So after getting a bit bored of the existing layout, I thought I would try a dock. After installing Cairo Dock and futzing with it for a bit, I decided to return to my old setup. Something about it just didn't seem to mesh with how I wanted to approach my desktop.
For those readers out there that are still using Windows, it is not entirely uncommon for Linux users to have multiple styles of desktop. There are several arrangements available and while they all approach desktop functionality in different ways, they still consistently run and handle programs with ease. So if you ever feel confused about Gnome vs. KDE vs. WindowMaker vs. XFCE vs. insert-some-other-name here, don't feel too lost. Each of those is a distinct desktop environment. And yes, you can run programs that come from one environment in another.
In fact...
You can run the actual program on one machine, have the windowing system managed on a 2nd machine, and see the displayed results on a 3rd machine. Dizzy yet? How about multiple machines running different programs all showing on the same display? Let's not even start on how you can have all of those machines share the same set of fonts, or the multiple input devices (a fancy way of saying you can have 3 or 4 keyboards, 2 mice, a trackball, a tablet, and who knows what else all actively controlling the programs you're working with). I'm sure that this induces some vertigo in most folks, so let's just keep it simple:
It's flexible, customizable, and you have a variety of choices.
Closet Gamer
Ok, I admit it. I have to drag this skeleton out of the closet. It's time to hold it up to the light of day.
I've tried playing my Windows games on Linux. And I like it.
(from the back row of the peanut gallery, I can hear someone wretching, violently choking up what was left of their last meal...)
Ok, now that we've got that out of the way...no, wait, seriously, I've tried it and for a few exceptions, it's suited me fine. In fact, I'm finding that the older the game, the more likely it will run. Contrast this to Windows 7 and its valiant "I'm all-new and don't share my underpinnings with older versions" attempt to jettison not only baby and bathwater but the tub, kitchen sink, a trousseau, the house cat and some monogrammed towels. Older programs (read: games I've owned for years) just don't run. Even the so-called compatibility mode is a painful exercise in hurry-up-and-wait, as it meanders and plods along, trying desperately to get enough wherewithal to just finish loading, a 30 minute wait in futility as the program crashes without a peep, leaving you to figure out if anything worked at all. The half-hour wait isn't an exaggeration, it's actually pretty close to the encountered time of 22 minutes. Yes, that's right, Windows 7 fixes all of the nastiness of Vista but still leaves you "computationally impotent". And as much as I grudgingly need to get a copy for my wife in the near future, I suspect there will still be some unwritten sorrows to come for people running "legacy" programs that are 5 years old.
Valve Software's Steam runs fine on it, although the graphics translation portion of Wine kicks into overdrive as it renders the output of the Source engine, which is used in the Half-Life 2 series of games. An old copy of Tribes: Starseige runs just dandy with only two screen settings changed (select OpenGL, then select the native resolution). Homeworld 2 isn't quite there yet - under very specific circumstances, I was able to lock up the display when zoomed in, but otherwise it ran as well. I chalk that one up to an older version of Wine.
It's still not 100% for Mom and Pop, but for the seasoned computer user, a little futzing with the various options under Wine usually yields results.
A Resting Server
The family server hasn't had much activity. It spends most of its time sitting in a corner, looking mournful and taking up my precious desk space. I do know that I'm going to run Debian on my server, and not just because I'm cheap and I have old-skool madskillz. Debian's big attraction for me consists of:
- a community of people who share a common goal - making free software reachable for everyone, everywhere, on the planet.
- a complete software ecosystem, of the community, by the community, for the community.
- a community based on sound principals, namely, it has a constitution and elected members.
- elections for important matters in the community. That's right, the people in Debian actually vote on how they handle their issues, publish the results of the vote, and then follow through. When's the last time workers at Microsoft got a vote on how to resolve issues?
- a reputation for stability that has become legendary in the industry. Debian stable doesn't just mean "ready for release", it often means "ready to run for years". That stability is only marred by the release of updates for software vulnerabilities. Even those software patches are not updated to the "latest and greatest" - instead, the security fixes are brought into the existing release (a process called backpatching for the non-techies out there), so that the fundamental behavior of the program never changes over its lifespan. "Stable" means stable, not somewhat-stable, not half-baked, not bleeding-edge, just....stable.
And finally:
- I can bend it to my diabolical will, allowing me to fulfill my plan to conqu....er, um, our family photo albums.
It Just Works
I keep hearing how "linux is too hard" and "it doesn't do what I want it to do" and yada yada...
Well, I thought I'd try to see just how hard it is to hook up an HP OfficeJet 5610 into my system. This is a multifunction printer that Helen uses for her work, and while the computer is booted into Windows, functions as a printer, copier, fax, and scanner. So it should be a challenge, right?
First, the printing. I decided to add the printer via USB, and was fully expecting it to be a painful process. Except...it was done in a few mouse clicks. Ok, let's make it a bit more challenging...we'll see if we can get more options than just "black-and-white vs. color" printing. How about double-sided printing? Bet it can't do that...wait...yeah, it can. Ok, I bet the driver won't work correctly and I'll get a jumbled mess of print instead of a printout...here, I'll print a 4-page PDF double-sided, that should...huh...what's it doing? The paper's moving back in and...oh. It worked too, I now have a double-sided printout. Huh, the print portion works fine, I need a bigger challenge. I know! The scanner! I bet it doesn't work. Yeah, I don't see any options to scan in here! Hah! Well, to be fair, I supose I should look around for scanning software that might need to be installed. Let's open up the package installer and search for "scan"...what's this? XSane? And some other programs? I'll give them a try. (Moments later) Ok, I see a new program in my menu, XSane Image Scanning Program. Bet it doesn't work when I start it...huh..."Looking for scanners"...now I have a program running with a bunch of buttons...there's this "scan" button in the bottom right corner...I'll click that and (whirrrrr click whirrr). Oh.
It just works.
I keep hearing how "linux is too hard" and "it doesn't do what I want it to do" and yada yada...
Well, I thought I'd try to see just how hard it is to hook up an HP OfficeJet 5610 into my system. This is a multifunction printer that Helen uses for her work, and while the computer is booted into Windows, functions as a printer, copier, fax, and scanner. So it should be a challenge, right?
First, the printing. I decided to add the printer via USB, and was fully expecting it to be a painful process. Except...it was done in a few mouse clicks. Ok, let's make it a bit more challenging...we'll see if we can get more options than just "black-and-white vs. color" printing. How about double-sided printing? Bet it can't do that...wait...yeah, it can. Ok, I bet the driver won't work correctly and I'll get a jumbled mess of print instead of a printout...here, I'll print a 4-page PDF double-sided, that should...huh...what's it doing? The paper's moving back in and...oh. It worked too, I now have a double-sided printout. Huh, the print portion works fine, I need a bigger challenge. I know! The scanner! I bet it doesn't work. Yeah, I don't see any options to scan in here! Hah! Well, to be fair, I supose I should look around for scanning software that might need to be installed. Let's open up the package installer and search for "scan"...what's this? XSane? And some other programs? I'll give them a try. (Moments later) Ok, I see a new program in my menu, XSane Image Scanning Program. Bet it doesn't work when I start it...huh..."Looking for scanners"...now I have a program running with a bunch of buttons...there's this "scan" button in the bottom right corner...I'll click that and (whirrrrr click whirrr). Oh.
It just works.
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