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Hi guys - as a failed Ubuntu user I hang my head in shame.....went back to WIn98SE - that's committment!
Still with the delays in VISTA the Linux fraternity had a golden opportunity to start folk on Linux - but by arguing amongst themselves progress in very slow.
I know nowt about PCs other than a few tricks (and looking/asking here!)...and I settled on Ubuntu because it appeared to be a sensible collection of the necessary programs needed to run an average PC. Unfortunately they chose some difficult programs and no-one spotted the error.
It seems to me the test should be this:
With a blank HDD - and a working motherboard etc. . . . how quickly can you get the PC up and running?
A test of this might be to take a still photo of something and change the brightness/colours/focus before sending it to a friend over the internet...they reply by email telling you what the picture is.
Now how long should an OS take to install?
Could I suggest 1 hour max?
The first hurdle where Ubuntu falls is the HDD partitioning - I ended up with a right mess as I wanted to split the disc so I could store music files (and separately) jpeg pics...so these could be used by Windows - that is I didn't want "my files" saved on the same partition as the Linux system....I might be wong, but that's what I wanted.... Curiously Linux needs a small partition for swaps and a GiG or so for the becomming bloated software -plus some spare for extras - so maybe 10G
Partitioning was a nightmare - indeed I ended up with one partition that was completely unreadable - just junk! What sort of program will make a HDD unusable?
(er, without telling you so...but why)
The connection to the internet was easy enough, giving my ISP details I think and things like thecable-modem were dealt with. The USB worked and briefly the printer post LPT1 - but there is an issue with printer Drivers - If you have HP/Cannon/Epson then you are OK as these companies supply drivers or have enough following for drivers to be available....but my Lexmark effectivly killed any notion of colour printing - indeed I had to use the Win98SE program to print my Linux-saved pictures - it was a nightmare - the free OpenOffice was a fine program, until you want to print it...but again I could transfer files...but who would want to?
The future?
I read that Google (?) was about to introduce software as a terminal - you log-in, use the software, save to your HDD and exit. Your file contains the updated (eg photo) and you can print it at home, or on-line. The advantage being that if you want a fantastic feature - instead of paying a commercial price for the software you can use it practically for free! I guess the only downside is the ads and they probably want you to use their photo-express printer.
For may speciality programmes - like arcitectural previews, or weired maths functions . . . what a great idea!
Now this begs the question:- do you need an OS?
Let's put to one side that the PC contains some DOS housekeeping routines - either in Unix/Liinux?or Win - it shou;ldn't matter - it would be a standard that all hardware would meet so it can be put into use.....then you use the internet and process your pics on-line...write your memoirs....design a building....do research, or listen to music/video. The notion that we each need to own a special program is Old-Hat - Google can bring us V1 and we pay extra for V2 - when V3 arrives the thing shifts up and yu get the improvements for that subscription.....
That's the future - or am I dreaming...too soon?
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