Is Ubuntu easy like Linspire?

[Darrin]

Im new to the linux world. Have been trying linspire out for about a week. Ive heard a few good things about Ubuntu in the Linspire forums. Is it easy for newbies to use like linspire? What are the major differences between the two? Im downloading the live cd as I type this to mess with it a bit. By the way, how do you pronounce it (oo-boon-too) ?.

Any information on this OS is much appreciated.

[az]

Offhand, the big differences between linspire and Ubuntu are that Linspire liceence 3-rd party codecs and some software, which means that they distribute mp3 support and things like java out-of-the-box. In Ubuntu, since these are not free (as in freedom) but free (as in cost) you must install them yourself.
See here (it is easy):
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/RestrictedFormats

Linspire make their money by providing convenience. Ubuntu probably will be very easy for you to use, but there may be some things you run into that will require you to ask for help here.

Go right ahead and fire away with any questions you may have.

Oh, and Ubuntu runs *much* faster than Linspire.

[onesojourner]

I have only been using ubuntu for about a week and I like it way better than I did linspire. linspire tries to charge you for stuff that should be free if I remember right. I have tried mandrake, linspire then xandros and so far I like ubuntu the best. you might look in the easy ubuntu forum. I have not tried it yet but it sounds like it will make ubuntu just as easy as linspire.

[Darrin]

I did notice Linspire being slow. Especially at boot up. This is what I read to be the reason over at the linspire forums.
The reason for boot-up times being slow is that Linspire has some of the most complete and robust hardware detection scripts available. This way, if you install new hardware, all you have to do is turn on your PC, and it will configure itself...you wont have to ever touch a command line. The down side of having almost any hardware detected is that it causes boot times to be longer. But - Linspire is designed to be on 24/7...reboots are RARELY ever necessary.

The browser/email client is slow due to integration of various codex's and plugins. If you search the forums, you can find ways to speed up the browser load up time while sacrificing some media extensions on the web.

I would suggest using Firefox or Opera which will load considerably faster, but, they will not be able to handle media on the internet as well....they may not even handle it at all.

Linspire is "slower" than other distro's, but, the slight slowdown that you experience is outweighed by the ease of use, simple installs, almost never needing to manually configure anything, etc.

Linspire is working on ways to make things faster, but, keep in mind that Linspire aims for stability and ease of use....not bleeding edge and running at mach 5.

Thanks for the link. Ill read up on it when I get home from work.

[aysiu]

Well, first of all, I'd recommmend reading "Is Ubuntu for you?" (http://www.ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=63315).

In answer to your question, though, it depends what you mean by "easy." I haven't found Ubuntu difficult. In fact, I found Linspire difficult. First of all, Linspire kept trying to run CNR, and I had to attempt several times to turn it off before it would finally quit. When I tried to use apt-get (even after following a tutorial called "hacking Linspire"), some of the programs I wanted to apt-get wouldn't install correctly or at all. I realize, of course, that apt-get isn't officially supported by Linspire, but that's what I find difficult about Linspire--if you want to play their game, everything's cool. If you want to customize your OS, Linspire's "difficult."

Ubuntu on the other hand won't get in the way when you want to do stuff, but not everything is set up for you (for example, proprietary multimedia codecs). When installing Ubuntu (not using it), you may have to type a few commands into console, but I don't find this difficult at all.

The community here is unparalleled and will help you through many problems and give you lots of cool tips and tricks. Tell us what you liked about Linspire, and we'll tell you if that's something you can look forward to in Ubuntu. Also, tell us what you didn't like about Linspire (must be something if you're on here).

[aysiu]

I did notice Linspire being slow. Especially at boot up. This is what I read to be the reason over at the linspire forums.
[SIZE="1"][b]The reason for boot-up times being slow is that Linspire has some of the most complete and robust hardware detection scripts available. This way, if you install new hardware, all you have to do is turn on your PC, and it will configure itself...you wont have to ever touch a command line. Much as I find Linspire personally annoying to use, I have to say this is absolutely true. Even though almost every distro detecting most of my hardware, Linspire was the only one to detect absolutely every piece correctly--including the refresh rate for my monitor.

[Qrk]

Linspire gets a lot of flak in the Linux world because of CNR because they make you pay for something that is bascially a warmed over apt-get. They also have a nasty habit of renaming open source applications, which many people don't like. But from the users point of veiw Linspire does a lot of things right; so some of that flak is undeserved.

I think Ubuntu has slowly been catching up with Linspire on the features that make Linspire really easy to use, with the notable exception of installation. Linspires intstallation is graphical, and really quick. But breezy's add and remove applications takes most of the bite out of CNR for free.

[aysiu]

But from the users point of veiw Linspire does a lot of things right; so some of that flak is undeserved. I'd say it depends on the user, but you're right--for some users, it does fill a niche.

[Darrin]

I wasnt aware of breeze. Is that a program part of the unbuntu system? This is my second attempt at a linux distro. My main reason for linspire is I cant figure out how to install programs. CNR makes it easy. I would like to learn this distro. Am willing to learn. When I get home from work Im going to run the live CD and give it a mess with. Any newbie links that your aware of that might help me to begin would be great.

[Perfect Storm]

-Breezy is the name of todays latest stable ubuntu version.

[Lord Illidan]

I wasnt aware of breeze. Is that a program part of the unbuntu system? This is my second attempt at a linux distro. My main reason for linspire is I cant figure out how to install programs. CNR makes it easy. I would like to learn this distro. Am willing to learn. When I get home from work Im going to run the live CD and give it a mess with. Any newbie links that your aware of that might help me to begin would be great.

Breezy is the current release of Ubuntu, called Breezy Badger.. kinda like Windows Longhorn being called Vista..

CNR is expensive, and in the long run, I can get a working distro with the same functionality for much less than linspire, for the price of an internet connection...

Figuring out how to install programs is essential if you want to learn linux. It is easy. Don't let technical jargon like "compiling" throw you off track.
You might try out the Ubuntu Guide in my sig. Also, these forums are Excellent with a Capital E!

[aysiu]

My main reason for linspire is I cant figure out how to install programs. CNR makes it easy. I would like to learn this distro. Am willing to learn. When I get home from work Im going to run the live CD and give it a mess with. Any newbie links that your aware of that might help me to begin would be great. Installing software in a Debian-based distro (like Ubuntu) is super-easy. Look at the second link in my sig for a demonstration.

Honestly, though, I think Mepis might be a good transition distro for you. It's all point-and-click, including configuration, and it uses Synaptic Package Manager (as Ubuntu does) to install software. It's both a live CD and installer CD in one, and it's very easy to use. My feeling, though, is after you get used to Mepis--just as I did--you'll want to come to Ubuntu.

[mlomker]

Linspire was the only one to detect absolutely every piece correctly--including the refresh rate for my monitor.

This was true on my older laptop--it detected absolutely everything...winmodem drivers, ndiswrapper for my Broadcom wireless...everything. It's about as close to a Windows experience as you can get out of the box. I actually don't think it's at all a bad thing for people new to linux. I was happy to run it for the first few months and learn--it is debian based, so the transition to Kubuntu was easy.

Kubuntu's biggest problem are the installation of the networking drivers and the multimedia pieces. Linspire/Xandros are going to include all of those licensed but free pieces out of the box and that's a real time killer loading a Ubuntu machine.

Linspire absolutely toasted on my new laptop, btw. I couldn't figure out how to manually get my networking cards to work...that's what led me here.

[Darrin]

Installing software in a Debian-based distro (like Ubuntu) is super-easy. Look at the second link in my sig for a demonstration.

Honestly, though, I think Mepis might be a good transition distro for you. It's all point-and-click, including configuration, and it uses Synaptic Package Manager (as Ubuntu does) to install software. It's both a live CD and installer CD in one, and it's very easy to use. My feeling, though, is after you get used to Mepis--just as I did--you'll want to come to Ubuntu.

Im downloading the ISO of Mepis right now. Ill try that out also. Thanks for the recommend. Is it just me or is the Mepis site a little confusing as far as the navigation goes. I hope to try out both Mepis and Ubuntu.

[Darrin]

I tried Mepis. A little too much eye candy for me. Im installing Ubuntu now. I like how clean it looks. Any major differences between umbuntu and Kumbuto other than the obivous which is Gnome over KDE.

[mlomker]

Gnome over KDE.

Nope, that's the difference. You can easily install both desktop managers and choose between them if you like.

[joelito]

Guess that if you're a linspire user then you are more familiar with the KDE desktop, for this, I recommend going for Kubuntu

[Darrin]

Guess that if you're a linspire user then you are more familiar with the KDE desktop, for this, I recommend going for Kubuntu
Not really familiar with anything here ;) I just tried out linspire about a week ago. So I open to anything right now. I have Ubuntu up and running right now. Its time to play :D

[Darrin]

Nope, that's the difference. You can easily install both desktop managers and choose between them if you like.

How would I go about doing that if I was interested?

[mlomker]

How would I go about doing that if I was interested?

If you download kubuntu-desktop in Synaptic then you'll get the works. You can then select which desktop you want at login time using the session button.

The only warning I'll offer is that it fills your menus with a lot of icons (applications) when you have both desktops installed. You'll have to spend some time cleaning them up if you like things neat. :)

[Darrin]

Thanks. So...is snyaptic like a add remove programs in windows? Im trying to figure out what all these names are and theyre similarity to windows parts so I know what Im looking at and an idea of what they are. What are the best reads I can checkout to learn the most about ubuntu?

[kinson]

Thanks. So...is snyaptic like a add remove programs in windows?

Yeah :)

[aysiu]

Wow! Reviving a thread more than a year old...

Well, I've moved it from Absolute Beginner to Debian, since the OP will probably not need to see this thread again.

[articpenguin]

Linspire thinks that proprietary software is the way to go but it really isnt

[Sef]

Wow! Reviving a thread more than a year old...

It's been revived again after another year. Maybe this should be called 'The Thread that would not Die.'

[SunnyRabbiera]

Topic: Braaaaaaiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiinnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnsss sssssss!
Braaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiinnnnnnnnnnnnnns sssssss!

[DarinB]

darrin,
it is like add and remoce programs jsut a billion times better like all of ubuntu,
if you can move up to fiesty of gutsy you will like it even more.
hey and what up with all those r's
lol
Darin

[DarinB]

sorry about the small D Darrin
no offense i hope!!!