Ubuntu's Feisty Fawn Linux

Attention, world: Linux is ready for prime time.

Linux has been around since Linus Torvalds created a UNIX-like operating system for personal computers back in 1991. Linux practically runs the internet. Where once large UNIX servers hosted most websites, they have been largely supplanted by powerful PC's running various flavors of Torvalds' creation.

However, Linux for the home user has been slow to be adopted.

The concept of Linux is open source thinking. Unlike proprietary software, open source means source code is available to be modified by geeks. The modifications either result in the improvement of the package, or are quickly forgotten.

It's revolutionary stuff. Microsoft is starting to get scared. It goes against everything they stand for. They like the idea of selling software. They have deals with most PC manufacturers to pre-load their OS onto their machines. They also sell Office for high three-figure prices. But people are starting to scare them with their acceptance of more user-friendly, secure, free open-source Linux and applications that run on it.

I have quite a bit of experience with Linux. Most of the flavors I've used require nerdiness. However, I decided that if I ever found a distro (as a flavor of Linux is called) that would allow DVD playback with no more effort than a complete novice could muster, I would trumpet it to the world.

Out of the box, Ubuntu's Feisty Fawn release will install onto practically any hardware and detect everything from wireless nics to trackballs with no user intervention. Playing a DVD, however, will get you a warning from the included Totem movie player that additional decoding software has to be installed.

The problem is DRM, which is added to movies which you have bought and payed for by the motion picture industry to keep you from doing anything with your purchased product except what they wish.

Well, all you have to do is install one more component, Automatix (http://www.automatix.com), and install Codecs and Plugins from its menu. You are a single reboot away from watching DVD's without the assistance of Windows.

Are you sick of spyware, viruses, updates that may break your applications, having to constantly prove that your installation of Windows is legal, and having to pay exorbitant fees for applications that you need? Try Ubuntu's Feisty Fawn!

http://www.ubuntu.com/

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