weeroona
August 13th, 2005, 02:51 PM
I've been running Linux for almost 2 years now. Gentoo then Ubuntu starting with the Hoary release early this spring.
I got a laptop a few weeks ago (Dell 700M) and wanted Ubuntu on it. I ended up clearing off the pre-installed Windows and installing Kubuntu. Installed quite well. Not quite as smoothly on the laptop as on my desktop machine because the laptop has more proprietary hardware but still fairly well. A few things needed tweaking like the wireless card worked but shuts off if inactive and the module (IPW2200) needs to be reloaded.
A week ago I realized I needed Windows on the computer for work. I have a seat of Windows XP Pro that isn't used anymore so I put it on. The laptop didn't come with any restore CD's or drivers. After the Windows install, no network, no usb ports, no sound. All things ubuntu recognized. Getting the drivers was a pain. I had to download from Dell to another computer and burn on a CD. No USB thumbdrive support. The network was the most frustrating part.
The WinXP disc I used is an early one. I guess older than the Centrino chipset which is why there isn't builtin support for some of the drivers. But a person can download an current version of Ubuntu for recent driver additions whereas a new purchase of Windows is required to stay current with it.
It didn't occur to me until yesterday that my Windows installation process was much less smooth than with Kubuntu. Both have some headaches but as a mainstream operating system, Ubuntu/Kubuntu isn't far off!
-Jeff
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http://feesta.com
I got a laptop a few weeks ago (Dell 700M) and wanted Ubuntu on it. I ended up clearing off the pre-installed Windows and installing Kubuntu. Installed quite well. Not quite as smoothly on the laptop as on my desktop machine because the laptop has more proprietary hardware but still fairly well. A few things needed tweaking like the wireless card worked but shuts off if inactive and the module (IPW2200) needs to be reloaded.
A week ago I realized I needed Windows on the computer for work. I have a seat of Windows XP Pro that isn't used anymore so I put it on. The laptop didn't come with any restore CD's or drivers. After the Windows install, no network, no usb ports, no sound. All things ubuntu recognized. Getting the drivers was a pain. I had to download from Dell to another computer and burn on a CD. No USB thumbdrive support. The network was the most frustrating part.
The WinXP disc I used is an early one. I guess older than the Centrino chipset which is why there isn't builtin support for some of the drivers. But a person can download an current version of Ubuntu for recent driver additions whereas a new purchase of Windows is required to stay current with it.
It didn't occur to me until yesterday that my Windows installation process was much less smooth than with Kubuntu. Both have some headaches but as a mainstream operating system, Ubuntu/Kubuntu isn't far off!
-Jeff
-----------
http://feesta.com