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I am currently running a Windows laptop and before I switch over to Ubuntu I'd like to know a few things.

I don't have much firepower in terms of hardware (it's only a Compaq CQ-61 Laptop) but I'd like to know if with Linux at it's side it will be able to perform these tasks:

  • Programming, specifically: serious web development.
  • Music, specifically: recording AND listening.
  • Gaming.
  • Video editing, nothing fancy just basic editing.
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    Gaming: have a look at the steam website and the Humble website. There are some good games for Linux/Ubuntu. And more are comming. The other 3: I see no problems there.
    – Rinzwind
    Jul 18, 2014 at 8:30
  • Neverwinter Nights, Baldur's Gate and Planescape Torment play native(!) in Linux if fantasy RPG is your thing. Still looks good :)
    – Rinzwind
    Jul 18, 2014 at 8:37
  • Neverwinter Nights is my 3rd favourite game <3 haha with that, I'm sold! hahah fantasy RPG's ftw!!!!
    – user305747
    Jul 18, 2014 at 8:38
  • PS:T from 1992 was my most loved RPG until Demon Souls on the PS3. Join in askubuntu chat please if you want to continue; you got 20 rep now ;)
    – Rinzwind
    Jul 18, 2014 at 8:40

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Try it. Seriously though, nobody here (or anywhere) can know how you do your programming or what your games are or what you consider to be a good basic video editing workflow. We're all different. We all expect different things.

The only way you'll know if it works for you is if you try it out.

A dual-boot or Wubi install isn't hard and shouldn't hurt Windows. Give it a few days (it might not even take that long to work out that there are show-stopping issues) and if you like it and can do all the things you want to do, stick with it.

On the issue of web development (my $DAYJOB), the programming side of things is simple enough. Everything I use is cross-platform in some way or another (SublimeText and a lot of Fabric and Git scripting).

But Adobe formats are an issue. Designers still use them so when they're foisted off to me to be turned into websites, I still need the right tools. GIMP isn't there yet. I keep a unnetworked Windows XP virtual machine alive for the sole purpose of Adobe software. Performance is fine on my desktop but I do have 24GB of RAM.

You might struggle on a laptop but I guess the same is true under Windows.

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  • Tis a very good point, we're all different indeedy! I basically want to get rid of Windows because lets face it, the only good thing about Windows is being able to play a lot of games but other than that it's a useless OS (especially since they stopped supporting XP!) and I want to change to Linux! But you're right I shall give it a whirl and if my laptop deciedes to die then I'll reboot with Windows :)
    – user305747
    Jul 18, 2014 at 8:31
  • @TreyTaylor: if you want a recommendation, ask for recommendation. Maybe senior programmers here can give you their recommendations based on their experiences. Just search why linux better at Google and you will get some vision what Linux can do for you.
    – Ade Malsasa Akbar
    Jul 18, 2014 at 8:41
  • It's got 4gb of ram, your machine makes mine feel so insignificant! hahaha and a virtual machine? you running Collax?
    – user305747
    Jul 18, 2014 at 8:42
  • @AdeMalsasaAkbar I already know Linux is better is just my laptop I don't wanna kill haha
    – user305747
    Jul 18, 2014 at 8:42
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Programming in Linux is very amusing. You have all platform choices such as desktop programming, embedded (on AVR/ARM), and web (HTML, CSS, JS, etc.). In web programming, try to see this list of web programming IDE on Linux Basic Web Development IDE/Editor like Dreamweaver?.

Aptana Studio

Adobe Brackets

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  • Won't use something like dreamweaver, no offence to those who do but it's not for me but those screenies do look pretty!
    – user305747
    Jul 18, 2014 at 8:39
  • So, do you want something like coding-odiented IDE? Have a look at KDevelop (kdevelop.org), you will find many great features in it. Also, you can see Kate (kate-editor.org) as simple but advanced editor, or even you can see Lighttable (lighttable.com).
    – Ade Malsasa Akbar
    Jul 18, 2014 at 8:44
  • Well as long as it's near enough to Notepad ++ I'm cool with it but I'll check those out :)
    – user305747
    Jul 18, 2014 at 8:45
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    Geany is pretty good too.
    – To Do
    Jul 18, 2014 at 8:50
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    Oh I forget if Geany is better than Notepad++ (for me) and forget to mention it before. Thank you for noticing me.
    – Ade Malsasa Akbar
    Jul 18, 2014 at 8:52
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Yes you can get all of this using a simple unity desktop(Ubuntu 14.04) I doubt about gaming (it all depends on your graphic card and other hardware) but since I had the same doubt's and I am also doing web development (with java) it is awesome and fun to do with Ubuntu as it is very fast and unique in its own ways, the only thing is you need to do good amount of research on any command or any change you want to do with your system it is not like windows where you can do everything on clicks.

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