by Minh Tran

Created on: January 07, 2011   Last Updated: January 09, 2011

Ubuntu offers many interesting features to its users. However, like all other transitions, a change from Windows to Ubuntu requires some effort and patience in order to avoid troubles and annoyance in the future. Here are some experiences that may come in handy for a "migration" to Ubuntu.
 
Firstly, it is useful to check if there is any incompatibility or problems between the hardware of your computer (as well as your auxiliary devices like printers or scanners) and the version of Ubuntu you are planning to use. Such information can be found at the

official documentation website, and most of the time you'll also find confirmed solutions to the issues on the same site. In addition, the Ubuntu community is usually very helpful to those who need problem-solving so you can post your questions at the main community forum (registration required, but it is completely free). Ubuntu is generally quite good at supporting hardware, but if it does not come pre-installed in and thus specifically tuned to your computer, there is a chance that it will not work well immediately with one or two components of the machine. The problem I have encountered the most is that Ubuntu does not recognize the wireless Internet adapter with Broadcom chipset on the laptop, and the user has to download a package to fix that (the package can be found here and some discussion on the issue here).  
 
Secondly, backing up your work and personal data to an external hard-drive or online storage is highly important. In addition, it is a good idea to save the bookmarked websites on the browser you are using. For Firefox and Windows Explorer users, a nice tool for storing and sychronizing bookmarks (as well as passwords for online accounts) between browsers on different computers/platforms is Xmarks. If you choose to install Ubuntu in parallel to the existing Windows on your computer, the installer will offer to import contacts, browsing history, and bookmarks from the corresponding applications in Windows for you. 

Last but not least, knowing some common command lines will make navigating around Ubuntu easier, especially for dealing with open-source programmes which sometimes do not come pre-packaged with an automatic installer but require some compiling. It also helps you take advantage of the flexibility of this operation system better. Here are some basic commands for Ubuntu, and this site offers a helpful introduction on file system of Linux-based OSes including Ubuntu. On a related topic, it is worth having a look at the repositories file (a file documenting the sources from which Ubuntu on your computer will get information and download as well as update ) by typing the command "sudo gedit /etc/apt/sources.list" into the terminal or using the Synaptic Package Manager tool. That will help you know the origin of your programmes and/or get new ones.

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