Ubuntu 6.10 User Again

My Linux history is one that started back in 2003, when I came to college and took my first computer class. I was introduced to Red Hat Linux 8.0, the gnome desktop, and the wondrous world of RPMs. After Red Hat is was a slow creep towards Linux. I stayed with the Red Hat until it went enterprise, then switched to Fedora Core 2, 4. I begin to test various other types of Linux as well like Knoppix, DSL (Damn Small Linux), openSuSE 9.2, College Linux, Debian, and one called Ubuntu 4.10 the Warty Warthog.

Ubuntu then was a little rougher on the edges but I waited for Ubuntu 5.10 Breezy Badger before I implemented the test to see if I could use Linux as a student in college in a TSM major. Many of my classes required Windows software to used like Microsoft Project Professional, Microsoft Visio, Microsoft Access. I could not at the time completely convert. I worked with an old laptop that was hanging around work and used it in class to take notes on I wish Docs and Spreadsheets had been out back then. I survived about 3 months on taking notes like this and transferring files from my Thumb Drive to my Windows XP laptop. After I gotten through those classes I began to discover virtualization which was my semi answer to converting all the way to Linux. Qemu was my first choice to try Windows on Linux Ubuntu did handle Qemu but the problem was speed and Windows XP didn't handle very well. I then tried out VMware Server (free version) this worked rather well.

I got into another class that was using Fedora Core 5, I decided to switch my distro once again to Fedora Core. Instantly I missed the sweet speed of apt, the ease of synaptic, and just the overall feel of Ubuntu. I quickly switched to Ubuntu 6.06 later on. I found myself wanting to use wireless more and more and Ubuntu 6.06 did the job for a while but with some of the problems I faced I found myself switching from Fedoara Core 6, OpenSuse 10.2 (excellent), Mepis, PCLinuxOS, LinuxMint 2.1 (very good play off of Ubuntu), and then I found myself back at Ubuntu 6.10.

I will admit I have gotten frustrated at times with Linux especially Ubuntu with some driver issues on my wireless card, compiling errors, or just wishing I had the multimedia working with all formats like Linux Mint. I slowly but surely learned the ropes of adding the Third Party repos, and really truly being a Linux user. I am glad to be back with Ubuntu 6.10 and I can't wait for Ubuntu 7.04 it looks very promising.

I still dual boot Windows XP and Ubuntu 6.10 but I long for the day when the VMware Workstation gets so fast I will not have to.