So I’m now playing with Linux

I have over the last couple of years tried Linux, mandrake, suse, ubuntu but always got stuck by its lack of user friendly and lack of hardware support (I tend to change my computer equipment very often and always for that latest piece of hardware) and so Linux was always just that little bit late

So anyway september I saw and bought the latest MSI WIND netbook, though it comes in either a linux or Xp setup I bought the XP setup as I sometimes need XP for certain programs that can’t be run on linux

The netbook is just great except the battery life, 90 mins max is a little short but other than that its perfect

Then I tried to install Linux Mint as I had read some great articles on it but sadly was unable to install the version “Mint 5 Elyssa” because of CD Rom problems, shame, with a name like that it’s perfect for me and their IRC channel is very helpful, they  are also  a friendly lot

I then tried Ubuntu, This version has a huge forum and IRC following, I had tried the version 6,06 but as stated previously was unimpressed, This time I installed Hardy 8,04, The install went well, 20 minutes or so later all was finished with half the HD in XP and the rest in Linux

Even in 2008 and version 8,04 certain things are still not perfect, the wifi wouldn’t work nor the web cam, but there is a forum MSI WIND and with a linux section and so managed to get both working but to honest this is not for a every day person as you need to use terminal and strange things like sudo, its quite complcated

I love Linux as it can be configured to look and feel just how you like, unlike vista and X and although I am not anti bill gates a change would be nice from windows

But if you want to play with Linux you need to learn how to CD, CP, MV and strange things like that in terminal which can be fun but again not for the average computer person, Vista has one up on Linux as it say you should do it but if you wish you can just click on yes, so much easier where as in Linux it has to be in terminal using root commands,

And still certain things are to complicated, using synaptic for installing programs is easy but downloading a Linux program or update from a web site and installing it is daunting, I recently downloaded a update to ‘TomBoy notes’ but am unable to install it, this is still as complicated as years ago, why there can’t be an install button, I do not know, having to CD or MV  and or CHMOD is over the top and for most just plain impossible, even to this day I am unable to run the update and as its still not on synaptics ……

Still so far am still using the Linux version on this netbook, am awaiting the next version of Ubuntu that will be out end of October as it sounds like it will be even better but I still believe that for the majority of users it will still be to complicated