I found that Kubuntu uses a lot of the same apps I was using before, Open Office is still there.. Oh wait, no it doesn’t no FireFox. It uses Konqueror as it’s web browser by default. But check this out, all those nifty things I was doing under Gnome that required extras, it’s all native here under KDE 4. Here’s some of the screen shots. I will report more about what I had installed and stuff tomorrow. Read on for the little gallery of pics.

Evolution is the native mail client for Gnome. I prefer using GMail via web lately but I think I might use Evolution here and there. I also added a few contacts from Google’s mail which was an easy export and import. The nice thing about the contacts is it helps create a full adress book that you can add important dates and mailing info as well. This might be handy for other reasons as well, i.e. Family functions and mailing lists for holidays.

Aside from that I did my usual syncing of podcasts, general browsing, played a few games of Same Gnome and looked around for some MMO’s to check out. I installed PlaneShift to try it out. I haven’t created an account on their site to do so yet, but I heard a good write up of it. I will review it later on. There are a few others I am going to try out. Of course Second Life is available for Linux, but I sooooo want to stay away from that for some reason. I think primarily it’s because there really is no point to that game. I mean no level ups, no fighting beasts, you just fly around and talk. It’s a chat room on meth and just as addictive.

I began installing the LAMP server stuff. LAMP is Linux Apache Mysql and PHP as one package. Once I got it all installed I tested out the web server. Worked. Installed PHPMyAdmin. Works. I will play more with that later. I need to read up on configuring Apache some more.

So while updating my podcasts from listening to a bunch of them at work, I installed some Applets for Avant Window Navigator as well as some themes for it and for Gnome. I  also added some more Screenlets and downloaded some desktops from Gnome-Look to make everything stand out. You can see the screenshot by clicking the thumbnail at the top of the page.

So I am still itching to get the mixer hooked up and work on getting the podcast recorded so I can really play with Audacity to re-learn it. It has been too long since I used it.

I ran across another Air application called AirTalkr. It is supposedly an IM client and Social media client combined (like Digsby) but it was REALLY buggy so I uninstalled it.

Uninstalling Air applications is kind of easy. You have to actually download the .air file onto your machine and double click it as if you were installing the application and the installer brings up the Uninstall option. See cake!

Ok That is all for today. I will have more on the 7th day.

I have been a user of Windows since version 3.0 came out and in my opinion it’s become a crutch for my computer needs. It’s also been increasingly bloated and bothersome to say the least.

I have dabbled with Linux. But now I have decided to attempt a completely Windows Free system.

My flavor of choice for this experiment: Ubuntu Linux

I want to experience this operating system to the fullest. That means all the things I do under windows I will be doing it under Linux.

I have planned to do this for sometime, now I am actually going to take the dive. To get a hint of what I do on a computer here is a list of things that come to mind off the bat:

• Podcasting
• Web Design
• Gaming
• Web Browsing
• DVD Authoring
• Graphic Design
• Chat (IRC, Instant messaging  and Voice)
• Video Streaming
• iPod Listening (daily)

I have already found the alternatives to Windows programs so I feel I am on the way to a good experience.

I will post once a day of what I accomplished. And attempt screenshots to share as a photoblog experience. And when possible I will try a videoblog (aka vlog) of what I have done as well.

I think that anytime I NEED to use windows I will be on the other machine (the desktop that is shared with Sarah). But it will be far and few in between.

So tonight I am doing my last necessary things under Windows (aka backup) as I begin to install Ubuntu Jaunty Jackalope 9.04.