Installed ubuntu this morning. Here is my story.
Video:
Tried to install nvidia own driver for 4 hours and never worked; the kernel source compilation was required and it never recognized my newly installed kernel source code and gcc. (and yes I played with all the settings accordingot nvidia Readme). Finally read a ubuntu guide and installed the default nvidia video driver. As it stands now, there is no overclock setting or any other nvidia settings that I can see or tweak. I was able to get the wide-screen at 1680x1050 though, following the guide. I don't undertand why the developers could not have taken the simple steps of the guide and made the system easier in the first place, at least for the particular tasks listed in there.
Multimedia:
Tried to install w32codecs to no aviail, even following every step of the guide. No such package was found in apt-get. Without the intuitive respository installation available, i downloaded bunch of dlls in a package called "essentail...." still Has no clue where to stick the files in. And the default media player kaffeine keeps crashing on me after I click on file, open, to open a new video, when I have a video going.
My conclusion:
I know you will say that give it more time, read couple manuals, and follow each and every readme that a third party app comes with. But that would just drive home the exact problem I see with Linux. It tries to do a lot but fails on the most basic--an intuitive user interface. Heck if all the distributions would stick on a common short set of well-thought user interface ideas, it won't matter if the hardware compatability suffers a little. The one thing Ubuntu does great is the apt-get, synaptic/kynaptic, which function like Windows Update with a repository twist. But come on, if Linux developers are justing catching up with windows, at least catch up on what windows and mac sells--the interface. Here is my test of whether to go back to linux ever again---If the next version of any linux distribution can allow a complete noob to install MOST third party driver appts with simple clicks or yes/no questions.
I understand a poor college student who has nothing but free time on his hands will revel in the sea of hundreds of console commands and their power-inducing parameter variations, and the self-comforting knowledge of the path names to the deep corners of the file system. To me, it's clear why 99% of pepole still prefer a conformist windows way... Yes, yes. Linux will probably dominate the market because it is free. But as someone already pointed out, it's free in its current form IF you time is essentially free. A big IF that is.
Video:
Tried to install nvidia own driver for 4 hours and never worked; the kernel source compilation was required and it never recognized my newly installed kernel source code and gcc. (and yes I played with all the settings accordingot nvidia Readme). Finally read a ubuntu guide and installed the default nvidia video driver. As it stands now, there is no overclock setting or any other nvidia settings that I can see or tweak. I was able to get the wide-screen at 1680x1050 though, following the guide. I don't undertand why the developers could not have taken the simple steps of the guide and made the system easier in the first place, at least for the particular tasks listed in there.
Multimedia:
Tried to install w32codecs to no aviail, even following every step of the guide. No such package was found in apt-get. Without the intuitive respository installation available, i downloaded bunch of dlls in a package called "essentail...." still Has no clue where to stick the files in. And the default media player kaffeine keeps crashing on me after I click on file, open, to open a new video, when I have a video going.
My conclusion:
I know you will say that give it more time, read couple manuals, and follow each and every readme that a third party app comes with. But that would just drive home the exact problem I see with Linux. It tries to do a lot but fails on the most basic--an intuitive user interface. Heck if all the distributions would stick on a common short set of well-thought user interface ideas, it won't matter if the hardware compatability suffers a little. The one thing Ubuntu does great is the apt-get, synaptic/kynaptic, which function like Windows Update with a repository twist. But come on, if Linux developers are justing catching up with windows, at least catch up on what windows and mac sells--the interface. Here is my test of whether to go back to linux ever again---If the next version of any linux distribution can allow a complete noob to install MOST third party driver appts with simple clicks or yes/no questions.
I understand a poor college student who has nothing but free time on his hands will revel in the sea of hundreds of console commands and their power-inducing parameter variations, and the self-comforting knowledge of the path names to the deep corners of the file system. To me, it's clear why 99% of pepole still prefer a conformist windows way... Yes, yes. Linux will probably dominate the market because it is free. But as someone already pointed out, it's free in its current form IF you time is essentially free. A big IF that is.
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