Karmic Koala

After registering in shipit before the release, i got the cd package about a week ago.  I first tried the live cd some 4 days ago on my laptop.  now, it is running in my desktop.  Ubuntu Karmic Kola has replaced Mandriva.  I am again shifting base after 2 and half years, and back to ubuntu after 4 years.

My first impressions were wow! the live cd was in itself cool.  Now the installed version is really superb.  It is more responsive than the previous Mandriva 2009 Spring.  Have to check out the rest of the things.  Now installing drivers for my Nvidia 5200 fx card.

Will check out the system soon and post back a more proper update.

Screen Resolution:  After installing the drivers for Nvidia card, i was able to go up from 1152x768 to 1280x1024 resolution.  Now the screen look like it has more space.

MP3 Playback: Next thing.  I went into check if it could play MP3.  I know that it wouldn't but just to make it sure, and it wasn't playing.  Totem told i need to install some gstream plugins, and mentioned 3 plugins.  I installed them still it was not playing them,  So i went up to the ubuntu software center -> Sound & Video and installed Gstreamer fluendo mpeg2 demux plugin and Gstreamer plugins for aac, xvid, mpeg2, faad.  Now Totem is playing MP3.  But Mandriva was playing these by default.

Watching Movie:  Once again i opened a Divx movie with Totem.  It played the movie, it was smooth.  The same movie would not play smoothly, you would have to enable drop frames mode to watch it with a very slightly noticable drag in Mandriva 2009 spring.  I can't say that it is playing the movie by default, may be because of the plugins which i installed to make mp3 work, is helping it here or...

DVD Playback:   This is something where i was a little disappointed.  First I tried with a region encoded dvd.  Which did not play with Totem, then an encrypted DVD, which also didn't play.  I was a little doubtful weather totem will be able to play them, so i installed Mplayer and VLC, even these two didn't play them, then i proceeded with a normal dvd without any encryption or Region Coding.  it played well, though the system was stammering a little at the begining of the movie , it improved as the movie went by.  Mandriva atleast played the region encoded movies by default.  I think i will have to install libdvdcss.

So i went into Ubuntu Software Center again and searched for it, and it was not there.  i searched for plf repositories for ubuntu and i found that i have to use it from medibuntu.  I tried adding that repository via UI, which was confusing.  So i had to go into the terminal for the first time.  i copied and pasted the command from the medibuntu site and it was added.

 sudo wget http://www.medibuntu.org/sources.list.d/$(lsb_release -cs).list --output-document=/etc/apt/sources.list.d/medibuntu.list && sudo apt-get -q update && sudo apt-get --yes -q --allow-unauthenticated install medibuntu-keyring && sudo apt-get -q update

Then again i was searching for libdvdcss via UI, it was elusive to me.  So again i go to terminal and type the command to get it.

 sudo apt-get install libdvdcss2

Now Totem plays both encrypted dvd and region coded dvd.  and i have to say this, again.  This is better than Mandriva it did not skip here in ubuntu.  But totem did crash when going to full screen playing a region coded dvd.  Atleast VLC and MPlayer are not crashing playing these dvds.

Browsing:  See i am writing things from firefox here.  So it seems to be working.  I am not that much into Youtube and such, so i not worrying about flash, but i can see that it is not installed by default, and i saw it in repositories.  So if i ever require, it will install it.

So i think i have everything that i will ever need here, in this desktop, MP3, DVDs playback for me, openoffice for my dad to work, browsing for everyone.  That pretty much does it.  and that too, much more improved performance that mandriva.

I have to say this.  I am not doing a comparison between Mandriva 2009 Spring and Ubuntu Karmic Koala.  I am just saying the differences that i am noticing between these two versions.  May be the difference is due to Gnome in Ubuntu and KDE in Mandriva, or may be 2009 Spring was a updated version and Ubuntu was a clean install one or In ubuntu i have installed Nvidia driver and in Mandriva i did not.  Whatever it is, I don't care.

Everything me and my family need this desktop to do, is working.  May be i had to go thru something for sound and video, rest worked out of the box.  So, why is it i am hearing that i have to switch back to windows from some of my friends.  I don't know.  It is still not the Year of the Linux, but yes we are moving there.

The Machine:
Processor : AMD Sempron 1500+
Motherboard : Giagabyte K8 Triton Series
Memory : 256 MB
Graphics : Nvidia GeForce fx 5200 128MB

Linux on Desktop

I have been using Linux since the days of mandrake 9. And i attempted a complete switch with the first Fedora Core, and achieved it with Fedora Core 5. But i still ran Windows, because of my work place. So once i bought a laptop, the first thing i did was to remove windows once and for all from the desktop pc in my house. I went with Mandriva 2008 for the home desktop, Initially people in my house, especially my dad was not comfortable with the switch, He has never used a computer other than the one at his workplace. He was accustomed to Internet Explorer and MS Outlook there.

The first switch was from Internet Explorer to Firefox. It seemed to him like a huge shock, that IE is not available. But gradually he started to use Fx. Now he is comfortable using it. Though he is finding it difficult to adjust to the tabbed interface, instead of switching from the taskbar.

Next it was Excel and Word. Two other things which he was using in his workplace. He was comfortable with Calc of OpenOffice, since he had used it in the home system back in 2007. But he did not know what to do with word. Then i introduced him to OpenOffice Writer. Now he is using it for his documents, he has never asked for any help in that.

Now he is pretty much using the desktop on his own. Even when i went on to update Mandriva2009 to Mandriva 2009.1 and it broke lightly he did not panic at having to look at a different screen, He had to Use IceWM instead of the default KDE4. He was at home. (Though i fixed it for him later).

The only complaint from him is that the computer is slow. The poor thing has only 256 MB of ram and it has been there for the past 5 years.


Yesterday, i happened to read one of the articles which i was pointed to in twitter. It was titled The Market has rejected Linux desktops...

I was left thinking, i have heard the line this is the year of linux desktop or something every year. But it is still not there.. What Jason Hiner points out seems to be right... But,..

Lets leave out Google Chrome OS out of this. I am not here to talk about it's linux base or anything related to Chrome.

There are four points, four simple points which he is pointing out, (as he says, there are many more, but lets tackle those four points here first.).

It's still too much of a pain:

i would like Mr Hiner to try to install the modem that i have in Windows XP, Vista or even in Windows 7. Let him give it a try. Windows is not the ultimate, and even mac will have to face it in some cases. It doesn't seem to recognize the wireless and webcam in my laptop. And i have given hope to make it work. Every OS has its own problems. The reason for this one is that, the vendors do not take up to provide drivers for the different os's or provide the specification so that someone can build a driver for it. So do not blame Linux for making pluggin devices a pain.

The divide and fail strategy:

It is not as you think. Linux is basically about choices, Each distro has its own audience. You just can't pull out Ubuntu Studio and use it as a desktop. It is made for audio / video professional. Well we do have Windows Home, Professional, Business, Ultimate, yada, yada, yada. nobody talks about, Whenever someone mentions Windows XP, 90% it is thought about as professional edition and not home or anyother flavour. But does a home user need Windows XP Professional. I don't think so. does my dad need a Windows XP professional. No Windows Home would do. but why do they try to push professional when trying to buy one, is anybody's guess. So it is again at the hands of vendors who have to be educated to allow them to help the customer to make a good decision. Or the users have to be educated. Try saying them that Home costs 3000 bucks and professional costs 7000 bucks, then they will try to know about different flavours of windows and get confused leading to divide and fail in windows too.

Not enough innovation:

I don't think i can talk about this as i don't much understand the things that are being talked here.


Businesses want someone to blame

Seems like he himself points out the answer. The leaders are afraid that the switch might cause a black mark or something of that sort on them if it backfires at some level. But i don't think anyone would make the shift on a large scale. They would make a phased shift. maybe some 5% of a department would switch to it and start using it. if all goes well, then everyone can shift.

Incompatible software?!! this is puzzling, Coz anyone planning for a switch would have considered this before making a switch. If this was the case, then i will have to say that it really is a mistake on the part of the IT leader for not researching and planning the shift properly.

As for pointing fingers to esacape, If you get support for your linux flavour from its corresponding vendor, unless you went for the free version, in which case you have to ask for support from your consultant, who helped you migrate, or the community.



All said,  There are some more too.  Like one of the users had said in the comments section,  There are not enough softwares to make it move mainstream.  His example was AutoCAD.  Well, this is also a point to consider.  Software makers say they are ready to put the resources to go ahead and get it working in Linux, if they can show the market (A manager in my workplace had said this to me).  And People who want to make the switch say they will when the software is available.  Well as he says it is same as chicken or egg problem.

Reg: Transport arranged for me on Wednesday night.

Dear xxxxxxxx,

Thanks for the Transportation which was arranged for me on Wednesday[11-11-2009] night. It was a comfortable journey home that i couldn't feel my right hand when i was sleeping.

I just had to walk slightly more than one KM before i could hire a auto, in which i had to share the driver seat with one another person other than the driver. And then i had to walk another half hour to home. It was a wonderful walk which i am having after a long time after college. Thanks for creating this wonderful opportunity for me to enjoy the midnight walk.

I came to know that you and a few other people were too worried that i didn't report to work in the morning and again were also worried that i did not call up even after evening to inform that i will not be coming to office. I woke up only by 3 in the evening, and Since i hadn't eaten for around more than 24 hours, i collapsed on the kitchen floor and slept on for another 2 hours before my mom came and woke me. Sorry i didn't inform you any time sooner that this.

It is heart warming to know that there are people who care about me even though i am a tiny little footnote on your epic organization. I don't know what i can do to repay the kindness and love that is being showered on me.

Regards
Anbarasan

PS: I know. I know, I am Guilty unless and until proven otherwise. You will have too many questions. Some of which i have tried to guess and answer below.

1. What happened?

I was asked to transfer the database from development machine to the staging machine and then recreate the setup over there, and start Fire Rules, inform and leave. Mr.xxxx got in touch with Miss/Mrs yyyyy and got permission for me to stay till later hours for that day. And Mr.zzzz gave me the number of travels and asked to call them to book a cab.

I was not able to determine the amount of time it would take to finish the job. So i did not book the cab in the evening itself. By 2130 hours i had a hunch that i should be able to finish the transfer by around 2330 hours and if i could push the machines to their top i could get the extraction and restoration and starting the process, finished by around 0030 hours and leave.

So i called up travels at around 2145 hours. They informed at around 2200 hours that all their drivers have gone, and asked me to contact another travels. So i called back to Mr.xxxx, who gave me the number of Mr.zzzz and asked me to contact him. Mr.zzzz was a bit slightly angry (i couldn't find a suitable word other than this. please bear with me for my poor english knowledge) with me for not booking the cab by 1930 hours itself. He asked me to contact the security in the reception and get some numbers and book a cab.

The guys at the reception were really helpful. I have to say this. coz when the power went out in the socket at around 2100 hours they got the electrician to fix it. and they got the guys to light up the place, when the person had switched off the lights when i had gone to the restroom. They looked around and got me two phone numbers, in both there was no answer.

It was 2230 hours by then, i decided it would be hopeless to worry about these things or to disturb you people so late, so i decided to work on the user manual which i had planned to do the next day. and finish the work and go home on my own.

2. Why didn't you inform us?

I was asked to call the travels and arrange it myself. What is the point in complaining, when i had failed to book the cab at 1930 hours itself....

3. Why didn't you book the cab by 1930 hours in the evening itself?

Like i said i was not able to estimate the time required for me to finish the work. So i delayed the booking of the cab.

4. Why weren't you able to estimate the time required?

The network was too fast, the machine was too responsive and i was incompetent to make the judgement...

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Ok, Before any of you could start ranting on the comments, I am writing this here, because i did not want to write to them. I just want to rant somewhere, so i am writing it here. Nothing is gonna change because i am going to complain. I have been here quiet sometime to know that.

Depressed!!!!!

Well, I don't know, may be that is true. But... I don't know. I haven't been able to think for the whole week, The job which should have taken only say may be about 4 hours or so is still not done yet. I am not able to do it.... I don't know why, i know what i have to do. I exactly know what i have to type and where i have to. and what i have to configure. Yet i am not able to do it. and a week has gone.

Why is this happening. I felt a little suicidal today. Am i getting that bad. I don't know why i did it, i set my facebook status as i want to disappear. I can't understand what is happening. Am i getting crazy or what?

Tried to talk to my child, She was a lill busy, couldn't talk to her. I don't know if it is ok to disturb her, with all these. ish is in Hospital, today he was to undergo angio test at malar hospital today. I promised i would come, But i couldn't get myself to go. I am not able to get myself up to go anywhere. I have been struggling to go to office this week. But that doesn't mean i do not like the job or something. I love this job. But, i couldn't make me go to office on thursday.

Something is not right with me, and i just can't figure out what it is.....
Somebody help me....

Well one more thing, i have created a new blog. This time i went to try wordpress. I am going to keep the new blog for techie posts or something like notes to me and stuff like that. Those posts i will not post here. so there you go.....