LinuxQuestions.org - Blogs - Sensible World of Linux by beetleman64 http://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/blog/beetleman64-504568/ LinuxQuestions.org offers a free Linux forum where Linux newbies can ask questions and Linux experts can offer advice. Topics include security, installation, networking and much more. en Tue, 21 May 2013 10:22:03 GMT vBulletin 60 https://lqo-thequestionsnetw.netdna-ssl.com/questions/images/misc/rss.jpg LinuxQuestions.org - Blogs - Sensible World of Linux by beetleman64 http://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/blog/beetleman64-504568/ <![CDATA[Don't worry, I haven't died...]]> http://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/blog/beetleman64-504568/dont-worry-i-havent-died-3780/ Tue, 03 May 2011 20:58:27 GMT I noticed that my last blog post here was on the 26th of January -- over 3 months ago. Unfortunately, my life has been quite busy lately, and is... I noticed that my last blog post here was on the 26th of January -- over 3 months ago. Unfortunately, my life has been quite busy lately, and is likely to remain so for the next month or so whilst I get my Higher exams out the way. But after the final exam (which, incidentally, is computing on 3rd of June), I'll have just 3 weeks before my summer holidays. No idea what I'll be doing over summer, but I'll aim to get a couple of posts up per week whatever I'm doing.

Until then, however, please bear with me. I'll be back... ]]> beetleman64 http://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/blog/beetleman64-504568/dont-worry-i-havent-died-3780/ Playing Nicely http://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/blog/beetleman64-504568/playing-nicely-3525/ Wed, 26 Jan 2011 20:56:46 GMT *The announcement that versions of* Ubuntu from 11.10 will be shipping with Qt has caused a little furore in the Linux world, as they are attempting... The announcement that versions of Ubuntu from 11.10 will be shipping with Qt has caused a little furore in the Linux world, as they are attempting to bridge what looks like a fairly wide chasm. Obviously, those in the know will be aware that Qt and GTK+ (the toolkit currently included with Ubuntu) are used by KDE and GNOME respectively, and both have very different design philosophies.

But while this looks impossible, I have to admire Canonical and the Ubuntu community for their efforts. The division between KDE and GNOME/Qt and GTK has gone on for quite long enough, and while the choice is important, as the two leading faces in Linux development, they really do need to see eye-to-eye on more than they currently do. Say what you like about Canonical, but it was long overdue for an influential Linux business to step in.

Unfortunately, it looks like Canonical will have to do much of the legwork themselves, and have hired Ryan Lortie to make KDE/Qt applications use dconf, which will allow them to integrate far better with GNOME, and, by extension, Ubuntu, applications. This proactive approach is one which I would love to see more of in the Linux community for the sake of interoperability.

But Ubuntu are now running the serious risk of overloading, as they now have to support, in various ways, GNOME, KDE and their own Unity interface. It helps that both Unity and GNOME use GTK (and indeed, Unity is being placed as an alternative to GNOME shell), or else serious problems would risk arising, and even then, branching out on their own with Unity is a risk for Canonical. I'm not saying that they will have trouble, but I've yet to be convinced that they won't.

And as a final note, I don't believe for a moment the stories of Ubuntu users deserting en mass, like it or not, Ubuntu really is here to stay. They have money, influence and a core of very devoted users. And for me, everything they have done has worked so far, and far be it from me to say it won't in the future. ]]> beetleman64 http://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/blog/beetleman64-504568/playing-nicely-3525/ Happy New Year! http://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/blog/beetleman64-504568/happy-new-year-3466/ Sat, 01 Jan 2011 00:15:05 GMT It is Saturday the 1st of January 2011 (or 1/1/11) here in Scotland, and has been for around 15 minutes. And what a year it has been. Open source may... It is Saturday the 1st of January 2011 (or 1/1/11) here in Scotland, and has been for around 15 minutes. And what a year it has been. Open source may have become invisible, but that didn't stop the march of Linux into many aspects of our lives - not least mobile phones.

But we can't stay serious for long. Have a great 2011, wherever you may be, whomever you're with, and whatever you're doing! And you never know: 2011 may just be the year of Linux... ]]> beetleman64 http://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/blog/beetleman64-504568/happy-new-year-3466/ Stop being a chameleon http://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/blog/beetleman64-504568/stop-being-a-chameleon-3352/ Wed, 17 Nov 2010 22:06:43 GMT I was reading in the latest issue of Linux Format about a thing called Parallax. This is essentially a technology which will allow for facial and... I was reading in the latest issue of Linux Format about a thing called Parallax. This is essentially a technology which will allow for facial and bodily recognition and will react to various movements. For example, if you lean back in your chair whilst watching a video, the video may become full screen. Or, should you stray away from your desk, notifications will appear larger, or the volume will increase. The ability to use facial recognition for login is fairly obvious.

This represents what I believe we should encourage in Linux: innovation and eye-catching features. At the moment, Linux does many things better than Windows and Mac, but does little very differently, at least to the average user. But this is something else. This is a new feature, unrivalled by Windows or Mac, which could genuinely make our lives easier and richer. That, rather than kernel or driver improvements, would make people sit up and take notice of Linux, and Ubuntu. In fact, you can forget the Software Centre and Upstart and the Uncomplicated Firewall, this may prove to be the most innovative thing the community has achieved. It could, assuming it keeps its momentum, be a game changer.

Certainly, once it emerges out of prototype stage, it could well be THE reason why people make the switch to our community. ]]> beetleman64 http://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/blog/beetleman64-504568/stop-being-a-chameleon-3352/ Off on their own http://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/blog/beetleman64-504568/off-on-their-own-3270/ Tue, 26 Oct 2010 10:45:21 GMT The announcement that Ubuntu is to seperate from GNOME from its new release is perhaps the perfect answer to the spat which took place last month... The announcement that Ubuntu is to seperate from GNOME from its new release is perhaps the perfect answer to the spat which took place last month over Canonicals contributions to the GNOME desktop. Personally, however, I feel that this move comes as no surprise and is 100 % the correct thing to do in the circumstances. From licensing H.264 to OEMs, to the partner repository to the Software Centre, Canonical has consistently seen itself as destinct from the larger Linux community. This is the latest example of this. Ubuntu's aim is not to plaese Richard Stallman and the FSF, but to create a genuine open source contender against Windows and Mac OS. Therefore, it is only natural for them to strive off on their own.

This also creates a situation for better compatibility. Canonical have said how they want to support Qt as well as GTK+, and the relative neutrality of Unity (even despite the GTK+/GNOME roots) will likely support this further.

Obviously, not everyone's happy. Those Kubuntu users are liable to feel even more neglected, and those who are particularly excited about GNOME shell are likely to turn to Fedora et al. But for those of us who use Ubuntu becuase it is one of the finest all-rounders out there, as well as new users trying Linux for the first time, this would seem to be a logical move for a distribution with big plans and ambitions. ]]> beetleman64 http://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/blog/beetleman64-504568/off-on-their-own-3270/ Giving Feedback About Dell... http://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/blog/beetleman64-504568/giving-feedback-about-dell-3263/ Sat, 23 Oct 2010 11:54:41 GMT I just posted some feedback off to Dell, expressing my "disappointment" over their decision to remove Ubuntu-based computers from their website. I didn't think to copy it, but it went something like:
I am disappointed by the decision to remove Ubuntu... I am sure there is a market... if you give Ubuntu and Windows equal coverage then many entry-level users would be interested... you shouldn't be bending to Windows' monopoly...
Anyway, I gave the website a rating of 2/5 and said that I wouldn't be likely to recommend them to friends.

It will be interesting to see whether Dell bother to reply and, if they do, what they'll say. As the saying goes: anyone can talk to kings, but will they talk back, and if they talk back, what will they say?

Needless to say I'll keep you posted on any developments... ]]> beetleman64 http://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/blog/beetleman64-504568/giving-feedback-about-dell-3263/ Ubuntu 1st, Mac 2nd, Windows DNF http://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/blog/beetleman64-504568/ubuntu-1st-mac-2nd-windows-dnf-3260/ Thu, 21 Oct 2010 15:36:40 GMT Apple's announcement that a Mac OS App store would be a major presence is Mac OS X 10.7 Lion was perhaps unsurprising. After all, what more would you expect from the company which essentially introduced the idea on the iPhone and now the iPad. What is surprising is that Apple has been beaten to it by none other than Ubuntu, an OS whose unashamed vision is to take on and beat Apple at their own game.

Users of Ubuntu 10.10 will doubtless be aware of the inclusion in the Software Centre of an area to buy applications. And while the Fluendo DVD player is currently the only offering, don't be surprised to see a collection of good quality apps coming soon. Of course, Apple's system will have greater support, not least due to the far greater penetration of commercial application on that OS, but the principle remains the same.

So, well done Apple, for realising the massive potential for making money a long time after everyone else (including Ubuntu) noticed it. And well done to Ubuntu, for attempting to take Apple on at its own game.

As for Windows, well... ]]> beetleman64 http://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/blog/beetleman64-504568/ubuntu-1st-mac-2nd-windows-dnf-3260/ Keeping it Simple http://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/blog/beetleman64-504568/keeping-it-simple-3254/ Wed, 20 Oct 2010 16:00:12 GMT You know you're in trouble when you have an operating system which is at the pinnacle of technology and championed by a very vocal group; which has the support of thousands of developers from around the world; which is supported by a body which aims to "protect and standardise". Welcome to the would of Linux.

If someone stopped me on the street and asked me what the biggest problem was with Linux, I would instantly say that the fragmentation in place is muzzling progress. Look at the package management systems: you have RPM and .deb, a whole host of other, smaller systems and them wildcards such as Slackware and Gentoo. Look at the desktops: KDE and GNOME are by far the best supported, although xfce and LXDE are both viable alternatives, with many, many others again seeking honours. Even seemingly trivial matters such as sudo and su hold Linux back. So much for standardisation, then.

When the Linux Foundation started to gain strength I was immensely relieved. Finally, issues such as package management would be solved. One executable file would work on all Linux distros, all-but removing compatibility headaches for commercial publishers. Has it done anything? My a*se it has. The Linux Foundation seems unconcerned by the troubles in the Linux world. The one organisation with the power to break the deadlock between the likes of RPM and .deb seems to be mired.

Well now is the time for action. If the Linux Foundation is reading this then please answer this question: why can't you sort out the small but significant spats which dominate our community? Why are you so prepared to sit back and watch while desktop Linux sinks without trace? I would LOVE to hear your reply, as ever, the comments are open! ]]> beetleman64 http://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/blog/beetleman64-504568/keeping-it-simple-3254/ I Love...Adobe? http://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/blog/beetleman64-504568/i-love-adobe-3251/ Tue, 19 Oct 2010 19:31:39 GMT That's right. A company who many in the Linux world consider fashionable to hate, is one which commands respect from me. Why? Well the reason is that Adobe actually gives a damn. I know, I know, Flash is a bit of a horror show at times, but the fact that it is available on all major operating systems (even OpenSolaris for those poor fans who are left).

But most importantly, the fact that Adobe supplies a dedicated repository for Ubuntu and Fedora users shows again that Adobe cares. It is one thing to supply a Linux version of you application, another to provide a .deb or .rpm package as well, but quite another to offer a dedicated repository for the users of the world's biggest distributions.

And to be honest, you could even argue that this is Adobe's social responsibility, as many websites rely on Flash (for now), so it is only natural for Adobe to make it easier for Linux users. I certainly wish others would follow suit.

Is Adobe redeeming itself? Or is it still the mortal enemy of all things Linux? Let me know in your comments below. ]]> beetleman64 http://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/blog/beetleman64-504568/i-love-adobe-3251/ <![CDATA[Red Hat's Missed Opportunity]]> http://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/blog/beetleman64-504568/red-hats-missed-opportunity-3250/ Mon, 18 Oct 2010 21:20:15 GMT Those of us who use Ubuntu will be aware that Ubuntu has got a "partner repository", a repository which contains proprietary software which, by nature, cannot be included in the main repository. It is an idea which I personally think is excellent, as it allows software which goes against the principals of Open Source to be included for the benefit of standard users.

It's such a good idea that I'm amazed no-one else has copied it. Those who use a distro outwith the Ubuntu family have to get things individually, or rely on services such as RPMFusion. There is no massive problem with this, but it makes life more difficult for new users.

What also surprises me is that Red Hat, whose seemingly recession-proof business is generating major profits - over $700 million per year, cannot license the software in the partner repository, such as MP3 or DVD playback and Flash for use in Fedora. After all, Fedora has become increasingly easy to use in recent releases, and this trend would surely increase were Red Hat to go that extra mile. It would also open up Red Hat Enterprise Linux to more media-centric organisations such as media companies and even schools, thereby increasing sales (and profits) for Red Hat.

I am convinced that the partner repository is a key component to Ubuntu's success, and if Red Hat want to capitalise on it, then it's only a logical solution.

I should also point out that a partner repository allows Red Hat to stick to FOSS software, as the proprietary software is in a separate repository and is entirely optional.

Should Red Hat include a partner repository in Fedora? Or should they stick to their strict open source roots? Let me know in your comments. ]]> beetleman64 http://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/blog/beetleman64-504568/red-hats-missed-opportunity-3250/ Welcome! Bienvenue! Wilkommen! http://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/blog/beetleman64-504568/welcome-bienvenue-wilkommen-3248/ Mon, 18 Oct 2010 18:06:45 GMT Hello LinuxQuestions.org!

I've been wandering this forum for some time now, and I'm only now beginning to spend some proper time on it. So, here's my new blog. I'll try to update it regularly, and expect a glut of posts as I get through a back-log of issues on my back. My life is fairly hectic, so I won't promise anything, but please have patience.

Also, I welcome comments and I'll do my best to respond to them and, where necessary, either defend or take back my comments. Debate is welcome. Let's rock and roll!

By the way, I don't speak French or German, so I apologise for any spelling errors in my title ]]> beetleman64 http://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/blog/beetleman64-504568/welcome-bienvenue-wilkommen-3248/