Ubuntu week one

Well, I made the jump. It's been a week now that I've been operating my computer using Ubuntu. I had been planning on switching to open source software for some time now, but my new PC was giving me problems (bad stick of RAM). Having solved the problem, I installed Ubuntu.

Its graphical user interface (GUI) is reminiscent of Windows. It's intuitive and easy to use. The best feature is by far the Synaptic package manager and the Add/Remove program function.

With Windows, when you need to install a software application, you usually insert a CD or download the installer file. Then a "wizard" program guides you through the process.

With Ubuntu, procuring, installing and upgrading software has never been easier. The Add/Remove program gives you access to all the applications which function with Ubuntu. Under each name is a brief description of what it does, along with a rating system.

You simply select the applications you wish to install and "tada" they are insalled. I don't know if this feature was available in previous Ubuntu releases, but the FeistyFawn version 7.04 has it. The folks over at Canonical have put a lot of effort into this latest release because this is the one Dell will preinstall on its computers.

Now for the criticism
After installing Ubuntu, I had to consult the user forums to find out how to correct my screen resolution. The only options I had were 800x600 or 640x480. The solution was beyond most computer users as I had to go into Terminal (sort of like DOS) to enter commands. I don't like doing stuff like that. Realistically, if Ubuntu wants to appeal to a mass market, then it absolutely needs to correct problems such as this.

Other glitches include not being able to watch the latest Trailer Park Boys. It might just be a codec problem as other videos work. But I didn't want to waste time so I rebooted and selected the Windows OS to watch the adventures of Ricky, Julian and Bubbles. By the way, season 7 rocks.