[thelist] Developing on Linux

[Fred Jones]

I am hoping to get a new PC soon and I am strongly considering (finally) 
switching to Linux. I am hoping that once I get used to it, it will be a 
productivity enhancement.

I am considering Ubuntu, as it seems to have a nice user community and 
(most importantly) it seems easy to use. I don't want to invest a lot of 
time installing and learning the details of Linux right away--I much 
prefer to be up and running FAST and learn as I go. Any feedback 
regarding this choice of Ubuntu are much appreciated. Most important 
thing for me in my new OS--easy to install, easy to install software and 
easy to use.

Aside from that, I have weaned myself from Windows-only products as much 
as I can. These tools all have Linux builds:

Thunderbird, Firefox, Filezilla, Skype, Apache, MySQL and PHP

Aside from those, I use UltraEdit and I am now trying to learn Eclipse, 
which has very good reviews. Trillian I also use but I can handle Gaim 
(Gaim on Windows, however, I think is less friendly than Trillian).

The one tool which I have not replaced, however, is my time tracker: 
http://www.allnetic.com/?Tracker which I use on a constant basis. I see 
on Google a few tools that claim to do this basic functionality for 
Linux so I can check those out.

If anyone has any suggestions for me regarding this whole project, i.e. 
switching to Linux for my workstation, as in encouragement, 
discouragement (it is a lot of work, it seems, and I am not 100% 
convinced it is worth it, but I think so), tips or pointers (like join 
Ubuntu mailing list X) etc, I would be glad to hear. :)

Thanks,
Fred

PS: Sequoia View doesn't run on Linux, but for that I am happy to open a 
virtual Windows. Here is the link for Sequoia View, a great disk 
examination tool:

http://w3.win.tue.nl/nl/onderzoek/onderzoek_informatica/visualization/sequoiaview/