This is in continuation to my previous post, here. Early today, Ubuntu update included the intel graphics driver, copiz and a new kernel (2.6.28.13).
Finally my display seems fixed and performing well! Feels great. Hopefully the upgrade to Karmic will as better than Intrepid and Jaunty.
Showing posts with label linux. Show all posts
Showing posts with label linux. Show all posts
28 June 2009
23 June 2009
Ubuntu 100 papercuts
Ubuntu community has started a very unique feature to improve usability. These are smartly being referred to as hundred papercuts! A paper-cut are some small nuances which do not compromise usability or stability. These are simple annoyances for a first time user. First 10 have been identified and over the next 10 days, the community aims to resolve 100 such issues.
This could be a natural life-cycle step in projects immediately following UAT. Practically all projects receive UI enhancements/ comments from users. This could be incorporated into project plan. Instead of just fixing major issues as is normally done. This phase should cater to minor enhancements requests.
More than just catering to them, these should be planned for especially for UI enhancements!
Developers, coders and mangers need to learn more from open source project like Ubuntu than just using their products or code.
This could be a natural life-cycle step in projects immediately following UAT. Practically all projects receive UI enhancements/ comments from users. This could be incorporated into project plan. Instead of just fixing major issues as is normally done. This phase should cater to minor enhancements requests.
More than just catering to them, these should be planned for especially for UI enhancements!
Developers, coders and mangers need to learn more from open source project like Ubuntu than just using their products or code.
07 June 2009
Jaunty Intel Graphics
Jaunty/ Compiz has blacklisted some intel graphics drivers. Thus when I upgraded to Jauty, my Compiz effects disappeared. After an hour of tinkering with my graphics settings I have got Compiz-Fusion working on my laptop.
My primary source of information was this blog. I used option 1 to revert back my drivers to 2.4 and Compiz works wonderfully. this option will be resolved in Karmic Koala with the new Intel driver (at least thats what all are hoping for!).
Next task: move my file system from ext3 to ext4. Supposed to give significant performance improvement. Lets hope all goes well in this case.
My primary source of information was this blog. I used option 1 to revert back my drivers to 2.4 and Compiz works wonderfully. this option will be resolved in Karmic Koala with the new Intel driver (at least thats what all are hoping for!).
Next task: move my file system from ext3 to ext4. Supposed to give significant performance improvement. Lets hope all goes well in this case.
27 April 2009
Ubuntu 9.04: Jaunty Jackalope Released
Ubuntu 9.04 Jaunty Jackalope has been released. Official desktop announcement is here. Some nice features and enhancements have been included. You can see a quick review of its features at LifeHacker.
Ubuntu has also launched the Jaunty version for its server and netbook platforms.
Personally I am looking forward to the next release, the Karmic Koala (v9.10). This will be important as this will be a long term support release (LTS). This means it will be supported by ubuntu for next 5 years and it will have fewer defects/ issues than the other releases. This what regular users and sys-admins for productions servers should be lookign forward to.
13 March 2009
My new desktop
After much trial and error, I think I am satisfied with my desktop. I have customized my Ubuntu Intrepid v8.10 with the following to come up with the following look:
* Controls - Clearlooks
* Window Border - Shiki Colours Metacity
* Icons Theme - Gnome Crystal Diamon Icons 1b
* MacOS dock - AWN Dock
* Wallpaper - taken from Flickr
* Screenlets - NetMon & Pidgin
* Controls - Clearlooks
* Window Border - Shiki Colours Metacity
* Icons Theme - Gnome Crystal Diamon Icons 1b
* MacOS dock - AWN Dock
* Wallpaper - taken from Flickr
* Screenlets - NetMon & Pidgin
15 February 2009
Linux sold
Pg 20 of Pune Mirror, 15 Feb 2009 has an advertisement from indiatimes.com. It is selling a desktop for ~Rs 25,000 and "3 in 1 combo linux DVDs" for an offer price of Rs 500. If that was not enough they are touting maximum retail price (MRP) of Rs 1000. These 3 DVVDs have Suse 11,, Ubuntu 8.1 and Fedora 10.
Firstly these DVDs are free to download and use. As per GPL(at least thats what Ubuntu uses) you can charge for services ie. burning the DVD but not for the product. It goes to show how incompetent indiatimes.com staff can be. Wares sold here are not being monitored for license regulation.
Linux is not Microsoft, so it will not have a dedicated team of lawyers to defend the licenses. I hate it when such "resellers" get away without any problem and charge any absurd price. Is it because of such people that linux comes to be known as unfiendly?
Maybe it is only because it can be easily burnt and sold that linux has become fairly popular. Now all assembled PCs come with Linux installed by default. People in India still prefer free software to M$ Windows which pinches your pocket with a price around Rs. 5000.
I am also looking forward to a good commercial model being developed for Linux. As recession hits, people in US are shifting towards Linux but they want some support and maintenance mechanism. My all bets are on Linux for now.
Firstly these DVDs are free to download and use. As per GPL(at least thats what Ubuntu uses) you can charge for services ie. burning the DVD but not for the product. It goes to show how incompetent indiatimes.com staff can be. Wares sold here are not being monitored for license regulation.
Linux is not Microsoft, so it will not have a dedicated team of lawyers to defend the licenses. I hate it when such "resellers" get away without any problem and charge any absurd price. Is it because of such people that linux comes to be known as unfiendly?
Maybe it is only because it can be easily burnt and sold that linux has become fairly popular. Now all assembled PCs come with Linux installed by default. People in India still prefer free software to M$ Windows which pinches your pocket with a price around Rs. 5000.
I am also looking forward to a good commercial model being developed for Linux. As recession hits, people in US are shifting towards Linux but they want some support and maintenance mechanism. My all bets are on Linux for now.
12 January 2009
K3B: Burning CDs/DVDs in Ubuntu
Ubuntu by default allows two software packages for CD/DVD burning:
- Brasero
- Through Nautilus
Windows based tools are fairly better than these. Brasero (v0.8.2) used to go into an infinite loop while erasing a disc. There have been some similar reported bugs on this. I was unable to find a better Gnome based alternative for the CD/DVD burning at home.
Nautilus based burning is good for simple burning needs. It does not give you a lot of options or a good interface.
Yesterday out of curiosity I tried K3B and was pretty satisfied with the functionality and performance. It has plenty of user options and prompts to guide you to correctly burn a disc.
It looks like Gnome has some catching up to do.
- Brasero
- Through Nautilus
Windows based tools are fairly better than these. Brasero (v0.8.2) used to go into an infinite loop while erasing a disc. There have been some similar reported bugs on this. I was unable to find a better Gnome based alternative for the CD/DVD burning at home.
Nautilus based burning is good for simple burning needs. It does not give you a lot of options or a good interface.
Yesterday out of curiosity I tried K3B and was pretty satisfied with the functionality and performance. It has plenty of user options and prompts to guide you to correctly burn a disc.
It looks like Gnome has some catching up to do.
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