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116 Comments
- schestowitz, on 10/18/2007, -9/+45Enough with the "is it ready for the desktop?" chorus. It has been ready for a long time, but repeated by those who try to spread FUD by posing it as a question (recent example here: http://slated.org/linux_still_doesnt_make_it_on_de ... ) and embedding/instilling fear and uncertainty in people's minds (those who don't know Linux).
- byrdgang, on 10/10/2007, -2/+29I don't need to know the answer to "Is Linux ready for the desktop?" because, to me, the answer is pretty clear: it is more than ready for my needs. I use Ubuntu (Feisty) on a daily basis with no problems. Sure, there is room for improvement, but my needs are served.
- jimmarch1, on 10/10/2007, -5/+28I think Gutsy is a good step forward, but not "the big answer" just yet.
The latest upstream changes to XORG didn't make it in. Video setup is still screwball. I'm running a laptop with Intel945 video and the new "Screens And Graphics" tool ain't ready for prime time. It's improving - in Alpha4/5 it was brain-dead and producing "broke xorg.conf setups". It seems OK with single screen now but it can't do multiple - it can't reliably isolate which screen is internal and when I did jigger it to get a desktop extended across two screens, it couldn't get the laptop screen res to 1280x800 (stuck on 1024x768). The new "experimental intel" driver is junk and the old i810 has issues.
That screen layout/config tool, and ending the need to edit xorg.conf, is *important*. - inactive, on 10/10/2007, -2/+21It's been pushed onto MY desktop and that's all that really matters for me.
- verevi, on 10/10/2007, -0/+18I've been using Ubuntu exclusively for a couple of years now. Now, I can't freakin stand Windows--bloated, mess with SETUP.exe files that you have to download and install for the smallest functionality that comes included with Ubuntu. And upgrading every individual app, and the phone home and privacy issues. Windows is spyware. Buy from HP or Dell and it comes loaded with crapware galore.
Ubuntu is a clean, fresh breath of fresh air--easy and flexible--with only one drawback that is getting less troublesome--you have to make sure you're hardware is supported. The HW manufacturers are starting to get on board.
- RichPowers, on 10/10/2007, -0/+16It's unfair how Linux devs are blamed for lack of driver support. THAT'S THE VENDOR'S FAULT! I know consumers don't care either way (they want ***** to just work), but the Ubuntu team has done quite well considering.
Several years ago I wouldn't touch Linux because it was too much of a hassle. But now there are several distros that Just Work(tm) for the most part. Linux still isn't ready for primetime on the desktop, but the progress it has made is absolutely incredible when you put it in perspective. - r0b0, on 10/10/2007, -1/+15uhm... no, it gets me onto my wireless network automatically every time...
- superyounan1, on 10/10/2007, -0/+13I wonder what they'd say about windows or OSX if they applied the same level of scrutiny
"But if you want to use Photoshop, play the latest games, Linux is not there yet", how much windows software isn't available for macs? What about fantastic linux software that hasn't been ported to anything else?
I see where they're coming from, but come one, be more optimistic, and acknowledge linux's virtues more - prashanthellina, on 10/10/2007, -0/+12I did have an issue with multiple monitors too. But I am not too worried about this. When Network Manager came out first, it was not stable. But now it is great. I expect "Hardy" to iron out remaining issues with "Screens and Graphics". What is important is that progress is being made.
- martalli, on 10/10/2007, -0/+12Gutsy works for many people like myself who are using it already for their primary systems. I have converted my office to using several ubuntu computers, mostly for office work. Since our office never plopped down for MS Office (we are relatively new), we have no issues with backward compatibility...
Gutsy is yet another step forward. I think for the grand mass of people that multimedia codecs are a larger issue than the compiz-fusion...however, the cube, wall, and such adds to the system's *bling*. - arcman, on 10/10/2007, -1/+10But just like Vista's UAC, Ubuntu will prompt you for your password (via sudo) in order to carry out a system-wide administrative command.
Which is exactly what Vista and Linux should be doing. If XP had done this instead of setting up every default account as an administrator, it wouldn't have nearly as many spyware/virus issues. As it is under XP, any time you visit a site with shady ActiveX code, any number of malicious applications have full carte-blanche access to your registry and system files. - CatalystGhost, on 10/10/2007, -0/+9The community does all it can, considering how most companies don't exactly like to give out everything about their hardware... I daresay, we do pretty damn well, all things considered.
When companies start allowing their things to be Linux compliant, or at least easily-accessed for people to make them Linux-compliant, then we'll be set. This will probably be a long time coming, though. - reclusivemonkey, on 10/10/2007, -0/+8"After trying one of the earlier versions of Compiz and then Beryl, I came away quite unimpressed. It looked like eye-candy for the sake of eye-candy. “Wobbly Windows” was touted as an exciting feature. I did not want to burn CPU cycles for something as worthless as that!"
Wow I can't believe people still think Compiz/Beryl uses CPU cycles... are people still so ignorant of what its actually for/doing? - dan991199, on 10/10/2007, -0/+8Ubuntu and other linux distro's have come a LONG way in the last decade, but there still needs to be more support for the weird things OS's have to deal with from time to time. these things need to be be simplified for regular users before linux really competes with the other big OS's. just an off beat example would be ubuntu's lack of support for dual monitors. this is something that the computer savvy can fix with out too much trouble but the average user may find very difficult.
- byrdgang, on 10/10/2007, -1/+9The fact that Xorg 7.3 wasn't included is a deep, deep disappointment. Seriously, Xorg 7.3 probably would have been the biggest improvement. It was enough of an improvement that it would have been better that Gutsy be delayed. It's even more important than Compiz Fusion.
- u16085, on 10/10/2007, -2/+9Still crappy wireless card suppport, I just dont get it, my stuff in suse 102/.3 but no go in ubunty, why can every one just be happy?
- daftman, on 10/10/2007, -0/+7Why we? YOU can stop readying while we choose what we want to read.
- daftman, on 10/10/2007, -1/+8NetworkManager do remember your WPA passphrass so yes it does automatically log on to the wireless network once you entered it the first time.
- spikelee33, on 10/10/2007, -0/+6Gutsy is coming with a tool to easily clone to TV/Beamer, extend to second screen, set more resolutions. http://kevin.vanzonneveld.net/techblog/article/cha ...
- inactive, on 10/10/2007, -0/+6QUICK EVERYONE!!!! ALL OF DIGGS READING HABITS DON'T EXACTLY MATCH VTNERD'S, EVERYONE GO INTO HIS PROFILE AND DIGG UP EVERYTHING HE LIKES AND DOWN ANYTHING HE HATES!!!!
- BHSPitMonkey, on 10/10/2007, -0/+6Are you bipolar? You read what you want to read... I don't understand your complaint.
- daftman, on 10/10/2007, -0/+6Hardy Heron
- batfink, on 10/10/2007, -3/+9There is an article like this ever time there is a new Ubuntu release. The answer is always, not just yet...
- daftman, on 10/10/2007, -0/+6It's not about whether the common person care or not, it's about whether it is technologically ready. The answer is yes.
A common person doesn't really care about alot of things, including Mac OS X Leopard, Vista, etc. All they care about is being able to surf the web, write emails, documents regardless of what ever underlying os. - Carburetor, on 10/10/2007, -0/+6Well, You can't judge something on it's beta days.
Twelve days before the release doesn't say anything, who knows? maybe there's a massive package upgrade just across the corner, waiting to pass final checks?
I had some problems when I've tried gutsy too (20 days before the release, and it didn't get me into conclusions) - estvir, on 10/10/2007, -1/+7The thing is, people expecting a version of some distro to magically make the 'big push' are insane, they need to start thinking about it another way because quite frankly, unless said distro is literally unbelievable there will be no magical, single-punch push.
Oh, and 7.10 is, well, damn good. I've been running Beta1 on my laptop the past few days and the only reason I've used XP at all is because for some unknown reason encrypted connections (Like Hotmail, GMail, IM, etc) don't work. Also, OpenSUSE 10.3 is really good too. - mrsteveman1, on 10/10/2007, -2/+8It's called sudo, and it's asking you the same question.
You must not speak English very well. - BHSPitMonkey, on 10/10/2007, -1/+6But hip!
- BHSPitMonkey, on 10/10/2007, -2/+71) You're criticizing a Beta.
2) Nobody uses USB wireless adapters, actually.
3) The new kernel sacrificed some temporary compatibility in favor of a much better wireless implementation. It won't be long until Ralink is back.
4) You're criticizing a Beta. - inactive, on 10/10/2007, -0/+5Then use Kubuntu, Xubuntu or Ubuntu but install Fluxbox, Enlightnenment or one of the 100's of other window managers around.
- zwaldowski, on 10/10/2007, -0/+5Well, now you get it in an LTS!
- BHSPitMonkey, on 10/10/2007, -1/+5Speak for yourself. I know it's a tired and silly question, but nobody was -really- asking for your answer to it.
- srg13, on 10/10/2007, -0/+4"It is truly revolutionary, and adds functionality that almost any average pc user will drool at."
What features, exactly? I mean, it's good (most things are when comparing to Windows), but definitely not what I would call revolutionary... - BHSPitMonkey, on 10/10/2007, -0/+4That was incorrect in multiple ways.
- williamdyer, on 10/10/2007, -0/+4Linux has reached a level where it is a trade-off: Less slick, but more functional and safer. Thunderbird and Lightning are less slick than Outlook, but more functional, and are far far better than Outlook Express. I get more software development tools on Linux, and they are now at least as good as Visual Studio. Open Office does everything I need, and I like the draw module better than the one in MSOffice.
But the big benefit is safety. Linux is much more hack-resistant out of the box, and I don't need to subject myself to add-on spyware like NAV to fix up defective security. - epimer, on 10/10/2007, -0/+4I really wish bloggers would stop going on about Gutsy removing the need for Automatix by making restricted codecs easier to get - this feature was in Feisty, people!
- DirtySnachez, on 10/10/2007, -4/+8I have a nVidia 8800 GTS which works well finally, and a Sound Blaster X-Fi which is useless. I also have to use hdparm to optimise my 10000rpm HDD.
Until 'linux' provides drivers that utilise the latest hardware the way Windows does, its not gonna really matter.
Don't read this wrong, I use Slackware daily for the last 11 years.. its just that Mum & Dad should be able to install if they have to on a new box, and have it work straight up. Ubuntu is making serious and fantastic progress with regards to this, but honestly.. It needs another 2-3 years maybe to really come to fruition. - mrsteveman1, on 10/10/2007, -0/+4Suse seems to be advancing faster than Ubuntu, but i expected as much since Novell has their entire company behind it (and a lot of other things), especially the kernel and various desktop usability projects.
- noseeme, on 10/10/2007, -2/+6By your standards, the Macintosh has been "official" for over two decades. :|
- nanostream, on 10/10/2007, -0/+4dugg for the use of ubunty
- DirtySnachez, on 10/10/2007, -0/+3I agree completely, then perhaps the final answer of 'yes, its ready' - cannot actually be achieved until hardware vendors release Linux drivers and support it as they do Windows.. no matter how good the OS & other software is.
- mrpicklepants, on 10/10/2007, -0/+399% of computer users boot up, browse internet, check email, chat, use a word processor, maybe excel, maybe maybe some photoshop. This version is officially better for all of these people than the Windows Vista / MS Office monster. Even free apps like GIMP are looking fantastic. Runs faster in less memory, so ditch your dektop, and grab a used laptop for a few hundred, and you're out and about. See you at the wifi cafe!
- netant, on 10/10/2007, -1/+4I buried this article for being uber-lame.
Everyone following Ubuntu Gutsy knows its about to be released. Everyone should know that Gutsy still hasn't been OFFICIALLY released. So what can we learn from this blogger's review.
1) His opinion of the state of Compiz in Gutsy
2) He can't find the printer, and he claims that getting commercial video codecs to work is not a big problem.
For THIS. people put the article on the FRONT PAGE? Its Ubuntu spam. Bury it. - Axed33, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3Couldn't agree more.
There is no need to pose the question - the default Ubuntu distribution is DESIGNED as a desktop OS and does a reasonable job of it, so of course it's ready for the friggin' desktop. It may not be ready for everyones desktop, but then nor is any other operating system. - Coldkill, on 10/10/2007, -0/+3You're an idiot. Deal with it.
- EndersGame, on 10/10/2007, -2/+4I think KDE 4.0 will be the biggest factor contributing to pushing Linux to the mainstream in the next 12 months. It is truly revolutionary, and adds functionality that almost any average pc user will drool at. Its whats finally going to make me switch :D
- BHSPitMonkey, on 10/10/2007, -0/+2It was "just yet" for me almost a year and a half ago. Please stop generalizing.
- GMorgan, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2KDE 4.0 is mostly what we do now except done much better. It represents the culmination, in many ways, of decades of experience. There is little revolutionary other than the fact it is 'the right thing' which is rare in computing. Often we usually have the wrong thing but fixed to the point where it is almost the right thing (certainly Gnome falls into this bracket).
We expect big things out of KDE 4 because it is portable and easy to develop for first of all, this gives maximum exposure and minimum development time. A good combination. Secondly there is a focus, this time, on more usability concerns. They really seem to have responded to the challenge of Gnome on this front. Finally, it will be slick. A lot of work is going into themes and with built in compositing and SVG based graphics it really should look the part. There is a whole project dedicated to artwork which was more an afterthought for earlier versions of KDE.
Can't wait myself. Big play, ambitious and probably a lot of anger at being upstaged by Gnome in recent years. The big fear I have is that maybe Gnome is settled into the corporate heart and that the idea of moving again would scare many of the distros in the corporate and consumer markets. - Tenoq, on 10/10/2007, -1/+3Serves you right for using IE. If you're even remotely concerned about security you would already have ditched it for a browser without ActiveX support. The whole damn framework of ActiveX looks like it was explicitly designed for Windows Updates and malware.
- superyounan1, on 10/10/2007, -6/+8meh, boring article, but i did do the obligatory digg, after all, it is about ubuntu
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