Ubuntu Gutsy Gibbon
For the first time in the history of computer (which is not that long), a release of a Linux distro causes major disturbances in the ocean of online news and media. Ubuntu 7.10 Gutsy Gibbon comes preloaded with tons of new features: desktop search, fast user switching, Firefox plug-in support, much improved monitor support and configuration (at last), and a whole bunch of other minor tweaks and major improvements. Most noticable of which is the default integration of desktop eye candy Compiz Fusion. Joining Vista and Mac OS X, Ubuntu now supports 3D GUI with flashy effects, some of which I dare say even more impressive than Aqua’s or Aero’s. Moreover, there was no bloatware or anykind of annoying trialware.
I installed Gutsy right on the day it was releashed, and the hands-on experience truly exceeded my expectations. Everything worked like a charm out-of-the-box, included but not limited to the 3D GUI, wireless internet, sounds and even my bluetooth wireless mouse. Even though I had to install several codecs to play different music and movie format (for various legal reasons), the overall experience was too fantastic to even mention it. I really missed the snappiness of Ubuntu when I have to switch back to Vista to do programming.
When I was showing off my new flashy desktop to friends, one of them asked me: “Are you sure this stuff is free? I paid $300 bucks and my Windows laptop runs works slow like a slug. Shouldn’t I get what I paid for?” That was a question I as well as many other computer geeks can’t answer (Micro$oft, anyone?).
