Ubuntu Rocks!!!!

I have always loved change... cos it lets you explore more, which is very adventurous... and Adventure is Fun!!! I have been stuck with a Windows Operating System ever since i first touched the computer in 1999. And after years of upgrading from an older version of windows to the latest every year... I was introduced to linux in the year 2005. Linux back then though was robust, was a meant for geeks... it was difficult to use as it was mostly command prompt. But over the years it has evolved tremendously. Other than windows operating systems I have tried some of the linux distros namely Red Hat, SLED, SLES, Yoper, Gentoo 64 and the best happened just 3 days ago.

One of my friend shared with me about Ubuntu, and I think my search for a real cool OS was over. Ubuntu is a really cool linux distro and maybe even cooler than Windows Vista or the latest Windows 7. Ubuntu is the most user friendly OS I have ever come across. I have uploaded a few of the screenshots here and a video with the demonstration of what Ubuntu is capable of.

The Login Screen

My current Desktop

Shift Windows in 3D

All the options appear on the top

When you use the mac theme on it

VIDEO DEMO

Work just got better...

Everyone knows I work for an NGO... but no one knows what I do. Some believe I do Animation, some think I do Graphics Designing, still some - Web Designing and still some more - 'Some IT Thing...' well so to let you all know what I do, I am the IT Administrator for this org. And recently my work got a lot more fun and interesting rather than just teaching my computer illiterate people how to switch 'on' their computer. As some of us are aware how our organisation has been planning to shift into a Linux Environment, and I have been really busy in this transition. Today my boss gave me a laptop and got Suse Linux Enterprise Desktop (SLED) installed on it. So my new mission for the next 2 months is to run thru this Operating Systems and find all the possible alternative softwares/applications to that of what we currently use and also research on the codecs for audio as well as visual that we can run on this system. I think its really really exciting, as I was looking forward for a change in my monotonous work culture.

Linux Guys Are So Hilarious

I was just practicing how to set the sudo command on Red Hat Linux and found out how cool and funny the Linux coders are... unlike the Microsoft guys who are very sophisticated and pretend to be more mechanic than human...

Alrite so for those of you who do not know what a sudo command is, a sudo command gives a normal user the privileges of a root (Administrator) to certain files or folders. Obviously after the root assigns the privileges to the normal user. So as I was trying out this example of logging in as a normal user and trying to access a folder using the sudo command, this is what message is displayed as an introduction before I access the private folder... and I couldn't resist but laugh about it and just admire the sense of humor what the Linux guys share.

We trust you have recieved the usual lecture from the local System Administrator. It usually boils down to these three things:

#1) Respect the privacy of others.
#2) Think before you type.
#3) With great power comes great responsibility.

Linux Is The Future!!

Many of my friends know that I have begun learning Red Hat. Yes I am getting trained to be a Red Hat Certified Engineer. It's good money to be a Red Hat Engineer, because there are very few Linux Engineers around and its not easy to fix a Linux machine on your own like you would fix a Windows machine.

Well but the other reason why I love Linux is because of their ideology. Linux believes in the open society. We believe that Technology is free and is meant to be shared. Unlike Microsoft who holds their (crappy) technology to themselves, Linux is open to share it with the world. I know I am still using Windows XP as of now... but it wont be long when I would have moved completely onto a Red Hat or a Suse Linux environment... I was really thrilled to know how the US Army too has embraced Linux Operating Systems for its functioning. (Read here and here)

We, in our organization too have moved from Windows to Linux now. I don't think a NGO like ours can afford to pay as high as INR 14,000,000/- (approx US$ 285,714) for 100 users lics comprising of the Windows Server, 100 Cals, Exchange Server, 100 Exchange Cals, Vista, and Antivirus. Hence we have moved onto Novell's Suse Linux Enterprise Edition which comes to us for a meare INR 1,000,000/- (approx US$ 20,408).

There already lots of mid-size and large companies migrating to Linux from windows to cut cost and to have a stable environment, some of the reasons being Linux Systems (Server as well as user-end) are :-
1) More Stable - Linux machines have never crashed in the history of modern computing
2) More Secured - Linux machines do not need an Anti-virus and has one of the best onboard Firewall system
3) More Reliable - Linux machines are more reliable than windows and your database is more than just secured under the Administrator's thumb.
4) Cost Effective - Any time cost effective, cos the kernel & some of the components are free of charge for distribution, its just the cost of production is what you pay for.

Well now since its a Friday evening and its already 7.40pm here... i don't think I have the patience to finish of this post... so I am logging of guys... besides will you guys really enjoy reading all this technical junk anyway... So do yourself a favour and have a great weekend... ;)