My problem with Ubuntu and Linux

fragos · 05-30-2006, 09:32 PM

Ubuntu is a great release for the basics and unlike SuSE, if its there it works. To keep thing simple install a 32 bit version even on a 64 bit machine. Then even Flash and Acrobat will work easily. Then come back here and we can take you to the level. Almost all Linux distros have some rough edges which may vary between distros.

reddazz · 05-31-2006, 03:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smiley_lauf

With due respect, redazz, I think the hype is justified that sets it apart from other distro's. Ubuntu forums are buzzying with freindly people ready to help (even the most noobie out there), and their documentation on HOWTO do things is unparalled. I have mentioned this beofre somewhere on this forum about this: even SUSE is not that complete when it comes to getting a simple HOWTO. It makes the mew commer feel at home to an almost alien OS. Ubuntu loves new comers. MEPIS is another, but their forums take a good 12 hours to get feedback. Don't even ask about SUSE, FC, or Mandriva. I have a thread posted on SUSE (Open) forum about 3 months ago, I have only gotten 1 reply (about 3 weeks late).

When I came to linux world, suse was the first distro I tried, (because of the hype it created, not Ubuntu (even though I knew about it for a long time), my saviour was this forum (LQ)[and you were there to help each time-I appreciate that), not SUSEforums. When I tried Ubuntu, I was so happy to see the wiki with evrything i needed from start to finish.

In short, Ubuntu hype is made by its users who get what they want when they want. Just my thoughts.

Thanks,
regards
SL

Most of Ubuntu's hype is not from the users, but from media. This is obviously due to good marketing, free discs and an overwhelming number of press releases from Canonical. Personally I don't really see anything unique about Ubuntu except that its a cut down version of Debian. I am not saying that its not technically good, but there are other distros out there that are better. Obviously not every distro will work for everyone, so its a good thing that we have a lot of choice in the OSS community.

As for forums, did you ask your questions in the dedicated Suse Linux forums (not the one on this site, google for suse+forum and you will find them). Obviously there are a lot more people in those external sites than the number of people in the LQ Suse forum. Same applies for Mandriva dedicated forums. The best Linux forum out there, excluding LQ is probably the fedora forum (fedoraforum.org). I have seen many individuals who are just as friendly as most of the LQ members and those in the Ubuntu forums.

Peter C · 05-31-2006, 04:43 AM

I would agree. Go to the forum run by each distribution you use or try and you are more likely to get your questions answered.

LQ is an informative site, but it's noticable that each of us has our favourite distributions. Those forum sites include poster's who have a common interest, that particular distribution.

smiley_lauf · 05-31-2006, 08:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by reddazz

Most of Ubuntu's hype is not from the users, but from media. This is obviously due to good marketing, free discs and an overwhelming number of press releases from Canonical. Personally I don't really see anything unique about Ubuntu except that its a cut down version of Debian. I am not saying that its not technically good, but there are other distros out there that are better. Obviously not every distro will work for everyone, so its a good thing that we have a lot of choice in the OSS community.

As for forums, did you ask your questions in the dedicated Suse Linux forums (not the one on this site, google for suse+forum and you will find them). Obviously there are a lot more people in those external sites than the number of people in the LQ Suse forum. Same applies for Mandriva dedicated forums. The best Linux forum out there, excluding LQ is probably the fedora forum (fedoraforum.org). I have seen many individuals who are just as friendly as most of the LQ members and those in the Ubuntu forums.

Fair, granted. Ubuntu does indeed have better press coverage.
As for forum support, I dug out my post of Jan 7th 2006: a testament that noobie questions get very little attention. Have a look at my post here http://www.suseforums.net/index.php?showtopic=19558&hl=

Note I was only 7 days old using Linux at that stage. I now have realised that Google (as always) is my friend, but surely, forums, is the place to start for the distro specific support, right?

This is not offend anyone or any forum, but in my experience, users make it worth your while to learn more about your distro of choice.

LQ, offers that service. And so does Ubuntu Forums. Turn around time: seconds, to the most few hours. Need to fix something, get the solution now, not few days or months later. Here is another testimonial: http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=184218

reddazz · 05-31-2006, 11:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smiley_lauf

Fair, granted. Ubuntu does indeed have better press coverage.
As for forum support, I dug out my post of Jan 7th 2006: a testament that noobie questions get very little attention. Have a look at my post here http://www.suseforums.net/index.php?showtopic=19558&hl=

Note I was only 7 days old using Linux at that stage. I now have realised that Google (as always) is my friend, but surely, forums, is the place to start for the distro specific support, right?

This is not offend anyone or any forum, but in my experience, users make it worth your while to learn more about your distro of choice.

LQ, offers that service. And so does Ubuntu Forums. Turn around time: seconds, to the most few hours. Need to fix something, get the solution now, not few days or months later.

I have looked at your question and its one of those that looks simple but is actually complicated, so maybe thats why nobody replied. There is a thread here that has a similar discussion. Also your question was not Suse specific, so I don't think you should have any hard feelings to the guys in the Suse forum. I have a few posts here that also look simple but were never replied to, but I still participate on this site.

fragos · 05-31-2006, 12:54 PM

The open source community needs the high quality of marketing that is associated with Ubuntu. Marketing didn't hurt Firefox, the results were stunning and open source as a whole benefited. The world has been brain washed by Microsoft. It takes more than a good technical solution to combat that. Perhaps its just me but the term "hype" has such negative connotation that its use regarding Ubuntu seems misplaced. Positive marketing is fine with me as long as its not a smoke screen with a heavy mix of objective falsehood.