Linux Mint Migration

It's been nearly a year since Linux Mint 11 Katya was released and it is now time to upgrade and move on. I moved to Linux Mint for an easier more stable Linux desktop experience. What I found in Katya was a beautiful system that was fun to use and easy to maintain. Maybe, a little too easy to maintain. Linux Mint is a great example of what the Linux desktop should be for the average user- stable and reliable functionality combined with the high speed and low maintenance of Linux. Ubuntu, even with its rough edges implements the newest features and functionality Linux has to offer and is the shining example of what Linux could be.

I find myself at a point where I'm behind on operating systems and would like to upgrade to the newest build of Linux Mint 12 Lisa. This is where I am running into problems with Linux Mint. The creators were smart enough to know a great experience requires a fresh install, and thus recommend backing up the old version and freshly installing the newest system. Now, you could change the repositories and force an upgrade but it requires a few hurdles and can seriously break your system. If Linux Mint is designed to be easy for users why force a complicated upgrade path? I went to Linux Mint specifically because I broke many systems testing various customizations and didn't want to deal with that kind of uncertainty and time wasted reinstalling.

This is where Ubuntu shines. Ubuntu's upgrade cycle is played a bit more fast and loose but moving from one iteration to another is a very easy process. I certainly cant complain about a free full featured operating system that updates constantly and upgrades to a new version every six month. Ubuntu has also been around for years and manages to improve with every release. They have pretty much got the process whittled down to a few button clicks. I am hesitant to go back to Ubuntu and risk breaking systems again and losing precious data but it has been nearly a year since I've used Ubuntu at all and with two iterations nearly passed I am excited to see how the newest features have been implemented in Ubuntu 11.10.

Looking Ahead:
With Ubuntu 12.04 Pangolin set to release in April, I may attempt to install the pre-release Alpha version and get ahead of the curve for the year. Running does have its disadvantages, but with a more stringent quality control system in place it seems like this could be a fairly pain free few months until official release day.

As usual:

• Follow me and my endeavors out on twitter, google plus, and on the opensourcenoob blog.
• Check out gameenthus.com and enthuslife.podomatic.com for a more audible version of my commentary.

Maybe Next time:
A retrospective look - a year with the Cr-48

Music:
Check out The Music Share Link Archive- I have started a compilation of mostly free random indie music albums and mixtapes from around the web. Feel free to add to the list if you have found something worth sharing.
The Music Share Link Archive

Google's Cr-48: First Impressions

Happy belated new years to all my readers. I know its been a while since I last posted anything here. I haven't been doing much tech stuff lately, so I haven't really had much to talk about. Mostly my focus has been on gaming, I officially joined up with the gameenthus podcast crew and have been helping out with that. I speak to the masses about general gaming news, write game reviews, and am the unofficial general hypeman for the site. How was everyone's holiday? Good? Good. I bought my wife a memory upgrade for her Dell Mini 10 for Christmas, I am still quite intimidated over that install, so it hasn't been installed yet... but when it gets done, it will get properly documented, pictured and posted here. Well anyway, I'm sure you aren't reading this for the background stuff, you're here for my most recent tech endeavor.

Friday January 28th, 2010

I came home from work to see an unmarked ups package on the doorstep. I opened the box to find the fabled exploded-view mouse powered rocket box within. I instantly knew what it was, the Google Cr-48 Netbook. So anyway... after a couple days I am sure that receiving one this late in the game, there have been quite a few updates. Using this new OS/form-factor style netbook is definitely something I could get used to. Its slightly bigger than my wife's Dell Mini 10, but it is flatter and closer to the thin & light style of a Dell Vostro or Macbook Air. The keys are deliberately spaced, square chicklet style... so far pretty easy to adjust to, and very quiet as well. I'm not one to get stabby over the click-clacky of an older style keyboard but the ultra sensitive touch pad grinds my gears. I have long clumsy fingers and I find myself constantly moving the cursor by accident and having to edit/retype things. I suppose I will have to get used to that, not a huge deal.

So far as long as the wifi is there, it runs like a champ and has great battery life. I am curious to know how much they want to price this thing at because its quite stylish but the trade-off for only being usable on wifi is major. The specs are great even if it only has one usb port and no mic-in jack, so it seems like it could be pricey especially with this battery but usability value outside of wifi isn't high. It does have this search button instead of the caps lock key... and I have yet to use it. I know you can change it, but I wish i could change it to a Delete key, because it doesn't have one of those either*. The only other issue i have is that the sound is weird, the speakers are great for its size but I get weird buzzing/squealing when changing audio sources. If I pause the feed and then close and open the lid after a second or two the Cr-48 resets and the sound is fine again. I'm not sure what thats about, it could be a Linux thing, but it seems like something that would be fixed in an update.

I've vented my immediate cons, but overall its stuff that aren't deal-breakers. And outside of that I love my Cr-48, its like a belated Christmas gift from Google. I'm sure all my base are belong to them now, but its an awesome unexpected tech gift.

As always, stay tuned for more (hopefully more frequently).

Be sure to follow me on twitter.

Check me out on the gameenthus podcast.

If you are interested, check this out.

*Update: Apparently you can hit Alt-Backspace to pull a Delete key move... I tried it, it does in fact work. Big ups to jeremiah_h for pointing that one out, good lookin bro :)