Today has definitely been a Monday in the truest sense of the word. The biggest issue that had me pulling my hair out was tracking down run away processes on my Windows box - again. I was able to determine fairly quickly that it was not spyware or a virus that was running wild on the PC. No, it appears that it may be software related. However since I am not positive yet that the program that I suspect is the problem specifically (it’s a back-up program I use), I’m going to hold off on blowing the whistle on the potential culprit for now.

And this brings me to today’s GnomeREPORT, brought to you by Ubuntu Linux. Yes, it’s Linux, you know, that OS that everyone grumbles about because it’s not widely enjoyed throughout the Windows community.

To be honest, if we were talking about SuSE 10.1, I would be first to agree – yuck! Definitely not a good distro for me personally, although SLED 10 was rather enjoyable for the most part. No, everything considered, I have really been enjoying my experiences with Ubuntu Dapper Drake. I find that it just works and works rather well. The trick is to lose the Windows hardware bubble. Why the heck would you support a company that does not support your OS? Read on before passing judgment.

My notebook is 99.9% Linux ready out of the box(using an external 802.11g card). How well is everything supported? Well enough that this notebook computer is 100% Windows free. Don’t get me wrong, I still need Windows to back up my phone data and to allow me access to my video editing software. I mean, it does a fine job there. But man, once you start adding software left and right, things get funky real fast with my Windows installation.

Now, I want to be fair here. It’s insane to expect Microsoft to micromanage each software release that comes down the line from all of the vendors out there. Heck, software incompatibilities are frankly bound to happen no matter what we do. But unless you have a mirror image of your Windows desktop ready to go, getting a back-up ready and running is no laughing matter. Trust me, I am growing really tired of this.

For me, the biggest problem would have to be the whole issue of reading off a bunch of numbers just to get the OS unlocked again. Then there is all the software. Oh boy now there is a fun day spent; not just with Windows either mind you. Except with Linux, I can save my software preferences for my software programs really, really easily. With Windows on the other hand, you basically are hoping that you can back-up your goodies from the Application Folder in your profile. Thunderbird, Firefox – no problem there. Other programs on the other hand, eh, not so easy. Ever try to restore a lot of data back to Outlook 2003? Now there’s a fun time had by all.

So, I realize that not every OS is a good match for everyone. I am still struggling with the idea of switching to a Mac when my existing PC hardware can run XP and Ubuntu quite nicely. But still, it’s a matter of getting things to “work, right? This has been an ongoing issue that has plagued a number of people trying to “make the switch” to Linux over and over. In my opinion, the biggest hardware culprits include: specific all-in-one printers and specific wi-fi cards.

Perhaps this is why using a bootable Linux CD to test your hardware makes so much sense. But in the end, it’s still very disappointing and has more times than not, sent people running back to their native OS’ in frustration. It sucks guys, I know. While I am working on (in my spare time) a project that will help to eliminate a lot of this frustration, the best advice is to remember to buy notebooks Linux ready and come to me for advice on any new purchases for all-in-ones and wifi cards that are Linux ready. That and to spend some time on the forums before ever bothering to download the CD of any distro. For instance, do you have any idea how many headaches can be avoided by simply using something called “Easy Ubuntu“? Fonts, codecs and more - it’s a treasure trove of Linux help.

In the mean time, I will be available via email for Linux PC building or Linux notebook buying. With Linux, it’s always easier to start off from scratch with a nice mid-cost machine with components supported by companies that offer Linux drivers. Contrary to popular belief, they are beginning to pop-up everywhere. Yeah, it actually surprised me, too.