It’s been 10 days now that I ditched that bloated virus-magnet of an operating system, Winblows, and have been happily running a sleek new install of Ubuntu Linux. I had been thinking about making the switch for a long time but never got off my lazy butt to do anything about it. “I don’t have time to learn a new operating system”, “It can’t be as easy to use as Windows”, “Entering commands in the Terminal is too complicated”, “Linux doesn’t have the vast array of applications that I need to maintain my prolific level of productivity”. All bullshit.

The straw that broke this camel’s back was when my Windows install started acting funny. Again. About 10 minutes after a reboot the system would become unresponsive. Web pages wouldn’t load, folders wouldn’t open, and error messages began to pop up “randomly”. No number of virus, malware, or adware scans turned up anything out of the ordinary. A few Google searches showed that I was not alone with this collection of symptoms but I couldn’t find anyone who had solved the problem. I could reformat the hard drive and reinstall Windows. Again. But I saw this as my opportunity to escape my life of crime (how much would you pay for Windows + Office + Photoshop + Nero + Quicktime Pro + Dreamweaver?) and learn something new in the process. Now was the best time to switch to Linux.

I installed Ubuntu on a separate partition to maintain my Windows install (just in case) but am proud to say that I’ve only visited my Microsoft evil twin three times in the past week and a half – and that was only to consult how I had certain hardware and software configured. I am overjoyed with my “new” computer. It’s fast and does absolutely everything I need it to do. I’m surfing the web, burning DVDs, creating spreadsheets, downloading media, playing games, editing photos, Skyping friends and family, syncing my Palm Pilot, listening to music, watching films, and fully enjoying the mind-opening experience!

The only obstacles I’ve encountered so far have been upping my screen resolution, getting my webcam microphone to work, and getting Linux write access for my Windows partition, but I’m a smarter person for having researched and solved these problems.

I won’t lie to you: Linux is not for everyone. Afterall, Linix is NOT Windows <-- (I cannot recommend this article enough to anyone who is considering switching to Linux). Linux is a different operating system and has it’s own learning curve. But that is to be expected. One shouldn’t move from the United States to Spain and expect everyone to speak to them in English. But if you’re either a basic computer user with humble needs or a power user who enjoys learning new things, download the Ubuntu CD installer and join the future.