Human Nature Trumps Linux April 9, 2009
Posted by AlisterComputeron in Operating Systems.Tags: Human Nature, Linux, Netbook, Windows
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With Microsoft reporting that Windows now runs on 96% of netbooks, the time of the Linux OS may have come and gone.
Various flavors of Linux OS’s dominated the netbook market when the form factor was first introduced. But Windows has caught up quickly, and this is largely a shame.
I dual boot my Dell Mini 9 between Windows XP and Ubuntu Linux. I much prefer booting to Linux, because the interface is cleaner and better suited to the smaller screen. But I’m tech-savvy and like playing with different technologies. The average users wants to stick with what’s familiar.
And I think it’s that familiarity with Windows that will keep it the dominate OS, regardless of the PC form factor on which it’s installed.
Despite the fact that Linux is more stable and more secure, the vast majority of users are comfortable with Windows. They are familiar with Windows’ quirks; they know what to do when Windows freezes; they know how to end an app that has hung. They know where everything is in Windows.
This familiarity factor may be one of the reasons that Windows Vista has been met with so much disdain. Show users what Vista can do – as with the Mojave Experiment – and users think it’s cool. Have them work with it hands-on and suddenly those cool differences become cumbersome.
If Linux doesn’t make it on netbooks, I don’t think it will ever become mainstream: Linux is a perfect OS for netbooks. But not only is Linux locked in a battle with Windows, it has to fight human nature, too. It’s human nature to stick with what’s familiar, and it’s human nature to fear the unknown.
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Ubuntu UNR will Stay on my Dell Mini March 13, 2009
Posted by AlisterComputeron in Operating Systems.Tags: Dell Mini 9, Linux, Ubuntu, Windows
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Earlier this week I posted about installing Ubuntu Netbook Remix (UNR) on my Dell 9. I said it runs great, and the apps, such as Firefox, open and run very well on Ubuntu. However, I also said that I thought it wasn’t ready for mainstream yet.
During my lunch hour today, I browsed over to ABC.com to catch up on Scrubs. Didn’t realize ABC is still playing re-runs of episodes 1-10 of Season 8, so no new episodes today. Anyhoo, my Dell Mini was booted to UNR, so when I clicked on one of the episodes, I was greeted by a message that essentially said ABC.com only supports Mac OS X and Windows. Bummer.
My frustration level with Linux began to rise again, as I booted back to Windows. I thought a lot today about running Windows exclusively on the Mini, since I can’t run everything under Ubuntu, and just uninstalling Ubuntu. However, every time I thought about how much more quickly Firefox, for example, launches in Ubuntu than it does in Windows, I just can’t stand the thought of moving back to an inferior OS after experiencing Ubuntu, even with its own set of flaws.
Ok, Scrubs is the only thing I watch at ABC.com, and this is its last season. I should probably watch streaming movies from Netflix on my larger screen MacBook. And I don’t use mobile broadband all that often.
So Ubuntu stays.
Must-have Apps March 11, 2009
Posted by AlisterComputeron in Mobility, Operating Systems.Tags: Evernote, Motorola Q, PdaNet, USB Modem, Windows Mobile
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I recently upgraded my Moto Q from WinMo 6 to 6.1. The upgrade process wiped out all my installed apps – no big deal, as I was warned of this prior to the installation, and I can easily reinstall my apps.
The first app I reinstalled was USB Modem by Mobile-Stream that lets me use my Q as a high-speed-ish modem for Internet access when wi-fi is not available (or not available for free). Unfortunately, that app doesn’t seem to work WinMo 6.1, and there doesn’t seem to be an upgrade available.
I am currently testing PdaNet from June Fabrics as a replacement for USB Modem. It’s working great on my Windows Vista notebook and my Windows XP Dell Mini. I haven’t tried to make it work on my MacBook, yet.
The next app I installed was Evernote. I was out shopping the day other before I had a chance to reinstall Evernote, and you just don’t realize how important your key apps and your data are until you really need them.
What about you? What’s the first app that gets reinstalled when you do a reinstall or new install of an OS?
My Dell Mini 9: Remixed March 10, 2009
Posted by AlisterComputeron in Operating Systems.Tags: Dell Mini 9, Linux, Ubuntu, Windows
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Well after six calls to tech support and four trips to the repair shop in Texas, my Dell Mini 9 is finally fully operational. So what do I do with it now that it’s working like new? I install the alpha version of Ubuntu 9.04, code name Jaunty Jackalope. I installed their netbook remix, called, Ubuntu Netbook Remix, or UNR.
The Mini 9 works even better now. I installed Ubuntu using the Wubi install within Windows. If you’re not familiar, Wubi allows you to install Ubuntu as if it were any other application. It’s a great way to try out Linux without leaving the comfort of Windows, and it’s an easy way to maintain a dual-boot computer. If you don’t like it, simply to Add/Remove programs in the Windows Control Panel and uninstall it – just like any other app.
The only two things I can’t do with Ubuntu that I can do with Windows is watch the on-demand stuff from Netflix, and tether the computer to my cell phone for Internet access. On the other hand, I can play streaming audio through Songbird within Ubuntu, while I was unable to do so in Windows.
The 9.04 alpha version of Ubuntu is quite stable and seems complete based on other versions of Ubuntu that I’ve played with. And I really like the application chooser that Ubuntu built into the remix.
I still think Ubuntu isn’t quite ready for the mainstream, but this is a huge step forward.
These two links will give you excellent help on installing UNR:
- Zimbio.com – This article talks about installing UNR on the MSI Wind netbook, but I found it works for the Dell Mini, too.
- Ubuntu on the Dell Mini 9
Apple may get Touchy with Palm after Patent Award January 27, 2009
Posted by AlisterComputeron in Mobility, News, Operating Systems.Tags: Apple, Palm, Pre
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Palm just can’t catch break. Earlier this month, Palm released WebOS, which will be the new OS on its devices and the Pre, what was supposed to be a game-changer device and perhaps the salvation for Palm’s survival.
But Apple had to go and spoil Palm’s comeback tour. During Apple’s earnings call last week, Steve Jobs stand-in and Apple COO Tim Cook reasserted Apple’s supremacy in product designed, by saying, “Apple won’t let its intellectual property get ripped off; Palm, I’m looking at you.”
Apple was recently awarded a patent for “touch screen device, method, and graphical user interface for determining commands by applying heuristics,” features that sound simliar to those found in the Palm Pre.
Oh Apple, just let Palm have this one. You can still crush them, and the victory will be sweeter when Palm’s a little bigger. Besides, Palm is no Microsft; it’s not like they’re taking little bits of Mac OS X and putting it their OS.
Model-Specific Linux Distros Improve User Experience January 27, 2009
Posted by AlisterComputeron in Mobility, Operating Systems.Tags: Acer, Dell, HP, Linux, Netbook, Windows
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A few months ago, I wrote a couple of posts about what I thought the Linux community could do to help the Linux OS become more mainstream. The biggest thing, I wrote, that the Linux community could do is make Linux more like Mac OS X, in that the software and hardware work seamlessly together. One of the big issues with Windows, is that there is so much hardware that works with the OS, that sometimes Windows and the hardware doesn’t work well together.
As netbooks, or small, low-powered laptops, are taking off in popularity, Linux seems to finding a niche on the netbook hardware platform. There are several Linux distributions that have been developed or are being developed for specific netbook models.
HP and Dell have both developed Linux flavors tailored to their respective models. These are primarily icon-driven OSes for doing specific types of tasks. In fact, on HP’s web site, they specifically state of their Linux OS that the command line is not available. Earlier this week, Kuki Linux was released specifically for the Acer Aspire One.
Part of the appeal of the netbook form factor is the low cost. Many netbooks are priced below $500, and Linux helps keep the prices at least a little less than the same model equipped with Windows XP. Recent improvements in the user experience of Linux should help reduce return rates of netbooks with Linux installed, and could possibly focus new attention on Linux for the desktop, too.
The Linux community could capture a good portion of the netbook market with well-integrated OS and hardware. But here comes Microsoft with its slick Windows 7 that’s also been designed to run well on netbooks. So the Linux community needs to create the best possible experience – some might even say a Mac-like experience - to stay ahead of Microsoft. If not, Microsoft will own the netbook market, too.
C’mon Microsoft, It’s Time to Update Notepad January 26, 2009
Posted by AlisterComputeron in Operating Systems, Random Thoughts.Tags: Notepad, Spell Check, Windows
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As a network administrator, I find that Notepad in Windows is one of most useful applications I use. It’s a quick note-taking tool, a spot for copying and pasting, and a destination for data exported from Active Directory and such.
But from time to time, I need at least one more feature in the iconic text editor, and that’s a real-time spell checker. I have good command of the English language, I just can’t spell.
The text editors in Mac OS and Linux both have spell checking. The text editor in Linux even has tabs for all your open text files.
Will Microsoft add spell checking to Windows 7? Based on the beta I downloaded, it doesn’t look promising. Sure, I can download a more feature-rich text editor for Windows, but why should I have to since one is already built in to Windows. Microsoft just needs to update it. I mean it hasn’t changed since Windows 3.1.
Don’t Do What Donnie Don’t Does January 16, 2009
Posted by AlisterComputeron in News, Operating Systems.Tags: Virus, Windows, Windows Updates
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Windows updates. As an IT administrator you hate doing them: waiting for the maintenance window, reboot, and the inevitable user who’s using the system when you apply an update.
I had gotten a little lax on doing my updates, both for servers and for the desktops. Then my wife’s company, which is a publicly traded on Nasdaq, got infected with the Downadup virus, you know, the one that’s gotten some news lately.
If you don’t know, the Downadup virus infects computers by exploiting a vulnerability in Windows. No surprise there. However, Microsoft issued a patch for this flaw back in October. So all these computers getting infected could have avoided their fate had IT admins just applied the stupid patches.
Fortunately for me, I had applied some patches since October, despite my laziness complacency, and our computers were protected from the recent outbreak. I got a good chuckle, however, listening to the stories my wife told about the mess her IT department had on its hands.
So, Windows patches are pain, but not nearly the pain that having to disinfect a bunch computers is. Apply your updates.
Microsoft will soon release Windows Cloud OS October 2, 2008
Posted by AlisterComputeron in Internet, Operating Systems, Web Apps.Tags: Cloud Computing, Steve Ballmer, Technology, Windows, Windows Cloud
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Steve Ballmer announces Windows Cloud OS : Boy Genius Report
Microsoft announced that they will introduce “Windows Cloud,” in about a month. Windows Cloud is not based on Windows 7, and is intended for developers who write applications for cloud-computing.
Microsoft CEO, Steve Ballmer, made the announcement in London, but was short on details, though he did say that products, like Microsoft’s bread-and-butter Office suite won’t move entirely off the desktop. Microsoft is working on services that would let people do “light editing” of Office documents in the cloud.
Ballmer said that users want feature-rich applications that are “more powerful than software that runs in a browser.” He said Google Docs and Spreadsheets have “relatively low usage.” Well, sure “relatively low” compared with Office, which runs on 90% of the world’s PCs. And from my experience, a cloud-based word processing app, like Google Docs, is all most users need. But Stevo has to protect the franchise somehow, and telling people that G-Docs isn’t powerful enough just might do the trick.
So if Microsoft isn’t going to offer full-featured apps, other than those that can do “light editing,” why even develop Windows Cloud? I’m looking forward to seeing more details from Microsoft.
Technorati Tags: Windows, Steve Ballmer, Technology, Cloud Computing, Windows Cloud
Alternative OS Review: ReactOS September 29, 2008
Posted by AlisterComputeron in Cool Tools, Internet, Linux, Operating Systems, Reviews, Technology.Tags: Linux, Operating Systems, OS, ReactOS, Windows
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ReactOS is an operating system designed to look like Windows, written from the ground up, that is designed to emulate the Windows environment from the hardward level to the application level. The front page of the ReactOS states that this OS is not based on Linux, “and shares none of the Unix architecture.”
The aim of the ReactOS is create an OS that is compatible with Windows, so that applications, drivers, and hardware that run under Windows will run under ReactOS. It aims to match the look and feel of Windows, as well.
Why Windows? Well, as stated in their FAQ,
Linux is a great operating system, but it is not the answer for everybody. There are a lot of people that like Microsoft Windows, but are very frustrated with Microsoft’s policies on various issues.
The 9x family of Microsoft Windows is based on DOS, and shares many of its weaknesses, which is the primary reason why Microsoft Windows has such a bad name. The Microsoft Windows NT family of Windows, however, has a solid design. Not everything is perfect, but without access to the source code, there is no way to fix it, so a compatible operating system must be built from the ground up.
I downloaded this little puppy today, and the first thing I noticed is that it is a lightweight. The installation disk image weighs in at a mere 140MB. There is a live CD version, as well as a version pre-loaded with QEMU, which is a virtual machine that will allow you run the OS inside of Windows.
My initial impressions of the UI were generally favorable. I’ve gotten used to Windows over the years, so I wasn’t blown away by the UI, but ReactOS has replicated it rather well.
I wasn’t able to get either wireless or wired network working while tinkering with ReactOS. And when I opened the command window to ping my gateway, the window locked up and wouldn’t close. Bringing up the task manager didn’t remedy the problem. There also weren’t any applications included.
The OS is still in alpha, so I wasn’t expecting everything to work. But where does this go? With its Windows look and feel, does ReactOS face retaliation from Microsoft if ReactOS gains any traction? I think this is more an experiment than anything intended for mass distribution. It’s good to see these guys working to make Windows what it should have and could have been, but I’m not sure it will amount to much other than something for hobbyists to play with.
Technorati Tags: Operating Systems, OS, Linux, Windows, ReactOS
