Note: I did not run Ubuntu in virtualization. I
completely wiped the hard drive on my first generation MacBook
Pro to install Ubuntu 10.04 Lucid
Lynx. All images accompanying this article have been reduced to
half of their original 1440 x 900 pixel size.
With the release of Ubuntu 10.04, Canonical has further blurred the
line between another bland update to Linux and delivered a real option
to those users wanting something more than Windows and more flexible
than Mac OS X.
Appearance
As the cliché saying goes: "Don't judge a book by it's
cover." Well, Lucid Lynx is positively gorgeous, rivaling even
OS X in it's look and feel.
Ubuntu 10.04 by default uses the "Ambiance" theme, a very "Mac-like"
theme that resembles Aqua. The desktop environment is still GNOME, but by combining some
slicker window colors and the button placement to the left side of the
window, the only thing missing is a true Dock to recreate the Mac
experience.
The Ubuntu 10.04 Lucid Lynx default desktop.
While the theme is a great improvement over every previous Ubuntu
release, the look just seems to copy far too much of the Mac's style. I
think the style change is the right direction for Ubuntu, but I would
like to see the designers tweak it for the next release to have its own
look and feel.
Desktop and File Management
Oddly, I could not create folders using the Control or
Command key to get a contextual menu. This occurred on both the
desktop and within folders. The only way I could create new folders or
get info was from the folder options.
This also means I could not change the properties of the folders
easily (such as putting a lock on a folder).
The File Browser in Ubuntu 10.04.
Battery Use
Under Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger,
I could get around 3 to 3.5 hours out of my battery, as long as I
wasn't running too many programs or accessing optical media.
With Ubuntu, I get around 2 hours. I'm not sure why I lose a whole
hour, but it is definitely a factor that makes me reconsider using
Ubuntu full-time. I've adjusted the battery management settings, but I
can't seem to break the two hour mark. And, as far as I can tell, I
have no way to reduce processor use to save power.
Software Management
It's no secret that Linux has some amazing choices in software -
most of it free. Whether you want video editing, photo management, or
office software, you'll have countless choices.
The Ubuntu Software Center.
The 10.04 release of Ubuntu introduces a new way to get this
software through the Ubuntu Software Center. Previous releases made it
easy to find the software you wanted to download, and 10.04 makes it
even easier. Simply load the Software Center and begin browsing through
available software to download via the different categories.
Installation is easy and similar to OS X: Choose the software
package that you want, and Ubuntu downloads and installs the package -
no restart is required, although it's probably a good idea. Downloading
software is much slower than before; packages must be downloaded
individually and seem to take three times longer to get and install.
This may be due to the "newness" of this release and will hopefully be
resolved with a system update.
Ubuntu has a great software repository to pull from. It has both
completely free, open source software, as well as commercial software
and video and audio codecs. Users of the Mac OS and Windows may be so
accustomed to proprietary file systems that it may be hard to live
without them.
For example, I would love to have all of my music in the Ogg Vorbis
open source codec. It has the same quality as MP3 or AAC and is
probably going to evolve and have a longer life than either of them.
But I cannot convert my music from either of these formats to the Ogg
format without a loss of quality, and re-ripping my music collection
would be unfeasible.
The same is true with video files. I have ripped many of my DVDs to
my Mac using Handbrake for viewing
on the go or on the computer. Converting them all again to the Open
Source Ogg Theora codec would just be too much trouble.
Photo Management
F-Spot is the default photo management program and has some
functions similar to Apple's iPhoto. You can browse your photos easily
and do basic editing, including exposure, light and color balance, and
sharpening. Also, F-Spot has built-in export functions for sending
images to Flickr, Facebook, Google Picasa, and more.
The F-Spot photo management program.
My only problem with F-Spot is that it has no real design to the
program, so it looks like any file window you might have open. I find
this confusing when I'm working on multiple tasks and switching between
windows - F-Spot looks just like an open folder of photos.
Music
Ubuntu will recognize your iPod with ease, and almost all of the
music management programs available on Linux (Rhythmbox, Banshee, and
Amarok, to name a few) will work great with the iPod. As in iTunes, you
can also play music and video directly from the iPod.
The default program for your music files is Rhythmbox, which (like
F-Spot) isn't particularly pretty, but it is very functional. Of
course, there are many different choices to download, so if Rhythmbox
doesn't suit your needs, you can always find another.
But the major (and I mean major) addition to Ubuntu is the
addition of the Ubuntu One Music Store. The store loads in Rhythmbox
much like the iTunes Store does in iTunes, and you can search for music
right in the program. Canonical partnered with 7digital.com, which is
an online music store headquartered in Europe.
The Ubuntu One Store (and 7digital.com) offers high-quality,
DRM-free tracks at competitive prices. One EP that I purchased and
downloaded was $4.99 on the iTunes Store, but only $2.50 at
7digital.com. The selection is still growing, and there are no movies
or TV shows available like on iTunes, but the potential is there.
Video
Video files played just fine, after installing the proper codecs.
You can download the codecs manually, but attempting to play the file
will usually prompt a download of the available files.
For some reason, I could not get a single DVD to play, even though I
had downloaded the DVD playback components. I'm sure there is an
adequate workaround, but I couldn't get it working before writing this
review.
Social Networking
Ubuntu is jumping head first into social networking, offering users
built-in tools to cover the major sites of the moment. Using the
Gwibber client, you can easily set up
your Facebook, Twitter, and other accounts that will update you on your
friends' posts and tweets.
My first thoughts were: "Why would you need this function built into
the desktop?" Well, after the initial setup, I could see why. Gwibber
allows you to manage all your messaging and commenting without ever
opening a browser. You can follow tweets and Facebook status updates,
as well as reply, in one window instead of logging in to the individual
sites.
Personally, I don't need this function, but I think people who
manage accounts at several different sites would be overjoyed.
Printing
Printer setup was a breeze. I simply plugged in my HP LaserJet,
Ubuntu recognized it, and after the driver downloaded, I was all set.
If you're thinking of installing Ubuntu, you can check this
functionality by simply plugging in your printer while running the Live
CD.
Ubuntu vs. Mac OS X
Should Mac users switch to Ubuntu? That's a personal decision. There
are countless options you must weigh before making such a drastic
switch. You will have to make compromises. Some software that you use
in OS X may be available in Linux, but others you will likely
never have, such as Adobe Photoshop.
Some things just work, and some need your help. I like the idea of
an Open Source world of computing. I love the idea of true software
freedom, free of licensing fees, forced upgrades, and other hassles.
While Microsoft may be the biggest offender with forcing users to
authenticate software, Apple is no angel either. Look at these recent
letters regarding a Mac user in need of updated system software with no
easy answer: iMac G5 System Support
Dilemma, Unreasonable
Expectations, OS X 10.5 Leopard
Still Available from Apple, and Apple and Microsoft Drop the Ball on Old OS
Versions.
When you run Linux, your system should never be out-of-date until
your hardware is just too far gone. And even then, you could run
Damn Small Linux (I hate
that name). At only 50 MB, it will install on the lowest hardware spec
available.
Of course, the Low End Mac philosophy is that Macs will always be
capable of at least the tasks they could do when you bought them. So if
you bought your Power Mac G5
tower for video processing, it will always be able to perform that
task, as long as your hardware works. Will it process as fast as
today's Intel Core i7 or whatever the future may hold? Of course not,
but it still processes video at least as well as it could when Apple
built it.
Final Thoughts
Ubuntu is incredibly compatible with little or no configuration
needed. I think most Mac users will be able to navigate their way
around and fix the minor problems without professional help.
This is an attractive, capable release that has many improvements
beyond the general look and feel that so many reviewers have focused
on. Yes, it is gorgeous and long overdue for a good looking default
theme, but that has nothing to do with compatibility and user
friendliness.
Canonical and the development team have reached a real milestone
with Ubuntu 10.04. There is still room for Ubuntu to grow and improve,
but for anyone who has tried Ubuntu before and been a little
disappointed, I implore you to try it. I think you'll be pleasantly
surprised.
However, Canonical won't. It's what they intended.
Ubuntu 10.04 Hardware Recommendations
While it is possible to install and run Ubuntu 10.04 on lesser
hardware, "users (especially those new to Ubuntu) risk frustration if
they ignore these suggestions." Like Windows, Ubuntu 10.04 is available
in separate 32-bit and 64-bit versions. (Mac OS X 10.6 has
built-in 32- and 64-bit support. There are not separate 32- and 64-bit
versions.)
- 1 GHz x86 CPU - Canonical does not support PowerPC Macs, although
there are community
builds available for PowerPC
- 512 MB of system memory (RAM)
- 5 GB of hard drive space
- Graphics card and display supporting 1024 x 768 - low-end netbooks
with lower resolution displays can be frustrating to use
- CD-ROM drive to run installer
- sound support
- Internet access
Every Intel-based Mac meets these requirements, as do most PCs built
since 2000.
Brian Gray is a journalist from North Carolina who enjoys writing, the beach, and tinkering with Macs.
