By now most of you probably know that the newest version of the Ubuntu has been released. Ubuntu Hardy Heron 8.04 was released about a week ago. This is the second Long Term Support (LTS) version of Ubuntu. The LTS desktop versions are supported for 3 years and the server edition for 5 years.

I have installed Hardy on my laptop (HP dv2000t) and have had few problems so far. From what I can tell Hardy seems to be a step in the right direction. For me, the jump to Hardy came from Feisty (7.04) via a fresh install. I tried Guty (7.10) but had several problems on both my latop and desktop. However, I know several people who had no problems at all. I will be upgrading my desktop in a few days and I hope the transition goes as well as it did with my laptop.

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For those of you who don’t know whats new in Hardy Heron, let me give you a quick overview. For more information, check out the Ubuntu Features page.

To start off, Wubi is now on the installation CD, so you can install it without having to download it separately. Wubi is a way to install Ubuntu from Windows. Wubi is great for people who want to try Ubuntu but are afraid of messing up their Windows installation in the process. If you try Ubuntu via Wubi and don’t like it, all you have to do is uninstall it in Windows and you’re done.

There are updated versions of all your favorite software including Gnome, OpenOffice, Firefox, Thunderbird, Pidgin, etc. There is also a new bit torrent client named Transmission which is installed by default. If you are Mac user, you are probably already familiar with Transmission. There is also a new VNC viewer installed.

For the next several Linux Friday’s I will be covering how to setup and use Ubuntu Hardy Heron. These posts will include using everything from installing Ubuntu using a Wubi, to checking your system temperatures using lmsensors. So be sure to check back for our newest Linux Friday posts. Check out the WLMTips Extras section in the sidebar to be sure you don’t miss a single post.

For some more information on the newest version of Ubuntu, visit Linux Format: Hands on with Ubuntu 8.04.

To get your copy of the Ubuntu live CD, visit the download page.

If you are a Windows user and know someone who owns a Mac, you have probably heard the phrase ‘anything your computer can do, my Mac can do better’ . Obviously your friend is going to be partial to Mac since he owns one, but have you ever thought about which operating system is better for you? Everyone has different wants, needs, and uses when it comes to their operating system. Some people want an operating system that they are already accustomed to and familiar with because they are afraid to learn something new. Others want one that just works. They don’t want to worry about the blue screen of death, or viruses or any of that nonsense.

Below are some good and bad aspects of each operating system. Use these along with the links at the bottom of the post to decide what is right for you.

Windows:
Discover Windows Vista.

• Pros

1. Most popular operating system- software and hardware is geared towards computers running Windows. This means that almost all hardware will have drivers and support for Windows.
2. Games – Most games are written to run on Windows. If you are a gamer this is probably the operating system for you.

• Cons

1. Viruses/Spy-ware – numbers released in 2005 stated there were approximately 103,000 viruses that could potentially infect your computer; and you don’t want that.
2. Doesn’t run well on older hardware – I realize that as time goes on hardware will need to be upgraded. However, a good computer which currently runs Windows XP might not meet the minimum hardware requirements much less the recommended requirements to run Windows Vista.
3. Pricey – No matter which version of Windows you decide to buy, it is expensive (compared to Linux)!

Mac OS X:
Reasons to run Mac OS X.

• Pros

1. Great for media production – If you enjoy doing any kind of multimedia work (pictures, movies, podcasts, etc) this is probably the operating system for you. Not only does Mac have incredible programs like the iLife and iWork suites and Final Cut Pro, but it also has versions of Microsoft Office, and the Adobe suite designed to run on a Mac.
2. Can also run Windows – The new Mac computers have the ability to run Windows and Mac, as well as Linux. This gives you the most flexibility and the best of all three worlds. If you happen to have software that only runs in Windows, you can run Windows on your Mac.
3. Secure – While Mac OS X is not completely immune from viruses (yes there are a few), it is much more secure than Windows.
4. It just works! – If you are looking for an operating system that you don’t have to constantly fight with to get it to do what you want, keep Mac OS X in mind.

• Cons

1. Only designed for Apple hardware – Mac OS X is only designed to run on computers made by Apple, without having to do extensive hacking and breaking of copyright laws.
2. Not as many programs – Mac has less programs than Windows, including games. This is mostly because Windows is the most used OS.
3. Pricey – While each new version of Mac OS X is not that expensive, having to buy the new version every year can get expensive. Mac OS X is relatively inexpensive compared to Windows.

Linux:
Ubuntu Features

I realize there are a LOT of different distributions (flavors) of Linux, but I will focus on Ubuntu since it is one of the most popular distros. However, if you would like to see which distribution fits you best check out the following links:

Linux Distribution Chooser
What Linux distribution should you try?

• Pros

1. Open Source – This means that it is FREE and that the code is available for download. So if you are a developer, or just someone who wants to see what makes their OS tick, Linux is the way to go.
2. Secure – Linux is similar to Mac OS X in that there are a handful of viruses that can potentially inject a Linux computer, but this isn’t a drop in the bucket compared to Windows.
3. Customizable – There are an infinite number of plug-ins, programs, and widgets available for Linux. One of my favorites is Beryl which is now known as Compiz-Fusion. If you don’t believe me, just search Youtube
   for ‘beryl’ or ‘compiz-fusion.’
4. Runs on all platforms – Linux is designed to run on all kinds of computers. Both PC’s and Mac’s can run Linux. Using programs like Wine, you can run many Windows programs on Linux. There are also versions of Linux specially designed to run on old computers. For example, it is common to turn an old computer into a server (using Linux) where you store files.

• Cons

1. Can be difficult at times – Linux does require a little more knowhow than Windows or Mac. Whether or not Linux is difficult or not is dependent on which distribution you choose to install. The average computer user should have no problem using a distro like Ubuntu. Just because something is different, doesn’t mean that is it hard to use. Besides, who doesn’t want a challenge?
2. Few games – There are far fewer games that run on Linux than on Windows. However, look at the comment about Wine for running games in Linux.
3. Multiple monitor support – Using two monitors in Windows and Mac is usually pretty easy to setup. Some of the time it is more difficult in Linux. However, there are many tutorials on how to do this, and it is easy once you get the hang of it. Setting up multiple monitors is really dependent on what kind of video card you have (ie. if you have a cheap on board video card it will be harder to set up, if not impossible).

Here is a popular video that has aired on TV and is widely available on YouTube.

There isn’t an operating system that fits everyone. That being said, I would recommend doing a little research and playing around with each OS to find which works the best for you. And the best part is you don’t have to pick just one. You can always dual boot. In fact Mac can triple boot (Mac OS X, Windows, Linux). Look out for a later blog on how to dual boot the PC you already own!

Personally, I use Linux (Ubuntu) on my desktop and laptop. I have found that it is much more stable than Windows, and I like that I don’t have to worry about scanning for viruses, spy-ware, and other harmful files. It is nice to be able to enjoy using my computer. I still have Windows installed to play a few games (America’s Army, Trackmania, etc) and just in case there is something that I have to have Windows for (opening an MS Office 2008 file). Don’t just take my word for it, or anyone else’s for that matter. Do some research and find out which operating system suits you best.

Keep in mind that not all companies use Windows. In fact more and more are moving away from Windows, so familiarizing yourself with more than one operating system could only help you.

For more information, check out these links.

• What is the best operating system and why?
• A comparison of Linux and Windows
• Alternative to Microsoft Windows
• Why Linux is better