Using Linux on Your Computer

It is possible to intall Linux on your own computer, and you can do it without erasing the operating system that you already have. Of course, to use Linux, you don't need to install it; you can use it from your computer by connecting to the Math/CS department's computers, using VNC or ssh. Furthermore, if your goal is just to do CS homework on your own computer, you don't need to install Linux to do that; most of the programs used in CS courses -- such as a Java Compiler and Eclipse -- are available for all operating systems, not just Linux.

However, once you've tried Linux, you might be wondering how to install it on your own computer. You have several options for doing so.

To install Ubuntu Linux, you will need an installation CD. You can borrow one from the system administrator, David Eck (eck@hws.edu), or you can download from http://www.ubuntu.com/. If you download the .iso file from ubuntu.com, you will want to write it to a CD or USB stick. (See the instructions.)

One option is to install Linux inside a "virtual machine" such as Virtual Box. Virtual Box is a program that runs inside your regular operating system and that simulates the hardware of a PC. It runs this machine in a regular window on your computer desktop, allowing you to use your "virtual" machine at the same time that you use your real machine. You can install Linux in Virtual Box. (Virtual Box can also be used to run Windows under Linux, or one version of Windows under another version.) Note that it is possible to install Linux in Virtual Box directly from an .iso file, without writing it to a CD.

If you use Windows, you can install Wubi, a version of Ubuntu Linux that installs into a directory in your Windows file system. We use Wubi on the computers in Gulick 208. The advantage of Wubi is that it can be installed and uninstalled just like a regular Windows program. A Wubi installer, wubi.exe, is included on the Ubuntu Linux CD, or you can download an installer that will work without the CD. When you install Wubi, you will have a choice of Windows or Linux when your computer boots; you can't run both at the same time.

Finally, you can install Linux in its own section of your hard drive. This is the traditional way of installing Linux and gives the best performance. However, it is just a little less "safe", and not as easy to uninstall. To install, boot your computer from the Ubuntu Linux CD. Full instructions can be found on the Ubuntu web site.

If you have any questions, ask for help!