Heh, and here I just finally installed Gutsy last weekend.

I think I'll stick with what I have for now, and try out Hardy when it's finalized.

HeartBurnKid

Looks great so far, if you don't know if you want to upgrade from windows to Ubuntu you can try it out using wubi [wubi-installer.org] , it installs like a windows application so you can remove it if you don't like it very easily.

Seems like its gonna be like last upgrade... slow speeds at first then all of a sudden it is going to go ZOOM!!!!

daybringer

You can get from Dapper to Gutsy, you just can't go straight there. Unfortunately, I've had the pleasure of learning this. Basically I made sure Dapper was up to date, opened the sources.list and replaced all "Dapper" with ... uh, the next one. Rinse, repeat until you get where you're going.

pooryoric

@HeartBurnKid: Same here. New PC and new distro.

I'm still having fun with Gutsy, but I won't wait too long. If you skip an upgrade it's hard to catch up. Can't upgrade from Dapper to Gutsy, for instance. Don't wait forever.

jefuchs

I tried this but i wasn't impressed. On a toshiba laptop, firefox was real slow and i had other problems with my sound card that 1.0.16 alsa-base was supposed to fix.

Sticking with vista for now.

SupahTroopa

Great! I'm now on Ubuntu 7.10, and it's upgrading seamlessly! But 13 hours to download all packages? Um, I wonder why it's downloading at 20kb per sec.. (I can download at 100kb).

Anyway, really wanna check the new Gnome and evolution :P

spdaniel91

@eternicode: no, i think that is the Wubi installer running in Vista sans Aero. ... that sounded pretty retarded...

natenovs

If that's what the default window decorations look like...it's spookily Vista-esque.

I think I'm going to stick with Kubuntu Gutsy, until Hardy comes out of beta. I have my share of bugs with the beta KDE4. I'm not up for trying to slap a beta window manager (compiz) on top of a beta desktop environment (KDE4) on top of a beta OS. Not quite yet, anyway. :)

eternicode

Remember, if you use Wubi, you need to go into the FAQ and click on the Alpha 8.04 installer. And, in fact, to get it to work for me I had to go directly to the Sourceforge files dir and get the most recent Wubi build, since the one that was automatically sent from Sourceforge would not work.

fuzzycuffs

The other Wubi option is to download their 8.04 beta ISO and just run the Wubi .exe file on the CD after mounting/burning it. I did that and the Wubi install went off without a hitch. In general, I was impressed with what I saw, though as a gamer I'm pretty much stuck with Windows for my primary OS. Still, neat to try.

EricL

According to the Ubuntu site it's exactly 34 days until the final release. So that about makes it the 24th of April I suppose.

illusionactor

I also will wait for the final release version. I don't mind trying Beta apps, but not the OS itself. I'll stick with Gutsy 7.10 for the time being. Anyone know the final release date off hand?

Lantesh

I wonder how stable this version of Wubi will be. I've tried a couple different releases of Wubi on my laptop, and all were spectacular failures. One even inexplicably corrupted my bootsector. The idea is pretty smooth, though. Hope it works well.

forpeterssake

I'm curious to see if my spankin new macbook pro will like the next ubu more than it liked 7.10 before i gave up and put osx back on it.

invid

@SupahTroopa:

Have you tried compiling the Alsa 1.0.15 driver and library? I had some issues with 1.0.16 as well on my Dell laptop. Alsa 1.0.14 didn't work with the soundcard, and 1.0.16 had issues with playing sounds. However, 1.0.15 worked fine.

Joshiii-Kun

This type of post should come with the following disclaimer:

WARNING! If you have a newish laptop that came with Microsoft Vista pre-installed, and you aren't a certified card-carrying freakin' Linux Guru, then don't even DREAM that you are going to get Linux to work on that machine.

quasimod

have been using it for a few days now, i dont think its quite ready yet still a few bugs

kseve

@quasimod: What sort of problems were you having? I've been using ubuntu solidly for a few years now, and that was the first thing i did when i bought my brand-spanking-new laptop. It worked perfectly, even easier than setting up vista on it, mind you! BTW, just incase anyone was counting, the time it took to put the cd in the drive, reboot, boot into live, install ubuntu, reboot and start enjoying the desktop was LESS than the time it took to turn on the computer and boot into vista for hte first time (wiht it already installed). NO JOKE!

-emory-

@quasimod - nonsense. I've installed Ubuntu on several laptops and desktops - most have been completely trouble-free. A couple required hacks and workarounds for wireless, etc.

@emory - yeah, installing is amazingly fast and easy - about 10 minutes total on my desktop. It almost doesn't seem right!

8.04 is excellent - so many major and minor improvements over 7.10. I've been running it since alpha 3 and the OS has been rock solid, although some of the apps have been a little buggy (e.g. Glipper).

DavidONE

I can't wait until Hardy Heron comes out of Beta on the 24th. As soon as it comes out I'm downloading and updating. I love Ubuntu and the fact that it makes things easy for the average user yet if you have the know how you can customize it however you want. I only wish there was some way to seamlessly run Windows games on Linux. The only reason I still have Windows installed is because I like to play video games. Oh, well I guess I'll just have to keep dual booting for now.

rhololkeolke

I am dual booting also and for the same reason as rhololkeolke. Also i am a bit afraid to full switching for now because most of the application i use on the daily basis are windows-only apps.

mastakilla

@quasimod:
I have a new laptop with Vista pre-installed (even though laptops with XP installed are the same as those with Vista). This laptop has some quite non-standard hardware. Of course I immediately got rid of Vista, however, getting XP to work on this machine was horribly annoying.
However, Ubuntu worked fine out of the box. Just some minor issues with the sound which required compiling new libraries, but this is what you have the great Linux community for if you don't understand it.
By no means am I a Linux Guru, in fact, I'm quite a Linux newbie. I just know some commands, and I know my google-fu.

Linux tends to work differently on different machines. Sometimes it will run fine out of the box, otherwise you'll have to Google a little. My latest experiences with Linux have been very positive though, especially my experience with the 64 bit version of Linux :)

There's a very big Linux community accessible for everyone. If there's any trouble, ask the community! If you don't understand their answers, keep asking! I believe that when you're starting out with Linux, it's very important that you are constantly willing to learn something new.

And otherwise maybe Linux is not for you, which is perfectly fine as well :)

Joshiii-Kun

You guys who are still attached to windows could always put it on an external hard drive!

[www.ngine.de]

I only use XP for three apps... Reason 4, Sibelius 5 and Audition 3. Since, by their nature, they have to be used at a desk, and most of my day is spent on the move, I decided to put XP on an external. I have Gutsy running on my laptop now, and it is faster and uses less battery. I also have XFCE desktop installed for those extra long days to conserve power and memory.

This is a good, cheap alternative for laptop users that don't have the cash to buy a dedicated XP desktop system.

Once I do have the cash, however... I will have XP, Ubuntu and OSX all running with synergy in between :D :D :D.

Anyway, a video i made... just to prove it works :D

+ Watch video

evan_phi

Coming from a Slackware and BSD background, I enjoy fixing issues with the system. I guess that's why I like running on a 64X2 laptop. I have tried Ubuntu and think it's a pretty good distro. But I prefer playing around up to my elbows in GNU guts. I even compile my own kernel still! EEEk! :P

factotum218

After being a hardcore Windows user and sysadmin, both on the desktop and on the server, for many years ... I made a full switch to Ubuntu almost 2 years ago. And I've never been happier :)

Can't wait for the final release of Heron! Every release is impressively better: more stability, more functionality, more user-friendliness, and more eye candy!

Join the #ubuntu-release-party on freenode ... every 6 months (every new release) :P Gotta love the ubuntu community!

NOTE: FINAL RELEASE DAY DOWNLOADERS! If your not upgrading, please use torrents to download ubuntu on the day of release. It helps to keep the ubuntu servers from crying for mercy :)

Ubuntu ftw!

remi

@ -emory- : Oh, just the usual *nix problems... spent a couple of my VERY few days off bashing my head against the wall trying to get Ubuntu (gutsy) to work before I realized that I didn't hate Micro$quish quite THAT much. I mean, really, it was like masturbating with a cheese-grater; one of those things you only want to do once... except I've done it a dozen times with 3 different laptops. I guess I'm obsessively masochistic or something.

@ DavidONE : "nonsense"? Yes, I'm sure that since "most" of YOUR installs have been trouble-free, then logically, I must be mistaken. I wish you had pointed that out to me before I mentioned it, because it would have saved me a lot of trouble.

@ Joshiii-Kun : Dang, if I had a friend like you, my (linux) problems would be solved, and he/she would be full of steak and an -obscene- amount of alcohol.

Without a working Linux install, I find it difficult to figure out how to learn to use Linux.

"...My latest experiences with Linux have been very positive..."

That's just freakin' gnarly, and I'm happy for you, and I hope someday to have a similar experience. When that day comes, I'll gladly do away with the Gates Foundation, and join the Linux cheerleading squad!

Unfortunately, so far, Linux has been a horrible experience for me.

quasimod

@quasimod: hey man it's all right, I don't think anyone here was trying to instigate you or anything, I genuinely was curious though as to what exactly went wrong. Any and all problems I've ever had have been able to have been solved once asking for help from the community. It's very possible any problem you had has been one that can be easily remedied. What were you trying to install on / what errors did you have (besides the "common *nix problems")

-emory-

I'm using Unbuntu Hardy alpha6 at work since it came up. At work i can't install Linux (don't ask) so I tried Wubi. I can unistall it as soon as IT department realizes I'm using Linux :P (joke, they let install this version) I think it runs as a Virtual Machine. As far as I can dig it creates a boot option for ubuntu and you get a folder in c:\ubuntu with the instalation. There you have a disk image of the ubuntu drive and swap. If windows does not boot correctly ubuntu will not boot neither. I have to boot on windows correctly first to correct this.
I also can't run VMWare, i think this is because i'm already in a VM.
If you need to use windows files you simple go to folder /host. Al the host drive will be mounted in this folder.
With an 8 hours use a day for mor than 3 weeks I can tell you that it's prety stable. The only problem I encounter is compiz hiding Top and Bottom panels for a few seconds but i think i has something to do with pidgin alerts.
The other problem is, as alpha, it will be constantly updating.
I can't wait to try beta. I'll let you know on monday.
BTW: at home i'm still using gusty, I'm not rady to try it as main OS.
Sangles

sangles

At work they didn't let me install linux (don't ask), so i installed ubuntu hardy alpha6 using wubi 3 weeks ago. After you install it on windows you must restart the computer and then select wich OS you whant to boot. As far as i can dig, ubuntu runs as a virtual machine. You'll find a folder called ubuntu on the C drive and inside a folder called disks. This folder has the ubuntu disks images.
So basically you boot the os you like. I was not able to run VMWare (i think because i'm already in a VM). The other day I forgot to choose ubuntu for booting and reset the computer in the middle of windows booting. I was not able to run ubuntu because windows boot failed. I had to boot on windows first and then i can boot ubuntu again.
In fact is very stable, the only problem i had is compiz hiding top panel and bottom panel, but i think these has something to do with pidgin alerts.
Working with windows files is as easy as going to /host folder. I'll try beta on monday and let you know. At home still with Gusty since i didn't test hardy as main OS.

Cheers,
Sangles

sangles

@-emory-: Sorry, I was being a bit snarky, but you can see what time it was when I wrote that. I guess I was tired and grumpy.

My problem was mostly that I only had access to the laptop that I was installing to, so I had no way of asking anyone for help. Next time I get that ol' Linux feeling, I'll plan things out a little better.

I can't really tell you what exactly went wrong, something with the X server. Without a GUI, I'm lost.

I may give it another go with my spiffy new Gateway P-6831FX, the next time I get the opportunity and the motivation. Wubi is interesting...

quasimod

To be honest, I was a bit frustrated when I upgraded to Gutsy. Installed it on an HP tablet with no problems, and made the dozen or so little tweaks to get it fully up and running (pressure sensitivity, screen rotation, etc). Wireless was my bane, though. At home (WEP wireless), I could connect fine (after going through the whole process of installing ndiswrapper). At school, though, we use unencrypted wireless and VPN in. VPN would connect, work fine for 20 minutes, then just stop receiving packets. Ubuntu community said the solution was to update the wireless router's firmware... not really a solution for someone who's not a network admin. All in all, I love Ubuntu, but I haven't found Gutsy to be entirely stable (or usable at school), so unless Heron fixes the VPN issues (and the countless other wireless issues Gutsy had), I'll stick with Feisty.

caelanarcher

I just finished upgrading from 7.10. Right now the major thing is that my sound is broken, which happens every time I upgrade Ubuntu. I then spend a bunch of time fixing it, but eventually I get there. I am running a 6 month old Dell XPS410.

Several of my favorite Firefox extension are not working because it upgraded Firefox to the new beta version, but it won't be long until that is fixed.

tshawn

Does anyone know if they've addressed the issues in Gutsy with laptops being unable to suspend and hibernate?

moregrey