Ubuntu installed... First Impressions of a 1st time Linux user

A few weeks ago, as described in my previous post (Ubuntu with No Hard Drive), my hard drive failed on my Compaq Presario X1000 laptop.

I figured out that I could be 90% or 95% functional using Linux (Ubuntu) in its Live CD (my case it was Live DVD) functionality.

Anyhow, I finally received my replacement hard drive from TigerDirect and installed it today. Installed Ubuntu (no problem, super slick). Here are my initial thoughts:

(1) Wow.... A laptop. Lots of weird, non standard hardware. You would think installing linux would be an issue (installing a non-customized Windows release was extremely tricky). Installing Ubuntu Linux on the hard drive was a zero frustration event. It took 30 minutes. Full wireless functionality even before the install started. Nice.

(2) Having run off of the LiveDVD for about 6 days, after the install was complete, I was pretty familiar with the interface. It worked fine. I've been using OpenOffice for Windows for over 2 years, so no adjustment required there.

(3) Adding software. If you use the add/remove function (Application menu), no problem. I'm still dicking around trying to install a better driver for my laptop's touchpad (I hate the "tap to click" function and want to turn it off). So my input would be that all drivers/software should come with a GUI install element.

(4) I'm bored. Again. Which is good for Ubuntu in my mind. The switch was so seamless that I can't really think of anything I want to "discover" beyond what already works fine. I'm back to checking email, connecting to my corp servers using the Terminal Server client, and generally not missing Windows.

Whatever happened to DrDOS?

Ubuntu with no hard drive

When my Compaq Presario's hard drive failed... I dicked around with it for a few days trying to revive the hard drive.

Then, I looked on the bright side... I guess I need to buy a new laptop. (Sweet!)

That lasted for a few days. In the back of my mind, I already knew buying a replacement hard drive would be way cheaper. So I eventually came around and bought a replacement drive from TigerDirect.

At work the next day, I finally got around to downloading Ubuntu 6.10. I had been meaning to do this for quite some time. I burned the ISO image to a CD and booted a spare box from the CD. Wow. Instant success... I was running Linux. Much easier than the last time I tried (3 years ago). The OS automatically handled necessary drivers for my network card, my video card, etc. No issues whatsoever. I was puzzled... No issues around allocation of partition space? I clicked around and finally realized Ubuntu was running directly from the CD... it hadn't installed itself.

[Begin focus to avoid explaining all about installing Ubuntu and setting up Samba]

If Ubuntu could run directly from the CDRom.... My Laptop should be able to run from a CD - right? Well... No. My CD drive was messed up and would only read DVDs... I'd had this problem for over a year, but it never really mattered to me.

Eventually I found DVD ISO images (they're on the Ubuntu website, scroll down on the download page). An overnight download (obviously on a different computer) provided me with the image, which I burned to a DVD.

Booted the laptop (with hard drive removed) from that DVD... and bingo. I'm basically fully functional from a computer standpoint.