Month: May 2011

Giver is a real simple file sharing desktop application. First you have to install Giver. It can be found in the Ubuntu Software Center as well as in Linux Mint.

After it in installed on more than one computer on your home network, simply start it. It is located under Internet in the program menu. It will automatically detect anyone running Giver on your network. You can then send files to them by simply dragging the files to their photo or icon shown in Giver.

It is really that simple. I use it on my home network and love it.

Link
Giver File Sharing

The Ubuntu Developer Summit comfirms that Ubuntu will continue its missteps. Ubuntu 11.10, code named “Oneric Ocelot” will no longer ship with the classic Gnome desktop on the default CD. Now you will have to choose between Unity 3D and Unity 2D. Since it is build on Gnome 3, I assume you will be able to choose that.

Next there are plans to dump Evolution as the default email client and switch to Thunderbird, that is if they can complete an extensive number of items in time. If not, the change will likely occur in Ubuntu 12.04.

They will be dumping PitiVi Video Editor, the Computer Janitor, and possibly not include LibreOffice on the Cd to conserve space.

There was also talk of dropping Firefox as the default web browser and switching to Chrome. Although I prefer Chrome, it is not the best browser for some languages. Furthermore most user still prefer Firefox.

All this mean that the next Long Term Service (12.04 LTS) release will be Unity based. Like it or not Unity is Ubuntu. Well, I don’t like Unity and I am beginning to not to care for Ubuntu. I am hoping some distrubution will step up to the plate and make a user friendly distro that doesn’t suck. Right now I think Linux Mint is the best choice. I am tired of Ubuntu ignoring the users and just going with what Mark Shuttleworth wants. I think it is time to ditch Ubuntu no matter how much it hurts.

Links
Plans for Ubuntu 11.10 crystalise
Ubuntu Developers Party In Budapest

Rovio is the company behind Angry Birds. If you haven’t played it you should give it a try. Rovio has just released a Beta version of the game using HTML 5. This version brings an end to the platform lock and allows all operating systems to enjoy the game. It is the beginning of a revolution. Angry Birds can be found in the Chrome Web Store.

According to Rovio press release, “This is only a beta release of the game, and so far we have 63 levels of the original game available, with an additional 7 special Chrome levels! We are working on bringing more levels to Chrome, and planning on making the Mighty Eagle available as an in-app purchase option.”

So let’s say you are having problems with your computer. You are not sure if it is the hard drive or something else. What do you do?

I suggest doing a surface scan of your hard drive. The program that I used to scan my new hard drive was GSmartControl version 0.8.5. It will even check multiple drives, if you have more than one. GSmartControl is in the Ubuntu Software Center, so it is easy to install. Once it is installed you will find it under System Tools. Just click on it, choose the drive you want to scan, and click the Preform Tests tab, pick the test you want to do, and then click the Execute button. You can choose to do a Short Self-test, Extended Self-test, or Conveyance Self-test. I did the Extended Self-test and took a couple hours to do my 1 TB drive.

The other tabs give you a ton of information about your drive. Check it out and hopefully it will help you get to the root of your problem.

Link
GSmartControl