i am new to LINUX.UBUNTU - i had it installed on an older TOSHIBA Satellite A35-S159

first, i know that i am using an older platform (10? something) but don't know how to find out which -

next, it is telling me that i am using an out-of-date firefox browser, but i cannot figure out how to upgrade that either

also, i cannot figure out how to download AVAST (my fave antivirus) . . .

please help me get started with expanding my learning curve with this - i have really heard some good things about LINUX.UBUNTU from some friends who use it, and since adding it (i had my tech delete all Windows programs) the speed of the laptop is red-hot!

my major issue is that i don't "speak" computer, so please talk to me in VERY NOVICE terms

please help me learn - - - contact me on email if necessary

I'm not sure how you get the distribution info from the command line but no doubt you don't want to delve into the internal workings of Linux to that sort of depth just now, so...

Go to the start menu icon at the bottom left (the Ubuntu logo) then go to <system> <Administration> and select System Monitor. Under the System monitor tab it should telll you which System you are running, possibly:

Ubuntu
Release 10.04 (lucid)
Kernel Linux 2.6.32-55-generic
GNOME 2.30.2

Something like that. (That's what my EEPC netbook's running)

Does the firefox browser not have an update link? Linux usually will have the Update manager tell you you have a load of things which need updated; libraries, applications including Firefox and new kernels. The update manager will be in the "task bar" when it wants to let you know there are updates available. Click on it, it'll ask for your password to proceed, that's the one you used to log into your account.

As for AVAST, which my wife uses on her Windows machine... You don't need an antivirus program in Linux as most viruses are written for Windows. Linux is not suceptable to Windows malware and viruses are extremely rare. (This is probably one of the reasons you are noticing a speed improvement in your machine; no antivirus overhead! )

Anyway... Welcome to Linux Questions and have a great time!

Play Bonny!

Execute the following in the terminal.

That will tell you which version of Ubuntu you're using.

Before performing any kind of upgrade you should backup all of your files. Ubuntu comes with the software center. You can use that to upgrade your software. If you rather you can upgrade the packages on your system from the terminal.

That will only upgrade the packages of your version of the OS. It will not do a distro upgrade (i.e. will NOT upgrade from Ubuntu 10.04 to Ubuntu 12.04). If you want to do a distro upgrade then I'll wait until I see what version of Ubuntu you're running before I explain what you should do.

According to the Avast website they only offer Avast for Linux servers. See the Home tab and the Business tab of their homepage. It's only listed under the Business tab for Servers. So you should pick an antivirus that is geared towards home desktop use or just not use an antivirus for now. You can check out alternative antivirus in the Ubuntu wiki. Please note the wiki appears to be out of date because there's apparently no longer a home version of Avast for Linux. If in doubt email the folks at Avast and ask them.

There's no need to communicate through email. The Linux forums here is the most appropriate form of communication because then other users who have the same questions as you will benefit from the answers in this thread.

For help with Ubuntu check out the free Ubuntu manual for beginners.

1 members found this post helpful.