Falling in Love with Linux again

I've had an off again on again relationship with Linux over the years. I've played with quite a few different Linux distributions including: Slackware, Fedora, Knoppix, Debian, Damn Small Linux (on a very old Laptop), and settled on Ubuntu.

Maybe it is because I am a bit lazy and don't care to install everything via a command line and hack into config files to get my computer peripherals to work, that I like Ubuntu so much. Ubuntu, for the most part, is a very easy installation and adding additional programs (packages) is also very easy.

The open source concept of Linux is very romantic to me; it is a neat way to share knowledge and skills and not have to fork over a bunch of cash to try new development tools.

Some of my favorite Engineering programs that run on Ubuntu are:
- Element14/Cadsoft's EagleCAD Schematic & PCB Layout tool
- Qucs Circuit Simulator
- Linsmith RF Smith Charting tool
- Scilab (MATLAB like tool)
- Wine Windows software emulator, which will run LTSPICE very well.


I am not all business either, I love the free games available on Ubuntu as well. Super Tux, an old school 2D Mario World like game, is my favorite, the FreeDOOM first person shooter brings back a lot of memories of Collage LAN parties as well.