The transition from Microsofts Windows 7 Ultimate Edition to Conicals Ubuntu 10.04 Desktop Edition LTS was an easy one and all the hardware.on my Advent 4213 Netbook was detected and setup correctly. The only thing that needed manual configuration was setting up the built in Mobile Broadband modem to connect to T-Mobile UK Web 'N' Walk, but that was a painless operation as all that needs to be done is select your country and Service Provider.
Ubuntu 10.04 Desktop Edition runs fast on the Advent Netbook. The only draw back is the lack of leds for Caps Lock and Num Lock make it hard to tell when Caps Lock and Num Lock are on. I've yet to find a Linux alternative to the Windows only OSD app that comes as part of the pre-Installed Windows software that is installed on the default Windows XP. SP3 Home Edition installation. I've also got to work out how to get my Lexmark X735 Printer and Umax AstraSlim SE Scanner. Also I need to get my head around the Coadweavers Crossover Office Demo to see if I can get all my Windows Apps to work.
There are plenty of free alternatives to paid for Windows apps to be able to cover anything you might need to do without having to use Crossover Office or the fee much more complex Wine Windows emulator.
The only thing that I'm currently struggling to work out is how to install the K Desktop Environment easily as there are a lot of Packages that need to be Installed to get it to work.
My wish list of essential apps are a Linux veersion of Windows Live Writer, Windows Live Mail App and a Linux version of BlackBerry Desktop Manager, come on RIM please develop a Linix version, there's a Windows and Mac OSX version of BlackBerry Desktop Manager a Linux version would be nice.
Afte a few days of using Ubuntu I've got to say that I really love the clean Desktop of the default Ubuntu Gnome Desktop. It took a bit of getting used to having a panel on the top of the Desktop with an Applications Menu (equivelant to the Windows Start Menu), a Places Menu that contains links to the Home folder and various other folders and Flash Drives e.t.c, a System Menu that has links to System Preferences and System Administration and the Notification. The bottom of the Desktop has a Panel with a link to Show Desktop a Taskbar of open applications and a link to the Deleted Items folder (equivelant to the Windows Recycle Bin). This Desktop setup gives you an in obstructed view of your chosen wallpaper.
The Gnome Desktop is a lot more. Intuitive than the KDE Desktop. If you like a flashy bells and whistles Desktop then the KDE Desktop is for you, but if you prefer a clean and snappy Desktop is for you.
If you want the Gnome Desktop version of Ubuntu 10.04 Lucid Lynx then head over to ubuntu.com and select eather the Netbook version of 10.04 that is exactly. The same as the Desktop Edition but with a re-designed Desktop interface that's ideal for the smaller screen of a Netbook, or the Desktop Edition of 10.04 that comes in 32 but or 64 but versions.
If you want the KDE Desktop version of Ubuntu 10.04 Lucid Lynx then head over to kubuntu.org and select eather the Netbook version of 10.04 that is exactly. The same as the Desktop Edition but with a re-designed Desktop interface that's ideal for the smaller screen of a Netbook, or the Desktop Edition of 10.04 that comes in 32 but or 64 but versions.
If your needs go beyond the normal KDE or gnome version of Ubuntu then there is the Server Edition if you need to run a Server of any kind available from
Ubuntu.com and selecting the Sever Edition.
I've now moved over to OpenSuse 11.2
