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Linux is a free operating system, a cost free alternative to Microsoft Windows. It also offers free applications, providing cost free alternatives to Microsoft Office, Macromedia Dreamweaver, Adobe Photoshop etc, a useful product for any hard up student!

Ubuntu is a popular distribution of Linux, designed to be easy to use and accessible to all (a problem with other distributions is the high skill level required to set up and use them).

On most machines Ubuntu will work ‘out of the box’ detecting and setting up all hardware automatically.

Better still, Ubuntu is shipped with a lot of useful software:

• Open office which includes:
• Word Processor
• Spread Sheet
• The Gimp image editing software (similar to photoshop or paintshop)
• Firefox web browser
• Very useful networking tools such as port scanners (for the geeks amongst us)

Better still, all this software can be updated and upgraded with automatic updates. Imagine a Windows update upgrading your image editing software as well as the operating system.

Better still there is a very long list of additional software that can be automatically installed (by searching for programs, and clicking check boxes in a program called synaptic, very easy).

There are other office programs, graphics programs, some games (not very good), web design and programming tools and much more.

Better still all of these additional programs, once installed will also automatically update or upgrade.

Better still, the whole operating system can be automatically upgraded online, imagine automatically upgrading from Windows XP to Windows VIsta, for free!
Advantages

• Completely free and legal operating system and applications!
• Does not suffer nearly as many problems with security / viruses as windows
• Easy to use for the savvy
• Xubuntu is a stripped down version capable of giving an old PC a new lease of life
• EdUbuntu is a version designed especially for Children, if you are planning to teach!
• You can run both Windows and Ubuntu on the same PC (choosing one or the other on startup).

Disadvantages

• Will take some getting used to for those less computer savvy, particularly the way file permissions work
• Applications such as Open Office and The Gimp are not as advanced as MS Office or Photoshop (but fine for the vast majority of users).
• The above issues will not stop you using Open Office etc, but need to be understood when installing additional programs.

You can download and run Ubuntu as a Live CD. Simply put the CD in your PC and restart it. Your PC will up directly from the CD drive, leaving your hard disk intact. It allows you to try Ubuntu risk free, see how it works on your PC, try the free software and decide whether you like it. If you don’t like it, restart the machine and take the CD out (it will pop out automatically during shut down) and your system will be as it was.
Warning!!!

When running Ubuntu as a live CD there is an install icon on the desktop. If you click this icon without knowing what you are doing you can very easily wipe your windows installation!!

If you want to run both Windows and Ubuntu on the same machine back up all important data first, as there is a chance you will lose your windows data and have to reinstall windows.
You have been warned!!

All that said, do not be put off, Its great software.
Ubuntu Download Area

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