Hi, Guest
Here's what you want to have in your box before going to Ubuntu 10.10 (which is wicked fast on the right hardware):
Current or 1/2 generations old dual-core processor or better.
2GB of RAM (or better)
Fairly-current Hard Drive. Even better: 2 Hard Drives.
A Nvidia video card (more on this below).
With this basic, basc configuration, you can install the current *stable* WinE Windows emulation environment and game fairly well with a LOT of current-release games. The Nvidia video card is the key, as their 3D-accelerated video drivers are FAR, FAR beyond the ATI/AMD offerings - yes, even the new 5xxx/6xxx series.
Two hard drives will allow you to use Rsync and a number of front-end apps, or maybe even a completely different app, to back up automatically the files that matter to you. You can rsync to any other Rsync "server" that you specify - be it network-attached storage, another laptop or computer running Linux, or maybe an Internet-based private Rsync destination. Another viable alternative for "cloud" storage is both Google Apps (unsure of current storage limits), and evilly you can use the Microsoft Live "SkyDrive" service (25GB per account).
I've used most major releases of Ubuntu since 5.04 and I even keep a VM at work for testing (from 6.10 on, now at 10.10) purposes.
Once I get another Nvidia video card for my current rig (4GB DDR3-1600, AMD Phenom II X6 1055T, WD Caviar Black 1TB), I'm moving to Ubuntu "permanently" if I can get VMWare Server's Linux distro to work in hardware-accelerated mode so I can play any other games there in a Windows XP or 7 VM.
Current or 1/2 generations old dual-core processor or better.
2GB of RAM (or better)
Fairly-current Hard Drive. Even better: 2 Hard Drives.
A Nvidia video card (more on this below).
With this basic, basc configuration, you can install the current *stable* WinE Windows emulation environment and game fairly well with a LOT of current-release games. The Nvidia video card is the key, as their 3D-accelerated video drivers are FAR, FAR beyond the ATI/AMD offerings - yes, even the new 5xxx/6xxx series.
Two hard drives will allow you to use Rsync and a number of front-end apps, or maybe even a completely different app, to back up automatically the files that matter to you. You can rsync to any other Rsync "server" that you specify - be it network-attached storage, another laptop or computer running Linux, or maybe an Internet-based private Rsync destination. Another viable alternative for "cloud" storage is both Google Apps (unsure of current storage limits), and evilly you can use the Microsoft Live "SkyDrive" service (25GB per account).
I've used most major releases of Ubuntu since 5.04 and I even keep a VM at work for testing (from 6.10 on, now at 10.10) purposes.
Once I get another Nvidia video card for my current rig (4GB DDR3-1600, AMD Phenom II X6 1055T, WD Caviar Black 1TB), I'm moving to Ubuntu "permanently" if I can get VMWare Server's Linux distro to work in hardware-accelerated mode so I can play any other games there in a Windows XP or 7 VM.
Daily driver 1: 2007 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Sport "S"
33" BFG Mud-Terrain KM2s, lots of Rough Country gear - bumper, 2.5" lift, swaybar disconnects, Superwinch 10,000lb winch, Detroit Locker in rear D44 axle, custom exhaust, K+N filtercharger, Superchips-tuned.
Daily driver 2: 2006 Subaru Legacy GT
COBB Stage 1+ package - AccessPort tuner, COBB intake and airbox. Stage 2 coming shortly - COBB 3" AT stainless DP and race cat, custom 3" Magnaflow-based exhaust and Stage 2 COBB tune.
33" BFG Mud-Terrain KM2s, lots of Rough Country gear - bumper, 2.5" lift, swaybar disconnects, Superwinch 10,000lb winch, Detroit Locker in rear D44 axle, custom exhaust, K+N filtercharger, Superchips-tuned.
Daily driver 2: 2006 Subaru Legacy GT
COBB Stage 1+ package - AccessPort tuner, COBB intake and airbox. Stage 2 coming shortly - COBB 3" AT stainless DP and race cat, custom 3" Magnaflow-based exhaust and Stage 2 COBB tune.