Need some feedback on Ubuntu "review" [Archive]

billgoldberg

August 8th, 2008, 01:11 AM

I just did a piece on my website to help people decide whether or not to install Ubuntu.

Could you guys provide some feedback (what to add, remove, rephrase, ...).

English isn't my first language, does it show?

If so, where?

link to article:

http://linuxowns.wordpress.com/try-ubuntu/

amazingtaters

August 8th, 2008, 01:50 AM

Try ubuntu

In this article I’m giving you an idea of Ubuntu’s capabilities to see if they fit your needs.

I’ll also provide some links that I feel you must read before you install it on your hdd. I would say hard drive instead of hdd for joe sixpack

Note: I know I’m a bit biased, but I’ll do my best to remain neutral.

1. Is Ubuntu suited for you?

1.1 The advantages

Ubuntu 8.04 is perfect for people who do the following things with their computer:

- browsing the web
- downloading files (music, documents, videos, …)
- listening to music and watching movies
(note that there is no iTunes for Linux. It’s no problem putting music on your ipod or deleting it, organizing, … But you won’t be able to play your DRM infected music you downloaded.)
- using it for editing a broad range of documents (take a look at http://openoffice.org and see if it fits your needs)
- …

If you are one of those users (the broad majority of the computer users in the world) then Ubuntu is perfect for you.

–

Of course these aren't the only people Ubuntu is suited for.

If you are looking for a Media Center PC, then Ubuntu should do fine. It has lots of media center applications (Mythtv, Elisa, …). And is also able to stream media to upnp devices (ps3, xbox 360, …), windows machines, Shoutcast/Icecast machines, …

If you are looking to run a server on you machine, then Ubuntu (server edition without gui or the normal Ubuntu) is a stable alternative to other operating systems.

–

There are many more uses for Ubuntu. The best way to figure it out is by trying it in an virtual machine (Virtualbox, Vmware Server, …) or by trying the live CD .

A live CD will be slower and Ubuntu capabilities will be weakened because you are running the OS from a CD, but you can try it without it ever touching your hard [/b]drive[/b]. Thus no damage will be done to your existing OS.

–

Ubuntu is a Linux distro and most of them are about as safe as you can get.

Ubuntu isn’t plagued by viruses and spyware like the Windows operating systems.

It also can’t be affected by the few Mac OSX viruses there are on the web.

This means you won’t need to run anti-x maybe anti-virus software and you’ll get more speed out of your computer.

–

Ubuntu, together with most other Linux distributions, has a special way of installing and removing applications.

You don’t need to get your software by browsing sites, downloading possibly infected .exe installers and then clicking next numerous times.

Ubuntu uses a system of repositories.

You have software on Ubuntu called Add/Remove and Synaptic Package Manager.

These programs come in a nice GUI and will allow you to search the huge repositories.

If you find what you are looking for, simply tag the package and press apply. The program will be downloaded and installed.

There are other ways of installing software, but most people never need to do that.

A couple of issues with the first bit. Mostly just a few grammar errors, wrong endings on words. All changes are in bold.

billgoldberg

August 8th, 2008, 02:05 AM

Try ubuntu

In this article I’m giving you an idea of Ubuntu’s capabilities to see if they fit your needs.

I’ll also provide some links that I feel you must read before you install it on your hdd. I would say hard drive instead of hdd for joe sixpack

Note: I know I’m a bit biased, but I’ll do my best to remain neutral.

1. Is Ubuntu suited for you?

1.1 The advantages

Ubuntu 8.04 is perfect for people who do the following things with their computer:

- browsing the web
- downloading files (music, documents, videos, …)
- listening to music and watching movies
(note that there is no iTunes for Linux. It’s no problem putting music on your ipod or deleting it, organizing, … But you won’t be able to play your DRM infected music you downloaded.)
- using it for editing a broad range of documents (take a look at http://openoffice.org and see if it fits your needs)
- …

If you are one of those users (the broad majority of the computer users in the world) then Ubuntu is perfect for you.

–

Of course these aren't the only people Ubuntu is suited for.

If you are looking for a Media Center PC, then Ubuntu should do fine. It has lots of media center applications (Mythtv, Elisa, …). And is also able to stream media to upnp devices (ps3, xbox 360, …), windows machines, Shoutcast/Icecast machines, …

If you are looking to run a server on you machine, then Ubuntu (server edition without gui or the normal Ubuntu) is a stable alternative to other operating systems.

–

There are many more uses for Ubuntu. The best way to figure it out is by trying it in an virtual machine (Virtualbox, Vmware Server, …) or by trying the live CD .

A live CD will be slower and Ubuntu capabilities will be weakened because you are running the OS from a CD, but you can try it without it ever touching your hard [/b]drive[/b]. Thus no damage will be done to your existing OS.

–

Ubuntu is a Linux distro and most of them are about as safe as you can get.

Ubuntu isn’t plagued by viruses and spyware like the Windows operating systems.

It also can’t be affected by the few Mac OSX viruses there are on the web.

This means you won’t need to run anti-x maybe anti-virus software and you’ll get more speed out of your computer.

–

Ubuntu, together with most other Linux distributions, has a special way of installing and removing applications.

You don’t need to get your software by browsing sites, downloading possibly infected .exe installers and then clicking next numerous times.

Ubuntu uses a system of repositories.

You have software on Ubuntu called Add/Remove and Synaptic Package Manager.

These programs come in a nice GUI and will allow you to search the huge repositories.

If you find what you are looking for, simply tag the package and press apply. The program will be downloaded and installed.

There are other ways of installing software, but most people never need to do that.

A couple of issues with the first bit. Mostly just a few grammar errors, wrong endings on words. All changes are in bold.

Thanks.

I'm going to bed now, I'll fix it tomorrow.

--

Keep 'em coming guys or gals.

Delever

August 8th, 2008, 02:40 AM

A live CD will be slower and Ubuntu capabilities will be weakened because you are running the OS from a CD, but you can try it without it ever touching your hard driver.

Ubuntu uses a system of repositories. << this sounds complicated and unnecessary.

These program come in a nice GUI and will allow you to search the huge repositories.

In most cases you won’t need to reset your computer. << RESTART probably??? :D

This is only needed for changes to the core of the system (the kernel, …). << this should be the same as previous paragraph.

The ext3 fs doesn’t fragment as much as the ntfs one does. You should never need to defrag it. << defrag = defragment, fs = file system, most people would not know what ntfs or ext3 means, just say that they don't need to defragment linux file system.

Besided the hundreds of gtk themes, icon theme and fonts, you can use different Destkop Enviroments and different Window Managers. << you know, usually more is less ;)

You won’t be able to use most of you favorite close sourced programs in Ubuntu.

I stopped reading, you probably really needed some sleep, just read it when you wake up, English isn't my native language after all... :lolflag:

billgoldberg

August 8th, 2008, 08:58 AM

Yeah, I typed it at two in the morning without a spell checker.

I'll start fixing errors.

--

BTW: isn't "reset" a used term?

In like "I'm resetting my computer"? No?

amazingtaters

August 8th, 2008, 11:48 AM

Yeah, I typed it at two in the morning without a spell checker.

I'll start fixing errors.

--

BTW: isn't "reset" a used term?

In like "I'm resetting my computer"? No?

Yeah it's a common term and grammatically fine.

billgoldberg

August 8th, 2008, 11:56 AM

Yeah it's a common term and grammatically fine.

That's what I was thinking.

Delever

August 8th, 2008, 12:57 PM

I thought reset means that you press that reset button in front of it, and normal restart is restarting computer correctly.

lukjad

August 8th, 2008, 02:45 PM

Here is my shot at it. There are a lot of changes, just to make things flow more and to add a few tips. Anything in square brackets [ ] is my comment, fell free to delete. The text that I took it from way from 7:01 AM EST so may not be the latest on your website.

Hope this helps.

Copy to a text editor and save as a .html file to view it.

<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN">
<HTML>
<HEAD>
<META HTTP-EQUIV="CONTENT-TYPE" CONTENT="text/html; charset=utf-8">
<TITLE></TITLE>
<META NAME="GENERATOR" CONTENT="OpenOffice.org 2.4 (Linux)">
<META NAME="CREATED" CONTENT="20080808;7035000">
<META NAME="CHANGED" CONTENT="20080808;9403500">
<STYLE TYPE="text/css">

</STYLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY LANG="en-CA" DIR="LTR">
 

<DIV ID="content" DIR="LTR">
<DIV ID="post-205" DIR="LTR">
<H1 CLASS="western">Trying Ubuntu</H1>
In this article I will try to give you some idea of the
capabilities of Ubuntu to see if they fit your needs.[In this
sentence I rearranged it to fit with some grammar rules and to make
it flow a little better.]
I’ll also provide some links that I feel would be useful to
read before you install it on your computer. [The term “HDD”
may be a little confusing to those who are not computer savvy.]
Note: While I may be slightly biased I try my best to remain
neutral.
 

<H1 CLASS="western">Suitability
1. Is Ubuntu suited [or “suitable” your
choice] for you?</H1>
<H2>1.1 The advantages 
</H2>
Ubuntu 8.04 is is well suited for people who do the following
things with their computer:
<UL>
<LI>- browsing the web 

<LI>- downloading files (music, documents, videos, …) 

<LI>- listening to music and watching movies (note that
there is no iTunes for Linux. It’s no problem putting music on
your ipod or deleting it, organizing, … But you won’t be able
to play your DRM infected music you downloaded.) 

<LI>- using it for editing a broad range of documents (take a
look at http://openoffice.org and see if it fits your needs)
</UL>
The broad majority of the computer users in the world are
included in this class, chances are that you are in this class as
well. If so, Ubuntu will suit you well.
–
Ubuntu is also suited for people who:
<UL>
<LI>Are looking for a Media Center PC. Ubuntu should do just
fine. It has lots of media center applications (Mythtv, Elisa, …).
And is also able to stream media to upnp devices (ps3, xbox 360,
…), windows machines, Shoutcast/Icecast machines, …
<LI>Are looking to run a server on your machine, then Ubuntu is
a stable alternative to other operating systems.
</UL>
–
There are many more uses for Ubuntu. The best way to decide if
Ubuntu is for you is by trying it in an virtual machine
(Virtualbox, Vmware Server, …) or by trying the Live CD.

Please note that a Live CD will respond more sluggishly than a
full install, but it is a useful tool to try out Ubuntu without
changing anything on your computer. Thus no damage will be done to
your existing OS.
–
Ubuntu is a Linux distribution and most of them are about as
safe as you can get.
Ubuntu isn’t plagued by viruses and spyware designed for the
Windows operating systems.
It also cannot be affected by the few Mac OSX viruses there are
on the web.
This means you won’t need to run anti-virus software, so
you’ll get more speed out of your computer.
–
 

<H3 CLASS="western">Installing Software</H3>
Ubuntu, together with most other Linux distributions, has a
special way of installing and removing applications.
You don’t need to get your software by browsing sites,
downloading random, possibly infected, .exe file installers and
then clicking “Next” numerous times. Ubuntu uses a system of
repositories that are all verified to work well with Ubuntu and
contain no spyware, adware or viruses. These packages are found in
the Package Managers (The two most common are called Add/Remove
(Applications-> Places-> Add/Remove...) and Synaptic Package
Manager (System-> Administration-> Synaptic Packaged
Manager.) ).
These programs come in a nice GUI (Graphical User Interface) and
will allow you to search the huge repositories. If you find what
you are looking for, simply tag the package and press “Apply”.
The program will be downloaded and installed.
There are other ways of installing software, but most people
never need to do that.
[Picture]
(click to view full resolution)
–
Because of the repositories, with one click Ubuntu is able to
install and update every single piece of software installed
installed through the Package Managers. (For most people that’s
all the software on their PC.) [The way the sentence was
structured before was a bit confusing. ]
In most cases you won’t need to reboot your computer.
This is only needed for changes to the core of the system. (For
example the kernel, and some major security updates. Even
then, you are not forced to restart your computer until you are
ready to do so.)
You can keep using your PC while it’s downloading and
installing the updates.
This together with the fact that you usually don't need to
defragment your hard drive makes for a very pleasant user
experience.
The Linux (ext3) file system doesn’t fragment as much as the
Windows one (NTFS or FAT) does. You most likely shall never need to
defragment it.
–
<H3 CLASS="western">The Looks</H3>
Do you like a stylish Operating System with 3d graphics that put
to shame Vista and OSX?
Then Ubuntu is the choice for you.
Besides the hundreds of GTK themes, icon theme and fonts, you
can use different Desktop Environments and different Window
Managers.
Take a look at the screenshots link on the top of this webpage
to get a better idea of what they look like.
–
Ubuntu has been coming with multiple workspaces for as long as I
can remember.
The default number of desktops is 2 (though some people
prefer 4), but you can have as many as you want.
This means less clutter on the desktop, more productivity and an
easier time managing your projects.
[Picture]
(click to view full resolution)
<H2>1.2 The disadvantages</H2>
Most of closed source programs are not designed for Ubuntu.
While Ubuntu has open source equivalents for most of the
software you use, in some cases that software could be of a lesser
quality or may require a certain adjustment period to get used to
the new features and shortcuts. The opposite is also true. Some
programs are almost the same in look and feel as the closed source
equivalents and require little or no adjustment.
If you are a professional photo artist, you may need some of
Adobe's software. This company had not created a Linux. If you are
an amateur photo artist, the pre-installed gimp will do more than
fine. Some professionals even use it. HOWEVER there is a program
that is called Crossover Linux that allows for the installation of
Microsoft Word, Internet Explorer and Photoshop to name a few.
http://www.desktoplinux.com/articles/AT7770280571.html
–
If you are a gamer, Ubuntu won’t be for you. As everyone
knows, gaming = windows. Some games can run natively under Linux
and some of them with the help of WINE. But don’t be fooled, it’s
still slim pickings. A lot of gamers that run Ubuntu dual boot
together with Windows, so you can have the best of both worlds.
There are, however, an ever growing number of games that are made
specifically for Linux and some of the game companies are finally
seeming to come around to the concept of Linux. Stay tuned.
–
If you have obscure hardware, Ubuntu won’t be for you.
The Linux kernel has the best software support out of the box,
but not everything is supported.
Most normal computers and other hardware will run flawlessly
(you will not need to install drivers for printers,
cameras, etc. they will just work).
And Nvidea and ATI cards are supported by Ubuntu through the use
of the “Hardware Drivers” program.
It would be best to check online or using the live CD to see if
your hardware is supported.
–
If you are afraid of change, then again, Ubuntu won’t be for
you. As mentioned before, you may need to relearn some things. For
instance Ubuntu doesn’t use the same naming system that Windows
does when dealing with drives. There is no c:\ drive in Ubuntu.
Some people find the system that Ubuntu uses to be better, but it
still will require an adjustment.
–
I can’t really recommend using Ubuntu when you don’t have an
Internet connection because you will need an Internet connection to
download software and install updates. It is possible to burn the
repositories on some DVDs or install the needed software in a
friends house using his Internet connection.
<H1 CLASS="western">2. Some useful links to read/watch
before deciding</H1>
<A HREF="http://linux.oneandoneis2.org/LNW.htm">Linux is not
Windows</A>
<A HREF="http://www.whylinuxisbetter.net/">Why Linux is better</A>
<A HREF="https://wiki.ubuntu.com/">Ubuntu Wiki</A>
<A HREF="http://www.johnbradbury.com/category/linux/">First
impressions of Ubuntu from a Windows user</A>
<A HREF="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6LP0WfmLUg">Ubuntu’s
visual effects in action </A>

<H1 CLASS="western">3. What to do when things go wrong?</H1>
Because most people download and burn Ubuntu and then install it
on their computers, people worry that they will get no support. Not
to fear.
The <A HREF="http://ubuntuforums.org/index.php">Ubuntu help
forum</A> is one of the most helpful (if not the most helpful)
forums in the world. With thousands of people ready 24/7 to help
you, you will get fast replies. Most people say they get better
support on the forums than from the call centres they formerly
used. Then there is also the <A HREF="http://linuxowns.wordpress.com/2008/04/23/ubuntu-irc-channel/">irc
support</A>. There are people on there also 24/7, so you can get
help there. Ubuntu has some pretty <A HREF="https://wiki.ubuntu.com/">good</A>
<A HREF="https://help.ubuntu.com/">documentation</A> also. If you
really want to pay for support, it’s possible to do so. You can
get it from the company behind Ubuntu, <A HREF="http://www.canonical.com/">Canonical</A>.
And there are hundreds of sites on the Internet, like the one you
are now, where you can find answers to your questions. Google is
your friend.
–
If you buy a computer with Ubuntu installed on it, you will
usually get support from the manufacturer.
<H1 CLASS="western">4. Installing Ubuntu.</H1>
You have a few ways of doing this.
You can install Ubuntu from USB disk [do you mean drive or port
maybe?], from CD [drive or disk?] and from within Windows using
Wubi (http://wubi-installer.org/).
All the info on that can be found on the documentation links in
point 3. or on Google.
<H1 CLASS="western">5. End note</H1>
I wish you the best with your first steps in the Linux world and
hope you will like it.
On this site you will find lots of interesting things about
Ubuntu so please, look around. [Maybe you can also put your Ubuntu
forum name here to let them know who you are?]
</DIV>
</DIV>
 

</BODY>
</HTML>

billgoldberg

August 8th, 2008, 03:04 PM

Here is my shot at it. There are a lot of changes, just to make things flow more and to add a few tips. Anything in square brackets [ ] is my comment, fell free to delete. The text that I took it from way from 7:01 AM EST so may not be the latest on your website.

Hope this helps.

Copy to a text editor and save as a .html file to view it.

<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN">
<HTML>
<HEAD>
<META HTTP-EQUIV="CONTENT-TYPE" CONTENT="text/html; charset=utf-8">
<TITLE></TITLE>
<META NAME="GENERATOR" CONTENT="OpenOffice.org 2.4 (Linux)">
<META NAME="CREATED" CONTENT="20080808;7035000">
<META NAME="CHANGED" CONTENT="20080808;9403500">
<STYLE TYPE="text/css">

</STYLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY LANG="en-CA" DIR="LTR">
 

<DIV ID="content" DIR="LTR">
<DIV ID="post-205" DIR="LTR">
<H1 CLASS="western">Trying Ubuntu</H1>
In this article I will try to give you some idea of the
capabilities of Ubuntu to see if they fit your needs.[In this
sentence I rearranged it to fit with some grammar rules and to make
it flow a little better.]
I’ll also provide some links that I feel would be useful to
read before you install it on your computer. [The term “HDD”
may be a little confusing to those who are not computer savvy.]
Note: While I may be slightly biased I try my best to remain
neutral.
 

<H1 CLASS="western">Suitability
1. Is Ubuntu suited [or “suitable” your
choice] for you?</H1>
<H2>1.1 The advantages 
</H2>
Ubuntu 8.04 is is well suited for people who do the following
things with their computer:
<UL>
<LI>- browsing the web 

<LI>- downloading files (music, documents, videos, …) 

<LI>- listening to music and watching movies (note that
there is no iTunes for Linux. It’s no problem putting music on
your ipod or deleting it, organizing, … But you won’t be able
to play your DRM infected music you downloaded.) 

<LI>- using it for editing a broad range of documents (take a
look at http://openoffice.org and see if it fits your needs)
</UL>
The broad majority of the computer users in the world are
included in this class, chances are that you are in this class as
well. If so, Ubuntu will suit you well.
–
Ubuntu is also suited for people who:
<UL>
<LI>Are looking for a Media Center PC. Ubuntu should do just
fine. It has lots of media center applications (Mythtv, Elisa, …).
And is also able to stream media to upnp devices (ps3, xbox 360,
…), windows machines, Shoutcast/Icecast machines, …
<LI>Are looking to run a server on your machine, then Ubuntu is
a stable alternative to other operating systems.
</UL>
–
There are many more uses for Ubuntu. The best way to decide if
Ubuntu is for you is by trying it in an virtual machine
(Virtualbox, Vmware Server, …) or by trying the Live CD.

Please note that a Live CD will respond more sluggishly than a
full install, but it is a useful tool to try out Ubuntu without
changing anything on your computer. Thus no damage will be done to
your existing OS.
–
Ubuntu is a Linux distribution and most of them are about as
safe as you can get.
Ubuntu isn’t plagued by viruses and spyware designed for the
Windows operating systems.
It also cannot be affected by the few Mac OSX viruses there are
on the web.
This means you won’t need to run anti-virus software, so
you’ll get more speed out of your computer.
–
 

<H3 CLASS="western">Installing Software</H3>
Ubuntu, together with most other Linux distributions, has a
special way of installing and removing applications.
You don’t need to get your software by browsing sites,
downloading random, possibly infected, .exe file installers and
then clicking “Next” numerous times. Ubuntu uses a system of
repositories that are all verified to work well with Ubuntu and
contain no spyware, adware or viruses. These packages are found in
the Package Managers (The two most common are called Add/Remove
(Applications-> Places-> Add/Remove...) and Synaptic Package
Manager (System-> Administration-> Synaptic Packaged
Manager.) ).
These programs come in a nice GUI (Graphical User Interface) and
will allow you to search the huge repositories. If you find what
you are looking for, simply tag the package and press “Apply”.
The program will be downloaded and installed.
There are other ways of installing software, but most people
never need to do that.
[Picture]
(click to view full resolution)
–
Because of the repositories, with one click Ubuntu is able to
install and update every single piece of software installed
installed through the Package Managers. (For most people that’s
all the software on their PC.) [The way the sentence was
structured before was a bit confusing. ]
In most cases you won’t need to reboot your computer.
This is only needed for changes to the core of the system. (For
example the kernel, and some major security updates. Even
then, you are not forced to restart your computer until you are
ready to do so.)
You can keep using your PC while it’s downloading and
installing the updates.
This together with the fact that you usually don't need to
defragment your hard drive makes for a very pleasant user
experience.
The Linux (ext3) file system doesn’t fragment as much as the
Windows one (NTFS or FAT) does. You most likely shall never need to
defragment it.
–
<H3 CLASS="western">The Looks</H3>
Do you like a stylish Operating System with 3d graphics that put
to shame Vista and OSX?
Then Ubuntu is the choice for you.
Besides the hundreds of GTK themes, icon theme and fonts, you
can use different Desktop Environments and different Window
Managers.
Take a look at the screenshots link on the top of this webpage
to get a better idea of what they look like.
–
Ubuntu has been coming with multiple workspaces for as long as I
can remember.
The default number of desktops is 2 (though some people
prefer 4), but you can have as many as you want.
This means less clutter on the desktop, more productivity and an
easier time managing your projects.
[Picture]
(click to view full resolution)
<H2>1.2 The disadvantages</H2>
Most of closed source programs are not designed for Ubuntu.
While Ubuntu has open source equivalents for most of the
software you use, in some cases that software could be of a lesser
quality or may require a certain adjustment period to get used to
the new features and shortcuts. The opposite is also true. Some
programs are almost the same in look and feel as the closed source
equivalents and require little or no adjustment.
If you are a professional photo artist, you may need some of
Adobe's software. This company had not created a Linux. If you are
an amateur photo artist, the pre-installed gimp will do more than
fine. Some professionals even use it. HOWEVER there is a program
that is called Crossover Linux that allows for the installation of
Microsoft Word, Internet Explorer and Photoshop to name a few.
http://www.desktoplinux.com/articles/AT7770280571.html
–
If you are a gamer, Ubuntu won’t be for you. As everyone
knows, gaming = windows. Some games can run natively under Linux
and some of them with the help of WINE. But don’t be fooled, it’s
still slim pickings. A lot of gamers that run Ubuntu dual boot
together with Windows, so you can have the best of both worlds.
There are, however, an ever growing number of games that are made
specifically for Linux and some of the game companies are finally
seeming to come around to the concept of Linux. Stay tuned.
–
If you have obscure hardware, Ubuntu won’t be for you.
The Linux kernel has the best software support out of the box,
but not everything is supported.
Most normal computers and other hardware will run flawlessly
(you will not need to install drivers for printers,
cameras, etc. they will just work).
And Nvidea and ATI cards are supported by Ubuntu through the use
of the “Hardware Drivers” program.
It would be best to check online or using the live CD to see if
your hardware is supported.
–
If you are afraid of change, then again, Ubuntu won’t be for
you. As mentioned before, you may need to relearn some things. For
instance Ubuntu doesn’t use the same naming system that Windows
does when dealing with drives. There is no c:\ drive in Ubuntu.
Some people find the system that Ubuntu uses to be better, but it
still will require an adjustment.
–
I can’t really recommend using Ubuntu when you don’t have an
Internet connection because you will need an Internet connection to
download software and install updates. It is possible to burn the
repositories on some DVDs or install the needed software in a
friends house using his Internet connection.
<H1 CLASS="western">2. Some useful links to read/watch
before deciding</H1>
<A HREF="http://linux.oneandoneis2.org/LNW.htm">Linux is not
Windows</A>
<A HREF="http://www.whylinuxisbetter.net/">Why Linux is better</A>
<A HREF="https://wiki.ubuntu.com/">Ubuntu Wiki</A>
<A HREF="http://www.johnbradbury.com/category/linux/">First
impressions of Ubuntu from a Windows user</A>
<A HREF="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6LP0WfmLUg">Ubuntu’s
visual effects in action </A>

<H1 CLASS="western">3. What to do when things go wrong?</H1>
Because most people download and burn Ubuntu and then install it
on their computers, people worry that they will get no support. Not
to fear.
The <A HREF="http://ubuntuforums.org/index.php">Ubuntu help
forum</A> is one of the most helpful (if not the most helpful)
forums in the world. With thousands of people ready 24/7 to help
you, you will get fast replies. Most people say they get better
support on the forums than from the call centres they formerly
used. Then there is also the <A HREF="http://linuxowns.wordpress.com/2008/04/23/ubuntu-irc-channel/">irc
support</A>. There are people on there also 24/7, so you can get
help there. Ubuntu has some pretty <A HREF="https://wiki.ubuntu.com/">good</A>
<A HREF="https://help.ubuntu.com/">documentation</A> also. If you
really want to pay for support, it’s possible to do so. You can
get it from the company behind Ubuntu, <A HREF="http://www.canonical.com/">Canonical</A>.
And there are hundreds of sites on the Internet, like the one you
are now, where you can find answers to your questions. Google is
your friend.
–
If you buy a computer with Ubuntu installed on it, you will
usually get support from the manufacturer.
<H1 CLASS="western">4. Installing Ubuntu.</H1>
You have a few ways of doing this.
You can install Ubuntu from USB disk [do you mean drive or port
maybe?], from CD [drive or disk?] and from within Windows using
Wubi (http://wubi-installer.org/).
All the info on that can be found on the documentation links in
point 3. or on Google.
<H1 CLASS="western">5. End note</H1>
I wish you the best with your first steps in the Linux world and
hope you will like it.
On this site you will find lots of interesting things about
Ubuntu so please, look around. [Maybe you can also put your Ubuntu
forum name here to let them know who you are?]
</DIV>
</DIV>
 

</BODY>
</HTML>

Thanks, I appreciate your input.

I'll go with the suggestions you made.

lukjad

August 8th, 2008, 03:21 PM

Great! Glad we could contribute.

billgoldberg

August 8th, 2008, 03:32 PM

I really appreciate it, hence the thanks you got.

I already implemented your suggestions.

Canis familiaris

August 8th, 2008, 04:40 PM

Seems pretty OK to me.

Personally I feel grammar is not that important. :)
What is important is clear cut and simple reading which is understandable to all.
Of course good grammar does not hurt. :)

uberdonkey5

August 8th, 2008, 05:05 PM

you wrote 'harware' by mistake

Maybe the structure could be improved.. still looks like a big list, and you repeat 'ubuntu is for you if...'. Maybe break it into sections related to the ttype of user: the gamer, the office, home, multimedia (and more clear seperations between sections). Re-edit without repeats.

Personally I think windows IS easier to install software, fix bugs etc. (I have dual boot) but increasingly I use ubuntu because: software (and files) are smaller, copies large files much more quickly than windows, I also need to work in Linux environment at work at times, there is software that can be obtained instantly over the net for almost all needs, easy to remove and replace software and try different types.

Most importantly, ubuntu has the POTENTIAL to do anything I want, and gets me to understand my computer more. With windows you are literally trapped inside the little window of whatever they allow you to do.

For example, I wanted to piece together a video I'd copied from the TV and compress it. In windows, I would not have bothered even looking to do this (I know video editing software is expensive). With ubuntu I did a search, downloaded the software, and with a on-line tutorial compressed the video. Indeed, it will take 1.5 hrs, but I changed the power management so that it will run whilst I drive home with my laptop lid closed). I don't even know if I can do it in windows, but I know in ubuntu, if I couldn't do it with my current software, there is a good chance I can download something helpful so I CAN do it, and if not, it would be time I learnt python and made sure I can do it! I WASTE alot of time on ubuntu, but the utility of it is FAR greater than windows, partly because I perceive that I can do anything with it.:guitar:

hope this helps