Linux (Ubuntu 12.04 (Precise Pangolin))

I am installing Linux as my Operating System for several reasons. For starters, Linux is what the 'L' stands for in L.A.M.P. The other two reasons are that I use it at work and would like to get more familiar with it and also that most servers run Linux.

Ubuntu is a free, open source 'flavour' of Linux which has a graphical user interface as well as text-based input. Version 12 is an LTS which stands for Long Term Support, meaning that it should be supported for at least 5 years.

In order to do a fresh install of Ubuntu on an OSless PC you first of all need to make a USB boot disk:

1. Download the Ubuntu .iso from the download section of the Ubuntu website.
2. Download Universal USB Installer.
3. Put a USB in a USB slot and open Universal USB Installer.
4. Choose the Linux version you are going to installer and the location of your Ubuntu .iso file
5. Follow the rest of the instructions to create the USB boot disk.

Then all needs to be done is install Ubuntu on the new computer:

1. Put the USB stick in the new computer
2. Turn the computer on
3. Select 'Install Ubuntu' from the options
4. Follow all the instructions (they are pretty straight forward)
5. Fill in the details for your machine. My machine is named Thomas (after the friendly engine)

The computer then does it's thing for around 20 mins and then needs a restart. You may find that the update manager also wants to install some updates straight away, this is fine. You should do another restart afterwards.

What impressed me:

• No need to get drivers for the graphics card or wireless card.
• It seemed to be pulling in live Tweets on the installation screen (how can something pull in live tweets from the internet without the OS even being completely installed???)

Problems I had:

• At first the display was too big. This is an overscan setting of the graphics card. In the console* I typed

  nvidia-settings

  and up popped the setting panel where I changed the overscan compensation settings using the slider.
• The computer wouldn't connect to my wireless router.I assume it was because the Ethernet cable was plugged in, or because the cable was plugged into the same router. I unplugged the cable and next time the computer started up, it was fine.
• I restarted the computer and it booted onto the command line instead of the GUI. Turned it off-and-on-again and it seemed to be fixed!

*In order to get the console up, just hit Ctrl+Alt+t