I hear Ubuntu is both user-friendly AND customizable. By contrast Xandros has a reputation for simplicity…why??? It's software-download library doesn't work without upgrades, and it doesn't seem to contain ANY popular shells, so unless you're a real GURU (as opposed to the newbies they market to), good luck installing anything through the command-line! (I couldn't, and I did so on Mandrake before, and Gentoo and Knoppix since!)

It started with the standard frustration of not being able to control the "Windoze" in my own computer to my liking, then the nefarious security updates that still do not make the system adequate compared to other systems out-of-the-box (Linux, Apple/MacIntosh). Windows fanatics always say it's "only a matter of time" before there are real viruses on Linux…but they've said that for years and it hasn't happened! Besides, WOULD YOU BUY A CAR YOU KNOW HAS FAILING BRAKES, DEFECTIVE AIRBAGS, AND TIRES THAT WILL BLOW OUT ANY MINUTE, INSTEAD OF THE CAR THAT HAS ALWAYS HAD A *PERFECT* SAFETY RATING, ON THE THEORY THAT SOME DAY, SOMETHING MIGHT ACTUALLY GO WRONG? (Egads!)

Now, with the Sony rootkit and Windows spyware, it's forcing me to switch no matter how busy I am…like, NOW!!!…or I'd like it to be *NOW*, but besides needing to use Windows for certification/job training & qualification/other needs, I can't afford to be stuck without accessing my data for the few hours I am home while I work out a problem. I'm halfway there, got all my files copied to FAT/FAT32, with the OS on NTFS. I guess I'll keep the unpatched Windows and never use it while connected to the Internet after I make sure whatever Linux I end up with can access evreything…my other computer can be more of a *lab* for a custom install of Gentoo, when I have the time to deal with it.

By the way, THE MICROSOFT CERTIFICATION BOOKS *LIE* WHEN THEY SAY YOU CAN'T CONTROL PERMISSIONS ON FAT/FAT32 FOR INDIVIDUAL FILES AND FOLDERS…yes you can, though you loose a "little bit" of functionality, it's not a lot, not enough to matter outside a corporte envrionment. I can control it enough to secure my system (as secure as Windows can ever be) and still allow my webserver and database access.

And no, I don't have a *live* (production) webserver on an unpatched Windows (who do you think I am, Larry of "The Three Stooges"?), it's just for development. My *Linux Lab* will eventually become my server, this computer here is a better machine, I'll eventually use it to transfer all my videotapes to DVD and do all sorts of fun media stuff…so maybe I'll always have different versions of Linux, too.

It's time for your daily dose of nerd.
Ubuntu Linux has picked up two very high-profile users:
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