Friday, September 21, 2007
Linux
Just recently converted the PC downstairs that the wife and daughter use, to Ubuntu. No particular reason except perhaps, I don't need to fuss about viruses and stuff as much.
So far no complaints, they have used it mainly for a few websites (gmail, youtube, rediff). Sound worked fine but occasionally seems to die, necessitating a reboot.
But I don't think they could have just jumped in and started to use it after installation was complete.
I had the devil of a time trying to get wireless connectivity to work. I had 3 different adapters with me, a NetGear MA111 v2 which just was not supported, an eHome(Dlink under the covers) 2 dollar piece that was recognised but for which I couldn't get NDISWrapper to work, and a relatively new TrendNet which wasn't recognised period. Which was unfortunate because according the numerous websites I visited, this one actually had worked.
Finally I got one of my friends to return an old no-name adapter that I had lent him and surprise, surprise that worked native without the hassle of NDISwrapper.
Once I had connectivity, I still ran into some issues with firefox plugins. But I think I'd have had the same with IE on Windows- I'd have had to install Real Player even over there. But the media player plugin was an additional hassle that I'd not have had on Windows/IE.
Getting it to work with Raaga was not easy and I still can't navigate between songs or skip the annoying Citibank ad which goes "Do you have loved ones in India..."
Shockwave doesn't work, this I discovered after spending ages trying to get flash to work without realising that the site was actually using shockwave.
Most websites seem to work fine. I can't watch some embedded video, like the US Open's website.
I haven't figured out how to make it suspend and revive it- if I use the suspend option it refuses to wake up and I have to switch it off and on.
I think if I had go a new brand-name wireless adapter, I wouldn't have had a problem. My friend said he just plugged in a stick he found in a bin at the Walmart and it worked straightaway.
I haven't seen if it works with my old web-cam. I don't have an iPod but do have an MP3 player that I should test out.
As to stability- the PC had run XP-home for almost 6 years without a single BSOD, so that will be hard to beat!
In conclusion, can a non-techie person (like the missus) buy one of the new Dell/Ubuntu PC's bring it home and start working? Yes, if they have firefox exposure like she has. And somebody spends a few minutes showing them where the Start->Programs is and how they can get to common apps like, say Office.
So far no complaints, they have used it mainly for a few websites (gmail, youtube, rediff). Sound worked fine but occasionally seems to die, necessitating a reboot.
But I don't think they could have just jumped in and started to use it after installation was complete.
I had the devil of a time trying to get wireless connectivity to work. I had 3 different adapters with me, a NetGear MA111 v2 which just was not supported, an eHome(Dlink under the covers) 2 dollar piece that was recognised but for which I couldn't get NDISWrapper to work, and a relatively new TrendNet which wasn't recognised period. Which was unfortunate because according the numerous websites I visited, this one actually had worked.
Finally I got one of my friends to return an old no-name adapter that I had lent him and surprise, surprise that worked native without the hassle of NDISwrapper.
Once I had connectivity, I still ran into some issues with firefox plugins. But I think I'd have had the same with IE on Windows- I'd have had to install Real Player even over there. But the media player plugin was an additional hassle that I'd not have had on Windows/IE.
Getting it to work with Raaga was not easy and I still can't navigate between songs or skip the annoying Citibank ad which goes "Do you have loved ones in India..."
Shockwave doesn't work, this I discovered after spending ages trying to get flash to work without realising that the site was actually using shockwave.
Most websites seem to work fine. I can't watch some embedded video, like the US Open's website.
I haven't figured out how to make it suspend and revive it- if I use the suspend option it refuses to wake up and I have to switch it off and on.
I think if I had go a new brand-name wireless adapter, I wouldn't have had a problem. My friend said he just plugged in a stick he found in a bin at the Walmart and it worked straightaway.
I haven't seen if it works with my old web-cam. I don't have an iPod but do have an MP3 player that I should test out.
As to stability- the PC had run XP-home for almost 6 years without a single BSOD, so that will be hard to beat!
In conclusion, can a non-techie person (like the missus) buy one of the new Dell/Ubuntu PC's bring it home and start working? Yes, if they have firefox exposure like she has. And somebody spends a few minutes showing them where the Start->Programs is and how they can get to common apps like, say Office.
