Unity Desktop on Ubuntu 11.04

Those of you who follow this blog will know that I have been an Ubuntu user and devotee for the past 6 years.

Ubuntu powers my work machine and while there have been periodic bugs it has generally performed marvelously.

Now, in the second bad piece of news today, I have to report that I have upgraded my machine to Ubuntu 11.04 with Unity Desktop and I really do not like it.

There are a lot of bugs in Unity. It is not intuitive for users and it is clunky.

It is almost that in an effort to catch up with the desktops on Apple machines, Canonical have done a "Vista".

The concept may, in principle, be good, but only launch a system upgrade like this when its ready for the big time.

The fact that one cannot also easily install Gnome3 without breaking Unity and the OS is an unmitigated disaster makes live very difficult.

I hope all this is resolved shortly, or I'm off to Debian 6.0 and will build my own customised linux box.

MS and Apple must be laughing their heads off and I cannot blame them.

If you are using Ubuntu 10.10 ... do not upgrade yet!

Microsoft Close to Buying Skype

I really am concerned at this news.

It took long enough to get Skype to produce an effective Linux Client.

I can just see the "evil empire" keeping the existing Linux client and then as the product develops easing the linux version out because "it is no longer compatible.".

I can also see the "evil empire" also trying to turn itself into the "world's" phone network. Free Computer to Computer Calls will go!

With Google dominating search, Facebook social media and Microsoft voice communications, the world Interweb really is becoming dominated by a small cartel of US controlled IT companies.

We really do need companies like Amazon.com, baidu.com, yahoo japan etc. to start fighting back internationally and offer competitive products.

Is there a stable version of Linux that I can install but not have to constantly tweek to keep working?

One of the main advantage's of Linux and linux distributions is that the Linux Kernel and other software is regularly updated to ensure the OS is compatible with the latest hardware.

Ubuntu, (based on Debian Linux) is today probably one of the most stable distributions. If one configures a machine with this distribution; is happy with the resultant initial configuration and does not want to receive further updates, one can configure the "update manager" not to check for updates.

The machine will remain stable as originally configured

Freeciv crash in Ubuntu 10.10

I am having an ongoing problem which continually ruins playing Freeciv on my Ubuntu 10.10 installation.

I will play for several hours and then in the middle of a seesion, bingo, Freeciv crashes. The game will not restart from that point onwards.

Any help, comments or advice would be appreciated.

Details:

Ubuntu 10.10
Gnome 2.32.0
Kernel Linux 2.6.35-25-generic
Intel Celeron M CPU 530 @ 1.73GHZ
Memory: 2.0GB
FreeCiv- server version - Freeciv: 2.2.1-1ubuntu1

Error Message from system.log

Feb 26 08:20:39 xxxusernamexxx kernel: [ 5540.017512] freeciv-server[2221]: segfault at b4 ip 0000000000485b60 sp 00007fff2ae10ae8 error 4 in freeciv-server[400000+185000]

Installing Ubuntu on a Laptop

First of all you will need too decide which media you will use for booting the Vaio

- usb stick
- cd

Make sure you know how to select boot mode - some laptops will let use use F11/F12 to select your boot media otherwise you will need to go into the bios F2 or delete key and change the boot selection media.

If you are not sure, use the boot from cd option. It will be slower but probably easier for newbies.

Before downloading, make sure that you know whether your Vaio is has a 32bit or 64bit processor so that you can select the correct version.

Download your preferred ubuntu distribution from ubuntu here:

http://www.ubuntu.com/desktop/get-ubuntu/download

Very Important:

Insert the cd and boot to the live cd version. Make sure that all the essential systems are working. Sound, Networking, wifi etc.

There should be a systems testing entry on the Systems > Administration menu. Run it and see if it reports any major problems recognising any important devices such as ethernet port, wifi, sound. If it does find problems and you are a newbie, this is probably not for you to do without help..

If all OK, now go Systems > Administration > Disk utility.

Look at the Volumes table. You may find that in addition to your normal hard drive partitions (e.g. C: D: in Widnows) there may also be "hidden partitions", created on installation at the factory to customised the machine and how it runs Widnows!

If you are doing a full Ubuntu install you will need to select "use the full disk" when prompted to ensure that the hidden partitions get "nuked", otherwise you may encounter booting problems.

If all has gone all OK so far reboot the machine and when prompted select the install to disk option on the Ubuntu live CD menu and follow the walk through.

It is fairly easy process. Easier than Windows, I would say.

At the end of the installation process, let the machine remain "online" to download the latest updates. You will be prompted for authority to install them. Let them install and away you go,

Learn to use the "Synaptic Package Manager" on the System > Administration menu to install extra packages such as codec packs etc.

Hope this helps

Why I use Linux on a Laptop

I have used Ubuntu Linux on my main machine, an Acer Aspire 4310 Laptop of 2008 vintage. At first there were problems with wifi and sound rivers, but since 9.04 everything has been fine.

I use the machine for remote server admin, personal use, client IT problems diagnosis, and a full range of admin.

It gives me such flexibility particularly when talking over the network to both Apple and Win systems

Switch from Linux to Mac

Not at all! I've now been on Ubuntu since 2005.

I love linux as I am able to interface with practically every other OS sans problems.

10 days ago a tech turned up at a client's office to deliver a top of the range HP colour laser wifi scanner printer which required installation of over 250MB of drivers and software on Windows 7 or MAC before it would work.

"Give me 20 minutes" says he!

Me say - "No, me no have 20 minutes!"

Fired up my trusty 3 year-old acer laptop with ubuntu 10.10 aboard.

Went system >> printing

Find network printer

Selected Generic-PostScript-Printer

and the I.T. guy was just standing there with his mouth open and aghast as in 30 seconds a page comes flying out the new unit!!

Much as I appreciate apples as Audis of the desktop world, give me open source and linux any day.

As for looks, who cares. If the OS works, I can live without the flash of Apple and proprietary systems.

Alternative software to read MS Publisher files

1. The lack of exportability and readable access of MS Publisher files has long been a source of irritation for sole proprietor/micro and small business owners who used it in the late '90's and early 2000's to produced newsletters, brochures, etc. With each new incarnation of MSOffice, they have found themselves tied more and more to purchasing a later version of Publisher and ever increasing cost. In short, there is no other program that can open .pub files.

2. In the linux world there is an open source DTP program called Scribus.
See: http://wiki.scribus.net/canvas/Scribus

3. However, even this has its own type of file system that can only be read by the program. To publish a finished article one must export to .ps, .svg or .pdf.

4. I understand that there is now an installer for Scribus on Windows systems.

5. Also see: http://goo.gl/gYMT9

Is there any better editor, like VIM in ubuntu that can be used instead of Terminal (one that come with ubuntu by default)?

If one is using Gnome desktop, one can log into Terminal as root and launch gedit.

Go

> Menu > Accessories > Terminal

Terminal will open up the console

> type sudo -s

- enter your password (as long as you have administrator rights)

> type gedit and use gedit's open file function to navigate to file or gedit (path to file and file name )

I use this all the time for script editing in the gubbins of Ubuntu.

Boot from a USB stick if BIOS doesn't support USB boot!

Not normally possible!

However, this question intrigued me and I've done a bit of research as I have not looked at the subject in a while.

Turns out there appears to be a German programmer who has built a piece of software that boots from a floppy or cd and allows one then to boot from a usb stick.

There is an excellent walk through published on howtogeek.com here.

http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/16822/boot-from-a-usb-drive-even-if-your-bios-wont-let-you/

The article has links to the necessary page for downloads.

Not tried it myself but hope it it is appropriate for your needs.

Powerline Adapters

I had this situation exactly with a client in November who has three phase power and an old Stone/Brick traditional farm house that has grown into a 6 apartment complex.

Powerline adapters would just not work! The three phase system and old wiring/switchboards just would not let the units talk to one another.

Power surges can also be a problem and I have heard of cases where signal quality decreases if the powerline units overheat.

I thought they were a good solution for this type of problem.

As regards using UK ones, they should work with a three pin to two ping adapter.

Lidertronica in Lisbon have a wide range of network and other hear. They deliver COD by cobrança.

The relevant page on their website with links to powerline adapters is here:

http://goo.gl/Xkq9F

I have just bought an external 10dbi omni-directional wifi antenna from them to mount on the roof of the above-mentioned client's house.

I plan to bathe the complex with wifi radiation and as well as ensuring good coverage, add to the tans of the punters regularly staying there!

If it is in stock they deliver the next day.

Re: Free webdesign lessons

My reply to an article posted on a forum entitled: "Free webdesign lessons"

" I am very disappointed with webdesigners who charge so much for "maintenance costs" of the webpages they do...."

Sorry, Web designers need to live too!!!!

Specialist coding skills and graphical package training, cost of internet access, good domain and hosting skills do not come cheap!!!

I personally am tired of people and businesses who do not want to pay a reasonable rate for web design, web site maintenance, web site translation, copy writing and web marketing services!!!!!!

A website is not a game!!!! I am tired of half built websites that do not work.

If you want one built to bring good commercial results, one will need to pay a good specialist to manage and market it correctly!

If you want to do it yourself properly be prepared for months of slog!

When will it be the "year of Linux" on the desktop?

I do agree that the issue of perceived desktop and support software familiarity is a major obstacle to Linux making headway against Windows and MacOS. However, I believe that increased deployment of Linux/Gnome in public access systems and mobile systems could do a lot to change attitudes and familiarize the general public with Linux. In the small town where I live, I have deployed 6 PC's equipped with Ubuntu/Gnome in bars and hostels for the use of clients. They are customized for web access using Chrome & Firefox. The owners of each establishment are happy as they have been able to substantially reduce the amount, they have had to spend on virus and abuse removal from the previously equipped Window OS machines. There have been no user complaints at all.

I also believe that, for most micro and small businesses world-wide, the deployment of linux desktop systems equipped with software such as "libreoffice" would sharply reduce operating costs and give greater flexibility in upgrading as the business in question grows..