Kubuntu Review

After testing and reviewing Ubuntu it was a refreshing and pleasant experience getting into Kubuntu.  It was nicely laid out for easy access to pretty much anything I needed.  Kubuntu was indeed user friendly and was a good representation of their slogan; Kubuntu - the GNU/Linux distribution for everyone.

While Kubuntu is still sponsored by Canonical Ltd, they are made up of developers, programmers, and a community who volunteer their time.  Much like Debian these are people that work hard to bring open-source software to the world.  On the flip-side they work very closely with the Ubuntu team to release their products on the same day.  While I saw instability in Ubuntu, I did not see those same instability issues in Kubuntu.  There were no freezing or slow to start issues that I saw.

The desktop environment in Kubuntu is KDE, which is extremely easy to use.  The ability to personalize your desktop with the ease of finding programs quickly is a breath of fresh air compared to Unity and Gnome.  While I personally am not a widget fan I do like that they offer them as a way to easily glance at information you need.

As I mentioned in previous reviews; having a software center installed with the distribution makes it easy to locate and install programs that a user would need to go about their daily lives.  Like most distribution, Kubuntu offers many of the programs that an average user would need.  Mixed with the ease of categories offered by KDE the average user would easily be able to log in and use the computer with little to no issues.

With Kubuntu being a derivative of Ubuntu, it would be a likely assumption that it came with Zeitgeist installed.  Good news, Zeitgeist is not installed in Kubuntu.  As previously mentioned in my Ubuntu 14.04 review, Zeitgeist is a program that logs your keystrokes and sends them back to whatever company requested them.  Ubuntu comes with this program installed, but thankfully Kubuntu does not. Which means you are free to search anything you would like without having the eyes of big brother looking over your shoulder.

Overall, Kubuntu was a very nice Linux distribution. It was easy to use, easy to understand, and stable enough for the needs of an average user.  I would recommend it as a good choice in a distribution.  If you would like to try Kubuntu or learn even more about the distribution or the community please visit their website.

Debian Wheezy Programs

And the final section of my exploration through Debian Wheezy is the programs.  By the end of this section you will see what is available upon install and how to get other programs based on your needs.

Go ahead and click on Activities and then Applications.

The Linux Leap

"I don't want to switch to Linux because I use Microsoft Office and I can't use it on Linux."
"I don't want to switch to Linux because I wouldn't know how to get on the internet with it."
"I don't want to switch to Linux because I use Photoshop."
"I don't want to switch to Linux because I would have to use the command line all the time."
"I don't want to switch to Linux because software is harder to find."
"I don't want to switch to Linux because I fear change."

Yep, all the normal excuses for not switching to Linux.  I'm not coming down on anyone for not making the switch because of these excuses.  I had the same excuses at one point. So I will tell you the little story about how it was that I finally made the switch from Windows 7 to Linux.

I had used Windows my entire life, tried Mac a handful of times, decided that Windows was the operating system that I liked.  After about five crashes with Windows I started just uploading and storing everything on cloud storage.  Stopped using Microsoft products except for the occasional quick letter that was being printed or emailed.  My laptop became just a place to access the internet so I could get to my files.

When my boyfriend started telling me about some of the things Linux allowed you to do and all the great perks to changing I got really interested.  Anti-virus becomes a thing of the past, programs that are capable of being compatible with proprietary programs (i.e. Microsoft Office) and the many many many people within the Linux community.  Of all the communities I have interacted with the Linux community is truly amazing.  Fixes, open-source, education, and the general attitude of other Linux users is unrivaled by any other community.

So upon deciding to try out Linux my boyfriend loaded Linux Mint 16 XFCE 64 bit onto a thumb drive so I could test it out. Within minutes of loading I felt a rush of excitement.  Within one hour of playing I proclaimed with much excitement "Why would anyone NOT use Linux?" I made the switch, that night.  I backed up what little I had to back up from the Windows 7 operating system and did a full on switch; wiping out Windows and fully loading Linux onto my laptop.

Since the switch, I have spent some time diving into the world of Linux.  Learning about the command line, different programs, different distributions and much more.  There is a never ending wealth of knowledge that comes with the switch to Linux, which for me is fantastic!  Plus the noticeable difference in how my laptop runs is awesome.  Running updates alone is incredibly easy, I'll dive into how to do this in a later post but essentially it's type a command in the command line, run the updates get out of your command line and continue working while the work is handled in the background. Sitting for up to 30 minutes waiting to use your computer again is now a thing of the past.

If you have thought about making the switch I would highly recommend at least trying it.  Boot off of a thumb drive or CD and just play for a little while. While I have immediate help at my fingertips (le boyfriend) you may not, so take your time and get to know Linux.  You will fall in love with all the things that are available with it.  Trust me, I'm on the internet.  They wouldn't let me post this if it weren't true.