Last year I raved about Mac and its operating system, then a few weeks ago I talked about Windows 7 and how I was a fan again. Today I thought I might want to mention a completely free OS called Ubuntu. It is a Linux based program meaning that it’s made more for people who know what they’re doing than the average user. As I have 6 computers total I decided to take my oldest computer and give it a go. Installation was a breeze. Just a few simple questions and it just worked. Getting everything working the way I wanted, on the other hand, was slightly harder. Once I had down an update to all my hardware working I tried getting some free programs installed and I found myself lost for quite some time. I did a little snooping on the web and soon enough I found what I was looking for.
It comes with OpenOffice which is a famous free version of Windows Office (available for Windows and Mac as well), the programs are extremely stable and the chance of getting a virus on a Linux machine is next to nothing. Overall I was VERY impressed. It has a nice interface and some clever tricks that other companies should take note of. Considering it’s completely free I think it’s a very viable option for a 2nd computer or to throw on an older computer, it made my 4 year old machine feel brand new. So if you’re feeling brave and want to try something new I encourage you check it out.
One thing that computers and English have in common is that they are both mind expanding activities that allow us to explore new ideas and concepts. Keeping our minds fresh and challenged is something I often share with my students at my school (Smith’s 英会話 Hirakata)
Adrian
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