Migration 1.0!!!!!

Basic PC hardware: $609

Windows XP OEM license: $150

Your workmate deciding to have Ubuntu on her new computer: Priceless!

Thanks to those who left comments and e-mailed me directly about the last article (words of sympathy mostly!). I quoted my workmate $609 for an Ubuntu machine. She got a quote from Bob-bob-lick-his-knob of over $800 for a handbuilt Windows machine, with pirated XP!

I told her that I simply couldn't install XP, because I didn't have the know-how (I also don't have a floppy disk drive). She asked "With the Ubuntu, I can't use the same e-mail address, can I?". I reassured her that I can set up her existing e-mail address on Ubuntu. Her reply was "Well, what do I need XP for?".

She also wanted to know whether she could "still get Google" on Ubuntu, which of course you can :)

And she went to the bank and got me a $200 deposit. On Sunday morning I'll head over to MCG and buy the parts. In the afternoon I'm going to a barbequeue, but in the evening I'll start assembling the fella and then spend all of Tuesday customising and tweaking the Ubuntu install. I'm thinking I might put the Hardy Heron beta on it, and then when the release version comes out I'll dist-upgrade to it. Hopefully, most of the packages have been frozen and won't be changed at release time, saving me bandwidth.

I'll also be smart enough to keep myself a login account, and go in through SSH whenever necessary to administer the machine. I'm happy for myself, because I'll have another person using Ubuntu; and I'm happy for my workmate because this will end the merry-go-round of trouble she's had with her Vista laptop.