Nearly Two Years On Linux

My wife and I have been using Ubuntu Linux 12.04 LTS for nearly two years and I haven't posted much on this blog.  I guess that is a key indicator that there hasn't been much drama using Linux.  We've been surfing and handling day-to-day business on Linux without any problem.  We've extended the lives of our computers for two years.  We've avoided buying costly software.  This post will simply note some of the highlights and hassles of using Ubuntu Linux 12.04 LTS as end users.

Hassles.  There have been a few hassles using Linux so far. 

1. Facebook.  We've been using Firefox and Chromium for our surfing needs.  We find that videos often fail to play when running Chromium.  The flash-based games on FB also have their fair share of problems.

2. Photo Editing.  It took us a long while to figre out how to edit photos under Linux.  All we want to do is crop photos, resize them, and post them.   For easy resizing we use Gwenview. For free form drawing, my wife uses TuxPaint.  As mere mortals, we haven't tried to figure out Gimp.

3.  Under the Hood.  When we have problems, we search the web and try to find an answer.  But, we don't know how to use the console or make command-line changes.  Unlike Windows, we have no intuitive feel for how things work.

Highlights.  Ubuntu has been status quo computing for our household.  We haven't soared to new heights in our computing capabilities.

1.  No Microsoft.  We haven't had to buy a Microsoft Windows upgrade.  We skipped the whole Window 8 mess.
2.  No Apple.  We didn't have to join the Apple flock and spend more money.
3.  No Expensive Anti-Virus Software.  When we were running Windows our machines were hampered by popular anti-virus / security solutions.  We don't have to pay a subscription fee.
4.  Minor Learning Curve for Software.  Most of the software we have used for Office work has been straight forward and easy to use.

In short, Ubuntu 12.04 LTS has been a workable operating system.  Not much drama.

My Cameras Work With Ubuntu Linux

One of the big worries I had about switching to Linux was that my digital cameras would be incompatible.  I had nightmares about having to go out and get another camera.  However, I'm pleased to find that my Kodak Z950 Digital Camera and RCA Small Wonder Camcorder both work well with Ubuntu Linux and Shotwell.

Notes from a Linux Novice 5:  Support for Digital Cameras 
and Camcorders with Shotwell.

Kodak Z950 Digital Camera

Since Kodak is withdrawing from the consumer digital camera market, I'm really relieved to know that I can count on Linux to continue supporting my orphan.

My Favorite Game - I Have No Tomatoes!

I found one of my favorite open source games in the Ubuntu Software Center.  It's a classic called I Have No Tomatoes!  It's like Pac-Man with Q-bertesque graphics and cool power-ups!  Check it out!

By Muffet [CC-BY-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Features of Ubuntu Linux 12.04 LTS that Windows Users Will Find Comforting

The switch to Linux seems scary and daunting to Windows users.  For years, Microsoft used Fear Uncertainty and Doubt (FUD) to scare users away from new operating systems.  But, now the tables are turned.  In many ways, the move to Ubuntu Linux is more comforting than upgrading to Windows 8.  This article covers the features that of the Precise Pangolin that I've found most comforting as I've transitioned away from Windows:

Notes from a Linux Novice 4:  Familiar Features of Ubuntu Linux

Measuring Heat with PSensors in Ubuntu Linux

Is your laptop getting hot?  How hot?  Is it a hazard?  Are you getting into a range where you might damage components?  If you want to get a handle on heat, there is an application called Psensors that monitors the temperatures of critical components.  I used it to diagnose a problem and then took decisive action to clean up my old laptop, unclog vents, and fans, and really bring down my laptop temperatures.  For more information, check out my article --

Notes from a Linux Novice 3:  Handling Laptop Heat with Ubuntu and Psensors

A N00b does an Ubuntu install!

It's always nerve-wracking to leave a familiar operating system behind.  You worry about your data.  You worry about your computer.  You worry about challenges that may come up.  There are lots of things to worry about when you decide to switch to Linux.  Of course, having a semi-functional Windows Vista machine made my decisions easier.  Here are my notes on my Ubuntu 12.04 LTS install:

Notes from a Linux Novice 2:  Replacing Windows Vista with Ubuntu 12.04 LTS Precise Pangoline

Pangoline Skeletons, By Sklmsta (Own work) [CC0], via Wikimedia Commons

Why I Chose Linux

This week is all about the release of Windows 8.  It looks like an interesting product.  People will get to know its new features, its pricing schemes, and how it does in the marketplace against Apple products.  People will want to know whether Windows 8 is the salvation of Microsoft and of the PC.  I won't be one of those people for awhile.

I chose a different path and here is my story.  It's a story of a machine trying to survive.  My humble Acer Aspire 5515 laptop worked like a champ for three years -- even running Windows Vista.  However, this passed spring, I installed McAfee Total Protection 2012.  I had trouble with it.  Sometimes the product would forget that I was a registered user.  Twice I had to turn control of my PC over to their tech support in India to fix the problem.  Then, they distributed a bad software patch.  They sent a message and a link for rolling it back.  I tried that.  It didn't work.  It left my machine very unstable.  I had trouble saving files.  I had trouble getting some software to run. I took McAfee off my machine and my wife's machine and spent about $90 for Norton security software.  Yet, my machine was still a cripple.

I struggled for about a month and then I started using a LiveCD that came with a copy of Ubuntu User magazine that I found in the book store.  That's when the turnaround came.  I decided to install a whole new operating system.  I chose Linux.  Here are some of the reasons why:

Notes from a Linux Novice:  Why I Chose Linux Ubuntu 12.04 LTS Over Windows 8