I like Ubuntu. I am not talking here about the philosophical concept, the one which reminds us that humans are connected through compassion and sharing, and which was notably taken up by Nelson Mandela, but rather about the computer operating system which celebrated its 20th anniversary at the ‘autumn.
For almost as long, I’ve been snubbing Windows or Mac OS. With every new computer that comes into my life, I repeat the same steps: I activate it, thinking that I might just try the preinstalled operating system. But each time, I feel restricted, observed. Do Microsoft and Apple act responsibly with my data? Do they practice planned obsolescence? Since the beginning of 2024, Windows has presented advertisements in its menus. Very little for me.
So I do the unthinkable: I erase the operating system that came with the computer and replace it with Ubuntu. As if we were an old couple, I am aware of his weaknesses, but his qualities far outweigh the sacrifices I must make to keep him in my life.
Ubuntu is an open source operating system and probably the most user-friendly version of Linux. An operating system, first of all, is software whose main task is to transmit and translate our instructions to the computer. It activates the different parts of the machine – sending information to the hard drive, recruiting RAM, following the movement of the mouse to move the cursor. The fact that it is open source indicates that anyone has “the right to download, […] distribute […] and improve the software for any use whatsoever without paying licensing fees,” we can read in the mission from Canonical, the British company behind the tool.
Linux is often criticized because some commonly used software is not suitable to run on computers that use it. It’s true. But that’s not the case for me: my computer tasks mainly consist of sending emails, doing online research and writing texts. Do I really need the latest software to write this column?
It also puts off some people because it doesn’t work as perfectly as its competitors. It’s true that sometimes I have to browse forums to understand a problem. But that’s what I like best about Ubuntu: it gives me the opportunity to fix it myself. Each time I come away with a better understanding of what is happening behind the screen and a pride in having been able to take care of it myself.
You probably have, like me, an old computer lying around in a cupboard. Here’s an idea: install Linux on it. It will allow you to extend the life of the device by a few years. You may find yourself with a machine in the kitchen to read your recipes, or a first computer for a child in your life – and one less piece of electronic waste.
