Ed Hewitt

One issue I have with using a Linux operating system is that websites hate you. They won’t allow you to access some of feature on their website, even though they support Firefox! Examples of these websites I have found is hotmail, but thats no surprise since its Microsoft. You get a warning message when you try accessing hotmail, it wants you to upgrade to Internet Explorer, Safari or Firefox. I have also had issues trying to watch videos on MUTV. Even BBC, who likes open source, won’t allow you to download TV shows on to Linux off iPlayer.

However, there is a solution, in the name of a Firefox add-on! User agent switcher makes websites think your using a different browser and operating system. You can tell this add-on to tell websites that you are using Internet Explorer 7, Opera or Safari on Windows Vista. You can even create your own user agents. Now I can access my hotmail account and watch videos on MUTV! This add-on can be found on the Firefox add-on page.

Edit, this plugin does work on Windows and Mac as well.

Its that time of the year again, the release of the new version of Ubuntu. I will be reviewing Xubuntu, so none of new Gnome features for me (tabbed file manager and guest login). When I first heard about Intrepid, I was excited that the Ubuntu developers were going to make it faster. Both boot time and general use, and I can say they have. Boot time is slightly quicker, but the biggest improvement is memory usage and speed of applications. The memory requirements are lower, from 384MB (on 8.04) back to 256MB. Applications are quicker, and switching between applications are quicker. This may be down to the new kernel, 2.6.27. The network manager has been improved. The wireless works far better; quicker to connect and signal strength bars work now. It even now has 3G support. For me, one of the great new advancements for this release has been Xorg. It has far better detection of hardware and all the latest new drivers. I have a ATi Radeon 7000 graphics card, 8.10 come with the ATi 6.9 driver. This has doubled my frames per second on glxgears; from 200 to 400fps!

Like most new releases, It keeps the same applications, but new versions of them. Such as Gnome 2.24, Firefox 3.0.3, Pidgin 2.5.2, GIMP 2.6, etc. However, OpenOffice.org stays at 2.4.1, which is a shame. Other nice new features which have appeared is a new application called Seahorse, which is for encryption of files. A system cleaner has been added, called Cruft. However, I’m not very impressed with Cruft, since all it suggests to clean up is packages which have installed using a DEB file, which are not on the repos. Such as Gfire and my printer drivers. Adobe Flash Player 10 is included in 8.10. Finally Adobe puts more effort in the Linux version of their flash player. Performance of flash videos is far better. YouTube videos in full screen can now be done, without watching a slideshow.

On Xubuntu, there is no new version of Xfce, but does add some new Xfce applications. Such as Midori (lightweight web browser), Catfish (search), Xfce Dictionary, GPicView (lightweight image viewer) and Xfce task manager.

Ubuntu 8.10 is an excellent release, improving on what they already have and adding new features to improve the user experience. Ubuntu is deferentially ready for the everyday user, all we need now is a nice new look to rival Mac OS X. Intrepid is my favourite release of Ubuntu (was 7.10). Ubuntu have finally got a very stable (no crashes yet) and fast release of Ubuntu, with excellent applications.

Just come back from Old Trafford after watching Man Utd beat Hull City 4 - 3!!!! Excellent Game, great goals from United, but let it go in the second half.

My pictures of the day are on my Flickr account, so check them out!

My review of Ubuntu 8.10 will be on the blog tomorrow!

I woke up early this morning to english rain, but that didn’t matter. It was Download Day! Since about 7am, I have been waiting for the release of 8.10.

Finally, the Ibex was released. I was 2pm, so I began the upgrade process. While it was downloading, I decided to brave the rain and take my dog for a walk. At about 3pm, downloading was complete and installing began. An hour to download Ibex on download day, not bad at all.

I knew it would take a long time to install on my computer. So I decided to begin writing this post, listen to Radio 1 and play abit of Fifa 09.

Finally at 5pm, the install had finished and so was the clearing up. This was the first the clearing up stage had worked for me. Last time I upgraded, 7.10 to 8.04, the clearing up process crashed. Already 8.10 for me is looking like a good release.

When I booted it up first time, boot time seemed to be about the same. Nice new login screen for Xubuntu. Finally I was in Xubuntu 8.10!

I will play around with 8.10 for a few days, expect a review shortly!

If you wanted to make your own Linux distro, what would you like yours to be like?

For me, I would want a very professional distro to rival Microsoft and Apple. I would want it to have a very professional look and name. I wouldn’t have a repo for my distro. You download the distro, and you use whats on it. I would have lots of high quality applications, such as Firefox and Open Office.org. The reason why I would stop people customising their own operating system, is to make the distro more generic and professional. I would have a new release every year, and in every release I would release two service packs. These service packs will include performance enhancements, security and bug fixes and new versions of software. I would use a customised Xfce window manager. My distro will come pre-installed with all the codecs, java, flash, wine and loads of drivers.

My distro is basically, Windows or Mac OS with a Linux kernal.

Please post a comment, of what you want your Linux distro to be like.

Ubuntu is getting bigger all the time, but do you really need all the applications which come installed on Ubuntu. Thanks to Sam Lars, from Ubuntu forums, he has come up with a list of applications you may not need anymore!

ubuntu-desktop

* This is what is called a “metapackage.” It doesn’t actually contain anything, it just makes sure that all of the default desktop applications are installed. If you remove something it depends on, it will be removed too. That’s fine. When (if) you upgrade, it may be a good idea to reinstall it.

ttf

* If you search for this in Synaptic you will find that a lot of other language fonts are installed by default. If you don’t plan an reading or writing with them, you can remove them.

bluez-gnome
bluez-utils

* If you don’t have Bluetooth capability, you can remove these packages.

xscreensaver-gl
xscreensaver-data
rss-glx
screensaver-default-images

* I’m not interested in using any pretty screensavers on my laptop. I just blank the screen rather than make it heat up or waste CPU time. Leaving gnome-screensaver retains the basic ability.

tomboy

* An application for note taking that I have never used.

ekiga
libopal-2.2

* Something like Skype, you can talk/conference over the Internet. I’ve never used it.

xcursor-themes

* Extra themes for your mouse cursor.

language-support-writing-en
language-support-en
language-support-translations-en

* All of these are metapackages that depend on all of the writing tools, general language support, and translations for English (or whatever language you have installed, the last two letters will be different).

myspell-en-za

* South African English dictionary.

openoffice.org-l10n-en-gb
openoffice.org-help-en-gb

* British English translation and help for OpenOffice.

openoffice.org-l10n-en-za

* South African English translation for OpenOffice.

openoffice.org-thesaurus-en-au

* Australian English thesaurus for OpenOffice.

yelp

* Help viewer. I choose to use the forums and the internet rather than any of the locally installed help.

gimp-help-common
gimp-help-en

* Help files for the Gimp. Again, I prefer online.

gnome-user-guide

* User guide for Gnome. Again, I prefer getting anything I need online.

diveintopython

* Ever wanted to learn the Python programming language? This is the book for you! Check into it. Otherwise, you can remove it.

ubuntu-docs

* General Ubuntu documentation. I prefer online.

thunderbird-locale-en-gb

* This Great Britain locale for Thunderbird is installed though Thunderbird isn’t, which is odd. One of the language support packages depends on it.

linux-generic
linux-restricted-modules-generic

* These are metapackages for the kernel versions and restricted modules respectively.

linux-restricted-modules-2.6.24-16-generic

* This provides madwifi (Atheros), fglrx (ATI), nvidia, fcdsl2, fcdslsl, fcdslslusb, fcdslusb, fcdslusb2, fcpci (AVM ISDN), fcdsl, fcdslusba, fcusb, fwlanusb, fxusb (AVM ISDN x86 only). If you don’t use any of these, you can remove it.

nvidia-kernel-common

* For the nvidia driver.

linux-headers-generic

* This is a metapackage.

linux-headers-2.6.24-16
linux-headers-2.6.24-16-generic

* These are only needed if you need to recompile the kernel.

ppp
pppconfig
pppoeconf
wvdial

* Used in modem and similar connections. Not needed for wireless or ethernet connections.

xsane
xsane-common

* Used for scanners.

tracker
tracker-search-tool
libdeskbar-tracker
libtracker-gtk0

* Desktop search tool. I don’t find it useful enough to keep.

zenity

* Displays dialog boxes.

gnome-games
gnome-games-data
gnome-cards-data

* The default gnome games. I don’t play them enough to keep them.

scim
scim-bridge-agent
scim-bridge-client-gtk
scim-gtk2-immodule
scim-modules-socket
libscim8c2a
libchewing (thank you Wim De Winter)

* A way to set up input for languages with different alphabets.

brltty
brltty-x11

* For Braille interfaces.

gnome-app-install

* The nice Add/Remove Applications in the menu.

ubufox

* This helps with the installation of flash and other plugins for Firefox.

apturl

* This is a dependency of ubufox, it allows packages to be installed with the syntax “apt : package”

python-pyatspi
at-spi

* Accessibility support.

mousetweaks

* Mouse accessibility support.

gnome-mag

* The Gnome magnifier. I’d prefer the Compiz plugin.

gnome-orca

* Gnome screen reader.

bogofilter
bogofilter-bdb
libgsl0ldbl

* Spam filter for use with Evolution or maybe Thunderbird.

ubuntu-sounds

* Ubuntu’s sounds.

example-content

* Sample files to use when testing/showing off Ubuntu.

evolution-exchange

* Evolution plugin for Microsoft Exchange mail.

evolution-webcal

* Evolution plugin for web-based calendars.

guile-1.6-libs

* A programming language.

gnome-pilot
gnome-pilot-conduits

* Tools for PalmPilot devices.

gnome-accessibility-themes

* A high-contrast theme.

eog

* As I mentioned above, I prefer gthumb.

deskbar-applet

* The Deskbar applet for the panel.

contact-lookup-applet

* The contact lookup applet for the panel.

fast-user-switch-applet

* The applet for switching users for the panel.

jockey-common
jockey-gtk

* This program is responsible for installing restricted drivers such as nvidia or b43.

splix

* This is a driver for samsung laser printers.

min12xxw

* Printer driver for KonicaMinolta PagePro.

xserver-xorg-video-all

* You should be able to remove this metapackage, as well as everything but v4l, vesa, vga, fbdev, dummy, and the one you are using. If you are using a proprietary driver, such as nvidia, it might be a good idea to leave the open source driver, nv, just in case.

tsclient

* For connecting to other machines remotely.

vino

* Server that allows others to access your desktop remotely.

sound-juicer

* A CD ripper, Rhythmbox takes care of my needs.

make

* For compiling packages.

lftp

* For getting files via ftp using the command line.
* I think this is required for the Rhythmbox Cover Art and Lyrics plugins.

I didn’t get rid of all these packages, but I removed about 90% of them. Saved myself 160mb!

I have started taking pictures with my new Cybershot camera phone (review coming shortly), so I have started taking pics! I have setup a Flickr account to show off my photos to the world. Some of my pics are on the right, in the Flickr Stream.

Enjoy!

Just a quick post to thank and mention my web host. SamJordan.co.uk is my web hoster. He is also a web design, he already has large portfolio of website. If you want a website designed by him or web hosting, give him an email.

I have also finally put my videos page on the blog. The videos section has all my gaming videos, enjoy!

I haven’t done a post in a while, hoping now to start posting regularly again! I’m going to start my posting off with a review of last years great game, Portal. It was one of the best games of 2007, for being very unique and enjoyable. If you have not seen this game yet, it is a First-person puzzle game which uses the highly acclaimed Source engine. The game is based around a gun which allows the user to create portals. When two portals are placed on the wall, floor or roof; you can transport through them. The portal gun is what makes this game unique. Along with the portal gun is a series of chambers full of puzzles which require the use of the portal gun, such as teleporting yourself or other objects.

Apart from being a puzzle game, this game has its own story which is linked to the Half Life storyline. However, non-half life fans don’t need to worry about a few references to Half Life, the game is for everyone. The basic story is that you are a test subject at the Aperture Science Laboratories to test the portal gun. However, throughout the game, you are talked through each chamber by a very funny computer called GLaDOS. She guides you through the game, and promise cake at the end, or does she???

Portal is very enjoyable puzzle game which can appeal to most people. Fans of Valve’s previous games should enjoy this game as much as they enjoy their other titles, it still has the magic of Valve titles. There is so many aspects of the game to like; the portal gun, the challenges, GLaDOS! Its hard not to enjoy this game. However, the game is not as long as you want it to be, only 2 to 3 hours long. Although, the reply value with achievements to unlock makes you want to come back for more. Portal is title you will need to play, for $20 (I got my copy half price) from Steam is a good price for such a unique experience.

Today, I had a major issue with Ubuntu. When I booted up, my screen would say ‘Out of Range’, I couldn’t do anything! So I was on the forums looking for commands to use to sort my problems. I tried also of commands which effected XORG and the kernel, nothing would work.

I then came across a message on the forums suggesting to try unplugging the monitor. Then you boot up Ubuntu and once fully booted, plug in your monitor. Ubuntu is meant to treat the monitor as a generic monitor. It Worked! I then changed the settings back to what they should be. Ubuntu thought I was using a 24inch monitor @ 80hz, I only had a 15inch monitor @ 75hz.

If this ever happens to you, just unplug the monitor and plug it back in.