When we heard about the NZ government’s review of the patent system, we jumped at the chance to do something about this patent issue that was making us all increasingly nervous. We wrote up and presented our submissions (you candownload our submission) to Commerce Commission Select Committee which made our case for excluding software from patentability in New Zealand. Following the formal Select Committee process, the government announced its support for the findings of the committee which included the unanimous recommendation that software be excluded from patentability (although with an apparently minor caveat that “embedded software” still be patentable). Wow, we were overjoyed. And that’s when things got really ugly.
A number of multinational software companies, including Microsoft and IBM, along with their lobbying organisation, the very misleadingly named but extraordinarily well funded “NZICT Group” (who had failed to “get around” to making a submission to the Select Committee), tried to use back-room influence on the Ministry of Economic Development to overturn the decision.
I tried Ubuntu but couldn’t get used to it. For one it had less sharp rendering than Windows, so it always looked a little blurry. And the whole package repository thing is gimmicky and annoying. It constantly wants to update something and you don’t really have control over what you got installed. Then you have to go through a lengthy process of finding Linux alternatives for all your software. And you have to learn bash. (Yes, you do. The Linux Nazis like to torture people.) And there’s a huge learning curve and everything in Ubuntu seems unnecessarily complicated and elitist. It does require a substantial investment of time and effort to get the hang of it. Better learn something useful. I say don’t bother. You already paid for Windows, you won’t get that back by switching to Ubuntu.
I use Linux. But I’ve never used Windows; the few times I’ve been forced to use someone else’s computer with Windows I’ve had nightmares for a week afterwards.
Nielso, you can use a LiveCD (or LiveUSB if you have a modern motherboard/bios) therefore testing linux (with somewhat degraded performance) without it touching(risking) your harddrive-existing install.
I’m using Ubuntu 10.04 “Lucid Lynx” on my old laptop. It actually saved the laptop and extended its service life… and saved me a few bucks from not having to buy a new computer. If I can get my wife to allow me to do the same to the desktop, I will. The only problem I’ll have is the one video game I actually play, EVE Online, is no longer actively supported for Linux.
As my business plan evolves, I actaully believe that I’ll be using Linux-based software as much as possible. If I need to use a Windows-based program, I’m going to use it in Wine (a Windows emulator).
I say make the switch, you won’t regret it unless you’re really addicted to Windows.
I have Ubuntu 10.04. I switched about a year ago from Vista and haven’t looked back since.
I didn’t have the problems mentioned above: “blurriness” and bash and all that. I don’t even know what bash is. And the screen looks the very same as any other operating system, except I consider the environment to be more aesthetically pleasing than windows or mac osx. Which version of ubuntu?
Sometimes you have to use terminal, if that is what you mean. But only for very optional things (adding repositories or quick installs or stuff like that). And the commands are pretty easy. I basically just find commands for specific things by googling them. I haven’t really learned much, but sometimes I memorize common commands.
You can get almost all windows stuff to work with Wine. Or the virtualbox that can emulate all other operating systems if need be. This includes games and software (in wine or virtual box). Many of the ‘replacements’ were pretty easy to find. It comes with office software and you can just search for stuff in the Ubuntu Software Center. A lot of things like browsers and video players and java and videogame emulators and stuff like that… is all the same programs. Just get the linux version on their site (or sometimes in the USC as mentioned above).
I think the best thing is that you don’t need security subscriptions and mcafee and all kinds of other junk like defrag. Which was slowing down my computer. Everything has been incredibly stable for a solid year. You can see why they want to sue. They are getting to about the same level or greater technology as microsoft (better where it counts, actually). The distributions are getting better all the time. And they are free.
I have the latest Ubuntu on a virtual machine. I used that have 10.04 on a my laptop, but when I upgraded to the latest version, the update screwed up my laptop. Overall, I like Ubuntu, but the selection of software sucks, especially when it comes to games.
Used to run servers with Debian (a distribution of Linux). Wouldn’t recommend Linux for office/desktop stuff, just because you’ll always end up fiddling with the terminal. It’s not like I’m afraid of the command prompt, it’s just that when I want a proper functioning desktop, I don’t want to have to always mess with permissions or a bunch of other annoying little things that require the terminal.
Plus, drivers are finicky. Everyone harps on Microsoft, but I love XP. It’s stable, well-supported by almost everyone, and functions properly.
I use Ubuntu exclusively, I have declared my household a “Microsoft Free Zone”. For a horror story about a small business honestly trying to do the right thing, but instead discovering the dark side of “Intellectual Property”, read what happened to the Ernie Ball company: http://news.cnet.com/2008-1082_3-5065859.html
I use Windows 7 and Ubuntu Linux (latest edition). I have been dual booting for about 6 years. I also try other distros tho. I really like puppy and linux mint.
This is probably a drivers issue. It’s difficult to get official drivers for one’s monitor. Also, the fonts are different from Mac and Windows, but that’s a copyright issue.
Yes, it does, but you probably went through it when you learned to use your first operating system.
It haven’t found a way to play Civilization without Windows.
But I find that most of the problems with Ubuntu, and anything open-source, are a result of copyright or patents.
But yeah, for a college who wants to surf the web, listen to music, watch movies, read ebooks, and write papers and even do spreadsheets and powerpoints, Ubuntu is enough. There’s no need for a Mac.
Regarding the horror story, do you apply the same logic to everything else? Do you not watch Hollywood movies nor listen to major record label music? After all, they’ve pretty much done the same.
I play all my games on Windows, and use some apps. I use ubuntu when I’m going to just study and chill. I also sync my ipod via windows.
I don’t mind Microsoft, and I like Bill Gates. Linux is pretty awesome though. Mac is too expensive, overrated, and I don’t like the GUI. You can’t change anything on it, you can do whatever yo u want with linux, and with any hardware. If you know anything about computers, I don’t see the point.
Sorry, I didn’t mean to imply that the reason I don’t use Microsoft is because of the Ernie Ball story. I can see how my including those together in the same paragragh might lead to that conclusion.
I don’t use Microsoft because at this point, I think Ubuntu is the better alternative regardless of cost or IP issues. The fact that the cost is zero and that there are no IP issues to even be remotely concerned about, is just icing on the cake.
As for moives, I prefer to watch them in the theater or to rent DVDs from NetFlix. I have no problem paying for the theater experience, or for the convience of a ready to be played, studio produced DVD.
Yeah, it really depends on what you plan to use the computer for. If you want to be trendy while complaing about how college is unaffordable, then get anything Apple. If you want to play Civ, CoD, etc., then you’ll need a copy of Windows. But for everything else, there’s Linux.