Microsoft’s top 10 reasons to upgrade to Ubuntu Linux, not Vista

By David M Williams
Friday, 19 October 2007 20:33

Open Source

Microsoft have listed 100 reasons why people really ought to upgrade from Windows XP. They appeal to usability, mobility, security and entertainment. Yet, looking through the list, we reckon they’re actually talking about Ubuntu Linux, not that dog Windows Vista.

Let’s count down the top 10 reasons from Microsoft why you should upgrade to Ubuntu.

#10 Surf more safely
Online security is a big issue – there are matters of privacy, and matters of persistent, incessant malware. Fortunately, Ubuntu provides the Firefox web browser. It is a separate program, not an integrated component of the operating system. This means that even if viruses and malicious attackers can compromise the web browser, they don’t gain any extra access to the system. What’s more, Firefox will never allow spyware or adware to automatically install just by visiting a web page.

One supporting factor is that Firefox does not offer built-in support for VBScript or ActiveX, two Microsoft technologies which are well-renown for being exploited. This lack of support saves a multitude of problems, but loses very few positives: even Microsoft themselves have largely abandoned VBScript for web-based scripting: all the ASP.NET client-side form validation routines, for instance, are implemented in JavaScript.

What’s more, Firefox gives complete control over cookies to keep privacy under wraps.

#9 Unchain your mobile PC
Wireless networking has become widespread; the Intel Centrino platform mandated built-in WiFi as have other hardware standards. WiFi is available on your computer, your Nintendo Wii, your hand-held PDA, and even your cockamamie rabbit.

Ubuntu’s latest release, 7.10, or “Gutsy Gibbon”, now offers far more WiFi adapter support than before. A quick Google yields many happy punters. Wired magazine report Ubuntu immediately recognised their Toshiba laptop’s WiFi card, and automatically joined a local network, and sensed  and enabled WPA encryption. Bloggers report that wireless now works with the Dell Inspiron 1501 with just four clicks of the mouse.

Ubuntu ships with a fantastic GUI network tool called network-admin. This is readily available under the System/Administration/Networking menu. When launched, it lists the network adapters available on your computer, including the wireless connection. All your networking configurations can be managed here, and additional tools are provided to automate switching WiFi networks, letting you roam freely with your laptop.

#8 Your PC can take care of itself
Your days of defragmenting are over. Ubuntu uses a different file system to Windows. It does not really ever require defragging. Don’t just take our word for it; check out geekblog.

No version of Windows can boast such built-in self maintenance. Not even Windows Vista. Perhaps its intended radical new database-oriented file system may have fared better, but it was pulled so the OS would finally ship – so we’ll still have to wait to find out.