Ghostbusters, Ubuntu is more stable, more lightweight, less resource hungry, community driven - so they only include the features people actually want.

And its way of installing things through the ubuntu software centre is just inspired. You search for a program in the search box and if you want it you click install. It does all the rest. No more waiting for an exe to download then running it yourself, then unticking all the included crapware. Everything in the Ubuntu software centre is approved by them.

It's free, most of the programs that run on it are as good or close to as good as the equivalent programs on Windows or OS X only free, it's fast (very fast indeed), viral attacks and malware problems are practically non-existent, it's progressively updated and maintained by people who test each new innovation rigorously, no more defragging, if you have a virus  scanner program like Clam you can use a Linux laptop as a safe conduit for sweeping the filth out of a non-Linux machine.

I've known people who use their laptops as just basic web surfing machines, playing music, storing photos etc who were about to throw out perfectly good laptops because of clogged up Windows accounts who when the switched over to Ubuntu got essentially a new faster than ever laptop for free.

As I said earlier you don't have to install it to try it, you don't have to install it exclusively if you chose to go there and you don't have to give up your Windows favorites.

A new laptop would go like a rocket on Linux and Ubuntu can be made to look and feel exactly like any operating system you fancy if you are worried about the aesthetics of the system.

http://www.socialblogr.com/2010/09/how-to-make-ubuntu-look-like-mac-much-easier.html

;-)

Or alternatively :

http://my.opera.com/ubuntunerd1/blog/how-to-make-ubuntu-look-like-windows7

:-D

We make quite a team!

I'm thinking about switching my laptop over to ubuntu.

As I've recommended to other people try it from a boot disc first, bearing in mind it's a lot slower that way and if you like what you see you can either duel boot, replace your current system with it or reject it and keep using what you are using now.

You can still use the boot disc as a diagnostic tool so whatever you chose to do it's not going to be a waste of time.

My laptop is a piece of crap. Maybe with linux, it might actually be worth keeping.

Ghostbusters said:

Explain to me in specific details why Ubuntu is better than Windows 7?

Donate to my Ubuntu Fund and I will explain to you in specific details.

The ubuntu disk does it all for you if you have windows installed first. Just select the option to have it installed alongside your current operating system.

Ghostbusters said:

Oh sweet, where do I download it?

Red rag raised.