Google - Chrome - Chromium OS or whatever its gonna be called

Well, Google has decided to get into the OS market.  I like Google well enough, I use their products, email, blogger, contacts, even Android now.  I don't use all their products, mainly because they're not nearly as "Open Source Friendly" as this OS might make them appear.  Granted most of what they're doing may be due to market, and their desire to penitrate and get visibility.

Anyway.  I have read the reviews, seen the screen shots, and I think I have a pretty good understanding of what their doing, I just don't think it's worth it.  What, you say?

DROID phone and Other New Tech

Wow it has been a long time since I've done this. Got distracted by a few things. Trying to get back on to new and exciting technology.

First up is the new DRIOD phones, well to be more accurate "Android" based phones. I like 'em so much I ordered myself the Verizon version. They have at least 2, the DROID, and the DROID eris. They have some really cool, and fun apps, like the screen fogger. You start the app and it makes the screen look like it's fogged over. Then you draw on the screen with your finger, you know, like you used to do the storm door or the car windows in the winter when you were a kid. To make the screen "re-fog" you blow in the microphone. Yea, I know stupid, but it's kinda funny. There's a "shotgun" app that simulates using a pump action Shotgun. Then there's a barcode reader app. This thing will read the barcode of a product and then search for prices! COOL! no more wondering if this or that store has the best price when you run up on something in a mall! Those who like to shop will like that one. Google maps, and various other apps I never got to play with. My only bone to pick with Verizon is that they undercut their brick and mortar stores with the instant online rebate if you go to Verizon.com. I think they should let the stores do that as well, 'cause if they did I'd already have mine. I've had bad experiences filling out rebate forms and mailing them in, so I don't do that crap any more. Anyway, more on that when it comes.

Google's garbage had to go

Well, I finally upgraded to Firefox 3. I have been holding out waiting for Google to get off its duff and update the Firefox extensions. If you remember I ranted about this in an earlier post. Well, I finally said forget it. I found out one of my biggest problems with Firefox on Linux was Google's fault!! The toolbar was the problem all along. The problem? I could not open more than 2 Firefox windows without the whole app freezing up on me. I would have to completely shutdown, and restart Firefox to get anywhere else. So, I've rid myself of Google's extensions altogether.
I replaced my Book mark sync with Foxmark, and all my other extensions, except my Favorite theme, work fine with FF3. So, good riddance Google. And yes, if they want to shut me out of mail and blogging I'll go somewhere else with that too. I think its completely bogus that they can come out with a hundred and one new apps every year, and can't be bothered to keep the apps they've won people over to up to date!
On a positive note, I'm finding FF3 to be very fast compared to FF2, and not *that* much different on the appearance and features list. Meaning, if you think you're going to get lost in the new interface don't worry, this isn't MickeySoft and Office2007.

Oh, I haven't blogged in a while because I've done quite well at embarrassing myself with how I handle my bike. I have let it fall over twice now. The first time I'm still not sure it was anything I did, I think there were other factors involved. The second time was just my stupidity, I think. The problem there was by the time I tried to catch the bike (not too far over) my leg said "forget this" and just gave out on me. It has happened twice now, but the first time I wasn't really tilted enough to cause it to fall all the way over. This morning it hurt my leg. I'm not sure the bike got that far off, or whether it was too far I just couldn't believe how my leg reacted. You have to understand my legs have always been my strong point when it came to that sort of thing. I guess being 41, they just aren't going to take it anymore.

New Kubuntu 8.04

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.