Yo, Windows users, I urge you to give Ubuntu Linux a try.

[Deja Q]

It is so nice to work with Linux again, Ubuntu makes even proprietary drivers a leap in ease-of-use (especially 3D-enabled video drivers), and all my expensive Adobe apps work - slick too. :D

On my system, Ubuntu uses 400MB of RAM as indicated by its task manager. (Vista used 1.8GB) --- these values include real-time caching.

And having just looked at XP's task manager, only 182MB is in use. :wow: I allocate a whole 4GB just for Photoshop, but I've never used more than 2GB on extensive images anyway...

Maybe I'll set up three XP VMs (w/licenses), remove the unneeded services, and dedicate them for fractal imagery, Photoshop, et al... or just share the one and add the number of virtual CPUs to 2... even with only 1 allocated it flies. :wow:


Ubuntu is entirely free.

http://www.ubuntu.com or if you go to your bookstore, they have these magazine things - both 32- and 64-bit distributions with a full complement of software for $10.

Microsoft talks of innovations, but the 3D animation effects in Ubuntu don't require as much CPU and graphics power as Vista and there's a lot more innovation in Linux, packaged with deft by Ubuntu...

[RoyGBiv]

1. I must say ...

... that's the nicest desktop pic I've seen you post. :)

Speaking of VMs, I had three of them running the other day and finally found that spot where things got slowed down quite a little bit. Of course I only have 2gigs of RAM, which was a big part of the problem. The system started using the cache. But, I did have them, and they worked ... one instance of XP, one of Vista, one of Mandriva and then the main system.

Why I did this, I don't know. Just bored I guess.

[Deja Q]

2. Thanks! Pity Cairo-Dock isn't showing up (the animated penguin rocks)...

But RocketDock for Windows does show (VirtualBox in seamless mode)

My own fractal art as well.

And it's not clunky crappy vista either.

I obviously ditched the gradient graphs in favor of solid color bars... I might try that again one day, but I like the style too.

Yeah, with 2GB of RAM, that's going to be the biggest limiter; each OS taking 400MB by default.

Especially if you have a single or dual core system, CPU time would eventually be a factor if you were doing big things in all of them.

And now that I re-read and saw you tried running Vista in all that; Vista wants 1GB on its own -- 2GB for optimal performance. Vista only, without adding in VMs for XP, Mandriva, or anything else. :scared:

I did note I could run 6 instances of GLtron (only playing 1 of them) and the system kept chugging along as if it was blowing budgie feathers with a leaf blower...

If anything, I encountered a small bug on Ubuntu on my laptop -- a very recent model, I know people had to disable SATA 'enhanced mode' in the BIOS to get Ubuntu to install. I've had a couple minor things with the computer not shutting off properly. Not a big thing and I did add in some software that changes the Asus OLED display... a fix will come out eventually; that's what I don't dig about new hardware. But for what I need it most for, it works great, Windows apps and all. Lesser strain on battery life as well; not running the HD in the background all the sodding time like how puking vista does. (I have not noticed a difference in performance in terms of app loading between vista and Linux and Linux/Virtualbox. Only a mild slowness with OpenGL rendering for the sundry functions in Photoshop CS4, but those are cosmetic things I never cared about when I ran it natively either. It works)

[RoyGBiv]

3. Yeah, it was a stress test of sorts ...

I was actually trying to overload it, and Vista certainly did it. It was the last VM I pulled up, and I had 1GB allocated to it. But it did boot, and I was able to pull up Firefox.

I have Vista there so I can pull it up when people I know have problems with Vista. I'm so unfamiliar with the interface I can't just talk through a problem and have to see what's what. I am quite thankful it works in the VM so I don't have to allocate an actual partition to it and reboot to get into it. Actually, I doubt I'd do that. Too much hassle, and I already have my XP partition for games and such ... well, just games now actually. Everything else I run Windows for works perfectly fine under Virtualbox.

I also got the Crossover games deal when Codeweavers did their little promotion awhile back that ended up with them giving out free licenses to probably hundreds of thousands of people. I got a few of the games I play to work well under it that didn't work very well under vanilla Wine, things like Baldur's Gate for instance.

Anyway, happy computing. Glad things seem to be working out for you.

[IDemo]

4. "Mint" comes recommended as an Ubuntu derivative

http://www.linuxmint.com/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linux_Mint

[backscatter712]

11. Mint is great! I love it!

It's probably the most painless Linux install we've seen yet! I've got it on one of my desktop systems.

The installer is very friendly, and everything from the desktop to web browsers to DVD to Flash to codecs to OpenOffice and everything else Just Works on a basic install.

Mint kicks ass!

[progressoid]

5. Hmmm...I have an old XP machine I'll be reviving soon.

Sounds like I should try this. I'm also running a lot of PhotoShop, Lightroom etc. How do other XP based programs do?

[Deja Q]

6. What doesn't work in WINE (or Crossover Office, which is worth every penny) will run in VirtualBox

Mind you, I am using a multi-core machine with integrated hardware virtualization technology (Intel). The older XP machine may have problems if you have 2GB or less of RAM.

Still, WINE and Crossover Office are said to be compatible with Photoshop versions up to CS2, so I might try that. WINE is preferable; fewer system resources means a a snappier response overall.

Many games and some modern 3D modeling apps won't work (e.g. Truespace 7.6), yet Truespace 3 seems to work and audio apps like Goldwave work great. As do my fractal generating apps.

[Deja Q]

7. WINE vs VirtualBox comparison here:

http://www.raiden.net/?cat=2&aid=394

(albeit it's a year old, Office 2007 will work, and doesn't address WINE coordinators like Crossover Office, which eliminate many "cons" (chiefly needing to know a fair amount of Linux) and adds pros like 'enhanced stability', 'easy administration', et al)

[progressoid]

8. If I'm feeling adventurous, I'll give it a go.

Not too interested in games. I'm currently using PS CS3. I have the RAM but no multi-core though.

Thanks for the info.

[elocs]

9. I saw your thread and I gave it a go. I'm running Ubuntu 8.10 Intrepid Ibix now.

After nearly 4 years with a Mac Mini both it and my trusty old pc bit the dirt recently. With a 28" monitor I did not need an iMac and I wasn't interested in another Mini, but I didn't relish going back to a pc with Vista now. Ubuntu was easy to install and is great. I am looking forward to learning more of its features. I am going to have very, very little to do with Windows if I can help it from now on.

So probably mainly do to your thread there is now a new Ubuntu convert now.

[Fumesucker]

10. I would like to give this a try..

One of the more critical widgets I have that I need to drive is an HP 1120C wide carriage inkjet printer, how would I find out if Ubuntu has a driver for this?

[Blue_Tires]

12. I plan to once my new system comes in...