Blog Move

Hello all,

I recently purchased a domain for the purposes including combining all of my blogs into one website with single styling and more control over how everything works (wordpress plugins here we come!). Shameless plugs for myself aside, it's a pretty handy site. All that being said, all of my posts from my blogs here on blogspot (Musings of a Systems Admin, Musings of a Web Developer, and Musings of a Sub-par Linux User) have been moved to http://www.aaronwball.com.

The website is still being worked on, so the styles might change a bit between now and whenever I decide to stop writing css. Please leave your comments and suggestions.

Thanks for reading everyone!

Lucid Lynx Release Date

Hello all,

I would like to take a few seconds to mention that in one day the latest version of Ubuntu, 10.04 Lucid Lynx, will be released.

In light of this event, I would like to point out a little known fact about the versioning system for Ubuntu.

Recently I discovered the reason for the seemingly massive jumps in numbers from version to version on a friend's blog. Canonical releases a new version every six months. That being said, the last version was Karmic Koala (v 9.10), released in September of 2010. The previous version, Jaunty Jackalope (v 9.04), was released in April of 2010. That being said, the version system is [month].[year] of the release. A bit clever, despite the lack of subversions.

My worry is still though what we do when we get to a version starting with X (Xciting Xray???) or Y (Yippidy Yanky???).

Enjoy the new and shiny distribution version everyone!

Ubuntu Reinstall

Hello all,

As of late I have been testing out a foolishly large amount of software that was in most cases beta. This has led to some *ahem* boot performance issues. Needless to say, I have more residual uninstall files than Captain Kirk has dramatic... pauses.

All that goes to say that this evening I will be re-installing Ubuntu 9.10 Karmic Koala in an attempt to return my boot times to 24 seconds instead of the 1 minute that it has become...what can I say, I'm used to the semi-annual fresh reinstall of Windows . :P

Because of this re-install, I will undoubtedly be running into many of the issues I encounter after my initial switch from Windows to Ubuntu. This is gonna be good...

Keep watching for some posts about the issues I re-encounter.

A Usual Opening

Hello All,

For a typical opening post to a new blog, I shall describe in a typical, boring, and mundane way my purposes and intentions for this blog.

If any of you have been using Linux for a duration shorter than that of your own life (or post-womb), you have undoubtedly realized that documentation on most Linux products is not readily available (nor is it even available in most cases). You also understand that when being inquisitive, the "RTFM" response usually leaves in one's own heart an empty hole roughly the size and shape of a loved one.

While frustrating and repelling as these hindrances can be, Linux remains to be a distant and strangely enticing operating system. The notion of free software for all just seems too amazing to drop $2,500 on an apple (yes, I am absolutely biased). Despite the shortcomings that come with software less-tested than software with a revenue stream (in most cases at least), most people are willing to forgive a little more in the absence of a price tag. After all, a fully operational and functional computer that costs only what was paid for the hardware is hardly an offer to be scoffed at.

Who am I?

Professionally, I am a systems admin (Windows and Linux) as well as a developer (PHP, Javascript, C# and ASP.Net, Joomla, Drupal, and SharePoint).

Personally, I am a spoiled Windows user that near the beginning of 2009 decided to give Linux a chance at being my primary operating system. I have since then settled on Ubuntu Linux and have yet to look back for anything other than good documentation.

I understand that the mentality of much of the Linux community is that if you don't know how to use it now, you're not smart enough to figure it out and therefore should not use it at all. Ubuntu/Canonical seeks to have a different view on these things. They understand that if Linux is ever to have a market share close to that of even Apple, it must be user friendly and have some way for the end-user to get tech support somewhere other than online forums (outside of the Ubuntu forums of course).

Through this blog I hope to express the troubles I have run into in my transition from Windows to Linux as well as the solutions/substitutes I have found while researching said troubles.

Should anyone have any questions, please contact me via the comments section or via my e-mail. I will happily assist if I can (remember, I am still a sub-par Linux user).

Thanks for reading everyone.