Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Ubuntu 11.04 (Natty Narwhal) Makes a First Appearance

Posted by timothy on from the depends-what-you-want-to-produce dept.

srimadman writes "The Alpha 1 Release of Ubuntu 11.04, often known as 'Natty Narwhal,' is intended as a developer snapshot of the next major Ubuntu version, which is due in April." So, if you want to try Unity and Wayland before your neighbors do, this is the time.

179 comments

  1. Natty uses Wayland? by KugelKurt · · Score: 2

    I don't think so...

    1. Re:Natty uses Wayland? by SaidinUnleashed · · Score: 5, Informative

      As an option, yes, but not as the default X server. You can expect it to be really buggy right now, though.

      --
      Shiny. Let's be bad guys.
    2. Re:Natty uses Wayland? by saigon_from_europe · · Score: 1

      As an option, yes, but not as the default X server. You can expect it to be really buggy right now, though.

      My understanding is that main point of Wayland is not to be a X server.

      --
      No sig today.
    3. Re:Natty uses Wayland? by walshy007 · · Score: 3, Informative

      The main point is that even if you run wayland, you will still have to run X on top of it.

      Wayland has no drawing api, and it's scope is extremely limited compared to x, x will still be needed on top of it for the forseeable future.

      I have no idea why there are all these stories that are implying wayland is more than what it is. It sasy specifically on the website that it is not a replacement for x and will need something like X to draw on it *sigh*

    4. Re:Natty uses Wayland? by Daengbo · · Score: 2

      The goal is to write a GTK+ backend for Wayland.

      --
      Put identity in the browser.
    5. Re:Natty uses Wayland? by walshy007 · · Score: 2, Insightful

      And they would be reimplementing large portions of X's job by doing so. So instead of a known common protocol that is consistent with a few implementation problems, you have a whole new untested drawing system that is GTK specific too... great.

    6. Re:Natty uses Wayland? by Daengbo · · Score: 2

      I wasn't defending it: you sounded like you didn't know.

      --
      Put identity in the browser.
    7. Re:Natty uses Wayland? by Kjella · · Score: 4, Informative

      And they would be reimplementing large portions of X's job by doing so. So instead of a known common protocol that is consistent with a few implementation problems, you have a whole new untested drawing system that is GTK specific too... great.

      Well it's not like DRI is untested, it's being used by drivers today to provide hardware acceleration for OpenGL. It's more that now everyone talks OpenGL rather than the X protocol. The upside is a greatly simplified display server, the hardware (or the software fallback) does all the rendering and compositing. This makes Linux work like a modern desktop same as OS X or Win7 with every application a hardware accelerated 3D client. The downside is that what works locally - send everything to the graphics card and let the hardware work it out - works terribly over the network as you go from an extremely wide pipe (PCIe x16 mostly) to whatever the network/internet speed is.

      To be honest I think remote applications need a simpler rendering protocol, it's just not realistic to have an application look the same across a 56k dial-up link as it does locally where a thousand shaders can process 1 GB of textures to render something. Either you go down the VNC route and display the output our you need a simplified protocol which is better covered by web applications or some more "real" remote application protocol. X is neither, from what I gather most rendering toolkits no longer use the X primitives because they're too primitive, so they render it and send it as pixmaps anyway.

      --
      Live today, because you never know what tomorrow brings
    8. Re:Natty uses Wayland? by KugelKurt · · Score: 1

      As an option, yes, but not as the default

      But mentioning it equally Unity in the sentence makes it sound as if Wayland was default in Natty which is ridiculous.

    9. Re:Natty uses Wayland? by node+3 · · Score: 2, Insightful

      After suffering X for years, then using a Unix that uses another windowing system while still allowing for X compatibility, all I can say is that this is a very good move on Canonical's part. At least in terms of their motivations. Execution is very important and remains to be seen.

      X11 is the single worst thing about Linux systems. They've got a great kernel, great filesystems, great command line shells, great non-GUI scripting tools, great non-GUI libraries all hobbled by an ancient windowing system and sometimes not completely awful window managers.

      When you keep things simple, X can be alright. It's kind of like DOS. If you don't get too fancy, it's simple and solid. It's great for some tasks, but not something that belongs on the desktop. If the term "this is the year of Linux on the desktop" is going to ever be said out of anything other than irony/sarcasm or delusion, some distro is going to have to replace X with something better.

    10. Re:Natty uses Wayland? by MichaelSmith · · Score: 1

      To be honest I think remote applications need a simpler rendering protocol, it's just not realistic to have an application look the same across a 56k dial-up link as it does locally where a thousand shaders can process 1 GB of textures to render something. Either you go down the VNC route and display the output our you need a simplified protocol which is better covered by web applications or some more "real" remote application protocol. X is neither, from what I gather most rendering toolkits no longer use the X primitives because they're too primitive, so they render it and send it as pixmaps anyway.

      Pretty small niche don't you think? Few people use a 56K link these days and those who do know exactly what to put down the line. Its hardly relevant to a debate about the latest Ubuntu.

      --
      http://michaelsmith.id.au
    11. Re:Natty uses Wayland? by walshy007 · · Score: 3, Insightful

      The known protocol is decades old, the people that originally wrote them is retired or dead or too old to work hard on it full time like a 20-30something.

      FTP is decades old, and the original spec developers are likely reaching retiring age, same with tcp/ip v4, so should we drop all of that too? this argument is silly.

      2)This code is so complex, and very very difficult to maintain.

      With a project of this size and with this much use, there is constant adaptation going on to new circumstances (3d graphics cards etc) after the new functionality is stable it all tends to get cleaned up. X of today is not the X of 20 years ago, maintainers aren't masochists they do do cleanups etc.

      3)The X system is not designed for current desktops, 3d graphic cards, low latency and personal computers, it is designed for mainframes, corporate, boring stuff, making Linux obsolete compared to MacOSX, iOS, or Windows 7 that redesigned their graphic systems.

      Bullshit, the fundamentals of drawing have not changed at all, whether 3d acceleration is used for rendering or not is an implementation detail not a flaw with the protocol itself. If you can explain how the fundamentals of drawing things to a screen are different for professional use as opposed to home use, I'd like to hear it.

      Again by your logic everything should be reimplemented every five years just because even if it works perfectly reinventing it would make it 'more awesome' this is idiotic.

    12. Re:Natty uses Wayland? by danieltdp · · Score: 1

      FTP should be dropped, for sure. Your username and password goes clean and unprotected throught the tubes

      --
      -- dnl
    13. Re:Natty uses Wayland? by Just+Some+Guy · · Score: 4, Insightful

      FTP is decades old, and the original spec developers are likely reaching retiring age, same with tcp/ip v4, so should we drop all of that too?

      You could not have picked worse examples to prove your point.

      --
      Dewey, what part of this looks like authorities should be involved?
    14. Re:Natty uses Wayland? by canistel · · Score: 1

      I don't know what windows does, but there is nothing close to "remote desktop" in the linux world. It simply is that good, and I'm a linux guy. They are somehow able to make a hardware accelerated desktop, and also provide a very snappy remote view into it which works very well over a tiny net connection. VNC (and even nxclient) are not in the same class... so that understanding that somehow the current X implementation is needed to provide a remote view of some sort is simply not true. Windows does it, and does it extremely well.

    15. Re:Natty uses Wayland? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Hehe, I thought the exact same thing, except I came to the conclusion that Telnet would have been an even worse example.

    16. Re:Natty uses Wayland? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I have no idea why there are all these stories that are implying wayland is more than what it is.

      because what it is right now is not what it will be. do not expect x to be around forever in ubuntu. you could probably run it as an option but eventually that will be your only option. wayland will get the developement it needs because ubuntu is heading in a direction xorg and gnome shell cant/wont. i look forward to this move.

  2. Whats new? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Have they probably fixed the close / minimize / restore position f*up? I mean I could not have marketed a OS to my granny if such a fundamentals keep changing, I know that one can set them back to top right, but this requires knowhow to do that.

    1. Re:Whats new? by Bert64 · · Score: 1

      You mean the same fundamental way in which windows moved the close button to the top right with 95?

      By your reckoning, you should just use a mac since macos has always kept the close button in the top left.

      --
      http://spamdecoy.net - free throwaway anonymous email - avoid spam!
    2. Re:Whats new? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Or the way Windows 7 'hid' the "Show Desktop" button all the way to the right of the clock without any form of icon. It took me DAYS to find that when I installed it for the first time. I see no reason for ANY of these changes - if it aint broke, don't fix it!

    3. Re:Whats new? by Known+Nutter · · Score: 1

      Maybe Granny wasn't a grandmother in 1995... did you consider that, you insensitive clod?

      --
      Beware of the Leopard.
    4. Re:Whats new? by similar_name · · Score: 1

      You mean the same fundamental way in which windows moved the close button to the top right with 95?

      They didn't move the close button they added it.

    5. Re:Whats new? by couchslug · · Score: 1

      Ubuntu isn't for your granny. It's an alternative OS for "practical power users" like most other distros.

      --
      "This post is an artistic work of fiction and falsehood. Only a fool would take anything posted here as fact."
    6. Re:Whats new? by kevinmenzel · · Score: 1

      Bottom right - a) So you can hover over it quickly and easily, b) so you can click it easier with your finger in a touch screen/convertible tablet situation

    7. Re:Whats new? by node+3 · · Score: 1

      Have they probably fixed the close / minimize / restore position f*up? I mean I could not have marketed a OS to my granny if such a fundamentals keep changing, I know that one can set them back to top right, but this requires knowhow to do that.

      Ubuntu isn't marketed at your granny. I doubt anyone who is bitching about this is really concerned about that. More likely they just don't like such a minimal-but-noticable change and don't want to admit (either publicly or to themselves) that they are just as prone to an ingrained, but entirely subjective, sense of feel in a UI, especially over something so trivial. It also belies the credo of "Linux is completely configurable", because like you said, it is easy to alter, but it's just the default that offends some people.

      The idea that the average person (or even "average granny") is going to see the buttons missing on the right, but then see the exact same buttons on the left and somehow not make the connection is laughable. Millions of people go from Windows to Macs every year and haven't become nearly as confused by this as a handful of vocal Linux geeks seem to be, and on Macs the buttons actually do look different, are in a different order, and one of them even acts notably different!

    8. Re:Whats new? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I disagree, Ubuntu is about the best choice for granny! Easy to use and once set up properly, hard to break.

    9. Re:Whats new? by ruemere · · Score: 1

      Why leave Quick Launch on the left then? Both Show Desktop and Quick Launch are essential for management of applications cluttering desktop... and now I need to jump left-right-left-right to find stuff. It's like the ribbon interface - good premise, terrible execution.

      Regards,
      Ruemere

    10. Re:Whats new? by F.Ultra · · Score: 1

      I actually think they are better in the left corner as they are in Ubuntu now. Especially with a large widescreen screen it previously took some mouse miles to move over to the buttons.

    11. Re:Whats new? by samoanbiscuit · · Score: 1

      Quick Launch? What are you talking about? You have used Windows 7 haven't you?

    12. Re:Whats new? by IronSight · · Score: 1

      From my experiance, granny's and grandpa's like linux in general (my in-laws) since I'm not having to wipe their machines every 2 weeks from virus infections or worms or malwares. With linux they really don't have to be as careful when loading up websites or installing software (they know how to use synaptic) so now they can trust that they can really use their computer to the full potential of their needs. They can put their family photos on the hard drive, backup the family movies (rip the dvd's the camcorder makes), and not worry if it will all be lost in a couple weeks to 3 months. They can use ubuntu cloud service to backup these things aswell or dropbox since it is integrated. I mean, these people might be a little more open minded after suffering from windows viruses and such for so long and dealing with the fallout several times. But it's reasurring to know that I am not getting called every couple weeks or couple months to fix things. And they act rather content. So all is well.

    13. Re:Whats new? by node+3 · · Score: 1

      "From my experiance, granny's and grandpa's like linux in general (my in-laws) since I'm..." managing the computer for them.

    14. Re:Whats new? by IronSight · · Score: 1

      I wouldn't call it managing, since all I did was install linux (ubuntu and pclinuxos) on a couple of their machines, teach them basic use (installing software, updating, general use) and they then flew with it. I haven't had to give them support now minus a couple questions within the first month for about 2 years. They feel confident enough to do their own maintenance like updates or trying out new software. Far from managing their computers. Every so often I might use their desktop or laptop at their place while we are visiting to show them a new website or funny video on youtube, and the machines are always up to date and working flawlessly. They tell me of a problem they had with an update once that they googled and found the answer on the ubuntu forums, they opened their terminal and did a couple commands and it worked. People need to stop thinking that older people are all morons with computers.

    15. Re:Whats new? by node+3 · · Score: 1

      People need to stop thinking that older people are all morons with computers.

      I don't recall anyone making this claim.

      As for your specific example, I don't see how some reasonably competent grandparents refutes the notion that Linux isn't a good choice for "granny". Some grannies, sure. But "granny" in general? Hell no.

    16. Re:Whats new? by spitzak · · Score: 1

      Before Windows95 the top-left button, if double-clicked, closed the window. Clicking it once popped up a menu of window actions. Almost everybody called that the "close button" because that was the only useful thing to do with it.

    17. Re:Whats new? by similar_name · · Score: 1

      Before Windows95 the top-left button, if double-clicked, closed the window.

      And it's still there in Windows XP, and Vista and 7 as far as I know. The 'x' close button was added to the top right with Windows 95. Nothing was moved unless you count the min and max buttons moving over a little to accommodate the close button.

    18. Re:Whats new? by spitzak · · Score: 1

      Don't have it to try here, but that does seem likely. I was completely unaware that it still was anything other than an icon in Windows95. They may have removed the popup menu but preserved the double click?

      I do however agree with others that Windows made a GUI change of as much significance as Ubuntu.

    19. Re:Whats new? by ruemere · · Score: 1

      My mistake. Taskbar, obviously. I'm sorry to admit that I am not that well versed in Windows 7 terminology yet... I keep using Windows Xp terms :)

      Regards,
      Ruemere

    20. Re:Whats new? by similar_name · · Score: 1

      It still has the popup and everything. Nothing about the top left box changed except it looks like a tiny icon versus a minus sign. While I agree that Windows has made some GUI changes, changing the position of the buttons in the title bar fights 20 years of my muscle memory.

      I really hate it because I'm always trying to sell Ubuntu to family and friends. Moving something so used for no reason is very frustrating.

    21. Re:Whats new? by samoanbiscuit · · Score: 1

      I suppose that the new taskbar is supposed to reduce clutter when lots of applications are open. I think it's better but YMMV I suppose, old productive habits die a slow and painful death when OS-switching...

    22. Re:Whats new? by ruemere · · Score: 1

      Precisely. Besides, I like my desktops to be quiet, peaceful, snappy - calming colors/graphics, zero animations, important elements grouped thematically together and available via a single click or key combination.

      Regards,
      Ruemere

  3. Ah man... by Mindcontrolled · · Score: 4, Funny

    I so hoped they would go with the suggestion from the guy over at LinuxHaters blog: Ubuntu 11 - "Naughty Nutgoblin". Seriously, who comes up with those naming schemes?

    --
    Ubi solitudinem faciunt, pacem appellant.
    1. Re:Ah man... by cyocum · · Score: 1

      I think a better name would have been "Naughty Nobgoblin".

    2. Re:Ah man... by David+Gerard · · Score: 2

      I can't see them ever beating 8.04 "Hairy Hardon."

      --
      http://rocknerd.co.uk
    3. Re:Ah man... by magarity · · Score: 1

      After Z they can go Swedish for one more: Aaron Aandersen, but after that, I have no idea.

    4. Re:Ah man... by Mindcontrolled · · Score: 1

      Aaron Aardvark - to keep in the animal spirit here... For Bb, I am lost, too.

      --
      Ubi solitudinem faciunt, pacem appellant.
    5. Re:Ah man... by Nerdfest · · Score: 3, Informative

      They actually take suggestions

    6. Re:Ah man... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Surely you meant "Haughty Hobgoblin"? Or did I misunderstand you? You really wanted to be a Naughty Notgotit?

    7. Re:Ah man... by tao · · Score: 3, Informative

      First of all, Aron isn't spell with double-A in Swedish, second of all Andersen is a Norwegian/Danish name (the Swedish counterpart would be Anderson) and again, not spelled with double-A. Oh, and you've gotta let your imagination run -- remember, there's (almost) the whole Unicode space to choose from :) Of course, as far as English goes, Z is the end (Zonky Zebra?). But there's more to poetry than just alliteration. Maybe some neat haiku-based code names? :P

    8. Re:Ah man... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Naughty Nutgobbler?

    9. Re:Ah man... by Nimatek · · Score: 2, Funny

      I was hoping for Nocturnal Neckbeard.

    10. Re:Ah man... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

      +1 for 15.10 Wanking Walrus

    11. Re:Ah man... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You like Linux Hater? I never understood the humor. Just be a cynic, say how everything is bad, and say "fuck" a lot. I guess I'm just old fashioned and like it to actually be funny, but fuck that. Everything fucking sucks these days, especially fucking slashdot. No, it's not funny even if I do it. Oh well.

    12. Re:Ah man... by rawler · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Seriously, who comes up with those naming schemes?

      The guy who pays for it.

    13. Re:Ah man... by Cougar+Town · · Score: 2

      I was hoping for Naughty Nymph myself.

    14. Re:Ah man... by M.+Baranczak · · Score: 3, Funny

      After "Aa" we'd go to "Ab" (Aborted Abalone?). By the time we need to deal with "Bb", Hurd should be a viable competitor to Linux.

    15. Re:Ah man... by TeknoHog · · Score: 3, Funny

      13.04 Rolling Release?

      --
      Escher was the first MC and Giger invented the HR department.
    16. Re:Ah man... by Bacon+Bits · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Slashdot: We'll nit-pick the funny out of any joke.

      --
      The road to tyranny has always been paved with claims of necessity.
    17. Re:Ah man... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "Knob-globlin"

      Look up "knob".

    18. Re:Ah man... by gad_zuki! · · Score: 1

      Haha, the linux hater's blog is pretty funny. To be fair most of his complaints are pretty valid, he holds mainstream linux distros up to the same standard as Windows and applies the same "annoyances" mentality to it. Its good to see the shoe on the other foot for reference.

    19. Re:Ah man... by Mindcontrolled · · Score: 1

      His last posts have been a bit weak, though. I still like it - good place to go if you want to read a good amusing and largely fact-based rant.

      --
      Ubi solitudinem faciunt, pacem appellant.
    20. Re:Ah man... by kirbysuperstar · · Score: 1

      Hurd should be a viable competitor to Linux.

      Heheh, good one.

    21. Re:Ah man... by Tumbleweed · · Score: 1

      After "Aa" we'd go to "Ab" (Aborted Abalone?). By the time we need to deal with "Bb", Hurd should be a viable competitor to Linux.

      So you're saying there will never be an Ubuntu starting with "Bb"?

      I suspect the opposite - longer after the Hurd is dropped due to disinterest, Ubuntu will still be churning out new versions.

    22. Re:Ah man... by dHagger · · Score: 1

      After Z we can go Swedish, as suggested, since we have three more letters in our alphabet:
      Ålande Åsna (Crawling Donkey)
      Älskande Älg (Loving Moose)
      Överraskad Örn (Surprised Eagle)

    23. Re:Ah man... by sootman · · Score: 1

      I they wanted to ship a few more copies they should have gone with my choice, 'Naughty Nympho.'

      --
      Dear Slashdot: next time you want to mess with the site, add a rich-text editor for comments.
    24. Re:Ah man... by electrosoccertux · · Score: 2

      I was hoping for Nocturnal Neckbeard.

      how dare you defame Stallman's beard.

    25. Re:Ah man... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I like Transsexual Troll for 14.04

    26. Re:Ah man... by MrMarkie · · Score: 1

      I would love the Överaskad Örn release. Best name ever.

      --
      /M
    27. Re:Ah man... by MonsterTrimble · · Score: 1

      Meh, after this it should be 'Onyx Otter'

      --
      I call it 'The Aristocrats'
    28. Re:Ah man... by eyore15 · · Score: 1

      Richard Stallworth selects the names

    29. Re:Ah man... by jace_d · · Score: 1

      How about "Object Oriented Orangutan".... or "Ominous Octopus" ?

  4. Like mine now by newmoov · · Score: 1

    I'm pretty happy with my current version.

  5. Don't bother... by The+MAZZTer · · Score: 4, Informative

    Installer crashes and burns, at least when run under VirtualBox, it complains one of the packages is malformed and then crashes.

    Not sure if the installed OS is runnable after this, it might be but I didn't want to mess around with it, I'll wait for Alpha 2.

    1. Re:Don't bother... by IronSight · · Score: 2

      Doing an upgrade at this moment from 10.10 with the upgrade-manager -d option... hopefully it will be a little better. Did you check the bug site to see if your bug was on that list? It would help the dev team a lot for you to report it.

    2. Re:Don't bother... by Kilrah_il · · Score: 1

      Not sure if the installed OS is runnable after this, it might be but I didn't want to mess around with it, I'll wait for Alpha 2.

      And you call yourself a geek... You should be ashamed of yourself. Real geeks try out Alpha 1 versions on their main machines!
      Chicken!

      --
      Whenever in an argument, remember this.
    3. Re:Don't bother... by drinkypoo · · Score: 2

      Actually, I'd try it out on my main machine on a flash drive. I have a tolerably speedy 16GB OCZ Diesel2. If I thought there was any point, that is. I wait for the beta, IMO alphas are for people who want to actually write code. I mean, run what you want, but no thanks. (I've been known to do packaging and such but I'm no programmer)

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
    4. Re:Don't bother... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Installer crashes and burns, at least when run under VirtualBox, it complains one of the packages is malformed and then crashes.

      Not sure if the installed OS is runnable after this, it might be but I didn't want to mess around with it, I'll wait for Alpha 2.

      Pssttt.. Just run it live, thats all you need to do, Never Vm. Its just a 'beta'. Keep it simple..

    5. Re:Don't bother... by IronSight · · Score: 2

      The upgrade process was pretty flawless so far... Though I notice that google chrome doesn't play well with their unity setup (dual window controls and the top menu only closes it). The ubuntu button now opens a nautilus folder and all your apps are just crammed in there. No sorting. Something they might want to work on. Performance isn't too bad on my gaming laptop (nvidia gtx 260m 1gb dedicated, 4 gigs of ram, 2.1 ghz core2duo). Missing my favorite keyboard shortcut (alt+f2). This is going to take some getting used to. It's a little more "macish" than I am used to.

    6. Re:Don't bother... by PhrstBrn · · Score: 2

      The same problem exists with Chrome on Ubuntu 10.10 with Unity. If you turn off the borderless option in chrome, it works as a workaround for the double window controls. The setting is in the chrome options on the first or 2nd page, I don't have it open right now. It's no longer "borderless" but the extra window controls are gone.

    7. Re:Don't bother... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Actually, it's pre-beta. That's kind of the definition of an alpha.

    8. Re:Don't bother... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Worked fine for me. However, I used the network installer (mini.iso) and VMware.

      The network installers are the best way to go if you have more than one machine running Linux on your network. Use something like apt-cacher-ng to cache all the packages on your server then install all the others from that. This saves network bandwidth while at the same time letting you install the latest packages instead of some "alpha" snapshot.

    9. Re:Don't bother... by IronSight · · Score: 1

      That helped much, thanks. ^_^

    10. Re:Don't bother... by multisync · · Score: 1

      Installer crashes and burns, at least when run under VirtualBox

      I just completed a successful install of the x86 image in Virtualbox. I updated to version 3.2.12 r68302 first, so give that a try.

      --
      I don't care why you're posting AC
    11. Re:Don't bother... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      As another anecdotal evidence the install disc i used worked flawlessly under virtualbox.
      The install then works, but you'll need to install the vbox modules to test Unity.

      iso: natty-desktop-i386.iso
      vbox: 3.2.8_OSEr64453
      host: ubuntu 10.10 x86

    12. Re:Don't bother... by rrohbeck · · Score: 1

      You're not supposed to run it in a VM - be a man and do a real install.

      --
      thegodmovie.com - watch it
  6. Wayland? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Wayland will not join the Ubuntu party before at least 2012.

  7. I'm sorry by knightsbore · · Score: 5, Interesting

    But at least in the current setup unity is garbage. They say it was initially designed for netbooks,yet the ui is really laggy on a low end processor and the menu bar takes up around 10% of the left side, on a machine with an already small real estate. Gnome however runs smoothly and takes up almost no real estate. They also chose for some reason to make the settings and properties menus completely disappear. This is linux, not iOS! Oh and this is typed from an eee pc with ubuntu 10.10 on it, with unity, but currently using gnome.

    1. Re:I'm sorry by IronSight · · Score: 1

      Weird! Maybe the "netbook edition" will have a lighter version of unity. If they do what they have done in the past (unstable initial release) and it isn't running well on netbooks, they could anger quite a few people (again?). This is still alpha 1 though, it's hard to say at this time what the final rc will look like, so I guess I should keep my comments to myself.

    2. Re:I'm sorry by TheLink · · Score: 1, Insightful

      Every now and then when I look at what they are up to I wonder whether they are seriously trying to achieve "Desktop Linux" or are actually sabotaging it.

      --
    3. Re:I'm sorry by M.+Baranczak · · Score: 1

      It's the first alpha release. What did you expect?

    4. Re:I'm sorry by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      How did you get it installed? Just bought 3 eee-pc netbooks for the kids for Christmas. Came with XP. Tried to install from USB the Ubuntu 10.10 Desktop edition. Seems like the installer doesn't support USB 3.0 (and it seems like that is the kind of USB they have). Know any tricks?

    5. Re:I'm sorry by Bert64 · · Score: 1

      It makes sense to take up space at the sides since wide aspect screens are becoming increasingly common...
      By contrast, the way windows 7 has a thicker bar at the bottom and thicker window borders/titles just seems totally ridiculous with the current trends towards widescreen.

      --
      http://spamdecoy.net - free throwaway anonymous email - avoid spam!
    6. Re:I'm sorry by smi.james.th · · Score: 0

      This is modded "Insightful"?

      Come on, Mods. And commenters for that matter. As has been said, this is an Alpha 1 release, as a preview for developers, not desktop users.

      --
      One thing I know, and that is that I am ignorant...
    7. Re:I'm sorry by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I laid down Linux Mint on mine yesterday -- then spent 8 hours tweaking the thing to drive to save the hard drive Load_Cycle_Count (same problem with Ubuntu, and likely all distros). The disk has a very aggressive power saving modes, and the heads are constantly parked / unparked about 10 times a minute.

      Unless you just want to kill a weekend tweaking linux to not destroy your hardware: just stick with XP.

    8. Re:I'm sorry by Nimey · · Score: 1

      I noticed the same slowness problems with the previous netbook interface.

      --
      Hail Eris, full of mischief...

      E pluribus sanguinem
    9. Re:I'm sorry by Rockoon · · Score: 1

      Unlock the taskbar, then drag it to the side you want.

      --
      "His name was James Damore."
    10. Re:I'm sorry by PhrstBrn · · Score: 1

      I like the taskbar on the side. Netbooks are all widescreen nowadays, and vertical real estate is more important to me than horizontal on a widescreen monitor. Either I lose 40 of 1366 pixels, or 40 of 786 pixels... 3% vs 5% of my screen real estate. Big difference.

    11. Re:I'm sorry by TheLink · · Score: 2

      I mentioned "every now and then" - so not talking about the bugs, or specifically this particular alpha release. I'm talking about the direction/design/"dream". They keep moving widgets around for not good enough reasons.

      And some time ago, when I looked at 9.10 apparently there was no built-in GUI unified sound mixer: http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/10964/how-to-fix-sound-issues-in-ubuntu-9.10/

      That's very far from "Steve Jobs insanely great" right? In fact that situation is TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE for a desktop OS. How many years of Ubuntu till 9.10 came out?

      Yes the CLI alsamixer is bundled by default in the desktop 9.10 distro, but we're talking _desktop_ OS right? So you can end up with a situation where the mixer is somehow set to zero, you try the default sound volume control via the GUI and it doesn't help - the volume levels are way too low. Turns out you need to run alsamixer and push up the main mixer volume etc. IIRC 10.04 wasn't that great with sound either. Anyone have good news to report for 10.10? Sound "finally works"?

      Fact is, stuff like "sound working" should be pretty basic for a "Desktop OS". I don't even recall people having the degree of stupid problems with sound on the Amiga or classic Mac or IIGS or ST. And XP certainly works better than Ubuntu in this area.

      Then there's the clipboard: http://art.ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1571237

      When you copy stuff to a clipboard, it should not vanish just because the original does. Otherwise it is NOT a clipboard. If the current batch of Desktop Linux designers do not think a working clipboard is a core feature for a Desktop GUI then they're sabotaging Desktop Linux as I said.

      Lastly, how many of you use their GUIs to run a browser, and "screen" for window management for other stuff. How good really is your GUI if it can't do much better than screen in task management of many tasks? How old is screen.

      I do use Ubuntu Linux, but as CLI machines/servers. Works well for that.

      But anyone impressed by Ubuntu as a "Desktop Linux", has pretty low standards.

      --
    12. Re:I'm sorry by dominux · · Score: 1

      Those may be fair points to make about the Unity in 10.10, however the Unity in 11.04 which is the release this article is about is totally different on a technical level as it is based on Compiz and takes much better advantage of hardware graphics acceleration. There may well be valid criticism to make of Unity in 11.04, but lets make it informed criticism about the relevant version for the article.

    13. Re:I'm sorry by Cruciform · · Score: 1

      I use a 1200x1900 vertical layout and the inability to move the Unity bar makes it unappealing to me.
      I'll be sticking to a combo of Cardapio and Docky until something better comes along.

    14. Re:I'm sorry by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Amen to just about everything you said.

      The staff at Ubuntu have their heads very firmly lodged in an alternate reality...and this is the most popular distro out there...no wonder Linux desktop adoption is so poor. The sound debacle is just ludicrous and that's just the tip of the iceberg...

    15. Re:I'm sorry by F.Ultra · · Score: 1

      >When you copy stuff to a clipboard, it should not vanish just because the original does. Otherwise it is NOT a clipboard. If the current batch of Desktop Linux designers do not think a working clipboard is a core feature for a Desktop GUI then they're sabotaging Desktop Linux as I said. The clipboard does not vanish when the source is closed. This is only true for the "click middlebutton on mouse to paste text that is highlighted in another application", which when you think about it is quite logic. Right click and copy will remain when you close the source just in every other os.

    16. Re:I'm sorry by F.Ultra · · Score: 1

      >When you copy stuff to a clipboard, it should not vanish just because the original does. Otherwise it is NOT a clipboard. If the current batch of Desktop Linux designers do not think a working clipboard is a core feature for a Desktop GUI then they're sabotaging Desktop Linux as I said.

      The clipboard does not vanish when the source is closed. This is only true for the "click middlebutton on mouse to paste text that is highlighted in another application", which when you think about it is quite logic. Right click and copy will remain when you close the source just in every other os.

    17. Re:I'm sorry by Fallingcow · · Score: 2

      One of those releases--I think it was 9.4--was like stepping in to a time machine, as far as sound was concerned. They switched to the PulseAudio sound system for reasons that I still don't understand, which it turns out was developed only to late alpha levels at best.

      That release gave me more trouble with sound than I've seen since back when you had to have OSS compatibility installed because not everything had switched over to ALSA yet. Sound was a thing that was "just working" in Ubuntu and most other Distros, and they broke it for no damn reason.

    18. Re:I'm sorry by Anzhr · · Score: 1

      Yes, it's terrible. What I've found works best in terms of windows finding their right size on my Eee is Fluxbox. But I'm getting rid of the Ubuntu install as with all of my other computers and using either Debian, Linux Mint Debian Edition, or Crunchbang.

    19. Re:I'm sorry by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      How does that help with the ridiculously oversized titlebars?

    20. Re:I'm sorry by eugene+ts+wong · · Score: 1

      I use Kubuntu 10.04, and I agree with everything that you said.

      I'm shocked that I can't install recording software, and simply record my trumpet playing. I am also shocked that the clipboard doesn't retain information, after closing an application. I never get used to it.

      --
      testing out my trending skills
    21. Re:I'm sorry by Rockoon · · Score: 1

      They arent oversized here. Perhaps you've deliberately fucked up your DPI settings.

      --
      "His name was James Damore."
    22. Re:I'm sorry by spitzak · · Score: 1

      This is incorrect. Both the clipboard and the selection use the same mechanism. A program says it "owns" it and then when somebody does a paste a request is done to that program to retrieve the data. This is why the data is not there if the program exits, as it is no longer there to return the data.

      The fix for X is to have a daemon running that retrieves the data just before the program exits. However the desktops should be providing this program.

      Interestingly Windows has the exact same problem. However there are two clipboard mechanisms, one which matches X and has this same bug, and another where the data is actually copied to the clipboard. It appears the majority of programs on Windows use the copy method. They also call the return-the-data api on program exit from the system, rather than relying on a daemon program. You can replicate the X problem if you "copy" in some programs and then get them to crash.

      Wayland/etc could fix this by ditching legacy stuff. It can reliably ask the program before exiting to return the data like Windows does. And no reason for two apis like Windows.

    23. Re:I'm sorry by F.Ultra · · Score: 1

      Rather strange that one method works for me after I closed the source while the select method doesn't if they now use the same mechanism!

    24. Re:I'm sorry by spitzak · · Score: 1

      Likely because the daemon program is running, but only watching the clipboard and not the selection. I think this is a mistake. I think the excuse is that the text is no longer selected when the program exits, but often just clicking makes it no longer selected but the middle-mouse still pastes.

    25. Re:I'm sorry by judeancodersfront · · Score: 1

      That's why I require fasttask when using Windows 7 http://www.crdware.com/fasttask

      I hate having the taskbar on the bottom when there is so much widescreen that can be used. When you work with a dozen extra long file names it gets really annoying.

  8. ubuntu.com link, with known issues by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Informative

    http://www.ubuntu.com/testing/natty/alpha1

  9. Meh. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I'll wait for 11.11 (Naughty Nurse)

    1. Re:Meh. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      11.11 would be Overweight Obstetrician

  10. I'll wait by assertation · · Score: 1

    Ugh, I'm still trying to fix my broken DVD playback from upgrading to 10.10 last week.

    This alpha does sound fascinating. Will this be an Ubuntu without X-windows sitting under a GNOME? An Updated GNOME?

    1. Re:I'll wait by IronSight · · Score: 2

      Did you try vlc? I have tested dvd's in mplayer, vlc and "movie player" which I think is totem, and all seem to work (10.10 x86_64). Though I used to ultimate edition dvd from distrowatch that came preloaded with all codecs and such pre-installed. Though I think VLC does not need any additional codecs installed. Good luck.

    2. Re:I'll wait by assertation · · Score: 1

      Yes and I was surprised that VLC worked fine for DVDs, post upgrading to 10.10, would not play. It has made the extended search for a solution to the broken totem more comfortable.

      I've been on ubuntuforums, the ubuntu IRC channel on freedone, the ubuntu-users email list, launchpad, comp.os.linux.misc, alt.os.linux.ubuntu and linuxquestions.org

      People in all of those places have been very helpful. They have given me suggestions which I have done. The only suggestion that turned up paydirt was installing VLC.

      Whatever the upgrade did to Totem, it is an obscure problem nobody is noticing

    3. Re:I'll wait by couchslug · · Score: 1

      "Ugh, I'm still trying to fix my broken DVD playback from upgrading to 10.10 last week."

      That's why I either test upgrades in a VM or an expendable machine. "New" /= "upgrade".

      --
      "This post is an artistic work of fiction and falsehood. Only a fool would take anything posted here as fact."
    4. Re:I'll wait by antdude · · Score: 1

      This is why I don't upgrade major OS'. Upgrades CAN break stuff. :(

      --
      Ant(Dude) @ Quality Foraged Links (AQFL.net) & The Ant Farm (antfarm.ma.cx / antfarm.home.dhs.org).
  11. Why .04? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Can someone explain to me why Ubuntu uses .04 instead of .0 for the first release of a new major version?

    1. Re:Why .04? by tolan-b · · Score: 4, Informative

      The release numbers are "year.month".

    2. Re:Why .04? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      It represents the month of April, when it will be released.

    3. Re:Why .04? by roalt · · Score: 1
      ...or the release numbers are:

      % date +%y%d

  12. TFA is pathetic... by jginspace · · Score: 1

    In addition to poxy written English and problem with summary pointed out above, I get to this, third paragraph:

    four more alpha releases of Ubuntu 11.04 are planned for after this one, followed by a beta version due roughly a month before Natty Narwhal's scheduled official release on April 28.

    I then stopped reading.

  13. Link to Ubuntu's actual Alpha 1 page.. by Terrasque · · Score: 1, Informative

    Is it really that hard to include a link to Ubuntu's official Alpha 1 page, http://www.ubuntu.com/testing/maverick/alpha1 ?

    Oh wait, guess there's not enough annoying ads and popups on that page..

    --
    It's The Golden Rule: "He who has the gold makes the rules."
    1. Re:Link to Ubuntu's actual Alpha 1 page.. by Shimbo · · Score: 4, Informative

      Is it really that hard to include a link to Ubuntu's official Alpha 1 page, http://www.ubuntu.com/testing/maverick/alpha1 ?

      Yes, apparently. Natty Narwhal Alpha 1

    2. Re:Link to Ubuntu's actual Alpha 1 page.. by mfraz74 · · Score: 1

      The link you posted was for 10.10, try http://www.ubuntu.com/testing/natty/alpha1 instead.

    3. Re:Link to Ubuntu's actual Alpha 1 page.. by jginspace · · Score: 2

      Or this: http://distrowatch.com/?newsid=06383 or this: https://lists.ubuntu.com/archives/ubuntu-devel-announce/2010-December/000793.html

      From the www.ubuntu.com announcement:
      "Unity is now the default in the Ubuntu Desktop session. This is partially implement ..."
      "It support Quick lists on context menu ..."

      Not wanting to sound like a chauvinist, but I prefer my announcements written by native speakers.

    4. Re:Link to Ubuntu's actual Alpha 1 page.. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      That is the alpha of 10.10

      http://www.ubuntu.com/testing/natty/alpha1

      This is the alpha of 11.04

    5. Re:Link to Ubuntu's actual Alpha 1 page.. by Terrasque · · Score: 4, Funny

      Is it really that hard to include a link to Ubuntu's official Alpha 1 page, http://www.ubuntu.com/testing/maverick/alpha1 ?

      Yes, apparently. Natty Narwhal Alpha 1

      You make a compelling point there.

      Maybe I should become a /. editor, since I already seem to have the vital skills :D

      --
      It's The Golden Rule: "He who has the gold makes the rules."
    6. Re:Link to Ubuntu's actual Alpha 1 page.. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Redundant

      Your reply was well-written, but it did not include any links.

      You *would* make a good /. editor.

    7. Re:Link to Ubuntu's actual Alpha 1 page.. by mspohr · · Score: 1, Interesting

      Get over it. It's a multi-cultural, multi-language world and not everyone is a white male American native speaker. The grammar is not perfect but I can understand it perfectly. (BTW, you do sound like a chauvinist.)

      --
      I don't read your sig. Why are you reading mine?
    8. Re:Link to Ubuntu's actual Alpha 1 page.. by Shadow+of+Eternity · · Score: 1

      I don't think chauvinist is the word you want unless you're implying that women are not, by default, native english speakers...

      --
      A bullet may have your name on it but splash damage is addressed "To whom it may concern."
    9. Re:Link to Ubuntu's actual Alpha 1 page.. by coerciblegerm · · Score: 1

      Is it really that hard to include a link to Ubuntu's official Alpha 1 page, http://www.ubuntu.com/testing/maverick/alpha1 ?

      Oh wait, guess there's not enough annoying ads and popups on that page..

      Fail. That's the old Meercat alpha. I guess it was pretty hard, at least for you.

    10. Re:Link to Ubuntu's actual Alpha 1 page.. by coerciblegerm · · Score: 1

      I don't think chauvinist is the word you want unless you're implying that women are not, by default, native english speakers...

      Chauvanism can also refer to fanatical patriotism.

    11. Re:Link to Ubuntu's actual Alpha 1 page.. by coerciblegerm · · Score: 1

      Chauvanism can also refer to fanatical patriotism

      *Chauvinism, sorry.

    12. Re:Link to Ubuntu's actual Alpha 1 page.. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I'm not a native English speaker but I also get distracted and annoyed by incorrectly written English. It doesn't take much to correct such an announcement.

    13. Re:Link to Ubuntu's actual Alpha 1 page.. by jginspace · · Score: 1

      ... not everyone is a white male American native speaker.

      How ironic, considering that the properly-written alternative I suggested above is written by a 'Kate Stewart'.

    14. Re:Link to Ubuntu's actual Alpha 1 page.. by Shadow+of+Eternity · · Score: 1

      So it can, I guess that definition got handed off to Jingoism.

      --
      A bullet may have your name on it but splash damage is addressed "To whom it may concern."
    15. Re:Link to Ubuntu's actual Alpha 1 page.. by eriqk · · Score: 1

      How ironic, considering that the properly-written alternative I suggested above is written by a 'Kate Stewart'.

      But how do you know Kate Stewart isn't, in fact, Black and English?

  14. 3D games? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Can someone who tried it report how X-plane works under this new graphics stack?

  15. Unity by Garrett+Fox · · Score: 1

    I've got an eeePC netbook with WinXP, and am not impressed by this Unity interface being offered. The description of it looks like Ubuntu's trying to be as much like Apple as possible. "We made the desktop look like someone spilled colorful pills all over it and hid everything but your favorite "apps", which we want you to get from our walled garden. We put everything into a "Me Menu" which you probably can't even rename, and you can, like, totally use Twitter and Facebook because everybody who's anybody uses those."

    I might try the Aurora version if it ever actually comes out. Since I'd be investigating Ubuntu without a strong reason to do so, I'd need some hand-holding to avoid exhausting my patience. Haven't yet seen an edition that has a big default button saying "click here for a tutorial about where everything is and how to do stuff". And is there a way to dual-install in such a way that I don't need to wait an extra beat or use a menu when turning the computer on, to pick an OS?

    --
    Revive the Constitution.
    1. Re:Unity by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I'm currently using Fedora 13 KDE spin on my eeepc 900A (atom, 9" screen 1024x600) with netbook personality. Works a treat.

  16. Don't try play "expert" noob... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    http://yro.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=1888084&cid=34378092 metrix007: You're a troll that ran when he was confronted on his trolling there in that URL I just put up, because you weren't able to dispute and disprove what was posted and you were asked to. You talk a big game metrix007, but you can't even show anyone here that you've done more than those you called "ignorant and misinformed" in that URL above. You're a noob, and we all know it, just based on that URL above as well as your repeated insults (obvious or attempted subtle ones) and name calling of others that is shown in your posting history here this week alone, like this one also. Grow up, do something with your life, before you try to play "expert" with anyone here or elsewhere that have (which is what you tried above, and you ran, lol!). You're FAR from being able to judge others on technical expertise pal, above all else, just based on your trolling and running in the URL above I just posted.

  17. Could they fix 10.10 first? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Could the developers fix 10.10 first? Apt-get has been bellyaching about only being able to do partial updates for about two weeks now, apt-get gets stuck (and unless killed will keep 1 core running at 100% all day), and Synaptic insists that a CD be installed in the CD tray, even though the install was by USB. Put the USB stick in the CD tray??? It doesn't like USB sticks. They can be mounted, the entire ISO image can be there, mounted as files... Synaptic only has eyes for the CD tray. You can even mount the ISO from the USB stick as the /cdrom device (using mount -t iso9660 /dev/usb1/ubuntu10.10.iso /cdrom) and synaptic insists that you put something in the cd tray. And I've checked all of the entries in /etc/apt/sources.list, and nothing seems odd. Except it only likes partial upgrades.

  18. For the lazy by hoytak · · Score: 1

    My favorites for 11.10:

    Oatiest Ogre

    Orgasmic Okapi

    Organic Oyster

    Orthogonal Ocelot

    Osculating Octopus

    Ornery Otter

    Ogling Owl

    Obedient Orc

    Opulent Ogre

    And so on...

    --
    Does having a witty signature really indicate normality?
  19. Eh no, this is Ubuntu. Not linux by SmallFurryCreature · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Linux does not exist as an OS, what you are talking about here is a distro which uses Linux for its kernel that is making some choices.

    Are they the right choices? That is irrelevant. It is their choice. There are already plenty of Linux distro's including ones based on Ubuntu, that any choice you don't like, you can easily switch.

    Any choice is bad in somebodies eyes. I can make X work, so to replace it is to me unneeded because it only means I have to learn something new. But others can't make X do what they want, what ever that is. Are they wrong? No, it is a different choice.

    The software culture that is "Linux" thrives on anyone being able to take the existing code and packages and making his own product of it. This is its strength but it also means it will never have the finesse of an OSX or even a Windows. You can't have an open system AND thight control.

    Yes, I don't like the new Unity interface either. Or the plasma desktop of KDE. Both seem simply not to get that a desktop should be both flexible AND out of the way. Especially on the small screen of a netbook, the desktop as such should be to the edges. Unity tries this but KDE completly fails at this. That is party because there are TWO netbooks. The social one and the working machine. KDE Plasma Desktop goes the meego route and tries to make the desktop the application.

    Unity tries to give you max space for running regular apps and it does it remarkably well. BUT it takes the gnome style to extreme and removes ANY control over it from the user. You can't even add any applets. But people have used these to make their desktop give them information they feel is necessary. Unity is therefor NOT regonized for its excellent use of the small screen but for stopping you from using long established applets.

    The left dock is just horrible, but again its horridness comes less from the things it does right but from its complete failure to follow basic known dock designs that work. There are a dozen docks for linux. Why re-invent the wheel? Why the horrid icons, color choices and lack of clear division?

    Frankly, Ubuntu has a goal and its goal is going further and further away from hard core linux users. It remains to be seen if this is good enough to instead attract the newbies. But newbies can't be handed what is essentially beta code in constant development. You need a finished product. Ubuntu might simply not have the resources to target the market its want.

    But this is no problem. Other distro's exist. Just as Ubuntu arose on the ashes of Red Hat Desktop, another will arise to take over from Ubuntu. PCLinuxOS, Mint and others. Even perhaps some of the oldies, Mandrive or Suse or Fedora.

    --

    MMO Quests are like orgasms:

    You may solo them, I prefer them in a group.

    1. Re:Eh no, this is Ubuntu. Not linux by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Kill yourself, fanboy.

    2. Re:Eh no, this is Ubuntu. Not linux by Anzhr · · Score: 1

      I agree entirely. They are not advancing the Linux desktop, they are putting out an Ubuntu desktop.

  20. FFS can we let it go? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Ubuntu is a pile of crap. Just because it's 'Linux' doesn't make it good or even interesting.

    The headline s/be "Bastard Child of Debian and Shuttleworth gets more lipstick and another crufty makeover".

  21. Narwhals, Narwhals, Swimming in the Ocean... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Obligatory link to Narwhals...

  22. what about 2017.10? by Metrathon · · Score: 1

    What comes after "Zany Zebra?" Inquisitive minds demand to know.

    1. Re:what about 2017.10? by eriqk · · Score: 1

      After we're done with the Latin alphabet, we switch to Greek. After that, Hebrew.

  23. Ubuntu Quality Control is very bad by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Ubuntu OFTEN ships with a broken Network Manager (the Gnome thing ... whatever it is). You will toil and then finally throw up your hands and install WICD. Ubuntu QA is utterly useless ... once things are working it is a great distro ... but out of the box things may not work.

    x

  24. lame names by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    who creates those lame names for Ubuntu?

  25. Two words... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Tim. Othy.

  26. Clipboard in Linux by Compaqt · · Score: 1

    What are you running?

    I just tried out the scenario above in Ubuntu Lucid (10.04).

    Ctrl+C copy text from Chromium. Ctrl+V pasted it in gedit. Works.

    Then close Chromium. Ctrl+V in gedit again. Nothing.

    Usually this doesn't matter because you have the source app still open, but still.

    --
    I'm not a lawyer, but I play one on the Internet. Blog
    1. Re:Clipboard in Linux by F.Ultra · · Score: 1

      I'm running 10.10 but this has worked for me since at least a few versions back.

    2. Re:Clipboard in Linux by F.Ultra · · Score: 1

      And I just tested exacactly what you did and it worked. Hmm wonder why there is a difference here.

    3. Re:Clipboard in Linux by Compaqt · · Score: 1

      Just tried it again with Opera and gedit. Not only does the clipboard get cleared when Opera is closed, the Paste option isn't even enabled in gedit's Edit menu after Opera closing.

      Assuming you closed out the entire Chromium process (and not just the window that contained the text), I'd just have to chalk it up the same Ubuntu weirdness that leads to some people having great sound and network, while others are left surfing Ubuntu Forums.

      --
      I'm not a lawyer, but I play one on the Internet. Blog
    4. Re:Clipboard in Linux by F.Ultra · · Score: 1

      Found this on Wikipedia:

      GNOME contains basic clipboard manager functionality in gnome-settings-daemon, part of gnome-control-center; it preserves clipboard contents on application close, supporting the freedesktop.org Clipboard Manager Specification. It is also possible to run more complex clipboard managers in GNOME, such as Klipper, Glipper or Java based ACM.

      I haven't performed any configuration regarding this what so ever. Did a complete new install of 10.04, perhaps you have upgraded from a version where this was not supported and some setting remained disabled?

    5. Re:Clipboard in Linux by F.Ultra · · Score: 1

      Using gcong-editor I found:

      /apps/gnome_settings_daemon/plugins/clipboard

      Having "active" set to yes.

  27. Wayland doesn't need to draw. by MoellerPlesset2 · · Score: 1

    Wayland has no drawing api, and it's scope is extremely limited compared to x, x will still be needed on top of it for the forseeable future.

    X has no drawing API!
    Do you even know what Xlib provides in the way of drawing? 1980's-style graphics primitives, pixel-based, non-anti-aliased polylines, circles and arcs.
    Nobody is seriously using X for drawing anything anymore. You say in another post that "the fundamentals of drawing haven't changed" - Yes, they have.
    X was designed entirely around raster graphics. It had no support for bitmap fonts, and no support for device-independent graphics. That hasn't been the right way to do things since at least the early 90's, and with PostScript debuting in 1983, it was arguably an obsolete device model even when X was created. Nobody uses X for "drawing", all they use it for is pushing pixels out to the screen.

    Today, either you're doing explicitly raster graphics (read: 3D stuff, which is device-dependent), or you should be doing device-independent rendering. Bitmap fonts are the exception, not the rule. It's insane to expect people to write separate drawing routines for printing, or generating a PDF or whatever. (And X of course never had any kind of real printing support to begin with)
    If you think we need X for drawing, then you simply have no clue.

    1. Re:Wayland doesn't need to draw. by walshy007 · · Score: 1

      X has no drawing API!

      You then contradict yourself

      Do you even know what Xlib provides in the way of drawing? 1980's-style graphics primitives, pixel-based, non-anti-aliased polylines, circles and arcs.

      Now most people these days use X to draw windows and for pointer/mouse events, these can be accelerated using opengl on the graphics card and efforts are under way to do just that, so it isn't just the glx contexts within windows that is 3d accelerated.

      You say in another post that "the fundamentals of drawing haven't changed" - Yes, they have.

      Fine, you want to get into the fundamentals of 2d/3d, I'll start with geometry, a 4*4 matrix can represent any set of transformations you wish to a set of points in 3d space, you are saying this has changed?.

      To avoid gimbal lock such as you get with matrices and Euler angles (which are useful for the lower storage space required) we use quaternions in such situations to store rotational values. Which handily enough is useful for spherical linear interpolation of the rotation. Do you honestly think any of this has changed or is new?

      ok enough of that.. I can continue if you want, but long story short none of any of what we see in 3d land is new, we just have more processing power to do more of the same for less money (with fragment programs etc you can implement your own pipeline for different lighting models etc but even all of this is old hat only now we have the processing power to do it).

      3D stuff, which is device-dependent

      Bullshit, 3d is not device-dependent, there are such things called software renderers, all the math is known and can be done in software. (as an aside, in modern video cards it is all done in software on the video card even, just it has smp to the wazoo)

      or you should be doing device-independent rendering.

      ok, by some means I have an opengl context, even if it is software, and I have data that is in some kind of vector form (say.. vector fonts) how is this not device independent? and how is this not doing 3d which you say is device-dependent?

      Bitmap fonts are the exception, not the rule.

      Where did I ever talk about that?

      It's insane to expect people to write separate drawing routines for printing, or generating a PDF or whatever. (And X of course never had any kind of real printing support to begin with)

      since when does a display server have to care about printing? printing is postscript sent to the printer driver that does as it wishes to get the printer to print the damn thing.

      If you are referring to how quartz' internal imaging model strongly correlates to that of the pdf object model, that still does not make it pdf, conversion is needed even if having a similar object model makes creation of the conversion easier. Good point to note is how very strong the postscript and pdf support is in OSS land, this is because for anything vector we have our own conversion bits.

      If you think we need X for drawing, then you simply have no clue.

      If you think a system that handles pointer events and drawing windows is not useful, you have no clue. Within those windows you can use glx to draw whatever the hell you want with your 3d card (or software renderer).

  28. (Correction) by MoellerPlesset2 · · Score: 1

    "no support for bitmap fonts" should of course have read "no support for vector fonts".

  29. Oversized to burn by frisket · · Score: 1

    This is suboptimal. The .iso is 717Mb, and Brasero on my Ubuntu 10.4 won't let me burn it to an 80min CD because it's too big. So just how am I expected to test this gizmo?

    1. Re:Oversized to burn by dmbasso · · Score: 1

      Is your machine too old? If not, I would use a pendrive to install it.

      --
      `echo $[0x853204FA81]|tr 0-9 ionbsdeaml`@gmail.com
  30. His blog has been dead for a long time by judeancodersfront · · Score: 1

    but he provided a view that no one else was offering. A blog by a Linux programmer who hates Linux.

  31. You are just now discovering Linux Hater? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    His blog really went downhill a long time ago. It's only up for reference.

    I think all his fans moved over to binplay which also provides a different take on the *Nix world.