I would appreciate some help from those familiar with Linux OS's. My laptop came pre-loaded with Vista, which I cannot wait to be rid of. Having checked out their live disc, I really like Ubuntu and am happy to switch. My current wireless broadband will not support Linux and so I will have to partition the hard drive & go dual boot. So far so good.

I have no idea which internet provider I will be using in Canada (Toronto), I am still researching that & harbour hopes that I will get an apartment with broadband thrown in I have checked out the likes of Rogers/Fido etc but am going round in circles trying to check Linux compatibility. Can any Linux users shed some light for me? Any recommendations for providers would be doubly appreciated!

Also (if you are still with me after all that) what about the likes of libraries, coffee shops, WiFi spots....how likely are these to be Linux friendly?

I realise this is a bit of a ramble, but having my laptop up & running in Canada is behind only employment & housing in the list of importance.

Thanks in advance!

The trouble with Linux is that 'you' need to configure it to accept the internet Linux itself will work with anything the difference is where windows does all the programming for you, you will need to do it yourself.

Unless you know what you are doing i personally would not use it...I last used Linux when Debian was around but it died a slow death because people got fed up with working on it. Also if you don't know what you are doing then there is really no security on your computer therefore you are very prone to being hacked by a more advanced user.

I wish you well but it's been a long time since i configured the OS probably 8 or 9 years

If you want to run Linux, Ubuntu is a good choice, it would be better you have a router instead of a modem. so the router connects to the internet, then you connect to the router using a network cable or wireless.

Linux should have no problem connecting to public wifi.

best to check your wireless and network card (both probably built in) support ubuntu. that said most modern laptops do.

there are loads of other advantages to using a router over a modem.

Regardless of OS compatibility, I would recommend you spend some time researching costs before you jump into a mobile wireless data contract, if that's what you're talking about. While some business tariffs on both Rogers and Bell have uncapped data packages available (at a hefty price), most consumer-oriented packages don't include unlimited data usage. If you absolutely need to be connected via wireless broadband (and bearing in mind you won't get the same bandwidth here as you will have been used to on a UK 3G connection) then be prepared to pay through the nose for it.

Your other option, of course, would be to use a WiFi router connection to your broadband service in your apartment (whether its yours or the landlord's) - that will minimize the OS dependency as your laptop will be talking to a router first, as marclouis suggests. Then if you need to be in communication when out & about you can find a wireless hotspot - there are plenty around.

Stick with ubuntu, it really is a distro that is suited to all levels of linux user.

What part of your wireless setup isn't working ?

I use mine in the following config;

Dell D600 + LinuxMint (Ubuntu based distro) + Broadcom firmware package which enables the wireless....it doesn't work straight off the CD in my case.
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connects to wireless Sitecom WL-153 router
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Sitecom is connected via rj45 to standard cable modem

If your laptop not working with the wireless hardware then you can either dig out the drivers OR use NDISWRAPPER to load up your windows wireless drivers.

A bit of fiddling about I know, but it would be worth it.

All gobbledy gook to me but my other half knows what he's talking about (when it comes to computer stuff anyway) This is what he says:

8/9 years is a life time when it comes to computers.

I would recommend you to try Linux again....you will be pleasantly surprised. The major linux distributions (Ubuntu, Fedora, Mandriva...) all work out of the box these days.
And I want to point out that Debian is still alive and kicking. Actually lots of distributions are based on it (Ubuntu to start!)

To answer the question all providers will work with Linux. An internet connection doesn't care what OS you are using.

What you might find is that if you need to call them for a problem they will try to get out by saying they don't support it....if that is the case I would switch to another provider.
But then again did you ever had to call your internet provider?

I live in Montreal so can't really recommend one provider but really as I said any of them will do.

Finally if you are new to Linux I would recommend you to first use a dual boot until you feel confident with Linux. It will also ease the transition until you have found all programs to replace your windows applications.

In case you didn't know there's a new version out today of Ubuntu - 8.10, worth checking to see if your particular problem has been fixed in this new release, might save you some time faffing around for a fix to a problem that has already been fixed...

I use Ubuntu in a dual-boot configuration with Vista on my Dell laptop (no need to partition it, Ubuntu can install itself in a directory on your existing partition, I think you sacrifice a bit of speed but otherwise it works perfectly).
Similar to the poster above, I had to do a bit of fiddling to get the wireless working but other than that it installed and everything worked straight out of the box.

When we first got here, the only internet access we could get was in Starbucks and Vista refused to work with it, it just couldn't get an address from their routers. Ubuntu worked perfectly as it's actually a standards based OS so I wouldn't think you would have any problems at any Wi-Fi places. The only issue you might have is some websites still don't like Firefox which is of course the default Ubuntu browser.

As for wireless broadband, Rogers have it, I think the hardware is around $120 and then it's about $50 or so a month for the access. I haven't used it but apparently you get similar speeds to low-end ADSL in the UK (up to 1mbps or so). Judging by how backwards they are in general, I'd be suprised if there was an Ubuntu driver for the dongle.

You beat me to it. Debian died a death?? Must have missed that as etch is happily running on every server in our school district and also numerous business servers that my husband and I have set up since moving to the Robson Valley 3 years ago! (And as you rightly say, is also the heart of many of the most popular (well, for Linux ) distributions.)

Thank you very much for all your replies. I'm lost like, but thanks!

Dude, you just lost me It's not that the wireless connection isn't working as such, Orange broadband customer services advise that their service will not work with Linux. I spent about a mortgage on the phone call to find that out, and so have hesitated ever since. I have investigated mobile internet dongles here in the UK and none I can find will support Linux. So I am loathe to give myself a breakdown by trying to get it all to work! I would hate to arrive in Canada & find the same thing.

Yes, I take your point about the wireless connection in Canada. It just doesn't appear feasible for me....and what's with the data usage limits?! *I must assimilate I must assimilate* I will be happy with a wired connection for sure.
I admit I know precious little about the router thing, I guess I have more learning ahead of me. Thanks!

Yes, I'm salivating over it as we speak.

Thanks for that, good to see someone else doing what I wanna do!

No.
Not until I installed Ubuntu & couldn't get a connection. Didn't know telephone number for ISP.
Re-booted & realised Vista was long gone..."What the hell happened to my dual OS set up" I ask myself?
Hoked out Vista recovery disk & reinstalled. Got online to get ISP telephone number.
Spent life savings talking to a dumbass.
Gave up & asked you lot for help

Here the DSL modem that plugs into the phone line has Ethernet ports and a wireless access point, so the operating system is pretty much irrelevant; the house even came pre-wired with ethernet sockets in the wall and they're connected to a switch in the basement. I'm planning to add another couple of cheap Linux machines on the network next year.

Hey Mark, thanks for that! Perhaps you could run a few wires from your basement over to Toronto and get me set up

I asked a question over in the techy part of the forum, maybe you (or others) might know the answer......"My question is this - If I go ahead with the Ubuntu install and then buy a wireless router which works with Linux OS's, do I just subscribe to any old broadband package?
By that I mean, do I need to worry if the broadband package says it does not support Linux? Because the OS would be talking to the router, which would be happy with Linux? And is there anything else I should know/be doing to avoid catastrophe?"

As you can tell, I am keen not to make a complete pigs ear out of my computer set up when I'll really need it most.

any broadband package, and pretty much any router, maybe best you get the broadband supplier to offer support, many give them away with a years subs in the uk. all routers will work with linux.