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Ubuntu on a Dime
AussieNeil writes "If IBM had adopted Unix for its Personal Computer and supported open source so *nix desktops were the now the norm, how hard would it be to convince the population to switch to Microsoft Windows? In Ubuntu on a Dime — The Path to Low-Cost Computing, James Kelly shows how easy it is to build a computer and install a complete software suite for US$200 excluding monitor, keyboard, and mouse. You can't even buy the operating system and anti-malware protection for Microsoft Windows for that, let alone have any money left over for hardware and productivity software! Then when you install the software, you have the paradigm of having to restart the computer to complete software installation and you have to learn how to practice safe computing while budgeting for annual anti-malware software license renewals!" Read on for the rest of AussieNeil's review.
Ubuntu on a Dime
author
James Floyd Kelly
pages
280
publisher
Apress
rating
9/10
reviewer
AussieNeil
ISBN
1-4302-1972-6
summary
takes you on a tour of the very best, but low-cost hardware, while only using zero-cost software in each of the many categories that matter to the typical PC user.
Alternate histories aside, Ubuntu on a Dime is a tribute both to the skills of the author and to the decades of effort by those that have developed user friendly software and hardware, so that this 280-page book gives anyone with a reasonable level of self-confidence the recipe to build their own computer, install all the software needed for common activities, and quickly become productive.
James Kelly, spends just 30 pages in the first chapter explaining how to purchase the required computer parts and assemble a Ubuntu PC or "U-PC" computer and does it in a relaxed, easy-to-follow style. Mind, the task is simplified by choosing a motherboard with integrated sound and video, but that is exactly what you'll find in the standard corporate office PC. (Personally, I would have recommend purchasing a SATA hard drive to avoid the not-touched-on master/slave complications of using a shared IDE cable for the hard drive and CD/DVD drive.) The book is illustrated throughout with frequent, excellent screen shots as the author steps you through hardware assembly, then operating system and application installation, configuration, and use.
In chapter 2, the author explains how to install the Ubuntu operating system and keep it updated. Wisely, he has chosen the Long Term Supported 8.04 version, but has omitted mention of the different Ubuntu support periods. He has also missed an opportunity here to expand on the growing list of Ubuntu variants, in particular Kubuntu, which I would see as an easier migration choice for those familiar with Microsoft Windows.
Chapter 3 is dedicated to a definition of what the author means by "free software" and covers the costs (including the relevant security risk costs) associated with the four software categories; Pay-to-Use, Open Source, Cloud Computing, and Freeware. The remaining 9 chapters look at how to use free software — software either included in the default Ubuntu installation, or available via cloud computing — to complete common computing tasks.
In chapter 4, email using Evolution is covered and word processing, spreadsheets, and presentations using the OpenOffice.org suite is covered in chapters 5 to 7. The Cloud Computing Google Docs Office Suite alternative, with the advantages of everywhere access to your documents and collaborative working is covered in chapter 11. Web browsing using Firefox is covered in chapter 9, with most of the chapter dedicated to finding and installing useful add-ons. Google gets another couple of chapters when photo management with Picasa is covered in chapter 8 and Google Email and Calendar configuration and use are explained in chapter 10. The last chapter looks at a few other useful applications found in Ubuntu: Calculator, Text Editor, Notes, Disk Burning, Movie Playing, and Music Playing. The three appendices cover the computer parts list, three ways to obtain an installation disk for Ubuntu, and finally a bibliography of web sites, books, and must-have apps so you can extend the use of your new Ubuntu PC. The 9-page index is fairly comprehensive, considering the wealth of illustrations throughout the book.
I liked this book because it covered tasks seen daunting by many (PC building, operating system and software installation, configuration, and upgrading) in an light, easy-to-follow manner, supported with excellent illustrations. Further, the author covers a lot of ground without overwhelming the reader, taking you to a level where you can start using your computer productively and showing you how to use help files and online resources to extend your use of your excellent hand-built investment. While extolling the benefits of open source software, he hasn't labored the point. Vendor lock-in costs associated with proprietary office suites aren't mentioned, nor are the lower security risks associated with open source usage.
If you are looking for a way to reduce your computing costs, or know someone that would appreciate a gift that can help them achieve this, then Ubuntu on a Dime is well worth considering — particularly for anyone that gets satisfaction from learning via do-it-yourself.
You can purchase Ubuntu on a Dime: The Path to Low-Cost Computing from amazon.com. Slashdot welcomes readers' book reviews. To see your own review here, read the book review guidelines, then visit the submission page.
James Kelly, spends just 30 pages in the first chapter explaining how to purchase the required computer parts and assemble a Ubuntu PC or "U-PC" computer and does it in a relaxed, easy-to-follow style. Mind, the task is simplified by choosing a motherboard with integrated sound and video, but that is exactly what you'll find in the standard corporate office PC. (Personally, I would have recommend purchasing a SATA hard drive to avoid the not-touched-on master/slave complications of using a shared IDE cable for the hard drive and CD/DVD drive.) The book is illustrated throughout with frequent, excellent screen shots as the author steps you through hardware assembly, then operating system and application installation, configuration, and use.
In chapter 2, the author explains how to install the Ubuntu operating system and keep it updated. Wisely, he has chosen the Long Term Supported 8.04 version, but has omitted mention of the different Ubuntu support periods. He has also missed an opportunity here to expand on the growing list of Ubuntu variants, in particular Kubuntu, which I would see as an easier migration choice for those familiar with Microsoft Windows.
Chapter 3 is dedicated to a definition of what the author means by "free software" and covers the costs (including the relevant security risk costs) associated with the four software categories; Pay-to-Use, Open Source, Cloud Computing, and Freeware. The remaining 9 chapters look at how to use free software — software either included in the default Ubuntu installation, or available via cloud computing — to complete common computing tasks.
In chapter 4, email using Evolution is covered and word processing, spreadsheets, and presentations using the OpenOffice.org suite is covered in chapters 5 to 7. The Cloud Computing Google Docs Office Suite alternative, with the advantages of everywhere access to your documents and collaborative working is covered in chapter 11. Web browsing using Firefox is covered in chapter 9, with most of the chapter dedicated to finding and installing useful add-ons. Google gets another couple of chapters when photo management with Picasa is covered in chapter 8 and Google Email and Calendar configuration and use are explained in chapter 10. The last chapter looks at a few other useful applications found in Ubuntu: Calculator, Text Editor, Notes, Disk Burning, Movie Playing, and Music Playing. The three appendices cover the computer parts list, three ways to obtain an installation disk for Ubuntu, and finally a bibliography of web sites, books, and must-have apps so you can extend the use of your new Ubuntu PC. The 9-page index is fairly comprehensive, considering the wealth of illustrations throughout the book.
I liked this book because it covered tasks seen daunting by many (PC building, operating system and software installation, configuration, and upgrading) in an light, easy-to-follow manner, supported with excellent illustrations. Further, the author covers a lot of ground without overwhelming the reader, taking you to a level where you can start using your computer productively and showing you how to use help files and online resources to extend your use of your excellent hand-built investment. While extolling the benefits of open source software, he hasn't labored the point. Vendor lock-in costs associated with proprietary office suites aren't mentioned, nor are the lower security risks associated with open source usage.
If you are looking for a way to reduce your computing costs, or know someone that would appreciate a gift that can help them achieve this, then Ubuntu on a Dime is well worth considering — particularly for anyone that gets satisfaction from learning via do-it-yourself.
You can purchase Ubuntu on a Dime: The Path to Low-Cost Computing from amazon.com. Slashdot welcomes readers' book reviews. To see your own review here, read the book review guidelines, then visit the submission page.
Unix wouldn't run on the original IBM PC, nor with any other cheap processor they might have instead of the Intel one.
So given the IBM PC could only run lame program loaders in lieu of an actual operating system, we got what we got.
... after you buy the $25 book, that is. Anyone know if there's an open source "Ubuntu On a Dime on a Dime"?
Want to improve your Karma? Instead of "Post Anonymously", try the "Post Humously" option.
I can buy OEM copies for significantly cheaper than that. Anti-virus/malware protection is a free download from Microsoft.
I use what works for me, leaving dogma aside.
Gone!
Building a PC from scratch? What FOSS is? How to use Ubuntu?
I'm sorry, this doesn't sound like a particularly good book for *anyone*
I find it interesting how they add the cost of anti-malware not only once, but also say that you need to have ongoing license renewals in the yearly budget. Not only is Microsoft's own anti-malware completely free, there are other free options such as Avast and AVG as well. So technically, yes, you COULD pay for Symantec or McAfee, but adding the cost in as though it's the ONLY choice is disingenuous at best.
"Then when you install the software, you have the paradigm of having to restart the computer to complete software installation and you have to learn how to practice safe computing while budgeting for annual anti-malware software license renewals!"
Every time Ubuntu updates it asks me to reboot the machine, yet in Win7 I can update video card drivers and not have to restart. I'm not sure why you're claiming the opposite is true. Both systems require restarts for certain updates, but these days Win7 has Ubuntu beat in this area, hands down. Also there is no need to budget for annual anti-malware tools, because you can get many free AV suites. MS even offers one now, that tests better than the paid programs.
Did the uninstaller work?
If libertarians are so opposed to effective government, why don't they all move to Somalia?
build a computer and install a complete software suite for US$200 excluding monitor, keyboard, and mouse. You can't even buy the operating system and anti-malware protection for Microsoft Windows for that
Permit me to introduce the Acer Aspire REVO. The base model (R1600-U910H - 1 GB RAM - 1.6 GHz - 160 GB HDD) can be had for $199.99 or less, and includes keyboard, mouse and Windows XP. Of course, I'm planning to install XBMC.
Nothing for 6-digit uids?
it wouldn't have been UNIX as you know it. The 8088 didn't have privilege levels, so essentially everything would run as root.
that's funny because back when Microsoft software became ubiquitous on PC, there was "command line" required.
I use ubuntu every day, my wife uses 7
while I love my little nix system its hard to sell people on it when it doesnt run what they want, and what it does run is at best half finished
hell you cant even switch windows in the current ubuntu without a flight flicker in the screen
You can't even buy the operating system and anti-malware protection for Microsoft Windows for that, let alone have any money left over for hardware and productivity software!
Not true.
Then when you install the software, you have the paradigm of having to restart the computer to complete software installation and you have to learn how to practice safe computing while budgeting for annual anti-malware software license renewals!"
So you're saying people who use Ubuntu don't need to practice safe computing? That's great news! Next time I get an email from a Nigerian prince, I'll make sure I send him my account information with pine instead of Outlook, so then I'll be safe.
...Apple had licensed it's operating system to computer manufacturers like Windows did. While Windows wasn't "open source", it was certainly made more openly available. Bill Gates was just smarter at the time than Steve Jobs. You could play the what if game all day long with all sorts of scenarios.
So by the time I get the book and read the book I am already losing money. Thats before I do any of the work.
If i was a broke college student like Linus, then that might be another issue.
No disrespect intended, but that's really naive. There are other costs, even for home users. Frustration with overly technical administrative requirements is a cost. Having to ask other people how to do stuff all the time is a cost. Listening to overbearing geeks tell you how easy things you can't figure out are, is a cost. Having to find and download "free" software to do stuff MS users get with their machines, and then finding out it isn't quite the same, is a cost. Not being able to easily exchange docs and pictures with your nieces and nephews is a cost. Do I need to go on?
How is that funny?
If I say you'll have no success trying to sell a car that doesn't go over 20 MPH, is it funny because 100 years ago no cars went over 20 MPH?
Everyone else, the transition to Ubuntu isn't that hard, but is a learning curve. Why would one want to add building a machine to the mix? Besides by the time the ink is dry I'm sure the hardware suggestions will be out of date.
I use the command line to edit text and do ... some other crap. Kill off npviewer.bin to free up memory without closing Firefox (it's a Flash wrapper). Oh, and to run bc as a calculator. It turns out vim and bc are way better than gedit and gnome-calc.
Support my political activism on Patreon.
point is command line not the issue.
anyway, can install and use plenty of Linux distros without the command line for normal household use. red herring.
that's funny because back when Microsoft software became ubiquitous on PC, there was "command line" required.
Was your grandmother trying to read her email on these "command line required" PCs? I think it's obvious to say that GUIs opened up personal computers for non-tech oriented people and that a DOS prompt didn't. If anyone needs to use the CL for anything when working on their computer, it isn't user-friendly enough.
Using a Free Operating System is Cheaper than Paying for One: The Book
Apple tried that years ago and the clone was called the "Orange". Apple eventually killed the licensing of the the OS because it was eating into their margins for hardware; hence why Apple was able to keep their prices higher than the PC clones - until recently. (Now, for the high end all-in-one units, the iMacs actually come in a little cheaper than something like a HP.)
MS didn't have to worry about hardware. Gates wanted the hardware to become a commodity and lock up the software - it worked, obviously.
It's BETA software and it gets updates almost every single day.
And yet even with running BETA software and pulling patches down almost every day I am NOT rebooting the system as you claim.
No way you could run Ubuntu on a dime. Dimes have no cpu, no video card, no ram. And where would you insert the liveCD?
If you can read this, I forgot to post anonymously.
From the original post:
I can buy a retail copy of Windows 7 Home Premium for $179.99 at Newegg, with shipping for another $1.99[0], and Microsoft Security Essentials is free for download[1], and a very reasonable product for many users.[2]
Also, I can get an Acer Aspire REVO at Bestbuy for a nickle under $200, with a copy of Windows XP SP3 included.[3]
I can't wait to see the specs on the $200 computer build outlined in this "outdated before it was published" book... Also, didn't this book come out a while ago? At least 4-6 months ago - are the parts listed even still commonly available?
[0] http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832116716&cm_re=windows_7_home_retail-_-32-116-716-_-Product
[1] http://www.microsoft.com/security_essentials/?mkt=en-us
[2] http://www.winsupersite.com/win7/mse.asp
[3] http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Acer+-+AspireRevo+Nettop+with+Intel%26%23174%3B+Atom%26%23153%3B+Processor/9535434.p?id=1218120545008&skuId=9535434
Ken
Abbie Hoffman is rolling in his grave.
nah, she popped in the AOL CD. Oooo, so software and not the so-called OS or need/no need for command line is what makes or breaks the deal? how about them apples! there's a moral for the GNU/Linux and the *BSD crowd (and yes I'm part of both).
I wouldn't buy a computer that doesn't come with a buggy whip, even if it does have one o' them new-fangled "command lines." It's just a fad for them kids--you'll see.
Many games have what amounts to a command line. I would say that a good amount of people would have no problem using a command line interface IF they knew its uses.
Don't know something? Look it up. Still don't know? Then ask.
I dunno... If someone gave me a car that only went 20mph but cost £0 to purchase and run I might buy one.
(Except I already have a nice bicycle, which goes faster :-)
When you say "most recent" do you mean the 10.04 beta? Hardly a fair test, if indeed there is any truth to your post at all..
which is totally what she said
You also have a sound system that just works... always... for EVERY program you throw at it, and with low latency too!
Don't get me wrong, I want to get away from M$ because they sell their customers out to the entertainment industry. (http://www.afterdawn.com/news/article.cfm/2008/05/18/nbc_triggered_vista_broadcast_flag)
They also sell people an intentionally broken product and then charge another $80 to fix it. (http://www.techspot.com/guides/264-change-wallpaper-on-windows-7-starter/)
I do not pretend that Linux is a perfect alternative. Until the developers stop ramming problematic software like PulseAudio down my throat, it won't be.
I think the whole discussion is moot. You don't need to use the command line to use modern Linux operating systems.
We've asked you politely to stop posting here Mr. Balmer.
Windows persists because it's designed to be a desktop operating system. Linux is an adaptation of a server operating system. All of the software is there in Windows, and it has the nifty interface and a company backing it up by writing professional documentation, hordes of device drivers, and being there to issue updates in a timely manner.
No offense intended to the Ubuntu folks, but there's a reason the market often beats the volunteer efforts: it can pay for in addition to inspiring great performance. Open source can inspire great performance by individuals, but what makes a great OS is more than good code; it's good interface design, support and really boring work like driver development.
In addition, while I use KDE and like it, I'm never going to fool myself into thinking this software matches professional level stuff. Even Office 2007 beats the pants off Open Office, Abiword, and Kwrite, hands down. There simply is no competition once you get past the "one page document" stage.
I will always have a FreeBSD machine at home to play with. But I wouldn't want to drop it into an office. For all its flaws, Windows makes desktop computing tasks easy, fast and relatively reliable.
Futurist Traditionalism
That would be when you posted this:
Note your usage or "Every time" in that statement.
I pointed out that Lucid Lynx is receiving updates almost every day. Therefore, by your original statement, I should be rebooting it almost every day.
That is not my experience. And that is with BETA software.
Even if you didn't need to use the command line so much on a Linux box, the fact you can't run most of the software that regular users want to (like games -- and no, spending hours messing around with Wine to make a game work half-assed doesn't count) makes Linux a non-starter for a large chunk of computer users.
I could run BeOS for free. And on today's machines, it would play the fastest game of Tetris ever.
Jokes aside, who considers the price of the OS the primary issue? Way to miss the point. The primary issue is "does this OS run the applications I want to run".
I encounter naive Linux desktop converts occasionally. And no, that's not to suggest all Linux desktop converts are naive. It's very frustrating to hear them pontificate about their latest install Ubuntu Malodorous Moose, and then on the other hand ask "what's the Linux equivalent of [some Windows application]?" every two days.
If it doesn't run the applications I need to run, you could give me the OS for free and it still won't run them.
Throwing in red herrings about what certain security apps cost when there are free alternatives for Windows is pretty disingenuous as well.
Was your grandmother trying to read her email on these "command line required" PCs? I think it's obvious to say that GUIs opened up personal computers for non-tech oriented people and that a DOS prompt didn't. If anyone needs to use the CL for anything when working on their computer, it isn't user-friendly enough.
Yet business-type users were among the very first people using the IBM PC running PC-DOS when it was released by IBM. It was all command-line until the user typed an application name and the application loaded ready for the secretary to type memos and letters and accountants to build spreadsheets. In those days XENIX, for example, could have sufficed for the operating system and suitable business applications had been available. For most of my day-to-day activities with the computer it is possible to work entirely at the GNU/Linux command-line.
If unix had been chosen, leaving aside all the technical reasons why not posted above. It would now enjoy the same popularity with malware writers as Windows enjoys today. Enterprises would have emerged that sold solutions to these just as they have for Windows. I don't see what would have changed; except that Linus Torvalds would about now be ready to launch "Lindows Mojave" that we all love and vaunt.
Nullius in verba
This was the late 70s early 80s. It was an actual machine - not just a card. Jobs killed it.
I remember reading about it in Forbes (they were good back then) and other business magazines. Unfortunately, the biz magazines don't go that far back online with their archives.
RIP America
July 4, 1776 - September 11, 2001
Google works fine as a calculator and for doing unit conversions too. No need anymore to run any apps for calculations unless you are needing graphing and complex algebraic equations.
I call bullshit. Ubuntu doesn't have a decent resolution editor, so every time I install it and it invariably fails to recognize my monitors and sets the resolution to fucking 800x600, I have to jump through hoops to a) set the resolution b) get the resolution to set itself correctly when booting. Nobody on the fucking worthless-as-tits-on-a-bull Ubuntu forums will do anything to help with these problems and if I file a bug report I basically get routed to Bug #1 in Ubuntu.
Wouldn't that fall under a broader category of things you should not do even without a computer?
Wouldn't the end effect be the same if you told him your information over the phone or in a paper letter?
But when did PCs become ubiquitous in general?
I found that the amount of time I spent not too long ago resolving the idiocies related to this "feature" would cause any sane person to switch to Windows or even a Mac.
Actually, I hate to admit it, but there is a lot of truth to the statement. In Karmic, Canonical introduced the "Software Center" which was meant to be the user friendly version of Synaptic. It was workable, but it wasn't correctly integrated with apt, so it couldn't perform the first request for package lists (had to do it from Synaptic first...). There were some other issues that made it not user friendly.
Then for the alpha version of Lucid, they completely broke the Software Center in more ways than I can count. However, I can say that in the beta2, the Software Center is significantly better than it used to be.
Well, I've never had any issues with the software centre in Karmic or Jaunty, but it's true that I often use synaptic as well so that may be why I never ran into that particular issue.
which is totally what she said
This guy has to be a government or Hollywood accountant..
For justice, we must go to Don Corleone
I'd love to, but it's not 2011 yet.
I know a lot of people will argue, seeing as we've been using zeros for a while now, but conventionally, the 21st century started on January 1st, 2001. Therefore the 21.1st century should start on January 1st, 2011.
$200 + $24.99 for the book.
It does make some common sense suggestions regarding useful low-end hardware.
With a USB cable at Fry's costing more than the book maybe the book's price isn't so bad :-)
How is this a book review? It is a chapter-by-chapter summary followed by a one-liner that the guy likes the book. How about slashvertisement for a change??
And how about a real book review, and how about reviewing books that are great and books that are terrible if you are going to have a whole section on it? Not that this is Barnes and Noble, but it doesn't make sense if you are only posting positive summaries of books every now and then.
The computer is an appliance to the "typical user". It is not an end unto itself.
In other words, this entire book is targeted at users who will never even learn of its existence.
Exactly, using Synaptic regularly prevents many of the issues with the Software Center. I suspect that as being the reason why the problems slipped by in testing because of the habits of the testers.
But the assumption that all hardware works out of the box in Windows is pretty flawed.
When you buy a PC peripheral, it'll include a CD with a binary driver designed for the version of Windows that was current when the hardware was manufactured. You typically don't get a Linux driver on this CD. Nor does hardware sold at Best Buy usually[1] mention on the box that Linux or distributions thereof support the hardware.
[1] Except a few devices that use a generic class driver, such as keyboards or USB flash drives.
Bravo, my kingdom for a mod point
Godless pinko commie bastards!
Why do the founding fathers hate America?!!!
Microsoft receives the brunt of the viruses because that is what people use.
Or because commonly used software released in the Windows 98 and Windows XP eras expected to run with the privileges of the Administrators group. So home installations of Windows were less secure against unauthorized software changes than Linux until Microsoft copied the basic idea behind sudo in Windows Vista, encouraging new versions of apps to separate user- and administrator-level tasks.
That's because Microsoft delays Windows updates until that time of the month. Only highly critical updates come "out-of-band". But on Ubuntu, every security update to basic system-level software is "out-of-band" and available immediately. To simulate the Windows schedule, you can put off running Ubuntu's Update Manager until the weekend. On the other hand, Microsoft requires a restart for an Internet Explorer update because IE is far more joined-at-the-hip to the file manager than, say, Firefox is to Nautilus.
That does look like a good nettop, but the big difference is that your example doesn't include a monitor
The Aspire Revo is small enough that it will fit next to your HDTV.
It's not just Win7. I rebooted less in XP than I do in Ubuntu. Ubuntu seems to think it knows best when it sees a different monitor, so I have to shutdown and boot back up every time I dock and undock my laptop. If I don't I'll get nonsense like having my external monitor not work unless the laptop lid is open. Close the laptop lid and the external monitor turns off and the LCD screen on the closed laptop lid turns on. Grrr. Consequently I end up having to reboot Ubuntu twice a day.
When I used XP (from 2002 to Feb 2009), I could suspend, dock or undock, resume the computer and the appropriate screen would appear. I never had a problem with it and never had to think about it. XP also didn't try to be "helpful" and attempt to display anything on a second monitor until I told it to. With Ubuntu, as soon as I connect a second monitor, it changes my screen resolution to the lowest common denominator and mirrors my display even though I don't want it to do that.
The bottom line is that I have to reboot Ubuntu twice a day while with XP I rebooted about once a month on average. This problem is my biggest pet peeve with Linux and what makes me keep thinking about switching back to Windows. But I'm a year into using Linux for my desktop, so I'm still trying to find a solution.
Slashdot: Failed Car Analogies. Amateur Lawyering. Anecdote Battles.
Well, that wasn't what I was expecting.
I figured it would be a single board computer smaller than a gumstix running linux. You know, like the size of a dime. That should be just barely big enough for one SOIC chip.
"Science flies us to the moon. Religion flies us into buildings." - Victor Stenger
You wouldn't happen to be this guy, would you?
I don't care why you're posting AC
So what, exactly, does Microsoft's dominant market share have to do with Ubuntu's inability to handle your video hardware?
*sigh* back to work...
Mod Parent UP!
I have had to fire up exactly one command line out of necessity to do anything on any of the three of my current Linux Mint machines, and they've all been running Mint since they day they were commissioned. Two of them are running proprietary drivers for Wifi and all three are running proprietary drivers for video, and all have received at least two kernel upgrades (one of them has been in operation for three Linux Mint revisions - an older Dell Latitude - I have literally never fired up a Linux command line on that machine).
The exception was getting the microphone working under a very new model of the Asus eeePC in the current Mint - I had to cut-and-paste a command line entry because the drivers do not include a fully working driver for that device, so I had to adjust the volume manually the first time. The volume control now works well, and theoretically Ubuntu 10.04 will have a better driver for that microphone.
Though there are times when the command line is the only way, it looks more pervasive than it is. Don't assume the command line is the only way to do anything just because you see a lot of recommended solutions that involve the command line on help forums. The command line is how a lot of solutions are delivered on the Internet, for two darned good reasons:
1. I can solve your problem with one or maybe a few simple cut-and-paste commands, or I can walk you through a bunch of screens with screenshots to reach the same setting. If I'm writing a Wiki, I'm putting up the cut-and-paste instructions. You'll have your problem solved faster and I don't pay as much for bandwidth.
2. Chances are, the command line fix will work on all or most versions of Linux. The screens can differ from distro to distro, or you might have loaded a custom theme, or have loaded KDE or Xfce instead of the default Gnome, so I can't guarantee you'll see what I'm seeing. I can guarantee that a command entered to restart Samba will restart Samba, and the only requirement is that you have Samba installed.
There are, of course, faster or more convenient ways to do a lot of things that simply require the command line (pattern-based renaming of hundreds of files as opposed to editing the name of each file individually, or doing an upgrade or an install using apt-get rather than waiting for the GUI to load on older hardware). I can do all of it from a GUI, but I choose the command line because it's faster or more convenient.
There are, of course, fixes that absolutely require a command line, that's very true. There are even a few features that are not readily accessible from the GUI because no one has written a GUI for them yet. Those are currently pretty rare. But they do exist. Fortunately, most of those fixes are documented somewhere and involve starting up a command line and cutting-and-pasting a few things.
"This post contains words, known to the State of California to cause thought. Wash brain thoroughly after reading."
I wouldn't say "fine"... Maybe "sometimes adequate". Try "2^49 + 1 - 2^49". Google calls that "0". At least Bing gets that right. (And doesn't break until 2^63). Wolfram Alpha gets it to almost any value. Which means Bing will, if forced. Both will even get "2^x + 1 - 2^x". Oh, and hey, they will do graphing and algebra. And solve equations. I do expect to be able to rely on at least 64-bit numbers. I expect a lot more, really - this is simple and old stuff. Google is just weak and deficient here.
for where I lived, worked and went to college, "everyone" had an IBM PC by 1984. Small business had 'em, homes had them, richer students had them and poorer people like me used their dorm roomate's system or the school's.
I love the comments and the modding down. It totally proves my point.
funny, I buy (used, three year+ old) hardware that Ubuntu supports. very easy to do these days. Changing resolution is GUI drop-down menu. you must be a real dumb-ass, and a whiner too. glad you're not on any forum read, you're helpless and un-helpable.
Guess what? If Ubuntu doesn't recognize your monitor, then there's no drop-down box. You must be a real dumb-ass for not knowing this. My monitor is a 5 year-old Multisync LCD. Pretty fucking obscure, apparently. Of course, Windows doesn't care what the monitor is and lets me set whatever resolution I desire, all from a right-click on the desktop.
and it will last less than two years, what with the dec 21, 2012 end of the world and all.
If the dominate OS as free and all the dominate software was free, how well to you think IT staff would be paid? We should be thanking MS for being such money grubbing bastards. They set the expection that computing is expensive.
It's entirely possible that your hardware isn't well supported by Ubuntu, but I absolutely guarantee you that it's possible to install and run Ubuntu without going into the command line once. You can set the resolution through a GUI available under the user preferences. You can even configure multi-monitor support. I know this for a fact because I've done it on multiple computers.
The problem here isn't really about Dollars and Cents though, if it were, more people WOULD use Linux.
Its more about Hassle-free computing. My mother wants to turn on a computer, click on a button to listen to music, or to webcam chat with Grandma, or play a movie while cooking. All of that was either pre-setup on her machine, or was given precise instructions on how to do it. She may complain its slow, but thats about as far as it goes.
She doesn't have to know how to test if her IP Address is good. She doesn't have to update drivers. She doesn't have to get any patches or specific versions, other than what windows automatically suggests she does. Even that is optional.
If anything, the reason Microsoft is still in the game is because they have focused their energy on making it easier to plug and play with the non-technical.
... if you're working on a services type contract, every minute of your employee's time is direct-billed to your customer. On the other hand, buying computer equipment gets wrapped up in your overhead, which makes you look more expensive. This is not to say that deliberately try to be inefficient to get more revenue, but it doesn't exactly provide incentives to be efficient.
Please see this
Uggh.. Open source resembles research science. Like research scientists, open source programmers are not purely motivated by money, but that's not the same as working for free. People that get in early get a lot of fame, consulting gigs, endorsement opportunities, book deals, and other positive externalities due to the fact that they were first. They aren't doing it for "free", and as the number of programmers increases, the chance of getting these positive side benefits goes down greatly, and as a result so does motivation. Assuming that there is going to be a never ending stream of grunts to do the work once positive externalities go away is naive.
The problem isn't that ubuntu sucks, it's quite good. The problem is that apps developers need to get paid, and as a business, they have to target the biggest platform first. They can't spread their costs over a huge population the way an OS maker can. That's not to say ubuntu won't eventually win, but let's not assume we're looking at some exponential curve with a near-term revolution. We may very well be near saturation when it comes to willingness of developers to work on open source, as much of the high profile work has been claimed, and politics makes it less likely for newcomers to get that instant fame. I expect it to be a long, slow grind.
Guess what, Windows doesn't recognize *any* hardware in my Sun UltraSparc or HP 9000 workstation. I could whine and whine on Oracle/Sun or HP forums about this if I was like you, but 99.999999% of Ubuntu users buy and use supported hardware.
99.999999% of Ubuntu users
Have you reviewed Bug #1?
there are some Windows graphics drivers that require registry editing. doesn't change the way windows is for almost everyone; your little easily fixed and trivial Ubuntu video issue doesn't change the experience of the majority either. There was a time when I had to put one line into modules.conf to get volume thumbwheel on the front of my Toshiba laptop to work too, proves nothing much about the ability of most people to install the distro I was using without using command line.
...sigh...
Dude. get yourself a sheevaplug and few extrernal peripherals and you have your pc for far less (150 at the very very most)
You don't need a book for this.
Scam.
I've had significantly less "Service calls" from my grandparents now that they are running Ubuntu.
Like your mother, all they need/want out of a computer is the ability to read email, browse the web and listen to music and watch movies.
Ubuntu does all of this flawlessly and without error/malware/infestation and complaints from my grandparents. And at no cost what-so-ever.
What makes it worse is that very few of Ubuntu's dialog boxes are designed to be used at 800x600 (buttons usually cut off at the bottom of the screen), so the theoretical "home user" would be screwed twice. yes, I know you can Alt-drag the dialog box, but the average newbie Ubuntu user doesn't know that.
So? I already acknowledged that Ubuntu might not support the hardware in your computer. This isn't unique to Linux. If Windows doesn't recognize your hardware, then it's not going to work right either. Your complaint shouldn't be, "Linux requires you to use the command line," but rather "Linux doesn't support all of my hardware."
Which... ok, that's a valid complaint. It's worth noting that it's largely the fault of manufacturers for failing to support Linux, but I know that's cold comfort if your computer isn't working.
On a side note, I really wish people wouldn't run around calling each other dumb-asses over things like this. It's completely unnecessary and counter-productive.
plenty of computers made five years ago that Windows 7 can't run on, will never run on. Is Microsoft spending tens of millions to make windows 7 work on those? nope. would latest Ubuntu run on 99.9999% of those? yup. So Ubuntu shouldn't spend tens of millions of dollars to make sure Ubuntu supports each and every piece of hardware made in the last x years. waste of resources and time and won't help adoption.
A dime has no processor or RAM. If you can get Ubuntu on it, then I'll buy ten for a dollar.
Linux persists because it's designed to be a desktop operating system. Windows is an adaptation of a standalone workstation operation system. All of the software is there in Linux, and it gets out of your way and has a community backing it up by writing professional software, maintaining hordes of stable device drivers, and taking responsibility to fix bugs instead of hiding them for as long as possible.
No offense intended to Windows users, but there's a reason companies pay developers to write open source software: It can pay to collaborate instead of fighting with everybody. Closed source can inspire great performance by individuals, but what makes a great OS is more than good ideas; it's good execution, support, and really boring work like driver development.
In addition, while I use Windows and tolerate it, I'm never going to fool myself into thinking that this software matches professional level stuff. OpenSSH beats the pants off Remote Desktop, Active Directory, CIFS, and Homegroup, no competition, it's not even funny. There simply is no competition once you get past the fiefdom model of development.
I will always have a Windows machine somewhere to keep my hand in. But I wouldn't want to drop it into an office. For all its flaws, Linux makes desktop computing fun, fast, and relatively reliable.
FTFY.
Really, when I read, "being there to issue updates in a timely manner," or "good interface design," the only reason I didn't laugh was because I felt like crying.
Of course, you could be trolling.
Have a nice time.
Face it Linux(and anyone associated)...you lost! There are no asterisks in this life. When you guys figure out how to make a product that works, or offers something that Microsoft doesn't, maybe you can try to come play. As it stands, no normal end user wants to type sudo cp /fuckin/linux/this/directory/structure/is/unnecessarily/long/and/deep/fuckfile.txt /i/forgot/the/annoying/directory/name/again/ .....or sudo vi /all/of/the/text/editors/suck/fuckfile.txt ....or ./configure -thisoptionisforversion431532.34.2341.4343oflinux
and see
.....
.....
.....
.....
....
.....
....
....
:error 41398731234871
craploads of unreadable output with no carriage returns
I can't copy and paste from the terminal window, so I'm sparing you guys.
cryptic error message somewhere
unnecessarilylongunreadbleusernamebecuaselinuxpeopleareagainstCamelCaps@linuxsucks.org:/you/are/royally/screwed/have/fun/using/google/to/find/cryptic/unreadable/docs
Supporting the resolution output of unknown displays shouldn't be such a big deal. I agree it that name-calling is irritating, but that is the typical Linux guru's response to new Linux users' complaints. (See the majority of responses to my post.)
Microsoft Security Essentials is free and it about as good a virus protection software gets.
And buy the puzzle game from the shelf and have it run.. all this talk is silliness. Add to that the very simple fact that the people who need this book most are the ones who won't ever have it marketed to them.
It may be true, but it won't ever be effectively communicated from this book.
My sister runs Ubuntu. She neither knows how to do either of those tasks nor ever has had to. She gets a good IP address at boot by DHCP from our router, just as she would if she were running Windows. As far as updating drivers, the only driver she has to worry about is the proprietary nVidia driver for her graphics card, and Ubuntu takes care of that for her whenever there's a kernel update. It Just Works.
Me, I prefer Fedora. I also an nVidia card, but with Fedora, I use kmod-nvidia (and the akmod as well) meaning that I never have to worry about updating drivers either. Nice try, but your FUD fell flat.
Good, inexpensive web hosting
Ubuntu needs to emphasize its stregnths to penetrate the desktop market. Here is a prime opportunity
http://spilledjava.blogspot.com/2010/03/ubuntu-opportunity-to-penetrate.html
Not to argue his point for him, (since I do not believe the command line has anything to do with it) but... There are plenty of people who wouldn't churn their own butter, even if it was easier, cheaper, and/or faster than buying it store-bought. I think your analogy is flawed; people really do expect alternate forms of controlling their o/s, be it mouse, voice, touchpad, or ddr dance pad. It's unwise to ignore those market forces.
If you can read this, I forgot to post anonymously.
Sorry... there is no such thing like a free meal... ... we had 100 pc replaced just to get the AV with conficker protection running... Now we are about to deploy the old pc's back with xubuntu
AV Programs are not cheap... not even the free ones...
Let me show it to you...
I work in a bank, we had a lot of pentium III with win2k, they were used to access an iSeries via tn5250.
None of these used nothing more than excell and tn5250 (A small worload), but we needed to upgrade them anyway because every release of the antivirus
required more and more cpu power, guess what...we stopped upgrading AV in order to get some work done !!! and then conficker came...
In short
and moving away from windows
I also have had problems with applications constantly breaking for stupid reasons which for as good as Ubuntu might be, they can't help.
I've seen helpful responses from the Linux community, and I've seen hateful and petty responses. Like most communities, its membership isn't uniform.
Supporting resolutions of unknown displays: I'm not an expert there and I don't know. I know I've had Windows limit resolution and refesh rate combinations based on the displays that I've had, so it's detecting something. If the manufacturer made it difficult for Linux to detect that whatever-it-is, then they might not want to go outside of a safe range for fear of damaging your monitor.
If at most a handful of major linux distros were on 90% of the worlds computers, we would still have a ecosystem of viruses, malware, scareware and phishing. Yes criminals will have a harder time of it, and we'd see vulernabilities patched much faster thanks to the way OSS works. But this would merely mean the bad guys would raise their game. Yep just the same arms race.
Harder time of it as in: "Please enter your admin password to see the dancing bunnies" rather than merely "click here" and your box is pwnzerd.
Windows 7 would *seem* secure due to the low gross number of incidents, in the same way that OSX does now (yet both seem to fall down equally at pwn2own style competitions).
Nevermind the unfixible meatspace vulnerabilities with *any* software.
Security is a war never won.
After logging in slashdot still does not take you back to the page you were on. It's been that way for 20 years.
The problem is that users don't know linux exists, don't know the advantages it offers and there is very little in the way of advertising out there to tell them.
Your mother doesn't want to worry about updating her system and each individual application she has installed...
She doesn't want to have to manually download and install apps, having a single place to acquire and update apps is great - people love the iphone.
If you want a machine pre setup, there's no reason one couldn't be preconfigured with a linux install capable of doing everything most people would want, while still offering significant advantages over windows and costing a lot less.
http://spamdecoy.net - free throwaway anonymous email - avoid spam!
The pot calling the kettle black. If MS became ubiquitous on PCs at a time when they were clearly UI inferior to what was available*, then Linux being able to do the same thing is if anything predictable. Besides that, it's not like using Microsoft software means getting away from some sort of text interface (the command line, creating scripts, or registry editing at times). Yes, it is almost certainly less common than on Linux, but it's not "100 years ago" uncommon.
*The Xerox Alto came out earlier. The Apple Lisa and Apple Macintosh both came out around the time of MS-DOS's growing popularity. Both failed to become ubiquitous, for the most part, on their significant cost compared to MS-DOS/IBM machines. Linux is cheaper than Windows. In short, MS-DOS (and MS Windows) didn't win because of a superior interface but because it was "good enough" while being significantly cheaper. So, it's silly to suggest that people shouldn't choose Linux when the same reasoning was previously used to choose MS-DOS and MS Windows.
Eurohacker European paranoia, gun rights, and h
Something bugged me about the cover...just seemed off. Then I recalled from my former days as a custodian at a bank:
Orange = quarters
Green = dimes
Blue = nickels
Red = pennies
I'm very interested in this topic because I've spent a fair amount of time getting together cheapo linux boxes for my lab classroom at a community college. (The school supplies 7 windows machines, and if that's all I had, then I'd often have four or even five students sharing one computer to make a graph.)
The first thing that surprises me is that he seems to be advocating doing this by buying parts and putting together a system. I can usually get a decent used PC for $120-150 from various sources (Good Will, swap meet, garage sales). Putting together a complete system from new parts for $200 seems to me like quite a feat. I feel better about the environmental aspects of reusing parts rather than buying all-new parts. Used hardware is where linux really shines compared to windows. Buying a used windows box is a losing proposition. You get all their crapware, all their misconfigurations, all their viruses, ...
What I would love to hear about is video. The slashdot review says he recommends using onboard video. Okay, so how do I go about finding a mobo with onboard video that doesn't require binary-blob drivers. E.g., the system I'm typing this on has a Gigabyte GA-M61P-S3 mobo, which has nVidia GeForce 6100 onboard. The binary blob driver from nvidia has worked fairly well for the last few years, but recently after upgrading to the latest (beta) of ubuntu it's started having problems. The solution I would love would be to get video (probably an external card) that is openly documented and well supported by open-source drivers. Nvidia doesn't do that; nv is old and unsupported, and nouveau is not yet ready for real-world use. AMD/ATI has a laudable attitude, but the impression I get is that the open-source community hasn't yet risen to the challenge of producing usable open-source drivers for a lot of newer ATI cards. Is Intel the best option? I just haven't ever encountered a low-cost mobo on the shelf at Fry's that had Intel onboard video. Is Intel not involved in the low-end consumer mobo market?
Find free books.
While researching Xenix I discovered some surprising history. MS initially sugested to IBM that they us Xenix as their OS, but IBM refused.
Then MS they suggested they get DRI to make their OS.
Finally, after that failed, MS bought the "shitty" OS and IBM apparently liked it.
The sysadmin to go with it.
Ubuntu is all well and good until you need something that is not covered by its package manager. It's all well and good until some piece of hardware only has limited support via some hack.
The problem with Linux is that even with all the advancements, it's still a fragmented platform that only works properly if you stay within it's narrow selection of hardware that is known to work.
BeauHD. Worst editor since kdawson.
"Open source accounting"... if only there was such an application, Linux would be closer to being relevant to small businesses...
I don't respond to AC's.
I tried running this "Ubuntu" on Windows once. I double clicked the installer but nothing happened. I can see why open source has so many problems when they can't even get an installer to work properly.
I really really want to see Ubuntu work for me and some of my friends who are tired of paying the MS tax. It's almost there.
But after trying to get my common 802.11n usb fob working, and then walking a non-IT friend through the process over the phone (different brand, same chipset), I really learned to appreciate the simplicity of plug-n-play in Windows. I mean, if you have to drop to the shell to compile drivers, fiddle with NDIS wrappers and wpa2 supplicants, enable/disable drivers, etc it's too much for your friend who works in construction and has better things to do with their time. I used to have the opinion that they "should" know how to do this stuff, but they don't and never will. And those are the people who we need to accommodate if displacing windows is the goal. I think the case can be made for Ubuntu reaching that goal eventually (it gets closer every year), but to throw one's hands up and wonder in astonishment why the world isn't already using ubuntu, look no further.
Plus, being honest, Microsoft Excel still kicks the tar out of google docs and open office equivalents unless the need is simple, so in the business environment I'm still struggling to see how I could make this happen (migrating the company to Google Apps/sites/email for instance).
You will need an Internet connection to begin with. That should add on $50. You can basically buy a new computer for $200 at Walmart with Windows 7 on it. It'll play 3D games, DVD's, and word process. Why the hell do we keep pussy footing around with :
Here's the new distribution of Bob. You'll have to enable DVD support by adding the necessary repositories.
Codecs need to have this respository. Alt+F2 and paste this line from the mediabuntu website.
apt-get this, apt-get that. Oh use Ubuntu Mint if you want all this already installed.
Sorry about the ads and begging money but you know how it is.
I think Astrumi Linux comes with propritary drivers. Ubuntu may have at one time. Get some balls distributions.
I tried running this "Ubuntu" on Windows once. I double clicked the installer but nothing happened.
You don't know how good you had it, actually. When I ran it on my Windows, it completely killed everything that was there - the cute Windows logo is no longer there when I turn it on - and now my computer asks me for a password! Who does he think he is??
you're needs are far more advanced than the typical user.
So Linux is for less advanced users and Windows is for more advanced users. Why does this sound like an inversion of the conventional wisdom?
[Apps not packaged for your distro] exist but are generally not common. Chances are the user has never heard of them or has need of them.
True, the big one that I use is ca65, a toolchain for cross-assembling NES and C64 programs.
software running in one of the various compatibility environments included in the repository
They IT guy takes care of that.
What home user has an IT guy? Or are you referring to services like Geek Squad? By "compatibility environments" I was referring to Wine and FCE Ultra. I didn't wan to say "various emulators" because Wine is not an emulator.
[Users of non-free software] are actually stuck; but, as it's commercial proprietary software, there's no source code available so they can't compile it anyway.
Windows makes an effort to preserve user-mode binary compatibility with previous releases so that end users don't need to recompile. In fact, it even detects defective apps like simcity.exe and tries to reproduce the undocumented behavior that they rely on.
The moral: Should someone have to be "far more advanced than the typical user" just to play a video game?
Generally, if it's popular it will have a package.
A lot of such programs have Fedora packages but no packages for Debian or Ubuntu, or vice versa.
You find online what is not only supported, but also rather nice for the price. You might then buy online
The problem with buying computer hardware online is the cost of shipping it back if you need to return it. And with manufacturers cutting costs by making silent changes to the chipset (e.g. from Atheros to Broadcom) within a model number, it is more likely than not that eventually you will need to return something.
or, if you really want to, go to local shop.
The problem with buying computer hardware in a local shop is that they likely do not carry the model you picked out when you browsed the HCL.
And anyways, there is something better than carrying some...print-outs, like you initially suggested, when wanting to simply choose from what is currently available at the shelves.
Mobile phones. I made one shopping of parts for a new machine like that. Opera Mini on any "feature phone" supporting j2me is more than good enough.
One that hath name thou can not otter
Mobile phones.
My $5 per month Virgin Mobile plan doesn't include data, and I'm not ready to upgrade to a $60 per month smartphone.
IYHTATYWU