Ubuntu - first impressions
Saturday, June 2nd, 2007
Unfortunately I’m not blogging from my new Ubuntu PC, hardware was always going to be the sticking point. However, wireless internet aside. The new operating system has substantially sped-up an Intel Centrino II PC. With a much prettier graphical user environment. The ultimate point of this was to make the PC up to scratch for my Gran, and Ubuntu seems to have been an excellent choice.
‘Out of the box‘ the operating system comes with an impressive range of software, which includes:
- Full functioned Database, Presentation, Spreadsheet and Word processor, courtasy of OpenOffice.org. All of which are fully compatable with the Microsoft Office range of programmes. So you can create Word files, PowerPoint presentations and Excel spread sheets.
- Mozilla Firefox, comes as standard as the main Internet Browser.
- A fully functional image editing application called GIMP, a Photo manager, Thumb image gallery as well as Scanning application.
- A whole host of games (including a Tetris-style one)
- Full range of multimedia applications, allowing you to play everything from DVDs to MP3’s. A sound recorder, CD creator and CD extractor.
- And the usual Calculator, Text editor etc.
The important thing to remember is that all these are available before you have to pull out your wallet. Speed-wise I’ve had a PowerPoint open, Tetris (or Gnometris as they call it) open and the media player running in the background, which no viable stress on the CUP.
The only real problem so far has been the wireless card, but a forum has suggested NDIS Wrapper, fingers crossed.
Keithout
