, for instance, is much easier on Photoshop. There are open source programs to track your finances, post photo galleries, and play games. Although hardcore gamers prefer Windows. The one thing there isn't, so far, is an open source version of TurboTax. All of this stuff is done, or at least started, by people as labors of love, and I guess nobody loves taxes.
Finding and installing software is easier than on a Windows machine. There are repositories of open source software. Your machine talks to the web to maintain its database of what's available. You can browse the (endless!) list or look up specifc items of interest, tick the box to install, and the "package manager" (aka software installer) does the rest. It's really that easy. I am not making this up.
Open source doesn't mean free, it just means that the source code is open for everyone to see. Some open source programs cost money, and that's usually those that will need lots of support. For instance, specialized business programs, or maintaining operating systems for a whole corporation. If you don't expect support (and individuals don't get it these days, even when they do expect it), then open source programs are almost always free for the downloading.
Support comes from other users via forums. Again, this sounds like a recipe for disaster, but actually works much better. Answers usually come within hours, or at most a few days, whereas my experience with regular technical "support" is that the only support is the one my hand gives to the phone propped to my ear. Ubuntu has some of the best forums in the whole Linux world. It also has excellent documentation and wikis, but those aren't organized as well as the rest of Ubuntu. The easiest way to find what you need on them is to use Google. (your-search-terms-here site:.ubuntu*)
I switched to Linux as my main OS nearly three years ago, although I've used it and its great grandma, unix, since the 80s. It didn't take long for me to grow amazed that anyone threw hundreds of dollars at inferior programs. How could they not know that there was free and faster stuff out there? (Oh, yeah, no advertising budget.) If you're a good member of the community, you donate money to the programs or time to their help forums. If you're not, well, it's a free world.
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After five years, Microsoft has come out with Vista. It replaces Windows XP, which we've all been using since the (computer) Stone Age. The edict has gone out from Microsoft headquarters that by January 2008 all new computers shall be sold with Vista, the whole Vista, and nothing but the Vista.
What does this mean? Problems, naturally.
If all this convinces you that you'd like to look around, then fear not. There are are alternatives.
If you absolutely hate doing anything with computers except clicking on the icon of what you want, then get a Mac. Macs have their own issues in terms of corralling users, and they're several hundreds of dollars more expensive than PC-based options, but they're easy and they just work. They also have some of the best eye candy in the business.
If you don't mind the level of fussing you have to do in Windows XP, then Ubuntu may be for you.
Ubuntu is a type of Linux operating system, a "distribution" (affectionately known as a "distro"). It runs on PCs and other hardware, and it's open source, meaning the source code is non-proprietary and available for anyone to examine and work on. That might seem like a recipe for disaster, but actually it's exactly the opposite.
Linux systems have much less malware for three reasons. (Malware is the collective term for all the nasty viruses, trojans, rootkits, and whatnot out there.) The main one is that the structure of the OS makes it very hard to get at the kernel, so it's naturally resistant. The second is that fewer people run Linux. (Single digits in the US, low teens in Europe, but between 25% and even over 50% of computer users in some areas of China, India, and Brazil.) That makes it a less interesting target for criminals, which would change with wider adoption. The third is that extremely knowledgeable computer geeks will instantly spot the malware and, since they have access to the code, block it within hours. Linux malware has an extremely short lifespan, and the people who write it don't do much better. An enraged geek is a terrible thing.
It's very easy to try out Ubuntu. Download the current stable version from ubuntu.com. It comes as an ISO file that you can burn directly to a CD. (If that's intimidating, they'll send you a CD at no charge, not even shipping. Thank Mark Shuttleworth.) If you boot from that CD, it will run Ubuntu without touching anything on your computer. That allows you to see whether it'll work with your specific hardware. The weak link, when there is one, is usually graphics, so if there's a problem, try the "safe graphics" mode which is one down from the default option that comes up at the beginning of the boot process.
If you decide you like it, you can install Ubuntu from the same CD. There's only one caveat, but it's VERY IMPORTANT:
To install an operating system, you obviously need to format a drive for it. You probably do not want to dump your old Windows system, and you probably do want a dual boot system. So DO NOT ACCEPT ANY PROMPTS THAT WILL REFORMAT YOUR WHOLE HARD DRIVE. In the earlier installers, that was the default. (Stupid? Yes.) The newer ones tread more carefully, but pay attention anyway. You'll need at least 3 GB of contiguous free space on a drive, and more is better. You can fit it in 1.5 GB, but then it becomes hard to install more neat open source software.
Ubuntu comes with an open source browser (Firefox that also has Windows and Mac versions (AWMV)). There's also the usual office suite (OpenOffice AWMV ) that can read and write Microsoft Office-type files (.doc, .xls, etc.). The mail program is Evolution, which some people swear by. I've always used Thunderbird AWMV. There are open source programs for graphics, the biggest one being Gimp AWMV. It's a Photoshop analog except at the very highest end. Doing high dynamic range, for instance, is much easier on Photoshop. There are open source programs to track your finances, post photo galleries, and play games. Although hardcore gamers prefer Windows. The one thing there isn't, so far, is an open source version of TurboTax. All of this stuff is done, or at least started, by people as labors of love, and I guess nobody loves taxes.
Finding and installing software is easier than on a Windows machine. There are repositories of open source software. Your machine talks to the web to maintain its database of what's available. You can browse the (endless!) list or look up specifc items of interest, tick the box to install, and the "package manager" (aka software installer) does the rest. It's really that easy. I am not making this up.
Open source doesn't mean free, it just means that the source code is open for everyone to see. Some open source programs cost money, and that's usually those that will need lots of support. For instance, specialized business programs, or maintaining operating systems for a whole corporation. If you don't expect support (and individuals don't get it these days, even when they do expect it), then open source programs are almost always free for the downloading.
Support comes from other users via forums. Again, this sounds like a recipe for disaster, but actually works much better. Answers usually come within hours, or at most a few days, whereas my experience with regular technical "support" is that the only support is the one my hand gives to the phone propped to my ear. Ubuntu has some of the best forums in the whole Linux world. It also has excellent documentation and wikis, but those aren't organized as well as the rest of Ubuntu. The easiest way to find what you need on them is to use Google. (your-search-terms-here site:.ubuntu*)
I switched to Linux as my main OS nearly three years ago, although I've used it and its great grandma, unix, since the 80s. It didn't take long for me to grow amazed that anyone threw hundreds of dollars at inferior programs. How could they not know that there was free and faster stuff out there? (Oh, yeah, no advertising budget.) If you're a good member of the community, you donate money to the programs or time to their help forums. If you're not, well, it's a free world.
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