tola ([info]hippygeek) wrote,
@ 2006-07-10 20:06:00
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Entry tags:personal, technology

Summer placement with Senokian, LugRadio Live 2006, Ubuntu Dapper

Summer Placement with Senokian

After a stretch of working in the fields picking vegetables (great money by the way) and desperate job searching I've managed to secure myself a summer placement! It's perfect in every way except that it's in Coventry. Luckily [info]lauperr happens to be renting a house in Coventry and isn't having much luck finding a job at home so we're both going to live there for a couple of months and work. I'll be working for Senokian Solutions writing open source software and I assume contributing to the Enterprise Groupware System. I'll be part of the Shell Step program, though not eligible for any awards because it's only really meant for 2nd and 3rd years (shh!). I should be starting on Wednesday.

LugRadio Live 2006

For anyone who's still in the Bourne area I'll hopefully be back every weekend except next week when I'll be at LUGRadio Live 2006 in Wolverhampton. Be there or be... not square I suppose.

Ubuntu Dapper

I've spent about a week using the latest (long term support) release of Ubuntu Linux, Dapper Drake. I'm going to go out on a limb here and make a bold statement.

I believe GNU/Linux is now ready for the desktop.

Dapper Drake isn't perfect, but it's damned good and it's definitely easier to install than Microsoft Windows. That's understandable when you think how many years it is since Microsoft last released an operating system, but I believe that the perpetually delayed release of Windows Vista is going to alienate a lot of people, especially the minority who actually care about things like the Windows Genuine Disadvantage. I for one can't afford a PC which could run Vista and I'll probably only install it if I get a free copy from University. Dapper probably isn't as good in terms of usability or style as Mac OS X but it has its own advantages. I'm not saying that GNU/Linux is going to suddenly dominate the desktop, I'm just saying it's ready for use by the general public in ways it perhaps wasn't before the latest release of Ubuntu.


(3 comments) - (Post a new comment)

Ubuntu
(Anonymous)
2006-07-10 08:10 pm UTC (link)
I don't think "desktop readiness" is really as black & white as you make out. The point you miss (like most people) is that it's really about the support you have available. Computers have a habit of breaking occassionally and not always being entirely straightforward. I think Linux is only as bad as Windows in this respect, but it might still be harder to find a friendly expert to help you. It might not, though, as there's plenty of Linux geeks around nowadays, and most of them are eager to help anyone brave enough to give their favourite OS a whirl. So, to anyone hesitating about whether to try it, find a Linux geek first (or Linux User Group), *then* an install CD :)

As for comparing it to MacOS X, that's more difficult. It's difficult to find somebody who has anything bad to say about MacOS, so I'm afraid I'm going to have to try it, even if it isn't Open Source.

(Reply to this) (Thread)
Re: Ubuntu
(Anonymous)
2006-07-10 08:11 pm UTC (link)
(that post was by me, btw, OrangeJon.com)

(Reply to this) (Parent)
Re: Ubuntu
[info]hippygeek
2006-07-10 11:16 pm UTC (link)
Personally I think the desktop itself is doomed anyway. But with that out of the way...

Providing the problem someone is having with their computer doesn't prevent them from accessing the web, http://www.ubuntu.com/support is a pretty good place to start. You can easily get support by email or by a web forum or by phone if you're willing to pay. FLOSS is all about the community and in that respect I think GNU/Linux is streets ahead of any other OS.

(Reply to this) (Parent)

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