21/02/08 - Be brave and commit to FOSS

I decided that I need to remove Windows from my laptop completely as I kept switching it on to use rather than Ubuntu (FOSS). I took a big breath and installed Ubuntu 7.04 (aka Gutsy Gibbon) over the top of Windows and therefore my laptop is now only FOSS. I now have the challenge of using only FOSS.













Fig 1 Screen shot of desktop view of Ubuntu.

Have a close look at the right-hand bottom of the screen. You will see two squares, one dark and one light. Ubuntu offers two desktops, what a fantastic idea; I can be working on my academic work on one and just flick on the other desktop where I am working on images or putting PowerPoints, opps sorry presentations together. Now that was an interesting slip-up. Has Microsoft done such a good job in marketing that I think all presentations are PowerPoints, this is like saying all vacuum cleaners are 'hoovers'. I wonder what others think of my thought... please comment.

The desktop of Ubuntu is very similar to early Apple Macs. It is based on the Gnome interface which I find is extremely simple easy and just do what I need without spending time hunting. This is just one graphical user interface, there are many others, some that look similar to Windows XP and Vista.

Interestingly my daughter has asked to have Ubuntu installed on her laptop as she loves how quick my laptop is now. I have said that I will back-up her laptop and then install Ubuntu on it. With the backup saved I can always bring her laptop back to how it was before installing Ubuntu. Clearly, I now have another source of research for my studies.