Women are Running Computers with Ubuntu Linux and Loving It

You will find your screen layout is a bit different on the desktop - when you are closing programs and opening or closing the computer. Ubuntu has some options on the other side of the screen. Nothing drastic. Some things are just over there -> instead of over there <-

When you install and run Ubuntu Linux you will see no big difference in your online user experience. I run Ubuntu and continue to use social media sites, publish my blogs, chat online, post to forums, play games, etc.

When you change your computer to Ubuntu you can still use:

• Facebook
• Twitter
• Blogger/ Blogspot
• WordPress
• Movable Type
• StumbleUpon
• Flickr
• and any other site you have ever been on or will be on in the future.

As a general Internet user you will see almost no difference. You can run Firefox the same as any other day on Windows.

However, you can laugh when you see ads promoting software to prevent virus attacks because Linux is all but immune to such things. Those are created for Windows and computers running Windows.

An older computer will run faster and smoother than it can with new Windows. Ubuntu Linux is a bigger load than other versions of Linux but it is still smaller and lighter than Windows.

Some people think you have to know a lot of technical stuff to run any Linux type of operating system.

You don't!

I ran Ubuntu Linux for a year without even once dipping my toes into the code or anything more technical than choosing what software I wanted to download next.

This year I am feeling bolder. I'm feeling more interested and curious and confident. I've begun looking at what I can do from the terminal.

But, Ubuntu is user friendly and (in my experience as a non-technical wizard) you can use Ubuntu for everything you need and avoid ever messing around with the technical guts of it.

WUBI - Windows/ Ubuntu Boot Installer

You can install Ubuntu on your Windows hard drive and run it from Windows. It is not a standalone OS in this case but more like you are running it like any other Windows program. If you want to try Ubuntu but can\t overcome the fear of being without Windows WUBI gives you another safe option. WUBI is also free.

If you download software you will find Ubuntu a little different.

Instead of going to download sites which focus on Windows you will start looking for the software you want on your own computer. In the Ubuntu sidebar is the link to software available for Ubuntu. You get each one listed with a review and instructions about using and running it.

Free Software for Ubuntu.

I started using Ubuntu Linux in 2011. My Windows computer was in trouble, Acer tech support refused to help me (my Acer computer was more than 2 years old) and I knew something was going to fail me soon. With a little research, some luck and intuition, I can often fix or figure out most problems with my hardware and software.

I decided to give up on Windows. It kept telling me it was having problems so I let it retire.

I had tried Ubuntu once, a live installation, for a few days, but I didn't stick with it at that time. So I had the CD to install an older version (Ubuntu gets an update twice a year, on schedule).

Ubuntu was easy to install. VERY easy. If you can burn the software to a DVD you can handle the whole installation. I installed Ubuntu on my Mother's computer too. It was a slow PC and did get a perk running Ubuntu rather than Windows.

Based on my experience, I suggest going cold turkey and eliminating Windows rather than giving yourself the fall back of a dual boot with Windows and Linux.Take away the temptation to go back to Windows and not really get started with Ubuntu. Give yourself the time to get to know Ubuntu. Also, you won't be asked to sign in to one OS or the other each time. A small thing, but sometimes those little nitpicky things get under your skin.

Running Ubuntu I find there are options for everything I wanted to use once I changed over. I didn't have to miss a thing. From my image software to the games I wanted to play, it was all there to find a new option or rework a bit and continue using my same old software on the new OS (OS is operating system, in case you don't know).

Wine is a program you can get which will let you run your Windows games and a lot of the software you've become used to having at your fingertips. Read the Wine FAQ for more information.

"Wine lets you run Windows software on other operating systems. With Wine, you can install and run these applications just like you would in Windows.

Wine is still under active development. Not every program works yet, however there are already several million people using Wine to run their software."