Ubuntu has been around for only 3 years, yet as the new kid on the block, it has become the most popular Linux distribution. Going up against some of the larger companies such as Red Hat, Suse, Mandrivia and others, Ubuntu has become the shinning star in the Linux community. Based on Debian, this distribution has attracted entry level Linux users from all over the world. Now that Ubuntu has partnered with Dell and Sun, the popularity of Ubuntu is sure to grow.

But why is it so popular? What is Ubuntu doing right? Well first of all Ubuntu is a free download and anyone can get a free CD mailed to them as well. But what I believe are Ubuntu’s strengths is the simplicity that Ubuntu offers to first time users. This is one of the simplest distributions to use. The other plus is that there are a variety of different versions which have something for everyone. I recently did an article on the different versions here.

But where Ubuntu and its derivatives really shine is in the area of stability. Over the years I have used more Linux distributions than I can count. But the one thing that I found was that on occasion the system would become unstable for no apparent reason. This was perplexing because I then needed expert help which required an assortment of difficult commands to follow, with the usual result of having to reinstall the OS. I know. We Windows users have to do this also. But Linux should be stable like a rock. At least in my opinion. This is where Ubuntu really shines. Either I have been extremely lucky, which I seriously doubt, or I believe it is the fact that Ubuntu just flat out works.

This alone makes Ubuntu worth using. Stability, ease of use and easy to configure are Ubuntu’s attractions that has made it very popular. I should also mention that it is easy to teach someone how to use Ubuntu. About a month ago I installed Ubuntu [Kubuntu] for a client on a old box he had saying he wanted to ‘play’ with Linux. Last week I went to his home on a Windows problem he was having and saw him using the Linux box when I arrived. I asked him how he liked it to which he stated ‘ this is great and it works better than Windows does.’ To which I just smiled. The Windows problem was actually a hardware issue and when I told him I need to take his Windows box in for repairs, he stated ‘take your time, I have my Linux box which is working well.’ As I left I thought to myself that I could of thrown the Windows system in the trash and this man would of been happy using Linux as his primary box, minus the Windows programs he did need.
Comments welcome.

[tags]ubuntu, linux, debian, windows, microsoft, dell, sun, [/tags]