Ubuntu Users' Stories
Below you will find Ubuntu Stories submited by people all around the World. Most of them are in english, but we are also allowing other langauges.
If you want to contribute add your own story, help us to make this page more popular by telling your friends, posting it on your blog, digging it (etc), or contact us at ubuntustory@centrologic.com if you are able to translate it to your native language.
Who is using Ubuntu?
Check out who and why is using Ubuntu Linux. Read the stories below.
Chris, Highschool Student
Ubuntu has changed my computer experience for ever. Now I can use my computer for what I want to do and not a big company wants me to do. I've advanced so far into computers just by using Ubuntu. You become more active as a person in the community and discover a whole new family of people that share common interests like you do. Overall Ubuntu is a godsend and I think everyone should try it at least once.
I started using Ubuntu half a year go right after Gutsy Gibbon came out, now I can edit my computer as i wish
Michael, Student
The first Linux distro I discovered was Ubuntu, and I didn't even know what it was, but when I booted it up, I had this great feeling that it would work.
Before I discovered Linux, I had Windows XP on a fairly old computer: 1GHz AMD Duron with 512 MB of memory. It ran pretty well. I was impressed. Too bad it didn't support desktop effects (also known as "Compiz Fusion") because the graphics card was the worst ever! Ubuntu hardly ever crashes, and when it does, it's normally easy to recover. Ctrl-Alt-Backspace restarts the X server (the GUI) so you get back to the login screen.
The community is great :) The Ubuntu Forums are very welcoming and the people there are very kind and helpful. Questions are answered quickly. Much quicker than any Windows one.
The Ubuntu devs have done a great job with the new release "Hardy Heron". Congratulations!
emmerc, Church Pastor / PhD Student
My experience with Ubuntu begins late 2004 when after using Windows for about 14 years I got a blue screen which told me my clone's hard drive was death. I tried to reinstall WinXp SP2 several times only to realize not only my HDD but also my clone's memory had physical damage. I really needed this machine for writing my papers because I was in the middle of my semester (PhD Program). Then a friend of mine spoke me about Ubuntu. I had no money to repair my machine so I took the plunge and I installed Ubuntu 5.04. Few weeks later my laptop's hard drive fail so I did the same: I installed Ubuntu 5.04 in two machines which had broken hard drives and I was able to fully use them at full throttle for six months until I was able to buy the hard drives and memory for the clone and the laptop.
Almost four years later, my clone works in dual boot WinXP/Ubuntu. I need WinXP to run Bible Works 7 and other biblical software I haven't got the way to run properly in Linux. During that time I have share Ubuntu and several of my friend are using Ubuntu in their machines either in dual boot or in exclusive mode.
Ubuntu has made me almost a linux geek. I knew nothing about linux for years ago and nowadays I am able to do almost any kind of ubuntu installation and/or teewk. I really like to play with Ubuntu and I enjoy working in Ubuntu while the windows twist and fly throught my machine's screen. Now I find Windows just boring.
Ubuntu has run so stable in my machine that I even forgot my root password because I have not use it for a long time! Can you image? Anyhow, I like Ubuntu, I enjoy Ubuntu!
Some of my friend are buying brand new machines which come with WinVista and now I am sharing Ubuntu with them! Enjoy it!!!!!!
Alex Shearn, Student
The first time I tried ubuntu was way back in 2005 - I'd just inherited my first laptop, and it was an old Sony Vaio. It was pretty basic - 640Mhz, 256Mb RAM, 10gb HD. My dad (who's an IT teacher) suggested this thing called Linux, so I started some research. I came across Ubuntu as a new and up-and-coming distro, so I downloaded the livecd, and gave it a whirl. Unfortunately, it wouldn't run on my low-spec lappy, so I got some more ram, and finally it installed almost perfectly.
My first release was Breezy Badger, so everything was a bit more complicated than it is now - it took me about 2 weeks to get the wireless card to work! However, the sturdy little laptop served me well for the 3 years until I got my new one just last week.
The first thing I did with that new one was to fire up the new Hardy release, and I was amazed at just how well everything worked out-of-the box. After installing, instead of trying to struggle with my wireless card, I simply clicked a few menu buttons, and poof! It just worked. Thats not to say that the install goes perfectly for everyone, but the forums are so well supported - the community that ubuntu has is just fantastic.
I've sinced moved on to trying archlinux, but I still come to the ubuntu forums for support! The atmosphere (as far as an online forum can have one) is always so supportive and helpful. I seriously recommend trying it out - the live disc won't hurt your windows or mac install at all, and its a great way to get into Linux. Soon you'll be leaving windows behind!
Mackenzie, Computer Science Student
I started using Ubuntu to learn what other options are out there besides Windows and OSX. I've learned the answer is "A LOT." I love how I can customize Ubuntu to work I want it to work. I can't do that on Windows or Mac OS. There are options Ubuntu has that I think make me more efficient, and I just can't work without them anymore. It makes using Windows or OSX incredibly annoying that those options are missing. I just feel too restricted in those other OSes.
Sense Hofstede, Student
I was looking for a good operating system for my slow third hand computer, because Windows ran terribly slow on it. My brother tried Knoppix, which is a LiveCD that can also be installed on your harddisk. I tried Debian but I couldn't get out of the console. It turned out that the desktop wasn't installed, but I couldn't figure a way to get it working. That was probably because I lacked a lot of experience with Linux.
Then I found out that Ubuntu shipped free CDs! I immediately ordered a copy of Ubuntu 5.10, Breezy Badger. It installed quite well and I can't think of any big problems. I was really happy with this system, which worked really fast and good.
When I got a new computer, which should be able to run Windows quite well, I didn't buy a copy of Windows but kept using Ubuntu. I was completely into Ubuntu and already thought that it was better than Windows.
Now I'm still using it, got my father and brother to use it and am helping with Ubuntu. The community is just great and I'm glad to be a part of it. I'm still amazed that so many good programs are really free. Free as in beer and free as in speech.
António Pedro, Medicine Student
I first installed Ubuntu on a VM under Windows because I've always had that funny feeling that I should get to understand the inner-workings of a system (which wasn't possible with windows). However, the computer wasn't only mine, and I could install ubuntu just like that, because there would be consequences...
However, I found VMs frustrating and one day, I finally installed ubuntu side-by-side with Windows XP. From that day, Ubuntu remained on that PC for a couple of years, and I installed it too, when I got a laptop (been using it since Dapper).
Even though I have now switched to ArchLinux, I cannot forget all I have learned while using ubuntu. I always recommend it to everyone who asks me which distro is the best for starting up. And even for regular linux users, and even some geeks :p
Ubuntu is the "just works" distro of Linux, IMHO
(There are some reasons why I prefer Arch over it, but that's not really the point)
Stéphane, Student
I switched to Ubuntu Linux about one year ago now. Since this moment, I never enjoyed computing that much. Working with a stable, virus-free system is very, very relaxing. If you like playing a bit with you computer, you'll discover that Ubuntu, and all other Linux distributions, are so powerful you won't believe it :). The download button is up there.
nilux, computer tech, sound engineer
I've switched to Ubuntu being sick of the general quality and unstability of Microsoft products, unescapable vendor lock-in and absence of ethics of Microsoft and Apple.
With Ubuntu and free software in general, I have found what I needed and thought was lacking in computing : humanity and freedom.
My passion in computing has come back, and I can now say that if I earn my living being a computer tech, it is thanks to Free software like Ubuntu.
Pablo Gustavo Chiodo, SupplyChain & logistics manager / IT&IS manager
Years ago tired of using MS Windows, I decided to try several flavors of linux, at the end I decided ubuntu v 6.06. Now at home my wife use ubuntu too. My sister and his son use ubuntu too. And all are really happy with the experience and the freedom it gives us. Our notebooks are also ubuntu, and at work my notebook is fully ubuntu and runs XP under virtualbox. Moving away from Ms Windows has been for us one of the best choices we made.
lwolfc, Biomedical Equipment Technician
I got so tired of re-installing Winders at work and at home that I started looking into other options. At first I purchased a Mac, then ran Linspire on a PC which was not inexpensive either, then SuSe Linux. I read about Ubuntu, tried it and now use it almost exclusively for all apps. Surfing with Firefox is a breeze and though I can dual boot into XP, I very rarely boot into it, cause there's no need. Ubuntu is so easy to configure the way I want, almost as easy as a Mac, BUT the cost is nearly nil.
Rey Angeles, Web Developer/Graphics Designer
I started using Ubuntu about 1yr half ago and realized that I was actually using my pc more productively than when it had windows installed. For some reason I just can't use windows anymore, Ubuntu has all the applications that I need. Office, Graphics software, Programming IDEs and much more even video editing and music tools. I tell you if you keep paying the microsoft tax you are a fool. Go ahead and try it after all it is free, besides if it does not work for you then you can do a fresh re-install of windows your probably overdue. :p :) Oh and if you live in the state of florida check out the Florida Loco Team (http://florida.ubuntu-us.org) or visit the IRC chat channel #ubuntu-florida.
Jerzy, Clerk
I was very dissapointed with unstable modem in my XP. My friend told me about Ubuntu and I wanted to learn something about Linux. So I've started with Ubuntu 7.04 and I've spent few days reading forums about tweaing it. Now my Ubuntu 7.10 is working very smoothly and I have all tools I need. And with Compiz sitting in front of the computer is just fun.
I really apreciate efforts of people who keep the Ubuntu project flourishing and give others the choice.
Marlxx, Business Owner
I've been playing around with Linux since 1997, using many different distributions (Slackware, Fedora, Mandrake, SuSE), even going to the point of setting up highly customized versions for my personal use. I had stopped using Linux except for playing around, since most of my work requires highly proprietary programs for control systems, which only run on Windows 2000/XP. About 3 months ago, both me and my partner had somewhat spectacular crashes of both our machines. In the process of restoring both our laptops, we decided that a better method of data retention was necessary (since I lost some data on an external HDD I had used to back up). We bought and built a nice server, and I decided that Ubuntu 7.10 was going to be the operating system. Now all our financials, projects, and other data is backed up automatically from remote locations using Bacula (another great product), and have a nice VPN working for us.
I couldn't be happier with Ubuntu. The system is robust, easy to use, and most of all, open source. I have already shown what is possible to a few friends of mine, and one even is having me build a server for him, of course running Ubuntu.
Andrew, Fix Windows boxes for a large fee!
Windows Operating Systems are my bread and butter. But whenever a customer asks me what version of Windows I use (usually asking if I recommend Vista) I tell them that I don't use Windows anymore; I use Linux.
I first got interested in Linux in general, and Ubuntu in particular while volunteering my services to a local group. They wanted to set up a computer lab but had zero money. All they had were three ancient PCs with Windows ME installed on the that were donated by a local company.
Needless to say, Windows ME would not do. But they couldn't afford Windows licenses and I doubt those PCs could handle XP anyway. So, I started researching alternatives.
I had heard of Linux before, but hadn't really paid much attention to it. But my old friend Google taught me the error of my ways.
I installed Ubuntu 6.06 on two of the computers and Xubuntu 6.06 on the third as it was so old that Gnome was killing it. I was so impressed by Ubuntu that I downloaded Ubuntu 7.04 (the then latest and greatest) and started playing with it ina virtual machine.
Then, as in all untenable situations, I reached a tipping point: Microsoft was caught pushing "updates" to XP even if automatic updates were turned off. Upon reading about that, I stuck my Ubuntu CD in the drive and rebooted and haven't looked back. SUre, I still have Windows installed, but only so I can reproduce errors and test software for my Windows-using clientele.
Just the other day I upgraded to 8.04. Unlike certain other OS's, Ubuntu only goes 6 months between major versions, not 6 years :)
John, High School Student
Roughly a year and two months ago, I began a download. The most obscure sentence you've ever heard? Yes. But it was no ordinary download, if you'd pardon the cliche. I was downloading Ubuntu 6.10, so I could burn it to a CD-ROM... all on my own.
Compared to an average 14 year-old, I was somewhat knowledgeable with computers, but I had an idea how things worked, so I was a fast problem-solver. I began toying with Linux first, when I heard about iPodLinux. It was fantastic, I loved it, and I eventually figured everything out and considered my walk with iPodLinux complete, and I lost interest. I saw desktop Linux as the next hurdle, and, seeing that my friend was interested with computers and having trouble with the drivers for his sound card in Windows, I figured I'd see how hard the learning curve was by burning my friend a Ubuntu installation CD as a birthday gift.
I wasted 5 CD's trying... Me and the software made our collective errors, but eventually, things seemed to work smoothly. I gave the CD to my friend, and it didn't work, but it got him thinking and he ordered one from ShipIt. I tried the CD on my home computer, and it ended up booting flawlessly. I tried it out, and that night, I installed.
To sum things up, it was fantastic. I would spend 3 hours at a time figuring things out... and at the end of it all, a year later, I had taught myself C, had in-depth knowledge of the inner-workings of the filesystem, and was adept at using the command-line and making Bash scripts. Best decision ever. And to top it all off, my desktop looked fantastic... complete with Compiz, an AWN-beta that mimicked Leopard's dock, a custom made icon set (assembled and named by myself using other's icons), and custom made panel skins and volume icons made by me using The GIMP and Inkscape. I was the type of Ubuntu user who would go straight to Synaptic, and never once would consider Add/Remove. (Sorry if I'm bragging... they were good times)
Then my monitor broke, and Ubuntu has no driver's to recognize the old 1024x768 CRT monitor I'm using to replace it, and maxes the resolution at 640x480. So I've been using Windows for the past few months.
My friend received the CD's a couple of months later, and absolutely loved Ubuntu as well. He told his dad, and it turns out his father had been running a Red-Hat server for the past few years.
That's muh storeh.
Morgan, Student
Ubuntu is an amazing operating system. When my desktop running Windows got a virus and wouldn't boot, I installed Ubuntu. Installation was quick and easy. This computer now runs Apache, phpBB3, and a rocking Armagetron Advanced Server.
Martin, Software Architect & Businessman
I've been using Linux since 1997. I remember those old, good days when I learned Slackware and how to write programs in C. Then, about 1998 I switched to Red Hat and stayed until the version 9. Now I'm using the latest Fedora.
That's great, but from 2 years I'm observing the ubuntu distribution and it's community. I think Ubuntu is the greatest distro I've ever seen and right now I'm considering to switch one more time. This time from Fedora/CentOS to Ubuntu.
Sven Katesh, High School Student
When I first started reading about Ubuntu, I wondered what Linux was like. I was braced for a difficult to use, command-line interface. Guess what: Ubuntu was nothing like that. For the past year and a half, I've been using Ubuntu Linux...consistently. It's a merger of two worlds: the nontechnical and the extremely technical. Ubuntu has something for everyone; regardless of what you do, or what you plan on using it for. Simply the best distro out there.
><)))*>, Student
OK, long story short. I have been using GNU/Linux for about 7 years now.
First there was Red Hat and Mandrake, that was for a start in times when I used dual boot with Windows - I used to play a lot of games back then. I also had Debian and S.U.S.E. for a while, and quickly switched to Slackware which stayed with me for a couple of years. I remember that back then this distro was *the best* for me and I have said that I would never change it to any other distro...
... until Gentoo came :) Then there was the same situation as with Slackware - "One and only, till the end of times". In those past 7 years I also had some UNIX systems, reviewed again the distros I had before, used Knoppix, Backtrack and I guess at least a few others which I currently can't remember.
I am old now ;-) I have seen almost everything and I think I am quite fluent in *nix systems, and I have to tell You after years of research: Ubuntu is definitely the best choice whether You are a beginner looking for an easy Windows replacement, or a lazy pr0 ;-) I love the idea of having the best applications out of the box for every possible day to day tasks, and the thing that everything works great. I love the big community, lots of software in repositories, strong & stable distro position through Canonical management.
Oh, one more thing. I am using OSS because it is better in general, not because it is cheaper/free.
Share Your story
Please tell us why are You using Ubuntu. Share Your story!