In what way is Linux superior to Vista?

Dont worry about all this, use both linux and windows , each of them has advantage over the other.If i have time i will try Linux and ofcourse play with windows.

 

I can agree with that, but that wasn't my point.

My main point was that you as an Ubuntu programmer don't need six months to test software, especially when that software has already been tested by the software developers themselves, underwent alpha and beta stages, and finally marked as stable. If you have to test it, do it during the beta phase, and get the third-party devs to fix any problems during that stage.

Adding another six-month delay on top of software that has most probably already been checked to work on your platform just doesn't make sense. If you just cannot trust that it has been and have to do it yourself, then check it during the beta, not after. That's what beta phases are for. And definitely do not take half a year to do it.

Given that I can easily have both on my Vista laptop, I don't think these two options are mutually exclusive.

I have to say that I think repos are a very good idea: a cache of PGP-encrypted, certified, and automatically-updated programs. Unfortunately, the way it's carried out in practice still needs more polish, at least for me.

 

Objectively, there has been many things that Debian/Ubuntu/younameit really did change in OOo. I think you should try to read on why things are the way they are, before forming an opinion.

 

This alone is extremely important to me (minimum baseline of quality), and one reason why I think Ubuntu succeeds where many of the others don't. Security is of course top priority, but IMHO, Linux in general needs all the extra quality it can get. Ubuntu for one has it. But that's not a universal across all distros by any means from what I've seen.

 

Six months to test thousands of free apps, given away in a free OS, is an amazing accomplishment. But there are those who would love to see Ubuntu fail by rushing introduction of software that hasn't been fully tested.

How long did it take MS to come out with SP1 for Vista? Here's a hint. It damned well wasn't six months.

 

Dedicated security teams.

You will find that Ubuntu/Debian guys find and provide a huge amount patches/fixes to upstream developers. I can't remember the figures, but its a significant amount.

Have you wonder why Debian is considered the most stable and secure distro and why Ubuntu is also pretty good as well ?

It happens, even in Windows between service packs (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/935796, http://support.microsoft.com/kb/884130/en-us, http://support.microsoft.com/kb/947309/en-us) or how about Office XP and Norton having known issues - http://support.microsoft.com/kb/262530/

These reasons are why distros test the core OS with a suite of apps, to prevent compatibility issues. Flip side of this is the more apps are tested, the more the OS gets tested for stability and security.

 

If you are looking for long term,there is always the LTS editions with three year support from Ubuntu. Ubuntu distros gets updated far more frequently than Windows does. It was revealed that Windows kept a eleven year old hole unpatched in XP and they just patched it recently. In case of Linux, the holes are patched far more frequently than Windows. Every second or third day, my Ubuntu gets a small or large update, in case of Windows, I have to wait for patch Tuesday for security updates.

 

@Eice

The linux world is much bigger than Ubuntu/Debian. Have a look at Arch Linux here:

http://www.archlinux.org

Do a package search for 'openoffice' in the upper right portion of the home page and you will see version 3.1 (and 3.2 in development). Arch is a rolling release as opposed to a 6-month release cycle for Ubuntu. Arch is a bit more difficult to install, but once installed is pretty easy to maintain with the pacman package manager. This may meet your needs better than Ubuntu.

 

Here's a hint. Ubuntu didn't have to bloody code OOo 3 or those other packages from scratch, nor alpha and then beta them, nor fix bugs to produce a stable release.

@ bktII,

Thanks, I'll take a look at Arch.

 

Well in that sense, MS doesn't have to code anything but the OS, till date it doesn't come with a built in spell check or WP even though it costs upward of $200.

 

Do you know if there is any Debian/Ubuntu based rolling release distribution?

 

tlu, Sidux is based on Sid.
http://sidux.com/

 

From a programming point of view Ubuntu sucks to put it bluntly. So I assume all the
other distros have the same problem.
1. The help is poor and by that I mean most (not all) have no idea what you are asking.
They are also rude. Ex: If you are coming from Windows they have no patience for
your questions and assume that you know all about Ubuntu.
2: They don't have a Gui interface. This IMHO is archaic. Why should I have to
memorize 50,000 commands when that is the function of a mouse. So in my opinion
they will either change this archaic procedure or remain a 2nd rate OS. That means
they will remain 2nd rate for years before they mature.
I am very disappointed with my experience with Ubuntu so far. Not that I'm a Microsoft lover.
That outfit has written software for years with back doors in it. Don't tell me, with
all there resources, that they couldn't write an OS without all the susceptibility it now contains.

 

Actually if you install gksu-nautilus, you get the same explorer like power in Ubuntu as you do in Windows except like SuRun, you enter password for any root activity.

 

They who?

It obviously does have a GUI interface. It's right there in front of you.
Perhaps you mean a particular program?

 

Ah - yes. Thanks for reminding me, Pedro. I will try it.

 

What do you mean exactly?

You haven't looked into, e.g., http://ubuntuforums.org/index.php , have you?

You haven't put a [K|X]Ubuntu CD into your CDROM drive so far, have you?

Your post is either ridiculous or meant as a joke. I hope the second possibility applies.

 

Ubuntu GUI, specially the GNOME is the most uncluttered and well laid out, its not at all confusing and of course, as a Windows user, please install gksu-nautlilus and you can do it the same way as you do in Windows, in fact, installation via deb file is as easy as Windows install. Whats best is that if it needs any other program, it automatically downloads it.

 

Well I have not tried all the things you guys referred to. Mostly because of my lack of
knowledge of Ubuntu. I downloaded Ubuntu from the web site and copied it to a CD.
Loaded the Cd and up came Ubuntu. I am not aware of anything else on the CD.
I have not installed gsku-Nautlilus. I have to admit that I was overwhelmed by all
the different programs that are available. I have no idea what Nautlilus does.
I have been on the Ubuntu forum and did not find it very helpful. By that I mean it's
not like sitting down with a book like "Ubuntu for Dummies" and getting your feet wet
before diving in. I floundered with all the information. Maybe I need to stand corrected
and give Ubuntu another whirl.
Or maybe my problem is the command line. With Ubuntu I can hold that to a minimum.
But with an Assembler like "Nasm" for instance it only runs from the command line.
This is what is archaic. The only assembler for Linux that I have found that uses a gui
interface is sol_asm which I have not tried as yet.
I am presently using Ubuntu solely for E-mail and web browsing. This works fine for me.
Thanks for your comments and patience.

 

Please reread your last post.

You want to use assembly from gui

BTW, it takes time to learn stuff. How long did it take you to get your driving license? 20 hours? 30 hours? Why not give at least half that to a completely new operating system.

Cheers,
Mrk

 

Neither did Window and I'll guarantee you can wait till hell freezes over and OO will not be updated in Windows Update.

 

Shankle, i recently came across this guide.
http://www.ubuntupocketguide.com/download2.html

Let me know if you like it, or find it lacking important things.
Of course, you have the oficial documentation. If you haven't read it:
https://help.ubuntu.com/8.10/index.html
and the Wiki.

 

Hi Pedro,
The pocketguide is excellent but I need to read it a lot more.

 

You mean nautlilus-gksu

 

Yep, thanks for the correction.