I know nothing

[Stewmeister]

I have been looking at Ubuntu reviews (I don't have it installed yet) and have been to the Ubuntu site. My main reason for looking into this is that I have a desktop running Windows XP. I want to get a laptop but don't want Windows 8, and it really, REALLY, annoys me that I have to have 8. So here are some questions I have after reading a/m stuff, and I appreciate any help anyone is willing to provide. I will say this about myself, I am willing to learn and adapt. So here are my questions

1. If I buy a new laptop with W 8, can I install Ubuntu on it also, and will it work the way it is supposed to (this is the most important issue for me)? Do I have to uninstall W 8?
2. Will Ubuntu work on my desktop, which is about 4 yrs old and running XP?
3. From what I have read, I could use the cloud processing and have all my files available to all my devices, assuming 'yes'
answers to 1 and 2 above, including my smart phone if I install Ubuntu for Android. Yes?
4. If I have Ubuntu can I still use all the programs I really like, such as gmail, Google phone call/chat, third party programs
already installed?
5. Are there tutorials to help me learn to use Ubuntu? From what I have read it is quite a departure from what I am used to. I am willing to try if I can get all my devices on the same platform.

That's it for now. I appreciate your help.

[snowpine]

0. I recommend you make a live USB and "try without installing" ("live" mode) for a couple of weeks to see if you like ubuntu before you decide to install
1. "dual boot" ubuntu and windows: https://help.ubuntu.com/community/WindowsDualBoot
2. ubuntu hardware requirements: https://help.ubuntu.com/community/In...emRequirements
3. not sure
4. windows apps run best in windows; linux apps run best in linux. many apps are available for both.
5. here are some good tutorials: http://www.psychocats.net/ubuntu/

[sev1]

1.) No, you don't have to uninstall windows in order to run Ubuntu. You will want to read up on the tutorials about how to install Ubuntu so that you do not erase your windows partition. There's plenty out there on the subject.

Alternately, you could consider purchasing a laptop with Ubuntu pre-installed:

https://www.system76.com/

2.) Check your laptop's specs against the minimum requirements of the Ubuntu version/variant you're interested in. I have a much older machine that has no problems running the latest Ubuntu distros, but if you're concerned, check out Xubuntu of Kubuntu.

3.) I haven't used Ubuntu for Android. Ubuntu One is the cloud storage service that ships with the newer distros (and probably with older ones as well). And yes, you can sync your devices using Ubuntu One - plenty has been written in the way of tutorials.

4.) Yes, you can still use Google software, as well as most third party programs with which you are familiar.

5.) Yes, there are tons of tutorials out there on Ubuntu.

There is definitely a learning curve involved, but it is well worth the time and effort. Good luck!

[Sef]

. If I buy a new laptop with W 8, can I install Ubuntu on it also, and will it work the way it is supposed to (this is the most important issue for me)?

Yes, you can dual boot with Windows 8; however, you will most likely void your warranty if you do.

[Stewmeister]

Thanks, I will look into those sites

[Stewmeister]

Thanks for your help. I appreciate your time

[Algus]

First off, welcome aboard! Ubuntu is a viable alternative to Windows that is powerful enough for advanced users but also tries to be easy enough to learn for beginning users. If you are most comfortable with the Windows environment, you may wish to consider Linux Mint as wll, which IMO is even easier to get started with and more closely resembles Windows in terms of how the desktop is laid out and where to find thing.


1. If I buy a new laptop with W 8, can I install Ubuntu on it also, and will it work the way it is supposed to (this is the most important issue for me)? Do I have to uninstall W 8?

Many Linux users like to have Windows 8 available to them, some for gaming, others because they need access to a certain program, and still more because they aren't ready to leave Windows completely. Having multiple operating systems on one computer is referred to as DUAL BOOTING and is quite common. Ubuntu installs a program called GRUB that launches when you first turn your computer on. GRUB lets you choose which operating system to boot, including Windows!

2. Will Ubuntu work on my desktop, which is about 4 yrs old and running XP?

The answer is most likely yes, Ubuntu's system requirements are:

700 mhz processor
512 MB RAM
5GB Hard Disk Space
minimum 1024x768 screen resolution
CD/DVD drive or USB drive
Internet access (highly recommended but not necessary)

If you are using a lower end computer, I recommend you take a look at Xubuntu. Xubuntu is a variant of Ubuntu that uses the XFCE desktop environment. (how your desktop generally looks and where buttons, programs, etc. are located). Xfce uses fewer resources than Ubuntu's standard UNITY desktop environment. Functionally however both Ubuntu and Xubuntu are largely the same (they run all the same programs for instance).

3. From what I have read, I could use the cloud processing and have all my files available to all my devices, assuming 'yes'
answers to 1 and 2 above, including my smart phone if I install Ubuntu for Android. Yes?

Essentially. Cloud Computing is a goal of the Ubuntu team right now and they're working pretty hard to develop things like Ubuntu One (an online storage solution). Ubuntu distros (versions of Linux) have integration with Ubuntu One. Ubuntu for Android is still a work in progress but you might be interested in Ubuntu One Files, an app for Android phones that lets you connect with your Ubuntu One cloud storage.

4. If I have Ubuntu can I still use all the programs I really like, such as gmail, Google phone call/chat, third party programs
already installed?

Things like GMail, Google Voice, etc. that run in a web browser can easily be accessed from Ubuntu. In fact, Ubuntu has most of the same browsers (Chrome, Firefox, etc.) as a Windows computer (plus several more). Some but not all third party programs do have Linux versions. Fortunately there are many alternatives available for free on Linux. For instance, you might be used to using Microsoft Office on Windows. Ubuntu comes with a program called LibreOffice that does much the same thing. It is a different program though, so there might be a small learning curve and you might not have access to things exactly as they are on Windows.

5. Are there tutorials to help me learn to use Ubuntu? From what I have read it is quite a departure from what I am used to. I am willing to try if I can get all my devices on the same platform.

There are a lot of great resources on the web. Installing a new operating system is a major undertaking and while Ubuntu makes it pretty easy to accomplish for even a novice user, it still involves making major changes to your computer. I ~highly~ recommend you back up everything on your computer, especially important files and documents that you wish to keep.

Dual Booting Windows 8 and Ubuntu 12.10
Dual Booting Windows XP and Ubuntu 12.04

One other bit of terminology you should learn

Long Term Support (LTS) Every few versions of Ubuntu are classified as an LTS release. These releases are supported for much longer than a typical Ubuntu version and tend to be more stable than previous versions. Ubuntu 12.04 is the most recent LTS release. Ubuntu 12.10 is the current release (though at the end of the month we will be getting Ubuntu 13.04). If you do your own googling for tips and tutorials, be careful about the version number as there's been so much written about Ubuntu over the years its easy to find an old tutorial for an old version of Ubuntu and things might not be the same anymore.

By the way, you are already in the right place if you need more help. If you run into any problems along the way ask or search in this forum and you'll probably get the help you need. Good luck!

[Stewmeister]

Thanks, that's very helpful. If I use XUBUNTU for everything will it be supported the same as the current version? Oh, and by the way, I assume Ubuntu and it's variations support Wi-Fi.

[3rdalbum]

Yes and yes.

[Impavidus]

Ubuntu 12.04 LTS has support for 5 years, Xubuntu 12.04 LTS for 3. They all support wifi, but the required drivers may not be included by default (for legal reasons). In that case, you'll need a wired connection for once to install the drivers.