Ubuntu - Linux for sissies?

DudeBoyz

What is up with Ubuntu? It has to be the cheesiest Linux distro out there.

Not only is it way over-simplified, but by default they don't let you log in as root or SU to root so you can do some hardcore editing of things like the xorg.conf file. You have to jump through some hoops to get any sort of admin rights. Kinda lame if you ask me.

At least they have Kubuntu for those that like KDE instead of Gnome, but still. It's a total pain to work with for anybody that has half a brain.

PLUS - it doesn't come with MC (Midnight Commander) at all. Totally lame.

Yeah, it does have some software update thing that seems easy, but I can't think of anything else that has a redeeming quality.


Anybody actually like this distro? If so, why?

temeteus82

I think that it's meant to those people who don't know anything about Linux and want to take a look... Personally I've installed several Ubuntu/Kubuntu workstations to people who wanted to have linux but they didn't know how to install or configure it.

DudeBoyz

Maybe I was just too harsh.

I spent like HOURS trying to work around that root thing, and just so I could edit the display file so I could get 1280x1024 instead of 1024x768. I even got it to go 1600x1200. Could not figure out how to do that without dropping to the command line as root.

I miss Corel Linux...

These "Live" disks are pretty cool in that you can just boot right to them without an install. Pretty convenient, after all.

Al_Vampyre

Its great for those of us trying Linux for the first time in years though...if you want the uptake of Linux to be greater then you need to make it as easy as possible for people to use initially, then they can get on to the advanced features when they are ready...oh and gaming support would be the biggest step to mass acceptance of Linux

temeteus82

I don't think that it's to hard to cfg from terminal all you need is sudo command

Mousey

AMen, Linux was originally seen as a geek's os, in which you never spent a second out of the terminal.
The only problem i have with ubuntu is the fact i can't access my hdd and i can't get any drivers for it

DudeBoyz

I just installed PuppyLinux in a VM and that sucker was better on the install than Ubuntu. It set video up like a freakin' champ - 1600x1000 even - and the packet manager worked primo. Midinight Commander was easily installed, and I had admin rights so could handle what I needed to.

I don't like Ubuntu much at all. Just about ever other distro is better than that - except maybe Slackware, which did not do any auto-partitioning setup.

DudeBoyz

Standard SU should be all that is needed.

H3X4D3C1M4L

sudo and su are roughly the same thing.

Ubuntu is a great Linux O/S for those of us who are lazy or for those who want to switch from Windows. Not only is it VERY easy to both use and install for someone who has never heard of UNIX period, but its easy to update and maintain as well and you get the inherent stability benefits and robustness of a Linux operating system

I keep Ubuntu handy for older machines that I use for web browsing or email or GAIM etc., because there are points when I get sick of tooling with Gentoo or OpenBSD

DudeBoyz

Even at $39, I'd recommend Xandros over Ubuntu/Kubuntu any day of the week.

I'd recommend PUPPY LINUX over Ubuntu for n00bs.

H3X4D3C1M4L

Hard to argue with free.

Besides Ubuntu is quite popular now so there's a large support base for it

DudeBoyz

Suse is probably the best of the free distros - covers the line from relative n00b to command-line geek.

Xandros is one of the most idiot proof.

OS X beats them all.

If Apple would release OS X to run on Intel machines, I have a feeling the thing would just totally take over the alternative desktop market.

H3X4D3C1M4L

I wouldn't doubt it either but good luck convincing Jobs to do the most obviously smart thing.

H3X4D3C1M4L

http://consumer.hardocp.com/article....xoY29uc3VtZXI=

This is a good arcticle on the subject

RIV@NVX

Not for everybody. I *absolutely*hate* OS X (someone told me it's because I expected it to be better Unix than Linux, which is not).

DudeBoyz

Never actually interacted with someone who said they HATE OS X. Wacky.

Malus

I'm pretty sure you can just "sudo passwd" to create a root password and allow for logins using su under Ubuntu (well, it worked on my Dad's Ubuntu install anyway). It defeats the purpose of using sudo though.

I don't think Apple will ever release OSX for generic computers, unless they substantially raise the price of the operating system in order to recoup the losses from the lack of hardware sales.

I recommend Ubuntu to people who want to get into *nix, but I wouldn't use it myself. I only run BSD derivatives on my machines. Right now, I am using FreeBSD on everything, though I also like OpenBSD and DragonFlyBSD. NetBSD is ok, but it does not have any compelling features (yet) over the other BSD's (at least for me).

DudeBoyz

Found out finally how to login as ROOT with admin privledges in Ubuntu. I downloaded the 1.3 Ultimate version and got it installed and working under Parallels by specifying a 2.6 distro option during setup.

Anyway, as folks may know, Ubuntu does NOT allow you to login as ROOT by default. They don't want you to mess with anything (for your own good, I guess). BUT, I found through some google searching that there is a way to do it. Here it is quoted verbatim from the page I found:

First Go to gnome start menu and go to system-->Administration-->User and Groups

There search for the user "root". U will find it. After choosing root, click on "properties" and change the password to something u want. there will be a system generated random root password which you have to erase and set a new one of your choice. once you are done come out of that and close all windows.

THEN, again from start menu go to System --> Administration --> Login Screen Setup.

There go to the "security" tab and CHECK "allow root to login with GDM". There u are all set!!!! close all windows and log out of GNOME and on to GDM\
type root, root's password that u had set and ENJOY!

Why would you want to login as ROOT? So you can edit the XORG.CONF file to enable resolutions your monitor supports but Ubuntu doesn't want you to use.

Anyway, wanted to share that. Was not sure if I should put it in a dedicated thread or not, but if I put it here I still hope it will come up in searches via some key words:

ubuntu login as root
ubuntu login root
root login ubuntu

Hope that does it.

DarkFoss

Ubuntu is not the only distro Mandriva does as well it's really a safety feature so beginners do not start cruising around the web as root and worse.
To disable it in Mandriva it different because it's kde based :

Open /etc/kde/kdm/kdmrc in a text editor.
Find: AllowRootLogin=false
Change it to: AllowRootLogin=true

I don't bother anymore I just open a terminal type su enter my root password at the prompt then type konqueror and cruise around changing what I need also any apps you launch by right-clicking will also have root privledges.. If I happen to be in Gnome I do the same but type nautilus instead..

H3X4D3C1M4L

Generally you're not supposed to run around doing anything in root but administrative tasks.

Mainly Ubuntu does this to prevent novices from malfing everything up Which even experts do by accident, I've messed things up running as root when I could have just gotten a nice permission denied message and saved the day had I been running as a user

DarkFoss

Hahah I've wrecked a couple installs myself..and will probably mess a few more while I'm still learning.. I do keep a seperate /data partition as well as a great live dvd on hand
incase I do something really unfortunate

Mousey

i've got OSX on my other hdd but i hate the way everything is so fucked up,
i plug my usb speedtouch modem into my front or back usb ports and it displays red,
which is os related i think...

"Everything just works on mac" yeah, for lazy people that put the cd in and wait, you can't CHANGE anything

GutterPunk

MC is a freakin awesome game

Beyond that Ubuntu isn't all that bad. You can go pretty deep with hacks in it.
OSX, you get just as many friggen errors if not more than I get with my windows based PC. Wanna know why? Because I really haven't gotten many errors at all. We have to service mac books and people want to put windows on them because they hate osx. So we boot camp, install XP and all is well.

GutterPunk

Have they not seen the prices of a mac book pro? too much hardware for windows vista? $2800 for a mac book pro or $900 for a laptop that can run vista home premium w/o a problem. lawl? That is just a comment from the opening statement. People who complain that vista takes too much hardware. I am sorry but Mac uses a lot of hardware, its not cheap, and if you wanna upgrade from 10.3 to 10.4 its going to cost you additional money over what you already paid for 10.3. To me it sounds like a patch more than a full version upgrade. Also after putting windows on them, it seems windows runs on the mac so much faster than osx. Meh I am disgusted. The rest of the read is alright though .

H3X4D3C1M4L

I tend to agree but myself... I see putting Windows on a machine as crippling it. If game developers wouldn't insist on using Direct3D and started using OpenGL.... we'd be able to use Linux as a viable true alternative operating system. But MS has its roots so far in there, its hopeless Thankfully there are projects like Cedega to mitigate the problem