Ubuntu Karmic

Here is my somewhat belated review of Ubuntu 9.10 Karmic Koala: I like it.

It took barely two hours from disc insertion to fully operational OS with my files and primary applications installed and configured. All drivers were recognized, and only one restricted driver was needed (nVidia). Even that process was straightforward, and my monitor is running beautifully at its full 1080p resolution.

While installing applications, I opened terminal a couple of times out of habit, but it turned out I never needed it (a small miracle of its own). I now have Skype, Dropbox, and even Microsoft Office (via Crossover) running smoothly. I bit the bullet and went with the 64-bit version, so getting Flash working properly in Firefox involved a jumping through a couple of hoops, but I’m currently streaming Jon Stewart from Hulu with great success.

Overall, I think Ubuntu is getting smoother, prettier, and more user friendly with each version. Between Ubuntu Karmic, Windows 7, and Snow Leopard, I think this is the strongest trio of consumer operating systems… possibly ever.