[Wylug-discuss] Ubuntu CDs - Who's Using Ubuntu?

[Eric Forrest]

For myself Ubuntu is a milestone, because it's the first distro that
has been installed on one of my families' computers. ( And I've used
Linux exclusively for ten years. Except now I have a Mac.) This was
made possible because of:

Broadband
An excess of CD-ROMs.
Limited Default Desktop configuration.
( Debian package manager. )

The reasoning behind the change has little to do with the Linux
technology; it's the will to produce a useable distro that's important.

My ranting goes like this.
1) Broadband is the best thing in home computing since the web browser.
A cheap network connection that doesn't need to be turned on,
eliminates 90% of user difficulties. It's a service too good to pass
up. MS Windows is sufficiently robust when used only for word
processing, e-mail, web,and printing. ( Given users have been given
dire enough warning about ever using File Explorer ). However I doubt
Windows 98 could survive user interference once broadband  is
connected. So Linux is now a must have, but which distro?

2) Umbuntu  distro appeared like a flyer for the school disco. Much
like the marketing model for Freeserve or AOL, it's premise is that I
have to have at least 10 copies of the CDs before it registers on my
consciousness. Without the Live CD there's small chance I'd have
installed Umbuntu. Convenience is king. Microsoft knows this. That's
why they fought so hard to get MS Windows on every machine. Now Umbunto
is installed on the machine, it'll stay there for the next 5 years.

3) No matter how many clunky applications for Kgnome, everyone else is
using MS Windows. It's not just the problem of file compatibility. More
important, is the reassurance of being in the same boat as everyone
else and the vast amount of Windows for Dummies literature. The way to
overcome this user inertia is through ease of use. Apple have succeeded
through elegance and integration. Umbuntu ( I'm guessing ) have chosen
simplicity and limited function to tame the clumsy Linux desktop.  The
default desktop install is very important to me. Hours have to be spent
working round network and hardware problems with distros, I don't have
the patience to fiddle with the desktop as well.

4) Apple Macs work, Linux doesn't. Upgrades will be needed. Debian
package manager is the minimum standard I'm used to, there's no going
back to rpm. ( I'm not happy that someone's implied that I can't use
.deb mainstream packages. Is that true? I need saned to get my parallel
port scanner working. It's missing on 4.10 install. ).

In summary
For my purposes Umbutu combines Availability, Simplicity, Debian.


Begin forwarded message:

> From: Dave Fisher <davef at gbdirect.co.uk>
> Date: 6 January 2005 11:06:50 GMT
> To: Nigel Metheringham <Nigel.Metheringham at dev.intechnology.co.uk>
> Cc: Wylug-discuss at wylug.org.uk
> Subject: Re: [Wylug-discuss] Ubuntu CDs - Who's Using Ubuntu?
>
> Hi All,
>
> I noticed that Martin Crowe seemed to be in exactly the same position
> as
> Nigel re excess Ubuntu disks, which prompts me to ask:
>
>   Who's using it, and how many users are there in wylug?
>
> I'm runing a couple of Ubuntu machines at home and a couple of friends
> have installed it for their familes with mostly favourable impressions.
>
> Thus far I've only noticed a few obvious practical differences from a
> stock Debian Testing system:
>
>  * Knoppix-like simplicity and hardware detection during the install
>
>  * A properly integrated multimedia desktop
>
>  * 6 monthly release dates
>
> That said, the small scale, simplicity and undemocratic nature of the
> Ubuntu organisation has an appeal - at least in comparison with the
> worst aspects of Debian bun-fighting.
>
> I've also been led to believe that a significant proportion of the core
> development team are UK-based.  Is this actually true?
>
> On the downside, Ubuntu seems to have all the fiddliness of Debian when
> it comes to building and using custom kernels, 3rd-party/home-rolled
> kernel modules, etc. Ditto for file system layout and naming
> conventions.
>
> Dave
>
>
>
>
> On Thu, Jan 06, 2005 at 10:12:38AM +0000, Nigel Metheringham wrote:
>> I ordered a batch of Ubuntu CDs in (I thought) good time for the
>> December meeting.  Of course they arrived a couple of days before
>> Christmas....
>>
>> If anyone is interested in a CD - I have copies of the i386
>> install/live
>> CDs (2 CD pack), as well as the PPC and x86_64 install CDs, then drop
>> me
>> a line.   I am not sure at present whether I'll be at the meeting on
>> Monday, although if a batch of people want stuff I can arrange for it
>> to
>> get there.
>
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