Trent’s Blog

I have to admit, I’ve tried a few different distros of linux lately, but none compare to Ubuntu. It is borderline capable of completely replacing Windows, but there are some limitations that are holding it back. You first off have to give linux in general a round of applause for its overall stability and security. You also have to admit the package managers and update managers like the ones found in Ubuntu are also far superior to any other operating system. There is a package for about anything you want to do with a computer, just check the box and click install. Brilliant! But they still seem to be skipping the most important aspects of today’s users.

User Interface and Multiple Monitors/Video Cards

I know the last couple releases have attempted to address these issues, and at the same time some of these issues may be more gnome related than Ubuntu related. These issue’s won’t stop me from using Ubuntu, I can work around most of these issues myself, but for the average joe, they will be lost, and more so dissapointed they reformatted their Windows machine with Linux. Many people and many businesses these days use multiple monitors. Non-tech related fields are falling into this trend quickly. This is a weak point with Ubuntu. Multiple monitors has improved dramatically, but multiple video cards is still a nightmare. I have to admit though Ubuntu did automatically find the nVidia driver, which was very convenient. Finally, the user interface in my opinion is not suitable for commercial use or the general public. It is too dark and the window chrome is too thick(plus its brown…). Most of this can be changed, but first impression means a lot!

I have to admit I would love to see the day Linux was the #1 Operating System, while still maintaining its strength, stability, and community support. I think the day is near that it becomes a legitimate competitor and a house hold name even for the average Joe.

Being a curious mind kills a developer with a timeline.  This is half of my everyday battle.  The other half is the financial situation to afford many tools we all love(Photoshop, ColdFusion, Apple).  So we’re stuck with a small budget but need to perform at our best.  This is why I love Open Source software.  My question to other developers is this: What low budget solutions get you through the day creating a website from design to database and everywhere in between?

First off I have to say my current development computer is running Ubuntu and couldn’t be happier with that.  My editors are Komodo Edit and gEdit.  I will use CFeclipse when doing ColdFusion, but thats normally my 8-5 job.  Since I’m not a stand out designer I use strong CSS and fewer images, but Gimp does most of my image work.  I look to possibly buy Fireworks though as soon as I’m able.(I want to learn Photoshop, but I’m more comfortable with Fireworks).  For databases I depend on MySQL, but since they were recently purchased by Sun, I am now exploring Postgres since I’ve always heard great things about them and I’ve been learning Django which also recommends Postgres.

Programming languages is never set in stone.  Although very fluent in ColdFusion, I can’t afford a license, and no Open Source CF solution is up to par just yet so I have been doing most of my work with PHP.  Django looks promising with the exception that a lot of their framework is changing(new forms), and server set up can be a booger.  For javascript I like them all!  jQuery, Mootools, Prototype, etc.. they all have their uses.

So a quick recap:

• Ubuntu
• Komoto Edit/Gedit
• Gimp
• MySQL/Postgres 
• PHP/Django

Again these are my “at home” tools on a limited budget.  What tools get you through the day?

Installing Safari on Ubuntu is apparently pretty darn easy.  A quick tutorial on doing so can be found here.  It successfully installed for me on 64-bit as well.

Now we have no reason not to test in every browser.  I’m impressed more and more everyday of what the Open Source world is achieving!

In viewing the latest designs for the new theme proposals for Ubuntu 8.04, I see a lot of designs which I think are headed in the wrong direction if Ubuntu has plans on moving into the mainstream of operating systems.  Many are going towards a dark them, which is good if you’re a hip 20 something year old playing at home, but the fact is the business world holds a large portion of the marketplace, one of which these dark themes just won’t cut it:

What Ubuntu does need is a clean cut, simplistic, light colored theme by default.  My opinion all of the 20 somethings are going to change their theme time they format their pc, but the rest of the world will likely do nothing more than change a background image.  This is why I think Ubuntu will have to drop the overpowering brown and go lighter, perhaps using the brown for more accents.  Here is a theme I think is in the right direction:

Now granite many people say the orange could go, but thats a minor detail as far as I’m concerned, but this them is in the right direction!

A couple things I would like to share. While I’m not having a change of heart I would like to say I’ve reevaluated my perspective towards Microsoft. Lately I’ve tried to reorganize my work flow to adapt to my “environment”. At my desk sites a Vista machine and an Ubuntu machine..

Since I’ve started doing all of my programming on Ubuntu lately I’ve been much more pleased with Vista. Before I had nothing but problems with various issues from dual monitors, ide issues, to blue screens. I believe most issues were due to intense usage which most user’s aren’t apt to do. The last couple months I’ve stuck with internet browsing, instant messaging, and itunes on Vista and couldn’t be happier as far as an everyday email checking computer. As far as heavy duty programming, database work, and never ending for loops its not quite up to par just yet.

Ubuntu Fiesty has been very pleasing as well too however, especially since most of my computing needs for programming are well suited for it, where as my leisure computing is well suited for Vista with iTunes and Office. The two together seem to balance each other out very nicely, Which brings up an interesting topic from a post I read a the other day that not following web standards may actually help…

IE has long been going their own direction while other web browsers are sticking to standards. Well I love standards as much as the next guy, especially while doing CSS and Javascript, but had it not been for someone breaking the ice much of the client side capabilities would not be available today. As bad as we all like to jump on a bandwagon you have to understand sometimes that someone being bold and different is how we have evolved through the web, as programmers, as designers, as companies, and as humans.

At the same time I can’t say I’m uninstalling Firefox from my computer, its still my browser of choice, but I would like to see more people come to an understanding that just because something is different doesn’t mean we have to hate it, we should respect it and keep our eye on it. It could be on to something! Believe it or not I do have a lot of respect for many Microsoft products, and some of them I would probably prefer over any other product(SQLServer anyone?) although due to the financial situation we are blessed to have the others among us.

I just stumbled across gOS, an Ubuntu distribution revolving around Google products.  The gPC is now available through Wal-Mart for $200.  If Linux wants publicity and a larger user group this could be it’s ticket to the top.  At first glance I like what I see, however I haven’t tried this at all, and I’m interested to read some reviews!

Well, just as everyone else has done, I have upgraded to Ubuntu 6.10 64 bit, Gutsy Gibbon. Boy oh Boy was it a great move! The graphics are wonderful, pidgin is groovy, and adding and removing Firefox plugins are a piece of cake. I couldn’t ask for an easier Ubuntu.. or could I? While I have to say Ubuntu keeps getting better and better every time, certain proprietary software still lacks for linux, more so for 64 bit linux. Sure most application can be installed by using the 32bit libraries and forcing the architecture, but isn’t that sort of uncalled for? And it completely defeats the purpose of Add/Remove Programs when I have to do such hacks to install things.

Be aware before you install the 64bit version that you will not be able to install Flash, Opera, Wine, Komodo Edit, or any of the new cool Adobe Air products. Boy this is got me where it hurts being a web developer. Now none the less, most of these can be installed by following the tutorials for installing on a 64bit machine, but what I would really love to see in future versions is by default, Ubuntu have the capability of installing and running 32 and 64 bit versions of software. Now I’ve got no clue how one would begin creating such a work of art, but Apple did it, and I have full faith in the Ubuntu community.

Would I trade the Ubuntu experience? No. In fact I went out and purchased a new machine just for Ubuntu and I am still loving every minute of it. My only regret is not installing the 32bit for my everyday usage. I can’t wait to see the power and versatility of the 64bit Ubuntu in a few more releases, but I need the 32bit linux desktop right now.

I finally figured out the screen resolution problem with Ubuntu and the SyncMaster 940bw thanks to a post on the Ubuntu Forums. Before my login screen text was too small to read. Turns out the fix was quite simple all along.. in the xorg.conf file I used the following

Section "Monitor"
Identifier	      "SyncMaster"
HorizSync 	30.0 - 82.0
VertRefresh 	50.0 - 85.0
Option		"DPMS"
Modeline 	"1440x900_70.00" 126.98 1440 1536 1688 1936 900 901 904 937 -HSync +Vsync
Modeline 	"1440x900_60.00" 106.47 1440 1520 1672 1904 900 901 904 932 -HSync +Vsync
DisplaySize 	381 238
EndSection

Section "Screen"
Identifier	      "Default Screen"
Device	      "your device detection"
Monitor		"SyncMaster"
DefaultDepth	24
SubSection            "Display"
Depth		24
Modes		"1440x900_70.00" "1440x900_60.00"
EndSubSection
EndSection

The problem before was my display size set to 1400 900. Turns out there is a small calculation to figure the display size.. (pixels/96*25.4 ). So, 1400/96*25.4=381 , and 900/96*25.4=238

This works like a champ! So from my Vista vs. Ubuntu scoring in my previous post Ubuntu takes the lead with no more problems!.. cant say the same for Vista