After years of attempting and debating, I’m finally dropping Windows for Ubuntu on the Ham Radio computer.  Here was the last look at my Windows 8 computer desktop before the plunge.

Windows 8 Last Shot!

I began the installation with a backup of all the important stuff above.  The next step was to boot from my unetbootin Ubuntu 12.10 installation media.  I chose the 32 bit version since this is on an older laptop with a Core 2 Duo processor.  Should be plenty fast with that build, plus I’ll be able to have better compatibility with the binary packages that I’m sure to run across.

Here’s what Ubuntu looked like when I first booted:

Now, I have never been a big fan of the new setup since they added Ubiquity, but for functionality who cares really.  Look how bad Windows 8′s interface is for a non-touch computer.  ;-)

First thing to do is download Google Chrome and uninstall Gwibber and Firefox.  I use Tweetdeck for my Twitter accounts, so I’m all good with accessing on need through the web instead of a dedicated interface.  Also, I need to get the usual things like build-essential as well as add CQRLog and fldigi.  The latter will take some time.  So, pour a cold one.

sudo apt-get install build-essential automake autoconf
sudo add-apt-repository ppa:ok2cqr/ppa
sudo apt-get install cqrlog fldigi

So, now that we have all that out of the way.  Need to install things I’ll need to keep the grandparents happy like Skype.  Now to get the rig control working.  Here’s where I’m at now:

More after these messages.