Learning Ubunto #9 - Upgrading to 9.10, using lsb_release, and installing Virtual Box

Hi there fellow Ubuntu users. I have not posted about Ubuntu for awhile, but I continue to use it as my daily OS, and it works well.

Not long after 9.10 (Karmic Koala) became available, I went ahead and installed it. The install was painless, and since I did it a few weeks ago, I really can not remember any detail worth mentioning. It was a non-event for me. Also worth noting is that there were no features in 9.10 that have jumped out at me. But, hey, I am current.

At some point also a few weeks ago, I found out about "lsb_release -a" which is a really handy way to tell exactly which release of Linux you are running. The one weird thing is that it includes a message stating "No LSB modules are available" - spent a couple of hours trying to figure out what the heck this means, but can not tell. Anyway, the command - as well as just looking at the /etc/lsb-release file is handy.

I spent some time looking at installing KDE in side-by-side mode with GNOME,but the more I looked at that, the more it looked like trouble. Back in about 2000, I did run a version of RH with GNOME and KDE both available, and it worked OK, but it just looks like trouble with the current builds to try and get that to work, so to heck with it.

On the other hand, I have spent a little time looking at virtualization for a desktop, and I am fairly sure that VirtualBox is the best solution for desktop virtualization. My objective is to run Vista in a VM, so I can access the few Windows applications which do not work well under Linux.

Stay tuned.

Windows Live OneCare has changed to Microsoft Security Essentials

This post is mostly for my family, since I am the official family computer geek, with my daughter Kate as the Heir Apparent.  Before we start talking about MSSE (Microsoft Security Essentials), let me declare my biases.

1. I have been using mostly Ubuntu for about a year, but I admit that for my family and non-geek friends, Windows is the way to go.
2. My wife Kim and I both ended up with new Toshiba laptops about 1 1/2 years ago. And, when we did this, we ended up with Vista which works OK. To secure them, I decided at the time to go with Windows Live OneCare (WLOC)
3. I am pissed at all the various flavours of Norton. I think it is too expensive, plus I have seen at least three case of computers which appear to run really really slow because of Norton
4. Like I said, WLOC has been installed for over a year on two computers at home, and so far so good.
5. About two weeks ago, I bought a new Vista computer for my Dad, and decided to install CA Internet Security, which has also succeed in pissing me off in record time. For one thing, I left it to do a scan for over 48 hours, and it had still not finished. WTF!

So, of the Windows Security products I have had hands-on with, so far WLOC has pissed me off the least. It integrates well with Vista, as well as successfully keeping adware and viruses off of both my machine, and more importantly my wifes machine.  That is, for both a geek and a non-geek, it has exhibited a sufficient degree of easy-to-use, and enough control and info. I will say, as far as being a useful backup solution, it is completely lacking, but I was looking at it for adware and virus - and it seems to do that.

So, I think MSSE is worth a try. It claims to give you:

• Comprehensive malware protection
• Simple, free download*
• Automatic updates
• Easy to use

Hey - sounds good to me - stay tuned -  I will by trying this when the WLOC subscriptions are up. And like I said, to my dear family - if you are on - the next time your AV software wants money, I am on for helping you try to switch to free.