Why did YOU start using Ubuntu?

[FleetAdmiral74]

I chose to use Linux after hearing all sorts of news about Vista, and its 'features' designed to 'protect me'. I was already interested in free software for some time, and in fact used many FOSS applications for Windows, almost all of em were FOSS in fact.

I simply could not stick with XP knowing that Vista was the new standard, but I could not keep using the outdated OS, so MS really left me no choice but to leave them for good. I simply said I would never touch Vista, and it was this or a Mac...

[avik]

I've always wanted to use GNU/Linux, simply because it seemed so liberating for someone who enjoyed programming and messing around with computers in general. I tried to install other distros, but to no avail. Finally, I found Ubuntu, and since then I've never looked back.

I even got a new computer with Vista preloaded, but I deleted that as soon as possible.

[NeoLithium]

Well, I have a less than high-end laptop; though it was good with Windows XP for about......oooooooh, 5 minutes, the whole operating system left a great deal to be desired, and I had always wanted to try linux though I always had thought that I needed a step shy of a computer engineering degree. So I went through Distro Watch, did a great deal of reading about the different distributions available.

Long story short, after trying quite a few different ones, I installed Ubuntu, trying out the Number One on the DW list. Basically, I have continued to try others from time to time, however there is just something about Ubuntu that always keeps me coming back, and I can never keep any other distro on my machine now for more than around a day before something makes me need to come back. As well, another thing that absolutely keeps me here, is the great community of users that seem to stick together well and always help each other. It makes it for more than a simple operating system, more along a tight knit community of those who are like-minded.

[starcraft.man]

I chose to use Linux after hearing all sorts of news about Vista, and its 'features' designed to 'protect me'. I was already interested in free software for some time, and in fact used many FOSS applications for Windows, almost all of em were FOSS in fact.

I simply could not stick with XP knowing that Vista was the new standard, but I could not keep using the outdated OS, so MS really left me no choice but to leave them for good. I simply said I would never touch Vista, and it was this or a Mac...

Interesting... quite a few people following that you know...

I myself, have been using WIndows for 15 years. I've been seeing it go down hill for some time IMO. WGA, DRM, rising software prices, lower quality... a whole lot of things. I also despise Vista, it got me very mad, in all honesty that was the last slap in the face I could take from MS. Their new philosophy seems to be that they (MS) and the Media industry (movies/music) own my PC and what it can and can't do... that isn't the case at all, its also punishment for what a select few are doing. I can't live with that. Thus, I liberated myself and took back my PC. I feel better now, Linux/Ubuntu has a refreshing charm about it that is wonderful, it makes you feel wanted. Any OS that can do that gets my love :D.

Oh and this should be moved to cafe for discussion.

Edit:


It makes it for more than a simple operating system, more along a tight knit community of those who are like-minded.

I very much agree, where as with Windows you feel like "you have to" use it, not that you want to or feel welcomed.

[Trueno22]

I tried it because it was a challenge and I wanted to learn something new. Windows ws a complete bore you never really learned much about a computer or how things work with windows. Ubuntu changed that for me. In a few months I will probably try Gentoo for a even biger challenge

[Inxsible]

1) Because Microsoft came out with Vista
2) I didnt want to pay $500 for an OS and then NOT be able to install it on more than 2 computers -- yeah that's right ...Check MS EULA
3) I wanted to be spared of the million holes in every one of MS's OS'es
4) Wanted to try something new and learn Linux
5) My work entails a lot of open source applications...so I wanted to start afresh on my home computer too
6) Ubuntu - because of this community here
7) ubuntu was rated the top distro.
8) i tried out the liveCD of breezy..and really liked it.

[steveneddy]

Tired of the problems and regular re installs, someone turned my onto Linux.

Within 4 months I was hooked.

[bone43]

I've always wanted to use GNU/Linux, simply because it seemed so liberating for someone who enjoyed programming and messing around with computers in general. I tried to install other distros, but to no avail. Finally, I found Ubuntu, and since then I've never looked back.

I even got a new computer with Vista preloaded, but I deleted that as soon as possible.


10 years and lots of distros later... Ubuntu is my favorite why the community and support is the best Ive seen in Linux.

Ubuntu is a great OS with even greater people. :p

[mack1082]

I started using ubuntu because I wanted a fast flexible OS that let me easily fufill my geek urges (scripting, programming, web development). The fact that it's faster and prettier than windows is what kept me hooked. :D

[delphiguy]

Prior to Oct,2006, I have been a solid Windows User, but my On and Off affair with linux started in 1999, from RedHat,Caldera,Mandrake,Corel etc... then I decided that Linux is just not for me and totally ditch it in 2003.

And then in Mid 2006 I've read about this Linux Distro that aims to make Linux easy for Desktop and for Windows User, add to that the discontent I have with Longhorn(Vista), so I said to myself I think this maybe the time to try out Linux again, and so I did, and now Im 100% Linux user at home. Sadly I can't say the same at work.

[jusmurph]

I came for the challenge.

I had windows down pat and the only things i was learning was at work. Not sure why i chose Ubuntu, i think because it was just the big name in Linux.

No anti Windows Sentiments to be found here.

[john wagner]

I started using it because I became frustrated with MS/******* etc.... For Xmas, a bunch of my friends chipped in and purchased me an online special from COMP USA, an HP Pavillion Notebook (boy, was I stunned!). BUT, it came with problems (Oh boy did it have problems....). It was a reburbished comp., 1 gig ram, 120 gig HD, DVD/CDR/W, Light Scribe, media center style. It also came with a problem. Kept crashing. Took it in to the experts, still under warranty, they claimed software issues. Finally died one day. Took it back into COMP USA, they said no problem. HA! Came back working, with different OS than it came with! They installed a European version of XP (yes, why!?!). Despite the many fights/arguments/nasty letters, I was stuck with what they did. 5 months later, the HD dies (the real problem....). Warranty void/over, of course.... I bought a 160 gig HD from Newegg, installed it and used it as my excuse to install Ubuntu 6.06. This was 3 weeks ago (count my beans, divide by 3 = my average posting of HELP ME questions per week...Heh...).
Have not looked back since.
Hate *******, LOVE Linux/Ubuntu, even as confused as I am with it. A great feeling of satisfaction whenever I figure something else out (today it was Flash video, streaming video, WINE, mIRC and couple other things).
In large part, my satisfaction is bolstered from the help you guys provide to a newbie like me. I'm 49 years old, yet you guys treat me with respect and kindness and hold my hand and lead me down the pebbled path of knowledge (wow! How's that sound!).
NEVER going back to *******.

Thanks

john

[CautionaryX]

I decided to try Ubuntu after I built my own desktop PC at home and gained the liberty of tinkering with my PC. At first I installed it simply because I could, then I challenged myself to use it straight for 1 month and see how it went... Well, it's been 6 months since I began that venture and I only look back on Windows XP because I play FEAR. I also got tired of the constant need to run spy-ware and ad-ware blocking programs (although Spybot S&D definitely took care of the problem).

I'm going have to get a notebook with Vista Business installed for college, but I'm currently looking at buying the laptop Dell is selling with Ubuntu preinstalled. That way I get a laptop I know works with Ubuntu and I can always get the student discounted Vista and Office 2007.

[TeraDyne]

I installed it on my laptop after I decided to just try it out, probably right after hearing about it on The Linux Link Tech Show. I grabbed Ubuntu first, but didn't like Gnome. I the grabbed Kubuntu and fell in love with the KDE desktop. I've stuck with it ever since.

[Ek0nomik]

because of the fresh fruit.

[Kuoi]

Simply because I know myself , and I should try out Vista , and I don't want to use this OS !

Also because of security reasons ( virusses, spyware ) ... after about 6 months Ubuntu it is still running like it was a fresh install.
You can't say that from XP , can you ?
That is , if you're like me , and want to try many software.
Several installs and uninstalls in each month.

Kuoi

[Nythain]

i've toyed with linux for a wee bit every frew years or so since the early 90's... this time it just stuck... i could blame microsoft and the genuine authentic crap... or DRM... or vista and all its incompatabilities... i could also say that i just wanted to be that much cooler than my friends... im not really sure why it finally stuck, think its because the linux world has really come along, and ubuntu is a great distro... had i not discovered ubuntu i probably would have gone right back to windows after toying around with redhat and suse

[Clay_Banger]

i just wanted something new and vista was way out of my price range, current system specs and all the licensing restrictions, telling u what u can and cant do. i wanted something friendlier and to have ultimate power over what my computer could do.

[NJC]

I was using Win98 at the time (still am via dual boot). I wanted the following:

- the ability to continue to use older hardware (not realized with a PIII/500mhz and Gnome ... not even Xubuntu)
- try something new and support what I consider a great WIP (work in progress) instead of a giant-arsed corporation.
- Stability. Win98 and BSOD's = no fun. Unfortunately my experience with Dapper has been a stability disappointment. I don't blame the OS as my hardware is old, but my experience hasn't been great.

It's been aggravating and painful but interesting and informative too. I hope I can stick it out!

[Sp4cedOut]

I do a lot of programming and I heard Linux was good for that. I choose Ubuntu because my friends who were already using Linux use Ubuntu.

[old_geekster]

I have used Microsoft and Apple OSes since 1984. I simply am tired of being forced to update my computer when someone else makes it necessary.

I know my rig (see my Signature) is very capable of running Vista, but I have heard too many horror stories about it.

So, I will use XP Pro until it is no longer supported. Then, continue to use Ubuntu as my primary OS.

How could anyone not enjoy using a spectacular OS that is FREE? It blows my mind that Linux is not the most used OS. I believe that it must be folks simply afraid to try something new.

[FuturePilot]

I was curious as to what Linux was about. I started hearing Linux being talked about more more and decided to see what all the commotion was about. I tried FreeSpire first but had some issues with it. Then I tried Ubuntu and it just worked. Everything just seemed to work, it was great and I was amazed. Pretty much stuck with Ubuntu ever since. One of the best decisions I've made.:D

[hanzomon4]

Because I wanted a Mac... No I wanted OSX and I heard it was Unix based

[information_entropy]

I have used Microsoft and Apple OSes since 1984. I simply am tired of being forced to update my computer when someone else makes it necessary. ...

How could anyone not enjoy using a spectacular OS that is FREE? It blows my mind that Linux is not the most used OS. I believe that it must be folks simply afraid to try something new.

I agree 100%.

I have been using MS products since Basic was distributed on a cassette tape.
I have a copy of MS Fortran and MS Cobol on 8 inch diskettes somewhere.
I do not hate Microsoft. I have just had enough..

I really believe that MS shot themselves in the foot with Vista.
I am really curious to see what they will do next.
Every forum I read if full of unhappy users looking for an alternative.

Ubuntu was the right product, at the right time.
The price was right too.;)

[maruchan]

Originally I had a spare computer and I wanted to see if I could recapture my Unix experience from the Computer Science labs at university.

Experience recaptured, mission accomplished. :) I still miss the dock from CDE, though. :D

[Kubunteando]

The main reason:

be able to surf Internet and feeling "safe". I mean no viruses, no malware... (or at least not yet).
Even though I use a firewall and an antivirus for Linux from AVG just in case.

[Xanatos Craven]

For customizability, general lack of evil, and ease of use. Also, I don't have to go all over the internet to install cool or useful stuff that didn't come with the OS, and the Windows' nag-screens are INCREDIBLY, FURIATINGLY ANNOYING. Seriously, I don't need to be told how to run my computer and be artificially limited in what I can do with it, by the computer itself. That's just wrong.

[daynah]

Windows worked great for me. I was a geek, kept it clean... well, the "metaphysical" part of it I suppose. It got dusty, and it still is dusty. Nonetheless, I took care of Windows. It was fine. You know, in the way people say if you take care of Windows, it'll take care of you?

Anyway, virus scan every week, used Opera even way back when for security, was careful about my email... and one day...

Windows deleted run32.dll.

Now maybe you've been on Ubuntu so long you don't know what run32.dll is, but it just happens to be the single most important file in Windows. The Achelles Heel, if you will. And it was gone. I was able to run anything that didn't use Explorer, if I could deal with the errors, and it said I had no viruses, maybe McAffee just was too dumb to catch it. I pop in the Windows Install disc and try to get it to fix it... It fixes over 50 OTHER dlls but not run32.dll. Over and over again I try, but never run32.dll.

Sigh. I eventually consign myself that I have to reformat and install. I reformat and as I go to stick the Windows cd in to install I think, "Hey, this would be a great time to install that Linux thing. I mean, if it sucks, it wont be like I lost any data."

So I go a search on my dad's computer for something like "easy Linux" first thing that pops up is the one I take, Ubuntu, and off I go. :) Praise the missing run32.dll!

[onero]

Honestly? My boyfriend dual booted feisty to try it out, and convinced me to do the same :p Now I don't have a Windows partition anymore and run Ubuntu at home.

[DISCLAIMER: we're both CS Majors and work in the IT Industry, so this isn't a case of a guy introducing his tech-illiterate girlfriend to Ubuntu---I've used Ubuntu before (Hoary, I think) and didn't like it much then. But Feisty's a huge improvement :D]

[Sunflower1970]

I chose to use Linux after hearing all sorts of news about Vista, and its 'features' designed to 'protect me'. I was already interested in free software for some time, and in fact used many FOSS applications for Windows, almost all of em were FOSS in fact.

I simply could not stick with XP knowing that Vista was the new standard, but I could not keep using the outdated OS, so MS really left me no choice but to leave them for good. I simply said I would never touch Vista, and it was this or a Mac...

Yup. Me too. That was one of the reasons...another reason I was tired of XP crapping out every once in a while, me having to reinstall and not knowing if I'd have to call to reactivate my copy. Kind of felt like I was gambling each time I did try to install it again. And feeling like a criminal when calling to reactivate the copy

[LaRoza]

Vista

[gabhla]

I just got tired of messing with Windows. Started with Windows 3.1, then Windows 98 and eventually XP. Windows became too high-maintance. And expensive...Zone Alarm $89, then a "renewal" for another $35/yr, etc. Then I'd do "something" - like install some stupid applicaton, and and the system would crash and I'd get the cryptic error messages. Got to the point a day wouldn't go by without at least one reboot. That was about five years ago.

Stumbled into Ubuntu - the first disto that worked right off the bat - and Ubuntu worked great, and still does. I've had my system on for months without rebooting. Windows is long-gone. Oh, there was (is) a steep leaning curve - but Iif I can climb it, a mere plain-vanilla "user" that wouldn't qualify for geekdom, then I think anybody could.

[ske1fr]

I was a long-time Windows user and IT support person, getting to grips with supporting XP, and not entirely happy about some of its features. Like the one that meant that when I mistakenly installed a Win9x program that overwrote a system DLL and crashed XP, I discovered that the Recovery Console wouldn't let me log into the installed XP, even though I'd installed it, and knew the root password. At that point my gestalt concept of understanding how Windows worked had broken down, and I no longer trusted it, and by inference, Microsoft.

At the same time I'd heard of Linux, and as some of my experience had been with Unix System V Release 4 servers, I thought "Great! Vi and command line!". How wrong I was. Not only were Gnome and KDE a shock, Knoppix knocked me flat.

My original dabbling with Ubuntu Warty on a laptop was not a happy experience, and I kept a copy of Windows 98SE running at home as default, cutting more teeth on Mandrake by keeping version 10.0 going for some time, but when Dapper was released, I gave the Kubuntu version a try. Kubuntu Dapper rapidly became my default boot OS. It was and is so stable. What I want to do I can do in Kubuntu. I now have an old laptop running Xubuntu Dapper, and a newly assembled desktop machine running Kubuntu Feisty. The latter would run Vista, but I simply don't feel any interest in Windows now. Actually, no; the only interest I have in Windows now is in trying to get my children's old Windows games to work using virtualisation, so far without success, but as far as general day-to-day internet or productivity is concerned, Windows is a thing of the past.

I just hope Ubuntu does not follow the recent trend in hooking up with Microsoft over patents, because I would feel betrayed by that, and would seek another OS.

[reclusivemonkey]

I was updating my HTPC which was previously on Slackware 10.2. I'd been using Slackware since 8.1, and tried many different versions of GNU/Linux but nothing came even close to Slack for me. Anyway I thought I may as well try Slackware 11 on the HTPC before upgrading "mother". I couldn't get the wireless card working, which was no biggie but it had been really simple in 10.2. I dug out the old wired cable, and couldn't even get that working. So, being aware of Ubuntu, I downloaded the ISO and stuck it on the HTPC. It went so well I installed it on mother and I've never looked back. If Slackware ever reintroduced Gnome back in I might have to take another look, but Ubuntu has been fantastic to me so far.

Some points for the Slackware users;

1. I asked in a.o.l.s. (http://groups.google.com/group/alt.os.linux.slackware/browse_frm/thread/1d62badf0d200dcb/325e93f9d601f6de?lnk=gst&q=reclusive+monkey&rnum=4#325e93f9d601f6de); I got no solution

2. I am aware of Dropline. I had been using it almost since its inception. However, when Gnome was dropped from Slackware, there was a lot of hostility from the new maintainers of Dropline towards long time users who now wanted to help out. One of the developers was consistently rude and hostile towards the users. I no longer wanted anything to do with Dropline.

[bobbocanfly]

Got bored of Windows in general. Everything was just too much bother, too slow or too boring on Windows. The last straw was WGA, Windows Search & WinDefend. I hated the idea that using these three could basically tell Microsoft anything they wanted to know about my computer with WGA. WinDefend is a useless resource hogger and Windows Live Search, just appeared on my computer after installing updates without my consent and restarting my computer right in the middle of a CS:S game. Wil never forgive them for losing my highscore :(

I had heard about Linux and wanted to give it ago. Basically i just saw a screenshot of Fedora Core (I think it was 5, all the DNA stuff) and it just looked *AMAZING*. So i researched and found out that Ubuntu was a bit more user friendly than Fedora and much easier to install and partition your drive with. That was me sold. Been using UBuntu for about 6 months now :D

[mannylarson]

I wanted to learn Ubuntu; I also have Vista machine... (To be in tech, you need to know your OSs).

[dannyboy79]

Just about when Breezy was released. A friend gave it to me and said it was the latest craze and that it could free me of the shackles of Microsoft. I never installed it, I ran the livecd once and it didn't work (didn't know why at the time but I know why now, ATI AIW 9800 Pro) Then I saw that they released another, Dapper and I said, I need to check this out. I joined the forums to find out why I couldn't get the livecd to work, I got it to work and feel immediately in love and even bought an entirely new computer for it instead of dual booting. BOOM, end of story!!! i do still have xp until I learn how to read code and possibly program my own stuff not to mention, I help people with misc computer issues and most all are using Winbloz. I might even have to check out Vista in order to support my future customers.

[screaminj3sus]

Because I have way too much free time.

[reclusivemonkey]

Because I have way too much free time.

I thought that Gentoo was officially the distro for people with way too much free time ;-)

[Al Fairclough]

I have been using computers since 1972 and for most of that time, I have used a Microsoft OS in one form or another. Everything was great and I thought that DOS Shell was heaven sent, then Windows was introduced.:mad:

I have been fighting with Windows for more years than I can count and with each variation, I felt that I lost a bit more control. Now, with the advent of Vista and it's Draconian DRM code, I reached my limit. I wiped all of my hard drives and installed Ubuntu. I now feel like I have control again, with a far more intuitive OS. I will never go back.

[screaminj3sus]

I thought that Gentoo was officially the distro for people with way too much free time ;-)

Haha don't have quite that much time.

[EdThaSlayer]

I started using Linux because it was
1)something new to toy around with(something different)
2)it was free
3)it was made by "hackers"(or so I believed at first :P )
4)a terminal that is still useful(compared to that crappy command line)
5)it looked very interesting
6)my Windows kept getting a BSOD and crashes once in a while

[haricharan]

I had to do a project on linux...didnt want to install...so i installed ubuntu and fedora......fedora cudnt do the work..and now i have become obsessed with ubuntu..even though i really dont have to use it for my work now :P

[muximus]

i started out with red hat.. then switched over to debian bcoz of the apt system. i tried ubuntu as an alternative for debian in college.. hv been hooked ever since..

[VChief]

I've been using Linux for 8 years. I started with Red Hat and Mandrake but hated rpms. I ran Gentoo for a while and liked it, but got tired of waiting for the compiling. I fooled around with a few other distros but none lasted more than a couple weeks. I started using Ubuntu in March 2006. I liked it a lot and it's what permanently converted to Debian-based distros. I installed Debian Etch then lenny (going under the idea of why use a Debian-based when I can use Debian?) in the last couple months and I liked it a lot, but I'm not big on the community (which answered the above question). I love the Ubuntu community and the fact that Ubuntu is community developed (the community-centered nature of Ubuntu is what I love the most). So, I'm about to install a new hard drive and I'm throwing Ubuntu on there. As I start programming again, hopefully soon I can contribute back to the community. :)

[andycyca]

I have this old PC made for Win98. Someone gave it to me saying If you can fix it, it's yours Of course, I was looking for the win install disk, but I couldn't find it anywhere on earth. After months of work, a friend of mine asked me wether I have tried Linux (I only knew Linux was some sort of deeply-techy-obscure-ultra-powerful thing made for programmers. He gave me this Live CD and told me that it used less resources than Win (That's impossible, I said >_< )

2 days later, I saw some strange things in some website

1. An OS made of Open Source Software (I already knew that Open Source is neat)
2. That same OS used 160 MB RAM (this pc has 190)
3. The same OS was free
4. ...and legally downloadable

Well, many things made me use Xubuntu: Very Easy Installation, free, high/easy visual customization, simple tools for the home user, stable releases, a community behind... There are too many!

Shame my brothers are still scared of Linux and won't install it in their pc

[durrell]

Well..mainly because I got bored. Just like last summer when I got bored I installed the Vista release candidate. Had I known more about Linux last summer I'd have been running it a long time ago. I mainly installed it because I wanted a challenge, and while it has posed a few minor challenges..it's been an awesome experience so far. I'm getting ready to try Gentoo, so we'll see what I have to say after that..lol.

[PartisanEntity]

I have always been interested in trying Linux, however I did not have the necessary motivation to go ahead with it. Some months ago when I came across the Ubuntu site and saw the amazing screenshots and read about how easy it was to install I finally gave it a try.

Getting my wifi to work in Dapper was my first and biggest hurdle and I was close to giving up, but then all worked out in the end :)

[ticopelp]

I was intent on avoiding Vista at all costs.

[a12ctic]

Because its the latest and greatest linux distribution of the last year or two? I've been following these trends for the past several years. First debian, then fedora core, then mandriva, etc. I just go with the flow.

[vexorian]

I eventually got tired of pirating windows, heard about Ubuntu so I am slowly ditching windows.

I decided windows XP will be the last version of windows I would install in a machine I own, once it stops being supported I'll get rid of windows entirely.

[Happy_Man]

Ahem...... *clears throat* *digs around for old times it took to boot Windows* *finds them* According to esteemed sources (my stopwatch) Windows took this long to do stuff:

That screen with the loading bar: 52.3 seconds

Get to a functional welcome screen: 15.1 seconds

Getting my (mysteriously slow) mouse over to my name so that I can click on it: 2.1 seconds

From Welcome screen to Login: 25.3 minutes.

Time it took to do anything: infinity

I believe that is my case in general, ladies and gentlemen. I bid you good day.

[_narayan]

I moved onto Ubuntu after finding SuSE to cumbersome and clunky after a while, yet still a fine OS. For the same reasons I've since moved on from Ubuntu to other distros but still like to test and keep up with what's happening in Ubuntu land :guitar:

[AndyCooll]

I eventually got tired of pirating windows

Me too. My conscience got the better of me. So when I bought a new base unit I bought an XP licence. I also started looking around for free software. I got a whole legal system running and the only bit of software i purchased was the XP licence. Problem was ...I had quite a few boxes and I simply couldn't afford all those XP licences.

When searching for free software I'd become aware of Firefox, oOo, and eventually Linux. I decided to give Linux a try (Fedora). I started off by dual-booting. The Linux installation went smoothly enough, and I quickly found myself enjoying the Linux experience. It wasn't long before I was rarely booting into XP. And not long after I came across Ubuntu. I tried this distro and the few problems I'd initially had were resolved ...Ubuntu for me just worked. After about 6 months I reduced my copy of XP to a VMware image. And this house has been Linux only for the last year and a half. I've even converted the missus over!

:cool:

[Tautoa]

My computer was running ridiculously slow under XP, mainly because of the 5 or 6 security programs that I had to run in the background, to stand a chance of being safe...
Googled for ways to speed up my computer, came across a list with the usual "Firefox, defrag etc".. and at the bottom "Install Linux"
Figured it would be really hard, incompatible with all my stuff, and I didn't like the sound of all the command line stuff, but decided to get a free CD anyways.
This was about 4 months ago... seems funny now :D

[hellmet]

Always been a guy who wanted to try out different things.. After trying various flavours of cra*k*d windows, I tried Red-Hat.. It scared the **** outta me.

It took me 1-1/2 yrs to again start searching for Linux. This time, i read about ubuntu giving away free cds. I ordered, and one day the cds came, to my surprise.

I installed it, and after a steep learning curve, here I am.

[Luke Davis]

Got sick of viruses and updating virus software. Kept reading in computer magazines about ubuntu then installed it. Was going to upgrade my computer mainly cause it was that slow. Didn't bother once I installed linux. Encode video, listen to music, check email, word processing and browsing. Computer never lags. I am very happy. I don't even have a windows partition anymore. Just more room for ubuntu. I love 7.04 and beryl looking forward to gusty and the new beryl/compiz software.

[Cippa Lippa]

Vista, definitely... an OS which controls me? are you f*****ing kidding me???

Cippa

[HotShotDJ]

Unlike many other people, I never really took a shine to Windows. My first "PC" was a DEC Rainbow 100 in the early 80's which used CP/M and, of course, UNIX at my university. IIRC, there was a Commodore 64 in there someplace... obviously it didn't make a huge impression on me. (Beer made an impression on me back in the day, not computers! :)) In the early 90's, I used DOS. I was given a copy of Windows 3.1 at some point and found it to be silly. Then I started using OS/2 Warp V.3. The first computer I bought with Windows came with Win98 (sometime in mid 1999) which I tolerated for a year or two, then was given -- legally! -- a copy of Windows 2000 Professional. I guess it was 2001 that WinXP came out and I foolishly bought a copy of it. UGH! I lasted three months on that and made my permanent switch to Linux in the winter of 2002. So, of the 25 or so years that I've been exposed to computers, only about 3 of those years were in Windows.

I used SuSE at first, then for a good 3 or 4 years, used Gentoo. When I went back to university for graduate work, I no longer had the time to deal with Gentoo and switched to Kubuntu, starting with Dapper.

[dizee]

I was interested in linux for quite a while and looked into it a lot, originally I was going to try out Fedora but heard about Ubuntu being a great distro to start off with, so I downloaded the live cd and the rest is history.

I was also partially motivated by just generally being sick of all the virus & spyware crap in windows, and constantly having to worry about it. Not to mention the way windows would slow down after a few months of purely normal use.

So it was a combination of curiosity and frustration with windows.

[tanelt]

I started playing around with Ubuntu because I love the idea behind open source.

But eventually I stopped using Ubuntu and went back to Windows XP. Why? Read my signature.

[whistle]

I was partitioning my XP hard drive with PartitionMagic, and long story short, it broke _something_. It might have been my MBR (I don't actually know), so I thought, screw it, I'm getting a new computer anyways, why not install Ubuntu on this one? So I got my files with Knoppix (yeah not the best way to do it but it worked) and have been happily running Ubuntu for about a week :)

EDIT: My account's August 2006 join date is from when I played around with Ubuntu but then got too frustrated and went back to XP :\

[ToySouljah]

I started using Ubuntu since I was sort of bored with Windows and wanted to try something different. I had also heard the nightmares associated with Vista and figured that I'd like to be in control of what was on my computer as well as having the freedom to use my PC the way I saw fit. The support through the forums is awesome as well. I took a blind leap and formatted my drive and installed Feisty Fawn without a dual boot setup since I didn't want to have the temptation of going back to XP. I figured if I had a problem I'd look here first and see if it can be worked out or try to ask a few friends who have much more experience with Linux. So far so good. I've only had to reinstall once when things got a little out of hand with my graphics card, but that was totally my fault and can't blame the OS...lol. I also love to learn new things and so far it has been nothing but a learning experience for me :)

[abburdlen]

It's what all the cool kids are using ;)

I just got fed up with microsoft and dealing with viruses, forced 'upgrades' and whatnots. I'd wanted to dump them since back when windowsMe came out but after looking at the Linux distro available at the time - I just wasn't ready.
My year old laptop started having typical Windows issues and I was getting ready to reinstall windowsMCE edition on it when I decided to give Ubuntu a try.
I really can't see going back.

[Boomy]

I needed to get my machine up and running. It only has SATA drives and my XP CD required the SATA drivers to be on a floppy. I don't have a floppy in my box, so I was thinking of a way to get it going. I just needed to get online and check some emails. I remembered downloading and burning an Ubuntu iso a few months back on recommendations of a friend. I never got around to looking at it, so I popped it in and was up and running in 30 minutes. I had tried Linux numerous times before, but it always had problems that I could not solve. My wife would always complain about something not working and I'd have to revert to Windows. This time I had to go out of town for a week, and I just left the Ubuntu on there, expecting to hear some complaints, but when I asked how the computer was working, she said "it's working fine, I really like the games on there." That was over a year ago and I'm still using it.

[Spike-X]

Like many posters here, I'd decided that I wanted nothing to do with Vista. I'd heard a lot about this Ubuntu Linux, and had been wanting to try it out ever since I built this computer (Feb 06) - I'd even set aside a separate partition for it on my boot drive. It took a while, but I finally downloaded the liveCD (6.10) and tried that out. It felt pretty useable, so I installed it, and have been using it pretty much constantly ever since.

I still boot into XP from time to time, to do something that I haven't figured out how to do properly yet under Ubuntu, but those times are becoming fewer and further between. My current wallpaper on XP is an old, abandoned, broken-down house out in the middle of nowhere, which I think is rather appropriate.

My long-term goal is to be able to do everything I need to do on Ubuntu by the time XP is completely obsolete. I'm about 90% of the way there.

[jpyanowski]

I've used Windows since 1985 (remember the green screen?) so DOS commands and the terminal are no stranger to me. (pats self on back) I started using Linux in 1997 with Caldera, then SuSe. I've tried Red Hat, Knoppix, Slax, Debian, Gentoo, Sybian, and Solaris. I like FREE software and LOTS of helpful information from knowledgable people. Just this weekend I installed 64-bit Fiesty on my AMD 64 HP Pavillion dv2000 and got the Broadcom wireless and the ALSA working. Everytime I find a thread with a solution I subscribe to it and save it for next reinstallation. (I like to do that a lot) ;) It has been said by many people that the forums and the people who are there make Ubuntu a distrobution to keep and stay with.

[whayong]

My laptop isn't very upgrade friendly. Max RAM is 384. Intel graphics 82815, P IIIM 800 mhz. I needed a faster OS. The laptop is no slouch, just running all those anti-spyware, anti-virus, firewall combo was hogging all the reasources. I also thought there had to be more than just MS and Mac. I knew of Linux but didn't know to much of it. Googled "linux" ubuntu was a no-brainer.

[mostwanted]

I was using Mandrake Linux, but I disliked KDE. Then I heard about Warty Warthog on OSNEWS.com (back then, Ubuntu was a Gnome-only distro synced with the Gnome release schedule) + they handled out free CDs which was all the rage!

[psyopper]

There was an article about Mark Shuttleworth in Wired magazine a few months ago referencing his work with Canonical and Ubuntu and marking him as one of the most influential people in some segment or other for some specified time frame.

I looked up Ubuntu after reading the article. I downloaded it, burned it, booted it, rebooted to Windows to defrag, rebooted to the CD and then installed it. I haven't booted back to Windows since...

[JOrtiz8612]

I got bored of Windows XP and wanted to try something new.

[HermanAB]

I've tried 'em all...

Ubuntu is the only distribution that ran on an old laptop, but I have been running Linux since 1998 when things were still rather clunky and only barely worked.

Ubuntu impressed me in that it is just as slick as Mandriva - they are pretty much equal. All the other distros are far behind on the usability scale.

[caro]

I guess using open source apps like Firefox and Thunderbird really got me started. They just worked well and they are superior to their Windows counterparts. So, when Vista came out with all its hardware requirements, licenses and restrictions, I decided to try something new. Ubuntu had gotten a lot of good press, so I fired up the LiveCD and liked it. I had been thinking about getting a new computer anyway, and when Dell announced they were offering Ubuntu installed, I jumped -- just because as a noob I didn't want to deal with looking for all the drivers if I build one myself.

My other computer is about 5 years old, and I've kept it around just in case I need something on Windows (It has Win2K installed). I may have to use it once a year when I do my taxes since I've been using TurboTax for years and there isn't a Linux version. Now if we can just get that to change....

[roachk71]

Simply put, I was tired of my prior main distro (Mandrake 7.2). Its package manager { RPM } was terrible: I had to endure dependency hell, and most of the installed packages were incredibly unstable. I had experimented with Damn Small Linux (which I'm forced to use right now, albeit a newer version) for a few months before that, along with Knoppix.

I had begun to take an active interest in Linux since late 2000 and early '01 because I didn't (and still don't) appreciate the tack Microsoft has been taking since Windows 98. I had just recently completely dropped XP, and couldn't be more proud of it. :KS

[tgbrowning]

I work on and use a computer almost 15 hours a day on the average because I'm a programmer and deaf to boot. eMail and Yahoo! messenger have replaced phones for me since it's incredibly difficult to contact people with a TTY.

So, I go through notebook computers liek crazy -- generally 2 a year. The last time out I ended up with Windows Vista and after three months of it, I decided I'd had enough.

I loath Microsoft for a number of reasons, not the least of which is how bloody damn intrusive they have gotten. It's gotten to the point where one is forced to do a number of things and I hate being told what I have to use and put up with. Take Microsoft's "Malicious Program" path, which is nothing more than snoop-ware. The damn thing is always reporting back to Microsoft any number of things without telling the user.

One has to be very, very careful each time an update comes out, or you end up getting stuff you don't really want.

When Vista went and changed a bunch of their folder protocols, denying direct access to the default folder that each user is pressured to use by the damn OS, I had had enough.

I still have to use Windows XP for work, but I'm 11 months away from retiring and I will dump Microsft products entirely just as soon as I can.

Ubuntu reminds me a heck of a lot of DOS, what with the terminal commands and, while it's been frustrating (I keep using DOS commands, forgetting I'm in a linux enviro) I like what I see. It's a bit tricky some times, and I've got a long way to go before I'll be up to speed, but I don't see any real problems. Not really.

Browning>>>

[Concorde]

Since I work on PCs for friends and family (going to get A+ certified in the Fall), I wanted to get a feel for something other than Windows. Unfortunately for Windows, I made Ubuntu my primary OS after one week of using the LIVE CD. I still use Windows XP, but only in a virtual machine. I need it for PE-Builder and ITunes. I want to get started training for the LPI exams sometime next year.

tgBrowning, you are an inspiration to me. I myself have a vocal disability and to know that someone like you is a programmer who has a disability makes me feel like I can accomplish anything if I just don't let my disability get in the way of myself.

[Incense]

I was a SuSe user for a couple years before I moved to Ubuntu. I switched because I didn't like where SuSe was going when Novell came into the picture, and Ubuntu sent me free CDs so I didn't have to spend a week on dial up waiting for a new ISO. That and I thought the name was kind of cool.

[phrostbyte]

I've known about early in my use of computers prob around 1997-1998, and started with Red Hat.

[Ripfox]

My old roomate kept going on about Linux and Ubuntu, and I got sick of "obtaining" programs I needed for Windows. I'm telling you, it was apt-get that hooked me...:p

[tgbrowning]

Anyway, virus scan every week, used Opera even way back when for security, was careful about my email... and one day...

Windows deleted run32.dll.

So I go a search on my dad's computer for something like "easy Linux" first thing that pops up is the one I take, Ubuntu, and off I go. :) Praise the missing run32.dll!

LOL.

Gotchas are one of life's little mysteries. But those who take advantage of them, turn them into a plus rather than a minus, have a lot more fun.

Browning>>>

[hummingbird59]

I chose to use Linux after hearing all sorts of news about Vista, and its 'features' designed to 'protect me'. I was already interested in free software for some time, and in fact used many FOSS applications for Windows, almost all of em were FOSS in fact.

I simply could not stick with XP knowing that Vista was the new standard, but I could not keep using the outdated OS, so MS really left me no choice but to leave them for good. I simply said I would never touch Vista, and it was this or a Mac...

AMEN:D

[orb9220]

1 year ago during a dark and quite night. I was sleeping and was awaken by hands.

They were the Tele-Tubbies and were holding me down and inserting devices in my Head!

Then I passed out and woke up it was morning. I sat down with my coffee at the computer.

Then for no reason my fingers started typing. It started to download the Dapper iso to my computer. I then burned and booted the iso. My hand moved to the mouse and I double-clicked the Install icon.

And then I entered a Brave New World! whith the voices of the Tele-Tubbies chanting in my head
"Isn't it Wonderful! So Wonderful!"


Been using Ubuntu ever since.

[karlseith]

I don't use Ubuntu full time yet, I dual boot (because my girlfriend cant live without Windows, and her Yahoo LaunchCast). That being said I have been interested in Linux for several years now, but unable to find one that is "newb" friendly enough for me. That is of course until now. I can't get enough of Ubuntu. Instead of playing video games when I get off work, I sit down and play with Ubuntu for hours. All I can say is no Linux distro. I have come across is more user friendly without sacrificing functionality than Ubuntu.

[eklitzke]

I started using Ubuntu because it was better than Fedora, which is what I was running when I switched to Ubuntu (shortly after Breezy Badger came out). I had already switched completely away from Windows by that time (it wasn't even installed on any computers I owned), so that wasn't an issue for me. To all the people still dual booting: you can make the switch! Just remove your Windows partitions and don't look back ;-)

[steven8]

Because it met all my needs and allowed me to become Microsoft-free.

[foxmulder881]

I began using Linux because I was bored with Windows and wanted to learn something new.

I chose Ubuntu in particular because it was top of distrowatch.org at the time. And it's still on top for obvious reasons!

[Jigglybootch]

I began using Ubuntu because I was bored one day and wanted to give Linux a try. I did some research, stumbled on Ubuntu and, having nothing better to do, wiped out my Windows XP installation and installed Ubuntu. I still have XP (on a different hard drive), plus Windows 2000 on my laptop, so if something arises and I need Windows, I'm still covered. I will not under any circumstances, however, use Vista. Not a chance in hell.

[gimfred]

Novell did the deal with Microsoft. Poor poor suse.