Wubi - Ubuntu Installer

[kregg]

This is not so much a problem, but more of an announcement for those who are interested in Linux, but don't want the hassle of repartioning their hard disk.

Wubi is a way of installing Ubuntu Linux on your PC, but saves you the hassle altogether of repartioning your hard disk (as stated). It does this by creating an image on your hard disk, and then writes to the bootloader (XP or Vista) to boot from that image instead of the hard disk. There are advantages and disadvantages below:

Advantages:

• Easy to install and uninstall Ubuntu
• Feels almost like a proper install with a partitioned hard drive
• This is not emulated: It uses all your current hardware, so you get the real performance of the OS like you would with the normal installer.

Disadvantages:

• Hibernation doesn't work (and even if it does, you don't want to use it)
• Access to hard disk files is slightly slower
• Does not make learning the actual OS any more easier (OK, you managed to bypass the partitioning stage, now wait for the command line attacks )

I've tried this myself, and I have to say, it really is as simple as it sounds, but I would prefer partitioning the HDD and being able to readily access the ext3 partition (through 3rd party drivers) in Windows.

[03myersd]

I have used both wubi and partitioning to install ubuntu, and found that although using wubi is easier, partitioning is more useful. With it I can resize the partitions of the disk. Using wubi , im stuck with whatever I choose in the first place. It makes moving from one computer to another very easy, but makes changing the size of the disk very difficult.

Also one more disadvantage that you may want to add to your list is that the file system is more likely to get damaged as it is writing to a single file.

[wossname]

The following flame is directed at Ubuntu itself and not Kregg ...

This kind of thing makes me so angry. What is it about Ubuntu developers / users that they must go to such bizarre lengths to avoid using a proper linux install? If they need this much hand-holding and home-comforts then why don't they just use windows and stop being a wannabe.

It's not as if Dual Booting Win/Linux is disruptive anyway.

This Wubi thing sounds like a Windows-mentality-driven hack to appease hordes of part-timers that will never have the motivation to do things properly.

Arrrrrghhhhhhh!!!!!! **bursts a blood vessel**

[03myersd]

It is a good thing to get as many users as possible onto linux. The problem is that we don't want users who will start crying as soon as something goes wrong.

[wossname]

I see your point but this approach doesn't help that, it simply makes it worse because as soon as they have to use any other distro then the fancy-pants gizmos and gadgets from ubuntu will no longer be available and thus the crying begins again.

There is a lot to be said for just getting stuck into a text-only install and just getting on with administation. If you can do that, then you can use any linux distro and you'll look like a god within a week. 6 months on Ubuntu with its pretty cotton wool environment and you're still a basic user who goes running back to windows when he can't remember how to open a file.

[kregg]

The following flame is directed at Ubuntu itself and not Kregg ...

This kind of thing makes me so angry. What is it about Ubuntu developers / users that they must go to such bizarre lengths to avoid using a proper linux install? If they need this much hand-holding and home-comforts then why don't they just use windows and stop being a wannabe.

It's not as if Dual Booting Win/Linux is disruptive anyway.

This Wubi thing sounds like a Windows-mentality-driven hack to appease hordes of part-timers that will never have the motivation to do things properly.

Arrrrrghhhhhhh!!!!!! **bursts a blood vessel**

It's Canoconial. They've got this thing where they must cover all bases of possible Linux users so they can then attract them into Ubuntu. Once the newbs get all cosy and comfortable with Ubuntu, Canoconial are probably relying on those newbs to contact their business and say "oh geez guys, this OS r0x!111!! Let's install it!" and that's where Canoconial comes in, and gives them paid support, and hence helping Canoconial's profit margins.

I used to absolutely love Ubuntu, and hence, respect Canoconial for pulling Ubuntu off, but they're not as great as new Linux users using Ubuntu may think. They make it out that Ubuntu is community driven, for example, but they gave the Automatix team absolute hell for actually making software that helps new Ubuntu users install software that wasn't on the repository for that OS. Even though Ubuntu now supports so many packages, it's at the cost of Automatix, which for me was such a brilliant piece of software.

When I first heard of this, I honestly thought this was a joke, an insult infact, to assume a Linux user doesn't know how to partition their hard disk. This partitioning is not trivial, even my first time partitioning my HDD I felt it was slightly worrying (I thought it was possible to corrupt the hard drive), but I now know that using the right tools, it's so unbelievably simple.

Nevertheless, if anyone wants to try it, it's available.