My first “writing only” computer was an IBM Thinkpad running Windows 2000. I’m a bigtime Mac user, but am familiar with Windows through having to use it in my 3D work. No big; writing feels pretty much the same, wherever you do it.

Only problem is, Windows is a hideosity. Disgusting to look at, and deal with (“idiotic” does not begin to describe what Microsoft considers to be “design,” in user interfaces). I LOVED the ThinkPad’s feel, though, including the “nipple” navigation (a tiny nub, embedded in the keyboard, that gives “joystick” fingertip control over the cursor). I loved not having to lift my fingers off the keyboard to use a “trackpad.”

So I loaded Linux. Which at the time, for me, meant Mandrake (now Mandriva). Free, robust, and almost there, useability-wise. Almost. Finally, I caved and bought an iBook. Love it. OS X is all the way there, rock-solid, etc. Gotten used to trackpad use (especially using this priceless utility). So, la-dee-da.

But the idea of a Free OS (linux) stuck. Free OS, free software, smart folks all over making something because it’s cool. Now, years later, I find Ubuntu, quickly becoming the most popular “distro” of Linux around (and available for PPC machines, like my G4 iBook). I downloaded the “Live CD” and booted from it. Frickin’ nice. Smart, and SO much further along than when last I tried Linux.

So now I want to have a “dual-boot” iBook, running OS X and Ubuntu Linux. Folks all over are doing it, and so am I. This week, I think. Really. Details to come.