[Grav!ty]

I've been using Ubuntu 9.04 quite a bit and really like the install process. It's very much like what I'm used to for Windows OS's and one quickly figures what not to do during installation, like for my time zone, it's best to skip time server sync otherwise the CMOS clock is changed to 2 hours out of zone time. Updating the system and other software is easy online and the tools for doing that are straightforward.

Drivers weren't an issue at all and one is prompted to update items as improvements become available. Menu's to System tools, Applications and Administrator tools are easy to read and navigate. I get the feel the OS is very quick and snappy and the user interface and user experience is advanced, with "aero effects" and other eye candy like "flexible" window borders that buckle and dent if one pulls on them with the mouse.

Having Firefox as the pre-installed internet browser helps keep things familiar too if one's been using it in Windows. I haven't tried the email client but I think it supports POP servers so can't be much different to Outlook or Outlook Express. I don't think I've ever used or tried Windows Mail in Vista and Windows 7 so I can't comment on that. Other packaged applications like OpenOffice, a movie player, photo viewer and others all look and work like the Windows equivalents. I must say I miss Device Manager and Disk Management though and don't even know if there is a similar UI for them.

Now I'm wondering what other Linux distribution is as easy to install and use as Ubuntu has become?

[imnuts]

I think that the only two that are close to Ubuntu's ease of use are SuSE and Fedora. The last time I used them though, they offered more customization ability during installation than Ubuntu did though, and some of the stuff may have confused new users.

[yeshuas]

I think that the only two that are close to Ubuntu's ease of use are SuSE and Fedora. The last time I used them though, they offered more customization ability during installation than Ubuntu did though, and some of the stuff may have confused new users.

Those are the ones I would have picked as well, as being similar to Ubuntu, as far as ease of installation, I think Fedora is a little easier than SuSE, or it could be I am more used to it.

There is to be a new Distro (Fedora 11) in like 10 days too by the way.

[gries818]

I think that the only two that are close to Ubuntu's ease of use are SuSE and Fedora. The last time I used them though, they offered more customization ability during installation than Ubuntu did though, and some of the stuff may have confused new users.

Those are the ones I would have picked as well, as being similar to Ubuntu, as far as ease of installation, I think Fedora is a little easier than SuSE, or it could be I am more used to it.

There is to be a new Distro (Fedora 11) in like 10 days too by the way.

I like the SUSE installer a lot - but I kind of feel like it is a lot prettier than the rest of the OS. Ubuntu is exactly the opposite.

[yeshuas]

Ubuntu, 9.04 at least found my wireless laptop card without a hitch, Fedora 11 alpha beta didn't, haven't tried SuSE disto yet.

[Grav!ty]

Thanks guys, I'll probably try both SuSe and Fedora based on what you're saying. For SuSe, which is the best interface to go for...KDE 4 or GNOME?

[gries818]

Thanks guys, I'll probably try both SuSe and Fedora based on what you're saying. For SuSe, which is the best interface to go for...KDE 4 or GNOME?

Well on SUSE, KDE 4 is the one they have polished up so I'd probably go with that one. I tend to like GNOME a lot better in general though... I feel like it is more unique and relies less on the traditional Windows design. Then again KDE is the first one I used so perhaps it was a good transition DE.

[yeshuas]

I tried SuSE on my Dell D520, but could not get my wireless card to work, must be doing something wrong, can't believe it is that much different than Ubuntu 9.04 which found the card and it worked just like that.

[gries818]

I tried SuSE on my Dell D520, but could not get my wireless card to work, must be doing something wrong, can't believe it is that much different than Ubuntu 9.04 which found the card and it worked just like that.

Well they probably do ship with a slightly different wireless connectivity package. Trying using ndiswrapper (or ndisgtk).

[imnuts]

My guess would be that the kernel just needs to be reconfigured. I think that Ubuntu builds most drivers as modules, probes hardware on boot and loads what is needed. Most other distros try to build a lot into the kernel, but likely leave stuff out for space/size reasons. Maybe you just need to update the kernel as it could be that newer release(s) have support for your card. What is the wireless card BTW?