> No, seriously. What's the advantage to Ubuntu or any of this stuff? It
> seems like a helluva lot of work. If you like that sort of thing,
> fine, but otherwise? Just hatred of Redmond and/or Cupertino?
The advantage of a Linux-based operating system is that in addition to doing everything with a computer that a person with a Mac or Windows can do, I can do things that are only limited by my ability, time, or coding skills.
If all you want to do with a computer are the things Steve Jobs or Bill Gates thinks are worthwhile, then stick with the Mac or Windows.
So it is not so much about *easy* vs. *hard*, but who controls the code running on the machine.
Ubuntu is actually very user-friendly to a Linux novice. I use it on my laptop because everything (video, sound, Internet, bluetooth) works after the initial install. I use it for my htpc (home theater PC) because I run Boxee (http://www.boxee.tv) and that is the distro for which they build their application.
I prefer Slackware for servers, though...it is what one might call a "hard" distro.
Matt
-- GnuPG Key ID: 0xC33BD882 aim: beyondzero123 yahoo msg: beyondzero123
Life is pain, Highness. Anyone who says differently is selling something.
-Westley