My Desktop

[Cobra]

A little early for a new one I know, but I figured I might as well use a wallpaper off of my own site 

[James]

First new one of the year.


Edit: Different screenshot.

[Cobra]

First new one of the year.

Ahh I see you've done something a little different this year and skinned XP.

[James]

Thanks for reminding me. I changed it to something that blends in better with the new, dark wallpaper.

(The taskbar was silver, for those who missed the first one)

[Cobra]

Nice, even better than the last as like you said it blends in better.

[James]

Cobra, you used to use Ubuntu, didn't you? What was it like? I'm thinking of reinstalling Windowx XP but doing a dual boot with Ubuntu at the same time.

[Cobra]

I've tried it out, as I've tried a lot of the different versions of Linux out there as it was fun seeing how different they all were. The main version of Linux I use to use was Linspire, as it had this thing called CNR (Click n Run), it takes out the whole geekiness and having to compile your own programs. It's pretty much just an iTunes for programs 'n' games.

Long story short this CNR is now in Ubuntu so as long as it's all good with your hardware compatibility side off things you should be good. The Kubuntu version has more of a Windows feel if you want something a little more familiar. Great thing is burn off the disk, and you can run the OS from CD anyway so have a chance to get the full feel of it without doing anything to your PC.

[James]

I'm downloading the Kubuntu DVD now through BitTorrents. I wouldn't try downloading it in one go, being 4.3GB! The trouble is our ISP has an "unlimited" download limit unless you download more than so much during peak times. () Then they throttle our connection to something silly. We're on a 2Mb line so I can only download a few hundred megabytes before they start throttling.

[Tan]

https://shipit.ubuntu.com/

Sure it's faster to download it but using shipit you get factory pressed discs in a artworked cardboard sleeve and a row of ubuntu decals.

[James]

I waited 27 hours for Kubuntu to download. I installed it and couldn't work out how to do anything. Then when I did find out, it wouldn't stop coming up with errors saying nothing can be installed. It's also very slow, I couldn't work out how to stop it being jerky, and it wouldn't install my display drivers.

Back to Windows for now. <3 Having reinstalled it, I had to activate it by phone, except the phone is in the other room...

[Tan]

I waited 27 hours for Kubuntu to download. I installed it and couldn't work out how to do anything. Then when I did find out, it wouldn't stop coming up with errors saying nothing can be installed. It's also very slow, I couldn't work out how to stop it being jerky, and it wouldn't install my display drivers.

Back to Windows for now. <3 Having reinstalled it, I had to activate it by phone, except the phone is in the other room...

ubuntu > Kubuntu

Seriously, you should use that free shipit service I linked to above and get yourself a couple copies of ubuntu. i386, 64 bit, you name it, it's all there all free. No wasted time downloading, burning etc and you have a real copy of it and some cool decals to cover those Windows ones on your PC. Just takes a month or so to deliver it, but it is free after all, even shipping.

Sounds like a shameless plug but I've used shipit for a couple years now and it's great, and that's considering that although I can download the dvd in under an hour, having a real copy outweighs everything else.

[James]

I ordered an Ubuntu disc when I started downloading Kubuntu but I'm impatient.

Now Windows won't update for some reason. I'm getting there.



Edit: I found out what the single problem with Kubuntu was. I had to reinstall Adept Manager because it wasn't updating programs properly. Once everything was updated it now runs smoothly and it's fine.

[Cobra]

That's good to hear it's working fine now. If you were still using it in live mode I would of pointed out it was limited to your CD drive speed rather than your HD.
Keep us informed on your new experience.

[James]

I just spent two hours trying to install the display drivers and finally got it to do something. Now I have dual monitors but it strangely has two desktops rather than an extended desktop. I say "strange", it can probably be changed somewhere but I haven't seen this feature in Windows. It means I can't take a screenshot of the whole desktop.

Here's my main monitor anyway.

Now that it's working the way I want it to, it actually seems good.

[Cobra]

Sweet, looks good. You can virtually customise every visual aspect of Linux without too much effort. Just take a look back through some of my older screens in this forum from when I was using Linux and notice how much it changes.

Oh I hate installing anything on Linux, especially video drivers as I did do that once for my miss' laptop to get decent 3D gaming out of it. A nightmare unless your lucky enough for the version of Linux your using to already have them installed. That is why I love the concept of CNR so much.

My current desktop too:
[img width=150 height=109]http://img404.imageshack.us/img404/4840/janjx4.th.jpg[/img]