Do I dare replace Windows XP Professional with Ubuntu Linux?

I have an older Compaq laptop model Evo N610c that has Win XP Professional. I'd like to keep it for several more years for general office use and occasional light gaming.

I keep reading how Ubuntu is so much faster on old machines, but my main concern is with software incompatibility with Ubuntu. For example, will it preclude me from running my library of Windows programs, such as MS Outlook? (I don't want a program "similar" to Outlook.)

I realize that this room is biased towards Linux, but since my library of Windows software is so important to me, do I dare I replace Windows XP Professional with Ubuntu Linux?

(I should add that I don't want to have to jump through hoops tracking down arcane add-on files, emulators, or doing assembler-level coding in order to make my Windows programs run on Ubuntu.)

 

The answer is no. Stick with Windows if you must use Windows programs.

 

The straight answer, no, I don't think Linux would be suitable for your needs.

 

Concur. It doesn't sound like Linux is for you... although I'd encourage you to give it a try if you can do so through a dual-boot or on another machine. You may find that the wealth of Linux programs so readily available is able to meet your needs.

Cheers...

 

If you are comfortable with Windows for a long time, and have some doubts or ignorance about Linux programs or those exist that maybe equivalent to thw windows programs...
My suggestion is that don't install it to your desktop or laptop first, either as partitioned dual boot or using virtual drive...
Try burn a disc and try it out with your gear, "test drive" it for a few days, see if you are comfortable with the "handling", then decide if you want to add it to your "garage".

 

I don't experience that Windows XP would be slower that Ubuntu on older machines. Usually it's the other way around because Windows usually has better driver support.

I suggest that you use Live CDs in order to try Ubuntu or any other distro. Then if you love it you can always install it if you want to. Dual boot is also a possibility.

 

No.

But if you have a chunk of unused hard drive space, you can install Ubuntu into it, creating a dual-boot system. At start up you will be able to choose whether you want to boot into Windows or Ubuntu. That way you can begin to experience Ubuntu w/out ditching all of your windows stuff.

 

It is suggestible for Linux New Users to try out different distros on live discs before installing it into their gears.
Unlike Windows which may be packed with generic drivers for different hardwares, Linux may be quite choosey when it comes to certain driver to specific hardwares. Installation process may get frequent hangs.

Besides, using dual boot may also cause Windows installed system to be unstable if wrong method or ways is used in the process. Wubi might not be a problem for dual booting. But using G-Part to shrink the Windows partition to create a free space might ends up affecting the master boot record.

Try out the Live discs. CDRW recommended.

 

Haha, "assembler-level coding." (Who here codes, anyway?) The dude answered his own question before he even began. Let's leave it at that.

 

Try Wubi, you can install and uninstall Ubuntu from windows just like any other program, you can test run it and see if you like it or not.

 

Well, I installed Ubuntu!

But now I have a problem much different than I expected.

Maybe it's an easy solution?

Please help me out here:

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=408116

 

I knew all that reverse psychology would work.... Good for you...it's a disease

 

LOL... yeah, I thought it was kinda funny how, after everyone advised against it, you post back saying you installed Ubuntu.

 

If your concern is the compatibility of some Windows softwares and applications, there is a Linux software called "Wine" that can run your Windows programmes in Ubuntu or any Linux distro. I tried it myself and it was very helpful. I was able to play NBA LIVE, DOTA, and other Windows games and softwares. You can download wine at http://www.winehq.org/download/deb.
Moreover, Ubuntu/Kubuntu or any other similar Linux distros have also its version of MS Outlook called "Evolution Mail" which comes pre-installed upon running Ubuntu/Kubuntu in your notebook. You may be accustomed to using MS Outlook that you tend to be obstinate in using other similar MS Outlook counterparts in other OS, but Ubuntu's "Evolution Mail", if not totally the same, resembles 96% of MS Outlook's user-interface and other similar commands; the 4% difference is from "Evolution Mail's" added features which MS Outlook doesn't seem to have. These include the command icons which appear in a colourful and easy to remember motif (i.e. mail icon, contacts icon, calendar icon, task icon, & memo icon), and the improved windows-mac graphics compared to the simplified MS Outlook interface.
As for general office usage concern, Ubuntu and other Linux distros will not pose a problem will be a plus rather than a disadvantage or usage unfamiliarity and discomfort. In fact, you will find Ubuntu's open office, as compared to Windows XP, to suit your needs more. Ubuntu's seemingly Vista-Mac user-interface without the burden of a required higher GPU, is really a plus factor if relatively compared to the simplified interface of XP. Most importantly, using Ubuntu will free your load in purchasing expensive, original, and licensed anti-virus just to remedy your anxiety in securing your pc against file transfers or download as compared to Windows XP.
Lastly, if you only indulge yourself in light gaming (considering the age of your notebook), then you won't definitely have a problem with Linux's pre-installed games and other downloadable games. But again if you still want to keep your light games that are only playable in Windows, Ubuntu's Wine software is the solution. However, if you play games like Battlefield, WoW, or any high graphics game, I wouldn't recommend Linux to be your OS since Wine cannot accomodate such Windows OS-recommended games. Team Linux is still in the process of improving Ubuntu's compatibility with Windows games, and is still finding means to improve Wine.
In synthesis, try the Ubuntu/Kubuntu live cd without changing your Windows OS first and feel the ambiance and user-friendliness of Linux then deliberate your decision
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Hope this helped

 

If you install Linux, there are lots of drivers you need to install and not program is compatible

 

comrade_commissar7, already helping others, eh? With more of your type around there wouldn't be any more need for us at all +1

Meh. I don't like Evolution. I use Mozilla Thunderbird. And if you install the "Lightning" plugin, you can get a calander/organiser app just like Evolution. Thunderbird is a lot lighter and less dependent on gnome. But, of course, in Linux, to each their own.

I have to disagree on the 'drivers' point. Arch linux isn't a very popular distro by number of users, and my entire laptop's every piece of hardware was detected fine. The notion that Linux is backward and you have to tweak everything is sadly, a bad misconception. Ubuntu, being a very 'mainstream' linux distro, should have an even bigger hardware support net.

I agree that there are a lot of programs that you can't install from Windows like MS Office 2007 or Windows Media Player (unless you use wine for some programs). But linux has a whole array of alternative programs. Just for web browsing there's firefox, opera, konqueror, epiphany, midori, chrome, links(a wonderful terminal based web browser. Almost essential for use Archies) and MANY more.

The mind set that one can only use one program to do a certain task is sadly very rooted into Windows users. MSN chat? Windows Live Messenger. That's about it. With Linux there are so many different programs that tackle the requirement in so many ways, you have plenty of choice.

I agree that some programs aren't as well structured than their windows counterpart. Openoffice holds no candle to Office 2007, I think. O 2007 is just a wonderful, wonderful application. I still go back to Windows to do documents.

But there are no programs in Windows that Linux can't do. Linux programs do some things better than the Windows counterpart sometimes, thanks to the power of open-source.

 

You mean, you can run all programs for windows in Linux ?!

 

Will my computer consume more power running Ubuntu/Wine than running windows ?

 

well, it depends. Mozilla Firefox runs in Windows, but it has a version of Firefox that you can run in Linux. It's the same program, essentially.

Programs like Skype are propriety and are made for windows. But there's a port of it that you can use in Linux.

Mostly, the programs fall under the 'alternative' section. In Linux, you won't be able to run the program Windows Live Messenger itself, but there are a myriad of alternative applications that have that function and more. Eg: Emesene, aMSN, kopete, pidgin, are some of the programs that you can use in Linux to talk to your MSN contacts.

MS Outlook won't work in Linux, but there are programs like Thunderbird(works in Windows too) and Evolution that have the same function. (Mozilla is great. All their programs are open-source. So they create programs for Windows, Mac, and Linux but also allow access to their source-code for their programs. which mean you, as a personal user, can tweak the code if you see fit. There are multiple builds of Firefox in Linux that improve speeds for certain type of CPU processors)

MS Office won't work natively in Linux, but there's OpenOffice and Abiword that are alternatives (but aren't as good as Office '07. That thing is awesome)

With all these alternatives, I've never seen any reason to run Windows only programs in Wine.

Ubuntu has been known to have shorter battery life than the Windows counterpart. Know that different distros have different values of CPU usage and some are kinder to the RAM/CPU/HD than others.

Also know that a computer's CPU is rated to run only within a certain voltage range. It's limited by hardware, and has nothing to do with the OS installed. where you have windows or Linux, the CPU will only use xx volts.

It's like no matter what brand of car you have eg Ferrari, Porsche, Toyota, Honda, BMW, Kia, whatever, it'll all have to run on Unleaded petrol. What matters is just how the engine uses that petrol and how you drive it. If you drive it full blast all the time, then the petrol will run out fast. If the car is idle almost all the time, the petrol will last longer.

For me, I use a laptop, but it's never away from the AC power, so battery life/power isn't any concern for me.

 

what you can also do is install wine, I use it for games and I have also gotten cs3 to work under ubantu

just open up Console and type sudo apt-get install wine, then after its done try to install Microsoft office by right clicking the install exe and press install with wine

 

I would do the switch. You always find a million reasons not to, but once u do it, you wont look back.

This OS is quite a bit more interesting than Windows to use and I switched over on my laptop a week or two ago.

Of course, make sure you still have another Windows PC incase you do need to run Windows stuff on there.

 

Ubuntu has its own free software collection in the repositories. Most Windows software will not work, but usually there is a good Linux alternative. Granted, Linux doesn't have a good office suite. Its hard to beat Outlook and Word. I recommend switching because you can always switch back. Nothing ventured... nothing gained.

 

Well said. Although I would say that OpenOffice comes close to MS Office; close enough that moderate users should not be wanting in functionality. Also, the Evolution and Thunderbird email apps are decent at the very least.

 

you an actually run MS Office as well as Outlook on Linux using Wine... if you want it more user friendly and supported, buy Crossover.

 

You can download a free but limited Crossover for your Linux distro to run some Windows programmes here.

However, if you feel that your free Crossover Linux is limiting you in operating the Microsoft programmes; and if you experience some technical problems with your MS Office, you can also try PlayOnLinux. It's free and licensed compared to Crossover Linux which requires you to pay for the full version to avail its complete functions, support, and features. You can check its details and download for your suitable Linux distro here.

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Hope this helped