There has been some controversy about the latest version of (K/X)Ubuntu. They decided not to tag the Kubuntu part as LTS (Long Term Support) because of the incoming version 4 of KDE. I think it was utterly stupid considering they'll have to take some kind of stand regarding KDE over every variation of Ubuntu if that is truly their stand. The question I have yet to get answered is "What happens if I add KDE to Ubuntu LTS?" Here's the scenario, I have an Ubuntu LTS install straight from the CD. I add all the repositories, and then decide I want to run a KDE 3.5.9 app. What now? I have installed the KDE libraries, and a KDE app, if KDE was the reason the LTS tag was withheld from the Kubuntu variant then I'm now no longer supported long term on my Ubuntu install. I'm sure a business which has set this up is going to love to hear that. If I were them, I'd go to Mandrake, or SUSE, neither of which would have a hard time supporting KDE Long term.
However, since I have no concern about how long its supported, because I'm at home, I upgraded to 8.04. It was very uneventful. Which, I guess, is a good thing. Except for the fact that it tried to force Firefox 3 beta on me. Firefox 3 is going to be a great browser, you can tell that, just like KDE 4 is going to be a great Desktop environment, but not one of my extensions works with it. Google is especially crappy because they talk big and even at times act big, about open source, but don't really seem to follow through. I think the problem is the childish mindset of the company as a whole. They need to grow up, and realize that you can't just keep jumping from this to that and forget the first part, and not support it because your running around trying to whip up the next "cool thing". Anyway, Google needs to get off its behind and get focused on Firefox extensions that equal in number and quality the windoze only extensions. And, oh yes, I haven't said lately just how much I do not like windoze.
Mom and Dad just recently bought a new Dell, and they want me to transfer every thing over from the old PC. The problem is windoze. I wonder at times just how much money and man hours they put into studying and programming user irritation features. The more exposure I have to virus vista the more I love Linux. Once you get past the pretty face it's ugly to the bone! I've got to bring the new box down to the house so I can get things working, and all patched up.
Ahem, back to the Kubuntu saga. Well, I have tried KDE 4 and it lacks so many of the things I really like about KDE that I am steering clear of it for as long as I can. If they were to force me to upgrade or go to Gnome, I'd get used to Gnome. If I'm going to have to work in a way I don't like them I'm going to snub my nose at those who try to force me to do it, and go somewhere else. Kind of like the Bike Dealer who wouldn't sell me a Bandit. I think KDE 4 was released WAY TOO early, and with WAY too many things not even at that level. Good grief your PIM suite isn't even at 4 yet. I understand that they think they've come up with a "better" way to work, but I like the way my desktop is now, and if they can't accept that, I'll find another environment that will. Not to mention that lately all my appointments created on Google calendar are showing up in Kontact an hour OR MORE, off! Evolution doesn't have a problem, my Nokia N810 doesn't have a problem, and even my virus outlook at work doesn't have a problem, and they are all synced. So, I've been looking at Evolution anyway, 'cause I despise the way Thunderbird handles folders that house lists (it doesn't at all without an extension).
So, I'm now on 8.04 and it looks just like 7.10 although I'm sure something under the covers got changed / improved. Oh, I have noticed now that my WiFi light doesn't light up any more. Oh, my wireless is working fine (using it now) but for some reason the WiFi light on my Dell E1705 no longer shines when connected. Oh, well, as long as it works I don't care. Everything else seems to work / not work just as it did before. I'm about to try the VOIP software and see if any of the sound driver's capabilities have improved. (I doubt it).
Well, talk to ya' later.
Showing posts with label Dell. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Dell. Show all posts
Sunday, May 4, 2008
Monday, February 26, 2007
New Dell Laptop a winner
Unlike the HP AMD 64 bit laptop, everything is now working in the new DELL. I got a E1705 with the Intel Core 2 Duo T7400, 2 GB RAM, 160 GB HDD, 17"WUXGA screen, and Intel 3945 Pro Wireless card. I had to completely wipe the hard drive, but thanks to Dell's foresight in packaging a real Windows install DVD, and driver CD or DVD, I was able to install Vista on a 30 GB partition, and allocate the rest to Kubuntu Edgy (Linux distro I use most now). The only issue that remains is that with the Nvidia Video drivers loaded I get a lot of popping and crackling in the sound when I play a video intensive game. I can play DVD's with no ill affect, which makes me wonder what's going on.
I figured out how to get the Intel Wireless card to be up and running by login time. I put two lines in my rc.local file as follows:
Sound works, Video works, and to beat all hibernation works! (well for the most part, last night it never completely shut down for some reason). I'm really enjoying this thing, and I'm looking forward to Feisty going public, as long as I can still print to my brother printer. Brother's Linux support is horrible because its half hearted. They have a full blown CUPS driver for the Mac, but for some reason they are unwilling to put out a CUPS driver for Linux. What gives there?
My next attempt to make Linux really look good will be to install Beryl or Compiz and get the full 3D desktop I've been hearing so much about. I can't remember which works with KDE better at the moment, but I'll update the Blog here when I get that done.
Anyway, the son is enjoying his toy, and Dad is enjoying his, and the house is happy.
I figured out how to get the Intel Wireless card to be up and running by login time. I put two lines in my rc.local file as follows:
ifdown eth1and now things work pretty good. I'd like to be able to take this out, but its working, so its not urgent. What I found surprising is that the drivers for the wireless card worked right off the bat in the live cd boot up! I didn't even have to wait for the full install.
ifup eth1
Sound works, Video works, and to beat all hibernation works! (well for the most part, last night it never completely shut down for some reason). I'm really enjoying this thing, and I'm looking forward to Feisty going public, as long as I can still print to my brother printer. Brother's Linux support is horrible because its half hearted. They have a full blown CUPS driver for the Mac, but for some reason they are unwilling to put out a CUPS driver for Linux. What gives there?
My next attempt to make Linux really look good will be to install Beryl or Compiz and get the full 3D desktop I've been hearing so much about. I can't remember which works with KDE better at the moment, but I'll update the Blog here when I get that done.
Anyway, the son is enjoying his toy, and Dad is enjoying his, and the house is happy.
Sunday, February 18, 2007
No Church, Waiting on Laptop, and Drums
I hate sundays with no Church. Due to the snow and icy road conditions this morning, left over from last night, we canceled Church. I hate doing that, but I know the people well enough to know what that'll do to the crowd. I know what you may be thinking, but I don't want folks feeling less than "spiritual" because they can't get out on the snow or ice, its not their fault. I also don't want some to try, and wind up wrecking their car hitting some odd patch of ice. I have found myself much more cautious about the snow since I've learned what it means to care about others. You think you know when your single, or living in Mom or Dad's house, but you don't really. Its not until someone is completely dependent on the decisions you make that you realize how important it is to consider what you do, and its affect on them, before you do it. Anyway, I remember in my younger days I would have plowed ahead and had Church anyway, and praise God there are those who can do that now, but now, I'm more reserved. I guess the two kids, and wife have made me a softy.
On another note, I sent back the HP, and as I said they were aggravating, but they finally returned my money. So, I've returned the HP and ordered a DELL, E1705, with the Intel T7400, 17" WUXGA (some outrageous resolution), and 4 years of accidental coverage, instead of 2 and its cheaper than the HP anyway. I would have liked the hp Intel version, don't get me wrong. I liked the 2 hard drive idea. I also have NO problem with HP in general. I really think they have the best server line with IBM coming in VERY close to 2nd. However, I like Dell's Laptops and Desktops. I Like IBM's midrange hardware better than anyone's, and I don't know of a second best there that's close. AIX on RS/6000 boxes just can't be beat for midrange power. All that said, I think its fair to say I'm not really attached to any particular vendor,however, there's one I can't stand, and they generally produce an OS that you can look out of, but if you open their glass panes you'll let the bugs in if you know what I mean. So, I'm eagerly awaiting the arrival, it'll probably get here sometime around the first of next month. Some reviews site its not very pretty and the speakers in it aren't very exceptional, but that's ok. I can add speakers, or headphones for sound, and looks aren't involved in my purchase plans. (I did price an Alienware laptop, because they look cool, but they couldn't come close to the price point of Dell.
The other interesting goody to come into the house is my son's drum set. We bought him a low end DDrum D2 drum set for about 380 at a music store in Bellevue, TN. My son just started jumping up and down Saturday when he came home and found it in his room. Again, I'd like to have a Digital camera to show it to ya' but alas, that's low on the purchase priority list. They're nice enough for starting, and they came about right with all the used drum sets I found that were worth having. Not only that, but I have a 2 year warranty (1 year from the store doubled by the Ccard I used). I think he'll take to it fairly well, if he can ever get me off of it. It reminded me of how much I enjoyed playing when I was in High School. Its amazing what you can remember, BTW, when you sit down behind one. My daughter wasn't so happy, 'cause now he has one more thing to irritate her with, and because she doesn't have a real Piano. (not to mention the fact that her casio keyboard cost about that much when we bought it a few years ago, and that she's been able to play sports, take Piano lessons, and everything else he hasn't for quite some time, but that's another story). Well, generally speaking everyone's happy here now, and life is good. God is great folks, and why He's so nice to me I'll never understand. He's given me a good family, a great wife, and two good (well, for the most part anyway) kids, and a great job doing what I love (on both sides, the Church and Ardent).
That's all for now. God bless.
On another note, I sent back the HP, and as I said they were aggravating, but they finally returned my money. So, I've returned the HP and ordered a DELL, E1705, with the Intel T7400, 17" WUXGA (some outrageous resolution), and 4 years of accidental coverage, instead of 2 and its cheaper than the HP anyway. I would have liked the hp Intel version, don't get me wrong. I liked the 2 hard drive idea. I also have NO problem with HP in general. I really think they have the best server line with IBM coming in VERY close to 2nd. However, I like Dell's Laptops and Desktops. I Like IBM's midrange hardware better than anyone's, and I don't know of a second best there that's close. AIX on RS/6000 boxes just can't be beat for midrange power. All that said, I think its fair to say I'm not really attached to any particular vendor,however, there's one I can't stand, and they generally produce an OS that you can look out of, but if you open their glass panes you'll let the bugs in if you know what I mean. So, I'm eagerly awaiting the arrival, it'll probably get here sometime around the first of next month. Some reviews site its not very pretty and the speakers in it aren't very exceptional, but that's ok. I can add speakers, or headphones for sound, and looks aren't involved in my purchase plans. (I did price an Alienware laptop, because they look cool, but they couldn't come close to the price point of Dell.
The other interesting goody to come into the house is my son's drum set. We bought him a low end DDrum D2 drum set for about 380 at a music store in Bellevue, TN. My son just started jumping up and down Saturday when he came home and found it in his room. Again, I'd like to have a Digital camera to show it to ya' but alas, that's low on the purchase priority list. They're nice enough for starting, and they came about right with all the used drum sets I found that were worth having. Not only that, but I have a 2 year warranty (1 year from the store doubled by the Ccard I used). I think he'll take to it fairly well, if he can ever get me off of it. It reminded me of how much I enjoyed playing when I was in High School. Its amazing what you can remember, BTW, when you sit down behind one. My daughter wasn't so happy, 'cause now he has one more thing to irritate her with, and because she doesn't have a real Piano. (not to mention the fact that her casio keyboard cost about that much when we bought it a few years ago, and that she's been able to play sports, take Piano lessons, and everything else he hasn't for quite some time, but that's another story). Well, generally speaking everyone's happy here now, and life is good. God is great folks, and why He's so nice to me I'll never understand. He's given me a good family, a great wife, and two good (well, for the most part anyway) kids, and a great job doing what I love (on both sides, the Church and Ardent).
That's all for now. God bless.
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