Wubi update

hehehe... From my Wubi experience - This is a screenshot of the Cube (a function of Compiz - 3-D desktop manager - 4 desktops with different programs on each), edited on the Gimp photo-editing tool, while playing Rhythmbox online radio (apparently a program better than i-tunes but had an internal problem tht needed a restart as I typed =P). Apart from Compiz which is an advanced add-on of the default animated graphics, the other programs are all included in Ubuntu's "Hardy Heron" version (which incidentally took 20+ mins to completely install, problem-free). I love that if I want something, I just have to find it on Synaptic Package Manager, download it and voila, its installed. I've even installed the Linux version of Quake 3 Arena, but have yet to test it.

Main failure so far is inability to run CoX properly. I can get the game started (with the help of Wine), log in, but I can't see the game-world at all, only the menus, map locations, etcetc. Not sure if its cos I run an ATI Radeon X1300 video card, AMD supposedly doesn't provide open-source versions of its driver, so its well-known to be quite buggy. Actually, even in Windows, my graphics weren't entirely optimal, optimally configuring CoX was a chore. Word to video-card buyers - stick to Nvidia!
Anyway, after the initial test and reading forums, I've decided to run 2 OS's: Win Xp for games, and Linux for everything else. Need a second HDD tho, current one's too small.. Maybe I can finally move my music back to my pc..

I will port Ubuntu over as the default OS for my parents' Dell, that should keep it virus-free, since they don't run complex games like CoX, it should work great for them - keep 'em safe and problem-free. Entirely recommended for the safety of PCs the world over - you won't need to run your anti-virus/spyware programs as religiously, if ever (so they say).

Update: Installing Ubuntu (not the Wubi method) on my parents' PC has proven to be quite troublesome. I have burned 3 ISOs so far (warning, burn them at low speeds to avoid disk-read problems), and had some problems with installation not reading SATA disks (solved by hitting F6 at installation menu and adding "all_generic_ide" to the optional line), only to be hit with a disk-read error.. I burned a new slow-burn ISO last nite before taking a break, will try again tmr. Inadvertently, I managed to run the Ubuntu Live CD - you can test out the Ubuntu OS without having to install it by booting with the CD.

Second update: 06 May '08 - Still encountering similar error whether I run Wubi or Ubuntu installation. Reckon its related to the SATA problem faced previously. 2nd reason could be the integrity of downloaded ISO causing problems. As a result, I've requested for a free-of-charge Ubuntu 8.04 Installation CD to be sent via snail mail. This should take 4-10 weeks to arrive. As you may guess, these delays have dampened my enthusiasm a tad further, though my own PC's Wubi still works great.

Shermy Gold!

HAHA! Congrats to Sherm! She just won an sms food review competition on Gold 90.5 FM! =D More makans (sic) ahead!

Will post her review on Nara Japanese Restaurant and my birthday experience there once I get my hands on it!

Software Evolution: Wubi for me!

Ever since uni and the discovery of Firefox, I've been somewhat into open-source applications found online, testing, sourcing, removing. So it came as no surprise that in my search, I started wondering "what is Linux?". In time, my reading up drew me to Ubuntu, an easy to use distro of the Linux core (which is arguably the best/free programming core out there). I'll leave the techies to explain pros n cons etc, in lay-man's terms - its free, its safe and its cool!

Ubuntu is an operating system that includes a lot of free and open source applications and uses Linux as its core. Linux is like this amazing solar-powered engine that can be used in a street car, in a F1 or it can be daisy chained to drive a truck or an airplane. Ubuntu is like a car using the Linux engine, a zero emission, fully accessorised and easy to drive all-terrain, with power, acceleration and looks matching far more expensive supercars... Imagine something like that... ...for free.

~Wubi FAQ

With such a boast to live up to, how could I resist? So I've been toying with getting an old PC or a spare hard-disk for this project when I stumbled upon Wubi, a version of Ubuntu that allows Windows users to simply install it like a regular program within the Windows O/S! Removing it can be done under "Add/Remove Programs" as well! That sounded like my time had arrived - I can run BOTH Win XP and Ubuntu to get the best of both worlds!

N.B: by the time I got started, version 8.04 of Ubuntu had already merged Wubi with Ubuntu, so I guess my research was a little slow.. >.< (this happens to be today by the way)..

The Ubuntu Philosophy:

1. Every computer user should have the freedom to download, run, copy, distribute, study, share, change and improve their software for any purpose, without paying licensing fees.
2. Every computer user should be able to use their software in the language of their choice.
3. Every computer user should be given every opportunity to use software, even if they work under a disability.

So I've installed the O/S already, and its been EASY so far, click, click, click. I've yet to use all the pre-installed applications due to time constraints, but I will in the next few days. One word of advice, try to do a disk defrag before installing, it should make accessing your HDDs faster (this being the con to not installing the O/S on a specially partitioned drive).

Here's a list of Ubuntu equivalents of Windows applications. As you can see, they've got everything covered. Are they better or worse? With my experience with Open-Office some years back, I'll say that its probably just a matter of getting used to it. Also, the bells and whistles will be different, but hey, if its in your cup of tea, keep it, if not, toss it. No harm done. =)

And if programming language floats your boat, you can try picking up the code and see if it makes sense, if you haven't already.

Downside of all this is - Gaming. The programming architecture of games just makes porting over Windows-based games to Linux troublesome. Even with the use of aids like Wine only offers semblance of a proper gaming experience. This will be the deal-break for me - if I can't get my Windows games working properly on Ubuntu, then I will always have to have 2 O/S within my PC. More on this in future.


Links:

- Ubuntu Guide here. Tends to be a bit confusing at first, but once you install Wubi, and realise actually how easy and normal it is, this guide becomes readable. =)
- Download Wubi now!

29th Birthday Present

Some years ago, I played a game called Final Fantasy VII. In the years after, I sought a certain picture of Cloud Strife astride his bike (apparently called the Hardy Daytona) but without much luck. In truth, I only found the image emblazoned on some weird anime hanging screen which I wasn't keen to spend $20 on then.

Then came Advent Children, and the Fenrir became the next objective to have. For some reason, I couldn't bring myself to purchase the toy when it was launched; AC's version of Cloud and Fenrir bike just didn't match up.

Who would have known, on my 29th birthday, I will be presented with the freshly-launched Cloud and the Hardy Daytona, the exactly sought-after item, from none other than my church buddies (thanks Psyko, for sharing the passion).

This is it:


And this is the Fenrir:


And this is mine, pic courtesy of Psyko:

More pics of Diggy!

Miyagi has been shipped off to Sherm's house as of Sunday. I have one less cage to take care of, and don't have to divide my attention between 2 hammies now.

Here're some pics of the little one from Sis' camera today:



Diggy in all his kaypoh glory!


Being mysterious and elusive (actually he's just camera-shy)


Hamster in a bottle! "Don't rub me the wrong way.." so obligingly posed for my favourite "Hamster in a bottle" position. =)


Diggy's dig - his newly-converted penthouse. Comes with removable bath (opposed to an attached bath), feeding dish, multi-coloured pipe/tube/stair, wooden shelter, and all purpose wheel (not only does he run on it, he pees and poops on it too..).

Just wanted to say here that I did not approve of the colours, Miyagi's strictly green and orange + natural colours is my choice. Garish primary colours clash bright bright is Sherm's. But ok la, quite cute too. =p

Introducing: Diggy & Miyagi

I've been busy. Shermy and I recently adopted 2 Campbell dwarf hamsters from the Pet Village in Serangoon Gardens. We named them Diggy & Miyagi and they're currently residing in my house. Initially we wanted them to be housed together since they were from the same enclosure at the shop, but our noobness and their character differences just made it impossible for a day to go by without poor little Diggy letting out squeals of anguish several times throughout the day.

Diggy, the younger one, is a greedy little hoarder. He camps by the food dish at meal-times or when he hears the crinkling of the food bag so he'll be the first to stuff his cheek-pouches with the preferred seeds from the mixed-grain feed that I provide them 2x a day. Miyagi on the other hand tends to take his time, going to the food dish only when he has tired himself out on the wheel or after his naps. He's also rather picky, eating only the choicest grains from the dish and tossing aside the rice grains (I think) that make up the staple of their diet. The problem as you can see, is that Diggy has already taken the best stuff, and Miyagi ends up being starved. Fights break out when he spies Diggy pulling out a tasty morsel for makan and tries to steal it from him. A hungry Miyagi eventually became de-energized and crabby, tending to bully Diggy whenever he was caught unaware.

Thus often we'll hear poor Diggy squealing. This usually means we'll find him on his back, paws in the air, appearing to bemoan his lot in his short 2-year lifespan. Sherm terms this the "iyada" position a.k.a. - whine whine -

As such, they were eventually separated into 2 cages and there they've live somewhat happily so far.


This is Diggy, he's quite photogenic isn't he? Sleeping in his toilet roll tube with just his head sticking out. awww... =)


This is Miyagi leaving the food dish. He's not usually so fast, but I think he was trying to avoid getting his picture taken by Sherm. He's also not very friendly then. Come to think of it, he's still not very now.. Actually from the white underbelly fur, this may very well be Diggy..


Well, this is Miyagi for sure, he loved the wheel (he's tending toward the lazy side these days). Was always trying to set faster run-on-the-spot records while he was still living with Diggy. Showoff..


Note: Apologies for the fuzzy pictures, I'm still using Samsung mobile to take pics, will get clearer pics in future.