How Apple, Adobe, and Microsoft are Failing You
How Apple, Adobe, and Microsoft are Failing You
Linux is a great platform. But it isn’t that much better than OS X or Windows was in their prime, which many will agree was some years back.
Go back 10-15 years: Apple Macs used to be expandable, as most other computers still are. But now memory and even hard drives have been made impractical to upgrade. Mac Pro towers used to be somewhat affordable. Now they start at $7,000US and hit almost $13,000 with all standard options. And that’s for an M2 without a monitor!
Adobe promised its subscription model would benefit their customers. There’s no denying that never became true, and yet their monthly fees still keep going up, up, up. Currently Creative Cloud costs $720US/year. And that’s every year, until you retire.
Microsoft, after many good years, has been flailing. There are advertisements in Windows, they added Recall that many call spyware. They have also taken a page from Apple’s playbook and disqualified millions of perfectly good computers from upgrading to their latest OS.
If you run an older Intel Mac then you know support has already stopped. M1 Mac support is due to end in the near future. And Windows 10 support will be winding down in 2025. Are you eager to toss your perfectly functioning computer and buy a new one?
Maybe you’re fine with all that, eh? But if not, Linux may be calling.
Why You Should Choose Ubuntu
In the world of Linux a “distro”, which is just short for a “distribution”, simply refers to a “version” or “flavor” of Linux. Those new to Linux find all the different distros intimidating. But really, it’s hugely liberating! Some Linux distros include Arch, Debian, POP OS, and Fedora.
There is also another flavor of Ubuntu called “Ubuntu Studio” (ubuntustudio.org), a distro made just for creatives! When you install Ubuntu Studio it will not only install the OS and the basic office software, but it will also install a tremendous suite of content creation tools. Yes, alternatives to the entire Adobe suite. Programs that run, more or less, like our favorite Adobe apps such as Photoshop, InDesign, and Illustrator. Plus pro-level apps for 3D, audio and photography.
Most of these applications are full-featured and totally capable of professional use and quality. They also read and write their files in the same industry-standard formats. So exchanging files with Adobe-based co-workers is mostly a no brainer.
Installing Ubuntu Studio on 3 Machines
As mentioned, installing Linux has gotten super-easy. So easy in fact, that I thought we should install Ubuntu Studio on three different systems, each that makes use of Linux in different ways:
10-year old Samsung Laptop: My old Samsung Ultra 14” from 2014. A great computer for years, but it got slow when I upgraded it from Win 8 to 10. Switching to Linux did the trick! Plus it’s nice to have a laptop with the classic I/O ports like USB-A, HDMI and even an Ethernet connection.
Framework Laptop Workstation: Look for our other articles on Framework computer’s 16” workstation (including when I built my own laptop). With a large screen and good discreet GPU, it feels like a missing link between a laptop and desktop. Ubuntu Studio apps fly on this!
Bonus Instructions: Setting Up a Dual-Boot
As mentioned, that Dell XPS with Windows 11 already installed is just a bit too sweet to completely write over. Instead we can keep Win 11 and merely add Ubuntu alongside. Yes, on the same drive. This is called setting up a “Dual Booting” computer.
Before you start though, you will need to disable something called “BitLocker” in Windows. This is done in Windows Settings. It will then decrypt anything already encrypted. When done, reboot into the installer.
All of the steps are the same as we saw above, with one change:
In the Disk Set-Up window we will choose to “install Ubuntu alongside Windows” on the same drive. But they still need different PARTITIONS, which are like slices of the hard drive pie.
Final Thoughts
Compatibility
Some years ago Linux would run better on some hardware than others. This is only sort of true today because more manufacturers make sure their products work on Linux. But it’s also credit to Linux developers who keep making it more seamless. This is a good reason to test-drive Linux before installing, it’s like kicking the tires.
A New Creativity
Let me leave you with this to think about. I remember my early days on computers. Everything was new and so exciting! For me, and many other creatives, moving to Linux and the open tools provided on Ubuntu Studio has brought back that excitement.
Yes, it has also brought back the frustrations of learning new tools. There is hair-pulling, I won’t lie. But then you stumble upon something that GIMP can do that you always wished PS could, and a smile starts to form on your face. And that early excitement of exploration returns. And it’s wonderful.
FAQs
Q: What is Ubuntu Studio?
A: Ubuntu Studio is a Linux distribution designed specifically for creatives, providing a suite of content creation tools and applications.
Q: Can I run Ubuntu Studio alongside Windows?
A: Yes, you can set up a dual-boot system, where you can run both Windows and Ubuntu Studio on the same machine.
Q: Is Ubuntu Studio compatible with my hardware?
A: Most modern hardware is compatible with Ubuntu Studio, but it’s always a good idea to test-drive Linux before installing to ensure compatibility.
Q: What are the benefits of using Ubuntu Studio?
A: Ubuntu Studio provides a free and open-source alternative to Adobe Creative Cloud, with many applications that are full-featured and capable of professional use. It also offers a sense of community and flexibility that is hard to find with proprietary software.
