Trying out Ubuntu Linux

[G R 'Scott' Cundiff]

A computer at the church was swapped out and that left a pretty nice computer without an operating system. I decided to bring it home and, just for fun install Linux Ubuntu on it. I downloaded Ubuntu this morning, burned it to a CD, and then this afternoon I set up the computer and went about installing Ubuntu.

The first install failed. I got all the way through the process and at 99% I got an "install failed." Since all it was doing was deleting unused language files, etc., I tried simply rebooting to Ubuntu, but it wouldn't boot.

The second install was a breeze. I took it through the complete process and it sailed right on past that 99% fail spot. I rebooted and everything came up just fine.

I then connected the ethernet cable to the router and in a few seconds it showed to be connected. Using the included Firefox browser I came to NazNet and was able to log right on.

It looks pretty good! I don't know what I'm going to do with it now that it is running, but it seems to be running just fine!

[Joel Merrill]

I've heard a lot of talk about Linux but I really know very little about it. What are the pros and cons of Linux for the average user? Will most programs work with it? I'm thinking when this computer dies I may try something other than a Microsoft OS, maybe a Mac. I don't know a lot about those either.

Joel

[G R 'Scott' Cundiff]

I've heard a lot of talk about Linux but I really know very little about it. What are the pros and cons of Linux for the average user? Will most programs work with it? I'm thinking when this computer dies I may try something other than a Microsoft OS, maybe a Mac. I don't know a lot about those either.

Joel

Joel, I'm not the best one to give information on Linux. There are some real gurus here on NazNet who might chime in.

I can tell you that Linux is an operating system for computers that isn't Windows! I think that a person might want to be a little bit more hands on to run Linux but as it keeps being updated, it looks more and more like Windows (which looks more and more like Apple!).

Some popular programs like Firefox are already available for this version of Linux, in fact, it was part of the install.

Also, the Open Office Suite was installed. It is very much like Microsoft Office and runs all Office documents okay.

I really think that the average user would find the applications to feel pretty much the same as the Windows versions -- and they are just about all free!

However, I think that when problems come that the average user might be in trouble. Say you are having trouble logging onto the internet. You call their tech support and they immediately ask you what version of Windows you are running. If you say "Ubuntu Linux" I have the idea that you might find yourself out in the cold!

Also, if you have some favorite program, maybe a game, or some specific commercial photo program you probably won't be able to find it for Linux, and if you do, you will have to buy it again. The Linux guys will tell you that they have a free program that's just as good or even better -- but you still have to learn it and that isn't fun, especially if you have to do that more than once.

Bottom line: Ubuntu looks a lot like Windows. It even feels like Windows and if you were here looking over my shoulder at the screen you would never imagine that it isn't a Windows box. If all you want is Internet, Word Processing, basic games, you might want to try it. If you have some specific things you do, you had better do some research!

The best thing to do is load it onto an extra computer and toy with it awhile! That's what I am doing.

[Brad Mercer]

I then connected the ethernet cable to the router and in a few seconds it showed to be connected. Using the included Firefox browser I came to NazNet and was able to log right on.

I suspect that if I'd been able to hard wire it to the internet instead of needing to use a wireless adapter, I'd have been fine, too. That was really the only problem I had.

In answer to Joel's question of what the pros and cons are, I'd say:

Pros:
1. It's not Microsoft
2. It seems to run faster
3. It seems to be more secure
4. It's all free.

If you get it set up right, it can do everything you want cheaper, faster and more securely than Microsoft.

OpenOffice replaces and is compatible with MS Office Professional. They've also got a good universal IM program that replaces Yahoo! IM, AIM, MSN Messenger and so forth. They've got more than one program that does that, in fact, but I think the default one in Ubuntu is called GAIM. With GAIM, OpenOffice, Firefox and Thunderbird (e-mail), I've got basically everything I need from a computer except a good Bible program.

There are add-on programs that are supposed to help you run Windows programs in Linux, but you'd have to try your own individual favorite programs to find out whether it works with them. My Bible program is really the only program I have like that, and I didn't get far enough in the set up to find out whether one of the emulation programs would make it work in Linux.

Cons:
1. It's not Microsoft. Not all hardware and software is compatible with it.
2. It really requires some geeky knowledge and inclinations.

It's written by geeks without a lot of input from marketing or business people, apparently, so their idea of what's easy, simple or intuitive is not mine. Linux fans think it's a selling point for Linux that you "get to" go to a dot prompt (they call it a command line) like DOS and type in cryptic commands to get the computer to do things, instead of just pointing and clicking for everything. Each new version gets closer and closer to a complete point-and-click environment that doesn't require any programming knowledge, but it's not really quite there, yet. At least it wasn't for me.

Brad

[Jim Stonelake]

Ubuntu is definitely the user friendly form of Linux. Brad has covered the bases and Open Office 2.0 is a very good system and it is free! It is constantly being refined and improved by a world wide community and their forums are extremely helpful. I am very tempted to download the latest and fool with it to see how it works.

Surprisingly Open Office has few issues with Microsoft applications, i.e., you can open a Word Document in OO. I know someone who runs Vista with OO and loves it. Personally GR I'd love to hear how it comes out.

[G R 'Scott' Cundiff]

My efforts with Ubuntu Linux were pretty successful. As you say Open Office is a quality office application. I installed the Bible software that it listed as available and it looked okay, however it didn't offer my NIV.

The technical problem I ran into was that it didn't want to read my flash drive. After fooling around with it for awhile, I first found that it would read if I enabled "root" login and then changed to that login. The flash drive read, wrote, deleted fine as root.

Then, I messed around looking for ways to get it to work as superuser and as a regular user. I finally stumbled across the settings as a tab under "users and groups." There are check boxes for granting that user use of removable media, CDs, etc.

However, even after I changed those settings it still wouldn't give me access to the flash drive. That is, until I did the old Windows thing and rebooted. After that all was well with the world.

In fact, that is the only real complaint I have at this point. After I changed those settings there was nothing to indicate that rebooting was necessary. At least on Windows you get a notice telling you to reboot (something that drives me crazy when troubleshooting a Windows problem.

Anyway, for the time being my Ubuntu Linux experience is finished. I don't really have room in my office at home for another computer, so I took the computer back to the church and set it up on my desk there. I am guessing that the only use it will get there will be my showing Linux off to my fellow church going geeks!

Ubuntu is definitely the user friendly form of Linux. Brad has covered the bases and Open Office 2.0 is a very good system and it is free! It is constantly being refined and improved by a world wide community and their forums are extremely helpful. I am very tempted to download the latest and fool with it to see how it works.

Surprisingly Open Office has few issues with Microsoft applications, i.e., you can open a Word Document in OO. I know someone who runs Vista with OO and loves it. Personally GR I'd love to hear how it comes out.

[Doug Kitchen]

My efforts with Ubuntu Linux were pretty successful. As you say Open Office is a quality office application. I installed the Bible software that it listed as available and it looked okay, however it didn't offer my NIV.

The technical problem I ran into was that it didn't want to read my flash drive. After fooling around with it for awhile, I first found that it would read if I enabled "root" login and then changed to that login. The flash drive read, wrote, deleted fine as root.

Then, I messed around looking for ways to get it to work as superuser and as a regular user. I finally stumbled across the settings as a tab under "users and groups." There are check boxes for granting that user use of removable media, CDs, etc.

However, even after I changed those settings it still wouldn't give me access to the flash drive. That is, until I did the old Windows thing and rebooted. After that all was well with the world.

In fact, that is the only real complaint I have at this point. After I changed those settings there was nothing to indicate that rebooting was necessary. At least on Windows you get a notice telling you to reboot (something that drives me crazy when troubleshooting a Windows problem.

Anyway, for the time being my Ubuntu Linux experience is finished. I don't really have room in my office at home for another computer, so I took the computer back to the church and set it up on my desk there. I am guessing that the only use it will get there will be my showing Linux off to my fellow church going geeks!


Scott,
I am really proud of you and your out-of-the-box thinking! ;)

You may not have needed to reboot to get your usb to behave properly. Logging out of your window system and logging back in may have done the trick. Also, the really geeky thing to do is to open up a root terminal session and restart a service or two (in this case, probably a security system needed to be restarted which would force a reread of the new security for the removable media). You can log in to root without logging out or switching users by using these terminal sessions.

One of the huge advantages of Linux and Macs (which run freebsd - a different brand of free-unix) is that the computer operations are only controlled by a small "kernel". All other software can hang up, die, crash or whatever and pretty much the computer will just continue along. The windows that you see are really not the operating system - it is just a piece of software running in a completely separate piece of memory. Almost no matter what else happens (except for hardware malfunctions), your kernel will keep running which means you can usually just restart the malfunctioning piece of software.

Older Windows (maybe not vista?) allow the operating system to be vulnerable to the misbehavior of non-essential software. The registry on windows was always particularly vulnerable to viruses that would reinstall themselves.

The small footprint of Linux may allow it to become the OS of choice in the developing world. There is a guy who is trying to build computers at 100/laptop. (see e.g. http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/1116/p04s01-ussc.html) (http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/1116/p04s01-ussc.html%29). It appears that they can power them with just 2 Watts (in comparison to ~400 W for the typical home computer).

Doug

[Hans Deventer]

The technical problem I ran into was that it didn't want to read my flash drive. After fooling around with it for awhile, I first found that it would read if I enabled "root" login and then changed to that login. The flash drive read, wrote, deleted fine as root.

In Linux (as in Unix), you have to mount drives, including floppy drives. Perhaps that was the issue?

[G R 'Scott' Cundiff]

Scott,
You may not have needed to reboot to get your usb to behave properly. Logging out of your window system and logging back in may have done the trick. Also, the really geeky thing to do is to open up a root terminal session and restart a service or two (in this case, probably a security system needed to be restarted which would force a reread of the new security for the removable media). You can log in to root without logging out or switching users by using these terminal sessions.
Doug

In this case the computer is pure Linux -- no other operating system at all. I tried logging off and on as root, superuser, regular user. Only root had access. After giving access to superuser, etc. after reboot all the accesses were applied. Still, I know you are right -- probably restarting the right services the operating system would have picked up the changed permissions.

In Linux (as in Unix), you have to mount drives, including floppy drives. Perhaps that was the issue?

Yeah, that was one of the first things I looked into. However, from the beginning all users could see the flash drive and the system reported the drive was mounted.

[Billie Goodson]

I routinely mess around with Linux and love it. I would go to that as my only OS if it was not for the wife and kids. Now that almost everyone has a laptop - I might just do that. I get a new laptop next week and will float my old one down to the wife, then, I may be able to make the full time switch on the home office PC to Linux. Here are my pros in addition to what others have said:

1. Cost -- free is cheap! Given that many churches do not allow much for computer budgets, it should be the choice of churches. Unless you like just handing folks lots of money to get simple machines, the best option has always been to build (for me, not everyone). The OS is easily one of the biggest expenses on a Windows machine. I know, many churches have gurus that can easily load a bootlegged copy of windows, but, if you have no problem with your conscience, then have at it. It is illegal. Argue all you want about the evil empire that Microsoft is, but, the boot legger is committing a crime, plain and simple.

2. You get really more complete control over the machine. What someone earlier said about the kernel is pretty much spot on. If you want reliability -- it is much greater with Linux (assuming you know what you are doing, which is sometimes the case, and sometimes not, even for me).

3. There is a ton of open source software that you can take advantage of. Plus, Linux gurus are cheaper than microsoft support. Most people that know linux will freely share.

4. I love the command line -- so much easier to figure out what is eating my processor on Linux than with windows. And, there is something freeing about being able to type rm *.* and watching the root directory disappear when I get really frustrated.

[G R 'Scott' Cundiff]

After I took the computer I installed the Ubuntu Linux on back to the church I decided it would be fun to dual boot my laptop. I found that it is not for the easily intimidated. Here's the website I used for instructions: http://www.matthewjmiller.net/howtos/dual-boot-linux-and-windows/.

Using the Linux rescue disk I was able to divide up my hard drive and install the second operating system on the laptop. Now, when it is booted, it stops at a menu asking which system I want to use.

However, getting the computer to operate as both a Windows and Linux machine is just the beginning, and it isn't a walk in the park.

For instance, my touch pad worked, but not with the features I am used to on Windows. I found information on making it work and set about installing the driver for that purpose. It was a considerably more complicated than it should be. Once the driver was in, I still had to go to a particular file and hand edit it. And to edit it, I had to log onto the computer at the "root" level which meant I had to wander around the internet for awhile looking for instructions on doing it.

I managed to get it going, but it took many more steps than it should have. That makes me think that Bill Gates and company aren't going to be waiting in the unemployment line real soon.

Still, Ubuntu Linux is a pretty impressive system. If you like a challenge and enjoy fooling around with computers you might like Linux. On the other hand, if you want to just turn it on and use it, well avoid Linux! Come to think of it, you might just want a Mac!

[Brad Mercer]

Because of the way I screwed my computer up, I actually installed Linux on the whole hard drive twice and also installed/re-installed Windows XP from scratch using the whole hard drive twice on my desktop PC. I found that Windows didn't automatically recognize several pieces of internal hardware without me having to manually go search for drivers, and I haven't yet succeeded in getting everything recognized. Linux on the other hand recognized all my internal hardware as well as peripherals automatically, except for the wireless card.

From my experience I'd say over all, installing Linux on a desktop from scratch is easier than installing Windows from scratch. The only difference is that nobody has to install Windows and anyone who wants Linux will have to install it unless they go to the Certified Linux website and by a pc from them with Linux pre-installed.

On the other hand, it's certainly true that whatever doesn't install automatically with Windows will ultimately be fixable with enough pointing and clicking, whereas any problem that does arise with Linux is likely at some point to require learning commands to enter at the command line. They have a ways to go to stop thinking of that as a feature instead of a bug, before Linux has a shot at the big time.

Brad

After I took the computer I installed the Ubuntu Linux on back to the church I decided it would be fun to dual boot my laptop. I found that it is not for the easily intimidated. Here's the website I used for instructions: http://www.matthewjmiller.net/howtos/dual-boot-linux-and-windows/.

Using the Linux rescue disk I was able to divide up my hard drive and install the second operating system on the laptop. Now, when it is booted, it stops at a menu asking which system I want to use.

However, getting the computer to operate as both a Windows and Linux machine is just the beginning, and it isn't a walk in the park.

For instance, my touch pad worked, but not with the features I am used to on Windows. I found information on making it work and set about installing the driver for that purpose. It was a considerably more complicated than it should be. Once the driver was in, I still had to go to a particular file and hand edit it. And to edit it, I had to log onto the computer at the "root" level which meant I had to wander around the internet for awhile looking for instructions on doing it.

I managed to get it going, but it took many more steps than it should have. That makes me think that Bill Gates and company aren't going to be waiting in the unemployment line real soon.

Still, Ubuntu Linux is a pretty impressive system. If you like a challenge and enjoy fooling around with computers you might like Linux. On the other hand, if you want to just turn it on and use it, well avoid Linux! Come to think of it, you might just want a Mac!

[G R 'Scott' Cundiff]

From my experience I'd say over all, installing Linux on a desktop from scratch is easier than installing Windows from scratch. The only difference is that nobody has to install Windows and anyone who wants Linux will have to install it unless they go to the Certified Linux website and by a pc from them with Linux pre-installed.
Brad

Brad, this is a good observation. A Windows from scratch installation is probably at least as challenging as a Linux from scratch one. At least there are pluses and minuses. There is a lot more information on Windows on the internet -- especially for drivers. However, much information is junk. I noted that the Linux websites forums are better run and contain information from people who seem to know what they are talking about.

For instance, it isn't unusual to go to a Windows tech website and find answer like, "You need to update the driver file." That kind of answer leaves a lot to be desired!

However, on the Ubuntu sites, there are many people who have taken time to do step by step instructions and anyone who is willing to read can follow.

Still, if a person wants the least technical approach, I think Windows wins -- at least at this point.

[G R 'Scott' Cundiff]

I finally got sound working under Linux Ubuntu on my Toshiba laptop. It took me hours of effort (well, while watching baseball games on TV and reading through page after page of forums where people had the same problem).

It was, apparently a two part problem because, first, Linux saw the sound card as a modem and not a sound card. Found help here: https://help.ubuntu.com/community/HdaIntelSoundHowto

Then, once I got that right, there was a line to be added to /etc/modprobe.d/alsa-base. Trouble was, there were many different configurations of that line. After each change, the file had to be saved and then I had to log out and then back in. I found various suggestions here: http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=415821&page=4

The 4th or 5th one worked for me.

All the above seems like it would take just a few minutes, but when you are starting from zero: "My sound doesn't work" and not from "Ah, the hda-intel sound driver doesn't work" it takes time!


So, I started down many dead end roads to even figure out that the operating system didn't know my sound card was a sound card!

Of course, for many people, Linux would have found their sound card, automatically configured it without them even thinking about it.


Still, I must conclude that Ubuntu is fantastic and easy to install unless something doesn't work!

[G R 'Scott' Cundiff]

Here's a tidbit that will warm the cockles of every computer geek's heart!

At our church we have 1 computer that runs our Song Show Plus. It handles announcements, words to songs, and all projection duties.

Yesterday we replaced the CD player and tape deck with a second computer. We had a 5 year old computer that lacked an operating system. I installed Ubuntu Linux on it and that's the computer we used.

The computer will play a cut off of a CD okay, but the main use is that we will rip to mp3 all music we use. Over time we will build a library of mp3's and the Ubuntu computer will be the mirror for the Song Show Plus computer -- that is, the Windows box will do the video part of the service and the Ubuntu box will do the audio.

Here's the kicker - after everything was working, I gave a quick training session to a couple of people who use the system each week. After walking one person through the ripping in-playing process (which she understood immediately) I said to her, "How do you like Linux?"

She answered, "what do you mean?"

I said, "that's not a Windows computer, its Ubuntu Linux."

She looked confused and said, "What's the difference?"

I think that exchange says a lot about how the ease of operation of that operating system.

As I told one fellow, one big difference is that Ubuntu is FREE!

[Bob Woolley]

Here's a tidbit that will warm the cockles of every computer geek's heart!

At our church we have 1 computer that runs our Song Show Plus. It handles announcements, words to songs, and all projection duties.

Yesterday we replaced the CD player and tape deck with a second computer. We had a 5 year old computer that lacked an operating system. I installed Ubuntu Linux on it and that's the computer we used.

The computer will play a cut off of a CD okay, but the main use is that we will rip to mp3 all music we use. Over time we will build a library of mp3's and the Ubuntu computer will be the mirror for the Song Show Plus computer -- that is, the Windows box will do the video part of the service and the Ubuntu box will do the audio.

Here's the kicker - after everything was working, I gave a quick training session to a couple of people who use the system each week. After walking one person through the ripping in-playing process (which she understood immediately) I said to her, "How do you like Linux?"

She answered, "what do you mean?"

I said, "that's not a Windows computer, its Ubuntu Linux."

She looked confused and said, "What's the difference?"

I think that exchange says a lot about how the ease of operation of that operating system.

As I told one fellow, one big difference is that Ubuntu is FREE!

We use two computers as well. One runs the PowerPoint and uploads mp3's to the internet because it has the wireless connection. The other older one records the messages and does some video playback and it actually is running Vista. One of our tech people work as computer tech support so he set it up. I wonder if he would like to switch as well? So interesting!

[G R 'Scott' Cundiff]

Spring time seems to be computer OS upgrade time! I updated my Ubuntu to the newly released "Hardy Heron" a few days ago. The upgrade went okay, but the download was very long. It was supposed to take 22 minutes and it actually took over 3 hours!

I thought I had a post-upgrade problem but actually didn't. As I was doing the 3 hour download we had a power glitch here at the house. The laptop was fine with it and the modem and router are on a UPS so the download continued just fine.

Once the upgrade was complete, everything worked but the wireless. The computer could see the network but couldn't get a connect. I fooled around with the settings for 20 minutes or so, but no joy.

Finally, I decided I had better concentrate on other things, so I rebooted to Windows. It was an "ah-ha" moment when the XP side couldn't communicate with the network either.

I rebooted the router and all was well on both the XP and the Ubuntu side of things!

Frankly, I don't see much difference between the previous and the current version of Ubuntu, but this new one is the one that's going to be supported for the next 5 years.

As I said, this is OS upgrade time. I'm in the process of upgrading to XP Service Pack 3 that has just been released. I've completed the process on one computer, have two more doing it right now, and then I'll go to the church and upgrade two more computers there.

Spring has sprung and new OS upgrades are springing up too!

[John Lowery]

UBUNTU! free to install. Or run from disk without install to get a feel for an open source secure OS. Everything windows does it does and better plus security. applications that are top notch add ons are beryl..etc. but so far start with the costomized desktops which can all run simultaneously without crashing while running music on one side of cube to power point on another side while burning cds on another while downloading a network list of ftp's. To be honest I am still hooked to Xp as a pillow so for now I'll stick to it for everything but it is nice to play around with Ubuntu, just in case Microsoft pulls some funny business. right no I'm currentlly reviewing Haiku which is making progress as a new type OS rather than MS or Linux based GUI or CMD it's GUICMD or GCUI... I'll callit' graphical command user interface. anyways I hope for all to be well. *
Reply With Quote Multi-Quote This Message Quick reply to this message

[Bruce Griffis]

I just loaded Ubuntu on an older laptop (Thinkpad T41). I used to run Mandrake (now Mandriva) on a desktop, then Debian Sarge than SuSE. I got away from it for a while.

Installation? Had problems with disk partitioning, so I popped in a Debian disk and partitioned away. Ubuntu is based on Debian, so I don't know why Debian worked and Ubuntu didn't, but anyway - I partitioned my Windows NTFS disk to EXT3 (I wanted to completely delete Windows).

Installation the second time around was a breeze! Sailed right through. I had connected an Ethernet cable to my laptop, and it came right up. No problems at all. I wanted to get wireless working, and ran in to some issues. Ubuntu had the right wireless drivers, but I put some security into my wireless network.

** a brief aside for security: I purposely left my wireless network open, as I had a firewall and proxy filter in place. I figured if someone grabbed my wireless network, it would be no issue. Someone did grab my wireless network. I reviewed my firewall logs and saw that they went to Facebook, did some e-mailing and went to a Power Rangers site. While they didn't go anywhere bad - I realized the huge risk I was taking in case someone DID go to some bad sites. So I tightened up the wireless network significantly! **

Wireless issues? I could see my neighbor's wireless network with no problems. I disabled SSID broadcast on my network, so of course could not see mine. I configured my Ubuntu client anyway - as all my Windows laptops work with ssid broadcast disabled. No good. I decided to take off MAC address filtering, allow ssid broadcasting, but leave in WPA-Personal with AEP encryption. Now wireless in Ubuntu works just fine. I'll have to tighten up my wireless network again, and see where Ubuntu drops out. I'll start by turning on MAC address filtering again.

Interface? I really like KDE. I loved it under Mandrake and SuSE, and used KDE under Debian Sarg. It is a very easy interface for Windows users to get used to. My kids had no problems using KDE. My 12 year old son works fine with KDE, and has used it since he was maybe 6. Ubuntu uses a Gnome interface. I know I can install KDE by going to Kubuntu, but simply installing KDE on top of Gnome wasn't so pretty. I'll figure it out, or just stick to Gnome.

Applications? I use Firefox under Windows, so Firefox under Linux is no issue. I use OpenOffice in Windows, too - so that isn't an issue in Linux. I do not play Windows-based computer games, but could probably get some to work under Wine. I don't need to, and I don't want to - so I won't.

This is a tossout laptop (it has a hardware problem and crashes when you touch the monitor) - so I'm just testing for now. I like Ubuntu, so might actually buy a decent laptop and install it for keeps. Think I'll look for a decent used Thinkpad and pick up a warrantee. I like how Ubuntu pretty much worked out of the box on the old T41, so will probably stick with something in that series.

As far as Ubuntu versus Mandrake/Madriva, SuSE or Debian? Debian was harder to get working right - as it requires more research. Mandrake and SuSE were both extremely simple. Ubuntu is also very simple, and has the added benefit of being free (I paid for SuSE Professional, and paid for upgrades). There are free variants of all of the others (as well as Fedora), so it's really just a matter of choice. I'll stick with Ubuntu for now.

[Bruce Griffis]

I took apart my tossout laptop, tightened all connections, reseated the keyboard and mouse connectors and tightened all screws. The laptop has been up and working for 4 or 5 hours with no issues. If it stays up, great! If not, I ordered a T41 off e-bay for parts and will put that together (this is a T41 as well).

I'm getting used to Ubuntu with a Gnome interface. It is very straight-forward, so I might just keep it. If I can get the new (old) laptop working, I might try Kubuntu (the KDE version of Ubuntu) just to see the differences. Plus my kids like some of the KDE games (like Tux Racer).

I really like the package manager in Ubuntu. It's based on the one Debian uses, so if you have experience with apt-get, your set for command line. If not, just click on System, Administration, Synaptic Package Manager - and search and install away. Synaptic is pretty slick! (yeah, it's Debian - but Ubuntu packaged it up well).

Before formatting my hard disk, I copied everything from My Documents over to a USB-based hard drive. I'll check and make sure I can see it under Ubuntu, but I'm sure it will work just fine.