Moblin Video

There’s a revolution starting about (evidence: 1,2). No need to panic, but you might do a double-take: the netbook revolution has started. You might have noticed some “savvy”-looking people carrying around absolutely minuscule laptops/notebooks. I know I did a double-take. But now, the number of these people are starting to grow exponentially — from a 40-year-old housewife (power to the people!) to that businessman in a power suit. Next thing you know, the majority of people will probably have one of these miniature laptops/notebooks — also known as netbooks. In fact, my own parents have considered getting one as of late — and so have I.

photo credit: intdev

My desire for a netbook comes with the thought of convenient computing. Sure, good old powerful computers are still essential for tasks like heavy photo and video editing, gaming, and rendering — however, lighter, more convenient and portable netbooks are appealing for their quick boot speed and simple UI. Because practically everything in a netbook is accessed through the Internet, it’s not really necessary to have a more “complicated” UI like Windows — instead, the netbook’s main functions can all be covered in just a few tabs or menus.

photo credit: Joe Brockmeier

From the video, Moblin looks like a very inviting and warm operating system — I’ve seen some comments directed to it’s UI being too childish for some of the more mature users, but I personally find it quite refreshing. Also, it’s great that Moblin not only provides easy access to the Internet, but also to more specific and specialized features like direct Twitter updates and media players. Moblin shows great promise, and if I ever manage to get my hands on a netbook, I just might have to give it a whirl. If you’re interested in learning more about Moblin, you can visit them at http://moblin.org/.

“Which computer do I buy?”

“What specs should I look for?”

“When should I buy a computer?”

“Will it run Vista?”

“What if I don’t want to risk trying Vista?”

It would be impossible to accurately review every single computer out there.  But why not try to examine the hardware and peripherals that these computers are constructed from?  I’ve got the answer to your questions.

Which computer do I buy?  What specs do I look for?

In terms of brands, I suggest anything (although I have a few reservations about Gateway) from Future Shop or Best Buy will be fine.  I can also recommend Dell — they’ve got great customization abilities, but don’t require you to build your own computer.  I’ve owned an HP Pavilion desktop which I had no problems with either.

The variety in computers makes it quite difficult to choose the right one for you.  I know you probably didn’t come here to read ten page guide, so let me summarize thing for you:

Budget Computer

If you’re running low on money but you’re in desperate need of a new computer (although I wouldn’t know why you’d want to buy a new computer if you’re low on money), here’s one for you.

• CPU: Dual core, no less.  Intel Core 2 Duo, or AMD Athlon X2.
• RAM: 1GB for XP, 2GB for Vista.  Minimum.
• Graphics: Anything for XP, nVidia 8xxx series and up or any new ATI Radeon for Vista — so you can run Aero.
• Storage: 80GB should be fine for a budget, 160GB if you can find a good deal.
• Estimated cost: $500-$1,000

Media Computer:

For the video and music junkies, these specs are still near minimum but should be enough for a smooth computing experience.

• CPU: Preferably quad core.  Intel Core 2 Quad, or AMD Athlon X2 Phenom.  For heavy video processing.
• RAM: 2GB minimum, 4GB preferable.  Good multitasking.
• Graphics: nVidia 9xxx series.  Not so sure about ATI Radeon, I’ll say anything with the 3xxx and higher.  Don’t quote me on that though.
• Storage: 320GB minimum, 500GB preferable.  Gotta have enough storage for those shows.
• TV tuner card a MUST.
• 20″ widescreen monitor, if you know what’s good for you.  Ask if the video card has dual monitor support.
• Estimated cost: >$900

Herbert’s choice:

I would go for a balanced workstation — balanced between work and play.  I’ll be much more specific about what I want here, mainly because I know more about what I want than what you do.  I was able to build it on Dell though, so I’ll be able to give you a much more accurate price.  This was based on what I consider the sleek, nicer case — the Inspiron 518.  Its size allows for upgrades, in contrast to the slim or studio version (although I did consider the two).

Source: http://i.dell.com/images/…/inspndt_518_right_314x314.jpg

• CPU: Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 — great for heavy work.  I like to listen to music while I do…well, pretty much anything.  Some light gaming too.
• OS: Windows Vista Home Premium, although Ultimate is also a good choice if you don’t mind the extra cost.
• RAM: 4GB, even though I’ve got 2GB at the moment and Vista runs smoothly anyway.
• Storage: 500GB — I’m a packrat and can’t stand having too little storage (I learned the hard way that even 160GB wasn’t enough for my packing ways — yeah I re-formated).
• Sound card: Here’s where Dell couldn’t really supply me with anything — I’d get a Creative Audigy from Future Shop.  Not the software version that Dell offers.  On a scale of 1 to 10, replacing a sound card is probably a 4/10 (replacing RAM is a 3/10).
• Graphics: All Dell offered was the ATI Radeon HD 3450, which I would gladly take.  The nVidia 9xxx series of cards are more than acceptable though.  Vista’s Aero UI relies on the graphics, as will some light gaming.  And dual-monitor support.
• TV tuner card is a must, again.
• So is a 19-in-1 media reader, for those important SD cards.
• 8 USB ports, please.  4 in front, preferably.
• A 20″ monitor, hopefully coupled with a 17″ monitor.
• Estimated Cost, without the monitors: $1,019 CDN

When should I buy a computer?

Anytime!  There are always specials in stores, so hunt around but don’t waste too much time.  If you’re looking to save, you might want to wait for Black Friday or Boxing Day to hit those stores — although I’m not exactly sure how much cheaper computers will be (I know TV’s are usually a lot cheaper).

If you’re interested in Dell, there are always new deals every week or so, available in a sale or coupon format.  Sometimes these sales offer some outrageous deals, so keep an eye on them!

Will it run Vista?

Any of the suggestions I recommended will be Vista-compatible.  I suggest getting the Home Premium version of Vista, for balance.  Vista Basic is the bare bones without Aero, and Vista Ultimate is probably going a bit overboard (not if you’re a media junkie though).  When in doubt, try to remember: dual core processor, 2GB of RAM, and a recently-created video card (nVidia 9xxx series or an ATI Radeon).  Might want to try it out in-store, if possible.

What if I don’t want to risk trying Vista?

Why, cause you’re afraid you’ll fall in love with it?  Haha.

But seriously folks, there are tons of alternatives to Vista.  Microsoft has recently extended support for Windows XP, and Apple has recently released their OS 10.5 Leopard, and Ubuntu 8.10 should be out, so it’s a great time to choose to explore anything asides from the Windows path.  Keep in mind that OS 10.5 Leopard only runs on Apple hardware.  And Ubuntu’s got some kinks to it.  So you might want to stick with XP, which might be a bit difficult at retailers (I’m sure you’ll be able to find a copy here and there though).

Don’t sweat it…

Don’t worry about buying a computer.  Just buy it.  I know it might sound like a major purchase, but it’s good for at least five or six years (I don’t expect Windows 7 to be as demanding a change as Vista was).  Don’t forget to enjoy your computing experience!  And it’s probably wise to ask for an OEM version of the Vista Home Premium (or Ultimate) disc if you’re buying a computer — in case you want to reformat and partition it (that’s the first thing I did with my own Dell Inspiron 6400).

There’s been huge buzz about Canonical and Ubuntu as of late, and I must say that I’m pretty impressed.  Mark Shuttleworth is emerging as a charismatic leader worthy to lead Ubuntu to battle, the blogosphere is going crazy, and Ubuntu is well on its way to hitting retail shelves.  I think that even though Ubuntu is a great product and operating system, it’s still not going to be enough as of yet – namely because of the lack of mainstream awareness.

Source: http://upload.wikimedia…_NASA.jpg

I realize that Canonical might not have the financial resources that Apple or Microsoft does, so I guess we can count the example of iPod ads out of the picture (I still feel that those iPod ads with dancing silhouettes are a huge factor in how they sold so well).  Still, if Ubuntu somehow manages to find their way to the front page of a huge mainstream newspaper or the main story on CNN, I’m sure that they would have reached many consumers that otherwise would never have heard of it.  Now, I’m not saying that Canonical has to work out a publicity stunt, but perhaps Shuttleworth could do a presentation or press conference that finds its way to G4 or something (start small, think big, right?).

Ubuntu is ready for mainstream, but we have to ask ourselves, is mainstream ready for Ubuntu?  Have a look at the success of Apple, the lack of general dissatisfaction and consumer reaction with Vista (not to say I personally don’t like Vista – I think it’s fine), and I think you’ll know the answer.

The downloading and installation of a new operating system is definitely a major hill to overcome, mainly because of information overload.  All of a sudden, you have to know about .iso files, bootloaders, burning software, partitions, and a ton of other jargon.  With Ubuntu, you don’t need to worry about any of that. In fact, with a virtual CD/DVD drive, you don’t even need to worry about burning to a CD or DVD and choosing software. 

If you really want to, Canonical (the corporate force behind Ubuntu) will send you a free CD, but the wait is 6-10 weeks.  Don’t do it – rather, download Ubuntu from any server located near you.  I used the Michigan server, but I believe that they’re all pretty fast.  I was receiving speed rates peaking at around 700kb/s – the whole 600MB download finished in less than half an hour (I’d know, I was watching Fresh Prince of Bel-Air at the time).  If you don’t have speedy Internet, you can just leave the computer on while you go to work or sleep and have Ubuntu download while you spend time elsewhere.  That’s half the battle.  Onto the fortress of installation!

Usually, installation is an easy battle with Windows – click a few buttons, check the Terms & Conditions, wait a bit.  But with many distributions of Linux, there are text-based installers and command lines – and you don’t want to open the can of worms.  Ubuntu is different; it uses the Wubi installer, making installation no more difficult than a regular piece of software.  You can actually burn the Ubuntu .iso file you downloaded to a CD or DVD, and then stick it into your computer.  You don’t have to reboot or shut down, just stick it in like you would a normal CD, and run it.  Click a few buttons.  Wait a while.  Ubuntu will automatically begin installation and prompt a reboot – which will then continue the setup, provided you choose to boot into Ubuntu and not Windows XP or Vista by accident.

As the tech consumer’s blogger, I’m obligated to find an absolutely free method to installing Ubuntu – so put that Loonie or dollar bill away, folks – we won’t need a CD or DVD.  Simply navigate your way to the ocean of Daemon and pull out your Excalibur – Daemon Tools Lite.  Basically, what Daemon Tools does is mount the .iso file into a virtual CD or DVD drive.  For example, if you had a Starcraft .iso, you could run the game just on your computer – without the physical CD required (I’ll let you decide whether that’s legal or not).  Thus, following this principle, we can mount the Ubuntu .iso file and run it just like that.  Usually, this scenario would not have worked with other Ubuntu versions, as they need a rebooting which means deactivating Daemon Tools along with your computer.  But, because Ubuntu 8.04 allows for a simple installation within Windows, then you will be able to mount .iso file right from Windows.  Read on, because the battle’s almost won.

When prompted to reboot, please save any other work you might’ve been working on and do so.  After booting up, you will have the option of either loading Windows Vista/XP or Ubuntu (I used Windows Vista, but I’m not completely sure about XP – I’ll assume that they have similar booting options).  Boot into Ubuntu and allow the setup to continue.  Fifteen minutes later,  you will have Ubuntu 8.04 working right on your computer – the whole process will probably take an hour, so I’d suggest turning on the TV, grabbing a book or playing some video games – just make sure the computer’s close by, because there will be some buttons that still need to be clicked.

Choosing a reliable, stable, and yet sensational operating system nowadays is hard work. There’s the alternative of paying a high premium for Apple’s Macintosh just for OS X Leopard; alas, for the budget consumer, there really is only two options: Windows or Linux. Team Windows is alluring in the sense that it can run on all PC’s, provide a genuine GUI experience without prior knowledge of coding, and is relatively affordable to purchase. On the other side of the court, we have Team Linux, the team with a content penguin for a mascot. While Linux is known for its ability to be indefinitely customized via commands and code, it is the very same ability that turns mainstream users off. Rather, it’s the required knowledge in coding and commands.

I’m no Linux fanatic – in fact, I had tried Ubuntu 7.04 on a virtual PC before. It was unimpressive – there were problems connecting to the Internet, and worse yet: the standard-aspect resolution didn’t fit the widescreen display on my laptop. For crying out loud, I couldn’t even figure out how to install Flash or those Windows fonts because the bloody tutorials gave me some code I couldn’t understand.

However, lately, I’ve been thinking of switching back to Ubuntu for a variety of reasons:

• I needed a new environment to get away from my formal work where I could perform some research – on anything and everything, from holistic learning to customizing Ubuntu.
• I wasn’t pleased when Vista’s Aero – which does look pretty, in my opinion – was turned off by Java to revert to Vista’s Basic theme. Sorry, I’m picky.
• I wanted to try Ubuntu to take advantage of the open-source liberty: free, both price-wise and limit-wise.
  
• My Co-op supervisor encouraged me to cultivate my interest in open-source technology – which I did, a bit too much. I had discovered Ubuntu 8.04 was released; this release was apparently a major one that finally featured a display manager and simple installation.

I took the jump – and I reaped the rewards. No driver installation – everything just works. I know this must be weird to hear, because typically OS X or Windows would convey such an image, as opposed to Linux. In the following series of posts, I will show you what I absolutely love about Ubuntu – but also, why I can’t uninstall Windows Vista yet.

1. Download & Installation of Ubuntu 8.04
2. The major issue: command knowledge and why you don’t need it to use Ubuntu.
3. GUI: ordinarily simple, but can be pushed to look much smoother and more modern.
4. Work: a lack of fonts, but otherwise online documents and Open Office make up for it.
5. Play: iPod Connection? Tons of free games – amongst my favourites are Gnotris.
6. Customization: Hack ubuntu, please.
7. Support: community support works!
8. Try it in reality, not virtually – it doesn’t do it justice and takes away from the Ubuntu experience.

Here’s some motivation to get you moving; a screenshot of the beautiful Ubuntu. Its visual effects are actually somewhat reminiscent of those of Mac OS X’s – speaking of which, is actually based on Linux FreeBSD, another UNIX-like operating system. Take that.

Download it here: http://www.ubuntu.com/getubuntu/download