From OS X to Ubuntu

Mac users are a different breed, and their expectations are high. Fortunately Ubuntu is up to the task. But the road from OS X to Ubuntu is not without some bumps, and this session aims to help those coming from a Mac background make the ride as smooth as possible. We'll start with a brief review of installation options, including running Ubuntu as a VM within your Mac, but we'll quickly get to the more daunting issues Mac users face, like how to choose among a much wider range of hardware options than you've ever known before. Some Mac users like to get as much of a Mac-like experience from their new Ubuntu system as possible, while others prefer to dive into the Ubuntu way head first. We'll cover both, outlining the differences between the two systems and exploring some of the options like Cairo Dock to make your new Ubuntu system feel more familiar as you get started. The command line is considered exotically geeky to most Mac users, but here we'll cover some of the basics of using Terminal to show why it's so very useful and can even be fun. Perhaps the biggest challenge moving from Mac to Ubuntu is finding the sorts of applications you've come to rely on with your Mac, and we'll find some favorite from the Ubuntu Software Center and elsewhere, noting the strengths and weaknesses relative to their Mac counterparts. One of the biggest differences advantages Ubuntu offers over Mac is its customization, and we'll take some time to explore some of the many ways you can personalize your system to work just the way you like, leaving plenty of time for Q&A discussion to help with any specific issues you've had in your own transition to Ubuntu.