My Story: My transition to Ubuntu
I am a student majoring in Information Systems, so I have to understand every possible aspect of computers. However, when it comes to Linux, it was more of a coincidence...
Written by Rafal Florczak
My story started with an over-enthusiastic love of learning new computer skills. I am a student majoring in Information Systems, so I have to understand every possible aspect of computers. However, when it comes to Linux, it was more of a coincidence. I help my aunts, uncles and their friends with computers as they don't know much at all. In this case, I was asked to recover some pictures from a damaged hard drive. I've never done that before, but I decided to try anyway since I had nothing to lose. I googled some recovery techniques and I liked one in particular that used the Knoppix live CD. Knoppix worked perfectly and I was able to recover the files easily.
Right away I decided to research Linux. I was surprized by the simplicity of use. I was one of the many Windows users turning down Linux because of its complex interface. I chose Ubuntu because of the amazing community which gave me all the necessary answers within minutes. I encountered some trouble but it wasn't as hard as I expected it to be. Like many users, I enjoyed the simplicity of the system. It has all the necessary programs that I use except for a few that I have to use for school work. I really wanted, however, to install Ubuntu on my computer, seeing how fast and reliable it was and also because of my enthusiasm. As I searched more I decided to try a dual boot setup. It was a perfect plan for me as my Windows eventually became full of unwanted stuff. I expected the installation to be slightly more tricky, but instead it was flawless. That's when I really started to explore Ubuntu. I installed many different programs and customized my desktop. I absolutely loved it! Of course as a new user I encountered many problems and I have to admit I was really frustrated from time to time when I got stuck. It could sometimes take a long time to find a solution. But, when I finally solved those problems I felt good and I knew I had learned something new. The more I learned the more I wanted to know so I joined Ubuntu Forums in order to learn and get help, but also to give help to those who need it.
I started with Ubuntu 6.10 and as I learned more I couldn't wait for the new release. I spent the whole night talking to others on the forum awaiting the Feisty Fawn release. Once again, installation was flawless and within a few days I had my system running and customized the way I like it.
May Ubuntu be with you!
