Time mismatch could be expensive in Ubuntu 10.04.

Set your system time correctly and give necessary details including your location so that you would not get worried with this particular issue. Ubuntu 10.04 has got something very irritating as it is robust with the match between the system time and the actual time.

When I got my Ubuntu 10.04 reinstalled, this particular aspect just made me worry a bit. I ignored the system time and wanted to install some essential softwares. So, far so good, but now started the actual trouble. There was no "Install" button/option available for the softwares in the "Ubuntu software center". The softwares can be installed from archive files after downloading the files from the respective websites. But that just is not easy as many installations in Ubuntu are difficult unless they are the debian packages. Going with the software center reduces both your time and effort. I was cornered with "Install" button not provided as I couldn't find the reason for this. Upto some half an hour or so, I could not install anything onto my Ubuntu system. I then left it aside and changed my system time to the actual time. Then, when I restarted Software center I was able to download the softwares without any problem as "Install" option reappeared.

There are some other disadvantages if you don't set the time correctly.

1. Slow Internet --- I must say dead slow. It took about one and a half minute to open "google.com".
2. Full System utilization even though the system is idle not doing any job. The system monitor showing the processor status to be 100% in use even though it is not used.

So, beware with this very disadvantage of Ubuntu. Double-check your system time.