Tired of waiting for minutes just to access facebook on boot? Tired of the money you spend, year after year, upgrading your box to the "Latest & Greatest" hardware? And are you tired of having to spend more time with your computer than with your girlfriend? If your answer is "Yes" to any of these questions, Ubuntu is for you.

Quite often, my friends ask me, "Why the hell do you use Linux?"

"What does it offer you that Windows doesn't"

"Why should I switch to Ubuntu if I can't play Counter Strike, or Black Ops?"

"What does Ubuntu Offer that Windows doesn't?"

And every time I am asked that question, I just smile and tell them, "Just try it out yourself. You can't swim unless you're in the water!"

If you are one of those who asks your Linux user friend such questions, you'll hopefully find your answers here. :)

To put Windows and Linux (in our case, Ubuntu) on a common yardstick would be extremely difficult. In fact, the two are almost different in every aspect, apart from of course, letting you use your display, keyboard, mouse and access facebook, gmail, twitter etc (I mean, that's all most of us do with our computers every day right?).

I have however, come up with a list of 10 things that Ubuntu offers that Windows doesn't.

1. Speed: Ever noticed how your Windows install slows down considerably after a few months, and in some cases, a few weeks? Yes. We've all been there. It's extremely irritating to say the least. The 20 second first boot "record" on your latest quad-core processor slowly becomes 30 seconds, then 40, and then it almost happens in slow motion! Ubuntu (and other Linux distributions) on the other hand, consistently boot fast. And they don't slow down even after a few years!
2. A Fat Wallet: You pay 10 grand for a retail copy of Windows, then you top it up with a few grand for your anti-virus program, anti-spyware, anti-adware, anti-malware (the works) and what do you have? A pretty thin wallet and a computer slower than the Vic-20! Ubuntu comes to you free of cost, you can install it on as many computers you want and you get free updates too! This might have become a cliché, but it is also much safer from all the unwanted programs that can damage your computer. Note: If you use pirated versions of programs, get a life!
3. The Next Generation UI: Ever heard of the fool who paid a fortune just to use the 3D Flip and the Aero? I've heard a lot, and such fools are seemingly everywhere. Take a step into the world of KDE and GNOME, and you'll be a child finding seashells once again.
4. The Latest and Greatest software: A new version of Ubuntu releases every 6 months, and it is supported by comprehensive updates. You'll have the latest and greatest software from Image Editors to Web Browsers and even Video Players. What's up in the Windows camp?
5. Serious Dev Stuff: If you are into developing software, Linux offers you the widest variety of programming tools. We have everything from C# to Java, Python, Perl and even Brainfuck on the house. Developing Cross Platform apps is a breeze.
6. A Tried and Tested Core: At the core of Ubuntu stands the Linux Kernel, which has been rated as among the most secure of kernels. Believe me, it has stayed so for most of it's 20 year development period. This is one of the reasons why even Google chose the Linux Kernel as the base on which Android was developed!
7. There's Something for Everyone: Whether you are a casual person who uses to computer only to read e-mails and connect with friends or someone(like me) who wants full control over how your system works, Linux has got what you want. I'd seriously recommend Ubuntu for the former, as it takes care of everything you don't want to interfere with, for you. Pre-configured settings, drivers and even all the software you'll need, you just have to install, boot, login, connect, and access! Configuring your video drivers or other hardware is a thing of the past. Almost everything works out of the box.
8. A Helpful Community: The Ubuntu Community is an extermely helpful online community. You can get all your queries and doubts answered, fast and free. There are even How-TOs that will guide you through the seemingly difficult portions of your switch from Windows to Linux. Some serious gyaan awaits you if you are willing to learn. Btw, try asking the computer repair guy who troubleshoots your Windows to do it for free.
9. Give your Old Computer a Second Life: Ubuntu, with all the latest and the greatest software, is amazingly light on resource requirements. You can run Ubuntu on an Intel Pentium 4 Processor, I've done it myself. Windows? Well, if it slows down a quad-core processor, your P4 will choke to death.
10. Geek Status: You might not consider this very important. But this comes by default when you use Linux. As a fellow geek, you will get to interact with others with similar interests through Linux User Groups, which can act as a medium for sharing knowledge, connecting with like-minded people and umtimately, provide a satisfying computer user experience.]

So what are you waiting for, download Ubuntu today and try it out. Unless you want to play games, you'll never boot Windows again! :)