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kryton9
29-04-2007, 04:27
I started to talk about it another thread and realized it would take away from the main thread so decided to start this one.

It is about the latest Ubuntu Feisty Farn edition. It is really something else. If you wanted to tinker with linux and were reluctant, this would be on to try. It is such an improvement over the 6 month old previous version, Edgy Eft, which itself was quite a nice system already.

My only complaint is the lack of support from outside hardware manufacturers to provide drivers. Ubuntu is taking up the job of writing drivers themselves and they did a great job in the last 6 months. Also there are other sites offering hardware companies free driver writing for them if they provide the hardware info to write the drivers. They will do the work for free provided the guidance to the hardware. Yet companies are reluctant?

The market is millions around the world, not a small number just because it is not huge overall market share, in addition the hardware is tied to the drivers, so unlike a software company tying to sell a title to linux users, I agree, the opensource mindset is probably limiting the appeal, but for hardware makers it makes no sense. They have a physical product to sell to these users. I guess that is why I am not a businessman, I don't see the logic in so many of the decisions.

If you guys however want to tinker with linux, I can't say enough about the latest Ubuntu Fiesty Fawn version, they did a superb job.
It seea all of my notebook hardware much better than windows XP, except for the wireless internal softswitch lan card, but it sees the regular lan card just fine. And the wireless i just did a few simple steps and got it working.

The Beryl 3D Desktop and Emerald Theme managers are amazing. I actually finally got my 64 bit notebook running in 64 bits with the cleanest desktop ever since OS2. I just have one icon to access everything the rest is my wallpaper. Very nice!!

matthew
29-04-2007, 04:43
I've tried Linux in the past and haven't had much luck. :(

First I tried Mandriva then Ubuntu and finally Xubuntu they all looked good and worked but didn't support my 3D-Graphics Card. I eventually found out that 'SiS' the manufacturer of my Card doesn't make any Drivers for Linux Operating Systems and they won't release the Source Code for their Cards so nobody else can make Drivers.

So it looks like until I get around to buying a new Computer I'll be stuck with Windows. :(

kryton9
29-04-2007, 06:31
Mathew, understand I am a total noob when it comes to linux and ubuntu, you might want to give the latest version a shot. What is nice is you can run it from a live cd without installing it to see if it works ok for you. As long as you can boot from your cdrom drive.

Their forums have lots of info, I found workarounds there, it does take time, but with fiesty fawn, it all worked great and the wireless I got going rather quickly with just a few commands.

Here is something about SIS video cards and ubuntu, there are more on the forums there.
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=417649

matthew
29-04-2007, 08:41
I'm actually a member of that Forum, I joined last Year. :)

I've tried Live CD versions in the past like Slax and they work perfectly just like all the other distros that I've tried. That is Until I try to display some moving 3D Images on the Screen and then the Frame Rate drops to about 3 Frames a Second because 3D Hardware Acceleration isn't supported by my Graphics Card.

During the time I had Linux installed on my Computer I learnt quite a lot about it. If it wasn't for the Graphics Card problem I'd still be using it Today.

Petr Schreiber
29-04-2007, 09:39
Hi,

kryton, if I will have opportunity, I will try it.
Is there somewhere link I can download LiveCD image from ?

Reason why I don't use Linux is exactly the same as Matthews - I want to play with my 3D card, not drown in software mode. On other side I know ATi and nVidia release some Linux drivers, so I might be able to check it out on my PC.

But configuring 3D acceleration on notebook with Intel ( new ! ) card was hell and I never succeeded although my friend ( who is half penguin, half human :) ) was helping me.

Then it is little bit paradox to read forums where Linux guys are complaining MS originaly didn't want to introduce OpenGL "in right" way, while knowing OpenGL on Linux is still dream for many too :(

On other side it is possible to tweak application to run fast even in software mode - just forget textures, extensions and blending. Using only colored planes you can get decent speed then :)


Bye,
Petr

kryton9
29-04-2007, 14:35
Apparently the live cd is not out officially from what i can see, but I read that those who used it are having problems.

I would wait till you have a partition to spare to try it with an install. It installs pretty quickly and easilly.
You got your hands full for now, but maybe when summer vacation arrives and you want to tinker, I would recommend it.

kryton9
03-05-2007, 09:26
Cool Ubuntu news this week. Dell selects Ubuntu as its linux distro to go into new Dell's.
Sun and Canonical, that is Ubuntu's developers, agreed on Java being in Ubuntu. It is in Fiesty Fawn as a downloadable package.
In the future it will be a part of Ubunutu right from the start. That is when Java 7 comes out. Java 7 will be the new opensource Java in its first edition as so.

matthew
03-05-2007, 20:00
Okay I've gone back to using a Dual-Boot System. ;D

I Installed my Old Version of 'Xubuntu 6.10 Edgy Eft' and spent an Hour upgrading it to 'Xubuntu 7.04 Feisty Fawn'.

I tried Running a Simple PyOpenGL Programme to see if I had any 3D Acceleration Support.

I hadn't but as you can see from the Screenshot everything else looks fine.

kryton9
04-05-2007, 04:29
Mathew, I had first tried the update and it took, but until I did a clean install into the partition, then things worked well. This could be that I am not good with linux yet and did something wrong, the new install goes so quickly anyways and this way I knew it was seeing stuff (hardware) cleanly without relying on any ini settings I maybe have had. You might want to try the same, when you have time.

Try the Beryl Desktop Manager after you install. It is neat.

matthew
31-05-2007, 20:23
Yesterday I decided to install Feisty Fawn alongside XP. 8)

I tried running some PyOpenGL Programmes and noticed that I'd still got no 3D Acceleration.

But I then tried the Java OpenGL Binding 'Jogl' and discovered that when I ran some Example Programmes , 3D Acceleration was working.

kryton9
01-06-2007, 02:35
Sorry can't help you more. I am trying to get dual monitor to work and no luck so far.

I did figure out how to change it so the boot up automatically boots windows instead of ubuntu.

in Ubuntu:

go to a terminal screen:
type sudo gedit
if it asks you for your password, enter your root password.

Then browse to root/boot/grub

open up menu.lst

change the default 0 to default 3 or 4, you count everything in the menu starting with zero. My windows is in spot 4, many users are on 3.
Just adjust according to your system. Then save and the next time you boot windows will be the default boot OS.