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Brief Introduction :
This is an overview of
a very long web page of notes on Ubuntu installs
--- 9.04 (Jaunty Jaguar) and later releases, like 9.10 (Karmic Koala)
--- on netbook and desktop computers of this web-page author.
The Overview :
There is more to that long page than notes on overcoming issues encountered in installing
Ubuntu on several computers. (See that page for details on overcoming a few install-stopping
issues.) This page is meant to mention some post-install issues.
At the bottom of that 'Ubuntu Installs' web page is a summary that gives
an overview of the applications that I have found useful and capable
and (relatively) stable.
And above that handy summary of useful-capable-relativelyReliable
applications, there are comments on
- Several things that have probably sent tens (if not 100s) of 1000s
of Linux-attempters scurrying back to MS-Windoze. Examples:
-
windows oversized (and windows movability) problems
-
trackpad (and mouse) confusing (or extremely-frustrating) behavior issues
-
monitor-resolution configuration issues
-
boot-hangs-after-install problems on several models of PCs (e.g. Dell).
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IMPORTANT NOTE on the first of these items:
The windows-move problems would be 'almost resolved' if the following
keyboard shortcuts for windows would be 'well advertised'. That is,
Linux 'newbies' should be made aware of these three VERY HANDY 'Alt' options.
-
Alt-clickMB1 allows for Moving a window with the mouse.
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Alt-clickMB2 allows for Resizing a window with the mouse.
-
Alt-clickMB3 pops open the WindowMenu at the location of the
mouse cursor on the window. (This gives you a way of closing
the window if both the top-left and top-right Close buttons of
the window are inaccessible. And you can minimize and
restore [unmaximize] this way.)
where MBi indicates Mouse Button number i.
And the greatest (most important) of these is item 1: Alt-clickMB1
I am suggesting --- no, urging --- no, pleading --- that the
WindowMenu hints that were used on the various Unixes
in the 1980's and 1990's be added to the Linux WindowMenu of Gnome, KDE, etc.
(But show 'Alt-MB1', instead of --- or in addition to --- 'Alt-F7'.)
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Other comments on the Ubuntu Installs page:
-
Some things that Gnome/kernel/Ubuntu developers could do to
eliminate some of the 'scurrying back to MS Windohs'.
An Example from above:
Indicate the keyboard window management shortcuts (like 'Move = Alt-MB1')
in the X-window-menu --- as was done on all Unix systems
(Sun-Solaris, HP-UX, IBM-AIX, SGI-IRIX, etc.).
See the example window-manager images in the 'hints' link above.
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Why I prefer Gnome2 (rather than KDE) on my netbook. Reasons I
just-say-no-to-KDE-on-my-netbook: no "venetian blinds" effect and
faster application window startups.
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I have created many Nautilus scripts that fill gaping holes
in the capabilities of Linux apps for BATCH image processing.
I eventually packaged and released the scripts to the public as
'feNautilusScripts' at
www.freedomenv.com
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The commendable OpenShot video editor development
'story' --- in which users from around the world
pitch in to help a programmer in Texas document and internationalize
(translate) his apparently much-needed, relatively-crash-free video editor.
(I eventually found I had fewer problems in my processing of video files
by using the 'VIDEOtools' scripts in 'feNautilusScripts'.)
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The one piece of software that forces me to keep an MS Windows
operating system on one or more of my PCs --- U.S. tax software,
namely Turbotax. (I wonder why I never read of anyone mentioning
this type of software in this regard. The usual software mentioned,
that requires keeping an MS Windows OS, is video gaming software.
Does this indicate that Linux is not for 'serious' users?)
(Don't Linux users pay taxes? Do the self-employed Linux users
decline to pay taxes? Do ALL the non-self-employed Linux users have
such simple income and deductions that they do their taxes manually?
Do ALL Linux users expect EVERYTHING for free --- free roads, schools,
army, police, border patrols, coastline patrols, sewage systems,
clean water monitoring, clean air monitoring, clean bank monitoring,
etc. --- as well as free operating systems --- hence they refuse to
pay taxes --- and depend on the kindness of others --- and hence do
not need tax software?)
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A class of 'serious' computer users who still need MS Windows ---
mechanical engineers.
See the explanation (with 3D software apps listed) at the bottom of
the 'Ubuntu Installs' page.
Conclusion derived from the above experiences :
Although I have managed to pick through a lot of bug-filled, crash-prone, feature-starved
apps to find a group that fits most of my needs (tax software excluded),
I feel compelled to point out that some of us have experienced a significant number of
the 'warts' of Linux and its apps. (Many of us have non-trivial Unix backgrounds,
so we are not command-line newbies.)
Hence I get a little disgusted with the constant 'Linux is ready for the desktop'
dogmatic snow jobs by Linux promoters --- in Linux magazine editorials and
articles and 'podcasts' and so on. And I get REALLY disgusted with angry posters
in computer forums who pounce on 'newbies' and berate them for not immediately
embracing Linux. A lot of heat and absolutely no light. No attempt at all to get
at the details that are causing them problems. "The devil is in the details."
Linux (including the apps) is getting readier and readier, BUT ...
It is ready for some people and for some things --- but NOT
ready for other people or for other things.
To paraphrase Abe Lincoln:
Linux is good for
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SOME of the people ALL of the time
(like people with simple web browsing and
email needs),
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and for ALL of the people SOME of the time
(like all people when they use Google or some other
web searcher running on Linux
or when they use a particular Linux-based app that
works for them)
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but NOT for ALL of the people ALL of the time.
Some people who keep the statement "Linux serves ALL
people ALL of the time" from being true:
mechanical engineers (see bottom of my 'Ubuntu Installs' web page)
... and me, at tax time.
NOTE:
As of 2017, ALL of the top 500
supercomputers in the world run Linux.
Linux seems to be plenty good for the scientific number-crunchers
--- but not so much for engineers doing 3D modeling.
In spite of the 'warts' mentioned above --- GO LINUX! KEEP GETTING BETTER.
More properly (to give credit where credit is due) :
GO Linux OS and app DEVELOPERS! KEEP MAKING THEM (OS and apps) BETTER.
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