Ubuntu 9.10 and Open Office 3.1

My little netbook working like a charm. I love this combination of technology: a very affordable long-lasting battery device that does not require an OS license neither an expensive Office product. It is even more powerful that a full fledged desktop system 5 years ago, at a less than 20% the price. All works, sound, video, wireless, and printing. What a wonderful machine.

My only wish is I could type faster on such a tiny keyboard; aside from that I could not be happier.

I am certain nascent companies that start using these elements and don't look back or to the sides to see what everybody else is using will be as competitive as any other organization utilizing commercial products. There is practically no difference now on the basic office applications and the way we use the Internet and email have become easier and more intuitive now. In a matter of a few years we will be able to open files created in a different platform without noticing any differences. THAT is the best thing about all this affordability and Open Source initiatives.

Thank you GNUses. You really did see the future long time ago.

Cheers!

Latest Service Packs and OS versions

Aside from the other departments, on mine I have constant access to 7 different computers. A couple of them have dual-boot capabilities. All in all, and due to the fact that for the last 2 weeks major software manufacturers have released latest patches and versions; I have
Ubuntu 9.04 version on 32b machine
Ubuntu 9.04 amd64 (w Open Office 3.0)
Windows 7 Ultimate Release Candidate 64b
Windows Vista Business Service Pack 2 32b
MS Office 2007 Service Pack 2 on Windows XP Professional Service Pack 2 64b
MS Office 2007 Service Pack 2 on Windows Vista Service Pack 2 (x2)
…and a barebones 32b Linux install for a UTM-like computer

All works. Some computers are extremely fast (64b.) Others look real nice thanks to the new graphic capabilities and so on.
So, for the last couple of weeks, as time allows at breaks and evenings I have been playing with most of the new features.
So what? What’s new under the sun?

I do not know what I have been looking for being so prompt to download and install the latest and greatest. I think it was a hidden desire to find something, anything positive in such latest news turmoil …

Did not find anything that would satisfy me.

I think the really important things in life are too distant from the latest bleeding edge technology. I just do not know where to look.

Oh! Well…

Will keep searching.

Ubuntu and the Swine Flu

Ubuntu 9.04 was released last week. Good.
The main (only?) bug found so far has to do with the Adobe Flash Player not working in some systems.

After lots of forum contributing/checking, blogging about it, and trying installing and uninstalling packages, downloading latest Flash versions for different distros, reverting video drivers to earlier versions, etc… etc… Some guys already found the solution. Among them, in case you are reading this from a Linux x86 based putter: http://bugfixbug.wordpress.com/2009/04/25/ubuntu-flash-does-not-work/
(For a 64b system, simply uninstall: sudo apt-get remove swfdec-mozilla
And then reopen Firefox, let the system find and suggest to install the default player and voilá. It will work beautifully.)

Now back to the real world: Swine flu spreading quickly, mainly in North America.
Seems like the barrage of bad news will always override the good ones. No wonder Youtube and many other sites that provide “feel good” content are the most sought-after.

However, despite these news and all the other ones combined: economic downturn, hunger in Africa, extremists gaining ground…

Have you ever thought that we, the ones capable of being in front of a computer -perhaps even drinking coffee- are in fact, happy?
When was the last time you were hungry? Thirsty? Sick? Injured?

That’s right. I count my blessings, not my troubles.
Do you?

Cheers!