Tuesday, May 29, 2007

Ubuntu Linux

I finally decided to install Ubuntu on the family PC. It ran very nicely under Windows XP using a trial copy of VMware Workstation but not so well using the free VMware server. Since I didn't want to pay for VMware, I decided to set up a dual boot system. The install of Ubuntu was dead easy, but getting the Windows boot loader back so the rest of the family would see the usual boot up panel was trickier.

Why did I bother? I've had enough of Windows thrashing the PC when no-one is doing anything. This is probably either a virus scan or a virus, and it's not easy to tell which. Also, when I'm doing online banking, I feel as if someone might be looking over my shoulder the whole time (using a keystroke monitor). Ubuntu, and Linux in general, is less prone to viruses and other 'malware'. There is no need to give user accounts administrator privileges like you pretty much have to do on Windows and which enables a virus introduced by one user to infect the whole system.

Anyway, here's a screen shot.