I second that recommendation. I moved to UKFSN about two years and I couldn't be happier.
Should you need it, their help facilities are excellent too. I asked a couple of technical questions and got useful, technical responses within a decent timescale.
Re:My only suggestion for X
on
X Power Tools
·
· Score: 1
Well I'm glad it "just works " for you but it certainly doesn't "just work" for everyone.
I too am running Ubuntu and since I upgraded to 7.10 I have found it impossible to get my monitor working right. i.e. Autodetection simply gets it wrong annd refuses to use other than 1280x1024@50hz (my Iiyamas native resolution is 1280x1024@85Hz).
So... after supplying the Windows.INF files it's still wrong (but much better than auto detect). Manually enter details ? Still wrong. Even worse when I manually edit xorg.conf and put in the values that have worked perfectly for all other releases of Ubuntu it still won't display at 85hz.
Additionally after I'd started to try and fix the issue then when the X server first starts it also pops up a GDM screen at the wrong resolution, immediately shuts it, shows the NVIDIA logo (which I've disabled in xorg.conf) and then starts X again with what seems to be the best resolution it can manage 91280x1024@75hz) but this is still not right it's and still not what I've asked it for...)
So whilst I'm glad X is trying to automatically configure hardware I'd still like to see it with a "just do what you're damn well told" setting.
Having become thoroughly bored with cold callers (despite being registered with TPS I have now started getting VOIP calls from overseas call centres) I recently decided to go one better than this excellent old trick in that I've now set up a system where I can say "Please hold" and then leave them listening to some Throbbing Gristle (Usually something off DOA)
Next up I think I'll do my own mix and get a loop of children screaming over some offensively light classical.
It's another example of why Linux needs something like the functionality that Zone Alarm provides whereby an interactive user is always prompted before a program is allowed to connect to the internet. I for one do not want any program whatsoever to be able to connect to the outside world before I have expressly given my permission.
Give the way companies like Sony & Microsoft have behaved in the past vis a vis "phoning home" & rootkits etc. I no trust any program that tries to connect to the net.
There are starting to be far too many programs on Linux that do things like report statistics, go off to fetch cover art from Amazon etc. etc. Sorry but I am not going to blindly allow people to collect data on me or monitor my internet usage etc. etc. I actually value my privacy.
On which subject I'd also like to see the major desktop oriented distributions adopt a "nothing connects by default" standard for any desktop app they include in the distribution. Before a program can go to the internet the user should have to specifically say it can.
For a desktop user something like Zone Alarms would be ideal. First time an app tries to connect to the internet you're asked whether it can. You can then allow it permanently or temporarily or you can ban it permanently or temporarily. This might make it a slight pain to initially set up your desktop but I'd rather this than Joe Random Programmer being able to start pulling back stuff off my machine without permission.
This issue needs seriouly addressing by the Linux community now before we get something like a Sony rootkit fiasco.
And why yes I am paranoid, and history will prove the likes of me right (again).
I couldn't agree more. Which is why having something like ZoneAlarm on your desktop is a must. Reader tries to contact Adobe. Dialogue pops up asking whether Reader can phone home. I click "Deny and don't ask me again". Reader gets the finger.
I just wish there was something similar on Linux...
Then again two minutes later ZoneAlarmm comes up with it's "Ooh there's an important upgrade" message. So "www.zonealarm.com" is now in my hosts file pointing back to 127.0.0.1.
So in other words by respecting the manufacturers settings Ubuntu has helped diagnose a hardware settings problem.
Come on peeps where's a good spin doctor when you need them ? Surely the article should have been "Ubuntu so great it even helps hard drive manufacturer detect faulty settings":)
GIMP website looks all screwed up using NoScript
on
GIMP 2.4 Released
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· Score: 1
Now if only they'd written their website so that it didn't depend on scripts to get the CSS files imported. Being a user of Firefoxs NoScript extension I went to look at their website and found a right old mess !
Until I looked at the source, and temporarily allowed "gimp.org", I actually thought this might be some strange GIMP GUI idea for a website ?
n.b. you'll need to view the site with "NoScript" to get the joke !
It's not perfect as you can't customise the block list but it's a start. Even better make your own version to run on localhost so you can have your own block list etc.
Then why not play along by creating an alternative "Get The Facts" site which compares "Linux" to "Windows..." The Windows in question being Windows 3.1 and Linux being only features of the current version of the kernel.
I recently had problems where my old ISP (Demon Internet) wouldn't answer my emailed questions. Even worse their only response was to email me back "copy & pasted" extracts from their FAQs. So I duly emailed them back explaining that they hadn't answered my questions, their FAQ didn't answer my questions and if they did the same thing again I would immediately move to another ISP.
Needless to say they once again pasted the same useless FAQ page so I immediately moved to UKFSN. Now I couldn't be happier. Great service, great tech support and profits go towards supporting free software.
Sadly Demon used to provide excellent tech support (I was a customer for 12 years) but once they got taken over by Thus their tech support got outsourced. So now it's utterly, utterly shite.
Demons crappy customer support lost them my custom. Not only my custom but I also no longer recommend them to friends. UKFSN now get these recommendtation too.
Hook this up with a USB MIDI (or high quality USB MIDI/Audio) interface and you've got a truly excellent portable music tool. No moving parts, the ability to play MIDI files or mp3/WAV/flac backing tracks and most importantly something that you can add any Linux compatible music program that appears now or in the future (storage space/disk access requirements permitting).
No more struggling with tiny LCD screens and an "incomprehensible to all but the people who designed it" menu systems !
With a decent external mic and some extra plug in storage you've also got the making of a fantastic field recorder/editor.
Puts my home brew effort to shame which is an old M-ATX mobo in custom 19" rack case (really crap, home made!) running damn small linux, booting from 4Gb compact flash, using old 15" monitor:)
N.B. UK retailers. If you think you're doing your usual trick by translating $ 199 to £ 199 you can forget it. I'll get someone to bring me one back in their luggage.
Well I'm running Windows so I can run Logic Audio 5.5 and my Audiowerk 8 output sound card.
Can I run these natively under Ubuntu with full low latency access to all 8 outputs on the Audiowerk ?
Er... No.
Are there equivalents that allow me to do EXACTLY what I can do in Logic Audio on Linux - including running VST plugins/instruments ?
Sadly not.
That's why I'm still running Windows on my Audio machine (which is used to create commercially released recordings).
And why yes, the rest of my machines actually run Ubuntu (two desktops, a laptop and a server)
So just because Ubuntu is fine for your word processing and media playing needs don't go thinking it's fine for everyone. It's not. It's very good for running servers, it's great for a basic desktop machine, there are loads of good applications in all sorts of categories but it's got a hell of a long way to go before it's multimedia capabilities are ready for prime time.
And before I get the usual replies no, Rosegarden, Audacity, Seq24 etc. etc. etc. are nothing like the equivalent of Logic Audio (Kudos to the developers for trying but there's no VST support for starters).
Finally I've got mod points and I would mod your post troll but I only ever mod up.
A short while ago I paid cash in a local store (for three jack plugs) they asked for my name, phone, address etc. "Why do you want them ?" I ask. "For the gurantee" says them. "No thankyou" says I. "But we're supposed to get your details" say they. "Sorry, you can't have them" repeats me. Finally 3 attempts later they get the point and give up.
So the next time I'm in there the same scenario comes up again and I save time by simply telling them that my name is Mr. John %STORE_NAME% before giving them the address and telephone number of the store I'm standing in.
The clerk didn't even twig and just typed it all into their system. I just hope all the junk mail/phone spam gets sent to the store !
And Fujitsus (ex ICL) VME (Virtual Machine Environment) also has generation numbers. And they're a brilliant idea.
e.g. Access a file by name eg. "OPEN_FILE(FOO)" and that will open the highest generation (latest version) of the file. Want to access an old version ? Simply specifiy something like "OPEN_FILE(FOO(23))". Obviously there are tools for tidying up old generations etc.
And when you edit a file it is always saved to a new, higher, generation so you can always go back to previous version after you;ve made a pigs ear of your edit:)
Operating systems that only allow one copy of a file to exist at any one time are simply archaic.
Some Audio/MIDI software that is comparable to Logic Audio and that can run VST plugins. Personally the only reason I still have a Windows box is to run Logic Audio 5.5.1.
And before I get the usual "have your tried Rosegarde/Muse/Ardour etc." replies yes I have and, whilst they're good efforts, no they're not currently a patch on Logic Audio and (crucially) they do not support VST.
However the latest version of Ubuntu (Feisty) is simply that good that I've finally switched everything else over to my Linux box (web development, programming, image editing, CD ripping, DVD burning etc. etc.).
Slightly off topic as it's not confined to a single product but....
My absolute pet hate are the utter fools that produce code where you close their app and it pops up a dialogue that asks "Are you sure you want to exit ?". Durghhh...
There is absolutely no excuse for this brain dead crap. Of course I'm bloody well sure I want to close your app that's why I clicked thhe close button/the Exit menu item/closed the window etc. etc.
The only reason an app should confirm closure is when there is unsaved data that the user might like to save. There is no other reason to prompt me. I've just effing done something to dismiss your app now be a good coder and tidy up and exit.
Thankfully you do see a lot less of this these days but it's still being used. e.g. I installed Ubuntu Fesity this week, ran Automatix, closed the program and here it comes again. Shame really as Automatix is otherwise top notch (as is Feisty) !
Slashdot Mirror
I second that recommendation. I moved to UKFSN about two years and I couldn't be happier.
Should you need it, their help facilities are excellent too. I asked a couple of technical questions and got useful, technical responses within a decent timescale.
Well I'm glad it "just works " for you but it certainly doesn't "just work" for everyone.
.INF files it's still wrong (but much better than auto detect). Manually enter details ? Still wrong. Even worse when I manually edit xorg.conf and put in the values that have worked perfectly for all other releases of Ubuntu it still won't display at 85hz.
I too am running Ubuntu and since I upgraded to 7.10 I have found it impossible to get my monitor working right. i.e. Autodetection simply gets it wrong annd refuses to use other than 1280x1024@50hz (my Iiyamas native resolution is 1280x1024@85Hz).
So... after supplying the Windows
Additionally after I'd started to try and fix the issue then when the X server first starts it also pops up a GDM screen at the wrong resolution, immediately shuts it, shows the NVIDIA logo (which I've disabled in xorg.conf) and then starts X again with what seems to be the best resolution it can manage 91280x1024@75hz) but this is still not right it's and still not what I've asked it for...)
So whilst I'm glad X is trying to automatically configure hardware I'd still like to see it with a "just do what you're damn well told" setting.
Having become thoroughly bored with cold callers (despite being registered with TPS I have now started getting VOIP calls from overseas call centres) I recently decided to go one better than this excellent old trick in that I've now set up a system where I can say "Please hold" and then leave them listening to some Throbbing Gristle (Usually something off DOA)
Next up I think I'll do my own mix and get a loop of children screaming over some offensively light classical.
Most entertaining.
This doesn't suprise me in the least.
It's another example of why Linux needs something like the functionality that Zone Alarm provides whereby an interactive user is always prompted before a program is allowed to connect to the internet. I for one do not want any program whatsoever to be able to connect to the outside world before I have expressly given my permission.
Give the way companies like Sony & Microsoft have behaved in the past vis a vis "phoning home" & rootkits etc. I no trust any program that tries to connect to the net.
There are starting to be far too many programs on Linux that do things like report statistics, go off to fetch cover art from Amazon etc. etc. Sorry but I am not going to blindly allow people to collect data on me or monitor my internet usage etc. etc. I actually value my privacy.
On which subject I'd also like to see the major desktop oriented distributions adopt a "nothing connects by default" standard for any desktop app they include in the distribution. Before a program can go to the internet the user should have to specifically say it can.
For a desktop user something like Zone Alarms would be ideal. First time an app tries to connect to the internet you're asked whether it can. You can then allow it permanently or temporarily or you can ban it permanently or temporarily. This might make it a slight pain to initially set up your desktop but I'd rather this than Joe Random Programmer being able to start pulling back stuff off my machine without permission.
This issue needs seriouly addressing by the Linux community now before we get something like a Sony rootkit fiasco.
And why yes I am paranoid, and history will prove the likes of me right (again).
I couldn't agree more. Which is why having something like ZoneAlarm on your desktop is a must. Reader tries to contact Adobe. Dialogue pops up asking whether Reader can phone home. I click "Deny and don't ask me again". Reader gets the finger.
I just wish there was something similar on Linux...
Then again two minutes later ZoneAlarmm comes up with it's "Ooh there's an important upgrade" message. So "www.zonealarm.com" is now in my hosts file pointing back to 127.0.0.1.
Ho hum.
Well I speak Swedish and all I can say is that is one big potty mouth he's got there.
No wonder his sister got bitten by a moose.
Aren't you sure you're not thinking of Snoozing Sloth ?
So in other words by respecting the manufacturers settings Ubuntu has helped diagnose a hardware settings problem.
:)
Come on peeps where's a good spin doctor when you need them ? Surely the article should have been "Ubuntu so great it even helps hard drive manufacturer detect faulty settings"
This is Slashdot after all !
With a melon.
Now if only they'd written their website so that it didn't depend on scripts to get the CSS files imported. Being a user of Firefoxs NoScript extension I went to look at their website and found a right old mess !
Until I looked at the source, and temporarily allowed "gimp.org", I actually thought this might be some strange GIMP GUI idea for a website ?
n.b. you'll need to view the site with "NoScript" to get the joke !
Try this
http://www.givemebackmygoogle.com/
It's not perfect as you can't customise the block list but it's a start. Even better make your own version to run on localhost so you can have your own block list etc.
Then why not play along by creating an alternative "Get The Facts" site which compares "Linux" to "Windows..." The Windows in question being Windows 3.1 and Linux being only features of the current version of the kernel.
;)
I'm only saying
Damn right.
I recently had problems where my old ISP (Demon Internet) wouldn't answer my emailed questions. Even worse their only response was to email me back "copy & pasted" extracts from their FAQs. So I duly emailed them back explaining that they hadn't answered my questions, their FAQ didn't answer my questions and if they did the same thing again I would immediately move to another ISP.
Needless to say they once again pasted the same useless FAQ page so I immediately moved to UKFSN. Now I couldn't be happier. Great service, great tech support and profits go towards supporting free software.
Sadly Demon used to provide excellent tech support (I was a customer for 12 years) but once they got taken over by Thus their tech support got outsourced. So now it's utterly, utterly shite.
Demons crappy customer support lost them my custom. Not only my custom but I also no longer recommend them to friends. UKFSN now get these recommendtation too.
Crappy customer support = lost customers.
Hook this up with a USB MIDI (or high quality USB MIDI/Audio) interface and you've got a truly excellent portable music tool. No moving parts, the ability to play MIDI files or mp3/WAV/flac backing tracks and most importantly something that you can add any Linux compatible music program that appears now or in the future (storage space/disk access requirements permitting).
:)
No more struggling with tiny LCD screens and an "incomprehensible to all but the people who designed it" menu systems !
With a decent external mic and some extra plug in storage you've also got the making of a fantastic field recorder/editor.
Puts my home brew effort to shame which is an old M-ATX mobo in custom 19" rack case (really crap, home made!) running damn small linux, booting from 4Gb compact flash, using old 15" monitor
N.B. UK retailers. If you think you're doing your usual trick by translating $ 199 to £ 199 you can forget it. I'll get someone to bring me one back in their luggage.
Well I'm running Windows so I can run Logic Audio 5.5 and my Audiowerk 8 output sound card.
Can I run these natively under Ubuntu with full low latency access to all 8 outputs on the Audiowerk ?
Er... No.
Are there equivalents that allow me to do EXACTLY what I can do in Logic Audio on Linux - including running VST plugins/instruments ?
Sadly not.
That's why I'm still running Windows on my Audio machine (which is used to create commercially released recordings).
And why yes, the rest of my machines actually run Ubuntu (two desktops, a laptop and a server)
So just because Ubuntu is fine for your word processing and media playing needs don't go thinking it's fine for everyone. It's not. It's very good for running servers, it's great for a basic desktop machine, there are loads of good applications in all sorts of categories but it's got a hell of a long way to go before it's multimedia capabilities are ready for prime time.
And before I get the usual replies no, Rosegarden, Audacity, Seq24 etc. etc. etc. are nothing like the equivalent of Logic Audio (Kudos to the developers for trying but there's no VST support for starters).
Finally I've got mod points and I would mod your post troll but I only ever mod up.
Howzabout "Purchase Forthwith" ?
A short while ago I paid cash in a local store (for three jack plugs) they asked for my name, phone, address etc. "Why do you want them ?" I ask. "For the gurantee" says them. "No thankyou" says I. "But we're supposed to get your details" say they. "Sorry, you can't have them" repeats me. Finally 3 attempts later they get the point and give up.
:)
So the next time I'm in there the same scenario comes up again and I save time by simply telling them that my name is Mr. John %STORE_NAME% before giving them the address and telephone number of the store I'm standing in.
The clerk didn't even twig and just typed it all into their system. I just hope all the junk mail/phone spam gets sent to the store !
Most entertaing
What's really funny is that many people would pay good money to grow a Nike swish.
And in todays climate would then likely get sued for copyright/trademark infringement !
I tried disabling the BITS on my Windows machines.
:)
Trouble is now all my bytes are stuck and I can't change their values.
yeah, yeah very lame I know
Well my current "Desktops" worth of data is (approx) 170 Gb (lots of audio files in "full fat" WAV format)
;)
So if they can provide a USB drive of that size for a few (UK) pounds then I'm all in favour (obviously I'll reformat the fecker first
> I want the dominant browser on the Web to be a cross-platform one.
I don't want a dominant browser at all. I'd rather see thousands (nay millions !) of browsers all of which work to the same standards.
And Fujitsus (ex ICL) VME (Virtual Machine Environment) also has generation numbers. And they're a brilliant idea.
:)
e.g. Access a file by name eg. "OPEN_FILE(FOO)" and that will open the highest generation (latest version) of the file. Want to access an old version ? Simply specifiy something like "OPEN_FILE(FOO(23))". Obviously there are tools for tidying up old generations etc.
And when you edit a file it is always saved to a new, higher, generation so you can always go back to previous version after you;ve made a pigs ear of your edit
Operating systems that only allow one copy of a file to exist at any one time are simply archaic.
That list is missing one thing.
Some Audio/MIDI software that is comparable to Logic Audio and that can run VST plugins. Personally the only reason I still have a Windows box is to run Logic Audio 5.5.1.
And before I get the usual "have your tried Rosegarde/Muse/Ardour etc." replies yes I have and, whilst they're good efforts, no they're not currently a patch on Logic Audio and (crucially) they do not support VST.
However the latest version of Ubuntu (Feisty) is simply that good that I've finally switched everything else over to my Linux box (web development, programming, image editing, CD ripping, DVD burning etc. etc.).
Well if that "Bob" is this "Bob" then it's probably a feature !
Slightly off topic as it's not confined to a single product but....
My absolute pet hate are the utter fools that produce code where you close their app and it pops up a dialogue that asks "Are you sure you want to exit ?". Durghhh...
There is absolutely no excuse for this brain dead crap. Of course I'm bloody well sure I want to close your app that's why I clicked thhe close button/the Exit menu item/closed the window etc. etc.
The only reason an app should confirm closure is when there is unsaved data that the user might like to save. There is no other reason to prompt me. I've just effing done something to dismiss your app now be a good coder and tidy up and exit.
Thankfully you do see a lot less of this these days but it's still being used. e.g. I installed Ubuntu Fesity this week, ran Automatix, closed the program and here it comes again. Shame really as Automatix is otherwise top notch (as is Feisty) !
Ho hum... different decade, samme crappy coding.