Tag Archive for 'Linux'

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From KDE 4.1.2 to Gnome 2.24

Published on October 15, 2008 in general, Linux and slug. 9 Comments Tags: , , , , , .

For those who know me in the community; I’m not one to change once I found something I like and am also comfortable with. For me this was KDE 3.5 from .5 to .9 release updates. With the decision from my distribution of choice to switch over to the latest implementation of KDE4 4.1.2 I decided that it was now time to switch desktops. The main reason is, I don’t see KDE 4 is currently at a place where I can say that I would be able to comfortably use on a daily basis, as well as the KDE4 extras are still being finished like Amarok, Konversation, Kaffeine. Now overall my distro has done a great job out of all distros, but KDE4 is still not for me at the moment.

So now over to Gnome 2.24, which since I last used it for a while has greatly improved and now has very similar features to what KDE 3.5.5 use to have. The gnome team have done an excellent job as well.

For browsers I still use Firefox 3.0.3, but Ephiphany seems to me more feature rich than Konqueror on KDE4. I can use Java and Flash plugins with much more ease. Ephiphany displays the online list on facebook which would not show on Konqueror.  Maybe I was missing a plugin for Konqueror. It just didn’t work for me.

Nautilus I have adapted to quite easily. I don’t find it much different to the old Konqueror on KDE 3.5.9 except opening network samba shares was slightly different as it didnt always open the domain or host to view the shares. I had to type the url in manually. But most features are almost identical. It didnt take me long to get used the interface and navigate through different settings and menu’s.

Instead of installing Amarok for KDE 3.5.10 I decided to go with Banshee 1.2.1 ( I decided this over Rhythmbox as I consider it to be quite lame). Banshee features are nice and not to different to that of Amarok. It also has an Itunes like feel to it. I was able to add my media and listen in no time. I didn’t miss Amarok at all.

For instant messenging I am now using pdigin over Kopete and for IRC, X chat over Konversation. My wife did miss Kopete though. But we all must adapt.

Now for the Desktop. It took a bit of getting use too.  The menues and windows in a seemed to spread more across the desktop in a flat 2 Dimensional way. I found this even if I removed one of the panels. I did miss a little how KDE used Kdesktop to set things up. It just felt more smoother to me. I also found the desktop look to me more flatter than on KDE 3.5.9. The Ia Ora theme did improve this over the default Gnome theme.  I suppose with a bit more playing around with themes I can get more bling.

So for now I will stick with my new Gnome 2.24 desktop. After 4 days I have adapted nicely. I can now do everything I did in KDE. I also opted to not even install any KDE 3.5.10 applications. Gnome will now be my desktop at least for the next six months.

TIme to celebrate.

Icepodder 5.4 revision 64 for Mandriva 2008.1

Published on May 10, 2008 in general, Linux and podcast. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , .

This is one of my favourite, straight down the line podcast applications for the Linux Platform. Loving it so much I have done a personal build for Mandriva.

It is a simple aggregator and feeds and easily added. The Icepodder team have removed a lot of the old dependencies; pyxmms, python, libxml2.python. It easily It now allows you to open downloads into Amarok or a media player of you choice.

So sharing my joy. I have posted my Mandriva 2008.1 build including source for you Mandriva users to use and abuse. Please give any feed back to the Icepodder developers as they love to hear how much you enjoy Icepodder.

RPM: Mandriva 2008. 1 Icepodder 5.4 personal build revision 64

SRPM: Mandriva 2008.1 Icepodder 5.4 personal build revision 64 source

To get the latest source:

svn co https://icepodder.svn.sourceforge.net/svnroot/icepodder icepodder

OOXML is a Standard

Published on April 2, 2008 in general, Linux, slug and Uncategorized. 3 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , , .

God help us all. The news has been leaked that OOXML ECMA 376/ISO/IEC DIS 29500 is now a standard as reported by Reuters.

KDE on their blog did an April fools joke yesterday declaring that the OOXML is a standard and supported it after receiving a annoymous donation of $10,000 from a North American Company. The problem is the joke has turned into a nightmare, as the news, which was due to be released on Wednesday has been leaked.

OOXML is a standard and we now must show everyone that it is not a standard to even touch. Let alone let your Grandmother or pet dog look at. It will be interesting to see how it is modified and and how the standard improves and evolves into something remotely interoperable within Microsoft’s own product range formats, let alone other platforms.

Well I have made up my mind. As for me and my house will stick with ODF.

OOXML??? Now We Wait

Published on March 31, 2008 in general, Linux and slug. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , .

While everyone is sitting back waiting for the ISO ballet result changes after the BRM for the ECMA 376 OOXML, as to whether it will be adopted as a standard. I thought I would tell you what I think. At this stage the votes seem to be pointing to a victory for Microsoft. I’m not a Lawyer, so dont think I’m commenting as one.

I see this as not a major issue for ODF (Open Document Format). From what I’ve read with OOXML out there currently, business and Government don’t seem to even be looking at any other format other than ODF. If this trend continues.,then OOXML with just be another on the shelf standard with Windows users having it shoved down their throats like Microsoft binary formats of the past. OOXML can join HD-DVD as the engine that couldn’t.

Personally I don’t support and will endeavour not to be brought under this permissive curse called OOXML. I will continue the migration all of my file format away from existing old binary formats to ODF. Dragging stuff out from when I was in High School. I want to be able to share with my kids when they say ‘what sort of stuff did you do when you were at school’. I can also recall old ideas I had and thesis’s I did. All of which are in binary formats and almost now inaccessible. The process is going to be long and tedious.

So what ever happens I hope that people will see that OOXML is not truly and Open Standard in the practical sense. Microsoft will still have pretty much full control of its direction. Its up to us to stop its implementation and promote true open Standards.