by Jerry Curtis

Created on: May 20, 2010   Last Updated: August 26, 2010

Using the Ubuntu operating system is like using a scaled-down version of Mac (minus the fancy dock and bulging icons). It is unlike Mac to the extent that Ubuntu is absolutely free and it will run on a Windows PC.  What it has done for me, personally, is resuscitate a dying three-year-old HP Pavilion laptop.  I was about to toss the laptop in the electronics recycle bin when I decided to

download Ubuntu and burn the system to my DVD and give it a try. 

I really had nothing to lose, because some Windows 7 bug was hanging up the boot cycle of my laptop, resulting in about a six-minute delay before it awakened, ready for work. Also, once I got Windows going, I couldn't get it to restart if the system timed out. So, armed with my new Ubuntu DVD, I booted the operating system andI was up and running in a very short time. The program gives you option of running the operating system from the CD on a trial basis before it overwrites your hard disk. I was satisfied with Ubuntu's look and feel, so I let it reformat my hard disk and erase the Windows system. The latter process took around 20 minutes as it reformatted my hard drive and installed the new system files.

Up and running with Linux

Ubuntu now owns my aging HP Laptop, and the transition has been remarkably seamless. The operating system comes with the Firefox web browser ready to run. The system automatically detected my DSL modem, so I was on the web immediately.  Since I use my laptop mainly on the road, this was a real plus. But there is more to the “open-source” world of computer applications, and Ubuntu has a wealth of other free stuff.

Speaking of free stuff...

Ubuntu also comes load with Open Office, a Microsoft-Office compatible suite of applications that are “good enough” for the average user. Its word processor works well and it outputs files that can be used in Word. The same goes for its spreadsheet and presentations applications, which is not a bad deal for being absolutely free.  The operating system also boots in with an array of games (Solitaire, Sudoku, a nifty Tetris clone called “Quadrapassel,” and more).

Even more freebies

Go to the Ubuntu Software Center at the bottom of the Applications menu to download a vast array of applets, accessories, and other open-source programs.  Just navigate and download “on the fly” for an intuitive way to manage your applications. There are literally thousands of free downloads in

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