Pandora

I think I have posted about this online App in the past, but it warrents another look. If you are looking for the killer app in online radio, go to www.pandora.com. It allows you to set up customized radio stations according to bands that you like.

You have to sign up and get a username and password, but after that, you can listen to great music to your hearts content. I know there are a ton of other online radio options out there, but Pandora has a great interface that lets you listen to your music for free. What a deal. Check it out!

Ubuntu Singing

Alright, for the 10's of you following this string, I have gotten Ubuntu up and running correctly. I wrote a couple of days ago that there were some problems with updating Ubuntu successfully. Well, I think I have figured it out. Instead of using the Symantic thingy, I started using the Add/Remove programs thing under Applications and I think it worked.

I went through a complete update and all seems to be well. I have the latest versions of all the programs that came with Ubuntu and all seems to be working. I still am a long way from completely understanding this OS, but at least it isn't broken.

I tried to upload the latest version of the OS and I couldn't get it to install. So, I am a version behind in the actual OS. But aside from that, I do have all the latest apps in this older version.

Hopefully, Ubuntu will work out whatever problem I was experiencing so that I can update the OS in the future, but in the meantime, all seems good.

SLAM

Masterful monkeys dance on the grave of the master
Coloring the sky with striding laughter
to and fro then dance continues
darkness cannot see the frivolity
Slashing tires and running from the bad guy
All night long just isn't enough for me
I'll Facebook YOU ... just wait for the beep

ISO Burning Software

Well if you are going to be a Linux geek like me then you have to have software that burns ISO files to CDs so you can install new OSs. The best one I have found is one called CDburnerXP. It has a simple interface and even better than that, it is free. What up??

Ubuntu Ubuntu Ubuntu

What is a newb to do? There is some update that screws up my version of Ubuntu. And, I don't know which one. The problem is I can't update my version. I want to have the latest version, but I don't want to sit through another laborious install. hmm... what to do?

www.twitter.com

See if you can make something of it.

Ubuntu Blues

I ran into my first snag with Ubuntu.

So apparently, there is an automatic update feature that is supposed to bring all the software on your computer up to date. That all sounds fine, but when I did it, I lost the ability to open a lot of the software on the computer.

In linux, there is a bar along the top of the screen that gives you access to all your applications. Along with that there is a System menu that gives you all the stuff that you would find in Control Panel on a Windows box.

One of the programs is called the Synaptic Package Manager. As far as I can tell it is the easiest way to update linux and get new software. The standard way of downloading that we have all come to love and know on the other OSs is not as easy on linux. When you download using linux you have to compile and build and then put it in the right folders under root...blah blah blah. And so far, I havn't figured out how to do that correctly.

Well, the version of Firefox that comes with the Ubuntu build that I installed is old... and I mean really old. It is like the 1.0. I found the 1.5 version in the Synaptic Package Manager and updated it to at least that version. But, I want 2.0 which has spell checker. That means less incorrectly spelled words in my posts among other things.

So, I ran the updater in SPM and then I couldn't get anything under the System menu to even load. That really hamstrings the system so tonight, I had to reload linux. I guess it isn't exactly ready for the masses just yet, but I am learning. If you want to know more about my trials and trevails, you can comment on this entry, or wait patiently for more entries because I am sure I will probably be talking more about my little linux experiment in the future.

All in all though, I think I like it.

But one more problem I just remembered. When I reboot back into Windows, I have to unplug and re-plug my USB Wireless ethernet interface to get it to work. I don't know why, but oh well.

MurDog OUT!!!

I am a Geek!!

Ok... I just installed Ubuntu on my home computer and I am up and running! In fact, right now I am entering this blog post while in Ubuntu. I haven't been using it long enough to really have a true impression of the system, but so far, so good.

I did have a little trouble getting my wireless internet up and running, but other than that, it was pretty easy, and as you can see, I am on the net so I did it.

My home computer is a little slow. I heard that Ubuntu, or any other linux OS, breathes new life into old hardware, and I think they're right. Firefox opens quite quickly, and downloads even seem a bit snappier.

When I go to my main site, www.murdog.com, it opens like liquid lightning.....sooper fast!.

I was scared to install this on a computer that already has XP on it. I was afraid that I would some how lose that install and then I would be stuck with linux. Well Ubuntu was fairly easy. After the install, it noticed that I already had a copy of Windows and asked if I wanted to make the system dual-boot. That means it will ask you on boot which OS you want and then it will start the one you chose. Of course, I said yes and what do you know... it worked.

The install wasn't without its problems. I first tried to install the latest build of the OS, and for whatever reason, it didn't work. It would just get stuck on the initial splash screen. I read in the forums (did I mention that I am definitely a geek?) that people who were having that problem were succeeding using an alternate version. I downloaded the alternate and it worked. The only problem with the alternate version was the installer was text based rather than GUI based. That scared me a bit. But, all is well and I am on the net. Yea me!

MurDog, the dual-boot geek OUT!!!