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Trying out Ubuntu 9.10, and here is what I have found so far.  Some of characteristics are directly from Ubuntu, while others are from different projects for the Linux OS (Gnome, KDE, Xorg, Firefox, etc…).

• (-) install process froze on the background screen (most likley a video driver issue), used the video fail safe and proceeded with install
• (+) the rest of the install was very easy, well thought out, and simple
• (-) grub was installed on the wrong drive, had to change the bios to boot to grub
• (+) GDM login screen is nice
• (-)installed Nvidia graphics driver failed, with a “jokey” backend crash
• (-) Gnome theme is better, but just needs a log of work
• (-) Gnome takes up to much of the screen with overly large fonts, windows decorations, menu drop down selections, etc…
• (+) installed KDE4 was easy
• (+) new software install center is very nice
• (-) Firefox looks like CRAP in KDE, this has been an issue since KDE 4.0, WHY HAS THIS NOT BEEN FIXED!!
• (-) Firfox fonts like like CRAP in KDE, this has been an issue forever, WHY HAS THIS NOT BEEN FIXED!!
• (-) Firefox is slow in Ubuntu, when compared to Firefix in windows, this has been an issue forever, WHY HAS THIS NOT BEEN FIXED!!
• (-) KDE crashed within 5 minutes of use
• (-) CTRL + ATL + Backspase does not appear to work, WTF Ubuntu, are you trying to make life harder for Linux users
• (-) Firefox launch feedback is broken in KDE, still an issue for years now!!!
• (-) QtCurve does not work, again WTF
• (-) KDE volume control does not preform as expected, also muted by default

From about 1998 to 2007 I was a Linux fanboy.  Always praising the positive aspects, ignoring the negative, trashing Windows, saying “…desktop Linux is only a couple of years away..”, and running Linux on very computer I had (but using VMware to run Windows, or dual booting).  I used Gentoo four about 5 years and became an advanced user, even going so far as to write a how-to on embedded Linux for the x86 (that page makes up about 90% of traffic on my website and even got me mentioned in an article in Linux Journal). I eventfully got tired of the constant attention Gentoo required and moved to Ubuntu; a much more polished distro. Read More »

Just installed Ubuntu 9.04 beta, and I still have no option for mounting a windows/samba share via Gnome or KDE (the two main desktop environments).  It is freaking 2009, Windows has had this feature since 1995.  This is a prime example my I am no longer a linux fan boy.

As along as the developers don’t listen to the users, Linux is always only going to be a server and embedded operating system.

KDE 4.2 has been released.  My initial impressions are fairly good, although this is what should have been 4.0.  There are still some pretty major bugs with causes some crashes, that anyone using a modern desktop (Windows XP, MacOS X, Gnome, KDE) should not have to put up with.  Again this release should have been the starting point not the second major release in the series.