Has Ubuntu Replaced Windows on Your Box?

[Ken N9VV]

At first I thought someone was kidding with this question, or making 
a sour joke. But then I realized that they were serious. Here is my 
answer.

The simple answer is "NO". I am as disappointed as anyone could 
possibly be. I had great hopes for Linux, and Ubuntu in particular. 
I want to further the state of the art in electronics where Linux 
could be a tremendous ally in that effort. But, alas, Ubuntu (SuSe, 
Fedora, Kubuntu, Mepis, Knoppix, Xandros, and the menagerie from 
distrowatch) has failed me so often that I can not recommend it to 
anyone.

Yes, it is true that Linux has taken giant strides in the last 12 
months and has matured and stabilized in admirable leaps. However 
have you tried something simple like:
(a) find a graphical editor for menu.lst used by Grub?
(b) installed a new Dell with an ATI X600 video card?
(c) tried to dual boot a PC only to find that you have to figure out 
the "--root-directory=" command in grub-install.
(d) tried to get your ZyDAS WiFi zd1211b USB device working?
(e) looked for a trivial program that will import your bookmarks 
(from Firefox) and periodically watch the websites for changes?
(f) tried to play with comiz and the innovative 3d desktop?
(g) last week (August 1, 2006) I used Synaptic to get the latest 
updates and now my system will not successfully boot into Ubuntu 
without using the rescue option.
(h) tried to find a way to totally refresh my Ubuntu 6.06 LTC O/S 
while keeping my /home dir?

I admit that my Linux is experience wonderfully stimulating. Linux 
is indeed intriguing, but it is also frustratingly opaque, complex, 
arcane, and obscure. Yet is draws me like a powerful magnet with 
it's seductive promise of so much positive energy and obvious 
successful outcomes.

what a shame that Linux occupies 4 feet of bookshelf space in our 
Borders Bookstore where there are 7 double sided, 6ft high, shelves 
of Windoze books of all flavors and styles. A licensed copy of 
XP/PRO costs $195 and Linux is essentially free. M$ Vista will 
probably cost even more. Linux has been around 200% longer than 
windoze according to most Berkeley guys. But windoze has sadly, 
subsumed it.

Linux is has the heart of a lion and is the product of a 
collaborative community that exemplifies the spirit and values that 
I covet and admire. But where are the ease of use end results when I 
try items (a) through (h)?

So, no, Linux has not replaced my windoze partition. I continue to 
hold hope for the future.

  ken - Linux wanna-be