Michael Harper’s Tech & Art Blog

So I’ve decided to wipe Vista complete off of my system and rely on Ubuntu Hardy Heron and a virtualized Windows XP Pro. Just so everyone is clear: Getting Ubuntu configured correctly can lead to Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Kids, don’t try this at home. I’ve decided to be objective with the presentation of Ubuntu to the people who are still debating it so here are a few qualms I have with this distro of Linux…

• No matter what version of Ubuntu, kernel upgrades have not worked on my machine 90% of the time. They usually lead to freezing in the boot-process. I have decided to disable kernel upgrades until I am more adept at tweaking Ubuntu and can figure out how to prevent this problem.
• For my laptop, the wi-fi has not worked out of the box for any installation of Ubuntu. This is extremely frustrating and it was why I don’t suggest Ubuntu for mere mortals. Even after I get the wi-fi up and running, it breaks often with updates. The agony… I have an Atheros chipset in my laptop that is less than a year old. This is one of the more popular chipsets for wi-fi. If I can’t easily get to the web with a wi-fi connection immediately after installation, I can’t seek help or new driver updates. I’m hesitant of upgrading from the stable 8.04 to 8.10 for fear of permanently disabling wi-fi. I will concede that with my HP Workstation xw9300, the external USB wi-fi adapter (Linksys WUSB54GS-RM) loaded correctly on all versions of Ubuntu.

It’s a big leap for the average user to just jump into Ubuntu. Be sure to find a support group that can provide the answers they need to get Ubuntu working correctly. Now, would I do this again? Definitely. Ubuntu may have its’ flaws but come on, it was developed by a community of devoted open-sourcers who are attempting to overcome corporate enemies who charge a small fortune for operating systems that are of lesser value. All I ask is that you brace yourself before installations. Odds are you are going to have to try a few different configurations to get the system you want. Until next time, take care.