eric tatro dot com

A few weeks ago, my Windows installation went kaput. It was so bad I couldn’t even boot up in Safe Mode. I was pretty upset, cursing myself for not backing up my important files more often (or, at all). It looked like I might have to re-install Windows. Problem is, when I bought my computer a few years ago, Dell didn’t actually include the Windows XP disc – I had to send away for it or some such thing, and never did.

Fortunately, I was finally able to get to a command line, and from there was treated to a bit of deja vu as I was able to reacquaint myself with all sorts of DOS commands I was so familiar with as a teenager. I copied most of my files to an external hard drive, and then had to figure out how to make my laptop work again.

Having no access to my original Windows license, I made up my mind to install Linux. But once you’ve made that decision, you’re overwhelmed with various distros, specialized distros, window managers, and so on. I settled on Kubuntu, a variation of the ultra-popular distro Ubuntu, which bills itself as “Linux for human beings.” As a human being, I figured, this was an ideal fit.

During installation, I was most nervous about my wireless card not being recognized, since without WiFi my laptop is about as useful as a paperweight. Luckily, Kubuntu had no issues with detecting my wireless card, accessing my network, finding my video card and even recognizing the buttons on the front of my machine that control audio and video playback, which pleasantly surprised me. The OS is not without its glitches, but for the most part the experience is quite smooth. Of course I’m still learning my way around the system, and haven’t had any reason to tinker around on the command line or really earn my geek cred.

As someone who’s used to Windows XP and OSX, Kubuntu doesn’t feel as “polished” (particularly compared to a Mac) but I can tell it’s well on its way. For someone who basically uses their machine for Web browsing and word processing, though, it’s a nice alternative to shelling out cash for Vista. As I’ve learned, if you feel like dipping your toe into the true realm of geek operating systems, Kubuntu seems like a decent way to go.