Hi

I've been playing around with Linux of and on for several years. Mainly with Fedora/Redhat, Mandriva and Debian.

I'm now ditching Windows and going for Linux. From a collegue Ubuntu came up as an recomended option. But I'm a bit reluctant to go for Ubuntu, mainly since I don't know it so well. So I have a few questions I hope someone would help me with.

Here goes....

Is Ubuntu a distro focused on beginner, or is it for more advanced users as well?
Are there things that are possible to do in FC/Redhat, Mandriva debian that is NOT possible in Ubuntu?
How would Ubuntu measure up as a server for a 25+ company?

I've heard something that Ubuntu has it's own startup process which is not used in other Distros. Can someone please explain what this is about for me?

Ubuntu Startup Processes:
http://www.ubuntux.org/debian-and-ub...cess-explained

Ubuntu is designed for accessability. Because of this, it is usually suggested to beginners. You will not be able to do everything out of the box that you were used to in fedora/redhat (only one CD install) so most people do quite a bit of tweaking post-install. It is thus as advanced as you want it to be.

Ubuntu has a server version. University of Auckland Engineering dept uses Ubuntu extensively on their large networks (100+), so I guess it'll do.

http://easylinux.info/wiki/Ubuntu:Edgy

I personally don't know about the server, but I would look at Ubuntu as being a moderate level OS. It is kinda bloated, but that can be changed by deleting packages you don't need after the install. I would recommend you stay with debian, or dual boot debian and Ubuntu. Reason-because you can, and its free. If you have high-speed internet, you may want to download the netinst CD, it saves you from having to download all those CDs and retrieves the files from the net.

Download Debian Etch

Download Ubuntu 6.10, Ubuntu 7.04

It is indeed focused on beginner, but they managed to make a distro focused on the beginner without being over-bloated and installing 20 different programs to do the same task(it is only one CD, for example). And you can always do any admin-work from the command line, just like any other distribution.

Not really. No.

It should work like any other distribution. There is also a Ubuntu server edition here:

http://www.ubuntu.com/products/WhatI.../serveredition

Almost every distribution has different ways to start a service. Just look at SuSE and Fedora, for example. Or compare to another Unix-variant as *BSD. It is just a matter of knowing what to do.

One of the greatest advantages of Ubuntu is how large the community has become. Finding answers on google for eventual problems will take you no time. And sites like Ubuntu Guide makes it a very attractive distribution to anyone ^_^;;

My .

Its certainly the best for me... Only way to see, is to burn the disk, and give it a shot. Its a live CD, so you should be able to try it prior to installing it.

IGF

Ubuntu is a great distro if you're just starting out in linux and dont want to spend your first few days with it configuring everything - it is, I guess you could say, the lazy linux distro. :P
Whenever someone at work asks about starting out in linux, I always recommend Ubuntu.
As for the starting up procedure, I think you're referring to Upstart which apparently reduces the start up time considerably.

I completely foreswore MS last year, banishing it from on my own laptop, my home network, and several of my kid's computers (after getting fed up with reloading them from their restore disks after fatal and unrecoverable adware trashings). I've used Ubuntu (and Kubuntu desktop) for everything. I'm on my 3rd distro upgrade. I've had no significant problems that we not my fault and a learning experience. I would recommend Ubuntu unequivocally.

I use Ubuntu almost exclusively. It is very easy to understand for beginners, but I find it can be as powerful as you want. The lack of a root user took a little getting used to for me, but its pretty simple.

Ubuntu's base installation is probably the least bloated I have seen, but you can play with apt-get/aptitude/synaptic, whichever is your favourite.

Ubuntu server is just as easy to use. I use it on multiple servers with no hitch, probably the easiest Linux servers I have set up yet. The start time does seem much faster in Ubuntu on my hardware, compared to various other distro's I have used (FC4, Gentoo and a few others).

The only criticisms I have are the install itself - can't be customised so it just installs a standard base system. Its good in a way, you get a fully operational system with no hassle at all. The other thing is the LiveCD itself - I tend to find it slow and a little unpleasant, running direct from CD seems to have that effect :/.

If you want a version of Linux that is really easy to use, simple to set up and configure, and has a really large community then Ubuntu is probably for you, both desktop and server. I always suggest to people interested in playing with Linux that they use Ubuntu. Its really down to personal preference really, do you prefer Debian, Ubuntu or FC.