Get ready for an onslaught of emailed holiday cards and online “gifts”; many bearing things that will not add to your holiday spirit. Even if it seems to come from a good friend or relative, be very cautious in opening it. Play it safe and ask them if they did send it to you.
I am now in the second day of using the latest version of Ubuntu, more precisely, Kubuntu in my case. It took almost seven hours to download the update due to the popularity of the OS. It should not take that long now. It did remember my settings when I told it to when it had downloaded and started the installation.
There is not a lot different in feel from the previous (Feisty Fawn, 7.04) version. Konqueror is still there, even though Dolphin is the new file exploration program. Dolphin has color thumbnails, and side panes on each side. You can select what you want on each side to some extent. When you hover over a thumbnail, an enlarged thumbnail appears in the right side pane (you can put it on the left side if you want). The thumbnail in the center where all the files are turns monochrome once you pass your cursor over it. I hope this is just a bug that will be fixed. Refreshing the page puts it color again. I like the feel of Dolphin, and know it will be a short while converting to it when being used to Konqueror. Personally, I like Dolphin better for exploring files.
I did notice that the GIMP at this time as released with 7.10 is a Release Candidate version. The interface in the GIMP is tons better than the older versions. The icons are much easier to see at a glance. There are other enhancements that I haven’t played with yet, but it feels like the GIMP we know and love. The more I use it, the more I like it.
Bootup and shutdown seem to be just a little faster in Gutsy Gibbon. I don’t have a graphics card that can take advantage of the enhanced graphics it can do out of the box. That is no big deal as it is really eye candy, anyway, and does not affect day to day use. The biggest nit I guess that I have to pick is that the screensaver does not work. Everything works fine when setting one up, but it won’t start automatically on my computer when the automatic startup is selected. No big deal with an LCD screen, and really not a big thing for people using CRT monitors as all made within the last decade or so are not as susceptible to burn in.
This latest release is supposed to support Broadcom wireless cards used in many notebook computers out of the box, without you having to “make” it work. It is also supposed to support printers by setting up for them when you plug one in. I have not tried that, yet. It will also support writing to NTFS, which is what Windows 2000 and above prefers.
You can still get a Live CD, and give it a try on your computer without installing it or changing anything on your hard drive. If you like it, you can install it with the Live CD. Just keep in mind that it will run considerably slower off the Live CD than it will installed on your computer.
Seeing that things like the Storm Worm are getting smarter and resisting efforts in many ways of being brought under control, the time is getting better and better to give Linux a try.
Update:
My Canon PIXMA iP6600D is not supported. The test page seems to come out right, but printing anything else is a flat bust… Honestly, I’ll still continue using Ubuntu, and do what little printing I need to do in Windows XP. I’m disappointed a little, but it is not a show stopper.
I just ran across this on Computer World. People have been receiving emails pretending to be from Microsoft with links to follow to patch Internet Explorer to close more security holes. Following links in the email will take the user to a site that will try to install more malware on the computer.
So far, this does not seem to be a big issue, but people thinking twice will keep it from being a big issue. Another way of looking at it is that if you are the only person infected, and you find your computer infected, it will be a big issue for you!
Remember, Microsoft does NOT send out emails for any type of updating at all! Get all your updates by using the “Windows Update” feature in Windows, or using “Automatic Updates” in Windows.
I really do not know of any software manufacturers that send out unsolicited emails like that. If you receive any emails, go to the manufacturer’s site directly by using links you know are good, and not any links found in the email. No matter how official or real the email looks, do not trust it
Scum and scammers have already started crawling out of the woodwork trying to make “easy money” over the tragedy at Virginia Tech. Computerworld has the story.
Needless to say that this is disgusting, that people care so little about the loss of loved ones that they want to register domains related to Virginia Tech and the shootings. Some even look like they would be fund raising sites to help families and survivors. there is nothing wrong with helping, I recommend it, but please, only use trusted sources like your church, school, or links that may be on Virginia Tech’s own site.
WARNING: Email scams are also out and about, as are Trojans social engineered to make you want to open the email. Do not open anything that purports to be a slide show, video, or screen saver, or anything related, even if it appears to be from somebody you may trust, they may be infected. Before opening anything like that, write them back to ask if they sent it to you knowingly.
I must say that eBay seems to be doing a good job in keeping the domain auctions out of action.
While we now get to see the bad side of some people, remember that the good sides are worth so much more in the long run.
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