Tryst with Linux and other Alternatives

I’ve been using Ubuntu 8.04 for about four days now and I must admit that that I still prefer PCLinuxOS 2007 as my favourite entry-level Linux distribution. However, I’ve compiled a list of 9 features I wish Ubuntu had, which may help me change my mind. (why 9? I couldn’t think of more at the time of writing, but more ideas will come to me)

1. System Restore (yes, like Windows XP)

My latest tryst with Ubuntu once again disappointed me with the lack of a VIA graphics driver (I use a VIA machine). So I had to install an unsupported (on 8.04) openchrome driver. However, after installing it, my system started doing funny things… like whenever I log onto Ubuntu, I get a resolution of 800/600. Then I have to logout, and log back in, and my system preferences are restored to 1024/768. Whaaaat? Exactly. But you may obviously say, “you deserve this, you fool, for installing an unsupported driver” I admit it. I am a sinner. But I want repentance. I want to go back… and I have no easy way of figuring out how. In Windows there’s a neat System Restore button, which works most of the time, why not in Ubuntu.

Why do I still prefer PCLinux? Well PCLinux doesn’t have system restore, but it does recognise my VIA chipset… no need to install unsupported drivers!!!

2. Integrate (non-free) drivers better

This “free” thing is getting a little tiresome. I know there’s a very noble movement to keep Linux “Free” of all “closed” source applications… but in Ubuntu, all non-free drivers are just a button away. While we may think this is liberating, why can’t we just have a non-free Ubuntu (out of the box) and a free Ubuntu. (of course they should both be “free” as in no-mollah). My point is that this installing drivers when needed starts becoming irritating after a while, especially if it doesn’t work out the first time (as my mpg codecs didn’t quite work).

Why do I still prefer PCLinux? The distribution does not pretend to be “free” and has most of the codecs that you need already integrated. It’s so refreshing, especially for beginning users. I think the philosophy to introduce “free” first and then adopt “non-free” after a warning puts of newbies like me, rather than wins us. But then, these are not my decisions, but my wishes/opinions.

3. Better wallpaper and desktop-beautification processes

I’ve griped about this in my previous review, but GNOME is just not as good as KDE when it comes to changing wallpapers, or even making the desktop look more beautiful. Now I admit that I’m quite sick of the Windows Interface, but I know how to make KDE look like KDE and not just some Windows clone. I really feel web-integrated wallpaper selections, as well as more customizability in panels etc, will certainly help.

Why do I still prefer PCLinux? Because PCLinux has the best out of the box implementation of KDE I have so far seen. It even makes the blue look good. I admit that PCLinux still looks like Windows, but it certainly looks better than Ubuntu (Even though Ubuntu’s new wallpaper is kinda funky!). Don’t get me wrong, my favourite desktop colours are green and brown, so it’s not a colour thing… just the power to adapt.

4. More attractive Boot Splash

Now if you’re like me, you’ve chosen Linux because of its overall experience, rather than just its functionality or philosophy. I love the way openSUSE and PCLinux integrate a bootsplash that makes dual booting pretty! I know you can change the Ubuntu bootsplash, but why can’t it be done by default?

Why do I still prefer PCLinux? Because PCLinux’s colourful/beautiful bootsplash is enabled by default.

5. Smaller desktop icons

Now this is a linux gripe, not just against Ubuntu. Somehow, Windows uses its space better. And doesn’t have these scary desktop icons (especially disk mounts, have you seen them????) They really fill up the screen. Windows in contrast, really uses its icons well… they’re small by default, though can be made bigger.

Why do I still prefer PCLinux? Well, PCLinux is just as guilty as Ubuntu (GNOME) here, because they both use desktop managers that like big icons. KDE is particularly irritating with its huuuuuge mouse over effects that are interesting for .3 seconds after which we want to erase the memory of such space invasion! So maybe I don’t really prefer PCLinux here… and oops… Windows wins… (PLEASE DON’T CRUCIFY ME!)

6. Better Implementation of alternative Desktop Managers (in UBUNTU)

After griping about KDE let me say that my preferred desktop environment has been KDE but whenever I’ve tried Kubuntu (Ubuntu with KDE), I’ve faced huge problems… perhaps there’s a jinx. But I’ve also noticed that the Kubuntu KDE implementation is not as good as PCLinux… but that’s not the point. If I was using Ubuntu, I want to be able to integrate other desktop managers like KDE, but I had a difficult time getting that done in Ubuntu. I think Linux’ strength is customizability… and this should be basic and well-done.

Why do I still prefer PCLinux? Actually, PCLinux’s KDE implementation is so good that I hadn’t thought of using any other desktop manager… so maybe if I tried I would face a similar struggle… so actually, even here I can’t say whether I prefer PCLinux or not in this feature.

7. Better hibernation (or communication why not)

Recently, in Ubuntu, I tried to hibernate. It allowed me to hibernate when suddenly there was a black screen, with a black message, and then it reached the suspend screen. ie. it didn’t hibernated, and I didn’t know why. I tried again, and same thing. I realised that I had to quickly read the black screen message and the third time I did, in the split second it afforded, and got something like… not enough memory… in what I don’t know. But I wondered why there was such a problem in a simple thing like hibernation… and why I wasn’t told about it more intellegently.

Why do I still prefer PCLinux? I have faced absolutely no problem hibernating my PCLinuxOS in both Laptops and desktops. What’s the problem in Ubuntu, I’m not sure, at least I should be told about it more clearly.

8. Better default font rendition

Ubuntu 8.04 has a much improved font rendition (from its predecessor), I must admit. But it’s still not as good as Windows. I know it’s unfair to compare to Windows, but what to do, I’m a post-Windows user… and the people I recommend Linux to are all Windows users, and such things matter.

Why do I still prefer PCLinux? Even PCLinux has a decent/average default font rendition, that improves when you install non-free fonts (which I think should be installed by default). So I guess, even PCLinux is not much better or worse than Ubuntu in this regard.

9. Let’s get an application/desktop dock (yes like the one on the MACs)

OK, I know the even PClinux does not have a application/desktop application dock. But Dreamlinux does. And Dreamlinux’ docking doesn’t look/work so bad. Why not Ubuntu? If I am to ‘leave’ PCLinux, surely better usability and attractiveness would be one reason, and currently Ubuntu does not have that (it’s not better than PCLinux in this regard, just the same… though it uses GNOME).

Summary

I’m a Linux fan, not a PCLinux or Ubuntu Fan. Ie. I don’t care if Ubuntu is better or PCLinux or openSUSE as long as the overall spread of Linux is achieved. My problem however with Ubuntu is that most beginners hear about it and use it, and get frustrated with its little nagging flaws and difficulties. I have found that PCLinux has less flaws and difficulties (for new, post-Windows, users). Therefore, I will still be encouraging new Linux users to adopt PCLinux (or at least try to LinuxMint, hope that is easier to use?). But Ubuntu, is good, really good, but for a beginner, it disappoints.

Cut to the chase: Ubuntu 8.04 is good, not great (from a noob’s perspective). But some things, like internet connectivity, are just excellent! ****/***** (four out of five stars).

Introduction: For almost a year, I’ve stopped experimenting with Linux. That’s partly because I was terribly disappointed with openSUSE 10.3 (It was a disaster on my machine). But more importantly, PCLinuxOS 2007, was more than sufficient for my needs. I wrote about how PCLinuxOS was better than Ubuntu, and believed it! The only advantage I felt that Ubuntu had over PCLinux, was that it was evolving at a much faster rate; it was becoming better and better. As a result, I had to try Ubuntu 8.04. I just did. The following are my installation and first time use impressions of this distribution.

Using metalinks to download

I had use the Ubuntu 8.04 Desktop metalink to download, with the Orbit downloader. It’s much faster and more reliable for me than directly downloading the .iso (bitorrent is not accessible from my computer). Downloading the new Ubuntu took about 2 hours.

I began installing at 10:16pm

At the auspicious hour of 10:16 PM! I started installing Ubuntu 8.04 largely because I knew it wouldn’t take more than an hour. With Windows, a fresh installation can take almost 2 hours, but linux has made so many advances that I just knew it would be a quick process.

I checked the integrity of the disk, it was fine (thank goodness!), and started installation, thinking it would lead me to a live-CD as usual.

Instead, Ubuntu directly lead to me install Ubuntu, asking me for preliminary questions.

I guess that saves time, but I didn’t realise that the Live CD wouldn’t work, and I had already planned to check the system’s network compatibility and was disappointed that I couldn’t.

For partitioning I choose the manual option, largely because I was going to (finally!) wipe out openSUSE 10.3 from my system. I tried to mount the pre-defined swap drive, but it wouldn’t let me. I just had to mount (/) the ext3 partition, the one that had openSUSE, and check format driver.

Note for newbies: for those who’re going to partition their drives for the first time, and don’t want to lose your windows; you can either install Ubuntu on a free partition (like D or E), or you can allow Ubuntu to find it’s own free space. Either way, Ubuntu (and Linux) does a pretty good job of not messing with Windows. Your windows work will be safe.

One of Ubuntu’s key USP’s (unique selling points) has been to include a migration option; that takes the settings from other operating systems and imports them onto Ubuntu settings. It’s a pretty cool feature; but sadly, it didn’t work on this install. I wonder why?

Finally, question time is over…

By around 10:27pm, about 11 minutes since I began, I clicked install… and the computer started installing Ubuntu on my system.

At about 82%, (and the process seemed to take a long long time, in comparison to PCLinux), my internet modem started blinking, suggesting a download was in progress and I wondered how it was possible since I hadn’t configured my modem yet. Still, whether it worked or not, I would have liked it if Ubuntu gave me an option to connect to the internet or not. Thankfully, no damage done.

Reboot and log-in

By 10:42pm, about 25 minutes after I began the install, I was being asked to reboot. In the larger picture, this wasn’t bad, time wise.

Ubuntu has one of the best grub installs, it usually recognises all my operating systems without a problem, and so I didn’t fear the reboot process. Only, I was curious whether they had some artwork in the grub menu. They didn’t. But it was as efficient as ever. No problems there. Well done, Ubuntu! (once again).

At 10:44, I was staring at my new Ubuntu 8.04 system. And the art work, was quite nice too.

And now the test: Internet works!

I immediately wanted to configure my network, but I was curious why my modem blinked. So I clicked firefox and tried the internet. Whaaaaat??? It worked. Amazing. Without any configuration, Ubuntu was able to detect my network settings and work out of the box at this point. This was truly amazing and remarkable. Even PCLinux does not do that. 10 points for Ubuntu!

I was pleasantly surprised to see Firefox 3.

And I noticed that it found it difficult to mount

Windows NTFS drives… because the Windows was hibernated. Usually I don’t have the problem, even with PCLinux. But I guess there is a reason.

And finally the screen resolution… I got it to fit my preferred size. And all was fine/great.

Now getting down to work

My first project was to replace ugly GNOME with KDE. So I installed/installed all the relevant KDE packages. Success. But then, to view those changes, I restarted the computer (even though I wasn’t prompted to restart) and I saw that my screen resolution was changed to 800/600. Whaat? Anyway, I tried to change it back, but in KDE there was none of the usual options to change screen resolution. Plus, many of the features that I was used to in KDE were not available. As a result, I just logged out and made GNOME my default. Why mess with Ubuntu’s GNOME orientation? (i thought).

Back with GNOME, I was saddened that basic things like changing the wallpaper was still so complicated (or unintuitive). KDE does such an excellent job in installing latest wallpapers from the internet… why can’t GNOME? But anwyay… that’s just a late rant.

Then I tried installing some codecs, and like the previous version, Ubuntu does a good job in getting you the codecs you need. Only, once I had to install an mpg codec twice… I don’t know why, but I just had to.  So my computer can play mp3s, view movies and also view flash objects on the internet. What else do we need? :)

Finally…

Basically, I was happy to be using the new Ubuntu 8.04 and I was particularly impressed by it’s no-need-to-configure the internet process. Still, it was a limited machine, both because of GNOME and becasue of poor KDE post-install installation. But such things shouldn’t bother us here. I’d recommend this version of Ubuntu with a 4 out of 5 stars.

I just tried out the Wordperfect X4 today (as some of you know, I prefer Wordperfect to MS Office as well as StarOffice). However, I was longing for two things… only two… and none of them were present in the new Corel WordPerfect X4 release.

Number 1: There is no option to save in the ODF format. Granted that you can now open an odf file, but it converts to wpd format… which takes ages! I can understand WordPerfect’s desire to focus on pdf, but it’s negligence for the open format is shocking!

Number 2: There is still no information about how many total pages a document has, in the document (default) status. This is the information found below the page, that tells which page number you are on, which line you are on, etc. But if WordPerfect does want to support long documents (I think it is pretty good at that), why can’t we get an information bar that tells me that I’m on page 23/56 (meaning, page 23 out of 56!!!). This lack of a simple basic feature, available in MSOffice (obviously), is so useful, but no one still thinks it is important to put it in.

Anyway… that’s my quick gripe.

So far, trying out WordPerfect X4, it looks and feels exactly the same as WordPerfect X3. That may be a good thing or a bad thing. But thankfully, it opens all my previous X3 documents, therefore I don’t need to complain about that.

There’s this virus (or worm?) lurking in my campus… it’s the “I don’t hate mozilla but use IE or Else” virus that connects to our machines using a pen (USB) drive. Norton has not been able to detect it. AVG has not been able to detect it. But I just discovered that Avast detects and even removes the virus from pendrives.

The virus is more irritating that delibitating. It blocks the Firefox browser and doesn’t allow a user to open YouTube.com pages. There are a few sites that help remove that virus… for instance see here.

To prevent the linux from hitting my laptop, I would use Linux to open all usb pendrives. And/Or disable autorun for removable hardrives in Windows.

But once Avast detected the virus, I feel a little secure.

Thus, my vote for free anti-virus software goes to Avast. (Plus it has boot virus check, which I think is really helpful. It checks for viruses before Windows can do its thing. cool!)

(UPDATED on 1 December, 2007… with links to the extensions. I should have thought of that earlier!)

One of the pains of installing so many distros is configuring Firefox exactly as I would want it; especially this means loading the right extensions (add-ons). Seriously, there are some firefox extensions (add-ons) that I can’t live without and the following is the list that I need. It’s personal (of course), suited only to my need, so this list is not normative for anyone.

1. Tab Mix Plus: this extension is important for the simple reason that it allows me to set the new tab as my “home page”. I have my own home page and I need each new tab to open as my homepage, and for now I only know Tab Mix Plus that enables me to do this. Earlier this extension was useful for session saving as well; but now Firefox does it by itself. Still, this is by far the most important feature for me; and one I can’t live without.

2. Gmail manager: I’m not sure about the legality of having more than one gmail account, but I do have more than one. Plus, I manage my spouse’s email account as well as our home account. For that I need an extension to tell me whether I’ve gotten mail or not; and this extension is a life-(time)-saver! It is better than the “Gmail notifier” extension simply because its configurability power. I especially like the fact that a snippet of the mail is visible so that I can choose to open the email immediately or wait.

3. PDF download: A strangely popular extension (I wouldn’t expect it would be), but one that I certainly need. When dealing on-web research, especially within the PDF format, I’m surprised that Firefox doesn’t give options of what to do by default. Regardless, this exension allows me to choose to download a PDF file or open it directly. Extremely helpful.

4. FlashGot: Somehow it seems downloading videos from video sites like youtube.com etc is a big thing… and Firefox has many extensions useful for that (I think Downthemall is very popular too). I don’t usually download videos, however. It’s not my scene. Instead, I find this extension is useful for any download that I am doing… especially when it gives me options to download multiple links simultaneously and links directly to my Windows download manager Orbit and my KDE manager KGET (somehow KGET isn’t as sharp as Orbit, but that’s another story).

5. Firefox Showcase: Since IE7 has is naturally (and I think even Opera does it naturally), I hope Firefox will have it naturally too. But Firefox Showcase, as an extension, is especially useful for seeing what’s on multiple tabs. I don’t use this much, but when I do, it’s indespensable.

6. CustomizeGoogle: Of course google.com is the king of search! But CustomizeGoogle adds certain links to the google.com search page that allows me to search other sites for the thing that I need. It’s always good to have options, I guess.

7. AdBlock plus. I just recently added this extension to block ads after browsing a CLEAN site with some surprisingly embarrassing ads. Doesn’t help if your mother in law is watching you work! :)

Of course there are many more extensions that I use, and sometimes don’t, but the above really improve the browsing experience for me.

RUNNERS UP

MinimizeToTray: This is one extension I’ve only just started using and I’ve been wondering why I didn’t use it sooner. It really helps save screen/desktop space.

GSpace: I haven’t actually tried it (though I’ve installed it). This extension allows your GMail account to be used as an online harddrive. The promise of an online harddrive is attractive, though I don’t know about the legalities about this. I would be more put at ease if Google itself launched an extension like this… so for now, I think simple file transfers/backups would be the order of the day.

DeepestSender: A wordpress blog editor; which allows you to update wordpress blogs without actually going into wordpress. I’ve used it off and on, and sometimes it is helpful because of its speed.

(updated disclaimer: Any comparison of distro’s can be problematic because each distro has different goals and visions. However, this comparison is written from the point of view of a new (Windows) user who is looking for options to install.)

Due to limited harddisk place, and partly because of my desire to try something new, I erased my PCLinuxOS 2007 to try out the new Ubuntu 7.10 (and also Kubuntu). What I present now are some impressions of my use of both operating systems, and I must say at the onset that even though I do not have any personal stake on either distribution (I am not a fanboy), I am left feeling that PCLinuxOS is by far the best choice for new Linux users available today.

(Because I have previously talked about PCLinuxOS, this article will focus more on my experience with K/Ubuntu in relation to my past PCLinux (basic) experience. Also, since I’ve used both Kubuntu and Ubuntu (or rather I installed KDE from my Ubuntu installation) I will mix both versions together… though being reasonably aware of the look-and-feel differences between KDE and GNOME).

Installation impressions:

Ubuntu: My personal experience in installing Ubuntu’s 7.10 was quite painful, partly because I first got corrupted files from a Taiwan mirror (even though the MDSUMS were correct!). Furthermore, the installation procedure is quite long, took more than 30 minutes, where today the benchmark for one-CD linux installs must be under 30. What is upsetting however is that there was very little information as to what was actually happening to my computer once the installation started… and worse there was no way of configuring what was being installed and what not. The best thing about the Ubuntu installer is the migration assistant, which while I didn’t use this time round (I now have clear differences between what I do with Windows and what I do with Linux), it was a cool trick. The other really cool thing about Ubuntu is its GRUB installer, which recognizes everything!

PCLinux: PCLinux’s installer is also pretty unhelpful. Going for simplicity, you’re eventually left at the mercy of the machine to do what it is programmed to do. But unlike Ubuntu, PCLinux is much faster, even it’s LiveCD feels faster. The other tweaks of Ubuntu can be missed, and I was particularly unhappy with PClinux’s inability to recognise my openSUSE partition. But still, it was pretty ok.

Verdict: In comparison with openSUSE’s excellent configurability during install, both PCLinux and Ubuntu fall short. Ubuntu has more features, while PCLinux has more speed. Ubuntu = 1 point, PCLOS = 1 point

Visual impressions:

Ubuntu: I have used Ubuntu since its 5.04 days, and I must say that I am surprised that it “looks” pretty much the same. Of course there have been a world of changes, but I can’t recall the difference being so huge for the beginning user. At least since 2006, there has been no significant changes in Ubuntu to warrant immediate attention, expect perhaps the change in installation; and the bootsplash. This is not to say that the design of Ubuntu is bad. I like it’s simple, brown look. I even like the drum-roll sound, which is a change from the noisy Windows or even the strange KDE music. My only complaint is that Ubuntu doesn’t have that “Wow”.

PCLinuxOS: As mentioned earlier, my first impressions of PCLinux have been “wow”. Especially in its consistent implementation of “blue” a colour I detested before meeting PCLOS. Somehow, PCLOS does a good job visually, and while many design inconsistencies remain (like the installer, which looks very childish/cartoonish), as well as some of the graphics which look too big, PCLOS still it does look good.

Verdict: Ubuntu is more consistent, simple and perhaps even elegant than PCLOS, but PCLOS is really beautiful (esp. if you like blue!). While Ubuntu has many good design implementations, PCLOS seems better thought through and implemented. Particular in comparison with Kubuntu (which uses KDE like PCLOS), PCLOS stands far ahead in terms of visual beauty. Ubuntu = 1 point, PCLOS = 2 points.

Out-of-the-box experience:

Ubuntu: It is here that PCLOS beats Ubuntu thoroughly, but it would be unfair to compare this without mentioning something of the Ubuntu philosophy. It seems that Ubuntu is driven by “free” software, though it does have proprietory software in its repositories. Still, because Linux is limited by law to play DVDs and mp3s… without certain codecs that are not open-source? Ubuntu cannot naturally offer then out of the box. As a result, any user of Ubuntu has to install the relevant codecs before using the media. Of late, Ubuntu has simplified this process by downloading the required codec when needed (ie. if you click an mp3 file, it will ask you to download the codec). But the fact remains that to make Ubuntu fully work, you need to do a little bit of fiddling. Personally, I tried to download the codec but the message I got was that there is an old package information and I needed to reload. I eventually found out that I had to enable the repositories (for software download) and then reload. All that, after installation, took another 20 minutes.

Surprisingly, even the internet took some time to configure (I’ve never had this problem with Ubuntu), as even though I gave my correct IP address, still it didn’t recognise my internet connection. Then suddenly while doing something else, it started to work. A bit of a mystery.

PCLinux: I can’t emphasise it enough that for beginners of Linux, for those who don’t know much about the philosophical or legal hassles regarding codecs etc… PCLinux comes as a breath of fresh air. Everything works! Of course I have to enter the IP address of the internet connection (and the network needs to be configured, something that I remember I didn’t need to do in Xandros!), but all the multimedia codecs I need, even the graphics driver, are all enabled. It even recognised my home wi-fi connection without any additional drivers (it was easier to connect than in Windows!). For beginners, it can’t get simpler than PCLinux! (latest update: Please note however that “PCLinuxOS does not ship with Win32codes or DVD decryption software.” While these, like on Ubuntu can be added if you need them, I’ve marvelled at PCLOS being able to play a lot of media (even mp3) right out of the box. So I’m not saying that PCLOS is perfect, but in comparison with Ubuntu, and even Windows for that matter, it is a breath of fresh air).

Verdict: Since this is a beginner user oriented post, I must say that Ubuntu is pretty unfriendly to the beginner. It is better than it was before, but in comparison with PCLinux, it’s far far behind. Ubuntu = 0 points, PCLinux = 2 points.

Packages/Software impressions:

Ubuntu: Both Ubuntu and PCLinux have a good set of software tools, most of what one would need. However, here my preference for KDE is shown where I need (prefer) K3B than Ubuntu’s CD burner… so I have to install a few things here and there. Ubuntu also has (some good) games, which PCLinux doesn’t (Why?). And because Ubuntu is more recent, some of its software packages (like openoffice 2.3) are more recent/updated than PCLinux. Ubuntu also has an excellent update feature, that automatically checks when a software/feature needs updating.

PCLinux: It has good packages, but not games, and in comparison with Ubuntu, some older packages. And sadly, for updates, you have to go to the package manager and find updates by reloading and then applying (a bit of a pain, really).

Verdict: Of course people may argue that I’m not being fair in my comparison. PCLinuxOS is older so obviously it’s packages will be older. But one thing really good about Ubuntu is its regular update cycle. It is dependable and worth looking forward to. It keeps itself up-to-date to the latest in offering, as a result, Ubuntu keeps improving. PCLinuxOS, on the other hand, while an excellent distro, does not have that kind of release cycle (I have no idea when the next one is coming) and as a result, it will obviously fall behind. Also the update tool is excellent in Ubuntu, and much needed in PCLinusOS. Ubuntu = 2 points, PCLinux = 0 points (latest update: After some comments about the efficiency of the upgrade system, I’m upping PCLinux’s package score to 1, still below Ubuntu for now).

Usability impressions:

Ubuntu: I must say that because of its terrible out-of-the-box experience, a lot needs to be done to Ubuntu before you actually use it. And because of its preference for GNOME, it’s a bit of a culture-shock for KDE or Windows users. Using Ubuntu, therefore is not much of a pleasure, until after a few days when everything is configured, then, it’s fun to use an updated distro and keep it in step with the latest.

PCLinux: As said earlier, PCLinux is almost fully ready out of the box. We can pretty much start working on it as soon as it’s installed. Also, there’s not much configuration needed either.

Verdict: While both are eventually good products to use, PCLinux gets you (you being the beginning linux user) working faster than on Ubuntu. Plus, with Ubuntu, I suspect there is more tweaking needed in the command line than in PCLinux, and there again, PCLinux has the edge. Ubuntu = 1 point, PCLinux 2 points.

Overall summary: Obviously, if your mathematics is good, PCLinux wins the basic feature by feature impression point. Of course I’m subjective, but focusing on the new user (and some not-so-new users), the experience of PCLinux is more of a relief. I must say that PCLinux is really that good; and I’m surprised that Ubuntu has so much to catch up. Of course, Ubuntu has many great features, and the best being that it is constantly improving. Still, I’m going to be deleting my Ubuntu/Kubuntu soon and reinstalling PCLinux. Ubuntu doesn’t match up to it fully, yet.

Previously I wrote about the terrible time I was having with downloading and installing openSUSE 10.3. But as I was tempted by and decided to install the new Ubuntu 7.10, I was in for a major shock. I spent all of two days, trying to get any form of Ubuntu/Kubuntu iso… burned it… and have still to get it to work! I’m currently on my third attempt. Basically, this is what happened…

Yesterday I downloaded 7.10. Obviously the servers were very slow so I found a reasonable speed in a Taiwan server. It was also slow (look more the four hours), but it worked. I looked forward eagerly to install it. I checked the mdsums and they were correct (using K3B) so I burned it on a CD.

Usually, a K3B burned CD works fine without needing CD-checks, but I decided to check this installation CD using mediacheck before installing. Surprisingly it found an error in an open office package. I thought there was an error in burning, so I checked MDSUMS and burned again. Once again, at mediacheck, it showed an error.

Frustrated, I decided to try out Kubuntu, hoping for a better result. I downloaded it all day today… took more than 5 hours… and burned the CD. Again, the MDSUMS were correct. And it opened nicely for the installation choices. But when I clicked the mediacheck… nothing happened. I tried clicking installation… nothing happened. The only option I could click was boot from harddisk. I restarted the computer and tried again. Same (non)result. I then tried to let Kubuntu boot by itself… using the 30seconds timeout… same (non)result. I then went to the text based install… and there was… an error in the disk!!!

Frustrated… I tried to install Ubuntu, even though it was corrupted… thinking that since openoffice is one of the last packages… I may be able to get it done… I could then fix Ubuntu from inside. And… for about an hour I went through the whole install… all the options etc… and then, even the packages… installed… crashing once during package install but nicely allowing me to move one. Then, after installing GRUB, I rebooted… and guess what, no Ubuntu Linux. It hadn’t changed my GRUB and there was no way to boot into the new Ubuntu.

So, well… I’m back to trying to install Ubuntu again… this time I’m using Distrowatch’s iso file…. slow yes, but hopefully more dependable.

abstract: This article tells of how openSUSE 10.3 has been impossible to download (for me); Particularly irritating was the failure of the openSUSE metalink. On to the article…

If someone was to actually read this blog of mine, they’ll see that I’ve had a mixed experience with openSUSE.

Initially I simply fell in love with openSUSE 9.3… though I couldn’t really do anything with it. It was just a beautiful distro that made me want to look beyond Windows. Next I tried openSUSE 10, which worked but only just, 10.1 which was a huge disaster, and then 10.2 which worked exceedingly well and became my distro of choice.

Later, however, as time went by and my windows needs increased… I found openSUSE’s boot-times too slow to be practical and eventually stuck to Windows and continued my search of alternatives… though never ever erasing openSUSE 10.2.

Finally, on came along PCLinuxOS 2007, which was remarkable; a one-CD distro that was both beautiful and functional. Somehow, the difference between openSUSE and PCLinuxOS 2007 did not seem too much… especially for a beginning user like me. But, I still did not delete openSUSE.

Now, with the temptation of openSUSE 10.3’s faster boot-up timings… and that’s literally the main reason I would want to upgrade, turned out to be a major disappointment as well.

I tried downloading the DVD through my office broadband connection… (because it was partly official)… however the metalinks were just not working /recognisable. I remember downloading 10.2 through the metalink and it was amazing experience to work with openSUSE, through installs and beyond. But 10.3 metalink was just was not working. Basically for a long time the CHEKSUMs kept failing. Then after many days, it was allowing me to download only a 103 MB file… while I know that the DVD is 4.1 GB! When I enquired from the site about the errors I got the impression that aria2 (I use Orbit) would be better to use… but without linux (ie. on windows) I couldn’t even understand what aria2 was about… so I quit figuring that out.

I then tried the http download (office blocks bittorrent)… and it was phenomenally slow… I mean I was getting speeds of 6 kbps… yes KBPS! Anyway… I managed to find a ‘fast’ connection that allowed me to download openSUSE dvd in three days! But when I tried to burn the file through k3b I was informed that there was an error in the download!!!

Well… that’s not all. I then tried openSUSE’s KDE disk… and that downloaded ok. And I began to clean install of openSUSE over my previous openSUSE as well as over my PCLinuxOS 2007. But I made a mistake while installing by requesting a network install (basically downloading files from the network while installing the distro). Mistake because it took such a long time.

Anyway… it eventually worked… but as usual openSUSE does not recongise the VIA drivers, so my monitor resolution could not show anything higher than 800/600. But fear not, opensource OpenChrome drivers are available… and horror of horrors… it’s available only for openSUSE 10.2 and 10.1 (eeeks).

Anyway, I tried installing it anyway… and guess what? Crash! The x-server crashed and I could not get into the graphic display again. And of course I’m a newbie/noob whatever… and I could edit my config file.

So… what did I do? Install PCLinux 2007 over my openSUSE install, and wait for a better day.

Summary: basically, I’m a little peeved that the metalinks were not working. Shouldn’t they have been? But more importantly, I find myself wanting to work with PCLinux 2007… simply because it recognises my graphics driver… does not need to be configured etc… and is not so harsh on me if I make a mistake! Anyway… maybe this version is jinxed for me… and I should wait for 10. 4 or something!!!

The following post is not written by me, but was a comment on a previous post about the real-life problems facing Open Source implementation in the fact of Microsoft loaded schools. This unusually large comment has a host of links that are geared to help individuals/institutions to grow in their awareness of Linux and MS. I’m posting this comment here as a post because I believe it could be helpful to more than me. The author of the comment goes by the name “Jose”. So thanks Jose, here’s your ‘comment’ as post.

(disclaimer: I don’t know anything more of Jose than this comment. So his views are his own, not mine. Similarly, I’ve not had a chance to test all his links, so even though I think I trust Jose, please click with caution).

****

By Jose, 7 September, 2007

If the schools asks for help, I am sure there are some fairly cheap offerings. LTSP is both practical (saves headaches managing it once you understand Linux) and cheap.

Nice story btw. Scouting (bringing problems like this one into the open) is very important in order to figure out what problems exist and how they might be tackled (word of mouth market research).

I think I understand you not wanting to impose your views on the school nor risk losing credibility in the process. If you have a good track record and can accept rejection, you may want to approach your supervisors with a plan for a pilot. You (with help maybe) can work on possible solutions off-line in order to make a presentation. Maybe you will also find a way, in the interest of student education and well-roundedness, to encourage students that may like Linux/FLOSS (w/parents’ help perhaps) to put initiatives forward. Do you want it or do the students want it? Reports show that Linux is growing, including for example, job offerings on Dice.com as a recent survey revealed. It seems a bad move for educational institutions to ignore Linux just on account of this momentum statistic (I’m not even considering all the other benefits of FLOSS to anyone, much less to an educational institution).

This is an educational institution to serve the students. It seems short-sighted not to offer a Linux option especially being free and with students willing to do their own research (after school club if nothing else).

http://www.k12os.org/
http://getgnulinux.org/
http://thetuxproject.org/
http://www.ceap.wcu.edu/houghton/EDELCompEduc/Ch1/linux.html

There are sites dedicated to schools and linux. There are commercial and free Linux distros that focus on schools. There is a modest amount of FLOSS that is useful specifically to teachers and administrators.

Here is a very recent story dealing with libraries and Linux: http://www.linuxtoday.com/infrastructure/2007090700526OSPB

There are many sites for newbies.

How can you go wrong with a LiveCD? Have they tried PCLOS? Do they know that you can customize many LiveCD distros and then burn another LiveCD so as to have that exact setup matching your needs and preferences wherever whenever?

Can something like this, http://olpc.tv/2007/05/19/preview-60-minutes-about-olpc/ , be all that bad and scary? [OLPC may be a great advocacy tool, browse around olpc.tv for neat videos.]

Would you be a fanatic? an advocate? or just someone finding it very difficult to ignore a good thing whose “business case” just keeps getting better and better?

Microsoft has a long tradition of illegal (court of law) and unethical behavior, assaults on OPEN and FREE software, and on extremely aggressive lock-in techniques (a part of “embrace, extend, and extinguish”). Expect Microsoft licenses to only keep getting more draconian and more expensive. Expect Microsoft products to keep getting more disrespectful of the end users’ privacy (I think this is a big concern for most people). Vista phones home with a lot of personal detail (it’s part of the license too.. you sign away many rights).

And with the lawsuits and bad news mounting, what will the school do if, heaven’s forbid, Microsoft should go out of business? What is the backup plan? Will the kids have continuity and an ability to go further with whatever they might be building.

Has the school done a cost analysis just of licensing costs for the next ten years (Linux downtime is much lower and management is easier in many ways.. again, look at LTSP offerings)? Do these take Microsoft’s steady price increases into account and the requirements for hardware buys? How about all the many and powerful Linux software that costs $0. What would that cost for Windows over 10 years for all computers? Ouch! [Note, students may want to put up their own websites and such]

There are many success stories (even of grandma’s) which should help inspire confidence, but I think the key is a presentation/pilot program to show before everyone’s eyes that it can work. [And don't forget that the kids needs and wants will trump most other concerns.]

Linux commercial support is growing fast. The communities are in abundance. In fact, you can probably find rather easily 20 websites with volunteers pushing Linux. Why so many people willing to help out for free? [And yes, it can be fun.]

Would the school be doing its duty in not providing at least some support for the greatest educational tool of all time?

You own Linux, really. You help define Linux.. and there is so much that is new and free!

More links:
http://www.oreillynet.com/linux/blog/2006/05/greatgrandmother_hoists_the_jo.html
http://www.bellevuelinux.org/linux_educ.html
http://www.schoolforge.net/education-case-studies
http://freshmeat.net/articles/view/152/
http://education.zdnet.com/?p=1139
http://www.linuxtoday.com/news_story.php3?ltsn=2007-07-07-006-26-OP-MR-DV-0007
http://www.linuxtoday.com/news_story.php3?ltsn=2007-07-07-006-26-OP-MR-DV-0013
http://wiki.ltsp.org/twiki/bin/view/Ltsp/SuccessStories

It may even work to seek out stories on Linus and others that would bring a human dimension to Linux. Tux is the penguin mascot. Top supercomputers (eg, from IBM) run Linux so Linux isn’t just cute. Shrek likes Linux, too: http://www.linuxjournal.com/article/9653 . Even the US military trusts Linux when they don’t trust Microsoft.

It’s also too easy to beat up on Vista (stories of Bad Vista abound). There are also horror stories of XBox360 problems.. which comes back to the point of how trustworthy is Microsoft and will they be around in 5, ten, or fifteen years? And what will their prices be like (can’t repeat this enough times).

http://www.forbes.com/security/2007/02/10/microsoft-vista-drm-tech-security-cz_bs_0212vista.html
http://news.softpedia.com/news/Forget-about-the-WGA-20-Windows-Vista-Features-and-Services-Harvest-User-Data-for-Microsoft-58752.shtml
http://youtube.com/watch?v=FVbf9tOGwno
http://badvista.fsf.org/freesoftwarefreesociety/free-software-free-society/
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1176152812068&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull
http://www.cs.auckland.ac.nz/~pgut001/pubs/vista_cost.html
http://www.infoworld.com/article/07/04/03/HNmsclassactionsuit_1.html
http://www.jbcobb.net/?p=10
http://youtube.com/watch?v=IkeC7HpsHxo

And wow them with some Beryl/Compiz. Yes, this is Linux, too. [This should open eyes, of the faculty, but also students' eyes.]
http://youtube.com/watch?v=ZD7QraljRfM
http://youtube.com/watch?v=Y6kd42jIaHk
http://youtube.com/watch?v=i0ZtcxHUSDQ
http://youtube.com/watch?v=ALqduQfm09c
http://youtube.com/results?search_query=beryl&search=Search
http://youtube.com/watch?v=T67kricXYRE sabayon is popular, too.

Bad Microsoft.. long rap sheet
http://yro.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=05/09/03/0515250
http://www.groklaw.net/staticpages/index.php?page=2005010107100653
Recent MS abuse of power and unethical behavior with OOXML. Last minute gold partners joined up on MS’s “request.”
http://www.groklaw.net/article.php?story=20070829070630660
http://www.os2world.com/content/view/14874/2/
http://www.groklaw.net/article.php?story=20070831002558681
http://www.consortiuminfo.org/standardsblog/article.php?story=20070828095140796
http://www.groklaw.net/article.php?story=20070827111019189
Despite all this, OOXML failed to get accepted.

As for the Gates Foundation, I wrote this little bit up recently. I joke around, but it’s no joke that Microsoft gives to biomed research and MS software, both areas where he has significant private interests. The Foundation has made many contributions of MS software, so the Foundation subsidizes Microsoft [Bill's left pocket pays his right one]. I mention this just in case (if it comes up) people put up with Microsoft because they think Gates is a nice person and that they are doing the right thing even if it is expensive. http://www.linuxtoday.com/news_story.php3?ltsn=2007-09-01-006-26-OP-CY-PB-0011

And if you get down, or if you simply want to show others that it’s not supposed to be a walk in the part to go through change, here is a review of Linux by someone. What is striking is how this person’s perceptions changed over just 5 months http://www.linuxtoday.com/infrastructure/2007080900326OPSW . He isn’t the only one, btw. If you give Linux a little bit of time, it really grows on you (it takes a while to undo the brainwashing of Windows and realize that there is such a thing as freedom and control and it can be easy and fun if you give it a little time). Many people that have not heard of Linux have no clue how extensive support is for Linux and for open source (we have a huge community).

A link to the GPL may also be useful (four freedoms etc).

Sorry, to put up so few links, but I still have to organize my files.

Finally, if you have doubts about whether or not you are doing a good thing presenting a FLOSS alternative, ask youself how much of a good thing it is for the kids for them to stay along the current path [I don't mean to pressure you, only to help overcome doubts and guilt should you want to do something.]

Once upon a time there was a ’school’ that used predominantly Microsoft software. This ’school’ used PCs with Windows Servers and Windows XPs. The fact that this was a poor ’school’ meant that they couldn’t afford MS Office. They wanted to, but they couldn’t. So they installed the academic licenses of StarOffice 7. All was good in the world.

Around that time, a new technology entered the world; the wi-fi. And soon, students began to connect their laptops to the ’school’ wi-fi connection. All was good in this world too.

Then, one day, there was a warning. The ’school’ servers received a notice from Microsoft that they were using pirated software; using MS products beyond the slated licenses. The IT department was shocked… because according to their internal audit, they were not. Could, heaven forbid, Microsoft be wrong?

As it turned out, Microsoft was not entirely wrong. Many of the students using the wi-fi connections were using pirated software, either operating systems (Windows XP professional) or Office 2007. Since these pirated systems were connected to the ’school’ network, evidently it looked like the ’school’ had over-shot their license.

The ’school’ freaked out and decided to enforce a no-piracy law on all wi-fi users. Every system would be audited and only if it was entirely piracy free would the system be allowed to connect on the wi-fi network. They even devised an audit form and everything. The students were told that they would have to buy their own copies of OS and Office, or install a “Free” Linux Operating system.

Much frustration/guilt/anger/shame from the students followed. But the ’school’ stuck to its hardline policy.

Immediately, there was a huge demand for information about Linux systems; “what is it?” “is it as good as Windows?” “Is it too different?” “Will it allow me to load my (windows) programmes?” “is it really free?” etc etc.

But then something happened; some call it grace/providence. And some call it simply bad business. But the ’school’ decided to be gracious and at its own cost procured licenses of Windows XP Professional (academic edition) and lease them very very cheaply to the students. There would be no hope for the ’school’ to recover its cost, but the school justified this by arguing that their primary concern was for the students.

Before this decision was made, some students had decided to use Linux as a piracy free partition on their pirated machines. Ie. they would dual boot with Linux when on the ’school’ network, but when at home they would revert to their pirated systems (Smart? They thought so).

But the ’school’ felt that because there was no way to ensure that the students would ONLY use Linux on the wi-fi network (because students could/would revert back to Windows behind the ’schools’ back), they decided that in case of Linux implementation, the user must either do a full install or dual boot with only an ORIGINAL Windows partition.

This final decision was a deathknell to Linux implementation. In conjunction with the almost-free Windows OS, it was not worth the trouble (most students felt) to fully install (or partly install) Linux as well.

Thus most/all students adopted Windows as their first-choice OS.

The score: Open Source zero. Microsoft one.

However, there was a minor twist in the tale. This provision by the ’school’ was only for the Operating System and NOT the MSOffice 2007 suite, which many students had pirated. The college was not willing to subsidize Office and students had to either use free software or buy their own. Without college support MS Office did look really expensive.

As a result, most students in this ’school’ decided to install OpenOffice or StarOffice 8 (Academic License) instead of MS Office.

The point tally here: OpenSource (and alternatives) one. And Microsoft zero.

So the long and short of this story is that Microsoft Piracy threat almost led people to Linux, but when the students didn’t have to shell out the HUGE amount of money for it, Linux was just too inaccessible. But when the had to shell out money (as in the case of Office), they opted for the cheaper (free) alternatives.

On a brighter note for Open Source advocates, many more students are now aware of Linux and a few are willing to experiment with it as long term alternatives. The distribution that they’ve been given is PCLinux 2007.

The end. Or only the beginning?