I've also been quite curious about Ubuntu and have wondered whether it was worth taking a look at a switch to a Linux-based OS. A LOT of people have told me to make the switch, saying that it's vastly more secure than Windows (not worth the effort for most of the bad guys, or so I'm told)
Your friend is right. As far as I know it really comes down to what is the most profitable. I don't know the actual numbers but lets say that Windows is installed on 70% of all computers, Mac 20% and Linux 10%. If you were coding a virus to steal credit card info, you would want your virus to reach as many people as possible. So if I were making this virus, I would make it for a windows machine. (not that I would ever make a virus
) It isn't that Mac or Linux can't get a virus; it's that the majority of viruses are built for a windows machine
On the other side of security, Ubuntu especially asks for your permission to change the system all the time. This can get annoying but generally it saves you from breaking your system unintentionally. The nice thing about that is if you want to log in and change all of your configuration files you can. They have programs that will let you brows your file system and change/modify anything that you desire.
it's building up an impressive array of compatible (and free) programs that make it a highly interesting alternative to consider. A lot of my own private work involves heavy duty video editing and photo work, so I can't see myself getting away from an environment that allows me to keep using favored programs that will only operate under Windows. But I'd be very interested in setting up a second unit for internet use and basic operations like word processing just to take a look at 'the other side'.
That is the hardest part of switching to a Linux based OS. Fortunately there are lots of programs that are very powerful and useful in Ubuntu. They might take a bit more time to get used to but I have found that if you take the time to learn it, you will be pleased with how well it works. If I have a program that I really like in Windows or Mac I just type in Google "Program Name Ubuntu" I just searched for iMovie and I found a whole list of programs that are good to use if you want Ubuntu to feel more at home if you want switching from a Mac system.
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/OSXApplicationsEquivalents
If you just can't live with the equivalents, you can try installing the program via Wine, Cdega, Corssover Linux or Play On Linux. All of those programs are a bit more advanced to configure correctly.
My only concerns are how user friendly the whole thing is. Given the kind of people I know who play around with Linux I just wondered if it might be a little too technical for someone like me to come to terms with.
I have a friend that is not computer savvy at all (I had to explain to her what a cpu was) and she can use Ubuntu with out any trouble.
In my opinion Ubuntu is the most user friendly version of Linux. Not just because the OS is easy to use, but there are so many guides that have been written for beginning users in order to make the transition easier from another OS.
Ubuntu can be technical but for the general user, it is not any more than a windows machine. It really gets technical when you mess with the internals of your system or if you are trying to install programs that are not already in the software center or package manager. Just find a guide on the terminal window and you will be following along in no time at all.
Other than the fact it's open source and free, which obviously feeds into the philosophy of many people, is there anything to really recommend making the switch (or at least in my case a dabble) if money is taken out of the equation?
One of the biggest positives for me is that I have increased my productivity since switching to Ubuntu. This may not be true for everyone. I use 9 desktops in Ubuntu to manage all of my work. Switching between the desktops instead of minimizing and maximizing all the time lets me get through tasks faster.
Even with all that running (including Windows 7 64 bit in VirtualBox OSE) I am using 64% of my ram (50% devoted to running Windows 7) and idling under 20% on all 4 cores. I can't tell that I have all of that open at once. Ubuntu has a great feature built in that will sleep applications when not currently in use. (I believe Mac also uses this)
There is a lot more that I can go through but i'm betting that I have already bored you to tears if you made it this far through this huge post. Hopefully that explains it a bit better than just it's free.
