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Tag Archives: 64 bit

Six reasons to switch from Ubuntu to Vista

2009/06/15 – 11:57 am

Although I have always been a Linux and Ubuntu evangelist, successfully converting several friends to the open source operating system, I’m here to tell you six reasons that have made me switching from Ubuntu to Windows Vista.

1. Battery and Heating

My notebook power saving behaviour is very different in Ubuntu and in Windows Vista. While the latter brings the computer to an average temperature (still quite high for a notebook) on Ubuntu the heating problem is unsustainable. This also influences the battery performance: on Windows the battery usually lasts between 2h 30m and 3h; on Linux has never reached 2h.

2. Wireless

On Ubuntu the wifi adapter, a AR928X by Atheros, works out of the box, but takes a few minutes to connect to the access point (I experienced this on several access points) and disconnects from time to time. On Windows the connection setup is fast and the line is stable. That is exactly what you should expect when using a notebook.

3. 64 bit

My notebook has 64 bit processor. Installing 64 bit Linux could improve the computer performances and let you use the full RAM quantity. But some 32 bit software for Linux are not compatible or require some extra work to run, like Skype, and have a few stability problem. On 64 bit Windows Vista I still have to find a 32 bit app that could not run out of the box.

4. Flash Player

Adobe Flash Player has made giant steps in the last few years, and the recent development of a 64 bit Linux release is showing that Adobe cares about Linux users. However Flash Player for Linxu has some issues, like the web upload: it is quite common for websites to let users upload their content using a flash uploader, that allows multiple files upload. This method on Linux will make your browser freeze until the upload is completed. Do you want to upload 300MB video on Vimeo? Stop browsing for a couple of hours.

5. Performance & Precedence

The great majority apps are for Windows only, but I’m not complaining about that. I’m complaining about many of the multi-platform software (like Firefox, OpenOffice and so on) are sensible faster on Windows than on Linux. Other softwares, altough we have to appreciate the efforts of making a Linux version, give an obvious precedence to Windows. Did anyone say Chrome?

6. Desktop search

Tracker is well integrated into Gnome, but cannot index my Thunderbird messages. Google Desktop could index my Thunderbird messages, but it is not integrated into the GUI. Windows Search does the full job

Conclusion

Don’t misunderstand me, please. There are several things I will miss after this switch and I will continue to use Linux and Ubuntu. Just it will not be my primary system anymore.

Tags 32 bit, 64 bit, adobe flash player, chrome, firefox, flash player, notebook, open source operating system, performance, skype, switch, ubuntu, Vista, windows | Permalink | Comments (16)

Perfect Skype setup on Dell Studio XPS with Ubuntu Jaunty

2009/05/24 – 10:25 am

Getting Skype working on my brand new Dell Studio XPS 1340 notebook under Ubuntu Jaunty was quite easy except for some minor but still annoying issues. Here you can find some quick suggestion.

Installing

On this kind of notebook, I would suggest you to install the 64 bit version of Ubuntu Jaunty: it is faster and it can easily use all the RAM you have installed (4GB in my case). So, if you follow my suggestion and choose the 64nbit install, you’ll need some extra work to do to install Skype, since this software for Linux is only available in 32 bit flavour. The extra work consists in installing a few more packages to get a 32bit compatibility layer. Those packages are also needed for many other 32bit only software, like Google Earth. The fastest way to install the needed packages is by opening a console and typing:

sudo apt-get install -y util-linux ia32-libs lib32asound2

If you are reading this article from your Jaunty box, it will be even easier: just click here and follow the instructions on the screen.

At this point you should be ready to install the Skype package. You can download it from the Skype download page, or from this direct link, save it on the desktop and than double click on the file and install.

After install setup

Now the Skype is almost ready to work. Start it (you can find it in the Internet menu) and insert username and password. Are you ready to make your first call? No, you are not. In fact if you try you will get some audio error: Skype audio section is not configured correctly on this computer.

Right click on the Skype icon in the icon tray (on the top panel, if you are running Gnome). Now choose “Options“.

In the Options Window go to the “Sound Devices” section, and make sure you have this settings:

Sound In: HDA NVidia (hw:NVidia, 0)
Sound Out: pulse
Ringing: pulse

I also suggest you to not allow Skype to automatically adjust your mixer levels. This is mainly because Skype is easy to lower the volume on the mic (e.g. for a sudden strong noise) but it is not as easy when the volume needs to be a little higher.

To adjust the volume of your integrated mic, go to the volume applet in the icon tray, right click on it and choose “Open Volume Control“.

In the Volume Control window, go to the “Recording” tab, and press the “Preferences” button. Set the “Capture” on. This is necessary since the “Mic Mixer” in the Recording tab is actually the external mic you can plug in the front of the computer. The integrated mic is controlled by the “Capture” mixer level.

Now you can close all the extra windows you opened and return to Skype. You are ready to make your first Skype call from Ubuntu Jaunty on the Dell Studio XPS 13 notebook.

Tags 32 bit, 64 bit, compatibility layer, dell, jaunty, linux ia32, mixer, notebook, skype, studio xps 13, studio xps 1340, ubuntu, ubuntu 9.04 | Permalink | Comment (1)