Part 2 - My Ubuntu Gnu/Linux Adventure

2007-08-09T18:54:00Z

I have now been using Ubuntu for about a year and a half. Am I still enamored with it? I am! I have had some issues, drawbacks and frustrations. But, I realized that even using Windows I have ... issues, drawbacks and frustrations. The difference, I'm finding, is with Ubuntu for each issue that comes up it's typically easier to find help and implement a solution that keeps the issue from reappearing.

I found over the years of using Windows the problems I had were typically always the same and tended to re-occur with regular frequency. Here's some examples....

Windows
1)   noticeably slowed down for me after using it about a year. After two years it was necessary to save all my data, reformat and reinstall to regain that "fresh" speed.
2)   Almost every program I installed wanted to put an icon on the desktop, in the quick launch area and put yet another icon down by the clock thereby increasing my memory usage.
3)   creates the aura that you have to buy all the programs you need "to get the job done."
4)   programs you bought could only be used on one computer, including the Windows Operating System.
5)   users have to keep track of all the serial numbers for each piece of software for re-installation.
6)   suffers from "the blue screen of death". Thus, Control-Alt-Delete became a users best friend.
7)   can't seem to reliably burn a cd at the same time you are ... doing anything else.
8)   has monthly security updates. If you don't do them immediately, you put your computer at risk.
9)   programs can suddenly freeze, typically a reboot is needed to get working again.

Ubuntu & Linux
1)   has different methods of installing programs.
2)   is not the same as Windows so you have to relearn some basic things to do what you want.
3)   most programs are available at no cost with a couple of clicks of the mouse.
4)   eliminates the stress of getting an infection of some sort.
5)   has no current need for a virus scanner, however one should be used to eliminate infecting your friends on Windows.
6)   will not play most Windows games
7)   can still run some Windows programs if needed. (see http://winehq.org/)
8)   some website designed around Windows ActiveX and/or .NET technology will not display or function fully.
9)   New versions of Ubuntu come out every 6 months. Upgrades are free.
10) will run on new and old computers with as little as 128megs of ram if needed. Standard Ubuntu & Kubuntu need 256megs. That's a far cry from Vista versions needing from 1gig to 4 gigs of ram to function correctly.

One of the primary issues I've run into using Ubuntu and Linux in general: Several of the companies I do business with as a Realtor require that I use Internet Explorer to make their website work. The first and most necessary is the Multiple Listing Service (MLS). The next is my website, including this blog area. Several other companies that I use for marketing also make Internet Explorer the proprietary browser. As a result, I have to run an old version of Windows to access these services.

So now you might be wondering how I do that. Internet Explorer will not install in Linux. It is a Windows only program. What I did was download and install the free VMWare Server program. This allows me to install and run an entirely different operating system (ie Windows in this case) and run it like it was any other program, in its own "window". Now if you're familiar with Mac then you probably know about Parallels and Bootcamp. Parallels is more like VMWare Server or Player. Bootcamp allows for you to choose which operating system you go into when you first start your computer. Linux can do this too but no extra software is needed and they simply call it "Dual Booting".

So enough for today. I wanted to leave with a few tips for the Windows only people out there.

1)Create only one account that has Administrator Privileges and call it Administrator or Phil or bananas. Just make sure it's not the account that is used by default. It also needs a password at least 8 characters long and preferably a mixture of letters, numbers, and symbols. Don't forget it.
2)Log into your machine as Administrator and change everyone else's account to something other than Administrator. Now log out and don't go back unless you can't get something done as a regular user.
3)Do yourself a favor and completely un-install Norton Suite, firewall, anti-virus etc. All of it... Unless you have installed gobs of memory (not hard drive size) it will just slow you system down. There are better solutions. Nod32 (http://www.eset.com/) is one of the best rated anti-virus and spy detection programs out there. Doesn't take too much memory and won't bog your system down. If you like free, try AVG at http://free.grisoft.com/

The Choice is Yours!?

2007-07-18T18:17:00Z

At this point Windows Vista has hit the streets and many reviews have be written about it. Personally, I haven't really played much with it. We all do face the same dilemma though. Should I upgrade or shouldn't I? What are the options I have?

In the last year I've been mulling this question around and have come up with my personal solution. As a little background, I've been involved in computers in one fashion or another since 1980. All my involvement as been around desktop machines of the once know "IBM Compatible" type, now Windows. Over the years I have become quite proficient at building, maintaining and fixing my machines and the machines for friends and clients. I guess you could call me a Windows Power User. I am the Guru to many I know, and can fix almost anything on the computer that I need to. However, I'm no expert, just more experienced. I also have my Guru's that I turn to in times of need.

I've become increasingly more discouraged with Windows and the upgrade cycle we're all put through from one version to the next. Not just the process, but the cost that can be involved for a home user and when running a small business. The cost of the operating system itself, the hardware that it requires and the software to run on it. This all gets very expensive.

I started looking around at alternatives to Windows and programs that do what I need them to do. Apple has an attractive machine now, but I still have to spend more to get one. What could I use that would work on my existing machines, even old machines that are 3 to 5 years old? Was there anything available?

One Sunday afternoon last year I was listening to Leo Laporte "The Tech Guy" on AM 640 out of LA. I heard him mention Ubuntu GNU/Linux and this time I thought I'd take a look. Why? Well.... it's different, has tons of free programs available and the operating system itself is free. But can free really be good? You bet! Perhaps you're not familiar with Ubuntu, but Linux should ring a bell somewhere in the back of your mind. Perhaps companies like Novell and Red Hat are familiar? Both of these companies produce a version of Linux that are widely used in corporations, mostly for servers that handle databases, web sites, email etc. Their products are based on Linux and Linux has been garnering the reputation world wide as a stable environment that is secure and configurable. The drawback in the last few years is there really hasn't been a viable Desktop version that the masses can use. That has all changed in the last couple of years.

Although Linux is the underlying system, there are hundreds of flavors or distributions (see DistroWatch), and many different Desktops. Desktops are what you are actually looking at on the screen when you use the computer. There are three primary versions XFCE, Gnome and KDE. Each offers something different.

Needless to say, I dropped myself into a whole new world of experimentation and exploration. What I've found is I can do on Linux what I use to do on Windows with little or no cash outlay and do it on new or old machines.

Another day I'll cover some of the differences between windows and Linux and the programs that make me productive. But for now, if any of this intrigues you, it is possible to try various Linux distributions without redoing your whole computer. At Ubuntu.com you can download their latest "Live CD". Download that and use your CD burner to create a "disk image" not a "data" cd at the slowest speed your burner will go. Now just reboot with the cd in the drive and if your computer is setup correctly it will boot to the cd and allow you to play with a fully functional version of Ubuntu GNU/Linux without touching your hard drive. It will be slower running from the CD but you shouldn't have any problem. It will also allow you to evaluate your computer to see if all the equipment is compatible.

Until next time,

Mark

Technology

Part 2 - My Ubuntu Gnu/Linux Adventure

The Choice is Yours!?