Ah, I feel like a new man. I’ve finally jumped from Mac 10.3.9 to the new Linux distro, Ubuntu. Check it out if you are interested in switching to a user-friendly, free, open source operating system. They will even SNAIL MAIL you the install CD for free if you don’t have a dedicated connection to download the CD image.
I highly recommend giving Linux a whirl. If you’re scared like I was, you can always partition your hard drive and have multiple operating systems installed (google “dual boot” and you’ll find many sites on how to do this). Because I need access to Photoshop, I’ve decided to keep Mac OS X around, but in many ways I’m sure I could get along without it. The Photoshop-like Linux program, named “The Gimp” (love the name), seems basically as good as Photoshop (I was trained in PS, so I feel comfortable judging it). Plus, it’s totally free–and open source, with a very active, international community of developers and users. Mind blowing, if you’re migrating from the technocratic worlds of Mac and Microsoft and their suite of proprietary programs costing hundreds of dollars, with constant costly updates and cavalier tech support.
Check it out!
