(There is now a follow-up article to this post: R.I.P. – Windows XP, Part 2)
I have now spent two weeks using Ubuntu 8.04 exclusively on my home PC. I have booted to XP only once, and that was to check a Photoshop 6 quirk I was getting in WINE. (As it turned out, it was a Photoshop quirk, not a WINE one.)
But I tell you what – that one boot to XP reminded me why I switched to Ubuntu in the first place. XP takes 5 minutes to load, 5 minutes to launch Firefox, and EVERY FRIGGING ACTION seems slow-motion compared to Ubuntu.
After 2 weeks of Ubuntu user – including rabid installation/uninstallation of every program imaginable – I can still go from a turned off PC to browsing the web in 30 seconds. Firefox cold-loads in 2-3 seconds. OpenOffice.org is up in less than 5. A full-blown, compiz-enriched desktop (with transparent window borders, animated window buttons (on mouseover), burning window open/closing, organic windows) runs without so much as a stutter. DVDs look great, my mp3 collection sounds pristine, Photoshop 6 on WINE is just as good as PS6 on XP, and I’ve played more PC games in the last 2 weeks than I have in the last 2 years.
It’s true that Ubuntu has some quirks for the user switching from XP, but I’ve found these quirks to be a byproduct of 15 years of Windows use – not any inherent problem with Ubuntu itself. In fact, once I get used to the Ubuntu way of doing things, they’re almost universally better.
I have debated for 3 years making the switch to a linux distro, and after 2 weeks of making the switch, this is all I have to say:
Goodbye Windows XP. May you rest in peace.
(Read more about Ubuntu at http://www.ubuntu.com/products/WhatIsUbuntu/desktopedition)
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Welcome, I have been an Ubuntu user since 2005 and I love it. I still have an XP machine in my network but that hardly get booted up. :-)
I like your article. I also switched to Ubuntu from XP. I have to say I will NEVER go back. Microsoft lost me. Maybe way way down the road they’ll put out an OS worth using again.
I still like to use XP in VirtualBox for work-related stuff though. A lot of companies lag behind in technology and still use Windows, so I find that VirtualBox can help if you need to use Outlook or some other legacy app like that.
Ditto. And Windows XP has been relegated to a Virtual Machine on my system. I think the last time I started it was to check out the Chrome browser…
Wine runs Photoshop CS2 pretty well, btw… Some slight window z-index issues with dialogs but nothing major…
Looking forward to Ibex in a week or so!
I’ve been running Ubuntu and Kubuntu since March 2007. Last night I installed Windows XP in VirtualBox, and it reminded me of how painful to use I find Windows XP. After installing only a few apps it slowed down and I needed to defrag it.
I still have a Vista install, but I rarely use it. Kubuntu and Ubuntu are my OS of choice now. Hell, I bought a MacBook earlier this year and I think Ubuntu trounces OS X as well.
You should give GIMP a try, you may even be able to say goodbye to Photoshop as well!
GIMP 2.6 is impressive software.
I have ubuntu and it’s no was near as fast as that? mine a default install.. havnt really done anything to it except get the wireless working.. and it takes just as long as my vista?? How do you make ubuntu boot that fast?
“XP takes 5 minutes to load, 5 minutes to launch Firefox, and EVERY FRIGGING ACTION seems slow-motion compared to Ubuntu.”
In my personal experience, XP only slows down in response to how you treat it. Almost all the problems I’ve come across with XP are caused by other applications and not the operating system itself. I’ll spare you the details because, if you’ve been using Ubuntu for a while now, chances are you have a basic idea of what you’re doing.
I’m still nervous. I really want to but I don’t know if the quirks will be too much.
plus I’m pretty busy. Don’t fancy spending a week hunting for drivers etc.
I will one day though. I know it makes sence :D
I’ve been thinking about making the switch too, would not mind a little more in depth reporting about the switch and what problems you came across.
I’m with you. I’ve been running Ubuntu on my work laptop for 2 years. I recently bought a new Thinkpad and I didn’t even boot into Vista. I immediately reimaged it with Ubuntu.
sounds like you guys should be saying goodbye to your Celerons. firefox should never take 5 minutes to launch, not even on my old 700 mhz Pentium 3
Wow, you have made me a believer. I am going to make the switch over to Unbuntu right now. I too have had it with XP. Well, here goes…\
Jiff
http://www.Privacy-Center.net
You know what? This article is retarded. If your XP installation takes 5 minutes to load, then you’ve probably got a virus. Either that, or you’re just exaggerating.
5 minutes to load Windows and 5 minutes to load Firefox??? WTF!
Dude… you gotta get that spyware cr*p off your computer. My Windows XP Pro loads in under a minute and Firefox pulls up in seconds.
Your opinion is biased and outdated, just like your version of Photoshop. -__-
You will be surprised by the quirks. Driving hunting is not nearly as needed as you think. I have a lot of non linux friendly stuff and the latest Ubuntu detects it all no problem (even my broadcom wireless card). They have come a *long* way. Intrepid Ibex is even better than Hardy in this regard (and Hardy was pretty decent). It still amazes me how well they have done. I had tried to switch to linux many times before…Hardy lured me in, though I did have to live with a couple quirks (serves me right for getting my non linux friendly laptop), but Intrepid Ibex has fixed everyone of my issues out of the box (some could be fixed with twiddling in Hardy).
I will one day though. I know it makes sence
> XP takes 5 minutes to load, 5 minutes to launch Firefox
[snip]
> (with ubuntu) I can still go from a turned off PC to browsing the web in 30 seconds. Firefox cold-loads in 2-3 seconds. OpenOffice.org is up in less than 5.
Surely you’re exaggerating. FUD is FUD, and it’s no better when it comes from “our” side.
(I’m a fan of linux and have used it exclusively at home for years.)
If your Windows XP install is taking 5 minutes to boot you have corrupt system files, FF3 doesn’t take any longer to boot on my XP install than on my Ubuntu install and I pretty much live in XP.
I would love to try out Ubuntu but unlike Win XP, Ubuntu will not install on my laptop. =/ Maybe one day Ubuntu will be ready for us common people.
Ive been trying to switch for almost a week now but i can’t get my friggin display driver to work, im running an nvidia 9500gs with dvi ti hdmi to my 1080p tv, (tried vga to no avail) and im still running in 800×400 resolution… i really want to get rid of vista but this stupid display driver thing is killing me.
I’m glad to see I’m not the only one who has switched. I’ve been using Ubuntu exclusively on my Dell laptop for about 6 months and it’s been pretty great. I do not miss XP at all.
if your xp boots in 5minutes then you have a lot of crap installed. mine boots in 20seconds! on 3 year old notebook.
I’m fairly new to Ubuntu (6 months or so), I really like the idea of getting away from Windows, but I can’t seem to figure out the font rendering correctly, I’ve tried lots of little fixes, but still have fuzzy letters. Everytime I use Ubuntu for more than an hour or so, my eyes really start to hurt, and this is keeping me from using it all the time.
depending how you adjust xp,it goes as fast as any faster (sic ) new programs like firefox!!
My xp pro now run as fast as firefox.When i surf the internet with explorer,i do one webpage evrery second!!!!!
et voilà
Yeah. Ubuntu is pretty nice. Except if you want to connect wirelessly to the Internet. Then, well…let’s say it doesn’t exactly, “just work,” knowwhutI’msayin’?
Have they updated the list of PCMCIA wifi cards that work again? They have? Huh. too bad they’re all unavailable…