11.10 Oneiric Ocelot: a very much welcomed Ubuntu update

I haven't written anything in a long time about Ubuntu Linux, the other operating system I have running in my machine. The latest version, 11.10 (codenamed Oneiric Ocelot), was released a several days ago, and which I am right now testing and so far liking a lot.

Why another operating system?, you may ask.

I'm running Windows 7 as my main operating system. My experience of using it for nearly a year has been good. I think it's the most polished version of Windows released so far.

As for Ubuntu 11.10, for a lack an original thought at the moment, is also the most polished version of Ubuntu yet.

The main reason why I started using Ubuntu was its cost,  which is zero ringgit. After I reformatted my old machine, I installed Windows XP and Ubuntu side by side (can't remember which version exactly, but I'm guessing it was 8.04 Hardy Heron). That turned out to be huge help when my Windows XP refused to work because I changed the motherboard. I tried to be a good customer by using original software, but when my hardware went kaput and had to replace it, my original software won't let me. Thanks a lot, Microsoft.

And thanks a million to God Almighty, Ubuntu allowed me to still open my documents and play my media files. So for about a year or so back then (was it really that long?), I was most on Ubuntu Linux, upgrading it whenever a new release was available. One upgrade usually takes me nearly a whole day through Streamyx but only a few hours using 3G.

Source: Wikipedia

Since release 11.04 earlier this year, Ubuntu uses a new user interface system called Unity. Visually, Unity is eye catching. It's one way to impress your friends and family, especially if they are long time Windows users.

I still haven't gotten used to how whenever I minimise any window, it disappear into the left side of the screen, and not at the bottom of the screen in Microsoft Windows. This isn't a bad thing actually since the same happens in Windows if set our taskbar to autohide, and the taskbar can positioned to the left if we want. However I kept finding myself losing track of which window did I open and where is that window that I wanted to close earlier? Turns out the solution for this was the good old Alt and Tab keys combo.

Unity takes a little getting used to. And actually the same goes for all operating systems being developed right now. We're witnessing the dawn of touch-based interfaces, which effectively makes some features we're so used to all this while obsolete. The developers are trying to balance the needs both of current desktop users and the growing touch-based device users. Even Microsoft is working hard on this with their Metro project.

There are many reason to get on board the Ubuntu train. Every Ubuntu users gets a free 5GB of free storage on the Ubuntu One. Ubuntu and most of the software on it are downloadable free of charge available the Ubuntu Software Centre, a centralised approach to managing software in Ubuntu, which I think something Windows should have. And social-addicts will love Ubuntu's built in social app.

In my opinion, Ubuntu is on its way to mainstream acceptable, though not quite there yet. To reel in the casual user crowd,  Ubuntu needs to fully embrace the 'don't make the users think' paradigm. I would love to be able to add new software to my Software Centre without fiddling with the PPAs. And if there are many people reading this thinking, what on earth is a PPA?, then this is another reason why we the casual, non-technical users need a simpler Ubuntu.

By the way, oneiric means dreamy or dream related, and this is how awesomely cute an ocelot is.

Source: (again) Wikipedia