I Canned Windows 7 for Xubuntu ... and I Love It!

One of the official screen shots of Xubuntu

So, as I told the world during my impassioned complaints against my beloved Firefox, I had switched to Chrome.  I thought the problem was solved.  Then, a little more each day, the computer started slowing down again.  Last Thursday it got to the point where I was wasting up to fifteen minutes at a time waiting.  It didn't get to the point of freezing or having to power off manually, but it was still wasting my time and frustrating me.

I could no longer blame any of the individual programs. Basically from the beginning I knew that Windows 7 just wasn't right for this light-weight mini.  But I had been resisting and trying everything else first.

So, last Friday, I said good-bye to Microsoft Windows and switched to Xubuntu, a free, open-source Linux-based operating system.

So far, I couldn't be happier!

After a bit of research on Google for a low memory operating system, I chose Xubuntu for a couple of reasons:

• I knew about Ubuntu

I had already toyed with the idea of switching to Ubuntu a few years back, so I was somewhat familiar with this system

• Xubuntu is a lighter-weight version of Ubuntu 

Ubuntu works best with more than 1 GB of memory, which means my mini was right on the threshold.  I would rather play it safe.

• It is visually appealing 

Apparently, other lighter-weight systems, like Lubuntu (the lightest choice in the Ubuntu family) can be rather austere

• It's easier for Windows users

Apparently, it is easier to get used to for Windows users than many other Linux systems.  It comes with a full package of programs, it's fairly user-friendly and takes minimal computer knowledge to get the hang of it.

My Xubuntu Desktop after some minor customizations

I'll be trying some of the other light-weight systems I saw, like Lubuntu and Puppy Linux, for some abandoned old computers that are kicking around, just to see how they do when a nice but ultra light-weight system is installed.

Why Not Get a Better Computer?

Some people will wonder why I just didn't invest in a new computer.  Basically, if I had several hundred dollars that I could readily fork out for a computer better than this one, I'd have better things to spend them on.  I use my computer for work, but my needs are so simple, I shouldn't need anything more than my Acer One.

Someone mentioned installing more RAM.  Minis don't take any upgrades whatsoever.  Which brings me back to square one.

Finally, I don't mind the idea of avoiding giving more of my money to Microsoft.  I not on a boycott or anything silly like that, but it sure is a nice bonus.

The Installation and Customization

To install Xubuntu, I had to download a torrent file and then unpack into a USB stick to create a boot drive, and from there it's fast and easy.

The only difficult part is that instructions for just about everything have to be Googled, relying in bloggers.  Their site has basics, but if you don't know what a "torrent" is (my situation) they don't help you much.

There was an option to have Xubuntu running parallel with Windows and choosing between the two at start up.  Stupidly, in a moment of over excitement of canning Windows 7 I opted to wipe Windows off my computer along with all its programs and files.

I had saved all my work, pictures and documents, but I had forgotten to save logins and passwords.  This week has been defined by me hunting out this information again, usually from its original provider or (on the rare occasion) from my brain - nothing of Windows is left on my computer.

Spectacular Performance!

The performance of my computer with Xubuntu is amazing!  I used to power on my computer and go to make a coffee while I waited for Windows 7 to boot.  It now turns on in about 10 seconds.  Programs open faster and run faster.  I used to have to wait about 5 minutes for Skype to close properly.  It now closes instantly.

The file manager in Xubuntu

With a few adjustments to visual preferences (including a desktop background, a little luxury which the Starter version of Windows 7 denied me) everything is smooth running.

Programs and Apps

The biggest time consumer since installing Xubuntu has been choosing and adjusting programs.  But I would rather be spending time on this than waiting for a bogged computer while I should be working.

Most importantly: I owe Firefox and Mozilla an apology.  But I will post about the programs in the days to come.

My Verdict

My recommendation at this point: if

• you have a computer with tonnes of memory that you will probably never use
• the monsters of Windows 7 and 8 work well with it
• they meet your needs
• you're happy with all of the above,

why look for anything new?

On the other hand, if you find your computer is just getting bogged down and keeps freezing up, try Xubuntu or another light-weight free operating system.  If you take it too the store for repairs, they'll just tell you to buy a new version of Windows (which might do the same thing if your computer is a light-weight) or buy a new computer.  They make the cost of repairs so high that it's not worth it.

Xubuntu may make a computer that you thought was no longer working right a smooth-working and functional machine.

(Disclaimer: I'm by no means an expert on any of this stuff.  Coming into this, I knew almost nothing about Linux and systems like Xubuntu. This means two things: 1. There may very well be much better options than Xubuntu. 2. At least it speaks well for Xubuntu that someone who knows as little as I do can install and use it.)