Today I finally got my new computer running on Ubuntu. From my experience I have learned that Windows Vista will crash constantly if you run it on a machine with less that 1GB of RAM. Which makes it the biggest abomination sense Windows ME.
On the plus side, my computer is running twice as fast with Ubuntu. I use less than half of my RAM... I didn't have to install any drivers for my Web Cam, Bluetooth adapter, Printer... or anything. It just took me a minute to figure out that my wireless networking adapter uses a non-free driver, so I had to enable the restricted drivers. I didn't have to spend hours installing software... I didn't have to click 2 billion ok boxes to install extra stuff I wanted... I just set it up, and now it works like a charm. and the ReiserFS runs like a charm with my 7200RPM SATA HDD.
Yes, life is grand.
I have a light weight, fast, reliable machine. It works on networks with Windows XP machines... Vista machines... Macintoshes... even other Linux machines (duh...)
I was more than happy this morning to wake up to my old familiar default background for Ubuntu.
Actually, my only issue was that the Live CD wouldn't run. It booted, but then it just wouldn't load all the way.
I thought it was interesting that so many other people had problems with a Lenovo 3000 N200... then once I looked at the Lenovo site, I realized that I most have purchased an older model of it, and that is why everyone else had problems. Just my luck, if I chose the Acer, I would have had trouble too... nobody could get the graphics to work right with the ATI chipset... it even seems like people were having trouble with the newer Nvidia chipsets... but not me with my Intel 965 chipset. works like a charm. and once I get another GB of RAM I'll have no problem editing a dozen or so pictures at a time in GIMP... while surfing the web... and compiling some code... and chatting on Pidgin... and updating my blog for mom... and I'm sure I'll come up with something else that can't wait until all that is done... cause all that will take forever.
Yes... and now with a battery that actually lasts me 3 1/2 hours... I mean it did with Windows Vista... now it last me almost 5 full hours... I can even do things outside the house with my laptop... heck, my laptop is even light enough for me to be happy to toss it into my backpack and roam the city!
It turns out this machine is less than half the weight of my dell. at a mere 3 1/2 lbs. oh yes...
well, to finish, Thank you mom and dad! the Laptop is great, the rain gear has come in handy several times (even today!), and everything out here is going great!
Later,
SteveO
