The New Year Linux Resolution: Day Four
January 5, 2009 by AshPringle
Filed under Gear
The plan: Ring in the new year by switching over to Linux for a week, documenting each day of the transition.
Day 4, A feeble attempt at breaking Linux in!
Other days: Day One, Day Two, Day Three, Day Five, Day Six, Day Seven
On day three I got all snuggly with Linux on the couch and we just talked, you know? We got to know each other better and, among other things, I wasted some time playing video games. I’ve wasted time playing games before, but they were never quite so Linuxy. The memories of me and Linux frolicking together in the sun of day three will stay with me forever.
And now that we’re close friends it’s time for the next logical step in our relationship: that’s right, it’s time for me to break Linux in like a mule, pummeling it about the head and neck regions until it bends to my will, obeying my every command. So come join me on my joyous and celebratory feeble attempt at breaking Linux in!
First up is to address the issue I’ve been having with my wireless adapter. The issue is fairly simple: my wireless adapter does not even kind of work a little bit. It won’t even show up when I supplement my right click of the network icon in the taskbar with a commanding and powerful “pleeeeeeeease?”
So it’s time to sift through the electronic dirt and muck that is the Internet for some drivers. First I decide to check the Ubuntu documentation for some advice. The documentation and I have never met before, and I can only assume it is jealous of the loving relationship that Linux and I have developed, because it doesn’t seem to want to help me at all. It even calls me a “shifty-eyed grifter” at one point. Harsh.
The only thing I can get out of the documentation is that I should enter a command in the console to find out the status of my wireless card. According to the console report my wireless adapter is apparently “UNCLAIMED,” which just means I’m going to have to hit it in the mouth with a club, throw it over my shoulder, and drag it back to my cave, making it CLAIMED as my own.
I can clsoe the window now? Oh thank you Linux! your graciousness knows no bounds!
The next step in my kidnapping scheme¢â‚¬â€I mean… my scheme that has nothing to do with kidnapping¢â‚¬â€is to head to Synaptic to get the very sexily-titled ndisgtk. (Oh ndisgtk, your name has such an unreasonable amount of consonants! It’s so hot.)
After I’ve installed ndisgtk, Ubuntu informs me that I “can close the window now,” as if to imply that it wouldn’t have been an option unless Ubuntu had been gracious enough to let it happen. I see my brutal taming of you is going well, Linux.
The rest of the stuff in Synaptic looks pretty scary and technical, (except the very cute sounding Amateur Radio section, which I can only assume has something to do with the Ham Radio and Linux Enthusiasts Convention I’ve heard so much about,) so I nobly flee as fast I can to look for the .inf file I need to install.
At this point I’m beginning to think that maybe my plan to bust into Linux Town and unilaterally occupy it is maybe back-firing a bit. But like all the best conquerors I ignore my signs of failure and move on. So I locate the .inf file for my wireless card in the Windows Wireless Driver app that I installed, load it up, and watch intently as it does exactly nothing.
There is still no option for wireless connections in my taskbar, and even the tried and true method of restarting my computer and yelling, “Look out, Linux, your arms are on fire!” just as the wireless drivers are loading doesn’t seem to do anything. (Don’t worry, Linux’s arms weren’t actually on fire. It was just a clever ploy to make it lose focus.)
With the bittersweet, and surprisingly salty, taste of defeat in my mouth I head to the forums, where I find that apparently many people with the same wireless adapter as me have had the same problem. Unfortunately there seems to be at least four or six or three different potential solutions or something-elses to the problem, the success of each of which is determined by the drawing of tarot cards and your performance of a very particular ritual sacrifice. You win this time, Linux…
Now that I’ve established my sheer dominance over Linux in the area of wireless driver installing, it’s time to conquer sound recording. Audacity installs with no problems through the Add/Remove programs app, and I jump in to see what recording is like in the world of Linux.
My recording hardware is a USB pre-amp with some super-duper proprietary drivers, so I get the feeling that there’s a better chance of me winning the Pulitzer for my gripping journalism than this working. (Seriously, they are way proprietary, dudes.)
To my surprise the pre-amp does show up in the input menu… sort of. I can select it as the input, but I can’t specifically select the second input of the pre-amp, which restricts my recording options pretty badly. A bit of messing around reveals what looks like a possible solution, until I realize that it was actually just a glimmer of hope that was caught in my eye.
I wipe the hope away and callously discard it. There may be a way of fixing this issue that I’m not aware of, but for now it looks like I won’t exactly be smashing my Mac with a hammer in favour of recording in Linux. (The only way I can record music is if I smash every other computer in my room with a hammer first. Call it one of my lovable quirks.)
With my dominion over sound recording in Linux firmly established and the population of Linux Town kneeling before me, it’s time to march into the realm of video graphics drivers, so I can get some of those sweet desktop effects working.
This time I skip the documentation and go straight to the forums, which experience has shown is the hangout of the most hardcore advisers and their customized leather jackets. Unfortunately, the process of getting my video drivers working seems similar to the process for fixing my wireless drivers, only with way more ritual sacrifice and just a little bit more baby-eating.
Apparently the simple answer to my problem is that Linux already includes my drivers, except for the minor caveats that they don’t show up, don’t work, can’t be found by me, and don’t actually exist. The more complex answer has something to do with restricted drivers, which sound a little bit dangerous (and kind of kinky.) With my formerly massive ego now reduced to a mere infinitesimal point by the untameable stallion that is Linux, I decide to leave graphics drivers for another day.
My PURE DOMINATION of Linux.
My last project is to try printing. Weary and battle-worn, I skip all the advice stuff and haphazardly plug my printer into the USB slot. I jump into openoffice, type up some gripping literature, and try to get it working by sheer force of will alone. Unfortunately the process fails catastrophically, melting my… wait, it worked! I clicked print, and it printed!
TAKE THAT, LINUX! BOOYA. Ash: 1, Linux: Some other number that isn’t 1! That’s right Linux, I’m number 1!
My campaign of Linux domination has truly succeeded beyond all expectations. Today was a wonderful triumph, worthy of sitting next to the achievements of Genghis Khan and Alexander the Great in the annals of history. Nay, it ought to sit on top of their achievements, like a king sitting atop his throne.
Yes, tales will be told of these events for ages, and… Oh, who am I kidding. Linux folded me up like a fleshy pretzel and dribbled me around like a basketball, ceasing its humiliation of me only to dunk me into a garbage can full of proprietary drivers and shame.
All joking aside, I’m not worried that any of these things didn’t work that well, and I didn’t really expect them to go off without a hitch anyways. Ubuntu is still a developing OS, and there’s loads of hardware out there for the developers to account for and get working.
PCs are unique machines in that almost no two are alike, and programming an OS so that every little piece of hardware works and every driver is supported is a daunting task to say the least. The fact that sound recording worked at all with my pre-amp, even in its limited capacity, and that printing worked flawlessly, were both pleasant surprises. In order to get my pre-amp working at all on my Mac I needed to install some drivers in a decidedly un-mac-like way, so the fact that Linux recognized it right away is quite impressive.
Further, people with the same hardware as me had the same problems, and the forum inhabitants were diligently working away on it. I imagine it’s only a matter of time before the developers work out these particular issues. With enough work I might be able to find an answer myself, given that I’ve only had one day to mess around with these issues.
And with that comes the end of Day Four. Stay tuned for my next day, when I mess around with virtualization, maybe!
Other days: Day One, Day Two, Day Three, Day Five, Day Six, Day Seven
Stumble It!
The New Year Linux Resolution: Day 2 | zMogo Tech Stuff on Mon, 5th Jan 2009 4:59 pm
[...] The New Year Linux Resolution: Day Four [...]
Norway on Mon, 5th Jan 2009 5:42 pm
This have to be the best blog I have seen on the net so far! I really can picture you- looking through the peephole at your shield while you’re aiming your sword to the damned Linux-Commando-Lain
Your writing are excellent humorous
And by the way: What Graphic card are you using? If linux already have the restricted drivers, you should do the following (assuming you haven’t already); System – Administration – Hardware Drivers
Is it there? Can you activate it? You do have internet connection by cabel (so that it will download and install it)?
tcolvinMI on Mon, 5th Jan 2009 6:01 pm
I too have been having issues with wireless access. In versions past, I was never able to get my wireless card to work. Even using Ndiswrapper, it would never authenticate my wireless, as I use WPA encryption. There was a scent of hope when I installed 8.10 but it didnt go without issues. Ubuntu graciously detected my wireless card but would not find any wireless networks, which I knew was crap, because I was standing right in front of it. After reading through some documentation on my particular hardware, I was able to get to connect…but only once! Since, it doesnt seem to want to authenticate. Fortunately, I have a patch cable long enough to get Internet access, but would still like to be able to use wireless at some point. Good luck with getting the wireless to work.
I would definitely suggest you check out the ubuntu-restricted-extras package, especially if you’re interested in playing MP3’s or using Flash, as both are included. Rhythmbox is decent enough for playing music, but I prefer a simpler approach, as I have always used Winamp for my music player. XMMS is a clone of Winamp and works fairly decent if you’re looking for a Winamp replacement.
Looking forward to your future posts.
jeff on Mon, 5th Jan 2009 6:30 pm
If you have nVidia or ATI graphics, try using envyng to install graphics drivers. http://albertomilone.com/nvidia_scripts1.html
My wife’s computer uses a wireless card that ‘just works’ in 7.10, but won’t work worth a crap in 8.10 (she uses 7.10 Gutsy). I had another wireless card that simply didn’t work in Linux. That’s why it’s best to either buy pre-installed, or if you have the knowhow, build specifically for Linux using components you know will work by checking hardware compatibility lists.
Hilton Gibson on Mon, 5th Jan 2009 6:31 pm
Here is a link that might help with virtualisation.
http://www.ubuntu.sun.ac.za/wiki/index.php/Microsoft
Also search for “vmbuilder” which aims to take the pain out of virtualisation.
frank on Tue, 6th Jan 2009 12:18 am
Congrats on conquering linux…somewhat.
It took me a long time to get my graphics drivers up and running…mostly because once i had messed them up, I was limited to console only, and wasn’t experienced enough to get out of it….
wireless devices are tricky…i had to use madwifi to get mine up and running…but if I try to configure it, it goes kaput and i have to reinstall the drivers…but hey, no complaints, having it working after a quick install was wonderfull. Also detects wpa and whatnot. so thats a charm.
Anders Kringstad on Tue, 6th Jan 2009 2:00 am
Hi again!
- I have been enjoying for the past two days reading about your prominent battle for Linux love and have some fresh comments from my corner:
* The problems with wireless drivers are becoming less dominant over the past two years, especially with new hardware. For sure, there are still some issues with ‘Windows-only’ hardware, but there have been great changes on the political arena of hardware manufacturers regarding releasing open source drivers for both networking and graphics cards the stage is set for a ‘normalization’ of driver-issues for Linux-users in years ahead.
* It’s a fun factoid, but actually – most USB-based printers just work out of the box in Linux when plugged in now-days. That’s something you unfortunately can not yet say about digital sound recording.
* On a last note, since you seem to be interested in music and recording would be to introduce you to the lovely world of ‘Rosegarden’. Check it out: http://www.rosegardenmusic.com/
nudepenguin on Tue, 6th Jan 2009 3:21 am
This is great, I now look forward to reading daily! ROFLMAO………………………………………
Yann on Tue, 6th Jan 2009 7:09 am
When using Linux there is an important thing to know: not all the hardware works with it. So long-time linux users only buy hardware that does work – and don’t see the problems that younger linux users experience
You will find a very large amount of linux users lobbying Hardware manufcaturers for Linux drivers – to some extent, with success; recently via and amd/ati started to work a lot more closer to the linux community. I think creative, too, not sure. Intel, HP, xerox, already do. We still need to convince all the other ones.. welcome on board :]
Vincent on Tue, 6th Jan 2009 10:16 am
Too bad so much of your hardware didn’t work (that’s what you get when you’re the Small Guy in Town and don’t restrict your customers to your own hardware), but I do have to say that this was your funniest post up til now
Eric on Tue, 6th Jan 2009 12:21 pm
Excellent! Just do as the 1st comment on this post says – go into your Administration tab and check what drivers can be found.
By “Restricted” (very similar to the term “Non-free”), that generally means that the drivers are proprietary, but the Ubuntu developers are allowed to redistribute them – but in most cases can’t change them very much. But no, you don’t need to be some super agent with a government clearance to get them.
Another thing you should try, maybe later on, is experimenting with other desktop managers. I’m guessing you’re using GNOME, which comes default on Ubuntu. There’s one called KDE which, done right, trumps both Mac OS X, Vista, and 7 in appearance (though the same could be said about GNOME, I guess).
luckyplayer on Tue, 6th Jan 2009 3:26 pm
I use Linux Mint (uses Ubuntu as its base) which is pre-configured with all the restricted (proprietory) drivers. Really user friendly.
If you were to load your windoze os onto any computer from scratch like you did with Ubuntu then you would really appreciate Ubuntu’s simplicity.
AshPringle on Tue, 6th Jan 2009 4:57 pm
@Norway and Vincent: Thanks! I figure if I can’t communicate technical know-how, I can at least entertain
My video is actually on-board Intel. Not exactly the best in the world, but other people seem to be able to get desktop effects working with it, sometimes, maybe
Thanks for the advice!
I hope the developers continue to work hard to get more drivers working. It must be a pain lobbying 3rd party companies to get them to support Linux!
My next post should be up tomorrow, because I’ve been having some non-Linux-related technical issues with my computer today.
Thanks again for all the comments!
AndrejaKo on Tue, 6th Jan 2009 5:46 pm
This post is great! I really like your stile of writing! I’m really glad to see that you are not discouraged by initial problems you have! Most people new to GNU/Linux run away screaming as soon as they see that there is something that isn’t running smoothly. I also like the way you showed how a “normal” user sees Ubuntu installation!
wolfen69 on Wed, 7th Jan 2009 2:04 am
@ashpringle: if you consider how many years you’ve been using windows or mac, just think how far you could get in a month with linux. your problems are actually pretty easy to fix. once you know how. people aren’t born with knowledge of how to properly use an OS, it is something that is learned.
good read, be patient and open minded.
oliver on Wed, 7th Jan 2009 5:22 pm
Yup, Intel onboard graphic should allow Desktop Effects (in fact it worked out of the box on EeePc and a Toshiba laptop, with Intrepid). Weird that it doesn’t work for you, but anyway the forum people will certainly be able to help you.
Good luck, and thanks for the ever-awesome writing
– I really enjoy reading your posts!
The New Year Linux Resolution: Day 5 | zMogo Tech Stuff on Wed, 7th Jan 2009 5:35 pm
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AshPringle on Wed, 7th Jan 2009 5:52 pm
@ Andrejako: Thanks! I’m pretty stubborn, so I’m going to stick with it
@oliver: I’m also not sure why the Intel thing isn’t working. I’m sure it will get worked out though!
My fifth day is up if you want to check it out everyone!
Thanks again!
http://www.zmogo.com/gear/the-new-year-linux-resolution-day-5/
The New Year Linux Resolution: Day 3 | zMogo Tech Stuff on Wed, 7th Jan 2009 5:57 pm
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