Ubuntu notes
Unlike most people directly using Ubuntu (bless you!), I have been unable to start using it as my primary OS until now. The last time I really had a Linux version installed on my computer briefly (a 486, 1995 edition) was way back in 1999-2000. It was Red Hat Linux.
I say ‘briefly’ because I ended up uninstalling1 after a couple of months of use. Because at the time, Sneha was involved in a project and she required the only computer we had, for a CAD software that was Windows only.
Yesterday, I did a half-hearted attempt at installing Ubuntu on a 1GB pen drive, unsuccessfully. I couldn’t get syslinux install a bootloader on it. Either it was a version of syslinux that was a problem, or my drive or a combination of both, I don’t know. May be, I didn’t try hard enough. I let go of the idea finally, because a USB drive is a bare minimum installation; and it cannot possibly have room for more applications and finally for my documents.
But if things go as planned, I would have a Mini soon and would be installing Ubuntu on it. (Comments and suggestions from those who have done it all are welcome on this topic, and would most appreciate it.) And after all these years, I will finally get to use Linux as my primary OS at home. Mark Pilgrim’s commentary on Ubuntu and Essentials 2006 helps, definitely.
Digression: The other day I was loading up Ubuntu Edgy Eft LiveCD version and it failed to enable wireless access. I struggled to get the laptop recognize the hotspot. That was until I used the iwlist to find out the ESSID of the available network. I entered that ID in wireless configuration and, it worked. (I guess this is a problem with LiveCDs because you cannot edit configuration files (in the CD) to add/update these entries, so that the above need not be repeated.)
- I didn’t have room for a dual boot setup on a mere 500MB Quantum fireball hard-drive — a hard drive that I swear by it enough to remember its name and model. That’s because while that 486 is long gone, the drive is fully functional and is still very much in use. An amazing disk by any of today’s standards for withstanding 11 years (since Nov 1995)! [←]
Hi Chetan,
I maintain a blog at http://ubuntu.wordpress.com with solutions to a lot of the problems you might face, and some cool tips, if you ever get around to using Ubuntu.
If there are any glaring gaps, or missing how tos etc, please let me know.
… and welcome to the party!
Dec 20, 06 at 21:29Carthik, many thanks for that link, and it had completely slipped my mind. Subscribed!
Dec 21, 06 at 08:34