Google OS

Today in the news, Google has verified that it has been working on a Google OS, based on Ubuntu. Ubuntu being the beloved cousin of my favorite Linux flavor Kubuntu.

I really couldn't be more thrilled about this. My sincere hope is that the following happens:

1. Google releases their Linux based Google OS and sells them vigorously through the standard retailers.
2. Hardware manufacturers begin to release open-source Linux drivers.
3. Game develpers begin to release Linux ports of popular games leading to:
4. I can finally delete my last ntfs partition and end my dysfunctional relationship with Microsoft.

Who knows if it will go exactly this way. I tend to think it will. Whether Google decides to get into the OS for sale business, or just gives it away, I think that days when the technical press can say that Linux isn't ready for the desktop with a straight face are numbered. Thank god.

-K

Frozen, dead pilgrims.

Frozen, dead pilgrims.
Originally uploaded by kjel_anderson.

I took this picture last week. It reminded me of my hard drive. R.I.P.

Live Via CD

I was going to make my next post regarding my choice to switch to
Linux on the Desktop full time. This post is actually on topic, but it
is a little different than I planned. Yesterday I decided to finally
remove the unused ntfs partition from my hard drive and to reinstall
Kubuntu Linux on the entire drive. I had stopped using Windows
altogether due to stability problems I was having. As it turns out,
the ntfs partition just happened to be sitting on a section of my hard
disk that was starting to fail. After about twelve hours of screwing
around with the system, I finally downloaded the drive verification
tool from the drive manufacturer. To make a long story short, by drive
is shot, but under warranty, and I now have three weeks of using a
laptop with no hard disk.

I took me a while to realize that there is a Kubuntu Live cd, which
would allow me to run my machine sans primary disk. In fact, that is
how I am writing this now. I had planned to write about all the
reasons that Linux was a good choice on the desktop. I think this
situation makes the case for me. In the past, when my Windows machine
stopped working, what choice did I have? Frequently I would have to
reinstall the operating system immediately so I could get back to
work. Thanks to whoever those really great guys were who put together
this live cd, things aren't so bad.

-K

First post.

Why a blog? I want to have a chance to write about the technical work I am doing, bitch about politics, propose novel political theories, talk about computers, Science, Science Fiction, Books, music and whatever else is eating up my intellectual bandwidth.

Being a programmer, much of my work is hidden. Due to the current climate regarding intellectual property, I am not allowed to even look at my past work when I leave one job for another. Often, I find that I am re-writing code that I wrote at my last job. What does it all mean? Would it be better if everything was open source? It is an essentially wasteful process. Is there a solution to problems like these?

Will anyone be interested to read this? I guess that we will see.

-K