At the moment my plan is to use Ubuntu for most tasks – then switch back to Vista when I want to use iTunes or stuff like the BBC iPlayer.

If things don’t work out I’ll just use Start-up Manager to set Vista as my default OS and keep Ubuntu as a back-up. As you say, the good thing about open-source software is that it increases the options available.

Glad to hear you’re getting along well. I agree that the package manager is a fantastic invention. The support via the Ubuntu website, not to mention the forums, is very good – you’re unlikely to be the first person to have found a problem with some hardware or software. I’ve heard many people struggle with wireless. These days I google before buying any new hardware to see if it works with Ubuntu.

Lots of people miss iTunes – personally I don’t have it, but I’ve heard that RhythmBox or Amarok (the latter being bit slower to load as it uses KDE) are reasonable alternatives in many respects.

You’re right about the lack of additional features – but considering that it’s free it compares extremely well with Windows. Adding and setting up software seems much easier, and the fact that it’s far less prone to viruses is a real bonus.

I did have a few issues getting my wireless card to work – but I managed to find instructions on the Ubuntu site and set-up the necessary driver. The signal isn’t as strong as in Vista though, and it’s still a bit dodgy working with the WPA security setting – I have to restart the computer every so often in order to get it working. But then the card doesn’t always work in Vista either.

I also miss iTunes – although perhaps I shouldn’t admit to that in public.

These days Linux isn’t normally any technically harder than Windows, but that depends slightly on what you want to do with it. The issues can come when you have a particular bit of hardware or software that absolutely must work with it. In 98% of cases it will.

Likewise, many of the most popular games will work on Linux, sometimes with a little help.

My advice is not to take a leap of faith and replace Windows, but to try Linux out via a downloadable Live CD. Pick one of the major distributions (Ubuntu and PCLinuxOS are particularly easy). If that works out OK, most installers can make a partition on your hard disk for Linux, giving you the option of Windows or Linux when you boot up.

Danny,

But I’ve since gone back to worshipping Bill Gates. He is the dark lord himself.

Hehe, well he is reputedly an atheist. However, “As of 2007 Bill and Melinda Gates were the second most generous philanthropists in America, having given over $28 billion to charity.” (Wikipedia.org), so although I’m not a huge fan of his work or his business practices, he does help refute the theist arguments that atheists do no good.

Trivia fans will note that both atheism and open-source have been compared to communism. I guess in the US communism is/was a slur meaning scary or bad.

To be honest, I’m not a “real” Linux zealot, more of an agnostic. I still dual boot to use Windows for the few games I’ve yet to get fully working under Linux, but I figure it’s only a matter of time.

At the end of the day, ask yourself if it’s worth all the hassle. I was willing to do so at first, but I noticed that my productivity dropped as I spent too much time tweaking and tinkering my linux system to work like Windows. So I just reinstalled Windows.