About two weeks ago I decide to switch my main operating system at home to Ubuntu. By using VMware I was going to be able to run the handful of Windows applications I needed, and at the same time get better security, etc. I had a couple of small problems, that were eventually solved, and now I have been running this setup for a few days.
For the most part I like it. I am still having to look around a bit long for where different things are, I miss being able to right-click on the desktop to change all settings related to it, and instead have to select several different items under System Preferences.
I tried to get Epihpany Empathy working as my IM client, but it did not take/store my different accounts. I then installed Pidgin instead, which works fine. Only problem there is that many nice functions I am used to in Yahoo and MSN Messenger, like webcam support, is not available. I also can’t just drag-and-drop a file to the chat window to send it, I have to click my way through the directories. And Pidgin does not let me browse network drive, just local drives for some reason.
Some websites I visit are clearly more designed for Internet Explorer, but I have not had any real issues with Firefox.
I still have not installed Notes or Domino Designer/Admin. Waiting for my network admin to download 8.5.1 for me. Hope to get that installed soon too.
I have been sick most of the last week, so not been doing that much. But this far I like my new setup.
Monthly Archives: November 2009
Project "Ubuntu @Home" – weekend update
As I
Sure, Ubuntu is very powerful and safe, but it is still missingquite a few of the features that make Windows so popular and easy to use. I am not bashing Ubuntu (or Linux overall), just stating the facts as I see them. I am (this far) happy with Ubuntu on my computer, it start faster than Windows (much faster than the almost1 year old installation I had running until Friday), and have the equivialent to many of the programs I use on a daily basis.
Update: This entry somehow got corrupted. Thanks to Chris Whisonant, he helped me by deleting it last night so I could restore it this morning. Sorry if you tried to read it while it was missing.
OpenSUSE blocked by Postini – "Illegal Software"
At my work they use Postini to block websites in categoriesthat the management does not thinkanyusers should have access to. Webmail of all flavors, Facebook, twitter and many more sites.
Today I was looking at differentLinux distributions, and decided to take a closer look at OpenSUSE. The main page loaded fine, but when I clicked on the link to learn more, I got the following message:
Guess Postini thinksLinux is illegal software…
New project – Ubuntu at home
Last night Istarted a new project at home. The other day I wiped my son’s computer, running Ubuntu 9.04 and installed the new version, 9.10 Karmic Koala. I got everything working, so I thought I would try something new. Since Erik mostly go to Youtube, Wikipedia and some educational sites, he does normally not need Windows. But he have some Windows-based games (mainly MS Flight Simulator)he like to play, so I thought it would be nice if he could play them on his computer instead ofusing mine. So I installed VMware Workstation on the computer, and it worked really good. I quickly copied a Windows 98(!)virtual machineover to his system and it loaded up without any problems. I am now in the process of building a Windows XP VM for him.
So obviously the next thought was: "Why don’t I do this on my main computer?".It is about time to reinstall the system anyway, it has been a year and the system is starting to run slower. Many of the things I do on a daily basis I can do in Ubuntu. And if I create a couple of virtual Windows XP machines, I can even separate different invironments from each other.
The plan is to get a new drive and install Ubuntu on it, then add VMware. I plan to have one clean Windows XP VM, which I can use as a base system. Then I will build one where I install Photoshop, Sony Vegas and DVD Architect, DVDshrink, Nero (yes, I know there are tools in Ubuntu to burn CD/DVD, but I have the impression Nero have more functionality, and it integrates with DVD Architect and DVDshrink) and a few more related tools. Another VM will contain development tools (Eclipse, Notes 8.5.1 with Domino Designer and Administrator, perhaps Visual Studio Express). If I want to test some new programs,I just load up a new VM, test it and delete afterwards if I am not happy.
So tonight I will finish testing the setup on my son’ts computer, and then I will start preparing my main computer. I will have to cleanup or get a drive where I can install Ubuntu, with enough space for a number of VM images.
Will see how much I will break. :-)