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#11
It's not really that it's unstable. It's that a lot of packages that some programs rely on will not run. For example, when I was flashing Android to my iPhone using the terminal, I had to add a package (a command) so that I could do it. Even though it installed, I couldn't get the thing to work. As soon as I installed Ubuntu 32-bit, it worked fine.
You can go ahead and try it, you're not really going to lose anything, especially if it's just for everyday usage (Internet, Multimedia, etc). But, for example, if you try and run Firefox x64, there's no Flash support since there's no 64-bit Flash plugin and you have to run the x86 version. Just a heads up.
KDE is like windows only in the most minimal way. I've stated before, KDE is kind of like a retarded XP. Gnome is a retarded Mac OS < X
I REALLY wish that they would like come up with something original. I mean yeah there are a dozen desktop environments but other than the big 2 they are mostly NON-desktops for the minimalists. But both KDE and Gnome are showing their ages BADLY. OSX and Even W7 could use a lot more innovative UI work but Gnome and KDE are not even in the race...
I have to use them every day at work and coming from my W7 machines at home, it's considerably /worse/ than merely "going back to XP" like a lof of us have to do at work.
Thanks Fred. I thought there was no x64 flash for FF on any platform?
I think I will give it a try. As you say I'm really only trying to master linux again after giving up before and also, hopefully, having fun.
Cheers, john
PS Does Chrome work in Ubuntu?
John, no problems so far it (x64) works great. Pryor to 10.04 (x64) I was using 9.10 (x64) without issue as well (no betas for me). However I may not be using Ubuntu in the way others do. Many want to run every last software on the planet on their machine or play games or view high-end web sites, full flash support, Silverlight support, high-end video, etc. I am looking at stability in more of a commercial office type system (e.g. word processing, some kind of spreadsheet ability, good web browsing for researching, connecting to mid-range systems and main frame systems). I don’t have the flash issues because the sites that are used typically don’t need that kind of content. With that said I do have Ubuntu on my own personal laptop and have for the most part have had no issues as well. The laptop had 9.10 (x64) and is now running 10.04 (x64). The laptop has even been able to run some special software in WINE and that has made it almost a complete replacement for a standard windows machine.
For a user that comes from Windows, I can understand the sentiment. But if you dig a bit deeper...
1. KDE is made based off CDE (Common Desktop Environment), an X Desktop management that's OLDER than Windows 95, around '93 IIRC. KDE has a lot more legacy than just a mere "Windows clone". I do hope you can respect the "differences". KDE is directly compared to Windows because it's the closest thing to Windows - open source wise. If you dig a bit more - you'd see that KDE is not a mere explorer copy, I'd even say that Explorer is WAY BEHIND KDE in terms of customization, not even close.
2. GNOME, you are so dead wrong on this one... Because the super customizability GNOME has, it CAN BE MADE TO LOOK LIKE Mac OS, but only up to "looks", everything else is not. See, MacOS's Windowing paradigm is document focused. GNOME and KDE is application focused - like Windows's windowing paradigm.
KDE/Gnome showed "age"? Are you kidding me? When you want to compare 2 products, first you need to keep an open mind. KDE/GNOME is NOT WINDOWS, it will never be. You're not even scratching KDE/GNOME's skin, fseal. Both of them are IMHO BEYOND what explorer 'can'/'will be able to' do. The Window manager it self is so freaking customizable (from a programmer stand point), the fact that it can integrate with Compiz/Beryl is a technical awesomeness. In cases you don't like the Window title bar style, change it the way you want, you don't like the colors, have a go, you don't like the scroll bar, go hack your own scroll bar... The options are ENDLESS, Windows can't even provide something that's remotely close.
IMHO, the one that's "not even in the race" is Windows's Explorer... It has too much legacy baggage/users that limits it's "growth". If MS to create a brand new Explorer (thus a new desktop manager for Windows) that's a revolution, a whole new experience for Windows... I bet there's going to be a mass boycott from huge amount of users, just because it's so different than "what it used to be", the weakness of "Windows users", they can't accept difference. Period.
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At my remote terminal at one of my client's, I have a running OpenSUSE desktop running KDE 4.x (I forgot the version). Honestly, compared to Windows's Explorer, I'd take "Dolphin" any day. It's "geek friendly". It got a 'command line' at the bottom of the window (you can choose NOT to display it, again - the beauty of Linux). It can connect to ANY SMB/CIFS servers and re-authenticate EVERY TIME, here's what I take is a very serious issue: Once you authenticate once with a SMB/CIFS server in Windows, it will save your credentials through out your login session. When ever you access the same share on the same server, it will pass on the saved credentials to the server. In one hand, this is easy for novice users. For me - I administer the SMB/CIFS server, I test SMB/CIFS configuration all the time, having that "ease of use" hinders my ability to test, I have to login/logout EVERY TIME to flush the stupid saved credential (I don't bother looking how to disable the -so called- feature, since Dolphin does what I want every single time, then it's better for me than Explorer). Because it's growing everyday, the feature count is growing very fast. But who cares... Windows is the best, right ?
zzz2496
I want to add something ... a very little something .... if I use a linux distro that looks like windows, why dont I use windows itself ?
Linux is adventure ... coz its own crispy look represented by Ubuntu. Love it Love windows 7, too
Dont love to mix them up