I'm reverting - sadly - to Windows

[eamann]

I installed Kubuntu on my Acer laptop almost two weeks ago. Sadly I am going to revert to Windows. I thought that Kubuntu would be as easy to install and use as Firefox or Open Office. Unfortunately that has not been the case - for me at least. My Windows hard disks were not mounted, I have not been able to connect to Internet (despite various kind people on the forum trying to help me), the screen resolution has been giving me trouble, I have had difficulty downloading Firefox and in general I have been discouraged by the need to type so much gibberish into the Konsole.

If Kubuntu and other Linux distributions want to attract "ordinary" PC users who have no IT training, they must be made more user friendly.

I wish all those who contribute time, energy and enthusiasm to these projects all the best and look forward to being able to revert to Kubuntu in the future.

Eamann

[aysiu]

Re: I'm reverting - sadly - to Windows

What you're demanding--the ability to be easy to install on any hardware and have everything work straight-away without fail... is not possible.

Not even Windows does this.

Only Mac OS X can do this because the hardware and software are designed by the same company, and they're made to work together. It doesn't matter how much developers improve Kubuntu--it will never meet your expectation, and ordinary PC users never install Windows, so why would they install Kubuntu?

Next time you want to try Kubuntu, go here and buy a Ubuntu-preinstalled computer. No tweaking necessary--works out of the box, just like a Windows-preinstalled Dell.

For more information on this topic, read this:
http://www.psychocats.net/essays/linuxdesktopmyth

[LaneLester]

Re: I'm reverting - sadly - to Windows

You might want to try Freespire before you give up on Linux. I've been a fairly satisfied Linspire user off and on for years, and Freespire is the new free distribution of that version. The Click 'n' Run Warehouse of Linspire and Freespire has a small subscription free, but it is definitely the easiest way to install Linux software.

I've switched (for now) to Kubuntu because I wanted a more "pure" version of Linux.

Lane

[eamann]

Thanks for your comments

Thank you both for your comments.

In fact I haven't completely given up on Linux. The live CD seems to work well on an old Dell desktop our daughter uses and I plan to install Kubuntu on it and get to know it better.

In addition, I have ordered an Ubuntu CD. A friend has told me that it might connect to Internet more easily that Kubuntu.

I live in Belgium and we are lucky to have two small companies that offer PCs without Windows. When I need to replace my laptop I will check them out.

Best wishes to you both,

Eamann

[MeeMaw]

Re: I'm reverting - sadly - to Windows

You might also try PCLinuxOS as it is fairly user-friendly... I'm a super noob, having only had Linux installed on my computer for a couple of months... I have a dual-boot Kubuntu and PCLinuxOS and most everything is working fine..... I still have a couple of things to correct myself, but I'm satisfied with both....

MeeMaw

[eamann]

I'm back to Linux!

Hello!

You will no doubt be glad to hear that I have got over my initial discouragement with configuring Linux, found a distribution which suits me fine (Ubunutu) and am settling down happily in the Linux world!

A major factor in my turn-around was finding a local LUG where I could discuss my configuration problems and get help.

I thank those of you on this forum who took the time to react to my "cri de coeur" and tried to help me see my problem in a wider perspective.

All the best,

Eamann

[robins_web]

Re: I'm reverting - sadly - to Windows

We knew your momentary desire to return to Windows was only temporary insanity...

[varaahan]

Re: I'm back to Linux!

You will no doubt be glad to hear that I have got over my initial discouragement with configuring Linux, found a distribution which suits me fine (Ubunutu) and am settling down happily in the Linux world!

A major factor in my turn-around was finding a local LUG where I could discuss my configuration problems and get help.

And now you have joined the bandwagon of people like me who are not IT people, who are not software pros or students , but just average home users coverted and addicted to LINUX THE GREAT !

May I suggest you one thing ?

Try the three major branches of linux (Slackware,Debian and Red Hat) by using one distro from each. I suggest PCLINUXOS for rpm based, Libranet / Knoppix for Debian based and Zenwalk / Vector Linux for Slackware based.

And in the live CD segment, try Knoppix, Slax, DSL (Damn Small Linux).

Hope you would be tied to your PC and linux.

Good luck.

[assettt]

Re: I'm reverting - sadly - to Windows

I too have an 5 year old acer laptop with 512 mb ram and 20 gig HD. I had a torrid time with windoze xp on it and i'm glad to have tried linux. Open suse was behaving much like xp (i.e laptop freezes and hardware issues) but when i installed kubuntu all my hardware are working. Its interesting that after xp installation and the updates i had 9 gig used out of my 20 gig but with kubuntu including games i have so far used only 3.5gig. I am converted completely and trying to spread the word as far and loud as i can. Thanks to all the individuals who have managed the project and long live (K)ubuntu.

[rich_harper]

Re: I'm reverting - sadly - to Windows

I reverted twice....that lasted all of a couple weeks each time. My...erm...dislike for Windows grew fast each time. You just have to keep at it. In the end the rewards are very great.

[strayaway]

Re: I'm reverting - sadly - to Windows

As a new user of Linux/Kubuntu, I would just like to say a big thank you to all the Linux developers everywhere for their hard work ............I look forward to developing a long term relationship with lots of fun and freedom ..........great stuff

[catcher]

Re: I'm reverting - sadly - to Windows

I'd just like to echo what others have said. I had two boxes running Windows XP now I have one running Kubuntu AMD64 and the other Ubuntu i386 and no windows partitions. Over the last seven or so weeks the learning curve has been steep but great fun for the most part and I'm so glad I stuck with it.

It has been made all the more easy by the support on this and the Ubuntu forum. So to all those that asked the questions I needed to ask and to all those who replied - thank you

I realise that this is just the beginning but it's one I'm looking forward to.

[Nautilusbaja]

Just installed Kubuntu

After two unsuccesful tries to reinstall Windoze in my Dell Inspiron 2650 Laptop (P4 1.6 + 312Mb RAM) and spending HOURS to get it updated, I decided on Linux...first I tried Ubuntu (twice) but had some trouble getting to play DVD's (encrypted). Then yesterday I tried Kubuntu and in less than 2 hours I had it up and running and playing DVD's fine. The sound is better than with Windoze. .
I'm just waiting to get back home and start learning to use it properly...I'm a newbie with Linux but I like it very much. I'm displeased with Windows so I recently bought an iMac just to get out and far from microsoft.
Keep up the excellent work to get this distros working great and attracting the lot of us regular PC users by making it more user friendly.

[ilanesh1]

Re: I'm reverting - sadly - to Windows

for me is Kubuntu lots more easier then Ubuntu, I love KDE and all works mostly out of the box, and a hundert procent working everything I have not found on Windoze, I love Kubuntu and want to thank to all the Developers for their hard work. For me pclinuxos and kubuntu they are the best and easiest Linux Distros.

[Snowhog]

Re: I'm back to Linux!

You will no doubt be glad to hear that I have got over my initial discouragement with configuring Linux, found a distribution which suits me fine (Ubunutu) and am settling down happily in the Linux world!

Welcome to the wonderful world of Linux. Now that you have a working system (Ubuntu), you can install KDE (the KDE Desktop), which can be done as an addition to the Gnome desktop in Ubuntu, or you can unistall the Gnome desktop in favor of KDE. With Linux, you have choices! 8)