I hate Ubuntu. I immediately lose respect for anyone who runs it, and especially those who advocate it. Here’s why:
Name 20 features, release-for-release or year-for-year that have not come from Redhat. Redhat basically runs the show when it comes to Linux. This includes things like NetworkManager, Gnome, Xorg, GCC, glibc, LVM, KVM, kernel, file systems et al. Redhat has developers making significant contributions to the entire FOSS software stack upstream.
Ubuntu on the other hand pulls most of the heavy weight packaging from Debian with each release. They then perform minor patching and testing. It generally lags behind Fedora by a release or two in parts of the software stack. I never see @ubuntu or @cannocial email addresses in upstream changelogs.
So tell me again, how exactly does Ubuntu innovate? They even struggle to release a new theme with each release, and artwork is about the only original thing in Ubuntu.
Yes, Ubuntu is stable because they are standing on the shoulders of giants. Most of the hard work is hashed out before they ever import software into their repositories. This is fine, and what FOSS is all about, but I prefer to be in with the leaders rather than the followers.
What really irks me and what has really brewed my hatred are Ubuntu users. They seem to think Ubuntu is responsible for all that is good in the FOSS world. I have just proven how false this is. In my experience, Ubuntu support mechanisms (IRC, mailing lists, forums) are much less helpful than the alternative.
If you want a nice desktop distro, run Fedora or OpenSUSE. If you like control, run Gentoo. If you need stability, run RHEL/CentOS or Debian. But please, don’t feed the idiot magnet that is Ubuntu!
No related posts.
Well, all this ubuntu hating is starting to sound childish. If Ubuntu wasn’t doing something right, why are the other distributions lagging in user numbers? I am not saying the other distros are bad or even worse than Ubuntu, but you can’t argue with the facts. Ubuntu has brought linux to the mainstream and this is a plus for the whole GNU/Linux community.
A user’s first linux experience might be with Ubuntu but then might switch to another. There is nothing wrong with that. Remember the aim of gnu/linux is to provide a free OS and free people and their computers. Now about insulting people for what distribution they use, that is just utter BULLSHIT. It is the kind of closed-mindedness that GNU/Linux is against. Don’t be stuck in your stupid emotional state of envy towards Ubuntu users.
Take pride in your distribution, whichever one you run and take positives from others to improve yours. That is what Ubuntu/Fedora/Gentoo and other distribution users do and that enriches the community. Besides, this linux world of ours will be rather unpleasant if we had only the four or so distributions that you’ve mentioned as the good ones.
YOU ARE AN IDIOT AND I HOPE YOU AREN’T LET OUT OF YOUR BEDROOM UNTIL YOU ARE WELL ENOUGH TO BE AMONGST THE CIVILISED AND DIVERSE WORLD OF OURS.
A CLOSED MIND IS A GOOD THING TO LOOSE!!!!
Kev,
I have to disagree. I’ve downloaded and tried several distros over the years and Ubuntu is by far the easiest to install. Yes it based on Debian but that’s what Linux is all about, “Take it and make it……better!”
http://californiaquantum.wordpress.com/2009/03/10/another-100000-week-for-fedora-10/
Eat it fanbois. Show us how Ubuntu computes their statistics. Read the comments on that thread for complete analysis.
I didn’t bother to read all comments but did a search and did not found anyone mentioning UPSTART . Done by Ubuntu, used by Red Hat now. Also, Launchpad will be open sourced. Also, companies have different size, ages, and customer bases and thus, different profits and number of employees.
Still, relative to the kernel, Canonical’s contributions were below Gentoo’s (!!!!!!). I can only up they match in the future the contributions they make with the level of Marketing and newbie-friendliness they excel at.
Also, read: http://ldn.linuxfoundation.org/blog-entry/free-riders-canonical-and-greg-kh
That being said I got curious enough to download Fedora 10 just now :p
I AM a rather informed user. But I haven’t tried Fedora in a while, so I guess now it’s a good time. Doesn’t mean my previous comment was incorrect ;)
It doesn’t surprise me that all the ubuntu fanboys attack you for telling the truth. Canonical doesn’t contribute anything to the community. Most of their upstream patches are rejected for two reasons: 1. The patches are gui changes & 2. The patches break other things. Canonical takes things from other distros and the fanboys like to claim it as new & exciting. The fanboys can’t stand it when something negative is said about their overrated distro.
More Ubuntu fail:
http://thunk.org/tytso/blog/?p=347
“This become especially noticeable on Ubuntu, which uses many proprietary, binary-only drivers, which caused some Ubuntu systems to become highly unreliable, especially for Alpha releases of Ubuntu Jaunty, with the net result that some Ubuntu users have become used to their machines regularly crashing. (I use bleeding edge kernels, and I don’t see the kind of unreliability that apparently at least some Ubuntu users are seeing, which came as quite a surprise to me.)”
I have both Ubuntu and Fedora on my system(s). For package updating, Ubuntu has a very nice easy synaptic program. Fedora has YUMEX.
While YUMEX has a different looking interface, it performs as well, albeit more slowly then synaptic, in deciding dependencies and what must be processed.
Yumex keeps no history, and therefore begins each time from zero. Yumex allows you, between runs to add or remove a repository. With Yumex, you can completely avoid yum, the lower level software updater.
Right now, Fedora boots faster, and appears to run more quickly for my applications of interest.
I must say…this is very interesting.
Moreso the comments from the many Ubuntu users over anything else.
Its like talking to people who are Windows fanboys….90% of them are clueless, yet they will tell you to stop hating windows (even though you are absolutely free to do so). I was nearly positive most blogs were made for sharing opinions and such, yet heaven forbid someone share an opinion you don’t like. How ridiculous it is to tell someone to stop blogging about hatred of a product or anything of the like. How many Windows hate blogs are out there, and how many of the Ubuntu users would be happy to linger in their presence, saying how amazing they are with their new linux distro.
I don’t agree with all of the article, yet I myself don’t really care for Ubuntu, so perhaps I’m biased. I usually laugh to myself a bit when people mention HOW 1337 they are because of the distro at hand…but again, that is just me. A classmate and I fight the constant distro war of Ubuntu verses Gentoo, but in the end…linux is about choice, and what YOU want as a user. Freedom, ah what a beautiful thing. Many people should run Windows, or Ubuntu, for anything else would end in a mess… perhaps that means job security for me (on second thought, perhaps they should be forced into other, more complicated distros >:D) If the screaming ubuntu fanboys and girls want something simple and easy to follow (as in well marketed and trendy) then let them have what they’re using. I’ve gained the knowledge that not all Ubuntu users are mere fanboys, nor are they all mislead sheep…for my classmate is far from such.
I like the love trip a lot of you commenters are on, it makes me feel all fuzzy and warm inside, like a hippy.
But deep down I know I thrive on the wars OS’s cause,
for they involve criticism, critiquing,
figuring out who are the real idiots, and who knows what they’re talking about…
and of course, a lovely, yet bloody, debate.
Debate is an amazing thing.
Ouch, burn! Didn’t know you felt that way about it, man. :)
Personally, I hate Gnome with a passion. When using it, I fell like my IQ is immediately reduced by 50 points.
Kubuntu is ok, but at that point I would rather go with OpenSUSE for Desktop and CentOS for my servers, and for sure, Gnome is terrible.
With that said, you’re all free to use what you like, but again I say, Gnome is terrible, but does work for non-power users that don’t know any better, or like playing with those little ABC blocks for kids.
Well, most of you are developers or just advance user of linux basically. So be mature man!!!! You don’t need argue about who’s the best, you know who is best? the best among them is user. OS is made for user according to their requirement.
We love linux, it just does not matter what distro we are using. we are using ubuntu or fedora or openSUSE or whatever with the same feeling of freedom. we use it because we like it that’s important not that some stupid had said it’s bad then it is.
It’s nice to choose the best but for me I’ll choose what I feel comfortable with. IT COULD BE UBUNTU, FEDORA, OR ANY DISTRO IT JUST DOESNOT MATTER!!! WHAT MATTER IS JUST YOUR HAPPINESS…….
“LINUX IS USER-FRIENDLY BUT JUST BIT CHOOSY ABOUT FRIENDS”.
Ahhh… newbies writing posts.
You might have years of linux experience, but when it comes to FOSS philosophy, my friend, you’re a newbie.
CHOICE and FREEDOM.
There you have it. It’s easy isn’t it?.
Wow. You hate a distribution and judge people because they use it? I’m sorry, but that’s kind of lame. How are you any better than any Ubuntu fanboy by ranting and making blind sweeping insults? If anything you’re making yourself look like an elitist jerk, and I doubt anyone in the SUSE or Fedora communities would want you to represent them. Anti-fans/haters are just as bad, if not worse, than fan boys.
I am a Linux power user. I use Ubuntu. I also use OpenSUSE, KateOS, Slackware, and Debian on occasion when appropriate. I also frequently use Window Maker as a WM.
Not all Ubuntu users are “fan boys”, and in my experience the haters, like yourself, are often much more vocal. If you don’t like Ubuntu, don’t use it. Plain and simple. Choose something else. That’s the beauty of Linux.
To be quite honest, the thing that put me off ubuntu was the userbase – Coming from a gentoo background, I gave ubuntu a try. I had issues with the sound system (pulseaudio) and ISA sound cards on an older computer – I tried all of the obvious solutions to the problem, then I naturally went to the IRC channel for a bit of help. But those who lurk in the ubuntu IRC actually have less idea of what’s going on than the average gentoo newbie. I got sent to all the solutions I’d tried, even when I said I’d tried them, they thought I was too newbie to know what I’m doing.
For heaven’s sake, just because you don’t know the answer to a user’s complex question doesn’t mean you should treat your users like idiots(!)
And, now, I didn’t bother to read the rest of the comments, but I did see a couple of words like “user experience” – Ubuntu? Sure, that’s fine – lowest common denominator. It works. Kubuntu, however? Not impressed at all. It’s common knowledge that only a fraction of the development time of ubuntu in general goes to the kubuntu project. And it shows.
A little late to this, but I somewhat agree. What I think you don’t understand is that new Ubuntu users don’t know how the open source and free software world works, as they are mostly Windows converts. So, you have to give them time to grow. You can’t expect a new Ubuntu user to understand how things work here, they’re used to the impersonal dealings with Redmond. Give them time, some of them learn how to contribute. I started with Ubuntu, and now I’ve joined some mailing lists and help out in IRC…and when I started, I had no idea what either of those where.
The machine is a tool. When you need that tool it doesn’t matter if it’s made by Craftsman or Honda.
The saying goes, ” It’s a means to an end. ”
All the major distributions comes stock with a broken Xorg 7.5 that offers superior regressions over Xorg 7.4 stock for Intel Graphics. That means it sucks on laptops, netbooks. An extreemly limited autoconfiguration for attached devices such as Wacom tablets, wireless mice, and trackball mice. Half assed support for 3D graphics on Nvidia and ATI. There is hardly any video or retail DVD playback without hacking.
All major distributions come packed with the same development tools, gdb, ddd, gcc. They have the same media players. The same word processors. The same web-browsers.
What’s the difference? Nothing.
You’ll have a hard time playing DirectX games in Wine, WineX, VmWare, VirtualBox. Adobe Flash will run terrible full-screen. And your family will just beg you to reinstall Windows XP.
Are you in this world to help people or hinder them? That is the only decision in life.
Help or Hurt.
I agree partially with you
i’m sorry for my bad english.
see, as some people have said above, ubuntu just aims for noobs rather than giving a complete and scalable workstation or server.
But, that’s the good thing of linux and that’s something many of us seem to forget, because the specialization of distributions makes a linux for different users with different needs.
Unfortunalety, as you can see very few newbies seem to care if a linux performs better than the other one, they just want something that just plain works and is just easy to manage, and that’s how the distro war begins and this old elitism begins to arise.
I actually use Fedora, Mandriva, and I plan to change Ubuntu with Debian, just beacuse Ubuntu is not fitting my needs anymore, but it doesn’t mean Ubuntu is bad or inferior.
Remember that using different distributions isn’t only a matter of need but a matter of like too, and most of us may disagree deeply with each other beacuse of the simplest issues, and the segregation of entire linux communities just make the things worse.
I’d wish that people just use linux distribution( s ) for their needs rather than ranting among each others because they belong to “foreign” communities.
I’m glad that ubuntu is gaining strength because of a very rich southafrican man (Mark Shuttleworth, the second astronaut turist in the world, etc.), he has lots of money to promote and merchandise a linux operating system for free (i’d prefer something like this than micro$hit actually does).
I’m also glad fedora is a bleeding edge system which also is a good candidate for a reliable web server (that is, if you update it enough so it can gain stability) , i’m glad for the debian community because they’re porting their system to the GNU/Hurd Kernel, stability of the system and also a good candidate for a data or web server, i’m glad of Mandriva because is really easy to use and it’s KDE implementation is really fast and you can even consider to use it as a realiable data server.
Every linux distribution someone would like to use are to enjoy them, not to make a fight for the simplest of the issues or differences.
Most of the work, if not all, that has gone into linux, was done to make it easier to use, in one way or another. Then when more common users switch to it, they get bashed, and made to feel dumb for doing it. All they really want to do, is use their computers to get things done. If it’s office work, or just surfing the web, they have a life outside of their OS.
Sure, I use Ubuntu. Not because I have some insane idea of it being the greatest OS on the planet, or anything like that. I use it because it works, and it works simply. I understand it, and I get things done with it. Without the hassle of having to worry about viruses, and without the expense of having to buy software.
Rather than attacking people who use some other OS, I tell them why I use the one I do. I don’t try to cram it down their throats.
Do you have an entire closet full of clothes of the same color, and call everyone names for not wearing the same thing you do? I’m hoping you don’t, but your post suggest that you do.
wow, this is gay…. who cares about all of this fancy pants i know more about code than you do bull-crap… Ubuntu has opened the doors to bring down our OS masters… rejoice! This the the day that we have been waiting for! stop fighting amongst the ranks.
I agree fully, Ubuntu sucks and i’m changing mine ASAP. Its slow, It doesn’t allow me to do anything, and having to go in and add apps is a time waster.
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How can you lose respect for a PERSON based on the OS they use. I mean you might lose respect because someone is a criminal or hits women or something extreme, but an OS??? Seriously??? lol pathetic
i find it very interesting to read all of these opinions. varied opinions. i started trying ubuntu about 2 years ago and struggled… so i put it off for a year and tried again… struggled again but not as much and i didn’t quit on it the second time. what i liked about ubuntu is that i could get it running easily. now what i like is that i am starting to learn how to run in the shell (terminal actually) and not just a ui, since i was a windows users for too many years. i like what the gnu/linux systems stand for and proud now to be part of that system (which includes ALL distros). i respect all users of any gnu/linux distros and it is sad to see when one distro users cries “foul” about another just because of their lack of vision for the whole. i appreciate ubuntu to give windows users a chance to actually use a gnu/linux system and then from there they can learn the truth about windows and even maybe find another distro they like better or not depending upon their needs or tastes. i must say that giving credit to where it is due is difficult because without ubuntu i might not have known linux at all… so i have to give credit to ubuntu for giving me a way out. but i also give credit to gnu/linux for starting it all. or should i give credit to the unix system… or to the man who made the first computer… or to the monkey that became the first man… how far backwards do we give credit? i am just happy that i am not in windows any longer… what difference should it make after that? oh… and remember… Don’t Worry, Be Happy… =D
Well, the post has almost 1 year but I’ve read it today. What I can say is that I’m not a technical guy, just a regular user. I don’t care about what my OS has inside. On the other hand, I don’t like Microsoft and its policy. So, 7 years ago I tried Linux for the 1st time (Mandrake) but it wasn’t a good experience. Just one example: I spent 2 days of Google search on my Windows to find out how to activate my Internet access (through my brazilian provider). I don’t have interest on becoming a technical guy. So I gave up and after some weeks I formatted the Linux partition.
One year ago (exactly one year ago: it was on a December 30, 2008), I installed Ubuntu and in 2 hours I had everything working, my wifi network included. And today I have dual boot with Windows in my desktop and my netbook but I’m going to Windows only once a month or so.
I think that’s the difference between Ubuntu and other distros. I just want to use the computer and, if it’s possible, without Microsoft software.
Linux is a wonderful idea, a wonderful philosophy, a wonderful ideology. But to this idea become real for everybody it’s necessary to surpass the less than 1% desktop marketshare that Linux has today.
If Linux wants to go mainstream, it needs a marketing approach even if we don’t like it. So, if Ubuntu helps to grow Linux marketshare, it’s good for everybody (including the people who hate it).
Hate hate hat!
I hate Ubuntu because they spend too much time listening to arrogant dicks like you and not enough time listening to their “idiot” users who just want their computers to work out of the box.
Assholes like you are the reason desktop Linux is the failure that it is today.
“Less than 1% of our market uses our products! Woo!”
I’ve tried a dozen distros over the years, including several years of solid daily Ubuntu use. Ubuntu’s the best, but it’s still a pile of crap, and I’m ready to try a Mac.
Here’s the thing: every linux distribution uses work from other groups. Debian for instance uses a) the linux kernel, b) the gnome desktop environment, c) xorg, d) a crapload of other stuff they didn’t come up with. I somehow came to the conclusion that open source and linux was about that sort of thing, building on the work of the whole open source community. Nowhere was it stated by anyone, anywhere in the community to my knowledge, that subset a of the linux world may not use the work of subset b, because the people from that group thinks the other are losers.
I know that people in the debian world are sore about ubuntu developers taking packages from their repositories and such, and it would be nice to see more new things come out of canonical and not debian, but they do their share of work on the usability side and making things work side, so I think it’s an arrangement that’s starting to work out well.
Use your distro of choice, but don’t be so elitist as to think you have the right to look down on people who don’t see things the way you do.
Idiot magnet that is Ubuntu!
So accurate it’s amazing. All the posts on the forum are just an excuse to “get beans”. Waxing lyrical about how much they hate MS and claiming superiority for running Linux even though they clearly can’t even use a search engine.
Ubuntu is the most spoon-fed crap ever, as for the other OS you mention here you loose too. Go research the foundations of BSD. Thats real Unix. ALL the above you mention are patched, hacked, add-on crap.
All Ubuntu does is support a hate campaign against MS.
Peace!!
Hmm, I liked Ubuntu Linux before reading your petty diatribe, and I still enjoy it after. I have nothing against Microsoft Windows, but I have my reasons for liking Ubuntu:
1: Easy to install. It asked me for my name, time zone, and password, and neatly positioned itself next to my Windows OS in a dual-boot configuration.
2: It works. I didn’t have to hunt down drivers for my computer; everything worked on the first install.
3: It’s fast. In seconds, I’ve booted up and am ready to read e-mail and browse. No need to hibernate or sleep, shutdown and startup in Ubuntu is just as quick.
4: It doesn’t pretend to be the best. Unlike the MacOS, certain Linux users, and…well, you know, it does what it does very well. It doesn’t pretend to be the best at one thing, but for me it really delivers the goods.
5: Near as I can tell, it’s quite possibly the best chance at converting Windows XP users faced with the end-of-life of their OS. Get these people, and Ubuntu stands a strong chance at expanding the OS market beyond the Microsoft majority/Mac minority.
6. It just works. I’ll admit this is probably a Linux trait, but I’m not worrying about Viruses and spyware.
7. Ubuntu users don’t pretend to be better than everyone else. They tend to be more confident in their choice, and are the quickest to state, “Use whatever works for you.”
8. Whenever a friend who is struggling with XP and doesn’t know the difference between Root and Shell follows my advice of “Just try Ubuntu” switches over and constantly thanks me for the advice afterward, it demonstrates that it’s not just me.
9. Does making configuration and the addition of software and features easy a bad thing? I don’t care if it attracts idiots, I only care that it makes my life easier…and it does.
10. It’s made my life easier, no other Linux distro can say that.
i truly agree that ubuntu sucks
they dont make the sense of integrating basic audio codecs and video codecs
and more ever also everything they think of installation is via terminal and directly conneccted to internet
i have a modem and ubuntu does not detects it
modem has drivers for MAC OSX AND windows
bt for ubuntu the company sayys i have to manually compile and buld it
are you nuttttssssssss not every body is a programmer dese days just to connecct to internet i have to compile and integrate the modem dirvers so that i can get connected to the internet.
they try keep modifying hell lot of things but just dont make sense in basic
no debian files to direct install software just like apple store or windows have
i sincerely say……….. UBUNTU SUCKSS DONKEY BALLS
I’m amazed people still haven’t discovered that desktop Linux is a lost cause.
I used to be quite a fan of Ubuntu, but I do see some flaws that I do not like about it since 9.10.
1. Software Center – The old way of getting programs was that I could choose all of the ones that I wanted from a list, and then accept the packages that are needed as well as the ones I chose. This was much quicker, as I could choose all that I needed at one time and then let it all download. With the new software center, I have to either search or click a one program, click the install button, click to accept it and any extra packages, and then wait. If I try to do multiple downloads, it locks up.
2. New and incomplete software – I use Pidgin as my IM, and with newer Ubuntu distributions, this was replaced by Empathy. The problem is not that it got replaced, as I can put Pidgin back, but that Empathy is there in a popular distribution. I think that it is good that a distribution showcases unfinished software in a distribution, but not when this distribution is one of the distributions that many people get into when switching from Windows. It seems like Ubuntu might be more fun for those who are into programming, who could benefit programs like Empathy. I’m glad that there are alternative IM programs out there, but for a new-user Linux Distribution, I think a fully working IM program with some customization would be better than having this. Empathy doesn’t seem complete to me.
Now Ubuntu is great for those who want to start out with Linux at first or have some sort of curiosity. All that is really needed is to ask not just the computer enthusiasts about what Ubuntu should be, but also hold equal opportunities for all types users to speak out and give opinions about the compiling effort that Canonical does, and for Ubuntu (this is the most important thing) to change for both the average user and the computer enthusiasts.
The next best step for Canonical is to come out with much better drivers for hardware, but I doubt that and I’m just asking too much as is.
Kev009,
I really don’t understand why you should lose respect for some/anyone running a particular OS that doesn’t get you drooling over.
You see, I’ve been an Arch Linux user for almost three years now, and I’m loving it a lot. It it comes in very small package compared to most other preconfigured distros, runs very fast, is highly configurable (I can setup a server or an HTPC using the same base installer) and what-have-you.
That said, I must confess that my first intimate introduction to most Linux concepts and practices was facilitated by Ubuntu/Unoobtu/Ubombtu/[put your term here]. You see, I’ve known Linux since way back in 1999, when I first work as a network administrator at a Banking corp here. But I had never been interested in using it on my laptop and desktop and, worst of all, to support my carrier (I had decided to sticking with being a Windows admin).
But that all changed when I saw Ubuntu in 2005. Its vision really took me, and my co-workers managed to convince me to take the plunge (one foot at a time). Long story short, I decided that I need a rolling release distro that doesn’t have the hassles commonly found in, for example, Ubuntu. Thus, the switch to Arch.
What I want to say here is, Ubuntu really serves as a good starting ground for those who really are new to Linux. It can be brought up and running in less time than Gentoo, Arch, Slackware, and even Fedora (Fedora is a state-of-the-art distribution). Most importantly, their community is more (much more) open and tolerant to novices, a quality that most other communities lack. That’s another thing that Ubuntu has tried to innovate in — enforcing friendliness within its community. In this ever increasingly complicated world of Linux, novices really need some folks to help them get on their feet — nobody is born with Linux knowledge. That’s one other thing that seems to be left off by most other distro communities.
I’d add the main reason for Ubuntu is an easy platform for ex Windows users to migrate to Linux. Asking lazy and stupid questions on the forum. The real reasons for Ubuntu success lies in Windows lack of ability to create another revolutionary like XP. By the time people running XP learnt to run a standard user and switch up the firewall and services.msc it was too late they wanted more security, enter Ubuntu.
Everyone in Linux circles knows KDE4 is just a Windows Blowjob for free. Anyone falling into Kubuntu has trully lost their path.
Even worse is that pile of crap written by Steve called Apple. Somehow thanks to the right contacts and oppression namely “the Windows originator” he creates a linux, raped the rules and started charging huge figures for others work.
The only thing shitter than Ubuntu is Mac. A rip of Linux OS. There is always another distro polishing shit. You have to start the right way. Give up the GUI and get coding. BSD owns.
it comes down to this, anyone who is pro noobuntu is… well a noob. i personally have never had an issue with using real debian, or real gentoo, or slackware etc. of course noobuntu is popular, all the linux noobs feel elite because they can finally run a linux os without having to know dick. for the rest of us, yeah it pisses us off that we actually learned to use an os, and feel side swiped by a wanna-be cute bubbly os that makes these lames feel important because they can install all the cute open source software they want. my point being, these users will create the end result of yes, linux virii and worms. since they have absolutely no idea of how linux really works, they will be the prime victims of such malware. i say, let us not scorn noobuntu, let us hax the users. drive them back to windows and macs. good day sirs
When I have to install Linux for someone who knows NOTHING about computers, my choice is Ubuntu. I am grateful to have that option, and it’s a strategic mistake for Free Software to forget that. Those “unoobtu” or “lolbuntu” cries do little to improve Canonical attitude to FOSS, and will do nothing for those people who doesn’t know about computers, doesn’t want to know about computers, live in underdeveloped countries and have Windows 7 Pirated Edition as their only choice. Ubuntu is clearly the best solution for them.
OTOH, I’ve currently settled myself on Fedora, but I don’t advice it unless the user really wants to learn how things are made in Linux. Different distros for different needs, that’s Linux.
dont be such and idiot.
I can’t help it. I’m really starting to find Ubuntu users irritating too. They go around with Ubuntu stickers on their laptops, Ubuntu bags over their shoulders and maybe where Google jackets. WahhhhhhhhhhhHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ubuntu is so aggravating–when you install a program, it does not show up in the application bar and you have no idea where the program is nor how to get it to run. Windows is far superior in this regard.
I’m somewhat new to the linux world. I’ve tried fedora, centos, redhat, and a variety of other distros. Right now I’m test driving ubuntu. (I test drive for at least a month)
I don’t think the original posters arguments are 100% valid. I know linux is community based. And granted every user should at least be making donations, but just because you use linux doesn’t mean you have to contribute to the source code. With that attitude, it won’t go far. Your common user isn’t going to contribute. So.. does it really matter who the innovators are? It may if you want to contribute. But if that’s not important to you, than what matters is an organization of packages that fits your needs and wants. I’m sure there are other things you look for in a desk top. But the posters argument comes from a legacy power user mentality and is probably dangerous to the life of linux. “Don’t feed the idiot magnet”…. you’re common user is going to be an idiot. So.. what you are saying is that only smart people should use linux? If that’s the case, nobody would be using linux, because there no smart people. All of us are too busy pointing at each other claiming the other is a moron. I do agree that if ubuntu users are going around with false claims… that’s a problem. That would be in any community.
I could go on. Right now from my experiences, there are some things I don’t like about ubuntu. However, the original poster mentioned fedora. And you know, it probably is a great system. But ubuntu installed and I was able to configure it in hours the way I wanted too. With fedora, it took 3 attempts to download, 4 attempts to burn the cd, 2 attempts to do a full instal. And both times it forgot my password (yes, this is actually a bug in fedora 14. I really mean, it forgot my password) for every single user on my system. I don’t mind playing around with the system to get things to work the way I want. You don’t go into linux without realizing there is going to be something you have to play with. But again.. common user. They are going to take the path of least resistance. So far ubuntu has offered the least playing around. The least resistance to how I want to use my system. Not saying I’ll stay with that choice.
But I leave with this comment… if all other distros seem to have open problems with common desktop setups, but ubuntu has found a way to configure and put together existing packages that make it smoother for the average user to migrate to linux. Isn’t that in itself innovative? They’ve showing the linux world that it doesn’t have to be painful to setup the average computer. The tools to do it well exist. The other distros just may not be using them. Again.. just a comment based off of my experiences and may not be reflective of the norm. Something to think about.
Deep breaths…
Isn’t Free/Libre Software what this is all about? :-)
I give you another example.
Richard Stallman and many other developers have tried hard in the 80′s to bring a free software stack and OS to the masses, they called it GNU because it wasn’t (proprietary) UNIX.
But they lack one big component in the stack: a kernel. So they did try hard to make one (the Mach micro-kernel) actually.
And in the beginning of the 90′s come one guy telling the world that he’s working on a new project called Linux. Well you know the rest of the story I guess.
So is it Linux or GNU/Linux? Basically Linux took all the fame while GNU is only known from geeks like us. But when you use your favourite OS (aka Linux distro), you’re using GNU tools everywhere, it was even build with GNU tools (GCC). So I guess those people who work in the 80′s must have felt like the fame and hard work they put was escaping them.
But this is the free software philosophy. And apart from the gentle war between Linux and GNU/Linux naming, there is no hatred between the Linux kernel developers and the GNU ones.
Ubuntu and many other distros out there are distributing software made by others (the GNU, Kernel, Red Hat, SuSE, etc. developers), this is what distros where meant for. Ubuntu is quite in the spotlight now, but this is just because they managed more or less to give a nice user experience, not because they are a technically-savvy company.
You’re right Ubuntu/Canonical did not innovate much, apart on the UX side. Well it’s not really innovation but more how to put different technologies together so they make a whole. I often found myself tweaking my desktop on a RHEL or SLED, but I use the stock configuration on Ubuntu. That’s the reason I chose it in the first place, I’m comfortable with it without any added tweaks.
So you’re right to feel frustration, if you consider that a distro maker should create new technology and not use those available to create a whole OS.
Now, many of your arguments were corrects and objectives. However, there is one that is just subjective and that should not have been written on your site (which is quite well done). It’s about the Ubuntu users. First this is a complete generalization so it is of course false. I’m an Ubuntu user, but also a Fedora too (albeit less frequently), a SLED too (my main env. at work). So am I to be hated?
The problem is more the general public which is misinformed by many news papers (on/off-line ones). Basically, they only hear about Ubuntu or maybe Linux. It’s both frustrating, Linux is just a kernel. Example:
a typical Linux comment in a forum: “Linux is great, it comes with OpenOffice and multimedia applications out of the box”.
Do you image the same in a Windows forum? “NT kernel is great, it comes with Microsoft Office and multimedia applications out of the box.”
It doesn’t make sense anymore.
To use your own idea: “They seem to think [Linux] is responsible for all that is good in the FOSS world.” which is reductive. Linux just helped spreading the knowledge of Windows and software philosophy alternatives, and if Ubuntu is helping similarly then we should rejoice. Of course, the other distros are helping too with there many users.
YOUR ALL GEEKS YOU TALK ABOUT THESE OS’S LIKE THERE YOUR GIRLFREINDS LOL GO GET WINDOWS 7 YOU DEADBEATS,why waste your time with all the crap thats involved with linux
just trying to be an asshole how’d i do?
@Jean-Christophe His point was that the Red Hat engineers contribute a LOT to these upsteam project that you say are “made by other people”. Take a look at the Disk Utility, System Monitor etc. in Ubuntu. You will see “Copyright Red Hat”.
Red Hat also contribute a LOT to the Gnome development efforts. Canonical contribute almost nothing. They make their own trash from scratch and force people to sign a CLA to contribute to it. This is an affront to free software. It means they can harvest up a lot of contribution and then change the license any time they feel like it.
The paid Ubuntu “engineers” are mostly just packagers and VERY poor packagers at that. Canonical are the parasites of the Linux world.
When I download an OS for free, get an awful lot of support via internet, can run all applications, everthin working smooth and fine – what is wrong with this?
Had been with Suse in the past, now I prefer ubuntu. Currently on 10.04, upgraded another PC from 10.04 via 10.10 to 11.04. Upgrading went perfect. This way a lot of old stuff (e.g. gnome) were kept which makes also 11.04 acceptable for me.
An OS is not my girlfriend, hence there are no emotions involved. Just take it from the practical side, with the limited knowledge I have I even depend more on the support supplied. Hate me if you like and use slackware, we are in a free world, arn’t we ?
If Ubuntu is an idiot magnet, I must just say: GO FOR IT.
People turn themselves to LESS idiotiv state when ditching Windows and its insane and close-source close-minded controlled users.
Ubuntu is a breath of the fresh air and therefore it could be looked at as safe heaven for developers, when they just want to give a desktop to bunch of users who would alternatively use windows.
I use Ubuntu because:
It is based on Debian (any time I like, I can switch to Debian, because Debian is De Facto Linux distribution in the sense of freedom and way it is made) ,
it have TONS of software packages, it has PPA archives and basically, every possible application (and driver) is available for it. And the best thing is that Ubuntu has MASSIVE amount of users, you can count on to be there.
They ARE mainstream desktop users and that IS what Ubuntu IS for: For Windows replacement.
Canonical is the first one who actually was sending CD’s for FREE to anyone who requested it, all over the world. Anyone else did that?
And that is how I installed Ubuntu first time.
And YES, I am Windows convert. And Yes, I used to work with Slackware on machines since the time Win95 was around.
And YES, I think GUI applications and one-click installs and LTS supported releases and automatic upgrades and easy to use have been dumbing me down.
I am dumb and I am happy with Ubuntu. I seek nothing more complicated then that as Windows migrant.
You can be safe with Ubuntu when replacing all workstations from windows to Linux in your business environment.
And if you know better then that and deeply honestly are eager of upstream contributing, being on the bleeding edge and debugging and fixing and doing all thos cool things open source brings to you, PLEASE DO choose different Linux distribution.
But just remember at the end to make your packages in Ubuntu PPA, so the rest of the world could actually USE what you make.
YOUR ALL GEEKS YOU TALK ABOUT THESE OS’S LIKE THERE YOUR GIRLFREINDS LOL GO GET WINDOWS 7 YOU DEADBEATS,why waste your time with all the crap thats involved with linux
just trying to be an asshole how’d i do?
You did great. We already have Windows 7, your Windows 7 on remote login, and that’s the problem with that argument.
Yes Ubuntu is based on Debian and yes it has it’s fanatical followers…..
BUT AT LEAST IT IS LINUX AND NOT BLOODY WINDOWS.
Instead of rubbishing those who use it, they should be encouraged to try other Linux variations. For some people, their move into open source may never have happened if it wasn’t for Ubuntu. I have never used it and never will, but those that have, obviously like the way it works. It’s all good, if it means less revenue for MS.
Hi i don’t really know what this is about so i probably should not but in but I’m going to anyway :D ubuntu is bad in my opinion sorry. my mums fiance has it i think vector is better. pls don’t swear cos some people do on chat thingymabobys and i dont like it ;D