Kubuntu 11.04 (64bit)

As some of you know, I like KDE. I like it a lot, but starting with 4.x, I was very limited on using it. I like lightweight desktop environments. For me, personally, using a computer is rather utilitarian. The machine and OS should be there to let me do what I want to do on it, not get in the way. Yet I like KDE for a number of reasons, though I do not use it an dhave not really done so in some time. So, when /someone/ said, "Hey, how about you review this distro because you have been a fan of KDE," a certain part of me was jumping up and down with excitement to play around with KDE.

Kubuntu, as the name implies, is a Ubuntu based distribution, focusing on KDE.
Now, my "test" environments are somewhat limited. There is the machine on which I run virtual machines. Typically, this is where I do most testing. Sometimes, I will grab an old machine that is good for little else. (Note: old machines with big volumes and fast NIC's make really good file servers, but are not so good at checking out this sort of distribution.) Because this is KDE and Unbuntu that we are talking about, I did not want to use a low-resource machine, or a virtual machine because I want to see what the OS can do, not see what it can do with chains and shackles.
This leaves me testing this out on my "standard system" - my netbook. AMD 64, dual core, blah, blah, stat this, stat that. So, okay, here was my experience.
1) Download the ISO (CD)
There were a few options for downloading Kubuntu 11.04. Reading the differences, it seemed that the CD one was the best for me as I did not need extensive language packs.
2) UNetBootIN to flash
Okay, for all of you out there what are not "Linux users" - you want to get unetbootin. It is available for Win (patui) Mac and Linux. It is a tool that will make bootable USB sticks for, like, whatever OS. It can pull distro's off the interwebz, or in this case, from a local ISO. I used a 1G stick for this operation, so obviously there is not a huge investment required here.
3) Backup
Duh.
4) Boot and test live
So, I booted and took a look at the "Live" boot. (This means that I have booted off and am running from the ISO image on the USB stick. Nothing on my HDD was changed, but I still get to check out Kubuntu. This is a great way to sample Linux OS's - hint hint.)
What can I say - it is KDE. Big, pretty icons, applets and widgets all over the place. Everything that is "there" in Linux is there is one way or another. There is the panel - up top by default. More little applets and launchers can be added to it. The "Menu" though is (a la Mac) in the context of the focussed app. Also, and this may be because of the netbook-ness of things, it wants to run everything maximized - even otherwise small dialogs.
5) Reboot and choose to install.
This is not a requirement. I /could/ have installed from the running Live, but I chose instead to just run the installer, as I was not sure what I was in for.
6) "Prepare"
Plugged in to power - check
4 GB HDD - check
Internet connection - check
3rd pty Software prompt - yeah, sure, give'em to me.
Download updates during installation. Yep... gonna have to do updates anyway.
7) "Disk Setup"
Well, I /could/ use the entire disk for Kubuntu - just let it have it.
Or - I /could/ set it all up manually.
Or - Take the prompted side-by-side installation where it wants to resize the partition and make a new one with Kubuntu. Hmmm... I think this is the option I want because then I can just blow away the partition I do not want when all is said and done and fix the bootloader.
Taking a quick peak at the "Manual" options. Okay, they look pretty standard - I can make new partitions, resize, format / and leave /home alone.
Next step it install. Did I mention that I had already backed up?
8) "Timezone"
(After the spinning cursor...)
Okay, there was a list to pick from.
9) "Keyboard"
USA
10) "Install"
Well, it had been working on that since it finished setting up the partitions.
And, installing the updates... zzzz..... (Slow connection, not the distro's fault.)
11) Okay, done installing and rebooting. Yes, it looks very KDEy. (Kay-Dee-Eee-ee) This much KDE-ness may be a little much for a netbook.
12) The user experience:
Out of the box, this feels a lot like "Here, this is what you want to do... it is all right here, in your face... games, interwebz AND office productivity." So, I have a lot of things to turn off, but at least the system settings app it right there on top with my e-mail, because, you know, right aft I check my e-mail, I am always going to adjust my system settings.
Oh, and having a "menu" with one item - "Close" - makes me really want to use it, but that is me.
So, there are "pages" instead of "workspaces"
I have to give it "props" for defaulting the theme to "Air - for netbooks"
Oh, and I should go on to say that for pretty, KDE has always done it well.
Also, KDE has done settings rather well. They are easy to find and fix, you know? Even the one that I am resisting much - Put away the toys and just gimme a desktop.
Also, also, is the "Live" really does represent the installed product quite well. If you have unfamiliar with KDE, PLEASE play with the "Live" for a while first.
And look - there is Amarok. Hi, Amarok - how is it going?
Oh-Kay... "Page One" is not a desktop/workspace... it is ... a widget? Yeah, well, it seems like that sidebar that Vista likes so much, but full-screen. I /could/ set this up with toys and apps... It does get out of the way fairly well; just sitting there in the background.
It (the desktop manager) seems rather keen on a cloud-type desktop. There was this login-thing that just said "You need to log in to access this site" - What site? Really, I would like to know. Maybe later.
Whoa! I was looking for like, the apps, and not finding them, clicked on "search and launch" - presto - back to that first screen I got. It was a bit of a face-palm moment. Let me just get out to the interwebz for a moment.
Got distracted again. You know what I do not like about having this, "search and launch" thing for all my launching needs? I have to go to it to use is. I want to just click on my launcher. Okay, but so it has "apt" but it cannot find my online backup package... will have to "go get" it. Sigh... going to look around a little bit more before I do that.
Installing sshfs - mounting my lan mounts. No, that is not something dirty.
This is _so_ Mac-like that it is a little creepy. I think I have a one-button mouse around here somewhere.
So, I was, then, adding some things to the panel, task-swapping, setting up backgrounds and whatnot, and I seem to have dragged my mouse somewhere I should not have. It gave me that little "tab" to adjust the applet and ... well, so my DESKTOP MANAGER was not responding. I could not clear the thing, and could not put focus back on the taskbar or anything. It finally said - hey, that thing is not responding, wanna close it. I said "sure, it is not like it is doing anything." Then I lost it all. Had to use the power button.
Okay, back up and playing around again... stripping things back down - removing widgets, etc.
13) Wrapping things up
I have more apps to install, and more playing around to do. As for right now, this thing is cool - fun and pretty as expected. Yes, I am going to see how "thin" I can get it, but I am not going to hold up this review for that.
14) Another thing on the positive side:
No extra drivers to install afterward. Worked fine with wireless and display and figured out that it was a netbook all on its own.
15) Final assessment:
This is an excellent distribution for someone who wants a nice, good-looking system handed to them with what they need to get going. There is a lot there to get news and information at your fingertips straight away.
The Live bootup provides an excellent preview of exactly what to expect with the desktop. And, like one would expect from a Live boot with installation, the system is available for use during the installation. (Not that I took that option - but I /could/have.)
The installation package is one I have seen before, nice, up-to-date and working well; but not the only place to get it.
Not the thinnest running system out there today - KDE was never meant for that - so it will not replace my standard system distro, but I think this is right there, good as any, for one of those entertainment-system setups.
I highly recommend this distribution for human usage. In particular for humans who plan on interacting socially via the interwebz, watching movies and listening to music. (It will, of course, do way more than that, mind you. Way more.)

Take Care
LQ

Friday Followup

Well, it was a fun weekend, but that is a lot like work.  

Anywho

Linux Mint 9 LXDE was released.  Great fun.  But (next) I am looking forward to Linux Mint 9 KDE 64 bit.  That will be cool  (Yeah, I will still install the LXDE ... DE but this LXDE edition is not 64bit.)

Ebooks are cool and my netbook's battery made it through the whole weekend with plenty of juice to spare.  Not that I used it much, but I was happy.  My Dearly Departed would not have made it by far.

No internet connection, but I had downloaded them before leaving home. #PlanningAhead

Nightmares were pretty ugly, but I blame them largely on the lack of shower facilities.  Dad was there to stifle my waking screams, but I was among people who know me, mostly, in that regard.

Then I made a cake yesterday.  Want some?

Take Care

LQ

I found a nice Linux Mint 8 LXDE CD RC1 Review

A really nice review.

I wish I had written it.  I feel like their opinions are spot on with much of my experience of the distribution.

Where I am now: I may be getting ready to go back to my Fluxbox (Or rather, install the KDE edition, then install Fluxbox on top) and wait for LXDE to be released!

The latest in the OS saga

(Pardon the bit of redundancy.)
1) I have my /home on a separate drive, so whenever I install a new os, 90% of my settings persist, depending on if my WM changes and whatnot.
2) All my music and movies and stuff are on a separate file server, so I just copy in my fstab and proxy settings after a new install and all that stuff is back and ready to go.
2) Over time, different WM's using some of the same components, and thus, configuration files, all kinda start stepping on each other so...
3) I kinda had to step through the dot configs and clean things up a bit.

I did, while at it, try again to see how things were going with Slackware.  I have SLAX on a USB drive for forensics and for when visiting other systems (i.e. the library) and it does well for me, but the "purest" in me is ever-striving for that no-nonsense, back-to-basics, squeaky-clean system.  The problem is, I am not truly that kind of users.
I romanticize about having a pure, businesslike workstation where I work on things without distraction.  Where everything is well, laid-out and easy to read, even if it is not so pretty.  But, again, I am not that kind of user.  All my stuff is personal.  I can't/don't do that kinda cool stuff I daydream about.
Yes, I installed Slackware 13.  I like it.  It is nice.  I have no complaints about it (other than that it comes with /everything/ installed).  But still, there is just something about LinuxMint that is so... friendly.  I like saying I am a Mint user.  It feels like being a part of something, in this very, non-committal way.
I would love to provide reviews of all this stuff - share my findings and opinions and experiences with each distribution, but I just do not know what to write about.

(But I kinda did like how simple it was to just pick a "SlideShow" wallpaper in the desktop settings for Slackware (KDE4) and fully intend to make this happen under LXDE)

So, I am , once again, back to Linux Mint Helena (8) LXDE Community Edition RC1 with today's fresh update.

I recently upgraded someone's computer from Win-doze Vista to Win-doze 7.  I have played around with various versions of Micro$oft OS's, but they just feel so... clumsy.  They just feel so... "Here, let me do that for you."  True, most of the popular LINUX distros now-a-days are rather automated, but it does not feel the same.  It feels like if I stay on this thought-thread, I will just get into a lot of whining and moaning about this or that, so I will move on.

FluxBox is really cool.  It has been my fave WM. LXDE may be replacing it though.  Sure, where would these be without XFCE, right? XFCE is plenty good enough on it's own, and I am still working on the thing about them that makes me like one over another.  I feel almost bad that I cannot qualify (no, quantify) what it is about them, but not too bad.  I like what I like.

I do REALLY like KDE, but it does get in the way a little sometimes.  I think I had mentioned before that installing the KDE distro, then installing FluxBox for the WM was like getting the best of both worlds.  Hmmm... maybe I should install the KDE distro and then add LXDE on top.  Perhaps I will do that with Mint #9





I think that about wraps it up then.  I've got things to do other than play with my desktop settings.  Surely I do.

Take Care,
LQ

"Machine dreams hold a special vertigo..." -- William Gibson, Count Zero

Helena KDE CE released

Another visit to the OS Saga.  Sat, Helena KDE Community Edition was released. Sunday I downloaded it (via torrent and left it up the whole day to help with the initial download hit.) And yesterday, I installed it.  I did not have as much time to spend exploring it as I wanted, but it gave me no grief.
Today I am cleaning out some of the unwanted packages.  I think then I am going to install the Xfce WM so I can flip flop depending on my mood.  (Sometimes I want to dedicate my resources to what I am doing rather than where I am doing it.)  But don't get me wrong.  KDE is still my favourite place to work/play/goof off.

=^_^=
LQ

Back to KDE

And the story continues...

I bought some more RAM and re-installed Helena KDE RC1.  It made a world of difference.

1) Why did I buy RAM:
"Well, other than listening to music and checking my e-mail, you okay I do my school work on it.  Not just research and reading, but I have some like, "practice test" and worksheets and stuff.

I usually have lots of windows open so I can try out some of the stuff I find online.  Mostly php and database stuff.  It is fun to work with data.  That was how I got started pulling track lists out of the Amarok database.

So, I do not need anything really powerful.  I only needed the RAM to run the KDE desktop manager.  It is "pretty" and has lots of "toys".  FluxBox is more... down to business and gives me what I need, but not so much what I _want_.  I cannot really justify wanting more than what FluxBox provides; it runs all my apps nicely.  And it is easier to configure your desktop with KDE, but once I get things set like I like them, I do not really change them, so that is not a big deal." - an e-mail I sent to someone about it.
In other words, I did it all for the pretty.


2) It has been a long time since I made any upgrades like that.


I feel a bit self indulgent buying RAM for no real practical purpose.  It was not a decision of practicality.  I normally am a fairly practical person (I think.)


But, I did it, and now I can run KDE and it is *so pretty*!!


I am working up a short review, but my head is not in it at the moment.  I followed a tweeted link from William Gibson and it unknowingly took me to Youtube.  For those that don't know, I have some sort of weird phobia of that site.  So, later this morning... etc.


Take Care
LQ

Linux Mint KDE 8 RC1

Yep, you heard right.  I just installed Linux Mint KDE 8 RC1.

The cool thing is that my /home is on a different volume so it is not a big deal to format the rest and do a clean install of whatever, and just keep pointing to my /home
All my bookmarks are still here, all my little scripts... they are all still here.

So far, so good.  I am liking it.

Later
LQ