Ubuntu for laptop

[Testarossa]

For the adepts:  I'm running Win7 on a Dell Inspiron and Macrostiff is going to cut off support after Dec 31. Of course they want to sell me Win10 but I'm thinking Ubuntu. Dell says it will run, and it looks like Libreoffice will replace all the Office-suite functions I need including exporting pdf docs.

Any reason NOT to do this?

[pehayes]

I've been running Ubuntu for years on a variety of machines through a series of upgrade versions.  BTW, Ubuntu just announced end of support for any 32 bit machines.  So, as long as your hardware is 64bit compliant you should go for it.  The ONLY reason I hang on to Windows is because GARMIN refuses to port their software to any Linux platform.  The only way to easily and satisfactorily run Garmin's Base Camp is to retain a W machine.  Otherwise, there isn't anything I can't do with my Ubuntu devices.

Patrick Hayes
Fremont CA

[cliffrod]

I have Ubuntu on my new (well, now 2? yr old) laptop and have no issues.  Between LibreOffice and I think some remains of OpenOffice, I have yet to have a file I cannot service or utilize.   You can export into pdf without issues.  I export all my quotes into .pdf format before sending.

The biggest headache is you need to designate MS-viable format when saving files to share with non-Linux people.  Not difficult, you just need to remember to do it.   in Linux, all document files default to .odt and all image files default to .xcf even when they are imported or opened as a .jpg or a .doc/.docx file.  Designate .doc or .docx when saving or .jpg when exporting, then click and save.  Very simple.  LibreOffice will open anything, while Gimp only opens image files unless you are importing a pdf.  even that is no issue. 

Sometimes if you develop document file with inserted images, tables, etc and then save it as a .doc/.docx, the formatting will be wrecked when you open it later.  I usually develop my files (like quotes) and then export directly to .pdf to capture the formatting I want even if I do also save it as a .docx.  Maybe this is an issue of concern for some people, but ?  Seemed like similar things could happen in MS when you didn't properly anchor an image to page or paragraph or whatever but its been so long since I've done anything MS, I have little reference.  I don't do a lot of social media stuff, Garmin as mentioned, etc.   When I ordered this laptop, Ubuntu was a big selling point.  This is amazingly user friendly and versatile without pecking code to do everything like old Slackware.  I have zero disappointments. 

Meanwhile, my wife's MS laptop from work regularly drives her nuts.....  Linux is the way to go.

[beetle]

No. Do it.

I've been running Linux since the Jurassic period. I use Windows under sufferance for work. Argh!

Also, if you absolutely must have a Windows only application, WINE is brilliant.

[stormshearon]

Yes do it. I started  moving from Windows to Ubuntu three years back. THe last hold out is my wife's laptop, and when that dies she either goes to an iPad or a laptop with Ubuntu. Libreoffice is great and for email, Evolution works very well and can import Outlook files. I do have a Mac to take care of the Garmin and a few other items (tax software and Sena updates), but otherwise do everything on Ubuntu.

[jas67]

  The ONLY reason I hang on to Windows is because GARMIN refuses to port their software to any Linux platform.  The only way to easily and satisfactorily run Garmin's Base Camp is to retain a W machine.  Otherwise, there isn't anything I can't do with my Ubuntu devices.

Patrick Hayes
Fremont CA

You can always run Windows 7 or Windows 10 in a virtual machine with Virtual Box (free) or VMWare (not free), to run the Garmin software.

[ITSec]

My ThinkPads run Windows and Ubuntu (and sometimes Kali) in a Grub-managed multi-boot environment, and I also run a variety of OS versions under VirtualBox.

Libre is a fine tool that works mostly just like Office - unless you're doing some weird and wonderful stuff, it should do fine.

[Triple Jim]

We been running Red Hat and then Fedora Linux for 19 years now.   Go for it with Ubuntu if that's your distribution of choice.  I don't know of any compelling reason to stick with Microsoft products.

[Testarossa]

Thanks for the responses. It's unanimous, so that's how I'll go.

[Chuck in Indiana]

Thanks for the responses. It's unanimous, so that's how I'll go.

I'm running the latest version of Mint. It operates very much like Windows.. and is simple to learn if you have been running windows since DOS. (old people content)

[Testarossa]

I'm running the latest version of Mint. It operates very much like Windows.. and is simple to learn if you have been running windows since DOS. (old people content)

I've been running OSs since CPM on eight-inch floppies, beginning on the Xerox 820 and Kaypro with a 1200 baud modem. Older than dirt! PC-DOS was an upgrade.

[Chuck in Indiana]

My first programming classes were Gotran and Fortran on a Univac..

[StuCorpe]

Have been using Ubuntu for several years now, like it better than Win10.  Don't know as haven't tried it but maybe Garmin base camp will run under Wine.

[Chuck in Indiana]

I'm running Convert, a Windows engineering program, with Wine.

[Lannis]

I've used an iMac for 12 years now, but am typing this on a HP EliteBook running Linux, and I'll probably stay with it since the Mac hardware I've got will no longer support current Mac OS's.   Does everything I need to do, with Libreoffice.

Lannis

[Wayne Orwig]

I've been running OSs since CPM on eight-inch floppies, beginning on the Xerox 820 and Kaypro with a 1200 baud modem. Older than dirt! PC-DOS was an upgrade.

I wrote drivers for a couple of CPM and MPM installs.

But the most 'fun' was writing software that was installed using punched paper tape on a teletype.

Now I use, and like Win 10. It is compatible with all of my software, and has a lot of features to keep all of my devices in sync. It just works for me.

[AJ Huff]

You could always dual-boot 

Ubuntu rocks. Only reason I'm not 100% in is Photoshop. I just can't get to liking GIMP. My daughter's laptop is Ubuntu, a refurbed Lenovo I bought for $120 and stuck a $100 SSD in. That thing is awesome. She hit a virus the other day surfing. Tried to download some Windows executable file. Locked the computer up but after a reboot it was like it never even happened. ONLY problem I've had is installing HP printers. Right now the problem seems to be on HP's end.

I've had zero problems with Win10. I like it. I like Ubuntu. I do find Ubuntu to be significantly faster.

-AJ

[hzbloke]

I ran Ubuntu on a Dell Inspiron 64bit for years. It worked fine. A bit clunky here and there and not as easy to use 'straight out of the box' as Windows but never really had a problem. I suspect Mint may be more user-friendly.

[sign216]

Like AJ I did a dual boot on my PC after I got virus attack.  Now it's Linux Mint and Win 7.  When support for 7 dies, I'll just run Mint.

My wife has Win 10 on her latptop and I can't stand it.  Using Win 10 just makes me feel like I'm "giving in to the man."  But...Linux can be quirky and frustrating.

Your choice of the devil you want.

Joe

P.S.  Chuck, my first computer class was Fortran too.  Remember punch cards?

[guzziownr]

There is a free program called keyfinder that will tell you your W7 install code.

With that in hand you can then go to the official windows site and download and "upgrade" to W10 for free.

I have done it on three machines so far including the one I am typing on right now. 

W10 works fine on older computers that used to run W7 or 8.

Microsoft no longer advertises this upgrade but it still works.

[fotoguzzi]

How is it pronounced? You bun too, oobuntoo, uboontoo? Just curious.