Series: My Ubuntu Desktop

Well well well. To begin my series on Ubuntu software, lets start with the very basic. Ubuntu itself!

Like I said before, Im an avid Ubuntu user, and a strong believer in Open Source software.

For those unfamiliar with Ubuntu, a little bit of background.

Ubuntu is a version of Linux specifically made "so that your Grandma could use it". It's available, free of charge, for anyone who is interested in using it. Linux is based heavily on the Open-Source ideals; make everything available to everyone so that anyone could help make it better. Ubuntu only extends this ideal further by combining every imaginable possibility for programs and making it available, along with a great looking desktop.

There is a very strong community around Ubuntu, mostly centered around this forum. Its a great area for those who are just beginning to come for help, those who are more experienced to chat with peers, and experts to post guides and how-tos.

First Install

When you first install Ubuntu, it comes pre-packaged with great programs (not bloat-ware) that will help you get up and running from the first minute you turn your computer on. Firefox allows you to browse the web, OpenOffice emulates Microsoft Office incredibly well, Empathy and Pidgin are applications similar to AIM (except they allow you to chat with AIM, Facebook, GMail, and a few others). There's F-Spot, a photo organization tool, that automatically recognizes your camera and transfers pictures to your drive (and will even upload them to Facebook or Picasa if you want!).

I will talk about many of these programs in greater detail in the future, but its very great to know that, from the very moment you install your Operating System, Ubuntu has all of the functionality you want, with almost no fiddling and configuration.

Security

I know what you may be thinking. "But what makes Ubuntu different than my Windows operating system?"

Quite honestly, the answer comes down to the way that the OS works.

Windows handles all of the programs installed by itself. Every program talks to the operating system, and has access to other files. If you get a virus, this virus has full access to any files on your computer. Windows works with a 'registry', a database of programs and settings. If a virus has access to this registry, the computer is in big trouble.

Ubuntu, on the other hand, runs completely removed from the programs. The operating system runs alongside all of the programs you like on your computer, and everything reports to a program that displays its output. This makes Ubuntu much more able to handle viruses or other malicious programs.

Customization

Anyway- lets get to the good part- screenshots.

A default Ubuntu desktop looks like this:

As you can see- its a bit plain. Don't get me wrong, its great to have a simple, uncluttered desktop, but for most people it a little too vanilla.

This is where the magic of Ubuntu's customization comes alive. With little configuration anyone can truly make the OS look just how they want it.

Programs like Compiz add that extra 'pop' that many people like to see.

Look Here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bMUQ_nja39c

Just for those wondering: here's my current desktop. I use a program called Conky to display information on the right hand side of my screen. I have a lot of cool little tricks, similar to the ones in the video.

Although Ive hit many of the important topics about Ubuntu, it never hurts to try it yourself!

Head on over to Ubuntu's Home Page to learn more. The best part is, you could even try Ubuntu without changing your computer! Just boot to the CD after you burn it to a cd.