If you are looking for an alternative to the Windows operating system you should try out the free Linux Ubuntu operating system. Millions of people worldwide are using the Ubuntu OS simply because it is easy to use. The main advantage of using Ubuntu OS is that it is secure, fast and free.
Some of the laptops available in the Indian markets come with preloaded DOS OS. You have an option to either buy a Windows OS or you can use the new Ubuntu 11.04 for free. I am using Ubuntu on my BenQ Joybook Lite U102 netbook and am really impressed with the performance.
The latest Ubuntu version is 11.04. Previously two different version of Ubuntu were available, one for desktops/laptops and other for netbook. But from 11.04 version there will be only one version for desktops, laptops and netbooks. The Ubuntu 11.04 OS will automatically detect the best settings and tweak itself.
Linux distributions are completely different from Windows and if you are trying Linux for the first time it will take some time for you to get used to it.
When using a new operating system for the first time the main question that many ask is, will it support the current hardware and all other devices that can be plugged into it? The answer is well almost. Ubuntu will work on any hardware and will perform much better that Windows. However certain card and external devices may not work as the drivers may not be supported. But if you are using the latest hardware and devices you need not worry.
I am running Ubuntu on my netbook and everything works flawlessly. Even the Tata Photon plus broadband USB device was automatically detected and broadband was working without any efforts from my side. The 4 in1 card reader also works and so does any USB device that I plug in.
What I like about Ubuntu is that the software is complete. When you install everything that is required is already present for example the LibreOffice tool a Microsoft office alternative, PDF reader, videos and music player and Firefox browser. Ubuntu is secure and cannot be hacked easily. Moreover the OS is free and if you have a good Internet connection you can upgrade it as and when updates are available.
Cloud computing is now supported in the Ubuntu 11.04 version. Just create an account and get 2GB of free storage space on the cloud network. The cloud technology is being used by the Google’s latest Chrome Operating system. The advantage of using cloud is that you can backup files which can be accessed from anywhere like the web, windows, mobile or from Ubuntu. Cloud space is just like your personal and secure storage space that can accessed online from any devices.
How do I get started with Ubuntu?
If you are already using Windows you can run Ubuntu along with Windows. All you need to do is download the software and create a CD or put it on a USB stick. You can run Ubuntu directly from the CD or USB stick without installing it on the hard drive. This is the best way to test the OS without installing it. You can either replace your existing OS with Ubuntu or run alongside it.
So go ahead and try out the Ubuntu OS. Just in case you have any old desktop, laptop etc. you can install Ubuntu on that and see how fast it runs even on old hardware.