Why is Microsoft scared of Linux?

Microsoft is frightened. Even Ballmer is telling users that they can skip Vista, which tells you everything you need to know about Vista's failure. In the past, Microsoft wouldn't have sweated this kind of flop. "What can users do?" they'd say. "Move to Linux or Macs? Ha!" That was then. This is now.

Today, major PC vendors are selling netbooks like hotcakes on a cold Vermont morning and three out of ten of those are running Linux. As my comrade in arms, Preston Gralla observes, "Microsoft isn't just worried about ceding 30 percent of the netbook market to Linux. It's also worried that if people get used to Linux on netbooks, they'll consider buying Linux on desktop PCs. Here's what Dickie Chang, an analyst at research firm IDC in Taipei, told Bloomberg about that: 'It's a real threat to Microsoft. It gives users a chance to see and try something new, showing them there is an alternative.'"

Exactly, and that's why Microsoft is rushing out Windows 7, which is a stripped down Vista SP2, as fast as they can and jerking out features so it will run on netbooks with minimal hardware. Gralla thinks Windows 7 will kill Linux on the netbook, I don't see that.

For all the mistaken excitement about Windows 7, the earliest anyone is going to see Windows 7 is the 2009 holiday season. That's eternity in Linux terms. Linux is already better than Vista and the equal to Microsoft's best desktop operating system, Windows XP SP 3. By the time Windows 7 appears, Fedora, openSUSE and Ubuntu will have all gone through at least two more generations of upgrades.

Windows is a slow dinosaur competing with the fast-moving Linux mammals. It's not a race I expect Windows to win.

Linux is already more stable, more secure, vastly faster boot times, and it's far less expensive than Windows. With efforts afoot to make desktop Linux even more new user friendly and its much faster evolution, I'm not worried about Windows 7 sweeping Linux off the desktop. But, I can certainly see why Microsoft would worry about Linux gaining a substantial, say 30%, of the desktop market or even more if Windows 7 isn't a rip-roaring success.

The days when Microsoft ruled the desktop are numbered and Windows 7 is Microsoft's frantic attempt to forestall the inevitable.

Why is Open Source/Community Developed Better?

I have recently have debated (three times now) with a person I know over why open source and community developed software is better than software that you buy or that comes pre-installed on a computer. Our debates included Linux versus Windows versus Macintosh, Gimp versus Photoshop, and Internet Explorer versus Firefox versus Opera versus Safari versus Chrome. Wow, that's a lot of web browsers.

Anyway, just in case anyone was wondering, we are still arguing over which software is better, and I don't think we will ever stop, even if it is clear open source software has several advantages. What kind of advantages? Many: portability, enhancement, minimization, security, and dedication.

To begin, since the source code of open source programs is out in the open (hence the name), if one person wants to use the program on a platform that it is not available on, they might port the program to that new platform, and eventually a whole group of dedicated people will to manage the port will arise. This is all possible because certain sections of the code (which is available to everyone) are compatible across platforms, and the few sections that aren't might easily be changed.

Since anyone and everyone (with an interest) will view the source code, the internal workings of an open source program will inspire developers to enhance the current program, or create a new program completely based on the internal workings of a current program. Basically, open source programs produce other programs.

Since everyone who wants to is helping develop these programs, you can be guaranteed that the software you are getting successfully does what it has to in the least amount of code. The more people that work on a program, the more likely it is that there is going to be less useless code.

Yes, it's true that being able to view the source code of a program may allow hackers to develop bugs more easily for code, but this openness will also allow security programmers to more easily develop patches for the software and find the errors before they are exploited. What should minimize security actually increases it. The population of dedicated developers working on an open source program will also provide benefits when a bug is found: patches for this type of software will become available more quickly than patches for commercial software would.

Also, because the community is managing all this open source software, we will not have reluctant programmers creating this software. The people who are developing Linux, Firefox, and every other piece of free software are dedicated programmers who are doing this for their own personal satisfaction and the enhancement of computing all over the world. A person getting paid will not put their heart into the program. Sure, money helps in some aspects, but money can't buy love. (Wow, classic bollywood dialogue!)

So that's why open source and community developed software is better. I still don't see how my friend can argue with me. But I don't even care anymore. He can continue using Windows Vista, Internet Explorer, and Photoshop. Even if he has to pay a buttload of money for it all. Most people just pirate it all anyway.

Linux Myths: Busted!

One of the main reasons that most people are afraid to try Linux is because they have this preconceived notion about linux being too hard to use and difficult to maintain; or that they have to do something drastically differ ant and there is a steep learning curve to using linux. Most non-linux users are very ignorant about linux. So here is an attempt to dispel some of the myths surrounding Linux:

Myth# 1: Linux Installation is difficult.

This is fairly popular Linux myth. Maybe 5 years ago; I would have agreed with you, it’s simply not true anymore. Let’s talk about the most popular linux distro at the moment, Ubuntu. On a brand spanking new computer, if you were to install Ubuntu from scratch, you would basically have to follow that same configuration options like selecting language, keyboard type and username/password, as you would do in a new vista installation. On the upside, there is every reasons to believe that your linux installation will be finished a lot sooner than a windows installation; and there will be less restart, if any.

Myth# 2: I have to know the Linux terminal in order to use Linux.

False. There is absolutely no reason why a regular computer user can’t use linux for years, without having to use the terminal. Windows has CMD (or command.com, or now powershell) just like Linux has the terminal. It is meant for power users or developers to tinker with fine points of linux (or show off to their friends). Windows has a suite of applications that has no graphical front-end for server and system administrators (Windows Sysinternals anyone?), same holds true for Linux. One can also look at Mac OS X; which is based on BSD and has a terminal just like linux. But a Mac user will probably never use one in his lifetime.

Myth# 3: There is no one-click installation in linux. I have to compile everything.

Wrong again. Windows one-click installation is possible thanks to MSI windows installer; and just like linux windows also has it’s fair share of differant installers. In Linux, Debian and RPM installers (or package managers) are the two most widely used linux installers out there. They install applications the same way a windows installer installs an application, minus the step by step configuration. So this one is also busted. :)

Myth# 4: Linux Lack applications.

Just official debian repositories alone has more than 18000 applications. Lack of applications is the least of linux’s problem; just like windows, linux has many applications that performs the same task. You can also use Wine to run windows applications that might not have a suitable alternative for linux. You can find a list of windows applications that can be used with linux using wine; including photoshop CS2 and MS Office 2007.

Myth# 5: Can’t play my movies or use my itunes/ipod.

Wrong and wrong. VLC for linux plays many popular formats including, MPEG-1, MPEG-2, MPEG-4, DivX, mp3, ogg, DVDs, VCDs, HD DVD and various streaming protocols, and with more than 96 million users; you can’t get wrong with that. itunes works fine with wine for linux, if for some reason you can’t get itunes to work you could always use itunes alternatives like Banshee, amaroK and Xine.

These are some of the more common myths surrounding linux, that I know of. I am sure there are many more that I didn’t cover. Personally, I use Vista, Debian/Ubuntu and (more recently) OS X; I love them all. Even though I have a soft corner for linux, it would be unfair for me to try to shove linux down all non-linux users throat. However, users needs to get the right informations so that they can decide whats right for them.

Is Windows a virus???

No, Windows is not a virus. Here's what viruses do:

1.They replicate quickly - okay, Windows does that.

2.Viruses use up valuable system resources, slowing down the system as they do so - okay, Windows does that.

3.Viruses will, from time to time, trash your hard disk - okay, Windows does that too.

4.Viruses are usually carried, unknown to the user, along with valuable programs and systems. - Sigh.. Windows does that, too.

5.Viruses will occasionally make the user suspect their system is too slow (see 2) and the user will buy new hardware. - Yup, Windows does that, too.

Until now it seems Windows is a virus but there are fundamental differences: Viruses are well supported by their authors, are running on most systems, their program code is fast, compact and efficient and they tend to become more sophisticated as they mature.

So Windows is not a virus.

It's a bug. So avoid the bug - Switch over to LINUX

Gaming on Linux

Gaming is always described as one of Linux' achilles heels. And while its certainly true there are more good windows games than Linux games, I've been pleasantly surprised by what is available for Linux. Two of my current favorites:

Quake Wars: Enemy Territory

I was a big fan of the original Wolfenstein Enemy Territory game. I must have played it for hundreds of hours. Not only was it free, it was an absolute blast to play. Not as insanely fast paced as Quake or Unreal Tournament, set in a realistic looking and feeling WW2 environment with more or less realistic weapons and with absolutely brilliant cooperative teamplay.

W:ET now has a more than worthy successor called Quake Wars: Enemy Territory. ETQW remains true to the original in many ways. Although it has picked up some speed (or am I getting old?) and it is no longer set in a WW2 environment but rather something slightly futuristic, everything that made W:ET so great is still present. Wonderful maps and missions, gorgeous graphics, varied classes with different abilities and weapons giving a teamplay that is second to none. And it works absolutely perfect on Linux.

Here is an "instructional" video that shows off the game and might help you get started:

ETQW is no longer a free game, although there is a free demo with 1 large map (the one explained in the video above) which is already sufficient to have countless hours of fun. You can download the Linux demo here:
http://zerowing.idsoftware.com/linux/etqw/

World of Padman

World of Padman was perhaps my biggest surprise so far. This is a completely free and opensource Quake 3 Arena based shooter with a very original comic style. The graphics are nothing short of stunning and the whole game is so incredibly polished in every detail, its hard to believe it is not a commercial game.

The gameplay itself is not fundamentally different from other shooters, but the atmosphere most certainly is. With its comic style and "plastic" weapons (bubble guns to name just one), its perhaps also something you'd prefer to see your children play. But make no mistake, its fun for adults too! Here is the trailer (which hardly does justice to its actual visual appeal):





Download the full game here:
http://www.worldofpadman.com/

Is Ubuntu for you?

Found this amazing image on the internet - So go ahead and find out if Ubuntu is the chosen one!!!

First experiences with Ubuntu 8.04

Last week I installed the newest version of Ubuntu on my PC. I had just recently started using Ubuntu (7.10), and was already quite impressed. Naturally I was looking forward to the new version, and I was not disappointed. Here are some of my first impressions.

First off, the installation booted quite quick. Even faster than a fresh installation of Windows XP, if I remember correctly. Out of the box, the look and feel have a nice atmosphere, but some people will find it slightly boring. After installing some nVidia drivers and the advanced Compiz configuration program, I was able to set some very funky display effects. I especially like the idea of my different desktops being represented as a cube. And the graphics look very smooth and polished. Visually there was nothing more I wanted to tweak immediately.

I'm typing this article in OpenOffice, and find the experience quite pleasant. I'm no stranger to OpenOffice, but in this particular default installation I found one thing which was not quite wrinkle-free. The spellchecker kept underlining very common words, like “experiences”, and “disappointed”. Finally I discovered that changing the language settings to “English (USA)” instead of “English (South Africa)” yielded much better results.

Next, I noticed that the font being used in this document wasn't Arial. I opened the font drop-down, but couldn't find any of the fonts I am used to on Windows. Google to the rescue. I found out there is a package called “msttcorefonts”, which you can install to make such fonts available. Much better!

Next, I played with audio and video. As soon as I inserted the CD, the program immediately populated the display with the track names. After another few clicks (changing some preferences), the extraction began, and was finished within minutes. Very impressive.

My impressions of video handling were mixed. My first try was to play a DVD. No luck there. The movie player had some problem with playing the disc. Fortunately, it offered to search for the missing packages, and install them with minimal effort. Great, I thought. But after that it still didn't work. A few Google searches and about 20 minutes later (with a few additional packages installed), DVDs finally played. Except that the player skipped the menu and started with the first track immediately. When I couldn't fix that, I decided to install VLC. This yielded much better results, and everything now worked as it should have in the first place. After doing some research about DVD codecs, I now know why this process had to be so difficult. Since (most) DVDs are encoded with proprietary codecs, these can't be included with the default installation of Ubuntu. And that's why you have to install them yourself. But I did have a pleasant experience with video nonetheless. I successfully loaded several AVI files without having to install a single additional codec or package. Not bad.

With Ubuntu 7.10 I tried to install the Linux Port of .NET, Mono. That went without a hitch, but I couldn't get MonoDevelop installed. I haven't tried it with Ubuntu 8.04 yet, but I suspect that this is not an Ubuntu related issue anyway.

I must say that I am impressed with the selection of pre-installed software that comes with Ubuntu. It's a very useful collection, and for most everyday tasks you have everything you need. And finding and installing other software is quite painless. The Add/Remove program provides you with a world of software available for Linux. And if you can't find something there, chances are you will find it using the package manager. And what I love even more is that you don't need to worry about package dependencies. If a program you are installing needs another package to function correctly, Ubuntu will install that package for you. Very handy.

Overall, I'm having a wonderful time with Ubuntu. And even though I understand why some people with less technical knowledge might find Ubuntu slightly difficult to figure out at times, I love figuring out little “challenges” now and again. At the moment I can't switch to Ubuntu completely on the laptop yet but plan to move to Ubuntu on my home computer completely. So far I haven't found a single reason not to.

Firefox vs. Internet Explorer - Which One I Like Better And Why

Here's classic joke that relates directly to many Internet explorer users:

A man goes in to see a doctor. "Doc, whenever I lift my left arm, I get a shooting pain in my shoulder. What should I do?" The doctor replied, "Stop lifting your left arm."

I think many of us are in the position of that man, and today I'd like to act as your physician. Except that I'm not going to talk about left arms and pains in the shoulder; I'm going to talk about a piece of software that causes us pain in a different part of the body - Internet Explorer.

When Firefox 1.0 first surfaced and gained popularity, I wasn’t sold on it. This was namely because I was turned off by its lack of integrated embedded audio support, and whispers of the need for all these plug-ins and add-ons and widgets and this and that. It really didn’t seem so inviting.

I find some people also hate Firefox. Most people are afraid of the whole “change” thing, which is understandable. Others fear downloading another program on their already super slow and bugged up computers.

For me, the reason I liked it better was because it ended up making my computer faster and safer. How so from just a browser?

When I used Internet Explorer 6, my computer used to always get really buggy and slow. Sometimes it was trojan viruses that found their way on my computer through IE6, other times it was just, well I really don’t know. I found myself reformatted my hard drive ever 4 to 6 months with the amount of spam raging all over the internet. I could go on and on. Look, let's be honest with each other. We all know this is true: IE is a buggy, insecure, dangerous piece of software, and the source of many of the headaches that security pros have to endure (I'm not even going to go into its poor support for Web standards; let that be a rant for another day). Yes, I know Microsoft patches holes as they are found. Great. But far too many are found. And yes, I know that Microsoft has promised that it has changed its ways, and that it will now focus on "Trustworthy Computing." But I've heard too many of Microsoft's promises and seen the results too many times. You know, fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me. Who's shamed when it's "fool me the 432nd time"? Who's the fool?

Ever since I started using Firefox in early 2007, I have NEVER needed to reformat. It’s awesome, alhumdulillah. I had always heard Firefox was safer, but this was just proof in the digital pudding. My computer is running just as fine as it was out of the box, and I haven’t reformatted in almost two years. Since January 2007, I was sold on Firefox 2.0 and currently Firefox 3.0.

All software has bugs, and none is totally "secure". As has been said so many times, security is a process, not a product. So I'm quite aware that Firefox has had security issues, and will have more in the future as sure as the sun rises. But the record so far with Firefox has been positive. Security issues are not common, but when they are found, they are openly discussed and fixed quickly. This is very good, and security pros should appreciate such responsiveness.

I know IE7 was released over a year ago and is supposed to be a massive overhaul of the now defunct IE6. But ask any Firefox user, it’s just Microsoft’s reaction to the wildly popular Firefox. I’m not saying it’s not good, it’s a LOT better than IE6. But it’s just not as solid as Firefox 2.0 - leave alone Firefox 3.

Check out the ratings from the CNET.com Prizefight between the two.

Test	IE7	Firefox 2.0
Ease of Installation	5	13
Look and community	12	15
Tabbed browsing	11	13
Cool new features	9	11
Security and performance	10	12
TOTAL	47	64

Firefox still rules the browser roost for now, despite a much improved version of Internet Explorer. The most obvious new feature for IE 7 (tabs) has been in Firefox forever, and the security additions from Microsoft aren’t enough for us to allay concerns over new possible exploits. Lastly, the extensibility of Firefox is its knockout punch, and IE’s add-ons cannot compare. The flexibility and customizability of Firefox might be best suited to more advanced Web users, but it has earned its spot at the top of the browsers. - CNET.com

In any case, to each his own. Some people just like IE better for just preference’s sake, which is totally cool. Others love Firefox and the awesomeness that it brings.

What about you guys? Which do you like and why? Got another browser you like better than Firefox or IE? Or are you just a blind hater and think all other browsers stink? Let’s hear what you guys have to say.

Why I love Linux?

I guess this explains it:

Is Ubuntu for You?

---

I'm talking to you, potential user. You've used Windows almost all your life. You think you know a little bit about computers. Maybe you know a lot... about Windows computers. Thought you'd give the most popular distro on DistroWatch a chance, eh? Well, let's see if Ubuntu's the right choice for you.

Hardware
First of all, keep in mind that any OS will have its hardware limitations. People have endless arguments about why Linux doesn't support absolutely everything. It does come close, but there are some gaps. I know that wireless can be a toughie. I've heard Lexmark printers are almost a no-go. I'd say in the vast majority of cases, you'd be surprised at how much Ubuntu does recognize without any configuring, but you may end up with too low a screen resolution or something.

General distro rule of thumb: if the distro doesn't recognize more than two of your hardware pieces (say, the internet, sound, and screen resolution), you've got the wrong distro. Don't fight it. You can if you want to, but it'll be frustrating. Just get a new distro. I tried Ubuntu and only my screen resolution was off. I tried Mepis, and it recognized everything.

Software
There are many Linux equivalents for Windows software, but not for everything. Some Windows programs can be run in Linux with some helper applications, but some programs are just hopeless. Find out. Ask questions. If you think you have some Windows-only programs with no Linux substitutes, pop a question into a forum, "I use Macromedia Shockwave. Is there a way to get this working in Linux?" Don't expect too much (Linux can't run everything Windows has), but don't expect too little either (Linux often has more variety, and some programs are even better in Linux), especially if you have money for Cedega or Crossover Office.

Interface
Can you copy and paste instructions? I mean literally copy... and paste? You can't? You hate the command line? You'd never want to even touch the command line once? You don't have any frends who are willing to install Ubuntu for you? Okay. If you answered no, no, yes, yes, and yes to those questions, then Ubuntu is not for you. You're probably better off with Mepis or Linspire.

If, however, you embrace the command-line just for setting up Ubuntu you'll realize it's easy to copy and paste stuff that people tell you to type in, and that once you've got things set up, you can graphical user interface most of the regular programs (email, internet, etc.).

Free Price
Does the lack of having to pay for something (software, OS, or even shipping) appeal to you? Maybe Ubuntu is for you. A lot of other Linux distros will be free but have a more up-to-date edition you pay for, or some subscription that gives you a little more. Ubuntu is free, free, free--no money for anything. Of course, if you want to donate and you have the money, go for it.

Free Software
The software is also not proprietary. In practical terms that means you don't have to enter an activation code or limit how many computers you can install the software on. And if you're a programmer, you can even modify the code. However, you should realize that a lot of what you consider "basic" may, in fact, be proprietary. If you want Java support and MP3 support and DVD codecs right away, and you're not willing to copy and paste some simple commands to get them up and running, Ubuntu is not for you. Blag and Mepis have some pretty good out-of-the-box proprietary formats support.

Community
Ubuntu's community is amazing. We even put up with trolls and Linux-haters. You'll find the vast majority of users here are knowledgeable, supportive, responsive, and patient. There are a lot of HowTo's as well and some good links.

Not Windows
Do you want an OS that's Windows without the spyware? Linux isn't for you. Linux is not Windows. Linux can perform tasks that Windows can perform and even more, but it is not Windows. If you can't come with an open mind to Linux, then don't come at all. It's kind of like going from Windows to Mac. There's a learning curve. If you don't have time to learn, just cough up some money for anti-virus and learn more about securing your Windows computer. I've done it. It's not that hard.

I know this generally sounds like a downer. I say use Mepis. I say use Windows. I say something may not work, or you may have to do a lot of copying and pasting to get something working. I just want to warn you. I don't want you to come in with weird expectations about Ubuntu. Please don't twist what's basically a marketing slogan ("Linux for Human Beings") to mean that just about anyone can actually install Ubuntu on any computer and not have to learn anything to get it working. You can't even say that about Windows. If you want to complain about the first thing that goes wrong, don't even bother, because I know you'll complain even if nothing goes wrong. You have to have a positive attitude.

However, if you can get past all that and say, "Yes, I do want a free OS. I don't mind copying and pasting a few commands in the beginning. I want something stable and a little bit different. I don't mind learning things and being part of a supportive and fun community," then dive in! The water is nice. Ubuntu can be a wonderful experience.

P.S. - try it out
You don't have to reformat your hard drive to give Ubuntu a try. There's a live CD that won't affect your Windows installation (From the Ubuntu CD case: Note that a Live CD is much slower than the fully installed Ubuntu system, but allows you to test Ubuntu without affecting your existing software). You can also set up a dual-boot whereby you can choose whether to boot into Windows or Ubuntu.

P.P.S. If you don't have internet access (or have dial-up and little patience with hours of downloading), then please don't use Ubuntu. Software installation and updates will be painful if not impossible.

P.P.P.S. Other distros that include popular proprietary stuff and more graphical tools "out of the box" are PCLinuxOS, Linux Mint, and Sabayon.

Linux over Windows? Anyday - Anytime

Lots of people argue why I should use Linux (any distro, I prefer Ubuntu) when I am currently using Windows or Mac. Given a chance to select your choice of operating system (OS), people may prefer to use Linux than anything else. The other thing which prevents users using Linux is the hardware support which is not that good currently for Linux. But that is because we have been living in a world where Windows is being forced to everyone when they buy PC. That’s why hardware manufacturers are also forced to support Windows first than any other thing. But this support has increased tremendously over last couple of years. At the same time Linux community has developed itself in making Linux (Ubuntu in particular) more user friendly.
Anyways that is an ongoing debate whether you should use Linux or Windows or Mac. And at some point it is a personal choice as well.
I thought of collating some reasons which might make you think twice while buying another Windows PC. And if you currently use Linux, then please add a comment to this post, why you use Linux and which distro you use so that others can get more information about it:

1. Ubuntu is Free and so any other Linux distro.
   
2. You don’t have to buy Office (Word, Power-point, Excel etc.) separately. It comes with OpenOffice preinstalled.
   
3. You don’t have to buy costly hardwares for the basic need. (RAM. Processor, HDD etc.)
4. Ubuntu is more stable.
5. You are free from Viruses so you don’t have to buy another upgrade of Norton or any other Antivirus software.
   
6. When you have installed Ubuntu, you don’t have to install anything else to get you started with your productivity.
7. You don’t have to wait for years for the bugs to get fixed. You can track them down in Ubuntu.
8. You can update everything on your system with just one update manager. No need to run separate Update manger for all the softwares you installed. (Saves your system resources.)
9. Don’t get tired restarting your computer all the time. You do it almost never with Ubuntu.
10. You are free from Pirated softwares. With Ubuntu you can share it with as many people as you want and it is LEGAL.
11. Don’t have to bother searching the web for new softwares. Ubuntu gets a whole lot of software free of cost to you.
12. Play hundreds of games for Free.
13. Your PC won’t get slower day by day. It happens in Windows only.
14. Use MSN, AIM, ICQ, Jabber, Gtalk, Yahoo and many more with a single program. No need to install separate software for the same thing.
15. Tired of managing multiple windows on your screen. You can use workspaces to manage your work.
16. You old computer will get a second life. Because Ubuntu does not need those high resources as Windows.
17. Jump into the next generation of desktop themes with Compiz fusion and all with lot less resources than Windows Vista.
18. With Ubuntu, you are always free. Free as in Freedom and in Free Beer. Ubuntu is free and will always remain free.
    
19. All future upgrades of Ubuntu are provided free of cost. Upgrades are released every 6 months.
20. Upgrades are installed automatically. You don’t have to bother about losing your data and redoing lots of personalization. The updates are installed with your permission and only if you want them…not in the background without you knowing it.
    
21. You can tweak your desktop wallpaper or any other setting the way you want it. You can make it look like Windows or Mac (if you want.). You can even get the sidebar you were fascinated in Vista.
22. You don’t have to defrag your hard disk every now and then to boost the performance. Ubuntu does it for you automatically.
23. You don’t have to go to a shop to buy operating system. You can download it anytime you want it and burn it on a CD. You can even burn it on a re-writable CD to save some CDs.
24. Thousand of user are there to help you with when you are stuck. Become a part of Ubuntuforums.
25. You will get free and Long Term Support (LTS) for Ubuntu. Ubuntu 8.04 Desktop version also has a LTS.
    

I think these many reason are enough to get you started with Ubuntu or any other Linux flavor. Keep visiting this blog for more information on Linux, Ubuntu in particular. If you want to try it now you can download Ubuntu 8.04 Hardy Heron.