Fedora 11 KDE on top of Ubuntu

As I find Ubuntu is getting more and more stable and satisfied. I wanted to try another Linux distro. While trying to try another distro, I also wanted to compare KDE desktop environment as against gnome in Ubuntu. The choice fell on Fedora 11 KDE. As I do not have another machine, I decided to go the virtual route. My choice on virtual application fell on Sun's VirtualBox. The following link provided me the necessary instructions to install Fedora 11 KDE on VirtualBox.

Installing Fedora 11 KDE on VirtualBox 2.2

I installed as per the instructions. I had a hitch while installing. The installation was hanging every time I tried to install the virtual machine. After some digging in the web, I tried a setting change before installing the OS, but after creating the virtual machine. The setting change was "enabling PAE kernel".

Please note that the virtual machine has to be closed and started again for the setting change to take effect. The installation went smooth after this change. There are few issues that need to be addressed. The display driver is not installed properly. USB devices do not get mounted in virtual machine. I am trying to find solutions to all these issues. I have not delved deeply in the applications of Fedora 11 installed by default. One thing that caught my eye instantly was the number of games loaded in basic Fedore 11. A lot of them compared to other applications. My kins would like them. I will write about KDE applications later after trying them out. It may take some time to resolve the issues noted above. I am trying!

Internet Explorer in Ubuntu Hardy Heron

In my previous post, I was wondering whether to go in for a clean install after the final release of Ubuntu 8.04 (Hardy Heron). I decided not to do clean install, since I had installed many applications and configured them to suit my needs. It would be laborious to reinstall all applications and reconfigure them again. Further, I have to work around again in resolving bugs reported in my previous post. I am happy just updating to the stable version. I have added quite a few applications by now. I would list and discuss them in my future blogs.

Since I have a dual boot system with Windows XP and Ubuntu as alternative operating systems, I was using Windows and Internet Explorer combination for the sites that do not open properly in other browsers. I also used this combination to acquire some data from the net to Microsoft Excel. Data acquisition does not work well with FireFox and OpenOffice combination as of now.

I wanted to use Internet Explorer in Ubuntu so that I can stick with only one Operating System. I found that ie4linux is the software that would allow me to use internet Explorer in Linux (Ubuntu). I required both Wine and Cabextract applications before installing ie4linux. Cabextract was found in my system already and I installed Wine. Then I installed ie4linux.

I had a hiccup during installation of ie4linux. ie4linux could not download a dll file from the net. I had to manually copy it from my Windows system files. Installation was completed after copying this dll file to ie4linux folder.

Though this software provided both versions of ie6 and ie7(beta), ie7(beta) does not work at all. Even in ie6, the screen flickers a lot, when flash files are used to open a site. It is also slow. Though I am happy that I am able to open Internet Explorer in Ubuntu, the surfing experience is not pleasant.

I am back to using Internet Explorer in Windows XP.

A clean install of Ubuntu 8.04 (Hardy Heron)

As noted in my previous post, I installed development version of Ubuntu 8.04 (Hardy Heron). I was getting automatic notifications for either partial upgrades or updates. I was installing these files as and when notified. After one of these upgrades, I encountered following bugs and I reported them in in Ubuntu forums and Launch Pad sites.

1. I started getting an error message stating that the system could not configure some of the system files due to dependency problems.
2. My wi-fi connection failed and I could not connect to the internet through Ubuntu.
3. Driver for my Nvidia graphic card was not working.
4. Under location in calendar applet, time shown against Mumbai is Pakistan Standard Time.
5. My Creative webcam was not functioning.

I carried out the following actions after going through bugs tracking and various other sites.

1. A person asked me to try and install Linux kernels again. This did not help. I decided to format and make a clean new install of Hardy Heron and I did that. The installation was smooth and dependency problems vanished.
2. ndiswrapper is a software that converts windows drivers to linux. ndiswrapper is already in the main repository of Ubuntu and I installed it without any hassle. Later, I installed the driver of my NetGear wireless adapter. This operation also went smooth. My wi-fi internet connection is functioning OK.
3. I had to do a lot of search. Tried many suggestions in the web sites. Still, my video card driver could not be installed. While searching again for a possible solution, one of the sites, suggested to try EnvyNG software for installation of driver to my Nvidia video card. I installed this software through package manger. Then I installed the driver. It is working satisfactorily now.
4. Local time bug has been reported by many and a solution is found by Ubuntu community. Though auto selection of time zone is wrong in many cases, this can be overridden by manual selection of time zone.
5. My last bug is still not resolved. I am still groping in the dark.

A final stable version of Ubuntu Hardy Heron is scheduled on 24 April 2008. I am contemplating whether to go for a new clean install again after a stable version is released. The following link of an article provides pros and cons of going in for new clean install. http://www.linuxjournal.com/content/hardy-heron-clean-or-dirty

Repositories in Ubuntu

The concept of repository and updating system files and application files automatically is welcome to an user like me. In window updates, only the system files are updated and not loaded applications. It is hard to keep a track of all applications and update them manually. Some applications have their own auto-update functions, but they are few in numbers. So, I like the concept of auto updating from repositories that keep a track of loaded application updates. Another convenience is that the updates do not require all the files of the applications to be downloaded. Only revised files are downloaded and replaced. The third convenience is the installation part. It is done automatically, without a need to refer to installation instructions of each application. Repository concept is originally from Linux and it is well integrated in Ubuntu.

Ubuntu has its own repository for system files, KDE applications and some basic applications like OpenOffice. One can add other repositories, which are unsupported by Ubuntu. There would always be warning of possible malicious software, when we add third party applications from other repositories. The user has to ascertain the genuineness of a repository before adding. I am attaching a picture showing third party software repositories that were added in my PC. I have not added all applications from these repositories. Some applications have similar functionalities. I do not want to consume memory without adding value. I add applications as and when needed.

These repositories check software updates in the background and inform the availability of updates. All we need to do is click the update (apply changes) button. Downloading of the update files and installation of them are done automatically. It is a huge task saver.

There are a lot of repositories that are not written in English. It would be difficult to add these repositories without knowing the details. One of my repositories, in fact, is in French. I use translate menu of Google Toolbar in FireFox to translate in English and read the details. This is again a big help.

I am also on the look out for new repositories that have new applications, but are not in my current repositories. Open Source has really taken off to challenge proprietary software.