I want to talk a little bit about visualization. What a wonderful idea it is. Having one system run inside another so you can use all the function and features of the guest operating system, using the resources of the host system. But lets not kid ourselves, does running a guest OS diminish both the host and the guest and encourage the status quo, let me explain.

What possible reason and motivation do program writers have to make Linux ports of their OS, when this technology is there as a 'get out of jail card'. If we wanted to use photoshop so bad, and we could afford to buy it, then logic dictates we can fess up the cash for a Windows licence and run it as a virtual machine (VM). Why should I run a VM? Way I see it I have two choices, accept those terms or reject them, and I chose to reject them.

I do have Windows as a VM, but I did it for fun and it actually serves no purpose whatsoever. In fact, I run a few operating systems as virtual machines, some for nostalgia, some to see what other distributions are up to, and some because I want to learn how to do things on an alternative OS.

I use Suns Virtualbox, it's so easy to set up and use a VM, and the interface is uncluttered and logical, best of all for all us tight wads, its free. They do two editions, an open source edition (OSE) and a normal edition. The OSE one is in the repositories of Ubuntu (and I am sure many other distro's) and the regular edition you can nab from the Virtualbox website. The only difference I can see is a 3D accelerated option (for Windows hosts anyway) which I have had mixed results with, and the non-OSE edition has code for USB host to guests connectivity.

Now, this is all fine and dandy, but it is a slippery slope. Pandering to your desires for Windows software in a non-Windows environment is crazy. There are viable, decent alternatives to most Windows software and having to run a virus checker in a VM is an experience! Yes, don't forget, although only the guest can screw up, you can catch virus's, it is Windows remember. You'll also need a retail licence version of Windows too.

Linux in tech news a lot?

I don't know if it's because I use Linux, or because I read a lot of tech news sites, but there seems to be a lot of propaganda and news around Linux, more so than in the past. I wonder why this is. Sure, Linux has matured and there are distributions around that are really mature and user friendly. As I mentioned before, I use Ubuntu, an amazing distribution. The only one where help is at hand if you don't know how to do something or worse still have done something stupid to your PC!

Word of mouth has a lot to do with it, so does product awareness. Lots of people have heard of Linux or Ubuntu (even if it's the same thing!) and slowly as awareness grows, so does demand. Enthusiasts are intrinsically curious. The fact that Linux is a free download further encourages experimentation. So whats changed?

Vista. It's just not better than XP. Even though the hype machine geared up for this new release, it came with more of a whimper than a bang. Complaints about the desktop effects not being available for all new Vista machines sold. The poor performance in copying files across a network (a stupid bug considering most households have more than one PC now!) and to top it off, security improvements mired by poor implementation. Everything didn't 'just work'.

I tell you what Vista's nemesis is, and it's Linux's greatest advocate, the Internet. Complaints flooded the Web almost immediately after release. Word of mouth, mediocre reviews and an over exaggeration in the benefits of Vista brought it to it's knees. Now Microsoft is hyping (and probably rushing) Windows 7 out the door. With an ISO leaking on the net, the hype machine changing up a gear and dissatisfaction with Vista, everything is riding on Windows 7 for Microsoft.

Open Source vs Proprietary software in Linux

I read lots of stories on why proprietary software is bad, why binary blobs have the potential to make a Linux system unstable and I read horror stories about potential unsupported hardware if open source drivers are not released. Well I ask you, what is more important, your crusade against closed source software or choice, freedom and any support at all? Well what would I rather, a binary blob driver for my nVidia card or a reverse engineered non 3D accelerated driver? Sure nVidia could release an open source driver (assuming the haven't cross licensed some proprietary code in the driver somewhere), but they haven't. Petition them for sure, get the ball rolling in nagging them for an open source driver, but in the meantime am I going to use Vesa?

Open source is a nice philosophy, and I do agree with it. However I am a pragmatist. I bought Nero Linux and I don't feel like a 'traitor to the cause', in fact, I feel I am furthering it. I have shown Ahead that there is a demand for Linux software. There CD/DVD burning suite is good, so why can't I buy it if I want to? Skype, I have it (I hardly use it), but it's on my PC. Google Earth is there too, again, hardly used, but it's there. I play games, I play World of Warcraft, it's there, and I use it.

Now, the question is, would I use an Open Source version which is poorer (in my opinion) to further the philosophical goals of Linux? The answer is no, I would not. If a new MMORPG came along and was open source and better, I would dump WoW. I would also pay for it, like I do now with WoW. I choose software on what I prefer to use, not what others think I should use.

I want open source software to get bigger, better and be real competition for the closed source software out there, they can charge, and if I like it, I will buy it or it can be free as in beer, I don't care.

Let the zealots go mad!

How to fix your own PC

Time and time again I am asked to go around to someones house to help them to fix their PC. There are two types of problem I usually encounter. Malware/infection or user error. Usually people fret about the first one and blame the second on the first. Barring some random hardware failure, computers are pretty reliable devices. The one thing that really irks me is the insistence of the person who's PC has a problem is their denial of any responsibility for problems that makes them have to call me. This makes traking down and educating them about the cause of the problem harder or impossible, all I can do is to clear up the mess. People wouldn't have 99% of the problems that they do if they didn't use Windows. How can they make their PC run better?

Well first of all, learn how to use and maintain your own computer. You wouldn't drive a car without servicing it and getting it MOT'd, you wouldnt run it into the ground would you? So why do people insist on doing said same with their PC's?

Second, if you get a problem, use google and see if you can find the problem, 99% of the time it will also mention on the same page why you got the problem. Once you are educated in spyware and virus's you will avoid 99% of the problems found using your PC.

Third (and most radical). Consider switching to Linux. There are plenty of distributions and help sites around, you could put it on your PC and do without all the silly programs you have to keep up to date, like virus checkers, spybot checkers and rootkit tools. I am not saying that Linux is immune to such attacks, but the lack of spyware removal tools and choices in virus checkers for Linux is a testiment to its stability and security.

If you insist on using Windows, learn how to use it responsibly, keep you virus checkers up to date. Don't trust everything you read online and for gods sake don't run random attachments sent to you that seem to come from your friends. If your machine is part of a botnet, it is reducing the quality of the Internet for the rest of us. Ask yourself, does your PC run as fast as they day you bought it? if it does not, investigate. Hardware does not get slower with age, but added programs that insist on starting with your PC do impact your PC's performance.

The last bit of advice is the most profound. Learn how to fix your own PC. Getting someone around is the easy option, and you learn nothing. Its how I learned how to use a PC, its how a lot of the family 'experts' learn. Do you look at their knowledge with envy? Well the club isnt exclusive, learn to be as good as they are, don't be lazy.

You may even enjoy the experience!

Spotify.. legal music service

Well this is a first. A free, legal music service sanctioned by the recording studios. It looks like iTunes but works like an on-demand radio service. You just search for the artist or track that you want then click play, thats it. What amazes me isn't that it works in Linux under wine, but they actively help Linux users, showing them how to get it working under wine. While not as good as a native version, I am not going to get all whiney and complain, it works like a charm. In addition, I read that advertisements interdesperse every six songs or so, well so far I haven't heard one ad. Maybe because I am not playing albums, but single tracks, maybe because it detects it's in Wine and it wrongly assumes Linux users won't pay for anything, or maybe I am lucky, but I recommend you give it a try. No USA version for now, but if you are in the UK, give it a try.

http://www.spotify.com/en/

Why I use Linux

First of all, I am not a Microsoft hater, although I did think Vista was no more than a bogged down with services patched Windows XP. About a year ago I decided to Ditch Windows altogether, why? I was dual booting Windows XP for some time and I always hated rebooting the machine to go back into Windows to play a game or use some piece of software that wasn't available in Linux. It was an unhappy Mexican standoff on my PC, I preferred Linux, but always felt comfortable using Windows as I had been using it for so many years.

A number of factors made me switch, number one was disk space, I had to make a decision about which OS to delete, as disk space was at a premium at the time. To be honest I was playing with Linux with Red Hat 5.2 and I had used Mandrake, but when disk space run out I always deleted Linux, used Partition magic to increase my Windows disk space, and continued on. I tried Ubuntu and I immediately liked it. The previous problems I had encountered with Linux weren't with the operating system, but with the distributions community. A lot of the knowledgeable users were arrogant, and although I never asked a question in any forum, I read plenty of comments from these power users in reply to calls for help, and I was put off posting my own questions.

Ubuntu was different. It had the same forums, it had a support network, but the people helping were not condescending or arrogant. They were not only experts, but other users, and it was refreshing. Make no mistakes, no matter what anyone says, using Linux is a steep learning curve. From learning about folder layouts and permissions, to how to install software and maintain the system. Its not worse than windows, its different.

So why do I use Linux? I used to use Windows, but I got fed up with Virus checkers, Rootkit scare stories, Spyware removal tools and the system tray getting filled up with every program I have ever installed wanting to start with my PC. I must say I never contracted a virus with my day to day computing, however it was a drain on my computer running all these additional services and programs to keep it malware free 'just in case'. When I booted into my Ubuntu partition I could just open Firefox and go, a breath of fresh air. It brought back happy memories of when computing was fun.

So do I miss Windows? No I don't. I have a program called Wine which allows me to run a great deal of Windows games and utilities within Linux, and it works like a charm. Wine is continuously improving and adding programs that can work to its repertoire, although every program I have tried works and there is nothing I am waiting to be added. Additionally companies are releasing Linux versions or providing instructions on how to get it working with Wine.

I am never going back.