Ubuntu Linux 7.10 "Gutsy Gibbon" released

[VE3SRE]

Version 7.10 (code named "Gutsy Gibbon") of the popular "Ubuntu" Linux distribution has just been released along with the KDE desktop version "Kubuntu", the XFCE desktop version (for older computers) "Xubuntu" and the educational Linux Terminal Server version "Edubuntu".

Unlike Windows Vista, no $100-400 price tag. Unlike the latest MacOS upgrade, no $130 price tag.

Instead, the price tag is $0.00

You can install it on one computer...or a million. No serial numbers, no activation codes...just download the .iso image from the net, burn it to CD and install it!

Ubuntu (http://www.ubuntu.com/)

Kubuntu (http://kubuntu.com/)

Xubuntu (http://xubuntu.com/)

Edubuntu (http://edubuntu.com/)

Also in the last couple of weeks Open Suse 10.3 was released:
Open Suse (http://software.opensuse.org/)

As was Mandriva Linux One 2008 and Mandriva Linux Free 2008
Mandriva (http://www.mandriva.com/en/download)

Price tag? $0.00

73

[KL1ZB]

Free??? How much is your time worth? For 70% of the computer illiterate #people that try and install Linux it works out ok, no major problems with the install and it runs at a level that they can use. The other 30% it is a nightmare, they don't know what a grub error is or why they can't access there wireless network or why when the system boots and the screen flashes a few times and then displays screen that looks like DOS or how to fix it.

Linux is great if you have the time and want to learn. If it doesn't work, good luck and I doubt even if you called your local computer shop and asked them why you can't get your network card working after you recompiled your kernel they could really be much help.

[KB3LLM]

I agree, but it's gaining popularity, and it's also supporting more hardware with each update. My DWL-G510 Dlink worked outta da box.

[KB1OHK]

Installed 7.10 the other day as a dual boot with Vista but I don't think I will be booting to Vista any time soon. I have to admit it puts windows to shame, it does take a bit of effort to get it up to speed installing codecs, restricted drivers, etc but once thats done it does everything windows does, just better.

If your tired of MS make the switch to Ubuntu.

[KB1PLB]

I am going to upgrade to it on my lappy when I get a new computer. I don't want to do it until I have a second puter to get on. If I do it on my only home puter I will rush it so I can get back in and probably mess it up. I am unix/linux literate so thats no problem.

[N0NB]

Quote[/b] (KL1ZB @ Oct. 18 2007,23:47)]Free??? How much is your time worth? For 70% of the computer illiterate #people that try and install Linux it works out ok, no major problems with the install and it runs at a level that they can use. The other 30% it is a nightmare, they don't know what a grub error is or why they can't access there wireless network or why when the system boots and the screen flashes a few times and then displays screen that looks like DOS or how to fix it.

That's a pretty good argument for 2003, maybe 2005, but more than likely here in 2007 and heading into 2008 such dire circumstances are the exception rather than the norm. #Right now the software is advancing very quickly that legitimate gripes of not long ago have been fixed. #The improvements have been a couple of orders of magnitude over the past few years.


Quote[/b] ]Linux is great if you have the time and want to learn. If it doesn't work, good luck and I doubt even if you called your local computer shop and asked them why you can't get your network card working after you recompiled your kernel they could really be much help.

As for one's time, it is disingenuous to assert that Windows requires zero learning time. #In fact, it has a learning curve. #I've had to hand-hold people at work for weeks as they came up to speed with Windows, from 3.1 to NT, to XP. #Fortunately, home Windows computers are now common enough that most people are learning the basics at home on their own time and don't need to learn it on the job. #People are just more exposed to Windows these days so it seems to be more "natural", but let's remember that no one is born with the ability to use Windows either and that well over 90% of the time Windows is already installed for the user by an experienced administrator.

I have discounted the "Linux is too hard to learn" argument long ago. #At work we have long used a mainframe based system with many arcane commands that has anything but a consistent UI. #Virtually all of the employees have learned to use that system and still do and I'll bet I can find a good number that still couldn't find their way around a Windows UI. #It's all a matter of training and Windows requires training, let us not forget that.

One thing the prospective Linux user can do is obtain a Live CD and try it without installation. #It's that simple. #Boot from the CD and play around to one's heart's content. #No installation necessary. #With the addition of a thumb drive, persistent session data may be maintained. #When done, shut down, remove the CD and reboot to the installed OS. #Of course, there will be a performance hit as CD drives are still slower than hard disks. #Installation is probably best done on a second hard drive so a current working system is not disturbed when the original OS must be retained.

Finally, unless one is running Slackware or Gentoo, there really is little need to recompile the kernel. #I'm a power user and I've been using the stock Debian kernels for three years now. #I've nearly forgotten how to recompile one. #I do have to compile the MadWifi driver, but that takes all of two commands and the drivers are built and installed and the kernel source dependencies are handled automatically. #I'm using Debian so a little more work (hah!) is involved. #Many other distributions do include MadWifi and when Open Atheros becomes more mature, it too will be in the stock Debian kernel.

Even though there aren't as many headlines, Free Software development is moving at a very rapid pace and improving daily.

Beyond all that, Free Software makes an excellent experimenter's platform. #All of the code at all levels is available for inspection, if need be, to ensure consistency of results. #All manner of development tools are freely available and included in the distributions. #I still can recall my astonishment eleven years ago, when I first began to learn and understand Slackware Linux, at the breadth and depth of the platform and of the quality of the tools available. #All of the software was provided for my use and enjoyment and learning without recompense and without accusing me of being a thief first (no license keys, no serial numbers, no activations schemes, no tryout periods, no shutdown schemes, etc.). #Once I was able to comprehend all of that, it was liberating! #That is the key component of Free Software.

[VE3SRE]

Quote[/b] ]Free??? How much is your time worth? For 70% of the computer illiterate people that try and install Linux it works out ok, no major problems with the install and it runs at a level that they can use.

I have all the time in the world for a completely free "free as in free beer, free as in freedom" computer operating system built and supported by a community. If I have a glitch...I know that in not too long a period of time, the glitch will get fixed...especially with new versions of Linux distros coming out roughly every six months.

I have no time at all to muck with an expensive locked up proprietary operating system produced by a convicted monopolist corporation that sucks computer resources and "spies" on you.

If a friend helps me with a project and maybe messes up a bit or leaves a few loose ends, I'm quite tolerant of that. But if I fork out big bucks to have someone do things for me and they mess up, I don't tolerate that at all. That's the difference. I consider the folks who work on free and open source software to be "friends"...just like I consider most folks in the global ham radio community to be friends.


Quote[/b] ]I have discounted the "Linux is too hard to learn" argument long ago.

I've installed Linux on some computers at a senior's drop-in centre in my neighbourhood. It's no harder for them to use than Windows.


Quote[/b] ]One thing the prospective Linux user can do is obtain a Live CD and try it without installation. It's that simple. Boot from the CD and play around to one's heart's content.

I once really hosed a system through my own stupidity. I was strapped for time and ran the machine off of "Live CD's" for about a month while I gradually backed up my user files to an external hard drive. I was able to do just about everything using live Linux CD's.

Recently my sister hosed her hard drive. I wasn't able to get over to fix the system right away so I just told her to get the "Linux geek" in her work IT department to burn her a copy of "Knoppix". She was able to keep her machine up and running for several days till I could get over to fix the system.

She used to roll her eyes when I talked about how great Linux was...now that she's had a bit of a taste of Linux, she's saying that when she buys a new machine, she might like to convert her old machine to Linux.


Quote[/b] ]Even though there aren't as many headlines, Free Software development is moving at a very rapid pace and improving daily.

I agree. Things are moving very quickly indeed. Most Linux installs these days consist of half a dozen or so mouse clicks. Its become easier and faster to install than Windows. Depending on the speed of the machine it takes 20 minutes to an hour tops.

I recently did a simple "repair" install of Windows XP at work. Because I've done more Linux installs than Windows installs lately, I'd forgotten how bloody long it takes to install (and patch) Windows.


Quote[/b] ]Once I was able to comprehend all of that, it was liberating! That is the key component of Free Software.

And once you've been "liberated", you want to tell the whole world about it http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif And that's why us Linux users tend to drive everyone crazy http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

73

[WA9UAA]

I up-graded over the weekend, lost my sound. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mad.gif I went back to PCLINUXOS http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/cool.gif on my dual boot XP machine.
73,
Rob WA9UAA

[K5PHW]

It does seem dual booting is the fly in the ointment for most users having
problems. I don't, and have had zero issues since 6.10 if I recall.




Good luck,
Clyde K5PHW

[VE3SRE]

Quote[/b] ]I up-graded over the weekend, lost my sound. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mad.gif I went back to PCLINUXOS http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/cool.gif on my dual boot XP machine.
73,
Rob WA9UAA

I had a problem with an oddball soundchip with Kubuntu 7.04 so I used "Linux Mint Cassandra 3.0" and it worked "out of the box". Linux Mint is based on Ubuntu and BTW Version 4.0 was released about a week ago.

73

[N0NB]

I have noticed that in cases where sound is mysteriously lost that it may be due to a change from OSS to ALSA drivers and the alsaconf utility needs to be run. It seems to have a need to do a bit of black magic to restore everything. I've also had a case or two where the sound mixer was set all the way down or muted. A quick pop into kmix (or other mixer) and adjusting levels solved the problem.

[WA9UAA]

Hi All,
Thanks for all the suggestions, I have PCLinuxOS installed and found a new version of Fldigi , 2.04. Even though it was a tgz binary it installed very easily. I had to open Kmix and set the input to LINE instead of Mic. I have already had a QSO http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laugh.gif
73,
Rob WA9UAA

[KB1LQC]

So I'm having trouble installing fldigi on my Ubuntu 7.10 distro. It's listed as a Synaptic package and says it loads in but I cannot find it. OS I did all the suggestions for fltk source, the configs and such got that going, installed the hamlib drivers, etc. I installed the tar of fldigi (Im still trying to get used to doing that) and it is apparently installed. But there is no menu for it, I have to go to terminal and run fldigi to use it, I simply have no listing for it in my menus.




Thank You,

Bryce Salmi

[KB1LQC]

OK, so just figured out how to make my own menu item, works now! lol thanks anyway!