India Broadband Forum

India Broadband Forum

I was a long time Microsoft fan. After my first brush with computers, I got thoroughly enamored with computers and computing. I thought Microsoft rocked and M S Windows based applications were the ultimate. Though I had heard of Linux as an alternate operating system, I had heard that it was unwieldy and cumbersome to use. A lot of friends like the Doyen of the Goan Cyber World, so also techie and yes even a computer duffer Augusto Pinto tried to persuade me to shift to Linux, but I resisted. A friend even sent me an Edubuntu (7.10) CD but no, I didn't budge.

When I bought my new computer, my techie friend tried to entice me by giving me a live DVD which had various flavours of Ubuntu – Ubuntu, Edubuntu, Kubuntu, Mythubuntu and which could be run off the CD. I tired them all and infact I tried to install one of them from the DVD, but I didn't like what it did to my hard disk architecture and I had to go to the trouble of formatting my hard disk and reinstalling my favourite windows programmes. I was fortunate in this respect that I did not have to call in a technician to do this as I can manage a complete install of windows on my own. After this, for a month or so I did not touch the live DVD.

It was when I read on the Internet that Ubuntu 9.04 (Nicknamed Jaunty Jackalope was to be released on the 23rd April, that I decided to give it a serious try. I tried downloading jaunty from the Ubuntu website, but I couldn't do it so I tried a torrent download and got it. Around this time, I met my techie friend a couple of times and he told me that I would have to partition my hard disk and keep space for the main partition as well as a swap partition. So Soon after Jaunty was released, I partitioned my hard disk. I had about 22 GB spare disk space and so I partitioned it into two partitions of about 11 GB (main) and 11 GB (swap partition ) and successfully installed Ubuntu 9.04 Jaunty Jackalope. Since I had had a taste of handling Ubuntu during my experiments with the live DVD, I had no difficulties. And I had just begun enjoying Ubuntu when disaster struck.

I happened to meet my techie friend and I told him about my experiments with Ubuntu. He told me 11 GB for a swap partition was a waste when I only needed 4 GB to match my RAM! Try as I would I could not repartition my RAM so I had no alternative but to format the partition and reinstall Ubuntu. This time round, I created a partition of 10GB, and 4 GB. By now I had become a veteran at Ubuntu installation. I then began sculpting the Ubuntu installation to my taste. At this time, I slowly also began to realize the true potential of Ubuntu. I installed AWN (Avant Windows Notifier) which is rather cute. I also deleted panels, created new panels and enjoyed playing around. By no means, this was my own work. I relied entirely on the internet and sometimes on advice from my techie friend. There were a number of applications to install and I began to realise that 10 GB might not be enough. Also from my original 22 GB partition, around 8 GB were floating around not being used at all. I tried to incorporate the 8 GB into the 10 GB but could not so I gave up and did a repartition and re-install.

Though I still run windows on my machine via dual boot, my preferred OS today is Ubuntu. It has not been all smooth sailing. For instance, when I was installing Ubuntu, I chose a manual install. I got stuck for several frustrating minutes at that point in the installation when I got a terse message “ No root file system selected” and the installation wouldnt proceed. Also, one has to select Ext 3 JFS and or now in jaunty Ext 4 JFS (JFS = Journalising File System) and “ / ” (available on a dropdown menu) as the root. No one tells you this. Many of the applications that we take for granted in windows like sound etc have to be manually configured. Without broadband, Linux is no fun as you cannot configure and download many of the files needed for the fine tuning of the Ubuntu OS. I also had quite some problems with my webcam till I installed a programme called “Cheese”. Only later after experimenting I learnt that there was a vast amount of online help available for Ubuntu.

On the other hand Ubuntu offers a lot of programmes an features that Windows does not offer. More than that, they are FREE.

Today, a few friends and I have installed Ubuntu in a local college lab and are in the process of educating local teachers on the advantages of FOSS.

I am looking forward to Karmic Koala in October.

Jambo = Hello in Swahili
Ubuntu = (pronounced (oo-BOON-too) Humanness in one of the Central African Languages

matrix

Great to here this from an young Indian! Congratulations!

As an accational user of linux for about 10 years, I become a full time user of linux some 3-4 months back and enjoying and encouraging my colleagues around and other freinds to shift to linux.

Yes I agree it is not child play for a newbie. Though a lot have changed still a long way to go in linux world. But as a free OS (not only the OS along with a lot of other applications free for everyday use, mind it you don't get them free with your windows OS) you can expect some difficulty. Once you are little familiar with the concept of *nix OS especially the file system, partition, users, security, etc. you never hesitate using the OS and like it much for the security features.

It is encouraging to hear from an young Indian that you are trying to teach others with your experience. We want many more youngsters like you. Always a lot of help is available online. So carry on with the good work you will find it enjoyable and can learn a lot and can have a good career in linux.

WISH YOU ALL THE BEST.

Luke Skywalker

One thing that ubuntu had achieve is make linux simple. It is pulling new base especailly of windows.

Otherwise it is not that great distro in term of customisation.