How easy is Ubuntu to use?

Question

I am an average level computer user who has grown accustomed to Windows but now wants to make the jump to Linux. I want a straight forward, user friendly operating system. Is Ubuntu the right choice for me?

Answer 1

Ubuntu is a good choice.



Other user friendly distros include SUSE, Mint and Ultimate Edition.



There is a learning curve but there is a plethora of help available on the internet.

Answer 2

Is Ubuntu Easy To Use

Answer 3

It's not so much the Distro you pick as it is the GUI (General User Interface). Two of the most popular GUIs that most "distros" use are Gnome and KDE. These GUIs can be installed on any distro. That's part of the beauty of Linux. Its flexibility and the way you can customize your system to fit YOUR needs and desires! Find out a bit about those two GUIs (and more) here:



http://blogs.zdnet.com/perlow/?p=9848&tag=nl.e540



Just remember that Linux is the Core Kernel of the "Linux OS". A Distribution or "Distro" is simply that Core Kernel with certain software packages (including any given GUI) packed around it. Like Windows, one can add and/or subtract software to/from that bundle as needed.



Ubuntu is just one out of *many* distros to choose from as evidenced here:



http://distrowatch.com/



I have seen it suggested in many places on the web that for a first time Linux user the distros listed below (in no particular order) are the best to start with.



●Any of the *buntus.



http://www.ubuntu.com/



http://www.kubuntu.org/



http://www.xubuntu.org/



●Mandriva



http://www.mandriva.com/



●Linux Mint



http://www.linuxmint.com/



●PCLinuxOS



http://www.pclinuxos.com/



Now, a *lot* of distros come on "Live" or sometimes called "Bootable" CDs. That is a CD with the distro on it that you can boot from your CD ROM and try out to see if you like it or not. While doing so you won't be disturbing the hard drive at all thereby leaving its resident OS (Operating System e.g. Windows, Mac, other Linux distro, etc.) completely intact. It also allows you to find out if an older computer is capable of running a particular distro. If it runs ok from the CD ROM it'll run much better installed on the hard drive! ;)



Some advanced computer admins even use these CDs to repair a corrupt system or retrieve files so that a clean install of that system can be made without losing those files. Learn more about Live/Bootable CDs here:



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



I would strongly suggest that you find a Linux User Group (LUG for short) in your area by visiting this web site:



http://www.linux.org/groups/



The members of 'your' LUG will be happy to help you with your migration to the Penguin. My LUG has been invaluable to me!!!



I hope this helps you understand more about Linux in general. Good Luck! :)



.

Answer 4

Ubuntu is as easy to use as Windows. If you're running Firefox, you're running Firefox - whether it's in Windows or Ubuntu. If you're on a command line, you probably can't do much in Windows (like esoteric batch files), and you'll be at the same level in an Ubuntu terminal window.



But once you learn shell scripting, and the utilities that are available, you can do a whole lot more in Linux, easier, than you can in Windows. (There are many things that you just can't do in a Windows batch file that are easy to do in a Linux shell.)



About the only difference is that some programs for Linux come only in source form and you have to compile them yourself. Once you learn to do that (and it shouldn't take a whole day), you have a lot more power at your fingertips than any Windows user who can't write his own programs.

Answer 5

If you have not installed Ubuntu already then I implore you to try wubi. I am shocked that so many here have not suggested it to you. Yes you could try the live CD but that tool is now used in totally different circumstances. It is superceded by wubi. Why? Because the live CD is very slow so is only truly of use in mending a broken system which won't boot. I won't explain anything about wubi except that it truly does remove as advertised unlike some programs which don't even show up in 'add/remove software' list in Windows(TM). Have a little read:-



http://wubi-installer.org/



PS choose xubuntu only if you have a slow system. I'd go with Gnome (Ubuntu) or KDE (Kubuntu) in that order. KDE is prettier and has great accompanying apps (which work in gnome too) but they sometimes cause problems - though not unsurmountable - which may never even appear. Gnome is more practicable and the desktop more akin to that of Windows(TM) but also can candified (as in 'eye-candy')



Welcome to Linux and email me for anything at all. A couple of apps will need to be learned but if you know what you really need I should be able to help. Email tools and IRC set up etc. There are some wonderful apps available. I just found out today that bittorrent is available without wine (I was using utorrent with wine) and if you like graphics or animation you are in luck too though may be better off with Ubuntu Studio.



This is from xaraxl in synaptic (which is ubuntu's add/remove software - there are one or 2 other programs but don't use them except for from the command line or terminal (konsoke in KDE) when you can simply type:



sudo apt-get install xaraxl



sudo su will save you having to type sudo before the apt-get command. basically it gives you higher status/privelged status but only use it when you have several such commands and come out as soon as you can by typing 'exit'



http://www.xaraxtreme.org/about-screenshots.html



amazing and FREE. Blender is awesome too. I just wanted to program but I am looking at graphics now too. You tube is great for ANY tutorials you might need including dual booting. Why dual-boot? I need windows for my all-in-one (lexmark - most don't work with linux but other companies are much better and I have not tried mine with CUPS since 2 year! that's todays job actually) Yeah, make sure you don't need Windows before getting rid. Also what IM do you use? Ipod? Sync PC to Phone? Google gadgets or google Chrome your thing? (they are definitely coming to linux according to google and there are some G Gadgets already)

Answer 6

Ubuntu is probably one of the best choices for a beginner.



I would recommend waiting until TOMORROW to download and install Ubuntu. (Version 9.04 is to be released on the 24th. The Ubuntu release cycle is based on a 6-month release schedule. New versions of Ubuntu are released every April and October. 8.04 was released April 2008, 8.10 was released October 2008, 9.04 will be released tomorrow (April 2009) There will be another release in October 2009, and it will be called, you guessed it... 9.10 :)



Ubuntu is no harder, and in many ways, easier, to use than Windows. Although it is not harder, it IS different in many ways.



Two thoughts to help a little:



1. Always use the Package Manager in any Linux distro to add and remove programs. (WIth Ubuntu it will be called the Synaptics Package Manager, under "SYSTEM: and "ADMIN" at the top of the screen.



2. With Ubuntu, once your system is installed and running, use that package manger and do a search for ubuntu-restricted-extras and install that package. (It is technically called a meta-package, in that it's only purpose is to install another group of programs.) Installing ubuntu-restricted-extras will install a bunch of additional programs that are not "FREE" as in open-source. They are NO-COST (As in free beer), but the licensing of the programs does not make them "FREE" as in "Free speech" Adobe Flash Player is a good example. It's free to download, free to use, but it is not open-source, meaning you do not have the right to change it, sell it, re-brand it etc. (Flash player happens to be one of the things installed when you select ubuntu-restricted-extras, along with a bunch of other multimedia tools/decoders etc.)



I stand corrected, as another poster pointed out, it was released today, so go ahead and download it!

Answer 7

It's very straightforward. Ubuntu was designed to be easy to use. 9.04 Jaunty just came out today, you should give it a try. If you burn a CD of the desktop version, it actually comes with a LiveCD function. You can boot off of this CD and try ubuntu and it will not make any changes to your computer.

Answer 8

To begin with I recommend looking at a LiveCD.



There are two worth taking an immediate look at and both use the GNOME Desktop Environment being Linux Mint 6 and Ubuntu 9.04 and both are very easy to use.



Linux is now in a position of offering a viable alternative to proprietary platforms and more than capable of offering a full desktop experience.



Install or RUN IT LIVE !



Linux Mint 6 Release notes

http://www.linuxmint.com/rel_felicia.php

Ubuntu 9.04 Release notes

https://wiki.ubuntu.com/JauntyJackalope/TechnicalOverview



Linux Mint 6 Download

http://www.linuxmint.com/edition.php?id=31

Ubuntu 9.04 Download

http://www.ubuntu.com/getubuntu/download



If you like either of them



Linux Mint 6 installation tutorial

http://www.howtoforge.com/the-perfect-desktop-linux-mint-6-felicia

Ubuntu 8.10 installation tutorial (also applies to Ubuntu 9.04)

http://www.howtoforge.com/the-perfect-desktop-ubuntu-8.10



You download the ISO. image of either Linux Mint 6 or Ubuntu 9.04 then you need to create a Bootable CD from the ISO. This can easily be done using Nero Burning ROM or similar software. Linux Mint 6 and Ubuntu 9.04 can also be run straight from the LiveCD you have created without touching your Hard Drive.



Screenshot of my custom LiveDVD of Mint 6 running Beryl 0.2.1

http://s266.photobucket.com/albums/ii256/Linux_Ubuntu_geek/?action=view¤t=Screenshot-1.png

Screenshot of my custom LiveDVD of Ubuntu 9.04 running Beryl 0.2.1

http://s266.photobucket.com/albums/ii256/Linux_Ubuntu_geek/?action=view¤t=Screenshot.png



Remember you can RUN IT LIVE !





LUg.

Answer 9

Yes, I think so. It is the easiest distribution to add software to, and since it is so popular, most sites include Ubuntu packages. I installed it recently on my mother's computer. She's older and not very computer literate, and she has not had any problem with it.