Alcides Fonseca

I feel pity for this desktop of mine. It has suffered a lot when it comes to OSes. So I had installed Mac OS x86 perfectly working, but I wanted to play Trackmania Nations Forever. As I wasn’t doing any work on the desktop, no problem, let’s format this.

First choice: Windows Server 2008. I heard it was more stable than Vista and it ran Trackmania pretty nice. The installation was one of the smoothest I have ever experienced. But I was almost giving up on this OS when I had to set for the first time the Administrator password. Whatever password I inserted, it always gave me the following error: “Your password doesn’t match the length, complexity or the history required by this computer” (or something like that). WTF??? Luckily Bruno gave me the solution: You need both upper and lower-case and numbers in your password. Mr. Server2008 Usability Guy should be punished for this one! Once inside, I installed the Desktop Experience and Wireless packages. Reboot. Another reboot. Nothing… I couldn’t access any of those features. And no wireless. Now what? Let’s see what’s new in Ubuntu 8.04.

Installing Hardy Heron was OK until the disk partitioning thing. By default it would erase all my disk. I had a Storage partition with all the documents I need. So I had to go to advanced. There I had to delete the old Windows partition (this was ok). But I hadn’t a button called “Install Ubuntu in free space”. I knew that I had to format a swap and a EXT3 partitions. But my father wouldn’t. One thing to improve Canonical guys ;) Now, inside the OS, it was similar to the previous version, including that reddish-brown color of the Human theme. One thing that I was glad to see is that now Ubuntu handles the 1280×1024 resolution in my screen. Sweet! Another thing that I missed, and since Ubuntu’s windows manager is a copy of Windows (that I understand to ease the switch), is the lack of closing the window by double-clicking on the icon. I have used it since Windows 3.1! Oh and it couldn’t authenticate in my WEP-protected wireless. I could have changed it to WPA, since all the computers in the house support it, but unfortunately I could play Trackmania in Ubuntu as I wished.

All of this OSes failed the Audio. Ubuntu couldn’t fetch the right drivers, don’t know why (in the last version it worked fine). And even in Vista I had to install the codecs from the official site and even a patch. Manufacturers and OSes should improve this experience. Each OS would have a repository of drivers that would be searched each time a new device is connected. XP had this, but it didn’t work. Vista has this working fine, but I had a few problems with Asus hardware. As for Vista, everything just works, which is fine. Except for the fact that is ugly as hell and isn’t straightforward. I just can’t go back from the Mac to this :/ And having a desktop only to play Trackmania… sucks!

A final note about Windows vs Mac OS X: Although many would say OS X is way better than Windows, I don’t think that’s such a big difference (and I’m comparing to Windows XP). There are only two things that I really miss: Spaces. It has changed my way of organizing windows and for me that’s a really cool thing. And I’ve tested a few solutions for Virtual Desktops on Windows and they suck. The second change is the most anoying thing for switchers: the keyboard layout, specially how cmd replaces your windows/ubuntu ctrl. For years I would use my little finger to press control and then use the S, X, C, V or whatever key I wanted. For about 6 months I have used Mac OS as my main os and using your thumb to press cmd and the other fingers to press the other key is a lot better for your wrists! And I don’t want to miss that.

From time to time I freak out about Windows Live Messenger also known as MSN Messenger. First is one centralized system. Everything depends on Microsoft. They’re servers are down. No MSN for anyone. They said you can only have 150 contacts in one account, you have to have two so you can connect all your friends. Then they said you were allowed 300, it was nice but at that point, you also had more than 300 contacts. After that they increased the limit to 1000 and that was enougth for some years. Then you reach the limit and have to clean up your contact list. I know you can have more than 1000 now, but I don’t know how much.

Now I get another stupid error: I got too many groups on my messenger list. Grrr I HATE YOU MSN! Only if my hot friends would change to Jabber as everyone should… MSN can’t even let me be logged in in two different computers :(

I’m sure all of you who have tried Ubuntu or other user friendly linux distro in the last years have enjoyed how easy is to install new software. First, because it’s free. Second, because it’s not painful. Any user can Add/Remove software though this simple GUI. And terminal geeks can also with apt-get command (or whatever package manager you use in your distro). Well, I believe this is another concept Microsoft should import to Windows, but adapting to their users needs.

To begin with, Windows 7 should come with a proper folder structure (Vista improved a bit, but I’m still stuck with Program Files and Programas and other stuff). I really love how Apple have done it with the OS X. Second, get a new MSI kind of files, that include dependencies. In today’s world it’s a must! If I develop a IronPython software (I assume Windows 7 wouldn’t come with IronPython, which is disappointing, but expectable from MS), I want it to be downloaded and installed automatically (and no damn Next,Next,Next processes! Just a big Install and a small Advanced buttons). I’m aware there is win-get but that’s just a non-usable patch to our problem here.

The new idea here is to bring commercial software to this environment. You could browser a list of opensource, freeware, shareware and paid software by your needs. And you could buy the latest game, or that productivity software you need, right in some desktop app. Ok, the idea is not so new, since Apple is selling iPod games via the iTunes Store. So may I expect this idea to be implemented in the back soon? Macports can’t really do it for regular users.

Back to my idea, this would be the right way of fighting the software piracy. People download software through bittorrent, emule or another P2P technology faster than they move their asses to some software store. You just have to make that process damn easy. And indie companies would win also, since if their software is worth it, it will be voted or recommended to other users. Oh, and sysadmins would also be able to remotely install some software in all the N machines they’re responsable for.

Following the Why Software Sucks idea, here are the ranks of the week:

1. Apart from the non-standard rendering, looks like IE doesn’t support the data: protocol. That sucks a lot!
2. Mac OS doesn’t support mounting FTP folders (only in read-only mode).
3. Windows XP search for drivers online never worked for me. Need a discover and install drivers that really work.
4. Linux still can’t hide all that geeky lines, even when upgrading software in Ubuntu. linux—;
5. I still can’t do nothing in Vista. Things are too confused and on not properly spaced. SP1, you may come in.
6. When giving a wireless network WPA security, Vista keep trying to connect without it and doesn’t learn it. And if you are not a geek, you won’t know how to change.
7. Still can’t OS X around to maximize like Windows does. I am less distracted without the background or other Apps behind it.

Oh and a bit of programming stuff:

1. ActiveSync sucks pretty big!
2. AppleScript looks very readable.
3. But Objective-C is so damn ugly! Even in Python!