What's an Ubuntu and Should I Get One Now that I'm Retired?

I just turned 60 and am really glad to join the ranks of our growing senior citizen population - it's hard to believe I made it! I like it! I don't work - unless you call this writing addiction work - and quite frankly while I'm not rich, I have sufficient money to buy all the necessities and a few luxury items - in fact last week I bought a motorcycle! Perhaps I'm not the normal senior citizen. It's hard to tell what normal is anymore.

Anyway, I want to talk about a thing called "Ubuntu" and perhaps convince you that it really is a good thing. Ubuntu is a computer software system that uses an operating system called Linux which is like the "Windows" thing that Microsoft sells. I've been using this Linux stuff for several years and it is a mystery to me why more people don't use it. If the reason is a lack of understanding, I hope these few words will provide some information that is useful. Ubuntu comes complete with word processing, spreadsheet, power-point, music listening and movie watching software. It also has photo editing software, sound copying and many other features that I never use. As far as I can tell, it has all the stuff that Windows has.

I'm not particularly computer savvy, but I like to email friends and family as well as engage in instant messaging (IM) with a few other close friends. I read several on-line newspapers, make on-line purchases, listen to music on my computer or download music to my Ipod, watch an occasional DVD, type letters and articles such as this and keep track of my bank account via the Internet. Additionally, I use the spreadsheet program and have a small addiction to spider solitaire and sudoku, if nothing else has caught my attention on any particular day.