The installation program on Ubuntu desktop is pretty basic. It lacks the other features, like support for LVM, RAID, and full disk encryption, that the Ubuntu text installer edition has. By default, it creates just one partition onto which it installs everything.

I've been using Sound Juicer in previous Ubuntu releases to rip my CD’s and encode them as CD quality mp3’s for a while now so I can retain my one legal backup copy of them. When I did a fresh install of Gutsy however, I suddenly could not rip CD’s to mp3 formats.

With so much at stake, I cracked my knuckles,and figured out how to get this working.

Another howto by me concerning encryption. However this one will be pretty intense on graphics. I have a step-by-step guide on how to do a manual full encryption of the system. Due to a bug current in the ubuntu installation, you cannot encrypt the swap partition directly during the manual install. The install will just hang.

Normally when a new release comes out, a lot of people (myself included) like to start over with a fresh install. So if you decide to do so, come the 29th, here are some of the Ubuntu applications that you might want to install on a fresh Lucid Lynx install.

Migrating to Linux doesn’t have to be difficult. All you have to do is, get a fresh copy of your favorite distro, backup your data, find out what hardware is compatible, identify essential programs, and have a fresh hard drive or partition ready to go.

How to install Ubuntu 11.04 on external hard disk, showed how to install Ubuntu 11.04 on a portable USB hard drive. This tutorial, written for Ubuntu 11.10, takes it a step further by showing how to add an NTFS partition at the end of an external drive – after installing Ubuntu.

The Ubuntu wiki points out that a new complete beginners manual for Ubuntu is on it's way. The manual will include information on anything you need to know after installing Ubuntu and very useful how-to's for beginners, all written in a user-friendly way in a PDF file.

So kind of out of left field, I decided to install Ubuntu on my laptop at about 1 AM. I got the newest version, 7.10, and resized my Vista partition so using Computer > Manage > Disk Management > Shrink Volume so that I had 10 GB of unallocated space for Ubuntu (I wanted more, but it wouldn't let me). Then I popped the disc in, restarted, and installed with ease.

One of the recurring themes that keeps popping up in the Linux community is this pressing need to get Linux on the desktop. I have often pondered in the past that such a goal is indeed worthy--once we actually figure out just exactly what "desktop" means.