I can understand, 'crappy windows', but not 'frustrating mac'. MAC is partially based on BSD (Unix) and the file structure is very similar. On a mac installing apps is extremely simple... (no registry involved, don't have to worry about dependencies, etc). Uninstalling is even more simple. MAC OS X works well and is much more stable than Windows. Linux Ubuntu is great and I am eager to try the Studio version. Previous Linux OS' I've tried that are geared towards music production do not compare to a mac. I'm hoping Ubuntu Studio has bridged some of the gaps. =)

And there's your standard pro-linux argument in a nutshell. "If linux isn't working then you are a stupid windows user". You know what else is stupid?-- who the hell installs Amarok on a gnome desktop? You use Exaile if you like the interface or Banshee or Rhythmbox if you just need the functionality. I would say that whoever wrote this howto is an amateur Windows-user trying to get by in a linux world. Well, linux uses shared libraries, that means that you don't want to mix your KDE/QT tools and gnome desktop, otherwise you'll have issues with copy/paste and drag and drop other really obvious things that linux devs commonly overlook. I used linux for years (2003-2007) until I switched to an old Mac, and later Windows Vista! That's right! Windows Vista.

And linux video editing suites are a fine replacement...for Windows Movie maker, although the Windows Movie Maker in Vista easily tips the scale on every linux editing suite--- except Cinelerra in the hands of someone with a ton of time on their hands and extreme patience for instability... I mean, someone who is willing to patch their own applications.

If you're going to use linux, at least use a distribution with a well constructed backend. Ubuntu/debian is so hacked that any failure on the front end is always obfuscated and insurmountable. Use something more professionally designed like Fedora. You will be amazed on how many performance and stability issues are solved by a *better* backend. And if you want a system that works productively, use Windows Vista or Mac OS X. End of story.

"You know what else is stupid?-- who the hell installs Amarok on a gnome desktop? You use Exaile if you like the interface or Banshee or Rhythmbox if you just need the functionality."

  I use amarok on gnome, and so do quite a few other people I know who use gnome.  It's just a personal preference, and it works perfect on my computer and causes no performance issues that I can detect.  

 Freedom of choice.. it's nice isn't it?

Yes, Linux works for everything I need, and as I find myself needing to do something new- OH! Linux has what I need, Linux just keeps getting better and better, while Mac and Window$ stand still if not go down hill (Windows Vista for example.) Nutshell no, I have a much longer reason for using Linux so exclusively, many more reasons than you can give for using a Mac or Window$, I choose to keep it short.

I don't use Amarok or Exaile, I don't know anyone who does, my Ubuntu 8.10 came with Rhythmbox installed.

"Amateur Windows-user trying to get by in a Linux world..." that's what most Linux related sites have for content, get over it.

And I mix KDE 3 and 4 with my GTK and QT all the time, no problems, another example of idiotic Window$ users thinking they know it about Linux, when you just rush through it and end up not doing it right.

Windows Vista is a piece of SHIT! It takes the highest-end machines just to run it at acceptable speed. Same goes for Macs.

Windows Movie Maker has always been crap, always will, it's something they designed to make it easier for dumb people to make "YouTube Poop" believe me I have dozens of machines laying around my house with Vista, XP, NT, 98, 95, even 3.1 and a few with the latest versions of DOS.

I have a machine for Ubuntu, Fedora 8 and 9, Debian, Gentoo, CentOS, Mint, RedHat, SUSE, SimplyMEPIS, etc., yet Ubuntu seems to be the easiest and most supported, but don't accuse me of being a "noob" Ubuntu user, okay, I've been using Linux since it came out.

Wrong! Not end of story, the story will be over when Microsoft and Apple go out of business and people start using Linux, which will be happening pretty soon with the econemy the way it is.

And I have done more productive work on Linux then I have ever been able it get done on Window$ or Mac, Window$ I can't go more than 5 hours without it crashing, Linux I can, because it's capable of being a web server, always on, serving you the Wikipedia, YouTube, Digg and dictionary.com pages to name a few. Don't talk like Linux is unstable because everyone know that Window$ is the number one most unstable piece of crap there is and Mac is the second.

And to the guy below, Linux has a VERY large game collection, one of the most impressive is Enemy Territoty Quake Wars, works perfectly, then there's Urban Terror, Combat Arms works in Wine so does Battlefield 1942/Vietnam, Tileracer, Nexuiz and so on. You just never bothered to look.

>I don't use Amarok or Exaile, I don't know anyone who does, my Ubuntu 8.10 came with >Rhythmbox installed.

 Hi. My name is Rob and I use Amarok.

I got a Dell Mini 9 with Ubuntu and I thought I'd try it before I installed something else.

First impressions: wifi works like a charm, networking to a windows box, not so much. Rhythmbox and Totem are just inferior pieces of software and replaced them with Amarok and VLC.

Pidgin is two steps from useless so I installed Kopete which allows for webcam use as opposed to the other one.

Now stop behaving like a total douchebag. Youre THE guy people refer to when they talk about Buntu fanbois.

Umm, Ubuntu's Philosophy is "...software should be available free of charge, that software tools should be usable by people in their local language and despite any disabilities, and that people should have the freedom to customize and alter their software in whatever way they see fit. Ubuntu is entirely committed to the principles of open source software development; we encourage people to use open source software, improve it and pass it on." which the programs that come with Ubuntu are the kind they see as fitting in with their Philosophy, by installing other software you're breaking their Philosophy they work so hard on making work. I believe in freedom, Ubuntu comes with freedom software, use it.

Rhythmbox, Totem and Pidgin work for everything and are the TRUELY free software, you might as well use KDE because they don't care if they break the ideals of Linux, example: including proprietary software in the distro..

And YOU'RE the guy that's using Linux because you can't afford Window$ or a Mac, and I'M the one using it because I believe in it.

KDE breaks the ideals of Linux including proprietary software?

You're many years late, the QT library is GPL since 2.2 version in year 2000!

ok. I sort agrre and yet disagree. Linux and windows are totally diffrent os's and bot have their pros and con! If you are a graphic designer. [and lets face, not many ppl are] then i suggest a mac. If you are a normal user, I suggest linus as it can fill all ur needs as to serfing the net and play movies, blogging, sshing... etc. If you are a hard core gamer... well you have to run with windows. Yes, linux by no means compares to the amazing responces of the graphical mac.Yes, liux has not been able to emulate the games as well as windows yet... BUT, a mojority of tasks can be done more effecently w/ linux! More over, this post a briallant for new ppl just startin linux.

ps. there are some problems w/ hdware you have on ur computer that will inhibit ur experance w/ linux... and if you had these problems, i am sorry. I know how it is as i have a few minor problems. Dont think that this is common as out of 3 comp. all have linux, only 1 has probelms... and even windows has problems w/ that. Toshiba A215 s7428 is worest lappy ever. and ya.

Nice post :]

I aggree with the last commentor.  Linux is not for everyone.  Ubuntu is not the best Linux distribution either (in my opinion).  I use sidux, but its not for those who expect never to have to use the command line.  But then sidux IS a bleeding edge distro.  Linux Mint is a good distro for less computer literate folks, and I have heard that PCLinuxOS and Simply Mepis are pretty good too.   As for OpemOffice, I think that the cpmplaints are mostly from users of M$ office.  OpenOffice was originally meant to look and work a lot like M$ office, but it is NOT M$ office, and doesn not work quite the same.  It will however do all of the tasks that the average person, or office worker needs to do. 

 Linux is NOT Windows, and will never be just like Windows.  Nor should it.  I do believe that the average computer user could do everything in Linux that they do in Windows.  It just requires that they get used to things being a little different.  Some of the problems that people have with Linux have nothing to do with the developers of Linux.  They have to do with hardware manufacturers that do not (yet) support Linux, or do so poorly.  They have to do with companies that do not yet see a profit motive in writing software for Linux.  These things are changing, but doing so slowly. 

 As for converting people, I have converted a few friends from Windows to Linux.  Some are dual booting because although they see the advantages of using Linux, there are games or other programs that they want and/or need that only run in Windows.  I have a multiboot system myself.  I have sidux 2008-03 (fully updated) sidux 2008-02 (not updated)  Linux Mint 5 KDE Community Edition (fully updated), and Windows XP Pro (sp2).  On my system, I have blocked Windows from accessing the Internet in my router.  Windows is only used for some games that I like. 

 Linux is not for everyone, but if more people would give it an honest chance, and be willing to adapt to a few differences, they would not have any more problems using Linux than they do using Windpws.

Just my thoughts and opinions ;^))

First to say, you'll have to excause me for poor English. 

I'm using Ubuntu Studio 8.04. for quite a while and I must say I kinda liked it. It's free, easy to use/easy to learn, and from a simple user point of view - this free soft is unbeliveable. I watch movies, surf the internet and listen music with it. Most important - I comunicate using it. 

Looking trhu the eyes of a music producer, things also seem to be fine. You legaly get free multitrack editor with working post-processing effects, drum-macine, samplers and so on...I tried to do some stuff with "Ardour" and it can be solid alternative to "Cubase" for example...one who knows how to do music from the ground up(who knows the basics of sound engineering)can do a lot of interesting stuff with "Ubuntu Studio" as with Cubase or Pro Tools.

The only thing that concerns me is video editing. Cinelerra simply doesn't work on "Ubuntu Studio", and it is the only editing tool for Linux that had some professional potential. I'm and director/editor so i know(who should tell you this, if not people like me?)

I'm not a computer geek so excuse me if I say something stupid now, but, isn't it funny that Linux, in general, has so many distros, and so little pro quality software? It seems like they are ununited or something like that? Why? Don't they all the have same goals? I think they should focus on creating some more powerfull applications,  instead of creating a bunch of slightly different distros.

And I didn't come here to tell Linux users/belivers/engineers that they are wrong, than to support them and to tell them that I greatly respect they're work.

P.S.This message is also written using the soft that came along with free "Ubuntu Studio" Linux distro, so doesn't that tell something to you all? (Something like, for example - Good life on Earth is posible ... even without Bill Gates ?)