My Ubuntu Hardy Heron Box
As a guy who has been using computers since the age of the IBM360/370 dinosaurs, I’ve always been agnostic with regards my box.
I’ve had the pleasure of using UNIX boxes from SUN, NCR, DEC and also terminals from SCO-UNIX. I’ve also had some time tinkering with the old TRS-80s, Apple ][’s and a Timex-Sinclair. I had also once had an assignment with a hunk of a steel box called the KayPro portable computer, and you wouldn’t believe that that was a portable computer during those days.
As someone who was quite happy with an HP programmable calculator in college, I have not been caught up with the sense of macho one-upmanship which seems to be the craze of some geeks. I believe in the saying that if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Or to upgrade that for terminology of the Age of Designed Obsolescence era, “if it ain’t broke, don’t buy a new one.”
However, I recently found myself in a situation where I was forced to get a new computer. My only hesitation was that I’m not ready to use Vista. And with no XP around, I instead downloaded Ubuntu Linux 8 (also called Hardy Heron) and proceeeded to install on the scratch-built PC.
I was pleasantly surprised at this version of Linux. Not actually surprised at the install process, even if it was easy. Or, at least, relatively easy compared to Fedora, Red Hat and even Mandrake. The surprise was after the install. Most of the things I needed to do was already loaded, of course. Truth is, I was a bit disappointed that there was almost no need to go to the terminal. Yup, I’m very much a command-line guy and I was hoping to spend more time on the terminal. Unfortunately, there was very little need to do that.
The really great part about the Ubuntu distro is Synaptic, the installer and update program. If the program you needed is in the list, it downloads and installs for you. If there’s an update, there’s an icon prompt for you to trigger the update.
About a week ago, I needed to convert a video from a Canon still camera to upload to YouTube.com. I started the process using my XP computer. But it was taking too long (maybe because the 8 minute video file was insanely huge). While waiting for the conversion process, I started browsing for a possible solution on linux. There was an command-line mpeg conversion program on linux, and with some searches on Synaptic, it was automatically downloaded.
The resulting file conversion was on the command-line. I’ve been using PC video editing software and video conversion software, and none of the tools I have could convert and render as fast. The conversion was done faster, using the terminal, than any program I’ve ever used on Windows. And on an open source (read that as “free”) licensed software. And yes, I’ve used the Mac’s iMovie before.
Now, that was a pleasant surprise.
Maybe the games will come to Linux soon.