Official Linux Thread

**Schlep** · 29 Apr 2009, 06:46 PM

Thought I would make a quick post since I've been using Ubuntu for the past couple weeks. Actually started out on 8.10 and then 9.04 was released days after.

Basically, through Ubuntu, Linux is almost to the point where it's as robust and easy as a Mac, imo. There are still some issues that need to be repaired. Screenlets (widgets, gadgets, whatever) is still buggy, no DVD support out of the box (don't imagine there ever will be), needs better webcam support, and there are still instances where you have to go to the command line.

All that said, it's remarkably fast and easy to use. I installed it on an old PC I'm trying to off on eBay (Athlon 64 3000+ 1gb ram) and it's lightning on there. Really brings to light how bloated OS X has gotten since its original release.

Nautilus (finder/explorer) is simple and fast. You can even add a bookmark for an FTP that acts exactly like any other folder on your system. NAS can be automounted through NFS, CIFS, or SMB. Banshee is a great little music app. Interface is a lot like iTunes and it supports podcasts (audio and video) with automatic downloading. VLC naturally plays everything so long as you have the codecs installed (available through add/remove programs). DVDs can be played, even though technically illegal.

All other apps you can think of are available and do work. Adobe AIR (TweetDeck, Twhirl, Snackr, etc). Pidgin for IM. GIMP for image editing. OpenOffice for MS Office (amazing how good the compatibility is now).

If you have an extra PC lying around, no matter how old, or you have another HDD and want to try dual booting, give it a try. Added a screenshot of my main desktop (C2D 3ghz, 3gb RAM).

Click for full size

**Gymkata** · 30 Apr 2009, 01:45 AM

Yeah I made a switch too. I rock a netbook with Easy peasy (ubuntu eee) and It feels faster than bitch ass xp. If it werent for the fact that it cant do EVERYTHING that xp does easily, then Id flip the double deuce to Redmond and live without windows totaly. Eventualy Ill even add Wine to this thing and be even more l33t.

Umm so yeah....power to the people and screw the man...and.....umm...free hemp for everyone.

**Schlep** · 30 Apr 2009, 01:49 AM

haha. Yeah, I need Flash Media Encoder and a few games on Windows. Other than that, I don't use it much. What kind of battery life do you get on the eee? Like playing Xvid's or whatever.

**Gymkata** · 30 Apr 2009, 01:56 AM

truth be told I get max a little under two hours. I havnt played any xvids or nothin but I noticed with this crappy video on board, I cant watch H264s or something. Nothing high def or it artifacts like a mofo.

**Schlep** · 30 Apr 2009, 02:57 AM

Ah that sucks. Guess I'll stick with the aspiration of owning a new 14 or 15" laptop then.

**Schlep** · 03 May 2009, 05:05 AM

I must say, this isn't really Linux specific, but I installed the PS3 Media Server the other day. It took about an hour to get subtitles working correctly and another hour to set it up correctly under Startup Apps.

All that effort, though, totally worth it. Every kind of video that I've thrown at it, it can play no problem. Quicktime HD, for whatever reason, stutters on the PS3 but does work when streaming to the 360 (yes, the app works for both systems depsite its name

) Audio streaming is great as well. Glad I never paid the $20 for the inferior Medialink.