How about something like this on a piece of paper taped to the keyboard?

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Your new computer came pre-installed with the UBUNTU operating system. While it is very simple to use, with thousands of of software packages available with a simple point and click, it IS NOT WINDOWS! If you expected a FREE CLONE of Windows, please put this computer back in the box and return it to Dell and then order a computer pre-installed with Windows. (Of course, you will be bound by Microsoft's restrictive EULA and DRM -- but that is your choice).

If you have read this far and still would like to experience the ease and freedom of a Linux based computer, be sure to visit the Ubuntu Documentation pages. There, you will learn all about your new operating system with topics such as "Adding and Removing Software," "Printing," and "Scanning."

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BTW, the topic of scanners that are not supported by sane is covered in those documents as well as converting RPM files into as format directly usable by Ubuntu (deb formats).

Believe it or not, Google (and all the other search engines) work in Linux too. Linux is not Windows and Linux users are not Windows users. Don't expect hand-holding and coddling from the Linux community. If you want someone else to take care of your computer, stick with Windows.

If you want to use Linux, read this link and take it to heart http://www.catb.org/%7Eesr/faqs/smart-questions.html. Your experiences will be much improved if you do.

Dell's Linux forum is not really the ideal place to come looking for Linux answers. Maybe for something veeeeeerrrrrrryyyyy specific to Dell machines, but even then probably not. Dell comes with Ubuntu, try the Ubuntu forums first. Another large forum (one of the first Linux forums) is linuxquestions.org. Between those two forums you will be able to resolve more issues than you will here.

You want to know something about *nix commands, bookmark this link http://tldp.org/LDP/abs/html/index.html. Appendix L has a cross-reference between DOS and Unix commands. Here's an on-line repository of Linux man(ual) pages http://www.die.net/doc/linux/man/.

Message Edited by weibullguy on 06-26-2007 11:32 AM

I sometimes get the feeling that the Linux community is a cult. Their mantra appears to be.. If you want free software you have to work for it. I am a DOS/Windows guy that has purchased a Dell computer with Ubuntu preloaded. I plugged in my new USB mouse and it worked. Plugged in a numeric keypad and it did not work. Emails to the manufacture have not been answered. Purchased an Epson Perfection V100 scanner and it does not work. Contacted Epson support and their answer is we do not support Linux. According to the book, THE OFFICIAL UBUNTU BOOK, "Ubuntu's ultimate goal is not to become the most used GNU/Linux distribution in the world, it is to become the most widely used OS in the world." I support this goal and Dell's Ubuntu program and want them to be successful. To be successful, Dell has to sell lots of Ubuntu computers. Yes, this may involve some hand holding, some PR explaining why Linux is better than Windows and more manufactures supporting Linux. Now I know that I can get my new Epson scanner to work in Linux but why should I jump through hoops. I just connected it to my XP box. As to looking for Linux capable equipment, I ask you, Why should I spend more money just to be able to use free software?

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@pepage wrote:
Plugged in a numeric keypad and it did not work. Emails to the manufacture have not been answered. Purchased an Epson Perfection V100 scanner and it does not work. Contacted Epson support and their answer is we do not support Linux.

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These sound like issues with the hardware manufacturers, not with Linux in general or Ubuntu in particular. I want to note that I am surprised by the answer you received from Epson. In the past, they have been very good about supporting Linux.

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@pepage wrote:
Now I know that I can get my new Epson scanner to work in Linux but why should I jump through hoops.

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I absolutely agree with you on this point. Why, indeed! Hardware manufacturers that have either written open source drivers themselves or have provided the protocols required for drivers to be written ARE simply plug & play with Linux. My HP printers and my Brother printer "just work" with Linux, as does my Epson scanner. I've never had any issues with standards compliant hardware, such as external DVD-R/RW, USB thumb drives, external serial modems. etc. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for many internal modems, wifi, some brands of printers, some brands of scanners, etc.

Dell can help the situation if they choose. They can start by getting the Linux drivers for the proprietary Conexant modems that they chose to use in many of their laptops on their support site. (They told me 1 - 2 weeks... here it is two weeks later and nothing yet). Better yet, they could refuse to sell components without proper Linux support.

Piece of paper says something like this: This computer comes preloaded with the Ubuntu operating system (OS). Ubuntu is a free operating system software that is supported for 18 months and currently has a new version released every six months. Periodically, there may be updates to install. An icon will automatically appear in the upper right of your screen and a small bubble will pop up to alert you to these new updates. Click on the icon or bubble to launch the update program. Ubuntu relies on the Linux kernel written by Linus Torvalds in 1991. This kernel paired with the work of the GNU project is called the GNU/Linux operating system commonly referred to as Linux. Linux does not use executable files (.exe). Instead, Linux relies on a Package Management System to install, configure, upgrade and remove software. There are two types of packages, one with the extension .RPM (Red Hat) and the other with the extension .deb (Debian). Packages can be found in sites called repositories. The use of a command called ALIEN can be used to change a .RPM package to .deb package but this should be used only as a last resort. Ubuntu is based on Debian and uses the GNOME (part of the GNU project) desktop environment. There is another desk environment called KDE (Kool or K Desktop environment) and the operating system based on this is called Kubuntu. Because some drivers or software are proprietary, they may not be in a repository and will have to be installed using the command line. This command line can be accessed on the menu Applications/Accessories/Terminal. An example of this would be installing Google Earth using the command sh GoogleEarthLinux.bin (Link) We have preloaded some popular software but other programs can be found on the menu Applications/"Add/Remove..." which is the Synaptic Package Manager. More information can be found in the Ubuntu Help Center by clicking ? on the tool bar.