making the switch… ready, or not?

Ok, first it was the C64, then I upgraded to the C128. Eventually I switched to a PC. My first was a 286 with 1meg of ram, and for a GUI I ran Geos. I upgraded to 2meg of ram when I switch to Geos2.0 - I never used Windows3.1, I stuck with Geos on that 286 until I upgraded to a Gateway486 and Window95.

I’ve been through a few other computers since then, and been using XP for quite awhile… and it’s not that I don’t like it (especially compared to what I’ve seen/heard about Vista). Of course you can’t be online the last few years without reading about Linux. Having a computer background it isn’t that I didn’t think I couldn’t handle Linux, just… didn’t need to.

I still don’t need to, but now I am wondering if I need Windows? Well, I do. I currently have a P4, 2.1ghz box, but I only have 512k ram… and for what I do in Windows… it’s pushing the envelope. At least when I’m doing all the stuff I do. There are some things I do, programs I run, that I can’t get for Linux yet, but do I need it for my day-to-day stuff that I do? The web design, basic document work, listening to music, watching TV, etc. I’m thinking not.

Right now I have an older machine that I have installed Ubuntu on and have been playing with that. Part of the goal here is to create a media box that I can stick in the living room and run video, music, and recorded TV. But now I’m wondering if I don’t make my main computer the Ubuntu one… or at least a dual boot.

So, in preparation for this I am going to go through what I have for software on this computer, the Windows box, and figure out what I have that I can/can’t do with Ubuntu. (Yea, I know I rambled a lot to get to this point.)

I have a few categories I put my stuff in to on my Start menu, so I’ll go through those and list out what I have.

Desktop - basic office type tools

BlockCAD - a game really, not sure why it’s here - it lets you design stuff with legos. Haven’t used it much at all, so I don’t think I would miss it.
EditPad Lite - it’s been my default text editor. If there’s not a Linux version though I am sure I can find something similar to replace it with.
Google Desktop - It’s nice when I need it. I’m sure there must be something similar for Linux… if not, I can see missing this one.
Microsoft Project - This is the only MS Office program I still use, and it’s for work. So I wouldn’t have to have it here at home.
Open Office - I’m using this at home, and at work. I still have MS Office installed at work for some files that I can’t get to port to OO correctly. This is already on Ubuntu, so good there.
PaperPort - I used this a lot in the past, it was a nice way to organize documents. Let you scan forms and add text to them and more. Even tho a new version came with my new printer… I can live without it.
Powertoys for Windows: Resizer - The right-click image resizing is nice. There must be something just as easy to use for Linux.
Adobe Reader - not worth worrying about.
MasterCook - I have a lot of stuff in here… I should look for a replacement to use in Ubuntu… tho I do have my site at food.upmykilt.net too.

Utility - various utility programs

7-Zip - Not an issue.
Cobian Backup - It took awhile to find a backup program I like. I know there’s one built in to Ubuntu… hopefully it’s decent.
LG OOD Firmware Update - I have an LG, Lightscribe DVD burner. I’m not worried about doing burning… but will I lose the use of the LightScribe features?
NetDrive - being able to map to an FTP site is nice - there any way to do this in Ubuntu?

Multimedia - guess what’s covered here?

I have a Hauppauge WinTV card that I need to make sure works… I am pretty sure I can get drivers for Ubuntu, and there seems to be other software for it around. I recently bought a VisionTek HD650 card… cause the other one may be dead. Will have to do some digging for info on getting this to work in Ubuntu.
Other than that, I have a Movie Organizer database that I am looking to replace anyways, Windows Media Player, and various players that I’m sure I can handle using Linux versions just fine. In fact I may be better off. Oh, MusicMatch Jukebox - I am using an older version because .. I like it. I don’t like the newer Yahoo! versions. So it will take some digging to find one to replace it. I know Ubuntu has stuff built in… we’ll see if I like it or what.

Publishing - for creating print and digital media

ArtRage 2 Free - I played with this a bit, it is kinda kewl. Downloaded while bored at work (I was working on a weekend waiting for a repair guy). I’m thinking of getting a tablet to really play with this, but there are lots of good graphics stuff available for Linux.
PaintShopPro - I’ve been trying out GIMP, and it works pretty good. But in some ways PSP is better and I find myself turning to it when I can’t do (or figure out how to do) something in GIMP. I’m finding other stuff besides GIMP, so maybe I will find what I need.
TurboCad - This is one I use… once in awhile. I’m not sure if there’s a replacement I can find to run in Ubuntu. Will have to check Google.
WinkFlash - I’ve been using this service, and the upload utility is nice… tho I can probably live without it.

Web - my web utilities

AIM - I know, but I like AIM. I like the tabs on the sides. Pidgon is close second, and I’ll probably get used to it.
AVG Free - Won’t need this.
FileZilla - can get it for Ubuntu.
Linksys VPN - I may need this once in awhile for work… but I’ve also been using LogMeIn - I can access my work computer from any browser with it, but I wouldn’t be able to access my home computer from work any longer.
Skype and Firefox are both available on Ubuntu by default. Just need to load my extensions and such.

Games - One I enjoy play often enough to buy it is Zuma Deluxe. I could put it on my laptop I suppose. Other than that, I don’t play much in the way of games.

Bout the last big hurdle is my Palm Desktop - though I do sync my new Centro with my computer at work. I’ve briefly seen stuff about sync’ing via Linux. So I may not have a problem here either.

So as I look back over this… there isn’t much of a reason that really must stick with Windows, at least not as my primary computer.