Archive for the ‘linux’ tag
SeaMonkey: For some reason I can’t explain
For some reason I can’t explain, I decided to try out SeaMonkey on my iBook G4 running Gentoo, though only the browser and not the whole suite. So far I am quite pleased. All of my extensions work, and the browser feels a lot snappier than Firefox 3. There are also some nice features like tab previews. There are a few drawbacks - namely the lack of native-looking UI widgets, reverting to Gecko 1.8, and having to get reacquainted with the old Mozilla interface. But I will stick with it for a while.
The Year of the Free Software Desktop
Why is it that so many are focused on promoting the Linux kernel on the desktop as opposed to Free Software or Open Source Software on the desktop? Or, why does Linux have to be the kernel of the F/OSS desktop when there are now other available options which may be better suited to the task?
Linux became the “standard” kernel for Free Software systems, it seems, because it was the first freely available kernel which was actually useful. Now, however, there are some other options coming on line, namely OpenSolaris, and let us not forget our BSD brethren. Could it be that one of these other kernels (and perhaps userlands) could better serve the purpose of a quality Free Software desktop operating system? Excuse my ignorance, (I know it probably shows in this post), but the frenetic development process of the Linux kernel and its lack of a stable API for drivers are two possible disadvantages I can think of when it comes to using it as a basis for the Free Software desktop.
Also published at Technocrat.
Gentoo on iBook G4: The Essentials
When it comes to running Linux on an Apple iBook G4 (or any iBook or PowerBook in general), there are a few essential resources. Here they are:
- Gentoo Linux PPC Handbook - The installation instructions for Gentoo are among the best documentation available for Linux.
- Gentoo PPC FAQ - This document answers all your questions about the idiosyncrasies of running Linux on PowerPC hardware. This includes information on how to enable your soundcard as well as recommendations for laptop-specific applications (which can be installed with portage). First and foremost of these is pbbuttonsd (”PowerBook buttons daemon”), which makes the volume, brightness, and eject keys work, along with sleep and other power managment features. There is nothing like being able to close the lid and forget about it, just like in Mac OS X.
- Airport Extreme Howto - This is a very clear and concise guide to getting your Airport Extreme wireless network card working. Until these drivers came along, Linux on the iBook G4 was not very fun. Now I can enjoy its full laptop potential.
- Gentoo Hardware 3D Acceleration Guide - You have a Radeon Mobility video card in that iBook. Use it! Follow this guide to ensure that hardware rendering is enabled. This will open the door to goodies like Compiz Fusion, which does work fairly well on the iBook G4.
- Inputd - This program allows for right-click solutions (e.g. command + left-click = right click) and much more. The cure to the one button mouse. It requires some changes in the kernel and perhaps its config file, but it should not be too challenging for any user who has successfully completed the Gentoo install.
It is best to consult all of those resources during the initial installation. That way you do not have to go back and rebuild your kernel when you add each feature.
Gentoo on the iBook G4
While Debian may be suitable for my Apple Powermac G3 Blue and White, nothing can beat Gentoo on my iBook G4. I have resolved that being a Gentoo developer is not part of my future. But I cannot stay away from Gentoo as a user, especially when it comes to my iBook. Pure computing joy.
It was not always so. When I first started using Gentoo there were no drivers for the Broadcom wireless card it has. Thankfully since then free and open drivers have been developed which work great for me. Also, all of the Mac buttons and features (including sleep) work perfectly, so it makes a great notebook. I plan as using it as my main work horse for thesis research and writing.
Desktop Linux Adoption: An Introspection
Daily I scan the headlines for more evidence of desktop Linux adoption. With more and more manufacturers offering pre-installed Linux, I have an increasingly sound basis for my hope. Many times I have asked myself, “is this finally the year of Linux on the desktop?”
Of late, however, I have been consumed by a different question: Why do I want the market share of desktop Linux to increase?
Among Linux enthusiasts (with whom I count myself) there is a stated desire to see the market share of our favorite product increase. No longer the choice only of hobbyists, we want Linux to be the number one choice of generic consumers as well. But why do I share that goal?
Am I a Free Software evangelist like Richard Stallman? Do I possess an altruistic urge to spread software freedom to all computer users? There is no doubt that Stallman’s ideas have heavily influenced my views in the area of software and elsewhere. Still my personal affinity for software freedom has not lead me to actively proselytize any of my friends and family.
Am I an Open Source evangelist like Bruce Perens? Do I desire others to possess the many practical benefits of an open development process? It is true that I greatly appreciate the increased security which transparency can bring and the responsive and participatory nature of such development.
Do I think Linux is the ultimately superior product? Is it so good that I think everyone should have the good fortune of using it? I believe that it is improving the fastest, but I cannot yet say that it is superior across the board, especially in terms of user-friendliness and confusion amongst the various distributions and desktop environments.
Is it simply hubris? Do I want everyone to use Linux because I do? Of course that has its appeal, but I rather enjoy being a “rebel” with respect to operating system choice.
It is all of these reasons, it is none of these reasons. So I am left without an answer. At times I think it is senseless to promote Linux on the desktop. Perhaps we should make it the best we can but keep it for ourselves. But such thoughts do not last long.
Also published at Technocrat.
