Ubuntu 12.04, Precise Pangolin

[Paul]

I love Ubuntu 12.04!!! Ever since I moved on to Ubuntu, using a computer has been a sheer pleasure for me, and it just keeps getting better and better.

Ubuntu 12.04 strikes me as just being an improvement on 11.10. Everything worked nice with 11.10, but now it is all better -- fast, sleek, capable, nice. And the more I use the Unity interface, the more I get used to it, and now, it all just seems effortless and easy. However, getting used to it was a process.

It takes time to learn Ubuntu, and I do recommend viewing some videos from YouTube to really get to know it. Understanding the OS is not difficult at all, but it still takes some time.

Here is one video, as a sample of what the OS is like.


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Here is a second sample video.


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The Launcher Panel is locked on the left, but this can be made to disappear with the System Settings, and then, it only comes out when the cursor is bumped to the left of the screen. And it can be locked or unlocked by hitting Alt + F1. There are so many features to be reviewed, but by just holding the Super Key (the Windows Key), a list of the keyboard short cuts will appear, which is a good place to start on reviewing what can be done.

For installing Ubuntu, my review with Ubuntu 10:04 still applies.

Ubuntu 10.04 — Windows OS Replacement

Below is the post on my original review of Ubuntu 11.10.

[Paul]

Oneric Ocelot is a delight! Allthough I do not usually try the October releases of Ubuntu, considering them a stage in progress, Linux Mint 11 was slowing down on my laptop with each update. And then, Oneiric Ocelot turned out to be a real surprize. The first thing I noticed was the spectacular improvement in sound and video — not that what I had before was bad.

The unity interface at first was maddening. I thought they had ruined the OS. However, I just did not understand it, and there were no explanations anywhere on how to use it. I had to learn to move around the OS by trail and error, and the first day was very difficult. Then, I understood it, and I find it is actually very nice and an improvement over the classic gnome desktop. Initially, it seemed impossible to find applications and open them, but eventually I discovered there actually were many ways to do so. And without a status bar, having more than one file open in an application seemed impossible, but I learned how to look for little arrows with the launcher icons and when to click to find everything in use. The menu bars on applications are not present until rolling over them, and the launcher disappears until moving the cursor to the far left — but it is all very slick once understood.

However, this interface does take some time to get used to, and I still recommend waiting for the 12.04 release, for updating from 10.04, with the finishing touches on unity for anyone not already familiar with Ubuntu.

Final Note — In checking the OS with a number of USB wireless adapters, some did not work. Apparently, the drivers for some of the adapters have to be updated for the new kernel, which is going to require additional time. Thus, before installing Oneiric Ocelot and in using the live CD, make certain the internet can be surfed. Noting the flashing light working on the adapter is not enough but verify that you can move around to different websites.