Ubuntu

Skype is one of those applications available for Linux that I love to hate. It’s annoying because of its proprietary nature. So when it craps out, too bad. Yet at the same time, it remains the best VoIP app I have ever used.
But it appears that there may be a new day for this telephony [...]

I remember the first time I used Ubuntu. Already being a Simply Mepis and Linspire user at the time, the jump to Ubuntu was only odd based on the use of the GNOME desktop over that of KDE. A few weeks of use later, I found myself loving GNOME vastly more than my info overload [...]

With the proper know how or at least a willingness to take a day to learn about a new operating system, yes, Ubuntu is a solid alternative to Windows. But not without taking time to get yourself out of the Windows mindset. I have used Ubuntu and Linux in general, for years. Today I use [...]

First off I would say more power to it. I think this is great if this is what it takes for the project to continue. Clearly using Ubuntu as a base is not perfect for all projects, so it makes sense to use the tools that best meet the needs of the developers.
As long as [...]

While the need may be lacking here, there is still a certain level of cool that comes with trying to install Linux on various types of hardware. Hacking a Kindle to run Ubuntu is almost as cool a hacking a bunch of MSNTVs to run as a Linux cluster.
So while the practical applications initially remain [...]

How many ‘buntus do we actually need here? Apparently, if the desire is to provide options for the slowest of the slow machines, there is never enough. And to answer the call, it seems that we can now look to Lubuntu for all our low resource computing needs.
Utilizing the Openbox windows manager, Lubuntu is designed [...]

In the past, I have been an advocate behind the idea of a Linux App Store. The basic idea, while fairly sound, will need more however than merely tossing together a prettier face to existing package management options. Frankly, I want to begin to see a means for proprietary apps that want to jump over [...]

As this article points out, the upcoming Ubuntu installer using the slide show approach is really not all that new of a concept. More professional, sure. But Simply Mepis, openSuSE, Linspire, Mandriva among a number of distros have been offering this type of thing for as long as I can remember.
The idea is a simple [...]

I think most people using Ubuntu sometimes forget just how critical a piece to the operating system puzzle Debian is to the Ubuntu distribution. And by Shuttleworth opting to throw support with actual manpower over to Debian, this will act as a good faith demonstration to the world that Linux development is tightly intertwined.
On the [...]

Well it’s about time! Seriously, it took all this time for Canonical to realize one of the most obvious things in the universe - most newbie converts need support for their new Ubuntu installations. What a revelation.
What remains a bit more unclear is how much assistance they think they will be able to provide the [...]

Frankly, news that Dell is starting to put less emphasis on Ubuntu for the desktop is not at all a shock to me. They have always been a Microsoft shop. Their only motivation to try Ubuntu at all was in hopes of tapping into a new growing market.
Yet as many other vendors have found out [...]

Everybody uses their desktop a little differently. For me, using Ubuntu means freedom of hassle, believe it or not. Why? Because of some simple things I do with each new Ubuntu installation.

sudo apt-get install ubuntu-restricted-extras - That single line of code can save at least a 100 wasted forum posts a day about Flash, java, [...]

The funny thing about being a person who uses Linux all of the time is that we generally rely more on a quick command to the CLI rather than relying on some GUI assistance. In this case, where another Matt is trying to get his Flash plugin installed in the Ubuntu Netbook Remix, it appears [...]

This is definitely one of the most interesting perspectives on gaining a larger market share that I have read recently. And for the most part, I think some great points were brought forth. Especially with regard to spending so much time quibbling over how big of a market share Linux actually has on the desktop.
To [...]

Is Ubuntu simple enough for newbies? Honestly, I think it is, but with the disclaimer that having a managed solution using Ubuntu is always going to be “easier”. That being said, take one solution picking up where Automatix and EasyUbuntu left off. This solution is a bash script called Perfectbuntu.
Speaking as guy who used to [...]

Sadly I have not had time to put together the video I was hoping to for this post as my day got the best of me. Despite this, I am going to put one myth to bed right now. There is nothing wrong with PulseAudio in modern releases of Ubuntu. Yes, I said it and [...]

How difficult is it to get NVIDIA or ATI cards working with the latest Ubuntu releases? I say releases plural as there are still people using the most recent three selections ranging from 8.04 to 9.04. Well based on my experience, NVIDIA and ATI are about the same these days. But then again, I have [...]

I am going to be flamed for this without a doubt, but for the life of me I am finding the idea of a Netbook remix edition to just be more fuel for the anti-Linux fires. Because keeping Ubuntu consistent from desktop to desktop might very well make sense, I am finding myself rolling my [...]

After reading this article, you might be thinking that we are beginning to see an end to Windows dominance. While it might appear so from a trends point of view, the fact of the matter is that this is more reflective of people wanting to learn about something different than the actual usage statistics.
Now there [...]

After being less than amazed with 9.04 thus far, I remain hopeful that we will see some good things coming into the netbook world with this release. The new UI for 9.04 in the Netbook remix looks great and has fantastic boot times. But I do remain hopeful that in the long run, this will [...]