Apologies as I'm a bit of a Linux noob, but have set up a few servers etc. My 2 cents is that I prefer OpenSuSE 10.2 for desktop applications and Ubuntu for servers. They're both a bit unwieldy for onboard wireless apps, but using ndiswrapper which works with Windows.inf files(along with a lot of patience) seems to work. With SuSE remember to add the wireless device with yast. For the desktop machines I've been using cheapie Airlink USB 802.11G sticks which work out of the box with Ubuntu. Good luck!

Thanks Zarf4. I got everything working on 2 laptops (one old one, and one that is newer). Everything except wireless and dual monitors. EasyUBUNTU is an application I downloaded that really helped. I'm probably going to try Open SUSE on one of these machines and leave Ubuntu as a dual boot with XP on the other one.

I've been debating running a dual boot setup on my new Vista laptop. Noticed the books for Ubuntu and thought it or Zubuntu and figured I'd try it out. Any problems running them as dual boot with Vista?

Actually Quite Nice Graphics
 

I haven't installed it yet, but a friend of mine uses Compiz-Fusion with Ubuntu. The desktop can be turned around to reveal multiple windows like a three dimensional cube. You should check it out if you install Linux.

I'm having a little trouble understanding the Ubuntu problems, 'cause when I load up Knoppix, from a stupid little CD with no configuration, it all seems to work, detects all the cards, wi-fi works, etc.

If Knoppix can be this simple, what's with Ubuntu?

(Now if I can only get Knoppix to actually boot from a thumb drive...but that's another issue).

for those of you that like testing out these operating systems. you might want to consider using VMware or Parallels to run ubuntu or whatever you want. Its very easy and works great without the need to dual boot or any of that.

The short answer is that Ubuntu has a philosophical ideology when it comes to some things like proprietary software. In the case of wi-fi, broadcomm, for example, doesnt provide any open source support so someone has to reverse engineer the drivers...or (again in the case of broadcomm) you can use the windows drivers in a "wrapper", that thats not FLOSS (free libre open source software) so unbuntu doesnt include it out of the box.

The longer answer is that we'd need to know more about specifically isn't working for you including make and model of chips/cards...

Feisty was a really nice improvement for some of those things and I understand the next release will have even more access to closed source stuff built in.

Or run Linux native and only use Parallels when you have to use that pesky windows thing :D

Awesome thread. I run Ubuntu (Edgy, 6.10) at home (Macs for work) and i am so very happy with it, so much that i only ever run Windows in Parallels Desktop. I have a nice dual screen set up (x2 17") with Beryl running. I have a few other distro's but Ubuntu just seems to work for me. Its great to hear that i am not the only geek out there :)

Ubuntu (or Linux even) isnt for everybody, but if you get through your first X error with an xorg.conf edit and it's all (mostly) downhill from there. There is a wealth of information at UbuntuForums.org for pretty much any scenario you may find yourself in, and the Ubuntu wiki is an absolute bible. I am still continually amazed by how smoothly Ubuntu runs on the old Dell i was going to trash, and how I can still do everything i want on it. At no point have i ever needed to revert to a Windows machine. :D

After putting it down for a few months and then returning to it this past weekend, I managed to get my onboard wireless card (the infamously tricky Broadcom43xx series) working in Kubuntu in about 10 minutes. Right now I couldn't be more pleased!

Linux has really come a long way in the last 3 years, since I last tried an install. I am truly impressed. It won't be long before it's ready for the mass market.

We've been hearing this since the late 90's.

As much as I'd love a true third competitor on the market for consumer OS's it just doesn't seem like Linux will be the one.

Remember Corel Linux, Linspire, Red Hat, Xandros and the many other "Consumer Linux's"?

They all claimed they'd bring it to the market, made nice boxes, nicer CD's, manuals and managed to get it on shelves at retailers. And they all failed at it.

True enough, but most of the problems with installation have gone away, and the remaining problems are disappearing quickly. I had one problem with installation in February, due to a manufacturer that doesn't produce Linux drivers for its hardware. I put the system down, and tried again this month and the problem has been addressed perfectly.

Heck, OS X is active proof that the world is nearly ready for *nix.

The average daily user doesn't have to tinker with the Unix foundation on OSX.

That is like saying the world is ready for *nix because they own a Tivo, or a TomTom navigator...

Yes *nix is there, but nobody has to know about it.

I see and understand your point. However, some Linux distros are there or nearly there.

Aside from one quirky component, I had Kubuntu set up and running in less than 30 minutes from a wiped hard drive. On my retry this weekend, I had it all up and running in less than 30 minutes, including the quirky hardware.

For most machines there are now several distros that are by default as tinker-free as OS X.

OS X doesn't prove that. OS X proves that, to sell into the personal market, you need Microsoft Office - specifically that, not "compatible," "equivalent" or even "better than." If you do, you have a shot. At that point other things start to matter. If you don't, fugghedaboutit except for a few geeks*.

OS X has MS Office. Linux doesn't.

________________________
*I write this as a certified geek, who taught UNIX stuff in a prior lifetime and who wears the label proudly.