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hardy heron

  • 24-04-2008 2:07pm
    #1
    Registered Users Posts: 230 ✭✭


    hey,

    just tried out the ISO's from heanet for the new ubuntu, both are causing big trouble in a vmware machine.

    have tried 'alternate' and 'desktop', different problems with both, although neither really functional. will go into more detail, but was just wondering if anyone else had grabbed these images and was experiencing problems.

    md5's match up.

    d.


«1

Comments

  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,309 ✭✭✭✭Bard


    I'm downloading it at the moment. I presume I can just boot into ubuntu 7.10 and use the 8.04 Live CD to upgrade..?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,574 ✭✭✭Slutmonkey57b


    Have downloaded and installed using the Windows installer - booted fine, but I'm already getting bad impressions. The wireless network troubleshooter tells you to look for "hardware information" and "device manager" under the preferences menu.

    Shame neither of them are there.

    And the help docs don't turn up a result under either name.

    Nor does the search function on the web forums (though it handily reformats my search terms into effectively the opposite of what I searched for without telling me.)

    And yet again it doesn't enable wireless by default, nor does it say "hmmm no network connection, have you tried .... <whatever>, you moron?. Just sits there and say "erk! broken!".

    And the default desktop and colour scheme are stomach turning.

    I'll stop before I get ranty and see if it's in a better mood this time.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 17,727 ✭✭✭✭Sherifu


    /holds off on upgrade


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,568 ✭✭✭ethernet


    Have downloaded and installed using the Windows installer - booted fine, but I'm already getting bad impressions. The wireless network troubleshooter tells you to look for "hardware information" and "device manager" under the preferences menu.

    Shame neither of them are there.

    And the help docs don't turn up a result under either name.

    Nor does the search function on the web forums (though it handily reformats my search terms into effectively the opposite of what I searched for without telling me.)

    And yet again it doesn't enable wireless by default, nor does it say "hmmm no network connection, have you tried .... <whatever>, you moron?. Just sits there and say "erk! broken!".

    And the default desktop and colour scheme are stomach turning.

    I'll stop before I get ranty and see if it's in a better mood this time.
    Pity you had a bad experience. The guides are pretty good on the forums. You're a lot more likely to find a guide for getting your card working under older verisons for now. When all else fails, you can use ndiswrapper and the Windows driver for the card.

    Can't say I've had that hassle with the forum and search terms. Have you tried using double quote marks around your terms to prevent any changes to your search terms?

    The brown/orange colours are actually refreshingly different (polar opposite to Redmond Blue anyway ;)).


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 13,874 ✭✭✭✭PogMoThoin


    Decided to do a fresh install as I had clicked upgrade and it was looking very very slow, opted to download torrent instead. Torrent obviously leeched to hell as it took longer than I expected 2.

    Wifi still not sorted with my Acer & Atheros wifi card, had to use ndiswrapper again with windows driver. Network settings manager is a pain, have to unlock it each time with the sudo password, not logged in for few mins like in Gutsy, prob just takes getting used to.

    On the up side, firefox 3 beta 5 is good, much faster than firefox 2 that was in Gutsy. Had tried firefox 3 beta 4 in Gutsy but found it buggy.

    Nearly done now with the medibuntu repositories and all the codecs, packages & programs I usually add.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,574 ✭✭✭Slutmonkey57b


    As the blurb ad says on the Ubuntu site:

    "You'll never go back!"

    Too
    Fu.cking
    Right.

    Not even when they get up to "voluptuous virgin" will I bother repeating another ubuntu install.

    Not nearly as "crash and re-install" prone as my kubuntu experience, but really, this has confirmed the negatives of that experience even if it is a more stable version.

    For all the "lower resources" "less bloat" that gets spouted about Linux vs. Windows, this certainly doesn't show off any advantages. Even with ati's latest drivers, display performance is appalling. Font display in Firefox is appalling. Disk/Ram usage is no better than XP. The Help centre fills two functions : Inaccurate (or unhelpful) information for newbies (see above) and hardcore nerd coding info. No in-between. Nothing as basic (in a html help system) of, for example "Use NDISwrapper. <click here>".

    And to top it all off the "safe" wubi installer ****ed up my drive assignments, set my XP disk (wich it wasn't even installed onto) as inactive, and therefore borked BOTH my other installs.

    The only good thing about it is that I've had to re-install XP on a faster hard drive, which results in a cleaner, snappier, faster XP, which is what I wanted from Linux in the first place. I wasn't impressed with "Gutsy" kubuntu, I'm even less impress with "Hardy" ubuntu. If this is their idea of Long Term Support *stable* coding, they're failing miserably.

    Avoid like the ill-planned, slow, buggy pestilence that it is.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,227 ✭✭✭stereo_steve


    I have performed numerous installations of different versions of ubuntu and never experienced this.

    I also carry a 2.5" drive with me as I have to change computers alot and have never experienced anything like what you have described.

    I think you were just unlucky to be honest, I hope you post doesn't put other people off linux in general.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,568 ✭✭✭ethernet


    That Wubi is a curse and a blessing. It hasn't been around that long so problems can be expected.

    I personally don't like Kubuntu. I always got the feel that KDE was just slapped on top of Ubuntu and a new distro forked.

    I was running Ubuntu off a live CD several times in the past few days. RAM usage remained around the 300 MB mark. My XP install uses about the same when idle.

    ATI's drivers don't seem to be in the same league as nvidia's under Linux. Also, be sure to use cleartype fonts if you're using a LCD. This is not the default (and it has a different name; but LCD is in the title).

    The distro is already bulging with so much stuff that including extensive documentation in it would seriously up the space requirements. As often mentioned, great content is to be found on the forums and wiki. I accept your argument though, especially where the user doesn't have an Internet connection.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,574 ✭✭✭Slutmonkey57b


    As a nerd, I'm fairly prepared to live with things potentially going wrong, or not working as advertised. I have *much* less patience with things that are just plain badly or lazily implemented. My favourite examples of frustrating things this time round that are down to plain ordinary stupidity:

    Add/Remove programs and synaptic default to downloading things from internet respositorys instead of the install CD. This is both unecessary and, given Linux's spotty wireless support, brainless. AND, when they don't have a connection, they don't have the smarts to, oh, I don't know, maybe.... attempt a different install location? Ask for the CD maybe? Or give you the choice beforehand?
    NDISwrapper (a useful piece of software) has to be installed seperately, whereas support for PalmOS is not only default, but will also require "ubuntu-desktop" to be removed if you want it removed. Why do I think more people need NDISwrapper than need Palm hotsync support built in?
    Last time, I couldn't believe kubuntu expected me to unlock highly secure areas of the system, like the mouse control panel (changing the mouse wheel scrolling speed being a notorious hacker trick). This time, I am apparantly expected to enter a password to access my own f*cking hard drives in my own f*cking machine, on a system where I am the only registered f*cking user, and which is not connected to any network (not for want of trying mind you).
    Unlike kubuntu, the default video player actually knew when it didn't have a codec, and knew where to find it, and downloaded it. Something actually worked! Then I try and open the same mp3 in the default audio player... and it tells me I don't have the codec. I check the codec again. "packaged for <whatever>". At this point I really couldn't face looking it up to see if, as I suspected, each player wanted its own copies of the necessary codecs. I really wouldn't be suprised.

    Totally ****ing brainless.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,227 ✭✭✭stereo_steve


    Add/Remove programs and synaptic default to downloading things from internet respositorys instead of the install CD. This is both unecessary and, given Linux's spotty wireless support, brainless. AND, when they don't have a connection, they don't have the smarts to, oh, I don't know, maybe.... attempt a different install location? Ask for the CD maybe? Or give you the choice beforehand?.

    It used to check the install CD first, but due to demand from the community they changed it to the internet. As a nerd you should appreciate, the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few :)

    http://brainstorm.ubuntu.com/idea/6483/

    Your right though, it should look for other locations. What did you do about it though? You should have posted your message on the ubuntu forums not here. It can actually get fixed there! The guys at ubuntu are very good at listening to the community, as are alot of different distibutions.
    given Linux's spotty wireless support

    Linux supports 100% of the wireless cards that manufactures have written drivers for. As support for linux grows, hopefully we will see actual drivers being written by manufactures.

    Last time, I couldn't believe kubuntu expected me to unlock highly secure areas of the system, like the mouse control panel (changing the mouse wheel scrolling speed being a notorious hacker trick). This time, I am apparently expected to enter a password to access my own f*cking hard drives in my own f*cking machine, on a system where I am the only registered f*cking user, and which is not connected to any network (not for want of trying mind you)

    This is how linux / unix works. If you want access to everything login as root. Or change your access control in the control panel. FYI, largely the reason why windows is plagued with malware is because of this. If you use Vista, you will see pop up messages all the time asking you permission to install programs access areas etc. They are trying to rectify their ways!

    The root accout is disabled by default in ubuntu. To activate it, at the command line type sudo root passwd
    Unlike kubuntu, the default video player actually knew when it didn't have a codec, and knew where to find it, and downloaded it. Something actually worked! Then I try and open the same mp3 in the default audio player... and it tells me I don't have the codec. I check the codec again. "packaged for <whatever>". At this point I really couldn't face looking it up to see if, as I suspected, each player wanted its own copies of the necessary codecs. I really wouldn't be suprised.

    You have to remember that linux is free. They can't ship the codecs with the system. You also can't criticise lnux for one application. If you want system wide codec support, go into add/remove and click the codecs you want to install and they will be installed system wide.

    The last operating system I used that wasn't linux /solaris was XP. It did not have the codecs installed from a fresh install and did not have the ability to install them manually as Ubuntu does. I am interested, does any one know does Vista or the Mac ship with them? ( They probably don't to save the euro or so per copy)

    Linux is by no means perfect, just like all the other operating systems out there. but it is growing at a phenomenal rate. If you have issues with it, get them fixed yourself. That is what the whole thing is about. Go the forum of the distribution you use and post your complaint. If others agree it will be changed. I bet if we tried we could list 100 things wrong with any OS. Don't just say its f*cking brainless.


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  • Moderators, Arts Moderators Posts: 35,508 Mod ✭✭✭✭pickarooney


    Just installed Heron on the laptop by upgrading from Gibbon. I'm distinctly unimpressed that it installed beta software (Firefox 3) without so much as a by-your-leave and removed my working Firefox 2 with its extensions and themes. Now to see if my WiFi card will finally work...


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 13,874 ✭✭✭✭PogMoThoin


    Firefox 3 beta is lovely, dunno what you complaining bout. It opens pages way quicker and uses way less memory. Just no pleasing some people. Its upto the makers of the add-ons to change the add-ons to support it.


  • Moderators, Arts Moderators Posts: 35,508 Mod ✭✭✭✭pickarooney


    Nope. If anything it's slower and I'd like the choice betwen testing out unfinished versions and keeping what I had with its bells and whistles.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,467 ✭✭✭bushy...


    As the blurb ad says on the Ubuntu site:

    "You'll never go back!"

    Too
    Fu.cking
    Right.

    Not even when they get up to "voluptuous virgin" will I bother repeating another ubuntu install.

    They ( ubuntu creators) seem to be more interested in new releases than making it work.

    I gave up on it ( ubuntu) after sorting VNC for someone : updated to Faulty F*ckup and VNC just didn't work , no errors , nothing.

    The fix ? just get the Debian VNC package, fix up where it looks for fonts and use that.

    They seem to be under the illusion that they are better than Apple when it comes to an alternative to Windows for everybody.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 13,874 ✭✭✭✭PogMoThoin


    Slower, Your honestly the first person I've come across saying it slower :eek: Java is 3 times quicker than Firefox 2, check it out here, here and here


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,227 ✭✭✭stereo_steve


    Nope. If anything it's slower and I'd like the choice betwen testing out unfinished versions and keeping what I had with its bells and whistles.

    Its clearly stated whats included with hardy. This is a long term support version of ubuntu and they cannot support firefox 2 for 3 years. What would be the point in a new release if they didn't upgrade anything? I'm pretty sure this is in the release notes and it also states 8.4.1 will be released in june. The only difference being Firefox 3. All the 8.4's will automatically update.
    They ( ubuntu creators) seem to be more interested in new releases than making it work.

    I gave up on it ( ubuntu) after sorting VNC for someone : updated to Faulty F*ckup and VNC just didn't work , no errors , nothing.

    The fix ? just get the Debian VNC package, fix up where it looks for fonts and use that.

    Honestly, the amount of moaning in here is unreal! The reason they release in 6 month cycles is because XORG release in 6 month cycles and about 2 months after each XORG release there is a GNOME release. The ubuntu cycles are the way they are to keep people ubdated with the latest software.

    The process of VNC has been changed in the latest release of ubuntu. IT should be alot better now.
    They seem to be under the illusion that they are better than Apple when it comes to an alternative to Windows for everybody.

    Aren't they?! If Linux had to work on a couple of different computers it would be a walk in the park! Plus its open source. Which is the number one reason why I use it.

    Alot of Linux users aren't trying to beat windows. They are just doing there own thing.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,467 ✭✭✭bushy...


    Honestly, the amount of moaning in here is unreal! The reason they release in 6 month cycles is because XORG release in 6 month cycles and about 2 months after each XORG release there is a GNOME release. The ubuntu cycles are the way they are to keep people ubdated with the latest software.

    The process of VNC has been changed in the latest release of ubuntu. IT should be alot better now.

    Only 6 months so ? My point was it didn't show error messages and it was an easy fix.

    Aren't they?! If Linux had to work on a couple of different computers it would be a walk in the park! Plus its open source. Which is the number one reason why I use it.

    Alot of Linux users aren't trying to beat windows. They are just doing there own thing.

    I was on about Ubuntu not the rest of the unixy-type os's.


    (fix up your quotes btw)


  • Moderators, Arts Moderators Posts: 35,508 Mod ✭✭✭✭pickarooney


    PogMoThoin wrote: »
    Slower, Your honestly the first person I've come across saying it slower :eek: Java is 3 times quicker than Firefox 2, check it out here, here and here

    The proxy pipelining settings in about:config had been reset during the upgrade. Speed is back to FF2 levels after changing them again, although my actual browsing is significantly slowed down by the absence of handy extensions. If they're going to go rush into pushing FF3 on users, why the hell don't they activate the speedy-up settings that have been around for years by default?

    My WiFi dongle has gone missing, so no chance to test if it's working OK in Heron yet...


  • Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 92,550 Mod ✭✭✭✭Capt'n Midnight


    Linux supports 100% of the wireless cards that manufactures have written drivers for.
    If you include the ndiswan support and reverse engineered drivers and direct chipset drivers the total is a little higher than that. :pac:
    used to be a real pain trying to install wireless drivers in windows for two cards that you knew were exact clones of each other


  • Moderators, Arts Moderators Posts: 35,508 Mod ✭✭✭✭pickarooney


    Oh dear, I had almost forgotten the skull****ery that upgrading to Gutsy involved last time whereby each time I booted my laptop I got a black screen and I had to ctrl-F1, login, delete a lock file in /tmp and then start X manually. Worse till, I've forgotten how to fix it...
    And why do I get a warning when I do eventually get logged in that I'm using propprietary drivers. I KNOW, you whinged at me last time I booted up as well.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 17,727 ✭✭✭✭Sherifu


    Downloading... time to take the plunge.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,534 ✭✭✭FruitLover


    Just installed Heron on the laptop by upgrading from Gibbon. I'm distinctly unimpressed that it installed beta software (Firefox 3) without so much as a by-your-leave and removed my working Firefox 2 with its extensions and themes. Now to see if my WiFi card will finally work...

    It didn't uninstall it. Run 'firefox-2' to get your old firefox back. Although I don't know how you'd refer to firefox 2 as anything other than beta-quality software.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,574 ✭✭✭Slutmonkey57b


    It used to check the install CD first, but due to demand from the community they changed it to the internet. As a nerd you should appreciate, the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few :)

    http://brainstorm.ubuntu.com/idea/6483/

    Your right though, it should look for other locations. What did you do about it though? You should have posted your message on the ubuntu forums not here. It can actually get fixed there! The guys at ubuntu are very good at listening to the community, as are alot of different distibutions.

    Well, if that's what the community voted for, then that's what they're getting. Even given that, though, there's no reason why the change couldn't have been made to go <search internet> IF <no internet> THEN <ask for CD>. How many lines of code does that really involve? That's not "responding to the community", that's either plain brainlessness or plain bad coding. It doesn't even count as lazy coding, it's that trivial.
    Linux supports 100% of the wireless cards that manufactures have written drivers for. As support for linux grows, hopefully we will see actual drivers being written by manufactures.

    Which doesn't change the issue that wireless support is not reliable. My problem wasn't even that wireless support isn't good. My problem is everyone knows wireless support isn't great, and yet the devs have a "head in the sand" approach to the whole issue and haven't set things up so that people with no net access can still fix problems or install basic software. Again, that makes no sense at all, unless you're either blind to your OS's failings, or making very stupid decisions.

    This is how linux / unix works. If you want access to everything login as root. Or change your access control in the control panel. FYI, largely the reason why windows is plagued with malware is because of this.

    Windows is plagued with malware because users of closed-box machines are trying to access their own hard drives? Or because someone is trying to access the scroll wheel speed on their mouse? Give me a fuccking break.
    Windows is plagued with malware because it's the hacker's #1 target.
    If you use Vista, you will see pop up messages all the time asking you permission to install programs access areas etc. They are trying to rectify their ways!

    I used vista. It never asked me why I wanted to change my mouse settings, or asked for a password before it would let me access my own documents. I might do so before it let me delete system files though. That makes sense.
    The root accout is disabled by default in ubuntu. To activate it, at the command line type sudo root passwd

    Why should I have to do that to change a mouse setting? Or get at my hard drives? Sure I should have to do it to install a kernel mode driver. But a mouse setting?
    You have to remember that linux is free. They can't ship the codecs with the system. You also can't criticise lnux for one application. If you want system wide codec support, go into add/remove and click the codecs you want to install and they will be installed system wide.

    Oh, I have no issue with OS's not shipping with codecs. My issue is the default video player auto-installs codecs I need. But other default apps on the same machine can't use said codecs. That's just stupid. XP has the same problem - but if WMP downloads a codec, then Media Player Classic, or VLC can use it as well.

    Blaming the apps rather than the OS dev's doesn't fly either - they have the choice to use whatever apps they want in their distro. How difficult is is to say "Hey - lets choose two apps out of the hundreds of open source alternatives that actually work together and don't require the user to install two copies of the same codecs? A) It isn't difficult - so it must be brainlessness.
    Linux is by no means perfect, just like all the other operating systems out there. but it is growing at a phenomenal rate. If you have issues with it, get them fixed yourself. That is what the whole thing is about. Go the forum of the distribution you use and post your complaint. If others agree it will be changed. I bet if we tried we could list 100 things wrong with any OS. Don't just say its f*cking brainless.

    The OS itself isn't necessarily brainless. But some of the most basic, obvious choices that have been made in its setup and presentation are so stupid as to verge on the chewing-your-arm-off variety.
    As pointed out above, Hardy (morelike Laurel and Hardy amirite) is supposed to be ubuntu's version of a stable, conservative, long-term-support release. Yet:
    • They've used a BETA internet browser as the default. The argument "V 2.0 won't be around in 3 years" only highlights the stupidity - neither will the f.cking BETA. And the BETA isn't supported officially anyway! What does this say about their ideas of stable, long-term code quality? Answer: A lot more than they'd like.
    • They're advertising a brand new way of installing - Wubi - and making a big noise about how it's the "safe" option. Which is so new.. it's unreliable. It might be a great bit of coding, and a wonderful tool. But a new, relatively untested install method that (in my case) could **** up your machine is NOT something that should be part of an LTS release that you're hoping to sell as an enterprise-ready desktop.
    • The most basic documentation is either unreliable, or relies on internet-connected community-run forums. TechNet and DevNet are the prime examples of what conservative industry buyers want and expect from OS support. Hate or love MS, they know how to keep devs and mass-license buyers appeased. Forums are a great option. They shouldn't be the only option, at least not for the market ubuntu are aiming at.

    See, none of the above problems is a "Sale killer" if you like, all on its own. None of the problems are insurmountable, in most cases they're obvious and trivial to solve. The problem is that when you sit back and look at it, you start to see glaring examples of very very bad, stupid, or lazy planning and execution that has gone into it over the whole project.

    Choices like the ones above all have the same ring to them: "Eh, whatever, good enough, slap it in, we'll fix it in the next release six months down the line." That's fine for an app. It's entirely the wrong way to think about an OS.
    Windows, of course, has the opposite problem: "Whoa! Don't take that out! Some useless **** is still using that feature from 30 years ago! You'll break it!"


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 176 ✭✭dhaddock


    tl:dr above so il just add my experiences:

    i upgraded from gutsy and had some trouble with video and audio drivers, which i got fixed but now i still have a pretty gay pink shadow around my windows.

    i dont like the new firefox as most of the extensions i use arent available yet, so i will be switching back.

    and overall hardy seems to be more zippy with apps and stuff so im happy.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 17,727 ✭✭✭✭Sherifu


    Just clean installed her, no problems. So far so good.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 818 ✭✭✭Cormic


    I installed Ubuntu HH on a clean machine. My previous machine was upgraded every six months since 5.04 so I thought is was good time to start afreash.

    The FF3 is a pain as some of my extensions do not work with it. Also for some reason the left and right click together pasting seems to be not working. It works when I click the scroll wheel instead.

    I also install Xubuntu on an old laptop this morining and it seems to work really well.

    All in all I am happy.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,534 ✭✭✭FruitLover


    I'm after trashing my brand new Hardy upgrade by accidentally removing my modules dir like a spanner :( so I might reinstall from scratch tonight. It'll be interesting to see if there's any difference with a fresh install (seemed fine after the upgrade from Gutsy (actually, better - my graphics card was fully supported, so now I'm running full Gnome graphical effects))


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,568 ✭✭✭ethernet


    • The most basic documentation is either unreliable, or relies on internet-connected community-run forums. TechNet and DevNet are the prime examples of what conservative industry buyers want and expect from OS support. Hate or love MS, they know how to keep devs and mass-license buyers appeased. Forums are a great option. They shouldn't be the only option, at least not for the market ubuntu are aiming at.
    It's a free OS. If you want TechNet quality docs, you pay for support. Canonical is doing it, as are Red Hat and Novell.
    See, none of the above problems is a "Sale killer" if you like, all on its own. None of the problems are insurmountable, in most cases they're obvious and trivial to solve. The problem is that when you sit back and look at it, you start to see glaring examples of very very bad, stupid, or lazy planning and execution that has gone into it over the whole project.
    That's the great thing about open source. The code is there. If you don't like something, you can -- with the right skills -- make all the changes you want so that it does and acts exactly as you like. In most cases, you can find another distro to meet your needs.
    Choices like the ones above all have the same ring to them: "Eh, whatever, good enough, slap it in, we'll fix it in the next release six months down the line." That's fine for an app. It's entirely the wrong way to think about an OS.
    Windows, of course, has the opposite problem: "Whoa! Don't take that out! Some useless **** is still using that feature from 30 years ago! You'll break it!"
    That approach is causing other problems. There comes a time to let go of legacy hardware. People who need to use it are quite likely to still be running ancient version of Windows for that very reason. There's outcry for multiple kernels (and, no, different versions for Windows for different architectures doesn't count).


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,227 ✭✭✭stereo_steve


    You know for a while there , i considered not replying to your post. Not because of what you said, just the sheer length of it!
    Well, if that's what the community voted for, then that's what they're getting. Even given that, though, there's no reason why the change couldn't have been made to go <search internet> IF <no internet> THEN <ask for CD>. How many lines of code does that really involve? That's not "responding to the community", that's either plain brainlessness or plain bad coding. It doesn't even count as lazy coding, it's that trivial.

    Yeah I agree here, although it doesn't really serve much of a point at the moment. Maybe later when there are DVD's with with loads of different packages on it. I think there are ubuntu DVD's now with different gui's?? Everything on the CD is installed during the installation. I can't think if a reason why you would need to read off the CD. Unless you purposely removed a package and wanted to reinstall an older version at a later date?
    Which doesn't change the issue that wireless support is not reliable. My problem wasn't even that wireless support isn't good. My problem is everyone knows wireless support isn't great, and yet the devs have a "head in the sand" approach to the whole issue and haven't set things up so that people with no net access can still fix problems or install basic software. Again, that makes no sense at all, unless you're either blind to your OS's failings, or making very stupid decisions.

    What can they do here though? Change Ubuntu from a CD to a DVD that includes loads of windows drivers and have a script to use them with ndiswrapper? Could be an option although they probably would need permission from the writers of the proprietary drivers and its messy.

    If we look at windows, how do they do it any better? When was the last time you saw windows install and it found every driver? Sure you can buy a windows PC with all the drivers in place but the same is true for Ubuntu.

    I don't understand what you mean, they have not setup a way for people to get basic software? Is it not the same as other operating system? You go to the website of the program you want (on a pc with net access) copy the .deb on a mem stick and put it in your pc with no net access. Double click the deb. I don't mean to sound rude but do you want the ubuntu dev's to come over to your house and do it?? Maybe you want a CD with loads of debs on it? I don't think there is demand for one, but you could create it?
    Windows is plagued with malware because users of closed-box machines are trying to access their own hard drives? Or because someone is trying to access the scroll wheel speed on their mouse? Give me a fuccking break.
    Windows is plagued with malware because it's the hacker's #1 target.

    No doubt its the number one target. I definitely agree but its the way its setup that makes it so easy for attacks. In windows you are the administrator when you log on. If a website tries to run a bit a code, through a flaw in IE , firefox etc windows will permit it to run. The same is not true linux, unix etc
    I used vista. It never asked me why I wanted to change my mouse settings, or asked for a password before it would let me access my own documents. I might do so before it let me delete system files though. That makes sense.

    Why should I have to do that to change a mouse setting? Or get at my hard drives? Sure I should have to do it to install a kernel mode driver. But a mouse setting?

    When you go to the system menu. There is the preferences and administration tab. I pretty sure everything the preferences tab requires no password, which includes mouse configuration. Am I wrong? It doesn't prompt me when I try to change a mouse setting. So you need to enter a password for system options, things which would affect all users on the system and again you are not the administrator. From a quick look this includes Hardware drivers, language options,system time, addition of users etc.

    It doesn't let you access your harddrives? I don't understand. Do you mean the system files? Once again your not the administrator. Log in a the administrator if it bothers you.

    If your refering to other harddrives in your computer then you didn't mount them when you were installing Ubuntu. Did you install Ubuntu with your harddrives unplugged because you were worried ubuntu might mess them up? Or possibly you just didn't mount them.

    This is just a matter of saying were you want them to be on your system. For example, if you mounted them to /home/yourname/Desktop/harddrivename then thats were they will be added to the file system on boot up. No password to be entered ever when you access them as a user.
    Oh, I have no issue with OS's not shipping with codecs. My issue is the default video player auto-installs codecs I need. But other default apps on the same machine can't use said codecs. That's just stupid. XP has the same problem - but if WMP downloads a codec, then Media Player Classic, or VLC can use it as well.

    I have never experienced this. Not saying your wrong, its just the first thing I do after an install is click about 30 things in the add/remove panel and walk away for an hour. I agree codec support should be system wide. Can't debate this though because I never experienced it.

    By the way I'm pretty sure VLC uses its own codecs irrespective of whatever codecs are on a system no matter what operating system its on. VLC is not brainless! Could be wrong about this paragraph though.
    Blaming the apps rather than the OS dev's doesn't fly either - they have the choice to use whatever apps they want in their distro. How difficult is is to say "Hey - lets choose two apps out of the hundreds of open source alternatives that actually work together and don't require the user to install two copies of the same codecs? A) It isn't difficult - so it must be brainlessness.

    Assuming your correct, I think its excessive to call the whole thing brainless over that issue. Again can't argue, never experienced this.
    [*]They've used a BETA internet browser as the default. The argument "V 2.0 won't be around in 3 years" only highlights the stupidity - neither will the f.cking BETA. And the BETA isn't supported officially anyway! What does this say about their ideas of stable, long-term code quality? Answer: A lot more than they'd like.

    Is it ideal? No. But I believe its the best of a bad situation. Many agree that Firefox 3b5 is far better already than firefox 2 ever was. You would have a hard time finding people to disagree. Aside from the extensions, which coming out very fast. Not really ubuntus fault. I have my two working now. Adblock plus and greasemonkey.

    Firefox 3 is out in a month. This ubuntu release is being suppoted for 3 years. To roll out Firefox 2 just for the sake of one month is not good. It would make for much more unstable system. FWIW there is a new ubuntu release in a month 8.4.1 only difference being the firefox change. Something to consider is that the owners of the systems that use firefox are the ones with net access. It means that their firefox will be updated automatically.
    [*]They're advertising a brand new way of installing - Wubi - and making a big noise about how it's the "safe" option. Which is so new.. it's unreliable. It might be a great bit of coding, and a wonderful tool. But a new, relatively untested install method that (in my case) could **** up your machine is NOT something that should be part of an LTS release that you're hoping to sell as an enterprise-ready desktop.

    I've never used it I don't know what its like. What exactly did it do to your computer? I'm not going to say anything about it, cos more than likely it would be inaccurate :) But just because its new isn't a problem, if its buggy that is an issue. Other than you though I haven't heard any issues with it.
    [*]The most basic documentation is either unreliable, or relies on internet-connected community-run forums. TechNet and DevNet are the prime examples of what conservative industry buyers want and expect from OS support. Hate or love MS, they know how to keep devs and mass-license buyers appeased. Forums are a great option. They shouldn't be the only option, at least not for the market ubuntu are aiming at.
    [/LIST]

    I haven't looked for documentation on ubuntu so I have nothing to say about it. Other than the fact I googled ubuntu docs and got this http://doc.ubuntu.com/ It looks like they are working on it alright. Once again linux is a community, it needs people like you and me to contribute to it. Whats the windows documentation like? I'm sure its good but something I also never looked at while I was a windows user.
    See, none of the above problems is a "Sale killer" if you like, all on its own. None of the problems are insurmountable, in most cases they're obvious and trivial to solve. The problem is that when you sit back and look at it, you start to see glaring examples of very very bad, stupid, or lazy planning and execution that has gone into it over the whole project.

    Choices like the ones above all have the same ring to them: "Eh, whatever, good enough, slap it in, we'll fix it in the next release six months down the line." That's fine for an app. It's entirely the wrong way to think about an OS.
    Windows, of course, has the opposite problem: "Whoa! Don't take that out! Some useless **** is still using that feature from 30 years ago! You'll break it!"

    Alot of the stuff you have complained about I have no issue with and disagree on many things you see as troublesome.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,542 ✭✭✭eoferrall


    After trying Gutsy (cos i was bored and tired of the visuals and the effort to customise it) i switched and loved it. upgraded to Hardy the day after the release as the servers were constantly jammed. have not had a single problem with either release...(well with Gutsy i did but that was me and learning the system) i know how to do what i want to do and have had no problems with Hardy. Wireless works perfectly as does everything else. Codecs not saying your wrong but mine installed for all programs...but then i knew i needed them and added them along with my other programs i use.

    Just my two cents, since there seemed to be alot of bashing the release. oh also i use it on a tecra m1 which if you search the forums there are alot of problems graphics wise...can get the compiz working but makes my laptop quite slow...when get new one hopefully the full graphics will be unleashed upon me!:D


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,747 ✭✭✭niallb


    If you're finding compiz slowing things down, there are a couple of settings you can change
    which might make a difference.
    First of all, install this control panel to give you the option for Custom settings:
    sudo apt-get install simple-ccsm
    Next time you go to the System menu, you'll see "Advanced Desktop Effects Settings"
    Under "General", choose the "Desktop" tab, and turn off "Detect Refresh Rate".
    Try changing the setting for "Sync to VBlank" too - good for some cards, bad for others.
    It made a difference for me on an intel i810 video chipset.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,542 ✭✭✭eoferrall


    Thanks niallb, i had a manager i got from synaptic for it to set custom settingsbut it wasnt the simple manager you have mentioned, turned off alot of the settings and it improved it. i shall give what you suggested a try and hopefully it'll work on this dinosaur!:rolleyes:


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,574 ✭✭✭Slutmonkey57b


    You know for a while there , i considered not replying to your post. Not because of what you said, just the sheer length of it!

    Good point. You probably won't like the length of this one then! :)
    I can't think if a reason why you would need to read off the CD.

    Because your net access isn't working?
    What can they do here though? Change Ubuntu from a CD to a DVD that includes loads of windows drivers and have a script to use them with ndiswrapper? Could be an option although they probably would need permission from the writers of the proprietary drivers and its messy.

    I'm not proposing that they include every driver on the install disk. My point here was that they made a decision whereby NDISwrapper (one of the most useful and necessary tools in linux) isn't part of the default install, but PalmOS device support is. What kind of lunatic logic is that? Who thinks to themselves "Hey, we've got 300 million users who need NDISwrapper, vs 500 that need Palm sync support. Let's leave Palm support in and bugger the wifi drivers"??
    Answer: Someone who shouldn't be designing an OS.
    It doesn't let you access your harddrives? I don't understand. Do you mean the system files? Once again your not the administrator. Log in a the administrator if it bothers you.

    The problem we're talking about is mounting hard drives after a clean install. The mouse issue is from kubuntu and I didn't have it with Laurel (on the other hand kubuntu had a full logitech driver). While not defaulting to administrator access is admirable, asking me for a password to access my own drives is something that the designers and I profoundly disagree on.
    Alot of the stuff you have complained about I have no issue with and disagree on many things you see as troublesome.

    Maybe we're approaching this from different angles. You're quite right that none of this issues is "big". I don't expect the devs to come round to my house and fix everything for me, and it's not that I'm not prepared to fiddle.
    I am choosing to look at this not from the perspective of "look how far they've come" or "how can I contribute?", and there's a simple reason for that - Canonical is making a big noise about how Ubuntu is up to the standard of being a replacement for windows - not just an "advanced Linux distro". It's touted not only as a viable alternative, but as a potential sale to mass corporate users and volume licenses. From that perspective, I am looking at it as follows: Are they right, or are they full of shi.t? After my kubuntu install, I came to the conclusion that their idea of "stable release" and mine were very different. The blurb about Laurel'n'Hardy is that is an LTS "very stable" release. Having viewed it, one thing is clear - clearer than it was with the last version:

    They are nowhere near being able to design a windows replacement.

    Not because the driver support's not there, not because they need more members of the community to muck in, and not because they need more co-operation with closed software and hardware vendors.

    It's because some of the decisions they've made in the architecture, and the design choices they've made in the way the OS is structured, are beyond poor. They're not amateur, either. It's as if they've looked at the OS's shortcomings, held a very simple solution in their hands, and stuck their heads right in the sand with their fingers in their ears singing LAA LAA LAA. Windows devs have done this as well. But the difference is that the windows devs don't have to persuade people to switch (unless they're one of the unfortunates trying to flog retail copies of Vista). The three examples I highlighted at the end of my last post are all pretty small issues. Nothing life threatening. What's worrying about them is not that they're there, it's that Canonical don't see them as a problem. They should, because those decisions are telling the outside world a lot about how and why architecture decisions are being made, more than Canonical seem to realise. They're telling the world "Hey, we've slapped in a lot of stuff here, some of it's pretty cool, check it out", then when the "Ehh.. but it doesn't work" problem rears its ugly head, the logic is "Meh, whaddya gonna do, it'll be fixed a few months down the line, fuggedaboudit."

    I'll go back to my favourite example to highlight how that thinking is exposed; Firefox Beta. Here's what it tells us:
    • They had a release schedule set.
    • One of their most important release apps wasn't going to be ready on time.
    • Rather than delay the release, they slapped in the Beta version and told everybody they'd upgrade the release in a month.
    Here's what they think it tells us: "We meet our deadlines. You can rely on us to look after it."
    Here's what it actually tells us: "If it's not ready, or it's not working right, we'll whack it in anyway and maybe we'll fix it later. Fu.ck it, it's your problem now, you don't like it make your own, why should we delay the release just because it doesn't work/isn't finished/hasn't been tested?"

    That's not going to sell well to volume licensers or corporate server admins. Red Hat and other corporate Linux distros made sales because they've learned that. Ubuntu is getting a lot of goodwill changeovers, particularly playing the "free vs. microsoft tax" arguments with local government/education buyers. But that will only take them so far, and it won't allow them to get away with some of the frankly shoddy work they're doing on the OS.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 17,727 ✭✭✭✭Sherifu


    Slutmonkey57b, was there anything you liked?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,574 ✭✭✭Slutmonkey57b


    I don't know. Anything I liked about it was something that, realistically, some other OS has already been doing for years, usually smoother, faster, and with less hassle. If any Linux distro is going to take away Vista sales (and as I stated above it's clearly not going to be Ubuntu), it's the opportunity to provide a "bloat-free" OS experience. As it is, I don't see that happening.

    The various ubuntu versions make a good first impression, usually with swanky visuals, but it's not backed up with solid foundations, it's not well thought out (actually it might as well not have been planned at all), and "like for like" performance is at best equal to, or in most cases, significantly behind that of XP, never mind 2000 (which would be my OS of choice). When ubuntu is at it's best, it's "Meh, ok I suppose". When it's bad it's like having teeth pulled by a blind man when you can see someone else's name on the paperwork.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 17,727 ✭✭✭✭Sherifu


    Fair enough, i'd have thought a lot of things were already being done by linux and were ripped off by windows. *UAC* In the past you could say Linux wasn't very friendly but for me that has disappeared with Ubuntu, everything worked on my laptop out of the box. :eek: I don't know what you mean by bloat free either. Vista takes over 10 gigs, Ubuntu about 3/4 I think.

    If anything i'd have said Ubuntu has a solid foundation. It outperforms XP and Vista imo. It's only been good for me.


  • Moderators, Arts Moderators Posts: 35,508 Mod ✭✭✭✭pickarooney


    I still can't get past the fact that for the second time in 6 months I've upgraded and My X session won't start without me doing the following:
    Ctrl-AltF1
    login
    startx and wait for it to fail with error message
    delete a /tmp lock file as root/sudo
    startx again

    and that NOBODY on the three biggest Linux/Ubuntu forms has had one useful tip on how to fix it. I'm just going to have to reformat again and stay in the dark about why upgrading destros my installation repeatedly.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,534 ✭✭✭FruitLover


    I've upgraded and My X session won't start without me doing the following:
    Ctrl-AltF1
    login
    startx and wait for it to fail with error message
    delete a /tmp lock file as root/sudo
    startx again

    Weird. How come you need to press ctrl-alt-f1 if Xorg hasn't started? Is this from the Ubuntu 'loading' type screen? Sounds like you might be trying to start X when it's already started (although maybe not fully loaded?). If it happens again, try checking the process list to see if X has already been initiated before you run 'startx'.


  • Moderators, Arts Moderators Posts: 35,508 Mod ✭✭✭✭pickarooney


    It happens every time - blank black screen when I boot up, no way past it but to drop to console and wipe that lock file.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,657 ✭✭✭corkie


    I still can't get past the fact that for the second time in 6 months I've upgraded and My X session won't start without me doing the following:
    Ctrl-AltF1
    login
    startx and wait for it to fail with error message
    delete a /tmp lock file as root/sudo
    startx again

    and that NOBODY on the three biggest Linux/Ubuntu forms has had one useful tip on how to fix it. I'm just going to have to reformat again and stay in the dark about why upgrading destros my installation repeatedly.

    After these two steps:

    1. Ctrl-AltF1
    2. login

    > sudo su (and entering password)
    > telinit 1 (brings you to single user mode killing all X sessions)
    > X -configure (will give you a new X configuration to use)
    Follow instructions as directed from that prompt!
    backup your old one (edit and paste the differences for mouse/touchpad settings)
    > cp /etc/X11/xorg.conf /etc/X11/xorg.conf.backup
    > cp /root/xorg.conf.new /etc/X11/xorg.conf
    > reboot

    That should hopefully resolve that issue. (I Got into the habit of doing that under slackware, when i was recompling)

    Regards,
    J.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,534 ✭✭✭FruitLover


    corkie wrote: »
    That should hopefully resolve that issue. (I Got into the habit of doing that under slackware, when i was recompling)

    What caused the problem? Loading old modules?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,574 ✭✭✭Slutmonkey57b


    Sherifu wrote: »
    Fair enough, i'd have thought a lot of things were already being done by linux and were ripped off by windows. *UAC* In the past you could say Linux wasn't very friendly but for me that has disappeared with Ubuntu, everything worked on my laptop out of the box. :eek: I don't know what you mean by bloat free either. Vista takes over 10 gigs, Ubuntu about 3/4 I think.

    UAC on Vista or Linux isn't something either of them should be claiming plaudits for since it's utterly crap on both (with Vista edging it in the "pointlessly wasting less of my valuable ****ing time asking me for passwords" stakes). Since the UI basis of Windows is 95, and the technological basis is NT, and both pre-date Linux (in any usable form), I don't buy the argument that Windows is ripping off Linux. Linux, Windows and OSX are all ripping off Unix would probably be more accurate. Vista is an example of massive unregulated bloat on a George Lucas scale, so I don't count that. But given the functionality offered, and the very theoretical (in my view) advantage of open source coding, Ubuntu should be a hell of a lot slimmer, more responsive, and more responsible than it is. As it is, it's a badly planned, hobbled XP alternative with nothing special or unique to recommend it, and plenty to say against it.
    If anything i'd have said Ubuntu has a solid foundation. It outperforms XP and Vista imo. It's only been good for me.

    When the screen doesn't jag and lag horribly when scrolling a window, or fonts can actually be seen clearly on screen, I might agree with you. As it is, I don't see any performance advantage at all.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 17,727 ✭✭✭✭Sherifu


    I'm happy with it so it's pointless for me to say anymore. We will have to disagree.

    *exits thread*


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,227 ✭✭✭stereo_steve


    Good point. You probably won't like the length of this one then! :)

    The problem we're talking about is mounting hard drives after a clean install. The mouse issue is from kubuntu and I didn't have it with Laurel (on the other hand kubuntu had a full logitech driver). While not defaulting to administrator access is admirable, asking me for a password to access my own drives is something that the designers and I profoundly disagree on.

    Sigh, just add them to your fstab and stop complaining! We are not talking about Kubuntu in this thread. We are talking about Ubuntu the primary operating operating system of Canonical. I have Ubuntu and never have to put in passwords to access my drives.
    Canonical is making a big noise about how Ubuntu is up to the standard of being a replacement for windows - not just an "advanced Linux distro". It's touted not only as a viable alternative, but as a potential sale to mass corporate users and volume licenses. From that perspective, I am looking at it as follows: Are they right, or are they full of shi.t? After my kubuntu install, I came to the conclusion that their idea of "stable release" and mine were very different. The blurb about Laurel'n'Hardy is that is an LTS "very stable" release. Having viewed it, one thing is clear - clearer than it was with the last version:

    They are nowhere near being able to design a windows replacement.

    Eh ... it is. I find it vastly superior than anything I have used before. The majority if things you are saying are completely untrue.

    1. You need passwords to access your harddrive. False
    2. You need a password to change a mouse setting . False
    3 When totem installs a codec it is not system wide. False (tested this on a new install I did yesterday.)
    4. You complain about Ubuntu not looking on the install CD before checking on the internet. Why , why, why would it do this? Everything is installed from the CD. There is not reason to install anything from it later???
    5 The "jags" when using firefox I experienced this for week when hardy as still in Alpha. It was fixed with an updated video driver through the repositories.
    stuck their heads right in the sand with their fingers in their ears singing LAA LAA LAA.....I didn't have it with Laurel

    These kind of comments really don't help your argument, even when you put them in bold.a

    examples I highlighted at the end of my last post are all pretty small issues. Nothing life threatening. What's worrying about them is not that they're there, it's that Canonical don't see them as a problem. They should, because those decisions are telling the outside world a lot

    I don't see the problem either? Aside from a couple of things I agreed on, eg documentation.
    I'll go back to my favourite example to highlight how that thinking is exposed; Firefox Beta. Here's what it tells us:
    • They had a release schedule set.
    • One of their most important release apps wasn't going to be ready on time.
    • Rather than delay the release, they slapped in the Beta version and told everybody they'd upgrade the release in a month.
    Here's what they think it tells us: "We meet our deadlines. You can rely on us to look after it."
    Here's what it actually tells us: "If it's not ready, or it's not working right, we'll whack it in anyway and maybe we'll fix it later. Fu.ck it, it's your problem now, you don't like it make your own, why should we delay the release just because it doesn't work/isn't finished/hasn't been tested?"

    Firefox 3 in its current state is extremely stable and far far better than Firefox 2. I remember reading that there were 700,000 users of it about a month ago prior to the hardy release. I don't think its a problem. If there was/is a security flaw it will be patched as soon as its found. If there were issues with Firefox 3 then the LTS version probably would have not been released.
    That's not going to sell well to volume licensers or corporate server admins. Red Hat and other corporate Linux distros made sales because they've learned that. Ubuntu is getting a lot of goodwill changeovers, particularly playing the "free vs. microsoft tax" arguments with local government/education buyers. But that will only take them so far, and it won't allow them to get away with some of the frankly shoddy work they're doing on the OS.

    Again, shoddy? Seriously! Most people, definitely myself wouldn't see it as free vs MS sales tax. Microsoft made their product they can certainly charge what they want for it. I see it as caged vs freedom. Just one example this is brainstorm.ubuntu.com If people ask for something in enough numbers it happens.

    I'm gonna have to exit this thread aswell. Its taking far to much time to write this. I'm sure you'll agree! I do love linux though and I use Ubuntu because of the various versions of linux I've used, I find Ubuntu to be the best and it has a fantastic community!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,630 ✭✭✭Oracle


    I've upgraded using the Ubuntu Update Manager, something I've never done before, it's gone smoothly, so everything's great so far. I notice browsing with Firefox is way faster, pages load quicker, and it seems to start and close better. Some web sites freeze with it though. I'm surprised they've included beta software in this release (Firefox 3.0b5 Beta) but it seems to work well anyway.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,574 ✭✭✭Slutmonkey57b


    Eh ... it is. I find it vastly superior than anything I have used before. The majority if things you are saying are completely untrue.

    How is it superior? Is it faster? Smoother? More stable? Less bloat? Looks prettier? What functionality does it provide that other OS's don't? I couldn't find a single (positive) unique, interesting, or more importantly, useful thing about it. It doesn't allow me to do anything I haven't already been doing on some other OS for several years now.
    1. You need passwords to access your harddrive. False

    What? I must have been hallucinating when I saw a box pop up and ask me for the administrator password when I wanted to open the hard drive then?
    Disagree with me if you want, but don't call me a liar.
    2. You need a password to change a mouse setting . False

    Again, I must have been seeing things? And seeing as I made a point of saying that this happened in kubuntu, not ubuntu, you're accusing me of lying based on a deliberate misconception.
    3 When totem installs a codec it is not system wide. False (tested this on a new install I did yesterday.)

    That did not happen with me. Again, were you looking over my shoulder? Don't call me a liar.
    4. You complain about Ubuntu not looking on the install CD before checking on the internet. Why , why, why would it do this? Everything is installed from the CD. There is not reason to install anything from it later???

    Because, as I so carefully pointed out, IF you don't have net access, you can't
    A) get help to fix your problem;
    B) install NDISwrapper which would enable you to get online in the first place. A less brainless designer would have thought of that, and made them part of the default install, or put out a DVD image with optional popular (even voted by the community) apps, drivers, and tools on it.

    Ubuntu would have every right to not bother looking at the install disk and jump straight to searching the net, IF it didn't have such a well-deserved reputation for incomplete wireless support. It doesn't, so it has no business assuming that the internet is its first port of call.
    5 The "jags" when using firefox I experienced this for week when hardy as still in Alpha. It was fixed with an updated video driver through the repositories.

    Other people (on the forums, not just me) are not experiencing the same performance. Again, they are not liars just because you don't agree with them. Just because your specific hardware is working, does not mean everyone's is.
    I don't see the problem either? Aside from a couple of things I agreed on, eg documentation.

    Then you're missing the whole point of what I was arguing about.
    Firefox 3 in its current state is extremely stable and far far better than Firefox 2. I remember reading that there were 700,000 users of it about a month ago prior to the hardy release. I don't think its a problem. If there was/is a security flaw it will be patched as soon as its found. If there were issues with Firefox 3 then the LTS version probably would have not been released.

    Again, you're missing the point I was making. As to whether the LTS would "probably" not have been released, that depends on how much faith you have in Canonical's commitment to Quality Control. I have very little.
    Again, shoddy? Seriously! Most people, definitely myself wouldn't see it as free vs MS sales tax. Microsoft made their product they can certainly charge what they want for it. I see it as caged vs freedom. Just one example this is brainstorm.ubuntu.com If people ask for something in enough numbers it happens.

    Yes, shoddy. Not up to standard. Not good enough.

    Useful requests on the front page of brainstorm, then:
    Integrated Compiz-Check
    Written by artir the 2 May 08 at 11:53. Category: Look and Feel. New
    Compiz-Check(http://forum.compiz-fusion.org/showthread.php?t=8167) is a script that checks your system and sees why you cant run compiz. So, with this script, Ubuntu will say: "Desktop effects couldnt been enabled because X" instead of just "D.E. couldnt been enabled."
    Migrate settings like on a Mac
    Written by terra the 2 May 08 at 04:18. Category: Installation. New
    There should be a way to duplicate settings from one installation to another. Mac can do this...
    Have a device manager
    Written by ToSsMaStR the 1 May 08 at 21:33. Category: Look and Feel. New
    Have a device manager, similar to windows, where one can see what devices are functioning properly and what needs to be installed and what not.
    Undo when renaming files
    Written by bdamer the 1 May 08 at 21:43. Category: Accessibility. New
    When renaming a file in nautilus, there is no way to undo changes made while typing. Just as in most other applications, the last changes should be reverted when the user hits CTRL+Z.
    apt-get from install CD should use the CD when useful
    Written by tgape the 1 May 08 at 22:18. Category: Installation. New
    Install CDs which are not full live filesystems generally have many of the install packages on them. However, apparently apt-get prefers getting them from online, because the install I just initiated a couple hours ago is fetching *everything* from the net, despite the fact that many of the packages are on the CD, and at least some of those are the latest version.

    IMHO, if a version of a package exists on a CD, it should use that package, and only download a patch file, if that saves any time. If the version on the CD is the latest, it should certainly not download from the net - doing so wastes ubuntu.com bandwidth and consumes additional time.
    Ubuntu pre-installed on the usb drives
    Written by eyerouge the 2 May 08 at 04:06. Category: System. New
    Canonical store is already selling 1 GB usb flash drives. Why not start selling 2, 3 or 4 GB drives with latest Ubuntu pre-installed on them?
    It's actually quite astonishing this isn't in the store already.

    For the record, I chose from only the most popular items on the frontpage (~50 votes+), with the exception of the CD install issue, which I included because of its humorous value (and technical discussion) and I didn't go out of my way to make ubuntu look bad.

    What do we have?
    People want an equivalent to DxDiag.
    People want an equivalent to "Files and Settings Transfer Wizard"
    People want an equivalent to device manager. (as opposed to a help file that claims there is one when there isn't)
    People want the file navigator to support Undo. (Like explorer does).
    Someone thinks that defaulting to install off the net is a waste of time and bandwith considering the up-to-date files he's downloading are already on the install CD!
    http://www.damnsmalllinux.org/usb.html - Pity nobody else thought of selling pre-installed linux pen drives....

    People want features that other OS's have been sporting for years!
    I'm gonna have to exit this thread aswell. Its taking far to much time to write this. I'm sure you'll agree! I do love linux though and I use Ubuntu because of the various versions of linux I've used, I find Ubuntu to be the best and it has a fantastic community!

    I understand I'm coming across as a big negative basher. I wish that was because I wasn't! But this install was my "second chance" for ubuntu to prove itself. Not only did it not prove itself, I found the whole experience more dissapointing this time.


  • Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 92,550 Mod ✭✭✭✭Capt'n Midnight


    Slutmonkey wrote:
    http://www.damnsmalllinux.org/usb.html - Pity nobody else thought of selling pre-installed linux pen drives....
    selling ? , you can request a free ubuntu CD ;)
    almost every live CD can be run from a USB key
    not just linux free dos and solaris clones also run from usb
    you can cheat and have a dos format usb key + loadlin
    People want features that other OS's have been sporting for years!
    0 price tag
    security
    no restrictions on number of processors / clients / services they can run without purchasing additional licenses


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,574 ✭✭✭Slutmonkey57b


    0 price tag
    security
    no restrictions on number of processors / clients / services they can run without purchasing additional licenses

    Free is exactly what it's worth though. Other OS's may cost shiny gold rocks, but they're better made, better supported, and more useful as a result. That's the tradeoff.
    Security is something I'm not at all convinced of. The quality of basic code that I've experienced doesn't bode well for the quality of the underlying security. Also, there's the simple fact that amateur hackers won't attack linux because they're for the most part linux heads who like making windows look bad, and professional hackers don't see the profit in it yet. Remember Apple made a big deal of how unhackable their Unix-based OS was - until someone spent a couple of weeks poking at it and suddenly there were holes all over the place.
    Anyone running a system where number of processors/clients/services is a serious concern factors license costs into their business. Universities get grants.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 413 ✭✭sobriquet


    Free is exactly what it's worth though. Other OS's may cost shiny gold rocks, but they're better made, better supported, and more useful as a result. That's the tradeoff.
    Thousands of users and businesses globally depend on Linux and the BSDs. Why? Perhaps, and it's just a thought, it's because the above is not true.

    The 'better made, better supported, and more useful' comment comes across as nothing but flamebait. You took stereo_steve to task for implying that you were a liar, that your experience means nothing. You're right, no-one here can tell you what did or didn't happen. What we can do though is reject what you're doing above: concluding from this experience that Linux is worthless not just for you but categorically, for everyone.

    So maybe then you can see that your endless arguing of the above is pretty tiresome at this point. My Ubuntu install is great. Perfectly stable and responsive. My mate, a Windows head through and through, installed Hardy on his MacBook Pro during the week. Some big issues specific to his MacBook but despite that, he really liked it. Many, many others too, get value out of it, even if your experience was terrible. So could you please stop telling us that it has no value? We have experiences of our own to the contrary.
    Security is something I'm not at all convinced of. The quality of basic code that I've experienced doesn't bode well for the quality of the underlying security.
    Y'know I use Windows XP daily in work. It's sluggish, sometimes unresponsive and stall-y, no idea why. I could make the very same assumption that it's built on a house of cards, but I'd be wrong. MS have made huge strides in security engineering and code quality over the years, and the likelihood that sometimes randomly weird UI code is representative of the quality of code at the kernel level is just daft. Even if it were terrible, Windows is designed in such a way as to partition things. Bad code in area need not render the whole system vulnerable. Same goes for Linux, and every other system worth looking at out there. That some Gnome code is shaky or the application is badly designed or integrated says nothing about the quality of any other code on the system.
    Also, there's the simple fact that amateur hackers won't attack linux because they're for the most part linux heads who like making windows look bad,
    Simple fact? You're basing this on what? I could reasonably posit that most games and software (music and movies too, why not) pirates are mostly windows heads. Which gets use where? Nowhere. You're deflecting the argument that Linux is more secure by saying well h4x0rs are Linux users anyway. Do you seriously think that every script kiddie out there runs Linux and feels some kind of loyalty to it? Well if so you'd be wrong. ...in 2007 more Linux servers suffered a successful attack than all versions of Windows, combined. That took about three seconds to find out, by the way, by googling for 'defacement windows linux.' (By the way, that statistic doesn't actually say a lot about the relative security of Linux against Windows. There's a breakdown of the attack vectors: almost all to with password guessing/stealing/sniffing, misconfiguration, sql injection and the like. Nothing inherent in any system, just bad deployment and administration. I'd link to Zone-H.org directly but it seems to be down.)
    and professional hackers don't see the profit in it yet.
    I'm sorry, but no. It takes no time at all to find out about the large numbers of Linux and BSD servers out there in critical roles, handling all sorts of sensitive data. The targets are very much there, and at least as worthwhile as their MS or other proprietary equivalents.
    Remember Apple made a big deal of how unhackable their Unix-based OS was - until someone spent a couple of weeks poking at it and suddenly there were holes all over the place.
    I don't know what Apple claimed, but I'm very interested in 'holes all over the place', because I don't remember that. Have you got a source for this? I somehow don't imagine that 'holes all over the place' is a particularly accurate recollection of how things panned out.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 17,208 ✭✭✭✭aidan_walsh


    Slutmonkey is probably talking about the Month of Apple Bugs


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