On Thu, 2007-10-04 at 13:08 +0100, Andy Green wrote: > Hi Folks - > > Here's some things I didn't know (Leonovo and the significant pricing > advantage over Vista, which I never expected to be passed on to > customers...) > > ''...Until recently, major PC makers shied away from Linux. Now the > industry is watching as Dell is selling two Linux-equipped desktop > models ($549 and $870, including a monitor) and a $774 notebook PC. > (Hewlett-Packard offers Linux systems to businesses, and Lenovo, the > Chinese company that bought I.B.M.’s PC division, sells Linux machines > in China and says it will soon offer Linux-based computers in the United > States.) > > The Ubuntu version of Linux runs the Dell computers. Because Dell does > not have to pay a licensing fee for the operating system, the computers > are $80 cheaper than PCs with Windows Vista Home Premium or $50 cheaper > than the stripped-down Vista Basic edition. ... '' > > Positive vibes: > > ''...Ubuntu is generally regarded as one of the more consumer-friendly > versions of Linux, so the Linux PC experience is similar to what you > would get with a Windows-equipped Dell. When you start the machine, the > screen looks familiar; preinstalled applications can easily be found and > run from an Applications menu at the top left of the screen. A “Places” > menu lets you search for files, and a System menu is there for setting > preferences and finding help. > > And there is a lot more than just an operating system. Ubuntu, like some > other Linux distributions, comes with a lot of free software, including > OpenOffice, an alternative to the Microsoft Office suite with a > full-featured word processor, spreadsheet, database and presentation > program. It also comes with the popular Firefox Web browser as well as > an e-mail program, an instant messaging program, a graphic image editor, > music player and a photo manager. > > Thanks to open source developers, there are thousands more free > programs. An Add/Remove function actually makes finding programs easier > with Linux than it is for Mac and Windows. Without having to go to Web > sites, it lets you browse through categories of software. It took me > only seconds to find several additional music players, a PDF reader and > other programs. In addition to downloading the software, this feature > installs it and finds any necessary additional files. > ...'' > > http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/04/technology/circuits/04basics.html?_r=1&ex=1349150400&en=f1e147767abb91ac&ei=512&oref=slogin > > I guess "a rising tide lifts all boats" but Fedora is invisible. I did > a quick google earlier and the closest reference I found was a suspected > fake $150 laptop, and a RHEL 5 Desktop preinstall you can buy, probably > at some premium. > > At this rate it starts to seem, considering that eventually someone I > know will get one of these and expect the level of meddling I can do for > Fedora, that perhaps one can no longer practically avoid getting > experienced with The Debian Way as well as the Redhat Way... > > -Andy > One thing that bothers me with Ubuntu 7.4 is the default NetworkManager will not support WEP-LEAP nor I suspect WPA-LEAP or WPA-PEAP. NM .065 must be out be out there somewhere so I will look for it. -- ======================================================================= Your domestic life may be harmonious. ======================================================================= Aaron Konstam telephone: (210) 656-0355 e-mail: akonstam@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
