Ubuntu 9.10

[MidnightCowboy]

The UK Guardian is still one of the (last) remaining and respected broadsheet newspapers (at least it was when I was still there) and I found this review to be very useful. It pitches 9.10 and W7 head-to-head.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology...indows7-review

[Jojoyee]

Thanks MC for the link to the review and I absolutely agree to this remark:

The big challenge for Ubuntu or any other version of Linux is that hundreds of thousands of computers will ship with Windows 7 pre-installed. However, Ubuntu does come as an option on computers from major manufacturers such as Dell, HP, Acer and Toshiba.

This again boils down to whether Ubuntu is the OS which will just work after download and installation, whether it allows most devices to just 'plug and play' without entering any commands.

Apart from its advantage of being free (similar to other Linux distros), it will still scare people off if it won't work and has to go through the command line.

If Ubuntu doesn't automatically install a driver, it can be quite a bit of effort getting something to work, and not all hardware and peripherals will work with Linux. Sometimes to get hardware to work, you'll have to go to the command line, which is terrifying territory for most users.

I just found out that Ubuntu 9.04 won't be able to read my files on the USB thumb drive, it detects the device but can't mount it and read the files, and I have to switch back to Win7 to read it. I'll try Ubuntu 9.10 to see if it has any improvement on this, or rather I have to wait for another 6 months for Ubuntu 10.04.

If Canonical can be successful in bringing Linux to the masses with its "Linux for Human Beings", then naturally it will increase its market share by leaps and bounds, and M$ would have to lower its selling price to compete with this free OS.

[MidnightCowboy]

Strange that I've not had any problems with my USB drives using 9.04.
They were full of Windows based stuff before I had the dual boot set up and the drives open onscreen automatically and I'm able to swap files between the two systems without any difficulty. Occasionally I get a message when I plug into Vista saying that maybe the drive wasn't closed properly before and the data might be corrupt but it's never happened and I expect such messages from Windows anyway!

9.10 does promise much more than your average distro upgrade and I'm keen to have a look. I don't have the fastest connection here, certainly not the most reliable D: so I shan't attempt a live upgrade. I'll wait a few hours once the file becomes available online and then download the alternate CD by torrent and then upgrade from that.

Talking of torrents I find Deluge to be the best I've used by far in terms of reliability. Can't comment on the speed because with my set up I don't bother trying to tweak things but most weeks I'm able to grab 3-4 movies in the background while I'm doing other things and it's never let me down once.

[Jojoyee]

Ubuntu 9.10 is here.

Downloading ISO... (about 690 MB)

Chrome's download time: est. 23 hours.
Switched to Gigaget: est. 4.30 hours.

[MidnightCowboy]

Was advised to stick with the online upgrade and not use the ISO so I risked it. Took absolutely hours but everything went perfect except it's hosed my weird USB connection. Consequently I'm back with Vista until I can get the local egg-head to come re-configure it for me.

Originally Posted by Jojoyee

The official release of Ubuntu 9.10 will be available for free download on Thursday 29 October, 2009.

See this review Ubuntu 9.10 -- Even better than before



I'll give it a try this weekend.

It may be released but if they want existing users to be happy they had better sort out their server issues. 45 minutes to do a package check and an estimate of 5 hours to download the upgraded packages all on a line that is running at > 4Mbps.

I really like Ubuntu but this issue shouldn't have happened. If open source wants to go toe to toe with Microsoft, especially with them releasing Windows 7, this is hardly good PR.

Yours, not best pleased.

Rik

[torres-no-tan-magnifico]

Have just spent approx 30 mins downloading Ubuntu 9.10 and then burning the ISO file with BurnAware Free. I kept the CD in my drive and then rebooted to check out the new O/S, keen to see how it looks and more importantly whether or not I could connect to the Internet via my wireless connection. My monitor showed the Ubuntu logo which flashed brighter and then dimmed ad nauseum until eventually it was replaced by er ... nothing!

Another wasted CD on an O/S that seems to be difficult on purpose and has me running into the warming bosom of XP!!

Any thoughts on this one?

Torresmagnifico

Originally Posted by torresmagnifico

Have just spent approx 30 mins downloading Ubuntu 9.10 and then burning the ISO file with BurnAware Free. I kept the CD in my drive and then rebooted to check out the new O/S, keen to see how it looks and more importantly whether or not I could connect to the Internet via my wireless connection. My monitor showed the Ubuntu logo which flashed brighter and then dimmed ad nauseum until eventually it was replaced by er ... nothing!

Another wasted CD on an O/S that seems to be difficult on purpose and has me running into the warming bosom of XP!!

Any thoughts on this one?

Torresmagnifico

Well, it's supposed to just work.

I'm sure you've read my earlier post, hours for an upgrade, give me a break.

It doesn't matter if you like Microsoft or not. Windows 7 just works and Ubuntu 9.10 doesn't. I run Ubuntu most of the time, Windows 7 when I have to. At the moment MS are winning.

Rik

[MidnightCowboy]

Originally Posted by rikmayell

It doesn't matter if you like Microsoft or not. Windows 7 just works and Ubuntu 9.10 doesn't. I run Ubuntu most of the time, Windows 7 when I have to. At the moment MS are winning.

Rik

There is of course the difference in cost too which will also be a major factor for a lot of people although as you rightly point out the update issues are not a minor occurrence.

I can't check all of my new install without a net connection (LOL) but what there is working is a definite improvement. I still have a doubt about the reduced boot time because although mine is far quicker, the 'quick' period only begins after the initial logo disappears and this seems to hang somewhat.

Still, my techsupport-on-a-motorbike will be here tomorrow so he can tell me about this in addition to getting me back online. When I spoke with him earlier he said it's a few seconds job to reinstall some plugin which is needed to prevent Ubuntu recognizing my modem as a flash drive instead, and loading the Claro config back into the network settings.

On the plus side I was amazed that the online upgrade recognized the considerable amount of personalization I've done to the system and returned everything as it was with the exception of the Screenlets digital clock which I had to restart. I did get a message about this though. Impressive.

MC, I think we concur on preferring Ubuntu to Windows. Unfortunately there are many out there who would disagree with us. Stack the numbers up.

As you have pointed out many times in your posts it is what works 'for you' that counts.

We know we're right, just waiting for the rest of the world to catch up...

Still waiting for the download to finish (:

Rik