Ubuntu For Free

With the release of Hardy Heron’s Alpha1 ISO, I thought it wise to check the release schedule as I’m trying to get a friend switched, and he’s got the Feisty disk. I did get the Kubuntu Hardy disk burned for him.

Having two computers, I’m ready to begin testing Hardy on one of them… I think… I may try it in a virtual machine. That would prompt me to setup VMWare again so that I can test it out in a virtual machine.

 One of the things I’m looking forward to is the inclusion of KDE4. KDE’s my preferred desktop environment and I really only started using it with 3.5, so I’ve got high hopes.

I also hope that there’s some big advances on Dolphin. Since it’s included as the default file manager, I’m finding myself using it from time to time. It occasionally errors out and closes/disappears and I find that irritating, but I’ve found it’s interface quick and responsive. The shortcut keys for view changing save me from doing the hunt-click-hold target on the toolbar.

Also excitement-worthy is the new mega Debian Merge. I noticed that the Debian Merge is coming and bringing with it a list of new applications (that I still cannot find).  Perhaps it will put an end to having to compile transkode and some others.

With April 2008 less than 6 months away, the release of Hardy’s just around the corner. I plan to try testing out the Hardy Alpha1 LiveCD over the weekend, and will report back with my findings.

I’m going to highlight my top 10 Kubuntu apps that are not a part of the base install system. This post is more advanced, and some of the software listed may require compiling from source.

1. Miro - instant access to recorded video from internet sources such as Google Video, YouTube, etc. Formerly known as DemocracyTV player, this gets you relevant video news in an instant.
2. Transkode - transKode I use to convert my OGG and FLAC files to MP3 for use on my Rio Carbon. This might not be as essential for everyone else, but there’s definitely some divergence as far as the best convertor, and I really think transKode needs the recognition it deserves for expertly accomplishing such a task.
3. amarok - It’s better than kaffeine. It’s a little slow, but is completely feature packed. It’s able to get ID3 tag info from MusicBrainz, for example is a feature which I have really been enjoying.
4. kmymoney - If you need to keep up with your money on something other than your bank’s page, this is a great, free way to do it. It is an excellent open source alternative to the major commercial software, which has become more of a marketing vehicle for other products.
5. inkscape - a scalable vector graphics editor. Use this program to draw using vector graphics, Inkscape is much more than a bitmap editor. If you’re familiar with Macromedia/Adobe Fireworks, then you’ll have an easy transition into Inkscape. While the interface is not identical, much of the concepts are the same.
6. ksquirrel - a quicker replacement for the included GwenView. I find GwenView notoriously slow, so I choose ksquirrel instead.
7. BasKet note pads - Integrates into Kontact, and allows you to work with notepads. I consider this an awesome alternative to Microsoft’s OneNote application. It’s superior to kNotes or even Tomboy.
8. Tellico - If you’ve got a collection of anything, and want to track that collection’s information, this is the best software to use for documenting that collection.
9. Quanta+ is an impeccable Web Development suite. It features integrated real time previews, syntax highlighting for several different languages, project management, and templates.
10. AllTray is there for you when you want to iconize a piece of software. I’ll use it to remove clutter caused by the bittornado windows.
11. Moblock is this issue’s bonus. It’s just good layer of protection to keep your computer away from remote prying eyes.
12. XSane is great for the ability to perfectly scan. It seems to be an often overlook function during conversations, however if you have a need to scan from paper sources, this program does a bang up job.