Here’s a little story of my journey into the world of Ubuntu GNOME Linux.
“So, I was trying to install and configure a modern web development environment on my Windows 10 computer. You know, Vagrant, Node.js, Gulp and shit.”
The people who have been through this know that it’s not something you absolutely love doing. After numerous failed attempts of running virtual Linux boxes and occasional voodoo shit, I was out of luck. Windows’ command shell just sucks monkey butt.
The Russian space engineers must have felt pretty much the same after seeing their masterpiece vaporize in the orbit. How can you program something when – in the worst case scenario – there are no instructions available on how to deal with the bugs of the system? Some of the bugs I encountered while trying to get Vagrant and other software running, involved bug reports that had been sent in only five days ago. Naturally without any available resolution.
Windows 10 is a decent operating system, but when it comes to modern web development, the shit starts to pile up. Running Linux in a virtual box was neither the safe haven I was looking for. Ultimately, I ran into mysterious issues while trying to make ssh connection to the box. So it was time. It was time to install Ubuntu Linux as a real operating system.
Hindrances of the past
I’ve been using and playing with Linux many times before, but I’ve never found it useful for my day-to-day use. Though, some of the biggest obstacles still remain as there is no Adobe Creative Cloud for Linux. However, from what I understand, you can run it on Linux with Wine. That is something I haven’t been able to test yet. This can be worked out easily by using Windows 10 as a multi-boot option.
Another great barrier for not making the final shift has been my passion for gaming. To my amusement and delight, Steam is working really well on Linux. And there are lots of games available, which by the way actually work a lot better in Linux, than they do in my Windows 10 environment!
Unfortunately, not all games are ported on Linux. Also some of the games – like Civilization V, which is one my favorites – make use of Windows-only mods and helper apps to enhance the gameplay. Not to mention, that gamers are still waiting for GOG Galaxy and EA’s Origin to be available on Linux. But you can finally see a big shift happening in the scene.
Ubuntu GNOME, I choose you!
Ubuntu GNOME logo
I chose Ubuntu GNOME 15.10 as my visual interpretation of the Linux world and it just felt right from the very beginning. After having installed a decent email client and Chrome as my default browser, I began to wonder if there was anything I couldn’t do with Linux, that I was used doing in Windows. A task after task I installed and configured my desktop environment for my liking.
I had no problems with the drivers, but some occasional error messages tended to scare me a bit. But before I knew it, I was already using Ubuntu as my main operating system. Of which I’m actually using right now. To be honest, Ubuntu still has some way to go before I could recommend it for my grandpa. But it sure is a hell lot better than it used to be a decade ago.
Summary
I wanted to install a modern and working web development environment on my computer and ended up installing Ubuntu GNOME as my primary operating system. What I also really like is the silence I feel inside my head. I was getting really worried about the business model development of Windows. I don’t like being followed around. Now I can feel safe again. Maybe you should give it a try, too?
Technologies and tools I’m gonna be delving into next are: Gulp.js, Sage, Scotch Box, SASS and many more. Stay tuned!
Imagery from Pixabay.
