Answers to: Ubuntu or XP Pro?

Answer by daves dad

daves dad — Wed, 04 May 2011 11:40:37 -0400

Up until feburary this year [2011], I also was running XP pro sp3 at work. I was running ms-windows ports of what ever I could.

Then starting about 2 years ago, I started using ubuntu in virtual box in XP. I started this as I had just had my machine reinstalled, and wanted to keep it clean and also put on the software that was not available on ms-windows. [I used cygwin-Xfree86 to make it seemless, it is more reliable that virtual box seemless( for me).]

After a short time I noticed that apps in ubuntu/virtual-box, and the apps seemed faster than when run under ms-windows [ or equivelent apps]. I also noticed that if I had had lots of apps running in ubuntu/virtual-box, it would always use less memory that outlook, and often use little cpu compared to other ms-windows apps.

I see you don't have much memory so virtual box may not work properly, I allocated 512M to ubuntu, but if you use an efficent distro [I have used vector in the past, but there are other distros now], and shutdown outlook, it may work.

Comment by rfelsburg on Randy's question

rfelsburg — Wed, 20 Apr 2011 13:58:25 -0400

Please accept an answer so the question/answer can be finished. Or provide more details so we can help.

Answer by Pierre 1

Pierre 1 — Mon, 03 May 2010 22:59:36 -0400

Making a transition from Windows to Ubuntu is more an issue of what application packages you are using than the OS itself.

My advice to anyone using windows is to make a transition to multi-platform (free is generally better) application software first. Get used to the software you will be using under linux while you are still under windows.

For example switch from using IE to Firefox, outlook to thunderbird, ms office to open office and so on, and use them under windows. Once you are accustomed to them under windows, the transition to ubuntu is pretty transparent.

The first time I used Ubuntu there was a lot more research and tracking things down. Things like 'why won't youtube work' missing codecs for music and video files and so on. This time, I install ubuntu, point the music player at my collection of music files, when it doesnt have a decoder for a file, it asks if you want to install it, when you press yes, it does the rest.

Installing Ubuntu is far easier and smoother now than installing XP. In fact, it's easier to switch from XP to Ubuntu, than from XP on one machine to XP on another.

One could argue that what I'm saying is subjective, so I will quantify a bit. I helped someone buy a computer system for her new business. It took me 2 days to get her system set up and running smoothly, with application software, virus checking, firewall etc. Right after that I set up almost the identical collection of applications with Ubuntu 9.1 on similar hardware.
That took me 1.5 hours. A 10 to 1 ratio in man hours.

Next time someone asks me for help, I will only help if they are open to trying Ubuntu so that i can save a day and a half of of my own time and have happier end user right away. Then an ecstatic end user when she discovers she needs an extra piece of software and finds that synaptic will install it for her at the push of a button, and for free.