Category: Linux and Open Source · Originally posted October 24, 2008 · Last updated February 15, 2011

So you want to upgrade from Windows XP…

It was a Friday:

REDMOND, Wash., Aug. 24, 2001 — Microsoft Corp. today announced the release of Microsoft^®Windows^® XP, the highly anticipated next major version of the Windows operating system, to computer manufacturers around the world. With development of the software now complete, Windows XP is on schedule for widespread availability on Oct. 25. Industry partners, computer manufacturers and customers greeted the news with excitement about the opportunities Windows XP will offer for creating, connecting and communicating in new ways.

“Simply put, Windows XP is the best operating system Microsoft has ever built,” said Bill Gates, chairman and chief software architect at Microsoft. “The performance improvements and advanced features of Windows XP are the culmination of more than 15 years of research, development and customer feedback. For customers, computer manufacturers and industry partners, Windows XP truly underscores the excitement and potential of the digital decade ahead.”

(Entire press release available at http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2001/aug01/08-24WinXPRTMPR.mspx)

Tomorrow marks 7 years since the official release of Windows XP.

For some – including myself – these past 7 years have been pretty good. Windows XP was a vast improvement over the old Win95/98/ME days. Yeah, it had some trouble at first – particularly with hardware – but 3 service packs later, XP may just be the best OS to ever come out of Redmond. XP taught us that automatic updates can actually be useful, a green start button is okay, and “Plug-and-Play” may actually be an accurate description (if only rarely). It also taught us to hate software activation, IE6, and virtual DOS machines. [The author involuntarily shudders at that last one.]

7 years is a long life for a modern OS. By comparison, Windows ME got only 3 years of official support. But according to Microsoft, official support for XP will terminate on 14 April 2009, with extended support available until 2014.

Most data indicates that XP currently represents 2/3 – 3/4 of worldwide computer usage (reference), which means within the next few years the vast majority of worldwide computer users will be looking for a post-XP OS. Some have already switched to Vista – but according to the data referenced above, it looks as though less than a quarter of overall XP users have made that decision. This means that more than 75% of XP users are still in the process of determining what their next OS will be.

If you are such an individual, I’d like to offer some help. I recently installed a new operating system alongside XP – meaning I kept XP AND installed a new operating system (more on this in a moment) – and I have found this to be an ideal setup for me.

If you are considering upgrading from XP, you might be surprised to discover that there are more options available than just Vista.

[Gasp!]

Yes, it’s true. Despite what you may have heard from a Best Buy salesman, there are other OSes than just Vista and XP. MANY others.

And I’m not talking about Macs. (Sorry, Mac fanboys – but this may be where you want to stop reading. I cannot in good faith advocate switching from a PC to a Mac.)

I’m talking about Linux. Specifically, Ubuntu 8.04 (Hardy Heron).

The official Ubuntu Desktop Edition website is here: http://www.ubuntu.com/products/WhatIsUbuntu/desktopedition. If you’ve never heard of Ubuntu, why don’t you take a moment to read through that link (it’ll open in a new tab/window), then – if you’d like – return here for a brief commentary on how Ubuntu has worked for me since I installed it at the start of this month.

This is part ONE of a two-part article. Part 2: “Ubuntu vs. Vista: a comparison for the XP upgrader” compares Ubuntu 8.04 (Hardy Heron) and Windows Vista side-by-side, including a discussion of hardware, software, security, UI, and other issues.