Is it safe?

Safe?

It's a Linux Distribution not a bomb. :)

I tried it and had a few issues getting it to install - it was on a 5 or 6 year old machine, so that might have been the problem.

It's highly rated, although I ended up going elsewhere because I was so peeved at the problems I was encountering.

I've got ubuntu dual booting on one of the laptops - installed desktop system in around 10 minutes. Picked up all my devices even my wireless card. Works like a dream.

If you just want to try it you can boot from the CD and try it without installing anything to the hard drive.

As for is it safe - in what way?

I have used it, one of the very first Linux distro I used.
You can run it as a live CD (http://se.releases.ubuntu.com/dapper/)if you dont want to install to HD.

rather reminiscent of Laurence Olivier in the Marathon Man:hihi:

we've just been playing about with edubuntu today in work, looks like we're going to use it for the it room:thumbsup:

fnkysknky. I meant does it have any viruses? judging by the other posts it does'nt. Thanks.

it's good, but you may have some problems with scanner support and laptop hardware (I know I did).

Viruses for unix based systems are few and far between and even if they do get out in to the wild don't tend to last long.

I wrestled with the wireless for a couple of days, but other than that, its a very easy system to install and update. Try the LiveCD first which will give you a feel.

Yeah WPA secuitry is a pain in the arse to get working, apart from that had no trouble.

well I worked with it a few times ... but it gets stucked sometimes ... and I have a Barton 2500+ so ...

but it's good

I'm actually interested in this.

Never come accross it before and for a while now I've been wanting to try a Linux OS out. I've strictly always used Windows and i've heard a lot of positive things about the Linux OS as well as that which I've just read here about the spyware/viruses being rare or whatever. I find that pretty appealing as there's always something new to worry about with Windows and critters messing about in your system!

Shall I or what? The only thing that sort of puts me off is losing all my data and the thought I may dislike ubuntu :S 'cause obviously I'd have to format C and everything and with no external HD to back up my data it's a go for it or not at all situation... How would I deal with my partition on C? I mean I've got a 2gb partition set up with PartitionMagic 8.0 for my page-file, would I encounter any probs as far as thats concerned?

The LiveCD, can I just run it and test it, just like that?

In fact, what is the difference: Ubuntu, Kubuntu and Xubuntu?

Also, just wondered, pretty important as I've never had to download anyhting for a linux OS, what is the definition of the terminology I am looking at? Like for the nVidia graphics installer archive here (http://www.nvidia.com/object/unix.html) what is that all about?

In fact if someone would be kind enough to assist me with this could you reccommend or inform me rather of what I would need to download for my hardware: GeForce FX 5200 and nVidia nForce 2 mobo (crappy, i know...). The soundcard I'll figure out for myself, gotta learn it sometime havn't I.#

Cheers.

If you're just wanting to have a look at Linux, don't worry about drivers, don't really worry about differences between versions. Most of the Linux distributions that are easier to get to grips with come with LiveCD versions.

The LiveCDs, yes, you can just run them. As long as your PC will boot from the CD/DVD drive. Just download a few & have a play, if you really want to install a copy on your PC properly, then come back & start interrogating people about drivers :thumbsup: :hihi:

The main difference between Ubuntu, Kubuntu and Xubuntu is the desktop they are built around

Ubuntu - Gnome
Kubuntu - KDE
Xubuntu - Kfce

Ubuntu is a good place to start for now, just download the LiveCD and boot from that - unless you specifically try to edit the hard drive files then nothing will be touched on it. Driver support is actually rather good - you'll find most things 'just work' unless it's WPA on wireless which is a pain in the arse but you can't have everything.

The graphics. After trying the LiveCD I've noticed that everything is a bit larger than well Windows and the UI, the desktop composition, doesn't seem as of a high quality.

Is this something that is corrected after a proper installation with the use of OpenGL?

That'll be the resolution - chances are you've booted into 800x600. To enable the high resolutions you usually have to change a config file and add the new resolutions by hand.

Welcome to Linux. Sudo is about to become your new favourite word.

Lol.

But I noticed it was already in 1024x768?....

Linux desktops don't tend to look as polished as a Windows desktop but to be fair how much do you think Microsoft spent on getting that polished effect? :)

No doubt they'll catch up at some point but for now it's good enough for me. Depends what you want out of it really. I dual boot it anyway, it's not my main OS.

the Gnome interface can be a bit chunky. But remember that the developers don't have MS/Apple's limitless resources.

Or designers

And Linux is made by geeks for geeks.

And geeks aren't (usually) designers :thumbsup:

Exactly :)

If your after desktop candy on ubuntu check out Compiz (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compiz), looks good :thumbsup:

Hmm, i always prefered KDE over Gnome though to be honest after fiddling about with suse and kubuntu on 2 different PC's and not getting it to work properly i gave up and carried on using WinXP.

Linux is said to use less resources too, but on the resources monitor is was always taking loads of memory and cpu time... Anyway, i can't use it now as i've forgotten the root and user passwords (d'oh) however i use grub to dual boot if i want.

the Gnome interface can be a bit chunky. But remember that the developers don't have MS/Apple's limitless resources.

Or designers

And Linux is made by geeks for geeks.

And geeks aren't (usually) designers :thumbsup:


One thing that bugged me about Gnome was the tabbing order/. You can tab between fields in a dialogue, but the order is often shot, and focus can end up in a cul-de-sac, meaning you have to grab he mouse and click fields individually.

With that and my experience of The Gimp, Wireless LAN setup on a VAIO, any number of DTP programs etc, I'm back with Mr Gates on XP. Not even a dual boot anymore.

But
If you have an old computer, and you want a free operating system and software that will connect you to the net, get your mail, play music & video, browse the web and use MSN, Ubuntu is brilliant. I'll keep checking back with it with a view to switching. Adobe et al will soon be packaging for Linux if they aren't already.

Linux desktops don't tend to look as polished as a Windows desktop but to be fair how much do you think Microsoft spent on getting that polished effect? :)

No doubt they'll catch up at some point but for now it's good enough for me. Depends what you want out of it really. I dual boot it anyway, it's not my main OS.

Dual boot?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dual_boot

It's just installing two operating systems on one machine :)