Non-geek looking for input for going strictly Ubuntu

[Wannaknow]

Am considering going with Ubuntu without dual boot option. Will be starting from scratch - new hardware, no OS loaded (e.g., Windows). New to this whole thing. Have read some of the horror stories loading Ubuntu. I'm not a computer geek and don't have a lot of patience for fiddling with software glitches.
I exchange files with MS Office users - excel and word. Have read that Ubuntu's word processor and spreadsheet programs can convert to MS format so that others can read and/or modify and so that I can receive, read and modify their MS Office files . Do I need to have MS Office programs in order to do this?
Ubuntu is being touted as user-friendly - geek status not required...but from what I've been reading in your forum, that doesn't necessarily seem to be the case.
Any input/insights would be helpful.

Thanks

[Roasted]

I dare you to register to a Windows 7 forum. If you think the UbuntuForums are loaded with problems, you'll run from the hills when you read the Win 7 forums. I know - I post actively on two different Windows 7 forums and two other Microsoft forums since my work network is mostly Microsoft.

Keep in mind, majority of the posts on ANY help forum are going to be people with problems, Mac, Linux, and Microsoft alike.

Back to your topic at hand - it's true, Ubuntu is one of the more friendlier Linux distributions. It depends what kind of mindset you have when you use Ubuntu. If you fire up Ubuntu and want it to act like Windows, it won't happen. Ubuntu is Linux. Linus is not Windows. It's very different. Is it hard? No, not in my opinion. I've spent 10 years on Windows and 3 years on Ubuntu, and I feel as though Ubuntu is easier than Windows, but I also have a logical understanding of how Ubuntu operates.

With OpenOffice, yes, you can interchange with Microsoft Office files. If you want to save a file in MS format, you need to go to save as and change the file type. Or, you can go to tools - options - general - load/save and at the bottom you should see two drop down boxes. Go to each file type on the left (word, excel, powerpoint, etc) and change the default save extension as .doc, .ppt, .xls, etc. That way if you're in OpenOffice Writer and you write up a document and just hit save, it'll auto-save as a .doc for Microsoft Office.

Also - do your homework before you just go buying computer parts. For example, Creative tends to suck with decent Linux drivers. ATI has also had jetlag with getting onboard with solid drivers. ATI has come a long way, but IMO they tend to lack behind Nvidia still.

It's just like when you build a computer and you're putting Windows in it. You have to do your homework. Sometimes you hit a home run and sometimes you strike out. For example, my computer runs Vista/Ubuntu, and Ubuntu supports my sound card in 64 bit, but in Vista there are no 64 bit drivers. Home run for Ubuntu, strike 1 for Vista. So do your homework. I often browse newegg.com for parts and read their reviews to see if anybody is running Linux/Ubuntu with them and see if they had anything to say.

Besides that, a Linux only system sounds absolutely awesome! I'm sure you'll have fun learning the operating system more and more. I use Linux for everything except gaming, which Windows obviously (and unfortunately) still has high reign in.

Just remember if you run into a snag, these forums are great for getting problems solved and questions answered.

Welcome to Ubuntu.

[Nerd King]

Am considering going with Ubuntu without dual boot option. Will be starting from scratch - new hardware, no OS loaded (e.g., Windows). New to this whole thing. Have read some of the horror stories loading Ubuntu. I'm not a computer geek and don't have a lot of patience for fiddling with software glitches.
I exchange files with MS Office users - excel and word. Have read that Ubuntu's word processor and spreadsheet programs can convert to MS format so that others can read and/or modify and so that I can receive, read and modify their MS Office files . Do I need to have MS Office programs in order to do this?
Ubuntu is being touted as user-friendly - geek status not required...but from what I've been reading in your forum, that doesn't necessarily seem to be the case.
Any input/insights would be helpful.

Thanks
First things first.. Strictly ubuntu only? Why not use the best tool for each job. Many of us here dual-boot because each OS offers something we can each use. I use Windows for gaming and linux for work for instance.

Microsoft Office: Ok here's the deal. Microsoft invent a format. They keep it a secret. Everyone else has to guess how it works. That's .doc. Then Microsoft invent another format, pretend it's open, but implement it weirdly. Because they have market share that's the de-facto standard. It means everyone else has to accomodate their weirdness. OpenOffice does a pretty good job most of the time of interpreting the quirks, and once in a while will get it wrong. Mostly it's just fine. On a similar note, Microsoft made a right hash of a proper open-source standard, .odt, they can't open it properly. Openoffice is free and does not require Microsoft Office.

Linux is not windows: It's different. That's why it's better. If you want windows, use windows. If you want linux, use linux. If you want both, use both. Linux won't run the same software as windows just as playstation won't run the same software as xbox. Playstation users don't whine about the lack of XBox live on their machines. However, again, linux is very kind and accomodating. The Wine project, a truly remarkable feat of engineering, has figured out ways to get Windows programs working in Linux, including MS Office. Want to do it yourself? It's free. Want it a bit easier and your hand held? Google Codeweavers Crossover, it's an excellent variant of Wine with lots of helpers built in to get MS Office, Photoshop and a bunch of other apps working. I find Wine runs most windows software just fine (including games) but your mileage may vary.


Ubuntu is being touted as user-friendly - geek status not required...but from what I've been reading in your forum, that doesn't necessarily seem to be the case.
It's user-friendly for most purposes. I personally feel it still has some way to go, and some of the obstacles are put there by proprietary vendors making life difficult for linux. To get the benefit of linux you have to do some work, but for me it's worth it. If it's not worth it for you, try windows or a mac. You have a choice, that's a good thing.

[3rdalbum]

Ubuntu is being touted as user-friendly - geek status not required...but from what I've been reading in your forum, that doesn't necessarily seem to be the case.

When anything goes wrong with your computer, you probably need a geek to fix it. This is where people go to have the geeks help them with their problems, so that's why it sounds like millions of people are having problems with Ubuntu every day :-)

I have three non-geeks using Ubuntu. I installed it for them, but it was easy in all three cases. One of them is very new to computers, yet the only time I get a phone call from them is when their ISP's e-mail server goes down.

[Tibuda]

About OpenOffice and Word, read this: http://news.cnet.com/8301-13880_3-9864262-68.html

[Exodist]

Another good or slightly BETTER option would be to install Debian or Ubuntu and if you need any windows applications you can just install Sun VirtualBox (http://www.virtualbox.org/) and install Windows on it. That way you can run what you need to run in windows without having to reboot. ;)

[Sealbhach]

Ubuntu is being touted as user-friendly - geek status not required...but from what I've been reading in your forum, that doesn't necessarily seem to be the case.
Any input/insights would be helpful.

Thanks

It is very user friendly - as long as you have compatible hardware so that it works right out of the box. If not, then you may have to do some adjustments to get your hardware e.g. sound, wireless, running correctly.

A good idea to try out Linux on your machine is to load up a Live CD (https://help.ubuntu.com/community/LiveCD), so that you're running Linux from the CD drive. Your computer will not be changed in any way by this and it will give you a good idea of what to expect.

[wersdaluv]

Am considering going with Ubuntu without dual boot option. Will be starting from scratch - new hardware, no OS loaded (e.g., Windows). New to this whole thing. Have read some of the horror stories loading Ubuntu. I'm not a computer geek and don't have a lot of patience for fiddling with software glitches.
I exchange files with MS Office users - excel and word. Have read that Ubuntu's word processor and spreadsheet programs can convert to MS format so that others can read and/or modify and so that I can receive, read and modify their MS Office files . Do I need to have MS Office programs in order to do this?
Ubuntu is being touted as user-friendly - geek status not required...but from what I've been reading in your forum, that doesn't necessarily seem to be the case.
Any input/insights would be helpful.

Thanks
I have a Win7 partition to see how Windows does things whenever I want to benchmark something. I kept it mainly because I can't sync my iPod touch with Ubuntu (please don't point me to hacks. I know them already.) and can't watch Slingbox. Haven't booted it for quite a while.

I suggest reading this http://www.psychocats.net/ubuntucat/a-home-users-successful-migration-strategy-from-windows-to-ubuntu-2/

http://www.psychocats.net/ubuntu/index.php is probably the best resource for you

[Zzl1xndd]

Am considering going with Ubuntu without dual boot option. Will be starting from scratch - new hardware, no OS loaded (e.g., Windows). New to this whole thing. Have read some of the horror stories loading Ubuntu. I'm not a computer geek and don't have a lot of patience for fiddling with software glitches.

Ubuntu has run smoothly for me for the last 4 years or so. Granted I am what one might call a Geek, however I wouldn't base your decision on the Forums as other have stated this is where people come for help so it will also seem like there is a lot of them.


I exchange files with MS Office users - excel and word. Have read that Ubuntu's word processor and spreadsheet programs can convert to MS format so that others can read and/or modify and so that I can receive, read and modify their MS Office files . Do I need to have MS Office programs in order to do this?

OpenOffice can open MS Office documents that being said the two programs do have some issue opening the other formats. If you mostly keep documents simple it is usually not a problem.


Ubuntu is being touted as user-friendly - geek status not required...but from what I've been reading in your forum, that doesn't necessarily seem to be the case.
Any input/insights would be helpful.

Thanks


Geek Status is really not required. However learning new things is. Ubuntu is not Windows and some things are done differently but as long as you don't mind the small learning curve you should be OK.

[blueturtl]

Am considering going with Ubuntu without dual boot option. Will be starting from scratch - new hardware, no OS loaded (e.g., Windows). New to this whole thing. Have read some of the horror stories loading Ubuntu. I'm not a computer geek and don't have a lot of patience for fiddling with software glitches.

If you want Ubuntu solely, the best way to avoid glitches is to buy a prebuilt system with Ubuntu included. That way someone will have tested the hardware for you. Ubuntu systems are available from several vendors, Dell and System76 spring to mind first.

If you don't want or can't get a prebuilt system, then you will have to look at all the hardware separately to ensure a smooth ride. That can be quite a task. Not only does hardware have to be compatible with Linux, it also has to be a good working combination.


I exchange files with MS Office users - excel and word. Have read that Ubuntu's word processor and spreadsheet programs can convert to MS format so that others can read and/or modify and so that I can receive, read and modify their MS Office files . Do I need to have MS Office programs in order to do this?

The best way for you to be able to exchange files with someone using a closed software suite is to use that same software yourself. You can run Microsoft Office on Ubuntu using Crossover/WINE or inside a virtual machine that runs Windows (such as Virtualbox). However, if you or your comrades are not picky about little things (incorrect font sizes, some messed up tables or other small formatting issues) you should be fine with using OpenOffice as well.


Ubuntu is being touted as user-friendly - geek status not required...but from what I've been reading in your forum, that doesn't necessarily seem to be the case.
Any input/insights would be helpful.

Thanks

If you have to install Ubuntu yourself, you will have to have a basic understanding of certain computer concepts and trouble shooting methods. However using Ubuntu after it has been set up is really very easy, as easy as any other point-and-click based operating system interface. If Windows and Mac seem easy to you, a ready Ubuntu desktop will feel different only in where things are placed, the use logic is the same.

[t0p]

A good idea to try out Linux on your machine is to load up a Live CD (https://help.ubuntu.com/community/LiveCD), so that you're running Linux from the CD drive. Your computer will not be changed in any way by this and it will give you a good idea of what to expect.

+1. Just to make sure all your hardware is compatible. It would be a shame if you made the change just to discover that a really important piece of equipment won't work with Ubuntu.

I also recommend that you don't go Ubuntu-only straight away. You should dual-boot, or run a virtual Windows in VirtualBox for a while. It may take a bit of time before you find Ubuntu solutions for everything. In the meantime, that virtual Windows might be a life saver.

[nothingspecial]

I have only ever used linux, in the most part - Ubuntu.

Until 3 or 4 years ago I`d never even switched a computer on.

I`ll admit I had a nightmare at first but looking back I think that was just being new to computers rather than being new to Ubuntu.

After a few weeks I took to it and I have to say, Ubuntu (linux) has turned me into a geek, but that`s only because I found I enjoy it.

A year or so ago, one of the directors of the company I work for came to me and told me he`d been given a computer loaded with linux. It was a very outdated version of Xandros (I think). I got him a Ubuntu cd and told him how to install it. The next morning I asked him how it went and the first thing he said was how user friendly it was. I have to admit that I had to do a bit of "geeking about" (as my wife calls it) to get his printer to work with it. But since then, he`s never phoned me about it, not once. I ask him from time to time how it`s going and he always says no problem.

Contrast that with the amount of time our head IT guy spends fixing staffs windows PCs.

From what I can tell, most peoples problems with Ubuntu (linux) is that they reckon they`re a computer (Windows) expert and don`t take on board that when it comes to linux they are novices. When things don`t work as expected, they blame linux because they think (as computer experts) that they should be able to do everything straight away.

The fact that you posted this question makes me think Ubuntu would be perfect for you. To admit you don`t know what you`re doing (no offence meant) means you`re willing to learn. And that is the first step.

Go for it. :)

[Zzl1xndd]

From what I can tell, most peoples problems with Ubuntu (linux) is that they reckon they`re a computer (Windows) expert and don`t take on board that when it comes to linux they are novices. When things don`t work as expected, they blame linux because they think (as computer experts) that they should be able to do everything straight away.



As someone that has done Windows support for a long time I can honestly say, thats also how most of their Windows problems happen.

[conehead77]

I exchange files with MS Office users - excel and word.

I would install Open Office (Ubuntu's default office suit) on Windows and look if you have problems with converting between various formats.

http://www.openoffice.org/

[Wannaknow]

Thank you for your reply. Having read the responses from you and the others who responded, I know that I'm in good company!

[Wannaknow]

Thank you for your reply. You and so many others responded to my question. Tells me that I'm in good company!

[wavery]

I went all in this past week as a complete noob (and not all that computer savvy), mostly because I was unhappy with how Windows was bogging down my old laptop. On advice from the group here, I installed VirtualBox to run the one program I need Windows to run. Works great.

From what I've read here (correct me if I'm wrong), it might be better to try 9.04 if you don't want to spend a lot of time fixing bugs. I installed 9.10 and spent a day working some kinks out(one remains) while familiarizing myself with the platform, but the group here has been incredibly responsive to any questions I had. I'm very happy with the change.