Has Ubuntu Replaced Windows on Your Box?

[mcewanbr]

So here goes my ubuntu testimonial...



I am a systems admin for a primarily Windows shop.  I have a
heterogenous background where it comes to OS's, but I love *nix.



I have looked at various flavors of linux to use as a workstation but
got frustrated with how much work I had to go through to get everything
working.  From one end of the spectrum, Gentoo (which I still have a
place in my heart for [i love emerge!]) to SUSE et al.



As I started administering Windows boxes more and more, I never thought
I would never be able to go back to a linux workstation, unitl Ubuntu.



I have a Dell Latitude D620.  I never spec'd the hardware to match up
with any flavor of linux because I was just going to run windows on it.
However, it has nvidia graphics, core duo, broadcom ethernet, wireless,
sata drive & dvd rw.  All of which worked without any configuration with
Ubuntu.  Okay, I lied.  I had to apt-get the SMP kernel.  Less than a
minute later and one reboot, I had both processors working.



I now use this as my production laptop.  With great thanks to
tsclient/rdesktop, I am able to rdp into my windows servers and
administer them.  SMB works awesome where I can mount a windows share
to the filesystem or browse it through nautilus.  I have a vmware
virtual machine of winxp pro just in case I need windows right away and
don't have a windows box to rdp into (I have never had to use this
yet!).  I can vpn into my corporate network (we have a juniper
ssl/vpn).  I use fluxbox because it's lightweight with gnome tools.  I
am in heaven!  I am even converting my IT dept to using ubuntu on their
production systems.  'Here's' (http://themcewans.net/Screenshot-1.png) a
picture of my desktop if you are curious.



Linux does have it's limitations, primarily with hardware vendors not
willing to aid with driver development but even then, the limitations
are growing smaller and smaller.  Don't throw the baby out with the
bath water, you can make it work!


-- 
mcewanbr