So many pages, so little time! The internet is full of great stuff. It’s like the Smithsonian museums. Of course, it also has a bunch of junk. Below are links to sites that are worthy of attention. I’ll add to it when I come across something that makes it past my del.icio.us list.
Software
I was a hardcore Firefox user, but Opera seems to render things much faster than it or Internet Explorer. I miss the Firefox extensions, but the speed and clean design of Opera has kept me on it for many months now. If you are using Internet Explorer, you should get this browser! MSIE is not a fully compliant browser.
Outlook Express is definitely not the mail client to use. With correct setup, Thunderbird is an awesome mail client. It handles all mail protocols (including IMAP, which is what AOL uses). You can have all of your mail accounts in one place. Unlike Microsoft Outlook, you can configure Thunderbird to keep the accounts separate. That is the main reason I went to it. It has the ability to have “Personal Folders” like Outlook does. Information can be imported and exported. Give this client a shot if you have been using Express, webmail, or are just looking for a new client.
Forget the costly and resource-intensive Symantec or McAfee anti-virus. Try out the free version of Grisoft’s AVG Anti-Virus. I’ve found it to be more reliable, and use much less resources, than the commercial products. We even use the corporate version at work. It doesn’t interfere with the system like the others do. The only time it becomes noticable is when it’s needed.
100% free and easy to use, this Linux distro is perfect for beginners and professionals alike. It’s also great for setting up a computer for the kids that isn’t prone to malware like Windows is. It comes with everything you need to start browsing the internet and composing documents. Don’t be scared of it just because it’s Linux. It’s completely graphical like Windows. You can even use the Live CD to try it out before actually installing it. When it comes time for installation, it’s quick and easy! Give it a shot. They even will ship a free CD to you.
I’ve been using Paint Shop Pro ever since Windows 3.1. Version 8 made it virtually like Adobe Photoshop, but at a much lower price. I’m currently using version 9. I haven’t purchased the new version ever since Corel bought JASC (the original maker of PSP), but I plan on doing so.
2 Comments
I have a desktop at home running Windows XP and a notebook running WinXP. If I wipe the notebook clean and put ubuntu on it, will they still be able to see one another?
I’ve always been a Windows guy, so this Linux stuff is completely new to me. I like what I’ve seen on their website, but am curious about compatibility with 3rd party software. Thanks!
They sure can. I’m new myself, but I know it is possible to have mixed operating systems in the same network that can still see each other. The main problem you might have is with hardware. The good thing with Ubuntu is that you can either make a Live CD by downloading the ISO and burning it, or request a free one. Then, you can boot to it on your laptop. That will let you see how well it works with your hardware without having to format first.
Obviously none of your software will work on Ubuntu since they’re made for Windows. You can use Wine to make some Windows applications run under Linux, but not all of them will work. The good thing is that there is plenty of open source software out there to replace almost anything that is used in Windows. Also, Ubuntu already comes with some of the software.
Eventually I’ll get around to formatting the 700Mhz computer I’ve got just sitting around. When I do, I’ll install Ubuntu and do a “Windows replacement” walkthrough including typical software.
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