The Ubuntu Guide for Displaced Windows Users

Scared of Windows 8 and thinking about switching to Linux? Here's the definitive guide to making the transition.

THERE HAS NEVER been a better time to take Linux for a spin. With Windows 8 promot­ing a "touch-first" desktop interface—Microsoft's words, not ours—and with Valve's Steam on Linux bringing much-needed games and popular attention to the often-overlooked operating system, some Windows users might consider other options.



Dipping your toes into the penguin-filled waters of the most well-known open- source ecosystem is easy, and you don’t have to commit to switching outright to Linux.
You can install it alongside your current Windows setup, or even try it without install­ing anything at all.
Ubuntu is the most popular Linux distribution for desk­top and laptop Linux users, so we’ll focus on Ubuntu throughout this guide. For the most part, Ubuntu just plain works. It sports a subtle interface that stays out of your way. It enjoys strong support from software devel­opers (including Valve, since Steam on Linux officially sup­ports only Ubuntu). And you can find tons of help online if you run into problems.

1.Install Ubuntu

To get an idea of how Ubuntu works and what it looks like without committing to any­thing, you'll need to create your own Ubuntu boot device.
To do this, get an Ubuntu disc image from Ubuntu's site (www.ubuntu.com). After downloading the ISO file, right-click it, and then burn it to a writable CD or DVD. If you'd rather put Ubuntu on a USB drive, first look over our guide to this procedure.
After creating an Ubuntu disc or USB drive, insert it in your PC and restart the sys­tem. The machine should automatically boot into the live Ubuntu environment. At this point, you can play around with Ubuntu without installing anything on your computer—though it will run slower—or you can move on to installing it. If you install Ubuntu alongside Windows, you'll see a boot menu that asks you to choose the operating system whenever you boot the PC.
To install Ubuntu easily, use Wubi, the officially supported Windows Ubuntu Installer. Wubi lets you install the OS from within Windows, just as you would any other program.
You'll be able to boot into Ubuntu when you start your computer. But because it stores its files in the Win­dows file system instead of in dedicated Linux partitions, Ubuntu won't run as quickly in this setup as it would by itself. That's something to keep in mind if you plan to play demanding games or use Ubuntu all the time. On the other hand, Wubi makes uninstalling Ubuntu easy— you do it directly from the Windows Add/Remove Pro­grams control panel.

2.Don't Dig for Drivers

If your hardware is properly supported (as most contem­porary PC hardware is), Ubun­tu should work fine out of the box. Everything necessary for using it is included in the base operating system. You don't have to hunt down driver-installation packages on your PC maker's website, as you do with Windows.
The only exception involves advanced video drivers. If you have an Nvidia or ATI card, Ubuntu may prompt you to install your manufacturer’s graphics drivers for maximum 3D graphics performance.
Even then, you can complete the process in a few clicks.

3.Load Up on Software

Ubuntu comes with quite a bit of preinstalled software, including the Firefox browser and the LibreOffice productivi­ty suite. To install additional applications, open the Ubuntu Software Center—click the shopping-bag icon on the dock at the left side of your screen—and search for the type of software you want.
The Ubuntu Software Center is full of free, open-source pro­grams compiled for Ubuntu, as well as some commercial applications available for a small fee. The center acts as a user-friendly front end to Ubuntu’s software manage­ment tools, which you can also access from other applications or with terminal commands.
A few applications that you might want to use, such as Google Chrome and Steam, aren't in the Ubuntu Soft­ware Center. You can pick up those programs from their associated websites (Google's Chrome website or Valve's Steam website), downloading them as .deb files. Double­ click a .deb file, and Ubuntu will prompt you to install it.
Unlike with Windows, where every application must include its own updater, stan­dard software-management tools handle all updates on an Ubuntu system. When updates are available in Ubun­tu’s repositories, the Software Updater will appear. When you install third-party soft­ware like Google Chrome, the source of the application adds its own software reposi­tory, and updates will appear in the Software Updater.

4.Use the Unity Desktop

Ubuntu’s default desktop environment, named Unity, is one of many possible desk­tops you can use. Linux lets you experiment with differ­ent options until you find the one that's right for you. Here are the main Unity features.
The dock: Unity should feel very familiar to users of Win­dows 7. A Windows 7-style taskbar (known as the dock) appears on the left of the screen. Like the Windows »

Ubuntu Software Center holds a slew of apps, most of them free.

Wubi makes it easy to install Ubuntu on top of Windows.

The Workspace Switcher makes you more productive by letting you view and manage workspaces.
taskbar, the dock shows both running and not-running applications and has right- click jump lists (known as quick lists). Unlike the Win­dows taskbar, however, the dock can’t move over to another edge of the screen.
The Dash: The dock doesn’t show all your installed applica­tions. To reach other programs, you open the Dash; to do that, click the Ubuntu icon at the upper left of your screen, or press the <Windows> key (known as the Super key in Linux). Use the Dash's search feature to find an installed application, or click the Appli­cations icon at the bottom of the Dash to browse all installed applications.
Lock and unlock app icons: When you open a new appli­cation, its icon will appear on the Dash for as long as it’s running. You can right-click icons to lock them to, and unlock them from, the dock.
Application menus: Ubuntu uses a Mac-style universal menu bar by default. So if you're using Firefox, for
example, you’ll find the File, Edit, and View menus on the panel at the top of the screen, not in the Firefox window.
Your Home folder: Open Ubuntu’s file manager, and you’ll see your Home folder. This is where you store your personal files, just as you would in the C:\Users\A/a/r?e folder in Windows. But unlike in Windows, your user account doesn't have write access to areas in Ubuntu outside of your Home folder, so get used to storing your files here.
Workspaces: Linux has excellent support for work­spaces, also known as virtual desktops. A virtual desktop is a self-contained workspace with a specific set of open windows. You can switch between workspaces with hotkeys by pressing <Ctrl>- <Alt> and an arrow key.
The Workspace Switcher icon located near the bottom of the dock also lets you view and manage your workspaces. You can move windows between workspaces in any of three ways: right-click their title bars and use the options in the context menu, drag and drop them in the Workspace Switcher, or simultaneously press <Ctrl>-<Alt>-<Shift> and an arrow key.
The HUD: The Ubuntu head-up display (HUD) pro­vides an easy way to search and use an application’s
menu items with just your keyboard. To activate the feature, press <Alt> and start typing a command that appears in a program's menu. For example, if you want to activate the View ► Show Hid­den Files menu option in the file manager, press <Alt>, type Show Hidden, and press <Enter> to activate that menu option. You can also use this feature to search for and find menu options.
Indicator applets: Like sys­tem tray icons in Windows, indicator applets show your battery status, network con­nection, and sound settings. Applications can add their own indicator applets. Use the options underthe gear icon to shut down your com­puter or to access the System Settings window.
Desktop hotkeys: To see more Unity keyboard short­cuts, press and hold the <Windows> (Super) key, and a cheat sheet will appear.

Ubuntu Software Updater lets you update apps with one program.