Ubuntu vs Freespire

[Alain Muls]

On Wednesday 23 August 2006 10:47, Duncan Lithgow wrote:
> On Wed, 2006-08-23 at 10:20 +0200, Alain Muls wrote:
> > Hello,
> >
> > I am using since 5.04 (K)Ubuntu (after having used SuSE for about 6
> > years) and use it to develop (commercial) programs that run on both
> > Linux and Windows. I like the Ubuntu approach where you start with a
> > system and add services/programs/libraries that you need. Also when I
> > decided to switch from SuSE to Ubuntu, the hardware detection was much
> > better and the SuSE RPM dependency problems has never had a similar
> > problem using the apt-tools. Great job from the developers.
> >
> > I also have my kids on (K)Ubuntu and that is where I have some
> > problems, namely in the multimedia arena. I decided a couple days ago
> > to try out FreeSpire to find out how much different the multimedia
> > experience is. I tried the LiveCD of Freespire and Ubuntu on the new
> > DELL Inspiron 5400 PC of my wife (which runs windows XP). Here some
> > results:
> >
> > Hardware detection:
> >
> >       * neither OS detected the Wireless card or the sound card
>
> Yes, wireless hardware manufacturers are not playing ball with linux.
> It's slowly getting better though. Did you write to the hardware
> manufacturer and ask for linux drivers?

But if FreeSpire can detect it, than wgy cannot Ubuntu?

>
> >       * Ubuntu gave a 1280x1024x24b display while FreeSpire gava a
> >         1600x1200x24b display. In XP I have 1920x1200 display =>
> >         FreeSpire does better
>
> Maybe Freespire did better, or maybe it just defaults to something that
> happens to be closer to your hardware. Did you ask the manufacturers for
> linux drivers?

should I try to get the xorg.conf file from FreeSpire and use it with Ubuntu

>
> >       * FreeSpire has network manager installed whilst (K)Ubuntu has
> >         not. After apt-getting it in Ubuntu on my PC (DELL Inspiron
> >         9300) I cannot get it to run => FreeSpire does better
> >       * I never had the possibility under Linux (although I install
> >         all codecs using apt-get and EasyUbuntu) to see a movie
> >         trailer (http://www.apple.com/trailers/) in the browser, well
> >         FreeSpire did it immediately. I was amazed by how well it
> >         worked using the mplayer plugin. I do not know how to install
> >         it for firefox in (K)Ubuntu.
>
> Yes, this is a problem Ubuntu is continually trying to find solutions
> for. One reason it's like this is that Ubuntu won't include non-free
> binary packages on the CD. Sometimes for legals reasons, sometimes for
> ethical reasons. Linspire doesn't take that view. If they can legally
> include it they often will.

I know about the not inclusion of propieatary codecs/drivers/... The Wiki and 
EasyUbuntu should do it. But I had no success with the trailers and DVD is 
neither working on Ubuntu (the latter was not tested under FreeSpire)

>
> >       * I have not tried out the CNR service, but I read that a one
> >         click CrossOver Offcie can be installed which would be
> >         something useful for my kids since they need
> >         Word/Excel/Powerpoint for school.
>
> I seriously doubt that OpenOffice can't handle what they need. You
> realise it has very good support for MS Office formats?

Oh, I tried them to use OpenOffice and I use it whenever I need to work on 
Office files. But the problem is that the course notes are based on Word and 
Excel (still at version 2000 and I only have an English version while our 
native language is Dutch) and that makes it difficult for them to follow the 
course notes. I suggested to the teacher to work with OpenOffice (available 
freely on ALL platforms and can be used in the native language) but he has no 
interest what so ever and has never heard of OpenOffice, let alone Linux. So 
that is not an option for the home work and I do regret it.

>
> > I do not want to move from (K)Ubuntu to FreeSpire, but I would like to
> > have a similar (or the same) multimedia experience as FreeSpire. If I
> > have to pay for that (I read about releasing CNR for Ubuntu), I do not
> > care. Any suggestions?
>
> Start by installing EasyUbuntu - that'll solve most of your media
> issues. Then use VLC whenever Totem (Movie Player) fails to play
> anything.

as already stated, it does not match the integration realised by FreeSpire. 
What is the trick to have the mplayer integrated in the browser, so that the 
trailer plays within the browser and not in a separate window?

Tx/Alain

>
> Good luck.
>
> Duncan

-- 

mvg/Alain