Linux is for geeks. That is the worst cliche I have ever heard. In fact I think that Ubuntu Linux is far more easier to work on compared to Windows Vista.
Now that I have ditched Windows Vista in favor of Ubuntu Linux, I though I would write a post on why Ubuntu Linux is better than Windows Vista.
5 reasons why you should be using Ubuntu Linux instead of Windows Vista
1. Rock solid stability and better responsiveness
I don’t remember a day when Windows Vista had not crashed on my laptop. Running a Bit-torrent client (any one) will show a BSOD every time on my system. On the contrary I do not remember a day when Ubuntu had stopped responding or crashed.
2.Third-party software just a click away
No more clicking through endless UAC dialogs and Next screens to install the software. In Ubuntu Linux just go to Synaptic Package Manager, search for the software you want to install and click the small checkbox next to it. Then click on Apply. Your software will automatically be downloaded and installed.
3. The wow is here
If you though Vista’s animations and effects were good, you must try Compiz fusion. It is bundled by default in Ubuntu Gutsy Gibbon. Provided you have a decent grahics card, you just need to turn on the effects in System —> Preferences —> Appearance —> Effects.
4. Tune thy Ubuntu
There is absolutely nothing about Ubuntu Linux that you cannot change. Do not like the theme, the icons etc. , just download a new theme from Gnome Look and drag-drop it on the Appearances dialog box. Your new theme is installed.
5. No antivirus, anti-spyware, firewall required
Damn Windows Security Center and anti-virus software. If Vista is not slow enough for you, then install some anti-virus. Cut to Ubuntu, no such thing needed.
That’s it. So when are you going to try Ubuntu Linux. 
P.S. - Reason #5 is there just because I wanted to round off things.
40 comments ↓
[...] why i don’t buy all the linux crap i’m offered Estes tipos aqui defendem a utilização de Ubuntu (última edição, 7.10, aqui) em vez do Windows Vista. É a [...]
Awesome post.
Digg it here - http://digg.com/linux_unix/5_reasons_why_you_should_use_Ubuntu_7_10_instead_of_Vista
Hmm… good post.
Did your lappy come with Vista preinstalled? If yes, waste of around Rs 5k. These hardware vendors should now give us an option where I dont want any OS preinstalled.
@ Shankar - Thanks for digging it.
@ Ashwin - Yeah, my Dell came with Windows Vista. Yes even I was searching for that no OS option while buying.
Dell sells a Ubuntu pre-installed PC, two models. it takes a little jumping through hoops to find it on their site, but it’s there. here’s the address for Ubuntu and free-dos Dell PCs
http://www.dell.com/content/topics/segtopic.aspx/ubuntu?c=us&cs=19&l=en&s=dhs&~ck=mn
cheers
Yeah Mike, thanks for the link.
But I see on those laptops, in the customize section there is no option to add a discrete graphics card to my config. That was one the first thing I was looking for while buying my laptop.
These 5 reasons may be great for you, but really wouldn’t apply to most Vista users.
1 - My Vista machines (2) NEVER crash. I honestly can’t remember a crash in several months. Both are responsive (and not top of the line hardware, either).
2 - Third party software - I can find whatever software I need for Windows. There’s no reason there to move away from Windows. UAC can be turned off with about 3 mouse clicks, by the way.
3 - Effects are not important to me. Stability, compatability and useability are. Windows Vista has all three.
4 - As above, not interesting to me. There is software for Windows that achieves at least most of what you describe, but it’s not for me.
5 - Running Spybot once a month or so and responsible computing are habits of mine, so this point is also worthless to me.
kudos for the post, but I feel a lil bit differently. In fact, I am sure that I represent the anti-Linux market ‘enthusiastic overclocker’ bill that only looks at linux with an interested glance. good job for you guys, let me tell you why I wouldn’t consider linux for my main box.
Vista has always been a hog .that’s what I expected a year ago when I bought an OEM copy online for 187 bucks along with 4gb RAM but anyways………..
in response to your queries……….
1. service pack 1 is arriving on PCs around you every day now. enough said… iit’s too bad you’ve had so much unsuccessful crashes on your hardware. you really need brand new stuff for it to stay stable, I’ve seen. I average about a crash per week.
2. I interpret these extra steps for installing software to be related to software. I will say that I have been impressed, .. I have been running Symantec Antivirus since the start, - but I haven’t needed it yet. Vista updates a lot more than XP. I mean a whole lot more….!
3. Well, there are ways to make Vista look fancier too. I personally am happy with the graphics atm,.. I feel like if they were any more glitzy and glamour, then there would be slowdowns when I have a video editiing software open, sound editing software open, and Dreamweaver open, with 15 windows total. Right now, there’s not any slowdown at all for me.
4. The changes are more for security is the vibe i’m getting. i’ll tell you what , I haven’t heard about many Vista virus outbreaks like I had expected to.
If there aren’t already free, exceptional, beautiful, workable expansions for Vista at http://www.download.com - there will be in 6 months.
5.I already addressed it earlier, but you’re wrong. Microsoft does have a fairly aggressive anti-spyware campaign going. They protected you against the biggest and most well known viruses around - you aren’t going to get yourself infected unless you’re snooping round in the darkest places online.
I was a first-month buyer of Windows Vista 64bit OEM for my Opteron 170 running 4.0ghz, 4gb ram, 4 x 500 SATA RAID 2 hard drives on my amazing motherboard, with a geforce 7950 running with both cores overclocked. Yea, goes without saying that my cpu can power Vista and a half.
In fact, I can’t find anything that my system can’t blaze through short of Crysis. Medal of Honor 4 is a Breeze. Can you run that on Ubunto?? ::giggles::
hey, seriosly, I know that linux and microsoft are two seperate mindsets and represent not only two different types of markets, but two different types of users with entirely different types of need. I honestly cheer on all the linux success I hear about. I figure that as long as they didn’t go Mac, then there’s still some hope.
stay cool
rob “the chillmaster” fancher
Hi DJ …. Some answers.
1. I freshly installed Vista after formatting. Updated it by Windows Update. All is well till now. I start a Bit Torrent client. Wait for the next 2 mins it will crash.
2. Third party software can be found for any OS. The thing I am talking about is ease of installation. Try Synaptic in Ubuntu, you will know, what I mean.
3. If effects are not important, I don’t think anyone is going out to buy Vista. Vista is just effects. I don’t think there is anything revolutionary in the new Windows OS.
4. Customize Vista ? Pay for some software like WindowBlinds. You can do it.
Ubuntu has never needed anyone developing software for its customization.
5. Spybot… Why the need to run it if your computing habits are responsible ? If responsible computing habits can ward off viruses then all anti virus shops would have shut by now.
Hmm.. hi Robert !
1 - My hardware is the newest and I brought it just one month ago with Windows Vista pre-installed. See this link.
2. Try Synaptic Package Manager. You will never see Next screens anymore.
3. For people who want to change Vista’s appearance, they need extra software. Ubuntu never needs anything extra.
Great post, even I too got the latest Ubuntu, I’m yet to try it.
Thanks Nirmal… Don’t wait.. Try it man.
[...] December 5, 2007 http://www.manast.com/2007/12/04/5-reasons-why-you-should-be-using-ubuntu-710-instead-of-windows-vis... [...]
Two huge reasons why I use Vista instead of Ubuntu…
1. Ubuntu doesnt work with my Windows mobile phone (or most smartphones, for that matter.)
2. Its almost impossible to get Ubuntu to work with Worlds of Warcraft (or most video games, for that matter.)
In other words, I dont use Ubuntu very often because it just isnt compatible with enough devices or software programs to warrant switching.
I love Ubuntu, -have it on my secondary HDD, with it being the default start-up OS. We still need XP for some things, -for me, it’s some software that I haven’t had time or desire to use on Ubuntu (get WINE, etc. to make it work). But still, -there are Linux alternatives like GIMP, GIMPshop if you prefer the ‘paint shop-like’ GUI.
But basically, I could dis M$ entirely at any point. It’s the sneeky little updates and endless security patches that pmo the most. With Ubuntu, -there are upgrades every ~6-months and issues are addressed, but it isn’t the constant barrage of ’security vulnerability found’ as with Windoze products…
I found the transition from XP to Ubuntu easier than the transition from Win_95 to Win_98. And for anyone whom is unsure of the ease of Linux, -you could try “PCLinuxOS”, which is a Linux distro that is more-or-less set-up to emulate the ‘intuitive look & feel’ of XP/VISTA. I used it for awhile, -then swapped it out for Ubuntu. I wish I’d kept PCLinuxOS on the drive, but overall, Ubuntu is imho, a much better distro.
-Joel A. Burdick
NotConvinced, no its not impossible in fact its not even hard. I have it running just fine(and many others it comes down to reading.). As far as a windows phone goes well there you have it. But In the end its the user who makes the choice. Have a nice day
no bioshock, no photoshop, no adobe lightroom, no itunes.
gimp and amarok are good but they are not good enough.
This does not even begin to explain the difficultly getting wireless to work on linux. I don’t think linux is ready for the novice.
Yes. You still need to run a firewall.
Hmm.. I think your post is a bit short and pointless.
First of all, I been running various vistas (enterprise|ultimate) since beta. During beta there were problems, but mainly due to the out of date hardware I was using. I’ve since upgraded and my work computer is a year old shipped with xp. Both machines run smooth as hell. A few minor tweaks such as turning UAC off (within control panel/users) with little more than a crash between them. Also I use no other firewall apart from Windows Firewall and decent settings on my router. I scour dodgy sites all the time and still have no problems (thanks to NoScript for Firefox). Torrents have never crashed my pc, even using that plus Winamp (media player) browser windows open, and NewsLeecher (usenet client).
I don’t agree with these comments as far as security goes. Also I’m an avid gamer, and Linux doesn’t cut it for me. This isn’t to say I dont like linux. I use Backtrack 2 at work for security audits, knoppixmyth at home for a media machine, and OpenSUSE at work for other network tasks. I also run a webserver on linux.
Both of these are useful but for very different reasons. I must say Linux looks cooler booting, and for actually setting machines up for a reason.
As a standard home user who just browses the net, writes emails and documents (OpenOffice.org) linux is very good. Ubuntu is also pretty good as its mac like (For dumb asses/ignorant) and a lot of the annoyances with people installing millions of toolbars and every program they can find can be missed entirely. Saying this, I have crashed linux machines, but I knew it was going to happen. Same with PC’s, They only crash If I force it to do too much.
Basically, Ubuntu is for people who couldn’t care less about how to program and maintain their own machines and It’s free.
and whats to say you can’t multiboot into either/or. Or even use linux in windows, or windows in linux. VMWare.com are giving away vmware server at the moment. Bit off track from the point but hey…. its free
There is no Raid5 support, at least with the nvidia chipset I have.
Gaming is a tad too diffcult.
Wirless is a royal PITA.
Ubuntu is in some ways like that hot 20 somthing, great at what it does do, but not well rounded enough just yet.
I will be the first to admit it though, I will be one of the happiest when Ubuntu does get it and will probably switch over and never look back….
List of Problems Ubuntu Has [according to the first 21 comments]
1. Gaming is a tad too difficult
2. Wireless is hard to set up
3. No Raid5 support [have no clue what that is...]
4. no bioshock, no photoshop, no adobe lightroom, no itunes.
5. Ubuntu doesnt work with my Windows mobile phone (or most smartphones, for that matter.)
6. Its almost impossible to get Ubuntu to work with Worlds of Warcraft (or most video games, for that matter.)
A good list of things that programmers should try to fix (if possible) [photoshop not working is due to the vendor]
Yeah, I agree that Linux cannot run most of the Windows games.
@ Adrian writes “”"” As a standard home user who just browses the net, writes emails and documents (OpenOffice.org) linux is very good. Ubuntu is also pretty good as its mac like (For dumb asses/ignorant)
Basically, Ubuntu is for people who couldn’t care less about how to program and maintain their own machines and It’s free. “”"
Ahem, Ubuntu is for the basic home user ??? Who told you that. It should be Windows is for the basic home user. Tell me which programmer besides .NET uses Windows. All servers are Linux. Ever thought why ?
Again, Ubuntu is not Mac and you should get your facts right before commenting that Ubuntu is for ignorant people.
I dual boot Vista and Ubuntu (well, Kubuntu because I like KDE better), and let me tell you - I refuse to use Vista. In fact, the only reason I have it on my hard drive was for a stupid class I thought I needed Internet Explorer for, but as it turns out - even Internet Explorer works in Linux! What’s with the Ubuntu bashers? It is hands down the most stable operating system I’ve ever used. When a program freezes up on Windows, you have to do a hard shut down - but we all love holding down the power button, right? Seriously, I have never been able to kill a frozen Windows program without having to dick around with task manager, and clicking “end task” a thousand times. In Linux, you have two options - ctrl+alt+esc (turns your cursor into an x or a skull and crossbones, and allows you to instantly kill any program you click on), or ctrl+alt+backspace (kills your xserver and brings you back to the logon screen). It’s that simple, and I’ve never had a problem with it. Granted, I hardly ever have to use those tasks, since programs RARELY malfunction/freeze in Linux. Not to mention, if I have a consistent issue with a program, I can run it in a terminal to see exactly what error(s) it encounters. When Windows runs into a problem, it will sometimes say “an unknown error has occurred.” Any software developer will tell you that it is not at all “unknown” by the computer. This is because the company does not want customers to know when their OS is causing errors within itself.
Games? My laptop has a Nvidia Geforce 8600 GT, and I can utilize it to its full potential. And yes, I can even OVERCLOCK. There’s a program called Cedega, which allows me to play Bioshock flawlessly.
As far as other programs go, I’ve never had a problem with open-source software interpretations. And for those who have to pay for the name of their software (i.e. Photoshop and itunes), use WINE or VMWare. Frankly, I find Gimp far better than Photoshop because there are a broader range of plugins, but I have Photoshop 7 installed under WINE, just in case I need it. I also have Indesign working.
Wireless is tricky on some laptops because companies like Broadcom and Marvell refuse to release the source code to their drivers. This makes it next to impossible for Linux developers to write open-source drivers, and they have to rely on reverse engineering to do so. Why won’t these companies help out the Linux community? Well, what’s in it for them? Micro$oft pays them good money to strictly develop driver software for Windows and Windows server only. However, companies like HP and Intel are very good open-source and Linux contributors. They are always good about releasing driver source code, and helping out where they can. I have an Intel wireless card, which was detected by Ubuntu right away - so I didn’t have to install anything. My girlfriend’s laptop had a Broadcom wireless card, so I had to use ndiswrapper to get it working, but it really wasn’t hard at all. I also have an HP printer, which was just as easy to install in Kubuntu as it would have been on a Windows machine.
Of course Ubuntu doesn’t work with your WINDOWS mobile phone!! What the hell did you think - Micro$oft would allow their product to be compatible with a competing OS?!? This is also the reason Apple no longer allows their ipods to be supported in Linux - they see it as a threat! This is not the fault of Ubuntu by any means! In fact, there are Linux developers out there right now devoting their time to find solutions to these issues - and I might add they are very good at fixing bugs!
I went with Kubuntu a year ago and never looked back. It was just too obvious a choice for me.
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I’m using a dual boot of ubuntu and XP, and I really love ubuntu, it has really come a long way, and I have never seen a piece of software mature like that, but unfortunately windows is still indispensable to me as linux is lagging in gaming and video editing, two things that are essential for any average user.
Yes ubuntu is very safe and needs no antivirus, but too bad it can’t run adobe after effects, and don’t - even for a second - start talking about Jahshaka, becuz that’s just a bunch of bugs and crashes disguised as a program, it just sucks.
I expect to see more from ubuntu (ubuntu studio doesn’t cut it yet) in the next few years, and yay for the progress they’re making with this wonderful OS, but it’s just not ready yet to replace my good ol’windows.
and I forgot to say that photoshop actually kinda works pretty good with wine, and GIMP can be amazing at times …
Manas - You’ve got the comments slightly wrong their and probably didn’t read the rest of what I wrote. Ubuntu is known as Linux for human’s right. Because It’s mac like - simple, with everything setup for you. I probably didn’t explain it right, but thats what I mean. I do like Ubuntu, but your point was that it is better than vista. In your experience maybe, but not mine. I DO use various distributions of linux and they are extremely good at what they do.
When I said it was for the basic home user I mean that any general home user could use it happily, as they have all the software they will need at their fingertips.
I am in no way dissing Ubuntu, as I happen to think they are doing an excellent job, and I think you should chill. The dig there was for mac users not Ubuntu.
Peace.
Sorry if i got your comments wrong, Adrian.
Itunes better than amorok? HAHA!
You’ve GOT to be joking!
If you unfortunately have a dial-up modem (like me) then you still have to wait to get it working on Ubuntu.
Having installed RH, Slackware and some other flavors of Linux on my 486 32mb of RAM machine back in the early nineties and having managed the installation and support of over 100,000 machines in the past 20 years I still have to laugh at people who say Linux is good for the average user. You apparently are not familiar with the “average” user!!! The notion that these “average” users are going to 1. Research and find an open source OS that they like 2. Download it and create the CD/DVD 3. Get through the setup and config 4. Find suitable replacements for all of their software 5. Get all of the new software installed and configured to their liking is naive and ignorant! Secondly, from an IT support perspective, the thought of moving an entire medium or large size company to Linux is still a joke. I am a huge fan of Linux, a developer, a long time IT support manager, wrote my first program in 1983, etc… and I am yet to be convinced! Now, if you spend your time administering Linux web servers, and writing little programs to give away for free/fun, aren’t engaged in the IT operations of a large organization, and basically spend your time on the web playing around with your blog… then go for it!!! Ubuntu is for you!!!!
And for the record, I own and administer two RHEL servers with around 85 high traffic sites that I have built and managed so I believe in linux… just not for the average user or for the desktop in most cases!
P.S. Mana, I dig your blog so please don’t take this as a shot at you!!! I am responding to all of the Vista bashing that goes on… My Vista boxes (LT and DT) run great!
A friend is trying to get me to use ubuntu and I am not opossed to it. I installed it on my e-machine with some diffuculty mostly due to my error and lack of knowledge the only problem I cam up against is installing the programs that I have for them to use for their homeschooling. If I can get help geting over this hurdle I think I will install it on all our household/homeschooling computers. Any suggestions would be great.
Ambrose
open a terminal
type in:
sudo apt-get install wine
then try to install your software by right clicking on the setup icon and selecting the first option, “Open with Wine Windows Emulator”
hope this helps
Jake is right. Use Wine, its free and lets you use a large number of Windows programs on Linux.
I have been a user of few ubuntu releases, 7.10 is by far the best, it setup ALL drivers for me without me even noticing that i need to install any drivers; this includes, modem, webcam and wireless! in this regards, ubuntu leaves vista & xp FAR FAR behind …
however, i cannot sync/connect my samsung YP-P2 player, blackberry is still a trouble (berry cant install new themes on my 8700e) (no, wine wouldnt install samsung software nor it installs desktop manager for blackberry) AND ubuntu is a battery hog,
with XP i get about 6 hours of battery life on my notebook, with ubuntu its only 3.5 MAX … now thats a SERIOUS issue for me cuz i was really expecting ubuntu to do more than xp in this regard …
(heart broken may i say?)
i agree where people say software companies dont cooperate … .but what do i say when it comes to the battery issue?
Hi Bilal. Yup for me too battery is an issue. But expect the battery life to improve with Hardy Heron.
very good post….
i also in fever of ubuntu… and all linux flavours…
tell u what happen with me…
i m using a windows pc at my home and doing php programming with mysql as database, at that time i use LAMP server on my windows pc. But in my company all the computers are working on ubuntu, and once i had talk with my project leader that “how hard to install ubuntu.. i want to use linux ” at that time i had no idea about ubuntu. and he said its very easy, once u get on it u will never leave using it…at that time i got a cd from company and try to install at home…on starting it is fear that what happen but after install i find it easier than windows and it requires no additional drivers to install externally… and after i install LAMP server… and it will a lot easer to work with ubuntu then windows…
and till then i had never let back with windows and now i feel that ubuntu is better then windows for “Serious Programming”. I very much like that stability, reliability of ubuntu and all linux flavours…
By de way i had got good knowledge to read comments and their answers to their comments…
“But can any one give me information that how tho connect my mobile phone with computer through bluetooth…???:)”
Verry Nice Post…Keep Put post like this
Thanks for the appreciation, tejas.
we’re at 8.10 now!! (woo-hoo!)
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