As many of you know, I have been a Linux user now for a while and I have been happy with Ubuntu 10.04 and 10.10. Recently however, the Ubuntu 11.04 Beta has been released which has allowed me to try out the latest update of the wonderful Ubuntu Operating System.The first thing I noticed was the new layout. 11.04 has gone for a new look, with a system bar on the left hand side containing icons that act as launchers for programs. I'm not going to get into the technical aspects, as to most people they won't mean anything, but these launchers allow quick access to every part of your system, including hardware and software.
It took me about 15 minutes to become accustomed to the new layout, and now I am running the system on a LiveCD on my laptop. As this is a live CD, it means that there have been no changes made to my laptop, and I am just testing the OS. Compared to the LiveCD for Ubuntu 10.10, this OS found all my hardware, including Wireless settings instantly. I had to adjust the keyboard to UK configuration, but that was quick and simple.
At the moment I have a main PC with Ubuntu 10.10 installed, and a laptop with Windows 7 installed. I intend to go fully Ubuntu Linux this year, and the only thing stopping me right now is that I can not find a program on Linux that allows me to write Dreamcast games using the .cdi format. I will soon experiment with WINE (Windows compatibility program) and see if I can get it working from there.
So, what are my impressions? Well, it's a BETA, so I had to manually install some bits and pieces (flash and CCSM to allow graphical effects of the desktop). Out of the box though it's pretty cool. First of all, it looks really nice! It has a stylish look that in my opinion makes it look nicer than Windows 7. The Ubuntu font is nice to read, and easy on the eyes and the whole OS is stupidly fast! Using Firefox 4 (Ubuntu's packaged browser) was lightening fast, and it seemed much faster than Windows version.
As I say, it's early days yet, but with the main release of Ubuntu 11.04 due soon, it's the time if you want to try a different and free OS. Free it may be, but second-class it is not. Ubuntu is a real alternative to Windows, and the software centre has everything you need for everyday use.
