BunsenLabs Carries on the Magic of Crunchbang!

This weekend I finally got around to updating the Linux on my small laptop to newer linux mainly because the Crunchbang Linux currently on the laptop was slowing down which was all due to my use and abouse over the past few years. Add to this I had issues updating Crunchbang because of issues with AMD’s Catalyst driver as one day they may get around to making this an easier process but I’d not hold my breath.

So I decided to bite the bullet and load up the next incarnation of Crunchbang Linux which is BunsenLabs Linux based on newer Debain called Jessie and still uses a slightly modified Openbox desktop.

Other than a number of issues which were easily corrected by little research and replacing number of packages used, the whole process was painless as I previously found when I loaded Crunchbang on the same laptop. I have ended up with a laptop which once again which is very usable and flexible for a low specification laptop even to a point of getting even more out of the hardware than Crunchbang Linux did.

The only major issues I had were usual issues you even get with Windows and hardware with allowing hardware going into sleep mode which always causes the laptop to lock totally or lose it’s network connections with only option to unlock the laptop is to switch it off. I also had issue with the screen saver going into a lock screen which also caused major issues and it had to be replaced with previous screen saver package used by Crunchbang Linux.

Once this issues were fixed and using Debain’s native AMD graphic card drivers rather than using AMD drivers themselves, I am initially finding my whole experience with BunsenLabs Linux has been a very good experience indeed. This is at a great contrast when I used the actual Debain 8 which turned out to be a big disappointment with major desktop and performance issues to a point I had to stop using it.

I would recommend that both current Crunchbang uses and the more savoy computer users who are looking for their first Linux that they go towards BunsenLabs Linux even in it’s current first release form as it is very usable, customisable and certainly gets the best out of the computer hardware.

Please Note: If you are interested in a more personal scrapbook of mine just follow the link to Patterns in the Static!.

Please Note: If you are interested in my home page just follow the link to Experiment No. 3.

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Me a New Guru?

I have never seen myself as a Guru or even someone anyone even listen to what I say or even take it seriously. Why do I say this?

Well I was talking to a Polish customer at work whose old laptop was running slow but still fully functioning and I suggested be replace the Windows on this laptop with Linux Mint using xfce desktop. All so he could save money and get more life out of this old equipment as anyone who uses Linux knows.

The customer did what I suggested and loaded Linux Mint with xfce desktop and after the usual learning curve and minor issues when starting use Linux in anger. He also asked me few questions at the start but seamed to get on with the change over to Linix from Windows.

I saw the said customer recently and they told me they loved Linux and wondered why they had not done the change a long time ago. It sort of says it all that if someone is brave enough to change from Windows to Linux especially now will find their whole experience with computers in general will become fun again and not a chore as Windows seams to make it.

As said me as a new guru seams a new experience for me but those of us who use Linux keep pointing out that Linux is easy to use and lot less hassle than Windows and one person listens and takes the plunge. The people in question will tell others and spread the word of Linux slowly but surely.

Please Note: If you are interested in a more personal scrapbook of mine just follow the link to Patterns in the Static!.

Please Note: If you are interested in my home page just follow the link to Experiment No. 3.

The X Windows System Strikes Again!

There I was yesterday praising Debian with lxde desktop which turned out to be very premature as once again the underlying X Window System used by the lxde desktop stuck again after an update!

The upshot of which I once again ended up with a Linux whose desktop was damaged beyond repair or very difficult to repair t a point it was easier to restart again. This is not the first time I have encountered this issue in so much it has been one of the constant problems I have had to cope with when using Debian with the X Window System both with AMD and Nvidia graphic card drivers.

It mean I had to go back to an Ubuntu Linux distribution which is far from ideal at my end but it seams that Ubuntu have seam to fixed the constant issues with the X Window System and graphic drivers which still exists with Debian including the current releases.

I think I am not only one who has been plagued by this issue and my biggest question I have to ask both Debian and the X Window System is knowing there is an issue why have you not fixed it yet?

Considering the fact that Ubuntu have seam to fixed the issue in so much you can update an Ubuntu Linux distribution using the X Window System without ending up with a computer which fails to boot up after the update.

As you gather I am very disappointed with Debian who from the little research I did seam to expect the user to fix the said issues rather than fix the issues as Ubuntu did!

Please Note: If you are interested in a more personal scrapbook of mine just follow the link to Patterns in the Static!.

Please Note: If you are interested in my home page just follow the link to Experiment No. 3.

Please Note: If you are interested in my small social network just follow the link to On the Other Side!.

Ubuntu Loses to Debian Again!

As the current Linux distribution, Crunchbang, I am using has come to the end of it’s life I have had to change my Linux to a distribution which has a longer life time. So started the search for a new distribution which included a light desktop and a stable Linux behind it which as always runs the Second Life Viewers with little and no issues.

Once again I had to go through a number of Linux distributions which were based on either Ubuntu or Debian as they were most likely to do what I needed them to do. This time much to my surprised I ended up with Debian 8 with a LXDE desktop and not some obscure Linux distribution as the Debian/LXDE combination turned out to be a fast and stable Linux on my hardware.

But one thing which came out again as last time the Linux distributions based on Ubuntu failed to be up to scratch as they certainly were easy to set up and use but it failed to run any Second Life Viewers correctly either not displaying some special characters or even playing music in world.

I should of not been surprised in the end as Ubuntu may tell everyone it is the major Linux distribution even to a point it now associates itself with the likes of Microsoft and Dell but, and it is a big but, it is far from the best Linux distribution out there. If anything it is one of the most bloated and least stable Linux distribution out there.

Add to this regardless of some bad press Debian is still one of the better and more stable Linux distributions out there and those of us who regularly use Linux have already found this fact out over the past few years.

Plus for those people who want to run the major Second Life Viewers on Linux the only Linux distributions which they run consistently with least trouble are those Linux distributions based up on Debian. Also helps that it seams the people developing the Second Life Viewers use Debian based Linux distributions.

Once again Ubuntu lost out to Debian my end!

Please Note: If you are interested in a more personal scrapbook of mine just follow the link to Patterns in the Static!.

Please Note: If you are interested in my home page just follow the link to Experiment No. 3.

Please Note: If you are interested in my small social network just follow the link to On the Other Side!.

When Are They Going Stop Believing!

Once again when talking to someone at work about Linux I got the same old story from the person in question that he thought or had been told that installing Linux on computer was difficult!

Now with some Linux distributions that is true but to be fair the distributions in question are designed for the more capable computer users but now there are a growing number of Linux distributions especially Ubuntu and Debian based Linux which are now as easy to install onto a computer as Windows if anything easier.

What had become very clear to me they were ignorant about Linux in general not helped by a fact the media here in the United Kingdom still avoids or fails to inform people they have real alternatives to Windows and Apple. All not helped by young people who are very happy to follow rather than think for themselves even here in the United Kingdom.

So when are they going to stop believing the lies spread by some about Linux?

Well it looks like I have to lead by example and continue to show by using Linux that it is a viable alternative to the mainstream operating system and software. On top of which keep being vocal and keep banging the drum for Linux and Open Source in the hope it opens the eyes and fires the curiosity of those who eyes have been closed by the modern world around them!

Please Note: If you are interested in a more personal scrapbook of mine just follow the link to Patterns in the Static!.

Please Note: If you are interested in my home page just follow the link to Experiment No. 3.

Please Note: If you are interested in my small social network just follow the link to On the Other Side!.

Mint was a Disappointment!

In the end contrary to what I have said before Linux Mint turned out to be a big disappointment especially on older hardware and the newer versions as after a month or so usage it managed to pick up a glitch which disabled the wireless card. This is contrast to a Debian Linux I use on other old hardware which has been working over a year without one major glitch or driver issues.

I should of expected that I would have problems with Linux Mint as it is an Ubuntu based Linux and I have had little success using any Ubuntu based Linux on any computer as it always ends up failing due to some glitch or driver failure after a few months which has resulted in myself replacing the Ubuntu with another distribution Linux.

In the end I have done the one thing I should of done in the first place which was to load on a Debian based Linux, in this case Crunchbang, and modified to desktop so it was easily used by someone who is coming from a Windows xp. This turned out to be easier than I expected and the resulting desktop and operating system will be far more stable and maintenance free.

Basically Ubuntu based Linux’s have always been a disappointment my end and I have had no end of problems with stability and speed on older hardware. I should of expected this with Linux Mint but I had a faint hope it was free of such problems which turned out to be wrong in the end.

So now I recommend that anyone thinking of using Linux on older hardware avoid using any Ubuntu based Linux’s and try other Linux distributions especially those using Debian and light desktops for example Openbox but not likes of Gnome 2 or 3.

Please Note: If you are interested in a more personal scrapbook of mine just follow the link to Patterns in the Static!.

Please Note: If you are interested in my small social network just follow the link to On the Other Side!.

Ubuntu and Steam Missed the Boat!

Two years when Microsoft released Windows 8 to a very sceptical even hostile current Window users who frankly did not like the new look to Windows and still do not which damaged hardware sales and helped the rise of the tablet in the computer market.

Microsoft was most definitely on the ropes a year ago it’s very future as a serious software and operating system creators under question and both Ubuntu and Steam stepped up the mark in an attempt to usurp Microsoft’s position in the domestic computer market.

But two years later Ubuntu is still a minor player in the domestic computer market and Steam are still developing their Linus based operating system which was supposed to break into the Windows Gaming market.

Basically both are still in the same position minor players and Microsoft has kept it strangle hold on the domestic computer market backed by the retailers and hardware manufactures. Plus Microsoft is starting to regain some of it’s lost share of the market and actually reversing some of the disastrous modification in Windows 9.

Both Ubuntu and Steam have missed the boat and blown their chances of usurping Microsoft because they could not act fast or decisively enough when Microsoft was down and out. In the end they have made themselves insignificant because of their lack of action and dragging their feet when they needed to be bold and more decisive!

Please Note: If you are interested in a more personal scrapbook of mine just follow the link to Patterns in the Static!.

Please Note: If you are interested in my small social network just follow the link to On the Other Side!.

Mint is a Good Direction to Go

As Windows xp users are slowly thinking about changing computers or those who have old hardware which frankly is very serviceable and only made useless by the Windows inefficiency of use of hardware should consider an alternative to Windows 8 and Apple.

One alternative which should be considered which will both give the Windows xp users an interface which they are familiar with and not have to abandon their old hardware which on the whole is still very serviceable and far from the end of its life is to replace the Windows xp on the computer with Linux Mint with xfce desktop.

This also has the added advantage in these times where money is short it will save the Windows xp user money as they will not have to buy new hardware and pay over the odds for an operating system which frankly not liked by the majority of users.

Why do I say this?

Because I have already done this for a friend who was given an old laptop running Windows xp which would have to be thrown away because frankly when it was running Windows it life span as a viable computer had come to end not because of the hardware but software.

But I installed Linux Mint with xfce desktop on the said laptop which breathed life back to the hardware and produced a laptop which was usable because it ran fast enough to be used again.

The friend in question now uses the laptop more than his Windows desktop simply because it is more stable and usable than his Windows computer with little or no problems simply because the xfce desktop is so similar to the Windows xp desktop with few minor differences.

Would I recommend that all Windows xp users do this?

The answer is yes especially if the user is just someone who uses their computer for browsing the internet, basic word processing and collecting their email as it will mean it will save them money and they will not have to go through the trauma and headache of learning the new Windows 8 desktop which frankly is very messy and user unfriendly!

Oh, the one other big advantage is the days of the constant battle with viruses and malware users are having with Window computers while surfing the internet will be greatly reduced even eliminated when the users go to Linux Mint. Basically the Windows xp user can surf the internet for a first time in a long while safely.

A good place to start is at the Linux Mint site and follow the download link and download the xfce desktop version of Linux Mint: Linux Mint

Please Note: If you are interested in a more personal scrapbook of mine just follow the link to Patterns in the Static!.

Please Note: If you are interested in my home page just follow the link to Experiment No. 3.

Please Note: If you are interested in my small social network just follow the link to On the Other Side!.

Linux is Still Making Computing Fun!

With all the user disqualification and disappointment with Microsoft Windows 8 it seams I must be one of few users who still finds messing around with computers both fun and challenging outside of Apple users.

My secret being that I use Linux on my computers along with a growing number of users who are discovering same as me that Linux brings back something long been missing in computing which is fun and innovation.

At the same time as those users who still believe the lies that Microsoft is the standard and only operating system on computers myself and others who are prepared to break this mould and experiment with Linux and it’s derivatives have found we end up with a better experience with our computers in general.

We are free from the constant problems associated with Microsoft Windows which include constant maintenance, virus attacks and updates which both fix problems and cause more problems which has allowed us to actually move on from fighting the software to actually do things new with their computers.

It has allowed me to do things with my computer which I could of only dreamed of on a Windows Computer and allowed me to use my computer as a creative tool without the worry of an operating system constantly causing me problems.

As I have said before Linux brings fun back to computing!


Please Note: If you are interested in a more personal journal of mine just follow the link to Acta Spiritu Amisso.

Linux: A Wonderful Tool to the Mind Active!

One thing I am finding using Linux is that is wonderful tool to keep my mind active as every month of so I learn something new which even at my age is something which I still enjoy. This is something I would of never got if I either used an Apple or Windows computers.

A recent example being a recent update of Crunchbang which messed up the display driver on both my desktop and laptop I had to figure out how to fix it which with a spark of inspiration I fixed it hence I once again learned something new.

Linux may be a remarkably stable operating system from my personal experience it is also good operating system to learn the ins and outs of operating systems and software in general something much needed by people who want to work or still work in the computer industry in general. Once again something both Apple and Windows Computers fail to do as their operating systems and software tend to be closed and difficult to learn from because of their basic nature.

One final thing for someone my age or general enthusiast it keeps minds active staving off the lethargy caused by inactive mind. As I said before it brings back the fun in computing and allows people to explore computers and software at a lower level.


Please Note: If you are interested in a more personal journal of mine just follow the link to Acta Spiritu Amisso.

New Dark Desktop!

It has been one of those weekends so far when I have been a bit restless so I have been messing around with the desktop on my main desktop again.

As the desktop goes across two screen which sadly a different size and one had the same desktop as my laptop which really did not sit well with the other desktop as it was too light I went back to deviant art web site and found a more fitting desktop.

I like the resulting desktop is shown below:

Please Note: If you are interested in a more personal journal of mine just follow the link to Acta Spiritu Amisso.

Living With Linux and Without Windows!

All I can say since I ditched Microsoft Windows off my computers and replaced it with Linux on all my computers at home I have not looked back. I know I have said this before but it is worth repeating so those people out of there who are still scared but want to change gets the message.

Basically since I changed at home to using exclusively using Linux, in my case Crunchbang Linux, on my computers I have done more with my computers than I ever did when I used Microsoft’s Windows and found it even easier to do so than under Windows.

In the last year on my Linux Computers I have created my homepage, hosted the web site and blog on one Linux Computer, potentially dj both onto the internet and Second Life and finally just use computers as I would of done under windows. All this frankly would have been far more difficult and if anything impossible using Windows as I did try and give up in the past.

I would also like to emphasise here the last point I can use my Linux Computers exactly the same as my previous Windows Computers that is to serf the internet, write using a word processor, get emails even read documents without the usual constant maintenance you get when using a Windows Program.

What I am saying both for range of users from the light user to a demanding user like myself Linux should be first choice because of it’s stability and now sheer usability now even for those users who are not experienced users.

Linux certainly comes into it’s own for users like myself as it has allowed me to experiment and learn more about computers, and software something which Windows never allowed me to do easily. Over the past year I have done more and been more creative on my computer than I was ever on my Windows computer!

Back to Crunchbang Due to Circumstances!

All because of the various problems of the new Singularity Second Life Viewer which caused a lot of problems on my main Linux Desktop I needlessly changed it’s Operating System to Linux Mint and now back to Crunchbang Linux 11 all to find it was the viewer itself causing the problems as other Second Life Viewers worked just fine on Linux in general.

Now once again both my laptop and one remaining desktop are now running Crunchbang Linux 11 once again something I am happy about as of all the Linux’s I have used have been the best and most stable when used in anger.

Though as always the best way to look at my recent problems is that it is a good learning curve as each time I reset up my Linux Desktop I gain more experience of setting up a Linux Computer especially to get one to run a Second Life Viewer.

Regardless of my recent problems I suspect I am about to cause few more by hosting my personal web site on my Linux Desktop as my site hits are always low but once again I am hopeful as I suspect that the setting up of Apache and associated packages will be a lot easier on Crunchbang Linux than Linux Mint.

I am now rather looking forward to it especially when for once I will have far more control over the hosting of my web site. So wish me luck over the next few weeks.

Linux: Keeps Getting Better!

Around a few months ago I had to change the Linux’s on both my two working computers because of various issues including usual problem with the Second Life Viewer failing to run on the main computer which is the major reason why my main desktop is kept running.

So I had to reinstall the Linux on both the desktop and laptop choosing Crunchbang 11 for the laptop and Mint Linux with xfce desktop for the desktop which both installed easily and both certainly ended up doing the jobs they were intended to do.

But what has come out from this exercise is that is has highlighted both that Linux is very sensitive to the hardware it works on and it seams to take time to settle as an operating system on the hardware itself.

It was more apparent on the Crunchbang 11 which when first put on the laptop just after it’s release was not exactly the fasted Linux in the world if anything it was performance wise a very disappointing indeed. But now a few months on the said same Linux, after a few updates, has turned out to be a remarkably stable Linux whose performance now is impressive on the less than powerful hardware of the laptop.

Strangely a similar thing has happened with Mint Linux Computer though not as dramatic but as the Linux embeds itself on to a machine it gets more stable and faster. Though I should not be surprised by this as Linux is based upon Unix which needs to be tweaked initially to get it working well on hardware which Linux seams to itself.

So from my experience if a Linux seams slow initially on a computer give it a week or so to settle on the hardware and if it has not speeded up or became stable it is the wrong Linux for the hardware. There are those doubters out there who will use such an argument against Linux but it is a necessity for such operating systems and always ends up with more stable and faster computer which is a pleasure to use.

Crunchbang Linux Lives On Here!

Well after the past few days with the problems with Crunchbang Linux on my one desktop I have decided to keep it on my laptop as it still functions well on my laptop with little of no problem. If anything it works even better on the network since Crunchbang Linux was removed from the desktop in question.

What it has highlighted about Linux in general it is far more sensitive to the hardware it is run on more than both Apple o/s and Microsoft Windows a price it has to pay for a performance improvement on the hardware. I suspect this dates back to Linux roots in Unix an operating system which needs to be tweaked first to get the best performance on the hardware it is run on.

This does make Linux a double edged sword for those who first encounter Linux as they have to try a number of Linux’s on the hardware before finding one which runs well on their hardware. There are those Linux’s out there which are generalists like Windows but like Windows suffer from performance issues.

Personally I think the whole effort of finding an appropriate Linux for your hardware especially for new user is worth while as in the process it gives the new user a chance to learn more about Linux first hand and it is half the fun of using Linux something sadly missing from both Apple o/s and Microsoft Windows.