2010 has brought me one daring New Year's resolution: to embrace open-source technology and to break away from the typical Windows environment. Windows is still the major player in the world of academia, with Mac and Linux labs coming in second and third, specifically to serve the minority of students studying specialist subjects.
Even though I am no longer a computer science student and now studying the social science of criminology, one could be considered as an "ordinary" student. So with this, how would an "ordinary" student cope using a non-Windows environment for 48 hours? Would there be any particular advantages, or find more disadvantages than it's worth for long term use?
I wanted to find out and it's not the first time I've attempted something like this. Starting Monday 11th at midday (London time), I'll be using Ubuntu 9.10 for an entire 48 hours, and will only be able to use open-source applications. You can see the live blog below as and when things happen. Feel free to leave your suggestions before the start in the TalkBack section - ideas of applications a student would need, from office software to instant messengers - or chip in throughout by leaving a comment in the live blog window below.
