An Introduction to Ubuntu project
The Ubuntu project is aimed at creating one of the easiest operating system on the planet using linux as its base. Ubuntu relaese a new version every six months; the latest at the time of 12.04 LTS. The next anticepted edition, 12.10 will be out next year. We hope you have already understood the subsequent pattern of version numbers: 9.10,10.04,10.10,11.04,11.10,12.04 and so on. Ubuntu places alongside these numbers names of animals to infuse life into each realese. The 11.04 version is named as "Natty Narwhal"(a medium-sized toothed whale). Yet another unique fact about Ubuntu is that its owners(or you could just call them the creators) at the parent company Canonical have pledged to always keep the OS free. On the other hand are companies who built over and around their open source products,especially Linux distribution such as Novell and Red Hat. They usually treat the free versions of their Linux distributions as a testing ground for commercial products. Canonical promises that Ubuntu is, and always will be, free of cost and open in nature. As far its bank accounts are concerned the OS is a volenture driven project and the company capitalises on its Ubuntu related support and development services to enterprises. The commitment of Canonical and Mark Shuttleworth are to be credited for the ever-growing fame of Ubuntu.Why is Ubuntu popular ?
or these who interested in computing, Linux is something which they take pride in being a user of, and love its freedom and flexibility. Among all the Linux distributions, which already are extremely popular (use Google's free keyword tool to avail salvation fr yourself), Ubuntu is the most popular. The reason for its triumph over all other Linux distributions is its ease of use. Before Ubuntu came into picture, Linux was thought of as a real tough nut to crack. Many had the(wrong) notion about Linux being a completely command line based operating system. While it is still true that an extremely rich set of useful applications,programs and features of Linux are dependent on command line (or call it the console), Linux certainly was much more than ust a console-driven, type and press enter styled operating system, even before Ubuntu was born. The one thing is lacked was the real ease of use offered by other operating systems such as Windows and Mac. Ubuntu change the scene with its innovative solutions to issues. It ensured that user could download new software easily. The OS was further popularised by the fact that it allowed you to use the system right from the CD and install it only once you felt pleased enough. The installer was simple and the looks were different\ and beautiful. Ubuntu software updates were fuss-free even for the regular user to understand. One of its most innovative technical aspects was its self upgrade feature. You didn't need to download a seperate ISO file, burn it to a disk and then install or update from it. All you had to do was upgrade from within the OS. The required files would automatically be downloaded and installed. Version changed ! Slowly, many other innovations came in: a music store (just like Apple), a software center, integration of music players and social service into GNOME shell and what not. It's these little changes overtime that increasingly increased the interest of new as well as already interested users . The cherry on the topping was the awesome 'no drivers required' approach . Ubuntu made it easy for users to plugin their mobile phones , select there country , fill in a few details and get ready with a GPRS,EDGE and 3G connection. This was , and still is, a huge boost for people (Mostly students) who live in places where they cant afford to have wired connections or costly wireless plans . For some users the last mentioned feature (built-in drivers) is most important. although you won't find pentium 4 processors in the market anymore, some still use such machines just because it does all they want it to do. These users don't upgrade either due to monetary problem or because they are simply happy with the PC which taught them what a computer is. The bigger problem with owners of boxes such as these is more on the side if support then features. If you lost the only copy of the drivers CD of the mother board for a P4 computer today, you will be force to buy a new system. The reason is lack of support from the manufacturer. In all probability, manufacturer would have stopped supporting the device. So you would not get the drivers on their website, with little luck getting it else where either. Since the Linux kernal has a huge database of drivers, Ububtu gives in reason to rejoice. It brings life back to such old PCs. While system requirements of most others new operating systems for running are high, Ubuntu does not need much to get great performance from older machines. While 512 MB RAM might seem a little less for windows 7 or Windows Vista, Ubuntu cannot only be used on such systems but can also perform pretty decently. In case that description suggests even in the slide test of bays that Ubuntu(or any other Linux) Distribution. is meant to run on slow devices, you might be enlightened to know that most super computers in the world today use Linux as their operating system. All these facts and features make Ubuntu more popular than any other Linux distribution.Who can use Ubuntu ?
If you bear to ask this question to the creators of Ubuntu, they would say 'anyone',and they would not be wrong. Ubuntu comes with almost all software which you would required as a normal computer user. We know demands differ, so let us look at the valley from different mountains:Home Users:
The term 'Home User' would almost automatically ask your creative side to form an image of a person who enjoys using a computer for entertainment and a few not- so- important tasks. That would include music for passing the boring Sunday evening, a few movies to make your self smile, email to keep you posted, web browsing to stay updated, a messaging client to chit chat with friends and probably a spreadsheet to help keep expenses in limit. Ubuntu comes with all of this. Its got 'banshee' to play your music, the 'totem' video player to play the movies, 'Evolution' to manage your calander, contacts and emails, Firefox to browse the mighty online mess(although beautiful and organised, the web is a mess after all ! ), 'empathy' for chatting with friends on yahoo, Google talk and others and 'Libre office' for your office need. We believe that is what a home user would won't from his/her computer. However,in case an Ubuntu aficionado wants more, installing software on this OS is a piece of cake (more about it later).
Office User:
The typical office user fiss data into spreadsheets, creating PPTs to be shown to clients and/or typing in a leave letter. Despite the change in definition of offices or its users almost all software manufacturers (including microsoft) continue to consider "office applications" as a set of software use for creating documents, PPTs, spreadsheets and small database applications. Ubuntu comes with an office suite named Libre Office (Libre means open) which is similar to and compatible with the Microsoft office range of applications. In Addition to the documents,spreadsheets,PPTs applications, it also comprises two other programs named 'Draw' and 'Math' which can be used to create illustrative drawings and complex formulas for office purposes. Math is unique to Libre office because it is a full fledged formula editor. You could not ask for more.
Who Can'y Use Ubuntu
This is one question which depends heavily on the needs. If you are a hard core gamer, Ubuntu probably is not for you. If you want to blame it on Linux, we suggest you change your mind. While their are games made for Ubuntu, the most popular games(we believe your brain is running a pronunciation simulation for spellings like 'crysis', 'need for speed', ) etc. Were never meant to be run on Linux platform. Although 'wine' and 'play on Linux' exist, a clean run cannot be promised, not by us at least. You might also not like Ubuntu if you are a designer. Most desktop design and publishing software are not available for Linux. So if you have produced all your great graphics using adobe's photoshop software, you would not be able to open those beautiful projects inside GIMP as they do not get alomg well. It is a summery of who cannot use Ubuntu is expected, we had encapsulate it in one sentence : anyone , whose previous life has been on influenced by closed source software so much that he cannot survive without it, might not be able to use Ubuntu. At the same time, its our duty to remind you of to great terms: wine and virtualization.
