Playing with Linux 2008 Oct 08
Posted by Karl in : technology , trackbackIn the last few months, I’ve been playing with Linux. It’s fun to see a different way of doing an operating system. It’s surprising to see what can be accomplished through an open source project.
Linux is slicker than I expected. I thought it would be difficult to use. Instead, Linux feels like it is well on its way to becoming an operating system that ordinary people can use without having to worry about technical issues.
What are some easy ways to install Linux?
Use Wubi to install Linux
Wubi is an Linux installer that you can run from Windows. It takes a while to run because it has to download the Ubuntu Linux operating system. This is equivalent to downloading a CD. The installation does not wreck your Windows system. When you boot up, you can choose to run either Windows or Linux. If you choose Windows, you can keep working as you always have in Windows. If you choose Linux, you can start working in your shiny new Linux operating system. I had to futz around with a few settings to make everything work smoothly but it wasn’t too hard.
The cool thing about this method of installing Linux is that there is little risk. You can always get rid of your Linux installation by unistalling Wubi from Windows.
Use a virtual machine to run Linux from inside Windows
A virtual machine is a program that pretends to be a computer. I installed VirtualBox in Windows and then installed various Linux operating systems into VirtualBox. The virtual machine (in this case, VirtualBox) enables me to use Linux and Windows at the same time.
If you want Linux to have full access to the power of your computer, then I recommend the Wubi dual-boot method. If you want to simultaneously use Windows, then I recommend using a virtual machine.
Which flavour of Linux?
There are many flavours of Linux out there.
Probably the easiest and one of the best supported versions is Ubuntu Linux and that’s what I would recommend for ease of use. With Ubuntu, you can use the Wubi installer and it seemed to work well with very little fiddling.
Another popular version is openSUSE, which seems to have a more comprehensive package of software. Nevertheless, I had to mess with it to get the sound working properly.
Linux will continue to evolve over time and who knows which version will win in the long run? My philosophy is to use a version that is popular. The popularity of the version is an indirect indication of how well that version is supported and how stable it might be. In addition, the popularity means that it is easier to get help on the internet when required. For the last year or so, Ubuntu has been winning.
If you’ve been curious about Linux, then I recommend that you give it a try.
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