Murder's Last Crow

What is Ubuntu?

For those not in the know (lame-men's terms), Ubuntu is a version of the Linux Operating System that is easy to use, does everything you would expect a computer to do, and it's free.

But just in case that's not a good enough explanation for you, here are some things to ponder.

Freedom

To start, most obviously it's free. Free to install, free to use, free to give to your friends, free to modify and give to anyone, free to change and sell... wait, this thing's so free you can actually modify it and sell it!?


I'm bringin' sexy hat

Yes, that's a focal point of the agreement Linux was created under- that it can be used, modified, and distributed freely, in any fashion the user sees fit. The only thing required of the user is to give those same rights to anyone who gets their paws on it.



So, in essence, Ubuntu is a version of Linux that has evolved to bring it mainstream. In fact, Ubuntu's motto is "Linux for Human Beings." And may I add, computing for human beings.

Another point of Linux is that anything can be changed, and Ubuntu is very easily customizable. You can move anything in your interface with the drag of a mouse, drag and drop a new theme for your desktop, cursors, and icons, and easily add or delete any part of your interface whenever you feel like it, just by right clicking and adding it from a list of default elements, or get more. This means you can make your computer entirely your own.

Not only that, but Linux in general gives you the freedom to put the OS on pretty much any device you want. Linux can be installed on things such as a phone, Nintendo DS, graphing calculator, and even on an older music-only iPod to enable video playback on the color-display. In fact, Ubuntu has installable versions for both PS3 and XBOX 360. Why have a computer and a gaming console when you could have both in one machine, eh?


l33t hacking skillz for kids

It's Easy

As I said before, changing the interface and making things look the way you want is a snap, and takes a matter of minutes even for the most crazy alterations you could think of (some startling examples later in the article).

But Ubuntu is also easy to install or test out. In a recent study, Ubuntu was found to install 20 percent faster than Windows Vista, and with half as many mouse clicks. So setting it up brand new is easy.

Also, all you need to do is burn an ISO of the boot CD freely available from Ubuntu's website, and you can even run a live version of the Operating System without ever installing a thing. When you're ready to install, not only is it simple, but you have other options.

The Wubi Installer allows you to automatically download the installation files and install Ubuntu just like a regular Windows program, dual-booting and all, with full-functionality. Removing it is just as simple as uninstalling any other Windows program.



The only way they could make it easier is by getting it to download itself to your computer. Speaking of which, with every installation of Ubuntu (under 2 GB of space) comes all the software you'd ever need for your computer. OpenOffice gives you everything you would get out of Microsoft Office, supporting the same formats, for free. Also, you can rip and burn music, watch DVDs, and do messaging, email, and internet with Firefox preinstalled,

Here's a page of what comes with Ubuntu for reference.

Compared to MS Windows and Mac : Best of Both Worlds, and Then Some

So what is it that most people love about Macs? Preinstalled software, stability, speed, security, ease of use.

What do people love about Windows? Familiarity (perhaps too much), wide range of hardware support, and well, the niche applications people stay there for.


Can't get this anywhere else

Well, Ubuntu can do all of this for free. Since Macs and Linux are both based on the same core (UNIX), they have a similar way of managing files. The big difference is that in Linux, everything is customizable. With Apple it's closed source. Locked up.

For a little background, UNIX (unlike Windows) separates the system files from the program executables and content (pics, music, 'stuff'). In order to access those files, you need to use your password to modify them or allow a program to modify them. This doesn't happen often.

In Windows, not only is there not much security on the incoming (internet to computer), but the computer thinks all files are pretty much the same, and makes it worse by hiding files from you automatically when you do go looking to fix them.



Also, Ubuntu fares much better against security threats from the internet due to its built-in security features (no need to get a program to suck up more speed just to fight spyware).

As you heard before, you can install Linux on many systems, not just traditional computers, so Ubuntu will work with any regular computer hardware you throw at it. With plug and play support for most devices, and drivers built-in (no need to plop in a bunch of CDs after you install), you'll be up and running in no time as if it were a computer built just for Ubuntu.

And what about my precious Windows programs? Well, fortunately there are some miracle-workers trying to make it at easy as possible to switch, who have been working for years on WINE. Wine stands for Wine Is Not an Emulator.


Well, obviously

Basically, what they've done is rebuilt the Windows programming platform legally (from scratch, without a scrap of Microsoft code) and written it to be used in Linux. This means that most Windows programs will be perfectly usable just like any Linux program on your computer. There are few exceptions, but the gap is narrowing rapidly.

A list of a few programs we all love (or would love to have) that work flawlessly and much faster in WINE than in Windows.

Adobe Photoshop 7 through CS4 (all Adobe Programs basically)
3ds max
Microsoft Works (not needed with Ubuntu, but what can you do?)
IMVU
Steam Gaming Platform
World of Warcraft

And many many more, pretty much anything you could think of. You can find out now; find your favorite applications likely supported through Wine's Application Database.

And if you only care about the eye-candy from your commercial OS, don't worry. Here are a few customization examples put together in under 15 minutes to show you how easily you can convert Ubuntu's interface to what you're "familiar with."



But to be perfectly honest, the options to make it your own will make you think twice. Here's my desktop as an example.



You can do anything you feel like, really. And that brings me to the "and Then Some."

What Only Ubuntu Can Do

A prime example of Ubuntu's sheer ease of use is the default menu. It's separated into Applications, categorized programs, Places, a menu with your Music, Videos, Network folders/preferences, external media, and search function, and finally System (Preferences for options based on the particular user and Administration for changing Hardware and all-user settings). With this panel, everything's staring you in the face with language and organization you can understand. Much more straightforward than anything I've seen in Windows or Mac.

Also, in the Applications menu is a wonderful little program called "Add/Remove."



In this menu, you can look at a catalog of thousands of programs separated into easily understood categories, along with an icon, description, ratings, and it's as easy to add (or remove an installed program) as checking/unchecking a box next to it. Click Apply, then the computer does it all for you.

How many times have you looked all over the internet for a software you wanted, tried a few, liked one and had to uninstall the rest one-by-one, then restart your system afterward? With Ubuntu you can do this all in a few seconds, and never having to restart.

In fact, the only time it does need to restart is when the system automagically updates to the newest version, and that's only when it's updating a very particular part of the system. This means that about 10 percent of time, clicking to update will require a restart. And not really, just whenever you feel like doing it.

But other than that, Ubuntu has some clear advantages in the sheer amount and quality of free programs it has, many of which not available for any other system (by the programmer's preference, presumably). But since it's all free, a software developer could easily port it to another Operating System.

One such program that's widely publicized and quite popular in the community is a 3d desktop manager called Compiz-Fusion. Ubuntu comes with some neat effects like wobbly windows and multiple desktops (sorry Apple users, but we beat you to it), but compiz allows many more gripping and stunning visual effects. Here's a simple video showing you yet another reason why, if you're concerned about eye-candy, no one delivers better, faster, and with less memory usage than Linux.

Link to Video.

Heck, you can install Ubuntu, running well, on a minimum of 192 MB of RAM and a 300 Mhz processor.

Windows Vista's minimum is 1 GB ram with a 1.6 Ghz processor.

You can't upgrade an older Mac to the newest Mac OSX system, so that's a failing ideology, but you can do so with Ubuntu on a Mac.

Another awesome thing about Ubuntu is that it will update to the newest version seamlessly, for free. Macintosh and Microsoft just don't come close to that, and upgrading usually means you need more memory, instead of a more efficient core that allows you to use less memory, like Ubuntu.

A Simple Question

So, you may be asking yourself, "Why is it still the case that so many PC and Mac users are still so stuck on the commercial OS?"

Well, a few things to consider.

As for PCs, you'll notice that most come bundled with a Microsoft Operating System. This means no one has to go through installing it, but do have to pay for it. Recently, DELL has started selling Ubuntu as an alternate OS on their computers, allowing you to take the cost down on the same computer running Windows.

The reason you don't see this in stores is because Microsoft won't do business with anyone who sells a competing OS in the same store. I'm not even kidding you.

And Macs, well, they're Macs. They come with Mac OSX whether you like it or not.


Good thing we let the men take care of it

Also, there's the oh so common fear of change. Fear of the unfamiliar. People don't wanna' move around too much with technology, which is very evident with the common skepticism of Microsoft's Windows Vista (which can't support some software WINE can, by the way). But all that aside, it's pretty obvious that Ubuntu is just as useful and applicable on the desktop, if not moreso in many areas, than what we've seen so far.

Why is that? Well, being free to change and all, Linux has grown from the constant support, kink-ironing, and creativity of millions of users and developers throughout the years. And unlike its competitors on the desktop, it will continue to work out the bugs instead of releasing service packs or settling on one version just to beef it up later.

Regardless, I have a simple question for you. If you have understood and are curious about this software, why not try it out? It's free. It's awesome. It can show you new ways to use your computer you didn't know you wanted in the first place.

Go on, head over to Ubuntu.com and check it out. You can also get the wubi-installer here (for Windows users) and more easily take it for a spin. It's free, so there's no commitment. Just be honest with yourself. Take a step beyond familiarity and into a world where the computer's your bitch, not the other way around. Freedom with your computer, in the truest sense.

And since Ubuntu is driven by the users, there's no knowing where it'll go. But we do know we'll like it, unlike what some of the people who charge us for an OS have planned.

Final Note from the Author

In a nutshell, my experience with Ubuntu has been simple, easy, fast, and helped me to explore my creativity and interests more than my frustration with a machine. If you wanna' get more out of your computer, with less stress, and with no financial burden, get Ubuntu.

Give me your heart and your soul!!! </muse>

My mind with from hence be located hither.

Yes, Jack Crow is my secret alias. OH NOES! And I called myself pretty. =_=; So egocentric. I really hate that guy.

It's highly likely I'll change that title in the near future, but I have a favor to ask of each of you.

There are three articles there, and one of them is sure to capture at least a tad of interest. There's one about IMVU, one about deviantART, and one about the new game I'm working on. Please leave your comments on as many as you can and revisit to keep up with my life and that sort of thing. It's gonna' be a tad more organized than my livejournal, and it'll contain a lot more content, so I hope you guys bookmark it, since I'm not coming back to livejournal.

The truth of the matter is that I'm monetizing on this new blog. I want to get my rating up by having some comments and suggestions. So yeah, please leave some feedback. I'll make it worth your while.

Just in case you were wondering, I still exist.

Nothing lifts your spirits quite like Katamari soundtracks.

In hindsight, that last entry was kinda' stupid and irrelevant. I'm just a self-defeater, sometimes. Self-achiever today, though. =^o^=

*sigh* If there's one thing you can learn in life, it's that nothing can ever be too bad to be true. Pff....

I know, I'm just so uplifting, aren't I? XD

I've finally made my decision when it comes to girls. Yay.

You're my friend, and if you try to be more I will ignore you to death. XD

"A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices,
for yonder breaks a new and glorious morn."

Life is totally unfair. Most often in our favor.

A lot of hard stuff happens in life. Sometimes it's caused by others. Sometimes the cause is unknown. A lot of the time it's our fault, whether we like it or not.

But the fact of the matter is, problems happen, and sometimes you just gotta' determine to get through them and push onto the other side of 'em. Sometimes that means having a serious talk with someone- a serious talk with yourself, even. Meditation. Or sometimes, it means just laughing it off and forgetting about it.

We make mistakes, we fall, but if we keep telling ourselves we haven't made any mistakes, and we don't have anything to change, we're gonna' keep falling until our faces are sore from the bruises.

I would go into more depth about the problem I've been having, but I know some of you would laugh and call me stupid for saying it's a problem. Despite opinions, I know what's right for me, and I know that you can never be overly judgemental of yourself, within the bounds of logic. It's good to always improve.

Anyway, I had this problem for a while during my depression as a preteen, and it returned a few years later. It corrupted and drained my life of all goodness, the light, and the happiness I once felt. I lost my innocence, as well as my composure. I was a broken shell, but no one knew it.

Then I told someone the problem. That means that I'd admitted my problem to myself already, and realized there had to be something done about it.

This is the part where I'm going to tell you something important, so if you haven't read anything else, listen up.

There are two things that contribute to overcoming our challenges, more than anything. One- realizing the problem and changing your attitude to one of doing, rather than suffering until it dissipates, because chances are, it won't. Two- Openness- the willingness to allow yourself to get help from others, as well as openness to solutions you haven't thought of, yet.

That's about 80% of it, if you get that far. Without changing your mindset and allowing yourself to talk about your challenge, problem, fear, etc., you have about 20% consisting of desire and realization.

Now, sometimes that's all you've got, but it sure is easier to make up your mind to get over whatever it is, don't you think? Find solutions- don't let life be a pity-fest or a regret. With the help of others, we can all overcome our obstacles, and then help others to get over theirs. In truth, independence is a good thing, but it must be learned. Sometimes you just need a little push.

In closing, I'd like to say that I'd love to tell you what the problem was, but I don't wanna' be picked on by people thinking it's not a problem, and I'd just rather have a few people who I've already told understand it- I don't need to broadcast my past to the world, just yet.

I just thought I'd tell you guys some information about how I got over a few of my problems. I used simple methods, and all you really have to do is change your mind. Sometimes rerouting the way your mind works takes time and effort, but what else do you do when you don't have anything to think about? Practice makes perfect, so write down what you want, don't just desire a change- make it happen!

Okay, now I'm sounding cheesy and generally uninformational. Until tomorrow, I guess.

So, I was just wondering- do you guys ever get that feeling, when you think some horrible natural disaster's gonna' occur outta' the blue? Kinda' like a pseudo panic-attack, but without the freakish heartbeat, just a silent, "yeah, I might die soon"?

Most of the time, I get it about something like a fault-line or an earthquake just rending the Earth in TWAIN. But oddly enough, sometimes I think of volcanoes, or hurricanes, when it's completely obvious that couldn't possibly happen.

Just imagine me, sitting in my little room, looking outside, "Oh crap, the earth beneath me's going to erupt into LAVA!! OwO Somebodeh SAVE MEH!!" No seriously, this actually happens to me from time to time. Or I think that a huge asteroid's just gonna' come pound me in the skull and that's it, or even worse, somewhere other than the skull and that's NOT it.

But the worst of all is, since I have these five or six way tall pine-trees right next to my house, on windy nights I just feel this in my bones, like when you're anticipating a gunshot or something.

One of those trees has lost it's roots and it going to break my house down. And I'm gonna' kick it really hard, since that was MY room, DANGIT!

*machete to da' trunk*

But really- do you ever have odd, unexplained pseudo-panic attacks? Please, share with me your genius, or otherwise irrelevant babbling.

So, here I am, sitting on my living room couch, watching my niece Lila roll all over the place, listening to unplugged versions of Aya Matsuura songs, eating Honey Bunches of Oats. Yummeh.

I worked from 11-9:30 yesterday, and stayed for an hour since I saw some familiar faces I haven't seen for a while- an old buddy from school and then there was Malarie. O_o I haven't seen her in like TWO YEARS, dood! And not two short years, but two long ones! So it was awesome to see her again after such a long time.

*gets back from playing with Lila a bit* She sure likes to wander off. XD

So yeah, I was talking to Miranda this morning, and she accepted my apology for all the bad things I've ever done to her (and trust me, despite being Jack, to her, I've done some nasty things, even though she's my best female friend ever). So yeah, I'm gonna' try my best not to screw it up again.

Byron and Sean came up the other day and we played Halo 3- and you thought Halo couldn't get any better. I pity da' foo' who thinks Halo TREE ain't da' bomb diggity. In other words, if you like Halo and you don't like Halo 3, you need some special education.

Not that I'm the biggest Halo fan, but I found it to be quite awesome, from a game developer's perspective.

I love you guys- thanks for reading my stuff. I hope that I have something a bit more useful to tell you tonight, to inspire and awe you, and help you through the next day or whatever the heck you want it to do, as long as I don't offend anyone with my not-so-normal thought processes.

Cowabunga, dood.

I have two theories on why only two people ever really comment on my LJ.

1. (most likely) I comment inconsistently on others' livejournals, and when I do it's often some stupid joke or an honest comment that they don't really care about, since there are certain people they want to hear from more than others (ie. the guy that never says anything anymore would be one they DON'T want to hear from). Due to a lack of reinforcement and motivation to even know a single thing about me, there are no, or sometimes relatively few comments.

2. Okay, I forgot. I'm pretty sure though, knowing me, that it was completely illogical and meaningless.

In other news, I might actually start reading your entries again- how nice! I do only have about two months left before my mission, after all. It might be a good idea leave something behind other than those stupid sad little monkey-things (also known as rants) from the last few months.

Let's have fun-time, le'bebezQ!!!

Do these results even sound like me?

I've gotten all the abilities I need to beat the game, yet I'm still beating up the small fry.

Time to go through the final door and wail on the final boss, I guess. Get this game over with.

Since, after my injuries, I've lost all motivation to be quirky and clever, I'll just tell you. I'm going to Recife Brazil on November 28th for my mission. Wootage!!

Also, I just about ran head on into a car with my longboard, but managed to avoid it and peel out like I've never done before. It's like, get all my prior boarding injuries and multiply it by two, add it all together. Basically. You have no idea how much it hurts to type this. I'll tell you the full story in my next entry.

And his chastisement was upon us, anyone? Ew. Bloody laptop.

Chillunz goin' to the underworld for fun every night. They have no idea what they're getting themselves into.

=_=; A little suggestion- just go to bed.

Behold, I type to the nations from a lappy! OwO A shiny lappy! A 1,000 dollar lappy!

And the best part is that it only cost me 380. ^w^

Woot-a-geh!!

Love Shack has so freaking many remixes! OwO Most of them are pretty high quality, too!

=_=; Why must women like me so much? Why must I have established talents? Why must I have so much money? Why must I feel so calm and good inside while I do the right things? Why does life deal all the good cards to masochists like me!? WHY THE JOY, GOD!? WHY!???

Maybe I should learn to accept that my life just rocks beyond all reason.

Yeah, I love my lief. Leif. Gah, LIFE!

For cereal.