Traygon

I had a fantastic run with Ubuntu 9.10 on my Fujitsu Siemens Esprimo v5535 laptop, I think it lasted around about 8 months, which is fantastic considering I was re-installing operating systems on this machine nearly weekly. The problems started to occur though, not all down to Ubuntu itself, but mainly for the lack of support for the model I purchased just over a year ago.

Graphics

So the SiS Mirage 3+ IGP works to an extent, I have full 2D support and can have my display extended to the native 1280×800. I’m a happy bunny, but you always want your hardware to perform as well as it can. Having fully enabled Aero on Windows 7 and not being able to even enable moderate effects in Ubuntu is just wrong, of course this is the fault of SiS and their pathetic contract with Microsoft. Did I mention that they have actually made a 3D graphics driver for Linux? Will they release the source code? No. Pointless? Absolutely.

Networking

Wireless works out-the-box, along with the ethernet port. Things go fine until you wish to switch between the ethernet cable and your wireless a few times, or maybe change wired networks to perform multiple tasks. After around 10-20 changes, the ethernet stops working altogether, it can’t establish a connection at all. I have tried reseting the network, tried different cables and networks but it just doesn’t want to play along. Therefore a complete system restart is required, waste of both time and energy.

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All this talk of one set of fan boys arguing against another since the beginning of time is just starting to get irritating, especially when both sides are completely wrong. Is Microsoft better? No. Is Apple superior? No. Let me explain the day I have had with trouble from both sides, pathetic problems that shouldn’t even be present.

Windows 7

Okay, so this Operating System is okay, apart from the fact that I received four BSOD’s (Blue Screen of Death) yesturday and today it seems to want to keep bugging me to restart my machine and install updates, which of course… fail. When I do have a chance to actually do something on the machine I get notifications of files being ready to burn to a disc. I haven’t copied any files to be burned to a blank CD and when I go the built-in burning feature (which is crap in itself), it’s blank!

Windows Media Player

I don’t know who oversees the development over at MHQ, but this person must have been either stoned or pissed out their face when he or she approved and released this bad boy into the world. Not only has it got a ridiculous interface, terrible track sorting and not being able to have your songs in a nice tight list is just beyond belief. Importing music? No problem… wait! Where is the import feature? Oh so I need to go and select a destination for music to be automatically updated? Sounds good to me! I’ll leave it there for 5 minutes to update the library.

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I like it a lot, it is definately what Vista should have been but at least we are slowly getting there. Even though Microsoft are still money making vampires and throw out crap ‘fake party’ launch adverts, we all still love them!

I previously had the evaluation copy for a good 4 months and was impressed, although I did allow the machine to slowly fail with fragmentation, screwed registry entries and viruses. This time round I am doing things properly, enough fooling around.

Since I am going to get a nice £100 graphics card, my onboard graphics will have to make do. Don’t underestimate the power of the XFX 8200 motherboard. This baby plays RuneScape on full with x4 Anti-Aliasing, Oblivion on medium and Fallout very nicely.

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Over the last week I have been really trying to decide on which choice I should go for. Windows 7 would be the overall best option due to familiarity and compatibility, Linux would be the cheapest but most eventful and Mac would be the mos expensive but probably a better overall experience. Due to the recent bad PR for Windows 7 on those ridiculous adverts, Ubuntu releasing a beta for 9.10 and Mac just being… well, Mac, I am really struggling to come to a decision.

Having already tried Linux and have used Windows for years I feel using OS X would give me the best of all three worlds and I could then say I have a broader look on the operating system triangle. Only problem is, are they worth the price tag? I shall doa little more research, read a few more reviews and ask around to get opinions on the White Macbook to come to a decision on a potential Christmas purchase.

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Many Firefox users agree that the default design of the browser is both bland and boring, same goes for Thunderbird. Through constant testing and downloads of a few good sites listing themes for both software, I came across a website home to a theme extension for both Mozilla products, Silvermel.

The design itself is relatively simple, but effective. Colours are used well and the steel look reminds me of Mac OSX, which is never a bad thing right? With a nice looking design, it doesn’t end there, I shall go into more depth below between both products.

Mozilla Firefox

The theme on Firefox is more than welcome in my browsing experience, it is required. Sitting nicely with my gorgeous WOT addon, Silvermel looks very nice compared to other themes available, and there are a few nice tweaks I feel need mentioning.

Firstly, the Downloads window for when downloading files, launching them and clearing the list has been updated to fit in with the design. It looks much better, with the current downloads filling the length of the window with previous files being listed below.

Another great thing is the notification pop-up (that ‘thingy-me-jiggy’ that pops up when you have downloaded something etc.) has been styled to fit in with the theme. The author has really gone to great lengths to make sure this design just works all round and looks amazing.

Mozilla Thunderbird

The same theme is available for your Thunderbird installation too! So you don’t have to miss out on anything. Once again, the design is very good, which is brilliant as there aren’t many themes out for Thunderbird yet.

The above image shows the main window showing my mail, as you can see, it is very easy on the eye with a fluent design. The icons are of great quality, which can easily match the level of Windows 7.

I recommend you try both themes out if you haven’t already and see what you think. This is what the default look should be for both products, modern, simple and effective.

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Boy-oh-boy!

I have just updated the theme to suit the game I’m playing at the moment and i will start posting regularly! A lot of things have happened through June, here is a quick breakdown on what this post with cover:

• My birthday has passed (14th June).
• I have returned to Forum Promotion, as a reviewer.
• Creating a new theme for my blog.
• Got my laptop finally working fully on Linux.
• iPhone OS 3.0.

My 19th Birthday

A year older? Certainly doesn’t feel that way! Can’t believe a year has gone by, so much has happened in this year that it is almost hard to explain in one section. Having moved to Essex, “the lovely sunny county of chavs“, back in April 2008 I was in the process on joining the British Army as a future Combat Engineer (C3). While doing nothing, having no job, no friends down south (all back up in Lincolnshire), no school and no real sense of direction I plowed on with online gaming and sorting some websites out.

With meeting some great lads at the Army pre-ADSC and main 2 day ADSC selection days, I finally found out something when lying on a hospital bed in Hampshire: “The Army isn’t for me.”. Switching to a completely different line of work, SEO. I am currently an apprentice at a London based consultancy, Ayima Search Marketing, I absolutely love it. This has pretty much taken me up to June this year, other than the whole army and new line of work, it has been relatively quiet with mainly the Internet and forums taking up my time.

Returning to Forum Promotion

Forum Promotion, once my home on the Internet as a moderator and then head of the community team, is my hub once again. I have applied for the place on the review team and have been accepted.

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