Customer Reviews

Kubuntu 8.10 DVD

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I'm a Linux hack who builds his own Gentoo environments, but when I finally deleted my last Windows partition, I decided to give Ubuntu a try as a second boot option. I was interested in seeing how far commercial distros had come.
I was pleasantly surprised. I inserted the DVD and after answering a few easy questions I had a working system, complete with wireless NIC (even with proprietary drivers that work perfectly).
It took less than 20 minutes to install a perfectly functional OS with all sorts of usefull apps, for practically free.
One minor usability gripe. Installing WINE by default or at least popping something up to inform novices about WINE would help. Everyone has one or two windows apps they can't live without that will probably work alright in WINE. I know about it and had no problem installing it and using it, but it's going to be a key app for some, and guiding novices to it would be helpful.
BTW I'm running National Geographic's Topo software within WINE with full functionality and no problems at all. So even their default build of WINE seems to be pretty good.
I really think this puts Linux within reach of almost anyone with basic computer skills and a little willingness to work though small problems.

Kubuntu 8.10 is a stellar operating system and is an official release from Canonical, as is Ubuntu. Kubuntu features the KDE interface as opposed to Gnome (which is included with Ubuntu). I find the KDE interface to be a bit more suited to customization than Gnome (IMHO) and a bit easier for thoce who are accustomed to windows to adapt to.

My only issue with this offering is the price. Kubuntu is available free for download or on CD from Canonical. Previous offerings of Ubuntu at $19.99 included 90 days of unlimited customer support, which is a good deal for new users. This one is $12.99 but does not include support and offers nothing that is not available for free. The disc may ship faster I suppose, but still not as fast as the free download.

Since I purchased this product I have tried many Linux products, Ubuntu 9+, Ubuntu 10.04 LTS, Kubuntu 10.04 LTS, Xubuntu, Lubuntu, Linux Mint 9, and Ubuntu 10.10 in that order. (I have been using Linux for over 15 years)

Now I have come full circle but with a later version. I am using Ubuntu 10.04 LTS. Since it is the Long Term Support version I will likely stay with this. It performs well in all areas.

As you know Kubuntu is Ubuntu with the KDE desktop and I prefer the Gnome desktop of Ubuntu.

I bought this OS to use along side my windows 7 and I am uterly disapionted in the newst version of Linux, I used it on a standard PC and all I got where flash Error codes witch where useless with out a manuel and as I said the where also flashed on the screen so even if I had the manuel it wouldnt do much good, it formated my hard drive in a wierd way so under windows it doesn't exsist, I did install it only to get a error 2 message witch as I said doen't do me a hole lot of good since I don't have a manuel, I only hope I can re-format the hard drive so I can use it, Linspire was a much better OS much better,
any way if you are a novice to midain software person I would not use this system and I also think this more geared for laptops then pc, but all I say is Buyer Be Wear!!!!!!you are worned......

Ubuntu is great no question about it, but this version is dated and a current one is 10.04...