Newbie Questions of a Different Kind November 10, 2005
Posted by Carthik in ubuntu.trackback
Responses on Learning about Ubuntu
Questions ranged from “is this really free?? to “you sure you install software like that?? to “and it took you half an hour to install all of this?? to “what is open source?? to “and it runs on your old P2 450??? to “and they sent you the cd’s for free?? to “and I can save to Word .doc format, right??…
I try to keep my linux-evangelism educational, but the questions above were too good – sometimes I am given to asking myself some of these in absolute wonder. Think of the man-hours put into it, think of the sheer impossibility of it all!
Ubuntu Blog 
Yea, that’s what I keep trying to remind people of as well. They make the assumption that it all just “is” without applying any other rational thought to why it just “is” – I had a similiar conversation recently about WordPress as well “you mean it’s free? but how did they develop it?”…
😉
Well, I have to admit, I am liking Ubuntu more and more every day. I have it installed on my second PC at home. I have it dual-booting with Mandriva, but I like Ubuntu better.
My installation didn’t complete flawlessly, but it works fine for now. I think I will have to re-download the install CD and burn a fresh copy. I think the CD may have been corrupt in some way. I’m a linux n00b, so if anything breaks during the install, I’m fucked, but what I am liking about Ubuntu so far is that everything installed (more or less) flawlessly (it recognized ALL of my hardware) and generally works fine. I like the software that it came with, and the other software that you can easily download and install. So far it has everything that I want or need. I’m still figuring stuff out, but I am generally pleased with it so far. The bonus for me is that my son has no interest in learning a new OS, so that means this computer is all mine!
I am stark new to linux, but as I keep playing around with ubuntu, I am liking it by the minute, just one complaint though, it didn’t recognise my internal modem.
Is there a way about it?
These are questions those of us that have been with Linux forget to ask ourselves on a regular basis. It is a wonder sometimes that all of the components that comprise Linux (any distribution) work together at all. While that symbiosis is often tenuous, Ubuntu does seem to provide the most cohesive desktop package I’ve seen in a while.
just got ubuntu downloaded. love the idea of giving bill the boot! just one prob. i can’t install any of my software from my cd-rom. maybe i don’t yet grasp all the new O/S lingo. can anyone help?
jaideep your internal modem may or may not work ever lol. you see its most likely what is referred to as a “winmodem” and support can be touchy for these pieces of crap under linux because well, no one wants to support them. your best bet is to search for linmodem not winmodem under google or try linuxant as they provide nonfree drivers to many conexant based modems with generic chipsets. i made mine work back in the days of redhat 7 or 6 but if you can get dsl or cable or even steal some wifi (my belkin wireless worked great with ubuntu hoary) then id look into that first because dial up is the devil, otherwise you may just think about searching for a linux compatible modem that is external from us robotics but theyre a bit silly as investements go you can pay 30-40 dollars for a decent wifi card or 30-40 for a decent network card and get some highspeed goodness going on. http://www.zeromod@linuxmail.org if you want some help
janasstar: You’re going to want to try a better source for help. Try the Ubuntu forums:
http://www.ubuntuforums.org/forumdisplay.php?f=94
I can tell you now that you might be able to solve your problem by hitting DEL when your computer starts up (it should say “Hit DEL to view BIOS” or something like that. Just hit whatever key it wants to get into BIOS. This is where you can change some basic settings (so be careful). Look for something that says Boot Order (you probably have to go into a menu). You want to change your boot order so that CD-ROM is first. (Boot means start up your computer.) So there might be a list “A, C, CDROM” or something like that and you want to change that until CDROM comes first.
If you make a change, make sure you note the original value so you can always set it back to what it was before.
For more, check out the forum.
-kalos
Can I ask another n00b question: I know that writing to an NTFS disk with Linux can screw the disc completely, but does this apply to separate partitions on the non-boot drive. What I mean is, that I have a WinXP Sony VAIO, but I also have an external hard drive (160Gb) which I was thinking of partitioning into a 40Gb Ubuntu partition, a 10Gb FAT32 partition (for sharing files between Doze and Linux) and a 110Gb NTFS partition (for storing my Windows games, downloads etc.). Will this work (and is it possible to tell Ubuntu to NOT mount the NTFS partitions (ie the 40Gb one on my external drive and the internal HD on my laptop) at all so that I am guaranteed there will be no screwiness?
David,
I’m pretty sure Ubuntu by default does not mount NTFS partitions on internal drives at all.
As for your external disk, does it have any unpartitioned space? If it does then it’s really easy to add linux and vfat (virtual fat) partitions to it from Ubuntu itself.
If not, then u’d need to boot from a Knoppix 4.02 livecd and use the QTparted program on the livecd to resize your large NTFS partition into a smaller one to make space for more partitions. I’ve done that before myself and my windows XP still boots fine with my data intact. Just google for “ntfs resize” and click “i’m eeling lucky” for the details.
But were you thinking of running Ubuntu off the external hard drive? That might be abit tricky, I’ve never done it before.
But I would recommend backing up your data to the external HD and then resizing your laptop HD partition with QTparted from the Knoppix 4.02 livecd to make room for Ubuntu. 10-15 gigs should be enough to play with, but of course the more the merrier.
Hope this helps some.
PS. I’m a recent Ubuntu convert (in the office); played around with Gentoo on AMD64 at the office before, but still using only MS at home (to change once I free up enough disk space). Blown away by how ubuntu *just works* from the default install.
If you make a change, make sure you note the original value so you can always set it back to what it was before.
If not, then u’d need to boot from a Knoppix 4.02 livecd and use the QTparted program on the livecd to resize your large NTFS partition into a smaller one to make space for more partitions. I’ve done that before myself and my windows XP still boots fine with my data intact. Just google for “ntfs resize” and click “i’m eeling lucky” for the details.