In our society, the pace of technological advancement has never been faster. I’ll skip the history lesson on Microsoft’s tremendous significance on the unbelievably explosive PC industry.   If it is one thing we can all agree on, is that we should use the right tool for the right job. As an XBOX loving, .NET coding, Microsoft admirer let me just jump right into my tale of installing Linux Ubuntu.

First off, a bit of a disclaimer. This is just an introductory post I’m doing on Linux, and I’m just dipping my toe in the water. I won’t be touching any Linux source code.   I won’t use anything other than the GNOME desktop. Also, I don’t plan to port any data from my Windows machine.   I plan to wipe Windows, and use it anew like a typical user buying a new PC would. The only difference being, I’ll do the installation of the OS (operating system) myself.

Linux has had a good reputation of working well on older hardware, with some trouble running on newer hardware. Therefore, I dusted off an old Dell Latitude C400 I had recently put Vista on.   This once well-rated notebook could now best be described as a doorstop.  This notebook always ran Windows XP Professional well, and I had previously put Vista on it.   In fact, for a computer over six years old, it ran Vista very well. I’ve generally had a good experience with running Vista on older hardware.

Installing Linux has always had a bad rap. It is definitely improved, but it could stand to be a bit more user friendly for all the grandparents out there. There was a fair amount of technical onscreen mumbo-jumbo, which hiding would make for a better experience. In general, it was fairly easy, and the prompts are minimal.  I’m not sure that anyone who has never done this before would feel entirely confident installing a dual-boot configuration. The entire process took about half an hour, generally the same amount of time as the Vista installation.

Here are a few technical gems. I like the fact it fits just under the standard 700 MB CD size.   This is great for older computers. For whatever reason, my DVD drives tend to go bad over time, whereas CD drives always live. Windows lacks one installation feature that is very nice, the Live CD boot capability. This allows you to boot with the CD and run Linux as if it was installed, all the while it doesn’t change anything on your hard drive. Very slick.  It is perfect for evaluating Linux. Similarly, you can boot a Linux installation off a USB thumb drive, save your work and shut down without ever changing the physical computer. This is a great alternative to carrying your entire computer or relying on Remote Desktop on another computer.

So, here I go, I’m logging in. Video? Check. Sound?  Check?   What about my ancient PCMCIA wireless 802.11b card?  Yes, this notebook has no built in Wi-Fi support, and I’m using the ancient wireless 802.11b standard. Like Vista, it works — no problem. I can pull the card in and out; it redetects the wireless network and reconnects with no problem. So far, so good.  Even the sole, pathetic USB 1.1 port works. My travel USB drive and mouse work with it free and clear.

Surely, I can find a problem. Nay, I will find a problem!  I click the “Network” icon. It appears to have found my NAS and every Windows computer on my home network. I click on an MP3 file. Hmmm, no codec is installed. I understand the legality why. However, it does offer a simple pop-up dialog offering some suggestions. After a quick unattended download, it works!  Now to play a video, surely it won’t play this proprietary Microsoft MWV file. Lo and behold, it does.

This is just my opinion, but one thing strikes me as unusual. It’s fairly clear that Vista and Ubuntu share a lot of similar cosmetics. Ubuntu has a “Recent Documents,” much like the “Start” menu has always had.  The icons for documents have a thumbnail that represents the information inside the document, much like Vista.  The taskbar of running applications looks very similar as well. Right clicking on the desktop gives a lot of the same options as Windows.   I’m not trying to turn this into a he-said she-said, “they stole this” argument.  I’m just a bit surprised it acts as much like Windows as it does. Come to think of it, I’m not surprised. It is in “Linux’s” best interest to make a transition from Windows as seamless as possible.

Doing that, might not be so hard. This Linux distribution I selected has some of the most practical applications. It includes Firefox for Internet browsing, which is a strong rival and superior to Internet Explorer in many ways. It contains OpenOffice for basic word processing, spreadsheets and presentations.  It appears capable, although definitely not as full featured as Microsoft Office. I was able to edit documents between the two office suites with no problem.

Over the course of a few days, I did encounter the occasional lockup. Every now and then, an application would hang. I did peruse the help file, to determine how to customize the panels to my liking. The help file, hmmm, not always so helpful. So Linux did seem like Windows in more ways than one.

Having said that, I like free. I could see me using this for free. I could see me setting up this for every computer in my parent’s small business. For just about any software challenge, a FOSS (free and open source software) solution exists. I typically check SourceForge first when I need something. Linux is a more than capable OS, which wasn’t always the case in the past.

Bill Gates once famously said that Windows 90%+ market share wasn’t a monopoly, at least not in the traditional sense.  One thing is certain, Microsoft does have some strong competition.   That is a good thing. With that comes more innovation. Whichever operating system I ultimately choose to use down the road, it is clear the personal computer is only going to get better.

For all of you following the news of Ubuntu 8.04 (Hardy Heron) on select Dell systems, John Hull, our manager of Linux OS engineering, just posted additional technical details on the Direct2Dell blog.

Hardy Heron has landed on select Dell consumer PCs! As of today consumers can purchase the XPS M1330N and Inspiron 1525N laptops and Inspiron 530N desktop with Ubuntu 8.04 pre-installed at www.dell.com/ubuntu.

So is there anything special about Ubuntu 8.04 on Dell PCs beyond a higher number? You bet! Dell spent months in development and testing to deliver more peripheral support - like ATI Video Graphics, Dell Wireless, Fingerprint Readers, HDMI, Bluetooth and MP3/WMA/WMV - which coincidentally were some of the more popular suggestions on Dell’s IdeaStorm. And of course DVD playback is still there, too.

As these Dell PCs with Ubuntu 8.04 pre-installed are available in a variety of countries, including U.S., Canada, select Latin America (like Mexico and Colombia), France, Germany, Spain and the U.K., we added another feature: the ability to select language during the first boot process. Just a few more steps toward making Linux more accessible by helping to ensure it “just works” right out of the box! For those who are interested in the nitty-gritty technical details, watch for a post from John Hull on Direct2Dell  in the near future.

Note: In Daniel Judd’s post, he mentions that Dell will soon expand its consumer Linux product portfolio to include the XPS M1530n and the new Studio 15n in time for LinuxWorld Stay tuned for more details!

A number of you have asked for Linux tips on Your Blog. So with a tip of the hat, I’m pleased to pass along a nugget submitted by community member aikiwolfie:

A quick and very simple way to get web cams working in Ubuntu is to install a Gnome application called Cheese. Installation is very simple.

1. Open a terminal window.
2. Type sudo apt-get install cheese
3. Let the installer run and that’s it.

This works for Ubuntu 7.10 and 8.04. I’m not sure about earlier versions. But it won’t hurt to try it.

It’s easy to submit a personal technology tip or an idea for a Your Blog post. Just type your thoughts in the “Idea Submission” box in the upper right corner of Your Blog.

BTW, worth mentioning, for clarity, that if you have an idea related to *improving* Dell products or services, the best way to let us know is to post on the IdeaStorm site.

First off, in the interest of full disclosure, let me say – I like Windows Vista. However, one company can only do so much to ensure a smooth migration from one operating system to another for billions of computer configurations. We’re talking about being compatible with both software and hardware from the past two decades.

For example, my three year old uses an ancient (but small footprint) all-in-one computer. The computer is almost eight years old, but runs Vista well.  However, the two-year-old wireless network card didn’t have a Vista driver available.  I did eventually find one on the Korean version of D-Link’s Web site.  Somehow, I doubt this is Microsoft’s fault that it wasn’t readily available.

However, the Vista issues with software compatibility are another matter. While most of my Windows XP software runs just fine, that isn’t always the case. For a complete list of legacy software Microsoft has tested and certified for Vista, you should check out this Web page. I’d prefer not to setup a new PC, just for purposes of restoring an old backup or performing a numerical calculation on a pervious tax software package.

In this situation, Microsoft Virtual PC is a lifesaver. Computer virtualization is the white-hot field of having a complete, indistinguishable virtual computer (of any operating system) running on the physical computer under your desk. With Microsoft Virtual PC, your Windows Vista PC can run Windows XP without any appreciable slowdown. With Windows XP in a virtual PC consuming the whole screen, there is no way to visually determine Windows Vista as the true operating system installed. The virtual PC even connects to the network as a regular PC. 

My Vista PC running a Windows XP virtual PC within it.

Businesses use virtualization, for many reasons. The most obvious being, there are less pieces of equipment to purchase, organize and replace. This is eco-friendly, as idle virtual servers running on a single box take less energy. Quality Assurance teams like this, because they can quickly set up and remove a test environment without a lot of work.

A virtual PC is typically saved as a single file on the host computer. Microsoft has even started allowing entire downloads of virtual machines for software evaluations. This allows businesses to evaluate complex software installations in minutes, without modifying their network or servers.

Likewise, for the hobbyist at home, Virtual PC is a great place to install trial software. If you don’t like it, delete the Virtual PC. In this case, there is no chance of hosing your true desktop system or having your system changed. A list of my Virtual PCs can be seen below. 

My Vista machine has two virtual Windows XP machines. I test software on the temporary machine, and keep a fresh Windows XP installation around to start over with.

You can download Virtual PC 2007 free of charge from Microsoft’s web site. The download size is a mere 35 MBytes. There are alternatives to Microsoft’s software. VMware is Microsoft’s primary competitor, they also offer a free (but more limited) virtualization product. Likewise, they provide many Linux virtual machines with software preinstalled to evaluate.

Do you still have a copy of Windows XP on DVD? You may be installing it sooner than you think.

So it looks like we had two hits in one this week: the new Studio laptops and the Dell Dock.

We knew Studio’s design and features would catch people’s interest, but Dell Dock, which premiered with Studio, turned out to be a stealth sensation and has its own online trajectory. We even scooped Engadget, with Paul Miller approvingly calling out “app-categorization magic and fairly extensive customization.”

In addition to the surge of interest from Gizmodo’s post, several bloggers singled out Dell Dock for special comment. Plugged in Blog shared some favorable first impressions, and Dell Dock merited not entirely dismissive attention from Lonnie Lazar at Cult of Mac.

Since inquiring minds like jervis961 and helmecj01 want to know more, here are a few updates:

1. Dell Dock will be available on all new Dell consumer PC models (but only with a Vista OS).
2. A downloadable version will be available to current Dell PC owners in the near future.
3. It’s available in:

• English
• Dutch
• German
• Spanish
• French
• Japanese

I, like everyone else, want what I want.  I sit in an office, stare at a computer all day and type my fingers to the bone.  When I get home, like you, I want my TV and I want it on my terms.  Unless you’ve been living in a cave, you know how great a digital video recorder (DVR) is.  They give you the freedom to watch a show while recording another, they provide an onscreen TV guide and best of all allow you to skip commercials.  Now, what if I told you, you may already have the best DVR available in your home right now, and it doesn’t require any fees.  A Vista Media Center PC is just that, and is hands down the best TV viewing experience I have ever encountered.

Microsoft hasn’t exactly just introduced this.  For years they have built this capability into Windows to organize your music, photos and videos.  The Media Center program was written specifically to view these items on your TV.  This is commonly called the “10 Foot Interface.”  With all due respect to your grandmother’s scrapbooking efforts, nothing compares to seeing your home photos and movies elegantly organized and in high definition with your own custom audio.  All of this available, with the press of a button on your remote control.

The Vista Media Center program seamlessly records the TV shows you choose from the onscreen guide.  You can opt to record more than one show at the same time, simply by installing an additional TV tuner.  Many tuners don’t require the PC to be opened, and can even record free, over the air (OTA) high definition shows as well.  Like a traditional DVR, you can watch one show while recording another.  If you don’t want a PC in the living room, a Microsoft XBOX 360 will work just as well.  The XBOX connects to your TV, which in turns connects to your PC in another room (wired or wirelessly). 

The free onscreen guide is built into Media Center

With my beefy hard drive I can record as little or much as I like.  My measly (by today’s standards) 200 Gig hard drive has over 40 hours of HDTV.  Odds are, I’ll delete much of it, but the shows look great.   Browsing and selecting a TV show could not be easier.  A large visual thumbnail of each show scrolls across the TV with a description and the time it was recorded.  Even my three year old can successfully navigate the simplistic menu to drill into the very exact “Thomas and His Friends” that he absolutely has to watch.
 

Selecting a recorded TV show is simple and elegant

In another post, I’ll describe how you can edit the TV show you recorded, and splice it into a home movie.   Also, I’ll go into how you can rip your DVD collection and integrate it into the experience.

The fact of the matter is, I have a three year old.  So I don’t have lazy Sunday evenings to sit and watch reruns of “American Dad.”  However, at least it is still pretty darn easy to watch TV on my own terms.

Mozilla is about to release Firefox 3 to the public and users all over the World are getting ready to set a Guinness Book World Record this month - date to be determined - by having the most downloads in a 24-hour period known as “Download Day 2008.” There is a lot of circulation about the download day in spreadfirefox forum. Release Candidate 2 is already available for download testing in more than 45 languages.

Update: Just saw on Techmeme that Mozilla just set the date: Firefox 3 is coming on June 13 June 17. I’ll follow up with another post later today.

There are many improvements with this release compared to previous versions. For instance, FireFox 3 is based on the Gecko 1.0 Web rendering platform that has been in development for the past 33 months. It also has more than 14,000 updates and improvements added in the Release Notes. To run Firefox 3 your system must meet some Requirements.

Once it was downloaded to my Dell Inspiron 1720 system I could see a vast improvement in speed compared to previous versions. The first thought that crossed my mind was, “Hey, Mozilla must have outdone themselves on this version.” I soon realized that I was correct in my assumption and the final version was still being tweaked for release. After playing around for a while I was very pleased with its performance and capabilities. There are way too many additions to mention here (more posts to come, though).

I also have a Dell 1420N Ubuntu system that has the latest version of Ubuntu installed which Firefox 3 beta version is the built-in browser for “Hardy Heron” 8.04. It also works extremely well with this Linux Platform.

Like any new platform, there are some bugs and known issues with this release that will need to be worked out. Mozilla has a site to report any bugs that you may have during the testing phases.

While Firefox 3 isn’t for everyone, I for one think it is an extremely worthy browser and I am looking forward to using it in my day-to-day Internet browsing. I am also looking forward to posting more Firefox info here on Your Blog.

Vista Service Pack 1 has been making its way across the Internet and into homes for a few months now, and Dell is currently shipping it on Vista systems worldwide (for systems using English, French, German, Japanese and Spanish languages with additional languages expected to ship as they become available in the future).  However, for users who are already running Vista but have yet to install this update, the question on their minds is: should I install Service Pack 1?

Unlike the hotfix updates that Microsoft regularly puts out, service packs tend to be much more comprehensive and tend to include not only patches to fix existing problems, but new features and enhancements. The first Service Pack for Vista lives up to this expectation, but most of the changes are subtle enough to go unnoticed by the average user.

So what exactly is in Vista Service Pack 1? It’s a long list, but I like what blogger David Kirk says is the “only” feature that SP1 adds. Beyond that, let’s take a look at why now may be the right time to jump on the SP1 bandwagon:

Stability – SP1 contains all of the hotfixes released since Vista was launched, as well as better driver support for the hardware and software that most people use. Reports coming in from early adopters suggest that the days of frequent freezes and crashes appear to be over.

Performance – The speed at which you copy files, whether it is from one system to another or just on a single system, should see a significant boost. If you have a large media collection or do frequent backups, this is great news. Users who have to work with large image files, such as the kind most of us download from our digital cameras, will notice that they display much faster than before.

Gaming Performance - ExtremeTech has a great write-up comparing SP1 to Vista with just the pre-SP1 hotfixes installed. While 3D performance appears to have improved slightly, 2D performance increases are much stronger. Even this slight increase combined with improved stability should appeal to those using Vista on their gaming rig.

Compatibility – Not specific to SP1, but worth noting: in the time since Vista was released, many companies have been working hard to bring their products in line with the new operating system. The list of compatible software applications and driver support for peripherals such as printers has grown tremendously. A great source for finding out if the applications that you need run on Vista can be found here, courtesy of Microsoft.

For those who have been waiting to see how Service Pack 1 would fare on the systems of early adopters, the waters seem to be fine. This is not the wild slew of changes that we saw in Windows XP when Service Pack 2 was released, but the fairly extensive set of changes to Vista should provide a smoother, more consistent feel to the user experience. When an operating system works best, you should forget that it is even there and SP1 does a good job at staying out of sight and out of your way. If you are waiting for the right time to install it, that time may be right now.

The easiest way to install SP1 is to turn on Automatic Updates but for those of you that would prefer to download SP1 separately, here is a link.

While Dell provides support for the operating system as it originally shipped with your machine, Microsoft is providing installation and compatibility support for Service Pack 1 until March 18, 2009, and this page should provide you with a way to receive it. We’ve also compiled a list of common errors that people have encountered through installing SP1 for Vista and information on how to resolve them. 

You gotta love today’s linking capabilities… Lifehacker has this little gem that was picked up and passed along, via a Dell internal blog, by our big boss/prolific blogger Andy Lark:

Instead of clicking on the Start menu and dragging your pointer through menus and submenus of programs, launch what you need without ever taking your hands off the keyboard in Vista. With a single tap of the Windows key, you’ll invoke the Start menu, and your cursor lands conveniently in the search box. Begin to enter the name of the program you need, and Vista will find it as you type. Hit Enter to launch the right choice.