Category Archives: Linux

Five (Lame) Reasons for Windows 8 (A Linux Users Perspective)?

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Today I ran across an article by Preston Gralla titled “Five Reasons You’ll Want Windows 8“. I figured, why not read it? I could use a good laugh.

I didn’t even understand what I was getting myself into. These reasons are sad people. I thought I’d go through them for fun.

  1. Metro:  Seriously? Metro? I will grant that there is some functionality in Metro that is interesting, but damn is it ugly. I have Windows 8 running in a VM on my home computer, and I can’t get over just how ugly it is. Add to this, it just doesn’t seem practical in a non-touch environment. I can see where it would have it’s uses on a tablet or even a phone, but on a desktop computer, it’s terrible.
  2. Built-in apps: I don’t even know what he’s talking about with this one. The built-in apps that I’ve seen in the developer version I’m running are sparse and lame. They operate in a tablet mode (meaning taking the whole screen), and lack functionality that I think would make them useful. Tweet@rama is the example Preston used, and it doesn’t come close to comparing to Tweetdeck.
  3. Cloud integration: Is it 2009 still? Yea, Linux has been doing that since there was a cloud, and Microsoft’s version certainly provides no motivation to switch.
  4. It’s fast: So? Linux is faster. Try again.
  5. New Windows Explorer: This one I thought was the funniest of all of them. The “New” Explorer is virtually identical to the old Explorer, but now it’s got a ribbon! Keep in mind that this is a ribbon that takes up 1/4 of the window, and rarely needs to be used.
Seriously, these are the best reasons you can come up with to try Windows 8? Anyone that’s already using Linux will just look at this and shake their head in wonder. I’m reading it again because I still just can’t believe it said what it said. OK, moving on now.

 

Oneiric Ocelot – Alpha 1

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So tonight I fired up for the first time Ubuntu 11.10, or what will become Ubuntu 11.10 here in a couple months.

It’s pretty much what you’d expect to see in any alpha release software. BUGS. Everywhere. I did manage to check on a couple things before I turned the machine off, and I see that LibreOffice is still the default office suite. The installed version is 3.3.2, but look for that to change before the release version, probably in alpha 2 since 3.4 is already available. Firefox is still the default browser, and of course, Unity is still the default interface.

I honestly didn’t see a lot of changes in the interface. There was some graphical changes to the icons and my default wallpaper didn’t come up at all. The title bar looked the same as it was in 11.04.

All in all, not a whole lot has visibly changed yet, but I do expect that to change before to very long. I’m looking forward to seeing what Alpha 2 has in store for us.

Watch DVDs in Ubuntu Linux

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I’ve recently run into a startling number of people that think you can’t play DVDs in Linux. I’m sure this idea came about because it is true that you can’t play DVDs in Linux by default, but you can install software that gives you the capability, and it’s amazingly easy. I found 4 easy steps on dreamingisdigital.com that walked me through it with no problems. The original article can be found here.

Step 1. Open a Terminal Window
Step 2. Type sudo apt-get install ubuntu-restricted-extras
Step 3. Type sudo /usr/share/doc/libdvdread4/install-css.sh
Step 4. Insert DVD and enjoy.

I understand that some people are a little squeamish about the command line. There’s nothing wrong with that, so I’ve taken the liberty of writing a very small shell script to walk through all four steps for you (well, other than putting the disk in the drive). You can download it here:  css_installer

If you have any questions about this process, or concerns about what I’m doing with my script, please feel free to let me know. If you don’t, I hope you enjoy watching your DVDs in Linux!

It’s all Linux’s Fault!!

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I just got done reading Day 3 of Tony Bradley’s 30 Days with Ubuntu Linux. Day 3 and he’s already kinda pissed me off.

Day 1 wasn’t even a day with Linux. It was his announcement that he was going to be doing it. If you’re going to be doing 30 days with Ubuntu Linux, at least really do 30 days.

Day 2 he installed the OS. A process that takes all of a half an hour. On top of that, he used wubi. Now, wubi is all find and dandy if you’re planning on going back to Windows regularly, but if you’re actually going to be using Linux for 29 days, it’s worth your time to do a native installation. Of course, if your plan to start off with is to half-ass your way through “29 Days of Ubuntu Linux” and go straight back to Windows anyway, then you’re fine with wubi.

Day 3 he goes straight to iTunes. This is something that every person critical of Linux will do at one point or another. Let’s get this straight, iTunes is a proprietary application written by a company that doesn’t write Linux software.

The author states, “If Linux wants to be taken seriously as an alternative desktop for the masses–not just Linux gurus–then things have to just work without requiring so much effort.”

This is after he had it installed and mostly working, despite the fact that there is no Linux version of he software.

Really?

So much effort?

You just installed an application on an OS that it’s not written for. Can you do that in Windows without emulation? Nope. Score one for Linux.

Further, the fact that iTunes doesn’t have a Linux version is not the fault of Linux. It’s the fault of Apple, who chose not to write a version for Linux. The people who have worked long and hard to make Linux everything it is today can want to be taken seriously all they want, but it doesn’t make Apple write software for their platform.

The same goes for Microsoft Office.

Linux doesn’t run Microsoft Office. Why? It’s not because Linux is in any way lacking. It’s because Microsoft doesn’t sell a Linux version. If there’s someone to blame for that, it’s Microsoft.

Blaming the platform because a particular company (and a company that competes with Linux btw) has chosen not to write software for it is flat out stupid.

This kind of thing frustrates me to no end.

Why?

Let me tell you how the rest of the 29 days are going to go.

He’ll play around, toy with things, and in the end, he’ll point out all the things that don’t work (which he knew they wouldn’t when he went in) like running applications that aren’t even native to the operating system, as a fault of the OS, and say with a gentle sigh that Linux just isn’t ready for the mainstream yet. That really seems to be the intent of this 29 days anyway.

Why don’t we just skip to the end Tony?

 

Linux: It Just Works

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Recently, a friend of mine and I were discussing his phone and his desire to buy the iPhone 5 to replace his Android phone. Personally, think moving from an Android to an iPhone is a mistake, but that’s not really the point of this particular posting.

During the course of the conversation, the phrase came up “It just works.” I’ve heard this phrase countless times over the years to describe one OS or another, and it’s always seemed weird to me.

For something to “just work”, the task that you’re trying to perform has to be within the subset of tasks the device is inherently capable of. For example, if I were to want to browse the web, in today’s day and age, pretty much any computer or smart phone I picked up would “just work”. They all come with built in web browsers and networking capability. So the claim “it just works” could apply to any of them. A secondary, counter example would be, if I were to want to dig a hole in my back yard. Now, short of using the case as some sort of digging device, none of those devices could claim to “just work”.

What this really boils down to is this: Whether a device “just works” or not is subjective to a particular persons needs.

For me (and I’d go so far as to claim most people), what I need in a computer is simple.

  1. I need a word processor. This doesn’t have to be Microsoft Word, or Lotus something or other. To often, people get tied up in names. I’d be willing to bet that Open Office or LibreOffice can perform most if not all tasks required of an average user.
  2. I need a spread sheet. Again, it doesn’t  have to be a particular brand name, and again, Open Office or LibreOffice more than meet the needs of the majority.
  3. I need access to the Web. Linux supports Firefox, Chrome, Opera, and other web browsers. All are capable of browsing the vast majority of the web.
  4. I need to view graphics. I have a digital camera and two kids. I want to see video and images of those kids on my computer. Linux more than covers these bases, and does so with ease and style. No issues there.

So, when it really comes down to it, Linux does all the things that the average person requires from their OS. On top of those things, it’s easy to use, stable, and close enough to being virus free that it makes the Mac look like a cesspool of infection.

Based on those facts, I think it’s safe to say it.

Linux:  It just works.

My First Week (and change) with a Natty Netbook

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Pretty much immediately after the release of the newest Ubuntu (Natty Narwhal), I downloaded it and replaced my existing version of Ubuntu (Maverick Meerkat) on my Netbook.

There’s been a lot of discussion regarding whether Unity was a good choice or a very bad thing since it appeared on Meerkat. I’m not going to pretend to resolve that issue, but I will say that I don’t mind it on my Netbook. It was present in Meerkat, and it’s present in Narwhal. I can say that it’s greatly improved since Meerkat, and if you didn’t like it there, you should probably give it another shot before passing judgement.

The OS speed improvement for me was drastic and obvious in Unity as well as in the rest of the OS. Applications seemed to fire open where they were poky to say the least before.

The Operating System improvements are nice as well. Upgraded software versions, and changes to the media player are welcome.

There are some things that I would like to see some improvement on as well.

First of all, Unity doesn’t let you move the bar. While the screen size of your average Netbook definitely loans itself to having the bar on the side, it would be nice to have the ability to move it on my Desktop, and I might just want to have it on the right instead of the left? Maybe?

The other thing that I’ve been trying to do is change the wallpaper on my login screen. Seems like it should be a pretty straight forward and easy thing to do right? But no, I’ve tried every utility I can find, copied files here there and everywhere. Nothing works. If anybody reading this can give me a heads up as to how this is accomplished, I would gladly take that advice.

Ballmer’s Really REALLY Afraid

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In an article by Bloomberg today, it was revealed that Microsoft is forking over more than $1,000,000,000 to Nokia to have them make Windows 7 phones. That’s 9 zeros there folks. Despite the fact that Microsoft has handed over (or is in the process of handing over) an extremely large sum of money, it doesn’t seem to be reversing their fortunes any.

Steve Ballmer must be very afraid of Google and the Android platform. VERY.

Pwn2Own 2011 is coming! Place your bets…

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The Pwn2Own 2011 contest is right around the corner. It’s going to be March 9th, 10th, and 11th. It looks like Linux will be not participating again this year with the exception of Android. Maybe that’s because it’s a foregone conclusion that it won’t be Pwned. Who knows.

Android is in the mix this year in the mobile category. Here’s the contenders:

  • Dell Venue Pro running Windows 7
  • iPhone 4 running iOS
  • Blackberry Torch 9800 running Blackberry 6 OS
  • Nexus S running Android

My predictions are they will fall in this order:

  1. iPhone 4.
  2. Dell Venue Pro
  3. Blackberry.
  4. Android.

I really was torn about 3 and 4 (but 1 and 2 were easy). Blackberry has been shown to be fairly security aware. I guess time will tell.

What are your predictions?

Regarding Android Malware

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I’ve been reading a lot recently about 21 applications in the Android Market that contained malware, a potential timer, and other miscellaneous bad things. While I’ll agree that this is a very bad thing, I think it’s more of a failing of the Android Market than the device itself.

As phones are becoming more and more like full blown computers, it stands to reason that if the user of the phone installs an application (app)  and gives it the permissions it asks for, it’s going to be able to do what ever it wants. This is a given. The fact that this kind of thing is possible to me is a t estimate of the power of the platform. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing. In fact, I’d argue the inverse. The same thing is possible in any computer Operating System.

Where the real failing is here is the fact that these applications were available for download from the Android Market. I don’t advocate Google installing rules like Apple where developers survive at Apple’s whim, but I do think that some checks should be put into place to verify the quality and authenticity of the apps being distributed by the Market. Google is putting it’s name and the Android name on this market, and applications that come from the Market should be at the very minimum authenticated.

It should be noted that installing more stringent checks on the Market won’t prevent this type of thing entirely, as Android isn’t the iOS, and applications don’t have to go through Google to be installed (this is a GOOD thing). Because of that, it will always be important to verify that the apps you’re installing on your phone are trustworthy, but at least make the apps that are being distributed by the Market trustworthy.