Ubuntu vs Freespire

Wed Aug 23 10:06:31 UTC 2006

About the screen resolution issue, I'm running Ubuntu on an Inspiron 9300
that maxes @ 1920x... in Ubuntu. It's equipped with an ATI X300 I believe
and using the fglx drivers.

On 8/23/06, Alain Muls <alain.muls at telenet.be> wrote:
>
> 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
>
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>

-- 
Best regards,
Sylvain Girard

Consultant
Valoris NV
girard.sylvain at gmail.com
www.valoris.com
+32486282435
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