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Posts in 2009 July
Canonical Announces Inexpensive Phone Support
Canonical has announced consumer-oriented phone and email support for Ubuntu Desktop Edition. Ubuntu offered phone support before, however it was priced for enterprises managing large install bases. The new support plans are targeted at consumers and start at about $50 per year.
There are three tiers of this new support plan: starter, advanced, and professional. All three tiers offer support for installation and basic tasks, such as e-mail, web browsing, and OpenOffice. The advanced tier, which costs $115 per year ($65 more than starter) additionally offers support for Windows migration and a broader set of applications. Finally, the professional tier, which costs over $200 per year, adds support for topics such as virtualization and remote desktop.
These support offerings are most interesting for new Ubuntu users. The professional tier is probably unnecessary, however either starter or advanced support for a year (largely depending on how much migration suppor they need) would really get a new user going. Plus, compared to buying a copy of Windows, a year of support is still very cheap. Admittedly most people do not buy Windows alone, however you can usually save at least $50-$100 by getting a computer with Ubuntu rather than Windows.
This new support offering potentially offers a familiar bridge for new users. My only complaint is that the minimum support length is a year. many people may only need a few months of support, so a cheper and shorter option would be ideal.
If ISPs don’t dictate everything, why do cellphone carriers?
For the most part, your ISP provides a service and you are free to use that service as you wish. Of course some exceptions exist, such as bandwidth caps and occasional throttling of heavy users, but, in general, your ISP doesn’t care what you do with your internet connection, as long as you stay within the law. Imagine, though, (and imagine it quickly before it becomes a reality) if your ISP blocked Hulu because it duplicated the functionality of (competed with) their TV service for which they had been trying to get you to sign up. No problem. Competition will fix it. It’s the free market, after all, so these problems just solve themselves thanks to all the competition… Wait. What competition? Most of the time, your cable/DSL company has a monopoly.
Luckily, we don’t have that situation (yet), except that we do in the cellphone world. Cellphone carriers, and to a lesser extent cellphone makers, control what data flows over their precious networks very closely. You can get internet on your phone, but you can’t have a teathering application, because your supposed to buy a special plan, even though you’re already paying for internet on your phone. You can’t have Google Voice, either, because the unified phone number makes it easier to switch carriers and the voicemail transcription system makes visual voicemail less important. There is, at least, a little more competition in the cellphone world, yet long contracts prevent easy switching. Besides, who would you switch too when every carrier is doing the same things?
You wouldn’t let your ISP get away with blocking Hulu, so why do we let our cell carriers dictate what we do on their networks?
Ubuntu Plans New System for Installing Applications
A Launchpad spec targeting Karmic Koala (the next release of Ubuntu) describes specifications for a unified application for installing software on Ubuntu. To be clear, everything will still be based on Apt, so this isn’t a significant backend change, but rather a focus on a better user layer.
In the short term, this new application, currently called AppCenter, will basically be a cleaner Add/Remove Programs with an update manager built in. Synaptic and the other software installation tools will still be avaliable in Karmic. In addition to the new software, though, Canonical will be promoting the use of apt:// links. Apt links have been around for some time, but are not heavily used. They allow you to click on a link in your browser and have a dialog box open, asking if you would like to install some package. For example, click here to install Epiphany.
Things start to get more interesting when you look a few releases forward. In Ubuntu 10.04 (Karmic+1), AppCenter will replace Synaptic and Update Manager. In 10.10, AppCenter gets really interesting. It is supposed to becomes a true “app store,” complete with reviews, ratings, and support for non-free (as in money and, most likely, freedom) software. In addition to all of this, there will be an easy way of adding third-party repositotires (other sources of software) to AppCenter, along with a system for marking trusted sources.
Beyond 10.10, the specifications are somewhat vague, but there may be support for downloading a package once and installing it on many computers easily, which is very important for enterprises Finally, they will “investigate” the possibility of including screensavers and/or Windows applications.
It’s safe to say that AppCenter will unify the software installation system in Ubuntu within the next two releases. It remains to be seen, though, if AppCenter will become a truly unified app store for Ubuntu. In order to pull this off, it is essential that all applications be able to easily get their latest version, no matter if it’s the first beta or version 12, into AppCenter.
If AppCenter becomes a marketplace for all applications, it will revolutionize application installation on computers. Yes, the idea may be inspired by the iPhone app store, but an app store on a tightly locked-down phone and an app store on computers are very different things.
Away for a week
I’m going to be away for a week, so new posts will resume at that point.
Thanks!
The fact that the current most popular OS for Netbooks is a stock install of Windows XP tells us that there is a need for a netbook OS that doesn’t suck. Windows is fine on a desktop or laptop, but it just wasn’t made to be scaled onto a 9″ screen, much less a keyboard. Jolicloud promises to be that netbook OS that really works.
First boot of Jolicloud
Upon booting Jolicloud, you’ll notice instantly that it’s basically Ubuntu with some modifications. Specifically, it’s based on Ubuntu Netbook Remix. In fact, the default login sound, which sounds quite out of place in the modern-looking Jolicloud, hasn’t even been changed.
Jolicloud keeps the launcher application and basic design of Ubuntu Netbook Remix (UNR), too. If your not familiar with UNR, this basically means three things:
The main interface
First, all of your applications are sorted into category-based tabs (like in the GNOME menu). Clicking on a tab displays a page with large icons for each application. A single click opens the application. Additionally, on the right of the screen are links to your home folder, documents folder, and so on. These folder links are not as well integrated, though, and open up an instance of Nautilus (the file browser). Continue Reading –>
Introducing WPChameleon… Don’t like the color? Change it.
After the launch of the new theme, there seemed to be some disagreement regarding colors and what was the easiest color to read on. I choose the colors for this theme specifically to be easily readable, but, apparently, some people prefer to read on orange. Now you have that choice, along with a number of other options, with WPChameleon.
WPChameleon is a custom-designed WordPress plugin that allows users to choose between variations on your theme. Basically the site owner defines several CSS blocks and whichever one the user chooses is included at the top of the HTML file that is sent to the browser. You will need to enable Javascript, but you don’t need to have an account.
So scroll down to the bottom of the sidebar (on the right) and pick whichever theme suits you and your eyes!
Note: I’m hoping to release the plugin as soon as I can, but that might take a week, since I’m going to be away. If anyone would like to help test the plugin, though, I’d be happy to send you a copy. Just send me an email and include a link to the site you will be testing it on (or a local installation is fine, too) and the WordPress version you plan to use. It should work on WP >= 2.8.
I’m not saying we shouldn’t have hundreds of distros competing for our hard drive; in fact I think that sort of competition is quite healthy, but do we really need a new distro for everything?
Apparently Watt OS thinks so. Now in its third beta, WattOS is an Ubuntu-based distro aimed at having low power consumption. I’ve already got a distro for saving power, though. It’s called the off button.
Saying I need a distribution just to save power is like saying I need a distribution to keep my cat off of my computer. Saving power or keeping the cat off my keys isn’t very useful unless I can do the other things I want to do.
It just doesn’t make sense to offer a new distribution for a small improvement on an existing distribution. I’m sure the power-saving work WattOS is doing is great and it is certainly needed, since Linux is rather lacking in power management, but it would be far better as an application, not its own distribution.
Update: One of the developers of WattOS, iggykoopa, responded:
“The point of a distribution is a focus on desirable applications and functionality in one grouping.
For WattOS, the focus is on power saving and lightweight environments (not as much stress or power consumption on a CPU, is the theory). This is intended to show, if you want what they consider to be lightweight and “green” software, how to get this all in one package.
The idea is good; you most likely can use the same utilities and such in your regular distribution. This CD just packs it all into one live and installable grouping (a distribution).”
That’s fair enough. I’d choose a different packaging (application instead of distro), but great work regardless.
Peek Developers Look To Community For A Linux Port
The Peek is an interesting idea. It’s a mobile device that’s about the size of a smartphone that has a full QWERTY keyboard plus wireless data connectivity. It’s not a phone, though, since it just gets email. No phone calls and no web surfing.
The Peek in Red
The basic version costs $20 and the Pronto (which also adds text messaging) costs $60. The Peek service is $20 a month.
It’s obviously a device full of potential: a cellular data connection, a keyboard, and a screen are enough to make any device interesting, especially if there isn’t a 2-year contract. The problem really lies in what CNet said about it:
“The Peek promises to be the mobile e-mail device for everyday people, but we just think the money is better spent on a multifunction handheld.”
In other words, just buy a smartphone.
Linux?
Peek has recently challenged readers of their company blog to port Linux onto the Peak. They’ve released some information about the Peek’s hardware and offered a consulting job to get whoever figures it out to tell them.
If they’re smart, though, they will not stop at that. Instead, they could release the code of the port and invite people to build whatever they want out of the Peek.
This would very quickly create a huge hacker community centered around the Peek, since, as I mentioned earlier, a full keyboard, a screen, and a cellular data connection is enough to tempt any hacker.
Peek could then just sit back and stop worrying about the software. When someone released some solid code that added cool functionality, they could refine it and stick it in the Peek.
This would create something like a zero-effort (on Peek’s part) app store and more (since hackers would have the opportunity to dig as deep into the code as they wanted). That might be just the right thing to convince people that the Peek isn’t just a one-function smartphone.
Introducing The New Linux Loop
Introducing…. the new Linux Loop! As you can see, it’s rather different from what you’ve seen before. Actually, its also quite different from the preview I showed off earlier.
As I mentioned earlier, comment threading should now work and I hope that the text will be easier to read. Plus, there are a whole bunch of formatting features that I’m sure you will soon be noticing.
This isn’t a finished design, though. I still want your input on what can be improved. Particularly in the first few days, please tell me if something is broken or doesn’t look right.
If you’ve ever tried to upgrade a WP installation plus a bunch of static html to a single WP install in an existing directory, I’m sure you understand how painful it is. If you haven’t, just trust me and don’t try it yourself. 
In addition to the design changes, there will be some scheduling changes. Posts will no longer be daily. It’s been almost two years of daily posts without missing a day. It’s time now to move to a less frequent schedule. From now on, you can expect several posts each week, just not 7. This should allow time for longer and more in depth posts.
Enjoy!
Smoother Transitions to Ubuntu With Virtual Machines and Wubi
No matter how simple you can make it, installaing a new OS will always be a daunting task for most computer users, especially on a machine they depend on every day. Even an experienced user can mess up and knock out a partition by accident.
Assuming that not everyone has that geeky neighbor who goes door to door installing Linux on people’s computers, there has to be a better way.
Why the Live CD is not a better way
The Live CD is an incredible innovation. In addition to being invaluble to fixing problems, it lets a new user see what they are jumping into before they take the plunge. It doesn’t, however, offer the user any opportunity to test it in a more real-world situation. Because a Live CD can’t save anything back to the disc, it’s really not useful for anything more than half of an hour of playing around.
No, not the Live USB either
Well, then, how about a Live USB memory stick? After all, it’s just a Live CD with a USB plug and the ability to save files, right? Yes, but, despite the price of USB memory sticks, most people don’t have spare ones laying around that are large enough to fit an entire OS plus files. Additionally, not all motherboards support booting from USB devices (although this issue is rapidly disappearing).
VirtualBox
For a long time, virtual machines really didn’t work very well, either, due to their poor graphics support. Now, though, since VirtualBox 3.0 supports at least simple 3D graphics, David Siegel (creator of GNOME Do) is proposing the creation of a single installer that sets up a customized version of VirtualBox with an Ubuntu image loaded up. This allows the user to save changes, doesn’t require any special hardware, and is a very familiar process for almost all computer users.
Wubi
Finally, we have Wubi, which allows you to do a pseudo-install. It looks just like a dual-boot setup, but it’s really simple to set up (just like installing a program) and writes all changes to the existing Windows partition.
Putting it together
Separately, these are all good ways of trying Ubuntu out, but together as a process they are an absolutely killer feature. Eventually, I hope that a new Ubuntu user will be able to install Ubuntu as a virtual machine, then upgrade that to a Wubi install, and finally to a real install, all without having to copy their files over once.
It’s less important exactly what methods of trying Ubuntu exist than how seamless the process of testing it out and then installing it can be made. Imagine a slider. You start at the “total beginner” end and slowly progress to the “I’m ready” end. As you get closer to the “I’m ready” end, your install of Ubuntu would be progressively more permenent. When you got all the way to the end, you would have a real instal of Ubuntu.