Ubuntu 12.04 LTS Online Upgrade Review: Don't Expect the "Avengers" Part 2

Category: Linux

Part two of this quick overview of an online upgrade to 12.04 explores the standard features of the latest Ubuntu release, including new and improved features and some old ones as well.

Maintenance, Applications, and Utilities

1. Software center - Ubuntu Software Center has largely replaced dependable but somewhat aged Synaptic Package Manager since the inception of the Unity Desktop.  Adobe Flash, with its somewhat ambiguous role in the IT ecosystem today, is an excellent test for Software Center's prowess.  Prior to the upgrade, I had been running the Flash plugin for Mozilla (Chrome, of course, supports Flash out of the box).  Metatube prompted for a Flash upgrade, giving me a chance to install Adobe's more recent iteration of the plugin.  Thankfully, installation of Flash on the 12.04 proved to be a non-issue. 




2. Wokspaces and Desktop Switcher - A previous glitch that marred Ubuntu's paging system was fixed in 12.04.  Switching using the Workspace link in the Launcher is as smooth as can be expected even when running 2D Unity.

3. Maintenance Utilities - There is now an option to install Landscape, Canonical's remote management system for multiple Ubuntu machines.  Remmina Desktop Client and Power Statistics come standard on the 12.04 and a great boon for systems administrators.  These three, along with System Testing (for testing hardware compatibility) indicate that the label LTS is for real.






4. Privacy feature - Part of Canonical's strategy is to brand Ubuntu as a serious corporate system and the Privacy utility is a clear proof of this.  Although easy-to-use and straightforward, I doubt if either the log activity and application feature  will be particularly useful for casual desktop users.  It seems more like a gimmick more than anything else.  Who really makes use of Private Browsing in Internet Explorer and Incognito Browsing in Chrome anyway?  Same situation here.





5. Network Management in Ubuntu 12.04 may not be as powerful as KDE-based releases and other Network Managers available as packages, but it is certainly simple and friendly, matching OSX's earlier Network Interface modules.  KNetworkManager in openSUSE is great on a wired network but somewhat crude and awkward when handling wireless networks.  Ubuntu's Network service, on the other hand, makes itself easy for new users concerned about having to use ifconfig/iwconfig commands to connect to a network.  On a wired network, Ubuntu and openSUSE connect much faster than Windows 7 anyway. 

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Quickfix: Switch USB ports to get a clicking Toshiba Mobile Drive working

Categories: Techtoday

As convenient as external mobile hard drives are, they are  still subject to plenty of abuse in a laptop bag and at the office.  In general, even cheap mobile hard drives have become sturdier and resilient over the years with Western Digital and Seagate incorporating new approaches to securing mechanical hard drives.  As expected, however, drive failures are still common and the Internet is rife with methods of reviving dead external hard drives.  

Some of the techniques actually work.  I've had exceptional luck saving data from a non-mobile, SATA hard drive by freezing it in the refrigerator.  Some methods, however, can damage a perfectly good hard drive.  

One of the more frightening symptoms that is often misinterpreted is the clicking hard drive.  My 4 year old 500 GB Toshiba Mobile HDD started clicking a year ago - a symptom associated with the spinning platter inside a non-flash, mechanical hard drive.  10 years ago, a clicking hard drive was the death knell of any storage device. Replacement was inevitable.  Today, however, the clicking sound doesn't necessarily mean a dying hard drive.  

USB ports in a laptop (and on some motherboards) are either powered or non-powered (ie. provide voltage or not).  Switching to a powered USB port that provides a higher output can get a clicking hard drive to work.  It just means the HDD needs more power than normal, perhaps due to wear and tear. 




In the case of my 500 GB Toshiba HDD, it was just a matter of switching USB ports.  The Toshiba started clicking and failing to work on my Linux and Windows 7 machines when plugged into a non-powered USB port a year ago.  The clicking sound actually disappeared when I switched to a powered USB port and has continued to work since.  I would have preferred it didn't have the clicking sound and wasn't so choosy with USB ports as it did when I first bought the drive in BestBuy, but I'm glad the Toshiba still works.  Of course, I've removed all the important data from the drive but continue to use the Toshiba regularly.




So before trying out any unorthodox troubleshooting step from the Internet (e.g. wrapping the HDD with a wet towel), try switching USB ports first.  It may save you from having to order a replacement from Newegg.com.

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Should you Update your Skype Install?

Categories: Techtoday

 

Microsoft's purchase of Skype hit the headlines quite some time ago and with the acquisition triggered minimal changes to the somewhat popular utility.  The Microsoft site now sports its own Skype Home Page but users haven't seen much changes in the application itself.  With news that Microsoft switched to headless Linux servers to support the Skype network, will any improvements or innovations finally arrive?

 

It's heartening to know that Microsoft is implementing Linux boxes rather than peer-to-peer client machines.  The engineers and sysads must be hard at work preparing Skype for Windows 8 and Windows 8 tablets (and hopefully for newer versions of Android as well).  In the meantime, it's more likely a good idea to update currently installed Skype versions.  These updates are pretty few and far between though a recent online update did arrive (after more than 6 months of running the same Skype release) for my Windows 7 machine.  The update was fast and harmless and didn't even require users to log back in using their Skype names.

 

 

 

 

Now if only the same updates are available for Linux releases.  Microsoft probably has a bigger picture in mind when they acquired Skype and hopefully won't exclude Linux users like myself.  The openSUSE release of Skype works very well though the Ubuntu release doesn't seem to be nearly as stable on a recent Ubuntu 12.04 release (I've experienced at least one crash while running Skype on Ubuntu 12.04 LTS).   

 

 

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Convert Flac to MP3 in Linux - Sound Converter and LAME

Categories: Linux

Codecs and formats aren't an issue anymore in Linux, especially in user-friendly distributions like Ubuntu and Linux Mint.  Although Flac is a superior format to MP3, it isn't supported by devices (or players) as widely as MP3.  Converting .flac files to .ogg or .mp3 is a simple affair with the correct applications installed. 

Depending on your Linux distribution setup, users will have to install Lame MP3 encoding library and an audio converter using your package manager of choice.  The screenshots below depict Ubuntu Software Center in Ubuntu Unity. 

1. Using Ubuntu Software Center, search for the LAME MP3 Encoding Library.  The package itself allows you to convert a variety of sound formats to MP3 via command line.  If you're comfortable with following simple commands in a Terminal, then you're all set.



2. For users who prefer a graphical interface, Sound Converter is the simplest utility available for the Gnome desktop (and works perfectly in Unity too).  Search for Sound Converter and install the application using the Ubuntu Software Center.  Related plugins are offered for installation - the popular gstreamer multimedia set of plugins (scroll to view the check boxes).  Gstreamer plugins have long-been used in open source for supporting a variety of codecs and containers so they're highly recommended.



3. Launch Sound Converter.  By default, Sound Converter will convert to the open source format .ogg so click Edit and Preferences before starting any conversion tasks.

4. Under Format, select .mp3.  If needed, change output folder location and other preferences.  Click Close.



5.  On the main Sound Converter window, click Add Folder or Add Files.  Click Convert to begin converting .flac files or other audio formats to .mp3.

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Free up Bandwidth and get some exercise! Watch "The Avengers" (2012) in Theatres Now!

Category: Techtoday

 

"Hi everyone!  This is the Amazing Spider-Man (circa 1970s) inviting you guys to get off your computer screens and run (not walk) over to your local theatre to watch Marvel Comics' The Avengers.  And while you're at it, support open source software and watch The Amazing Spider-Man this July, 2012.  Yup, that's three plugs in one.  See you in 3D!"

 

 

 

***Disclaimer: The author is an unabashed fan of Marvel and Spider-Man in the late 1980s to early 1990s.*** 

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Loving Bing Translate and Google Translate

Category: Techwriter

 

There are dozens of apps for Android and iOS that provide foreign language translations available in Google Play and iTunes.  Also, there are plenty of free and commercial web sites/services online for translating or defining foreign words, statements, and text.  However, even without a mobile device or any knowledge of any particular service, just visiting Bing and Google can go a long way when searching for the English translations of a particular language.  

 

Both Google Translate and Bing Translator Beta (formerly called Microsoft Translator) offer a lot of languages for online translation.  Though I doubt anyone would require all of them, the list of both services is comprehensive.  Google Translate includes Azerbaijani, Yiddish, Esperanto, and Maltese - extremely difficult and rare languages (search your local Barnes & Noble and tell me if you can find dictionaries or books on them).  Plus, Google Translate has both Tamil and Hindi for those interested in India's rich language set.

 

 

 

Bing Translator has a less exotic offering but no less useful. The developers probably decided to focus on more common language families, though there are a few odd choices.  I was happy to see Hmong Daw (a minority language in China) and Vietnamese among their selections.  Having lived in China and taught in Vietnam, the two are especially impressive inclusions because of their tonal and scripting features.  

 

 

 

Of course, accuracy is more important than the number of languages available. A native would probably criticize both services (Brits and Aussies might be surprised by some word exclusions).  Actual language, of course, is actually dynamic and changing (in some countries, no one uses the word "computer" anymore but rather PC or Mac).  Even novice translators would find some of Bing's and Google's text conversion attempts to be odd.  It doesn't make them wrong - just somewhat misplaced.  The text results would probably get a tourist out of a tight fix, but not make for a well-written document translation.

 

Using Bing Translator and Google Translate Online Services

 

In my tests, Bing Translator and Google Translate worked best with short sentences or single words.  It really wasn't a good idea copying long columns of text into the box.  Both worked very well when I typed in simple sentences to be translated to Traditional/Simplified Chinese, Japanese, and the ever-popular French.  I would have attempted a more obscure language like Urdu  but it would be impossible for me to verify the accuracy of translation with my limited skills.

 

 

 

I actually worked with and for some companies that made use of Google Translate on a daily basis.  Google Translate provides very simple and direct translations to text.  The results pulled up faster than Bing Translator.  Google Translate will also tag previously used languages for future use.  As a foreign language student, I found the audio reading of Google's service as good as Bing Translate's own audio recordings (just click the speakers icon on the lower-right hand corner of the text box). 

 

 

 

Some scoff at Microsoft's ability to create good products, but I believe Bing Translate is an excellent tool.  Unlike Google Translate, Bing Translate adds several options and explanations for translations automatically (though there is a slight pause before it appears).  French words are described as either male or female.  Traditional Chinese, Japanese, and Simplified Chinese translations include several variations and interpretations automatically.  For example, Bing Translate provided other ways to write "computer" in Traditional Chinese, Simplified Chinese, and Japanese.  Google Translate will also provide options and the ability to rearrange the results by clicking on the offered translation (the feature is touted as "New").   Like Google Translate, Microsoft Translator can convert web pages – just type the URL in the text box and the translated page will open in another tab (accuracy and speed suffers but it does work for simple pages).  As a plus, Microsoft also provides a Bookmarklet plug-in which I hope to try when pulling up Online Chinese Shopping sites.

 

 

 

 

Besides voice-recognition, I truly believe digital translation of languages is one of the greatest feats technology can ever achieve.  Although there are a lot of commercial products out there, instant translation hasn't been perfected yet (which isn't really bad news for multilingual professionals out there).  Who wouldn't want to have a Star Trek communicator that can simplify language between races?  However, I'm still very grateful for the existence of these free online translation services and would definitely keep Bing Translate and Google Translate in my Bookmark list for some time to come.

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Ubuntu 12.04 LTS Online Upgrade Review: Don't Expect the "Avengers" Part 1

Category: Linux

Historically, I haven't had much luck with online distribution upgrades.  I've attempted upgrades for openSUSE, Mandriva, Ubuntu and a handful of other distributions which resulted in leftover packages, nonfunctional software, and on occasion, a nonfunctional operating system. 



Ubuntu Oneiric Ocelot was a stable release though I regret selecting the Unity release over Lubuntu.  Having had an excellent experience with the last Long-term Support release of Ubuntu, I have high hopes for 12.04 and decided to jump in and once again attempt an online upgrade and not a clean install as I normally would.  

Quick Summary

The outcome of the online upgrade was smooth and the resulting system was stable and fast.  12.04, however, doesn't provide Ubuntu fans what "Avengers" did to Marvel and superhero fans in general.  For old fans of Avengers and the team's current roster, the film gave something new while honoring the classic stories of old.  Ubuntu 12.04 improves on the "new," specifically the much-debated "Unity Desktop" while attempting to provide the Ubuntu Linux experience that has been lauded for the last five years.  The result is a somewhat stolid experiment.    



Take note, however, that I've been running Ubuntu Oneiric Ocelot Unity since its release so newcomers to both Ubuntu and Unity will find Ubuntu 12.04 a totally new experience.  I've attempted in this review to accommodate longstanding Linux users and new users alike.

Rundown

1. Running the Distribution Upgrade isn't a complicated affair.  Using Ocelot's well-appointed Upgrade Manager, the system initiated without a hitch with a brief warning regarding closing all running applications.  I left Shutter, my favorite screenshot application, and Gedit running to chronicle the steps.

2. It's a long and non-automated process.  I had the luxury of an official Windows 8 Consumer Preview DVD when I tested Windows 8 recently and fast broadband when I had last attempted an upgrade on openSUSE.  openSUSE's upgrade process was long but I didn't think installing Ubuntu 12.04 would take hours.  Although there were very few dialog boxes (there were only two during the first three steps), the upgrade is not an unattended process.  Users should stick around for a prompt regarding services and for the Gnome configurations list.  Even after three episodes of Mad Men, Ubuntu 12.04 was still a good hour away. Perhaps a faster setup than my first-gen Intel i3 portable would result in a shorter installation process, but the Windows 8 installation felt shorter. 




3. Rebooting and Windows 7/8 in Grub2 - No issues.  I'm aware that Grub2 and auto-detecting Windows has largely been ironed out, but every time I do an upgrade rather than a clean install I take a deep breathe hoping I won't have to edit Grub (or worst case, fix Windows MBR).

4. Launcher and Auto-Hide - Newcomers to Unity will still be annoyed by the quirks of Unity's Launcher and Dash combo, but after switching off the Auto-hide feature of the launcher, the Launcher became less annoying (unlike Mac OSX's Dock which has always been annoying even if you hide it or not).  Take note that if users do disable the launcher's hide feature, the desktop readjusts and allows users to reclaim precious desktop space.  Unfortunately, Launcher still doesn't scroll downwards or upwards fast enough for my taste.




5. New set of mundane but generally acceptable wallpapers.  If you like random scenes or abstract photos, they're pretty good but too few.  For those who want a more exciting set of wallpapers thogh, go download a G.I. Joe: Retaliation or Amazing Spider-Man wallpaper from their movie sites.

6. Hud and Dash - Ubuntu.com advertised the Hud (Heads-Up Display) as one of the more prominent features of Ubuntu 12.04 along with Video Lens.  The search bar found on the Dash has always been a hit and miss.  While on the Home tab, it can find previously accessed applications.  However, users would still have to switch to the Applications tab to find a common plug-in like Adobe Flash or less obscure utilities. 

The much ballyhooed Hud was inconsequential - the feature doesn't apply to all the applications and hardly makes any difference for both casual and serious users.  Unlike Windows 8's Charms and Apps panel, the Hud and Dash are simpler and easier to use but can be ignored completely . . . if it weren't so integrated to the desktop.  Integrated search windows have been around in KDE and Windows Freeware for awhile now so Hud isn't going to blow you away as much as Hulk bashing on aliens.  In fact, every time the Hud came hope, I yearned for the simple days of Alt+F2.
 
7. Video Lens - I have never had a crash on Ubuntu or an error message since I started using the Linux distribution.  Unlike KDE, which is notorious for frequent bug windows, Unity and Gnome 2 have never disturbed me with a warning regarding a non-functioning feature, service, or utility.  Ubuntu 12.04 surprised me with an error message when I attempted to test Video Lens.  The Video Lens feature can be accessed by opening Dash with the Super button and clicking the Video tab.  Videos can be searched locally or online by clicking the appropriate section on the Hud.  I attempted to search for the K-Pop group Girls Generation and received this little warning:



Thankfully, Ubuntu didn't crash and Dash and Hud could still be accessed afterwards (or I would have switched to FreeBSD or ArchLinux in a minute).  The warning was just that - a warning.  Still, it was a surprise it occurred on Ubuntu, an LTS release, and while running a new feature.  It was somewhat discouraging though it's fully possible it wasn't Ubuntu 12.04's fault (see #8) or because the Video Lens attempted to pull up search results from sites that are blocked (My IP address is based in China).     

Ubuntu, however, doesn't have any excuse for the search results though.  My search for Girls Generation pulled up 22 results - 80% of which were totally irrelevant (Michelle Obama?).

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