So here is part 2 of my time with Linux. After having spent a good amount of time with Ubuntu, I was VERY impressed. On the surface it was pretty much like Windows, and could do most things I could in Windows. Well after that initial stint, I decided to go back to Vista just because I was used to that. Well, plans changed and I decided to move back to Ubuntu and see how I can really get into it. So read more to find out how this went. The main reason I went back to Vista was because everything just plain worked. In Ubuntu, my SoundBlaster XFi refused to work as there aren’t any drivers for it at all. So while in Vista one day, I completly forget that I had onboard audio! So I enabled it in the BIOS and set off to install the drivers. Well…what’s a VERY simple task in Windows, turned into a 6 HOUR event in Ubuntu!!! So I downloaded the drivers, read a guide to “compile”, then install them. Well at first attempt to compile the drivers, failed every time. So I read some more, and tried again. Failed. So I thought, damn, “what’s going on here?” I was following a guide I found on Ubuntuforums.org. It wasn’t until I found a guide at ALSA’s website that it finally worked! I was finally able to compile the drivers, and actually install them! It tooks me 6 hours, because I kept going back, trying to find more information, and then trying to compile again. Had I actually READ the ALSA website first, it would have saved me a whole lot of time. So I was able to install the drivers and get sound!! w00t! So on to my next feat. I was reading MaximumPC, and saw an article on how to switch to Linux. Most of the stuff I already knew, however, one piece really interested me. Beryl. I’ve been reading quite a lot about XGL, Beryl, Compiz, but it looked so hard to get installed, and working. But here, in the magazine, was a PERFECT guide on how to get it working. To find out more about Beryl, watch the video below, and you’ll understand why I’m in LOVE with Ubuntu now <3:
In love yet? And here’s the best part, it’s only at version .0.21! I love Beryl so much, it pains me to use Vista again! I just love it 
. So I decided that I’d be really cool and update Ubuntu to Gutsy Gibbon (7.10) instead of the current Feisty Fawn (7.04). Well GG isn’t going to be available until October, and is unofficial. Well I upgraded, and everything seemed fine. Well it wasn’t until I went to compile certain programs. Since it’s a beta (or even an alpha) OS, it’s using alpha/beta compilers, and it kept failing on compiling. Well, I decided to uninstall this one compiler and install the default one that came with Feisty Fawn. Well, little did I know, that uninstalling that compiler, UNINSTALLED EVERYTHING in Ubuntu!!!!
So my Ubuntu install was hosed. Back to Vista 
. So the next day I decide to reformat, lol. This didn’t go so well. So for some reason, the Ubuntu installer deleted my Linux partition. So I went to resize the hard drive, and create a new partition. That worked fine, but the installer complained about “No root system detected”. Well WTF? So I read up on it, and it seemed it was a bug in the installer. There was a fix, I applied it, and tried again, same thing! So I figured, hey, since it’s a Linux partition, the auto installer will only touch that part, and not the NTFS partition. Well, was I wrong! This was a 320GB hard drive. So the installer went, and it said “formatting”, so I refreshed my GNOME Partition manager, and it was taking forever! So…it formatted the ENTIRE drive >_<!!!! So it installed, and upon install I figured out the reason why! Instead of being mounted at /dev/sdc1 it needed to be just /! So I could have saved a 320GB hard drive from pure deletion had I just mounted it at / instead of /dev/sdc1!!!!! Eh, you live and you learn right? I really didn’t have THAT many things I really wanted on that drive, and nothing important
So now I’m back in, the way I want, and everything is working JUST the way it should. You know something, once they figure out to get NATIVE Blu-Ray and HD-DVD playback in Linux, I will use Ubuntu 100%! But for now, I’ll still be using Vista every so often. Here’s something funny that I ran into. So I was compiling mplayer so I can play Blu-Ray/HD-DVD rips of mine (since they wont play native in Linux), and found out that there’s support for the video acceleration technology, XvMC. So I compliled it with that support, but when I tried playing a video, it didn’t work. Well, since I own an nVidia GeForce 8800, there’s NO support for XvMC in the G8x cards! Well that’s good and bad news. Good news for me as I didn’t make any mistakes 
, bad news as there isn’t native video acceleration in Linux.
Well all in all, I’ve gone from a 100% Windows user, to a 95% Linux user! Considering that Linux is a FREE OS, it’s freakin awesome! My only wish for it (well technically 2), would be for NATIVE Blu-Ray/HD-DVD playback, and support for Exchange Server 2007 in Evolution (it currently only supports Exchange Server 2003). I’m sure all this will come in time, but I can’t wait for it to happen . Games…I’m a little reserved about it, I’m not playing anything for the last few months, so gaming is not a priority for me at all. Anyone who knows anything about computers, I URGE you to try Ubuntu!
Score: 9.8/10!
