Every now and then I decide to give Linux a serious try as a complete desktop OS. Every time Linux get better but still I am always left in a feeling that it just is not able to deliver what I need.
First of the history of free software is a long one. Popularity of free distributed programs got big at the time of C64 and just got even bigger as well as put in better systems in the days of the Amiga.
But Linux went a step further and Open Source project became popular as well.
And it is quite fantastic to see today that one can have a fully operating system OS as well as apps running on pure free and open software.
However I do not feel that any Linux distro has what it takes yet to become a complete desktop replacements.
For it there are just too many things that goes wrong, problems with video codec’s, library files that doesn’t match and so on.
Worst off was that my Linux distro had the tendency to crash every now and then by no evident reason at all. I checked around in the net and found out that this is a problem that people don’t have a real solution for.
So while I totally believe in Open Source software, I think there is just a little bit more time before Linux can replace your desktop.
If you ever knew AmigaOS it had something of the best ideas both from Apple as well as DOS and UNIX and together it became quite a powerful OS at the time. Mac OS X is somewhat similar that it combines Unix with the easy of Mac OS classic – and therefore becomes a much better choice for desktop OS than both Windows as well as Linux.
But it will be interesting to keep an eye on the further development of Linux.
onsdag, januar 09, 2008
Macbook Pro with Mac OS X 10.5
One of my lost loves from my childhood is a C64. While not being my first computer it is the computer that made the difference.
At the moment I had the Macbook Pro in my hand I knew I was up to something just as big ;)
While being lost in a world of Windows for many years it is not until now I understand that Mac OS X is now my choice of HW/OS platform.
Yes it is true, I use bootcamp for a Windows install so I can play NWN2 and UT3 – but that’s also the only thing I need it for.
Why is Mac so good? I think you need to go back in time to the early beginning when Apple stole the idea of GUI from Xerox (which again stole it from someone??)
While PC users was lost in a land of command line, Mac users was early introduced to the simplicity of a far superior GUI based enviroment.
Today it is much less difference between the platforms but still Mac just have more years on the back and they have Steve Jobs, and you get a computer and a OS that just works off the pack – that has significant less treats – and that conforms to the computer needs for the amateur as well as a pro.
I was very skeptical about the codec hell for playing movie files but soon found out that with a few extras the codec system works better on OSX than on Windows! It plays everything I throw at it.
A few problematic things I want to say is: isync 3.0 doesn’t like my shitty N95 phone. The choice of media applications specialy music and video editing is not that big. If you don’t like itunes you are a bit lost – I did however find a decent replacement in Songbird. For video editing I can find the best app of course in Final Cut Pro but the price is also crazy and for options there are of course Adobe Premiere. Else than that there is not much. Imovie just doesn’t have what it takes… so I am still looking.
So yes there is a few things here and there but then there is just 100 times 100 of small nice things with this computer. In fact there are so many things and every day I discover something new and nice about it.
Too much things to talk about there.
Macbook Pro with Leopard - You just got to love it! – You just got to try it!
At the moment I had the Macbook Pro in my hand I knew I was up to something just as big ;)
While being lost in a world of Windows for many years it is not until now I understand that Mac OS X is now my choice of HW/OS platform.
Yes it is true, I use bootcamp for a Windows install so I can play NWN2 and UT3 – but that’s also the only thing I need it for.
Why is Mac so good? I think you need to go back in time to the early beginning when Apple stole the idea of GUI from Xerox (which again stole it from someone??)
While PC users was lost in a land of command line, Mac users was early introduced to the simplicity of a far superior GUI based enviroment.
Today it is much less difference between the platforms but still Mac just have more years on the back and they have Steve Jobs, and you get a computer and a OS that just works off the pack – that has significant less treats – and that conforms to the computer needs for the amateur as well as a pro.
I was very skeptical about the codec hell for playing movie files but soon found out that with a few extras the codec system works better on OSX than on Windows! It plays everything I throw at it.
A few problematic things I want to say is: isync 3.0 doesn’t like my shitty N95 phone. The choice of media applications specialy music and video editing is not that big. If you don’t like itunes you are a bit lost – I did however find a decent replacement in Songbird. For video editing I can find the best app of course in Final Cut Pro but the price is also crazy and for options there are of course Adobe Premiere. Else than that there is not much. Imovie just doesn’t have what it takes… so I am still looking.
So yes there is a few things here and there but then there is just 100 times 100 of small nice things with this computer. In fact there are so many things and every day I discover something new and nice about it.
Too much things to talk about there.
Macbook Pro with Leopard - You just got to love it! – You just got to try it!
Unreal Tournament 3 - Game
Since the original UT, even the original first person Unreal I have been a fan. But now it has been a while since I was up there in the multikill frag heaven and so it was a nice refreshment to play UT3.
While as I have said some times before the Unreal universe is not as unreal as I used to be, much because the engine is now a much more professional one. So while we get great gfx we loose in terms of unreality, but not too much though. In fact it seems that the makers have put a painful lot of details to make UT3 as great as ever and the same time bring the UT universe a bit further.
It works well. It plays excellent. It is a winner without any doubt.
While as I have said some times before the Unreal universe is not as unreal as I used to be, much because the engine is now a much more professional one. So while we get great gfx we loose in terms of unreality, but not too much though. In fact it seems that the makers have put a painful lot of details to make UT3 as great as ever and the same time bring the UT universe a bit further.
It works well. It plays excellent. It is a winner without any doubt.
Neverwinter Nights 2 – Mask of the betrayer expansion pack
Neverwinter nights 2 is among my favorite games, although not as good as KOTOR and Planescape Torment it is delivering some serious bad ass RPG fun to us gamers. I had been waiting for the expansion pack for quite a while.
The expansion gives us several ours of fun play with high level characters. Unfortunately they have tried to give the game some more spice by adding a hunger for spirits – eat a lot and be evil – suppress it and be good. While the idea of spicing up gameplay seems to be a good one it is not. In an RPG like this one of the key elements is exploration which does not conform much together with a time pressure.
Other than that I am pleased to say that I am quite pleased with this package – even though the story is not as immerse as the original NWN2.
The expansion gives us several ours of fun play with high level characters. Unfortunately they have tried to give the game some more spice by adding a hunger for spirits – eat a lot and be evil – suppress it and be good. While the idea of spicing up gameplay seems to be a good one it is not. In an RPG like this one of the key elements is exploration which does not conform much together with a time pressure.
Other than that I am pleased to say that I am quite pleased with this package – even though the story is not as immerse as the original NWN2.
Shit City – concert
I somehow ended up watching this band as well during Christmas. However I do not understand the hype about them. Totally not my kind of music.
But I still had a great time that night at Felix.
But I still had a great time that night at Felix.
Lomsk - concert
During Christmas time one of my friends tipped me about a Lomsk concert in Vågå.
When I was a lot younger in the days where Gausdal was the place to be (??) and we used to go to local parties with different local bands, Lomsk sometimes played on stage. At the time they only played cover tunes but already back then we could hear that Lomsk played better than the rest.
Later in 1999 I went to a Lomsk concert in Hamar. This time they played their own music; Folk Rock. While it requires quite a lot from the listener the music is really awsome and they get full pot on music reviews.
In other words Lomsk is a hidden Gem for the ones that haven´t heard them before.
So I went up to Vågå for a real treat, and I was not wrong. They played better than ever. And the trip was a success. I hope I will be able to see them again soon.
When I was a lot younger in the days where Gausdal was the place to be (??) and we used to go to local parties with different local bands, Lomsk sometimes played on stage. At the time they only played cover tunes but already back then we could hear that Lomsk played better than the rest.
Later in 1999 I went to a Lomsk concert in Hamar. This time they played their own music; Folk Rock. While it requires quite a lot from the listener the music is really awsome and they get full pot on music reviews.
In other words Lomsk is a hidden Gem for the ones that haven´t heard them before.
So I went up to Vågå for a real treat, and I was not wrong. They played better than ever. And the trip was a success. I hope I will be able to see them again soon.
Young Neils - concert
Back in 1994 I was in for a surprise. I was attending the Kalvøya Festival beacuse I wanted to see Pearl Jam live. However the main attaction this day was Neil Young. I had never really cared much about him at all but there where many people talking only about him.
At the end of the show Eddie Vedder said something bad about Neil Young. And then Neil entered the stage and delivered a show that later was reviewed as one of his 10 best shows – probably a bit overated but it is a general idea of how good it was.
(Later as you might now Pearl Jam and Neil Young worked together and also released the mediocore album Mirrorball)
Next year Neil came back and delivered a live show even better than the year before.
Nowadays the nearest you can come to this heaven of live music in norway is young Neils; a concept band that plays covers of Neil Young.
I saw them first in 1999 and I decided it was time for them again this christmas. In the beginning it sounded a bit flat and I was worried I had made a mistake, but soon they build up the sound and the songs got better and better – just to end up in a superb version of Hurricane. I just wish they would play more of the songs with the same freshness as the last one.
And of course they play in 3 hours till end so its all worth the money, just for the fun the music, the thrill and everything else!!
At the end of the show Eddie Vedder said something bad about Neil Young. And then Neil entered the stage and delivered a show that later was reviewed as one of his 10 best shows – probably a bit overated but it is a general idea of how good it was.
(Later as you might now Pearl Jam and Neil Young worked together and also released the mediocore album Mirrorball)
Next year Neil came back and delivered a live show even better than the year before.
Nowadays the nearest you can come to this heaven of live music in norway is young Neils; a concept band that plays covers of Neil Young.
I saw them first in 1999 and I decided it was time for them again this christmas. In the beginning it sounded a bit flat and I was worried I had made a mistake, but soon they build up the sound and the songs got better and better – just to end up in a superb version of Hurricane. I just wish they would play more of the songs with the same freshness as the last one.
And of course they play in 3 hours till end so its all worth the money, just for the fun the music, the thrill and everything else!!
onsdag, januar 02, 2008
Yoyoyo Acapulco to the NRK URØRT (untouched) final
Some great news is to tell you that Yoyoyo Acapulco has made it to the final in NRKs contest of untouched bands. We are of course talking about the excellent music video for F-word.
You can visit the link
http://www11.nrk.no/urort/finale/default.aspx
And vote for yourself
You can visit the link
http://www11.nrk.no/urort/finale/default.aspx
And vote for yourself
Dum Dum Boys – Concert
This year something sad happened. Karlsen left DumDum Boys and this was after this year’s mini tour was announced. Earlier it was also rumours that they this mini-tour was done as a part as a promotion stunt for a new album.
As you all understand this did not happen and suddenly Dum Dum Boys instead lost one of their members. No more information has been released to the public so we can only guess why such things happens.
So how do the band sound now? I would have guessed more rocked up to compensate for the lack of keyboard/synth. But I was wrong in fact there is like something subtle is missing from the songs.
Still it rocks! And I enjoy the concert pretty much. The guys are getting pretty old but still manage to hit the beat like there is no tomorrow. What I did miss though was that they played to many songs from the last album and this mean they had to squeeze out some of the other classic. Thats just BAD... even though I understand why...
I hope to see them again in 2008
;)
As you all understand this did not happen and suddenly Dum Dum Boys instead lost one of their members. No more information has been released to the public so we can only guess why such things happens.
So how do the band sound now? I would have guessed more rocked up to compensate for the lack of keyboard/synth. But I was wrong in fact there is like something subtle is missing from the songs.
Still it rocks! And I enjoy the concert pretty much. The guys are getting pretty old but still manage to hit the beat like there is no tomorrow. What I did miss though was that they played to many songs from the last album and this mean they had to squeeze out some of the other classic. Thats just BAD... even though I understand why...
I hope to see them again in 2008
;)
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