After updating to the latest recommended kernel for Ubuntu (2.6.17-11), there was the predictable nightmare of getting everything working again that was perfectly ok before the update.
Most annoyingly, I wouldn't even have bothered with the update except the Synaptic update daemon kept bugging me about doing it, since it doesn't seem to give me anything I didn't have before - except grief, obviously. [Why can't there be a simple 'No thanks' option to refuse recommended updates?]
Anyway, it screwed both my display settings (X server crashed) and my sound (there wasn't any). After installing and running Envy (kudos, I believe is the term, to Alberto Milone for that), that fixed the display problem.
I looked everywhere for sound answers, and ended up downloading and installing new Alsa drivers, libs, and tools. Running alsaconf sorted out the sound.
One of the many times I've had to remind myself that linux is a beautiful thing in both principle and execution, maintained - largely thanklessly - by a dedicated and brilliant community of volunteers. Hats off to you all. Again.
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
Sunday, February 04, 2007
Linux Eye Candy
I recently had to reinstall Ubuntu Edgy and, tragic as it might seem, the thing I was most bothered about getting going again as quickly as possible was the Beryl/Emerald OpenGL accelerated desktop that I had spent (literally) hours getting running before the reinstall.
A lot of people seem to be a bit sniffy about Beryl and Compiz, and to be honest I was one of them before I tried it, because they don't really do anything for you in terms of productivity. In fact they're anti-productive: I often find myself just minimising and closing windows, or swapping desktops, just to watch the effects - it makes me smile. Yes, I know, it's pathetic, but computers should be fun as well as useful shouldn't they, if you want them to be?
Apple seem to think so. I'm convinced that a huge number of people choose Macs just because of the wacky ways windows appear, or their nice screen savers and window designs; nothing to do with freedom from viruses or them 'just working' (I don't believe that anyway - I think it's equally true of Windows, though it grieves me to say it).
Anyway, now I've got Beryl working again. I don't think I could go back to the default Metacity desktop now I've used Beryl for a while; it just seems so dull (sorry Metacity developers - I loved it until I used Beryl). So, I'm really happy... and unproductive.
A lot of people seem to be a bit sniffy about Beryl and Compiz, and to be honest I was one of them before I tried it, because they don't really do anything for you in terms of productivity. In fact they're anti-productive: I often find myself just minimising and closing windows, or swapping desktops, just to watch the effects - it makes me smile. Yes, I know, it's pathetic, but computers should be fun as well as useful shouldn't they, if you want them to be?
Apple seem to think so. I'm convinced that a huge number of people choose Macs just because of the wacky ways windows appear, or their nice screen savers and window designs; nothing to do with freedom from viruses or them 'just working' (I don't believe that anyway - I think it's equally true of Windows, though it grieves me to say it).
Anyway, now I've got Beryl working again. I don't think I could go back to the default Metacity desktop now I've used Beryl for a while; it just seems so dull (sorry Metacity developers - I loved it until I used Beryl). So, I'm really happy... and unproductive.
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