The imminent

The CBC has an article about the prediction that Windows is about to ‘collapse’, because of Microsoft’s inaction towards the marked after the introduction of Windows Vista. Other industry experts say that Microsoft knows it’s Windows days are dwindling, which is why it’s pulling so hard at Yahoo so that it can refocus efforts to reclaim the territory lost on the Internet (services and advertisements, that is).

So, just earlier, I decided to go ahead with the installation of Ubuntu on one of the spare computers: I have my share of experience with Debian and Ubuntu (as a virtual machine, for example), so generally, I didn’t encounter problems I couldn’t fix: for example, every piece of hardware was detected correctly. Mind the following notes:

• If you’re used to vi, you probably still want to install ‘vim’. The default vi version that comes with Gutsy sucks so hard that, well, if you thought vi already sucked… (so, yes, go ahead and apt-get install vim)
• KeePass, the password manager that I use, is available too: apt-get install keepassx. I haven’t tested if it’s completely compatible with the Windows variant.
• Skype is also available: you can download the Debian deb file from Skype.com itself and install it right from your favourite browser.
• Maybe it’s just me, but I like my terminal session to be white letters on a black background and not the other way around.
• You still have to go through hoops to get DVD to play, but then, this is basically because this is Linux: after all, on your Mac and Windows PC, someone has already paid for being allowed to play DVDs on those computers.

So, yes: if you have a spare computer in your house and you think you may want to give Linux a try, you can’t go wrong with Ubuntu “Gutsy Gibbon”.