What is Ubuntu linux?

Ubuntu Linux is an operating system, like Microsoft Windows or Mac OSX, but with the huge difference of being totally free and Open Source. It can be installed on basically any PC, Mac, or notebook. It is owned by no company, as it is being developed by community of people all around the world.

Whether you use it at home, at school or at work Ubuntu contains all the applications you'll ever need, from word processing and email applications, to web server software and programming tools.

Ubuntu is and always will be free of charge. You do not pay any licensing fees. You can download, use and share Ubuntu with your friends, family, school or business for absolutely nothing.

The latest Ubuntu release brings the best of open source together on a platform that is here to stay with 3 years of free updates. With hundreds of improvements and the addition of the latest version of Firefox amongst other outstanding applications, more and more users are assessing why Ubuntu wins more and more converts with every release.

Productivity tools: Ubuntu supports all of your favourite web-based mail programs like Yahoo(TM) or Gmail (TM). But for the office, Evolution provides all the calendering, contacts and full function office email you need. Pidgin IM also puts you in instant touch with colleagues and integrates with your personal IM services simply and easily.

Browsing: Including Mozilla Firefox (Beta 5) - tested and stabilised for a platform. Faster, safer and themed for Ubuntu.

Photos: Upload from your camera or phone to F-Spot and manage, tag, share and sort your photos and upload easily to you favourite social networking sites.

Music and video: Plug in your PSP, iPod, MP3 player; share playlists with your friends; buy in the creative commons online music stores, stream more live radio and plug in more devices with UPnP.

Office applications: Word processing, spreadsheets and presentations can all be delivered through Open Office. And, they completely integrate with the proprietary office applications out there. The big difference is that they are free.

Accessibility: At the core of the Ubuntu philosophy is the belief that computing is for everyone and access should be free and complete whatever your economic or physical circumstances. Ubuntu is one of the most accessible desktop operating systems around.

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Who is using Ubuntu?

Check out who and why is using Ubuntu Linux. Read the stories below.

Keaton James P., Student Tech Support

I first discovered Linux when I started doing tech support work at my school about 2 and a half years ago. Back then, we used Fedora Core 4 thin client servers and despite how spartan the setup was, I was so taken by the open source philosophy that I petitioned a friend of mine, a Linux guru, as to what distribution I should use. Sure enough, he suggested Ubuntu.

Now, I'm running the latest version of Kubuntu on my home computer, and even play Steam games through wine! I'm learning to write C, truly mastering the Linux system, and my school even uses Ubuntu Server on it's webserver and will shortly be switching to Edubuntu for our thin clients!

Ubuntu, despite what the critics say, is my favorite distribution because it's so quick and flexible. I can sit down at a workstation with an ubuntu CD and have a working OS in 30 minutes, a customized setup in an hour.

Thanks, to everyone on the Ubuntu team!

Damian Ondore, I now work for Canonical after converting to Ubuntu from Red Hat/Mandriva.

I started using Linux seriously at university, having been attracted to it purely because it was different and had experience of the command line with Sun OS. I wanted the power of a command line for my physics work. I ordered copies from the site. At the time, the only way to get Linux was to download, which was too expensive and time consuming or to buy a Linux magazine which shipped a cd/dvd with many distributions. Because I had a slow connection to the internet, Ubuntu was less useful at the time because I thought I couldn't make use of all of the rpm's I had built up over the years.

I used all the distributions, changing vendor from month to month and trying out different features, desktops, windows managers and generally using Linux as an introduction to programming. As I got more and more into the programming side, my main reason for using linux was that each distribution came with a ready made environment for making software.

After University, I started a career in Sales. Now I help sell support for all of the users who need guaranteed responses.
I was trying to make a live cd for music production with a friend back in 2006 when I came across UbuntuStudio. I tried it and was amazed at how much progress Ubuntu had made. After about a months use, I decided to stick with it.

Venkatesan Padmanabhan, Student

I started using Ubuntu a year back and I love it the most.And especially with Hardy I haven't logged into Windows since its release.You get to do real programming here.No words to describe, It's simply great.If you are in PSG Tech/Coimbatore.Join our GLUG here http://glug-psg.co.cc

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