Dan Martin has started up a list of things you can do with Linux that you can’t do on Windows. Being able to add and reconfigure software and hardware without having to reboot is one of my favourites. I’d add some Ubuntu-specific advantages to my list:

• Completed installation in 20 mins to half an hour – rarely need additional drivers and, if I do, Ubuntu pops up a little green gizmo that tells me what it is, warns me about any implications, and offers to install it for me
• Plug and play really means you can plug in anything from a printer to a camera to an mp3 player and Ubuntu thinks for about 5 secs before informing me it’s ready to use. Again, no CDs, faffing, rebooting etc

It’d be good to expand this list — too many people think of Linux as a poor substitute when, in reality, it’s better in many ways and at least just as good.

Tags : software, ubuntu