Friday, 22 April 2011

Ubuntu Linux Netbook Edition, a Beginner's Experience (pt 3)

Oh well. My batting average seemed to be pretty poor so far, but undeterred, I tried to install my web browser of choice, Opera. I selected 'Software Centre' then searched for 'Opera'. 0 matching items. Alright, 'Get Software' - 'Internet' - 'Web Browsers' - search for 'Opera'. 0 matching items.


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Is Opera really that unpopular? It runs far more smoothly on my T23 than firefox does. Feeling a bit deflated, using firefox I went to Opera's website and downloaded the linux 'deb' file. The Ubuntu software centre recognised the file and took over, then stopped working. I tried to close it off after a while, and got a Windows style 'Not Responding' error. This is not the kind of stability issue I had expected from Linux.


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I decided to give it another go, and double clicked the 'deb' file in Firefox's downloads:

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It seems there was some sort of existential issue. I will confess I was finding life a bit meaningless at this stage. To recap:

  • Trying Ubuntu's 'Netbook Edition' involved using over a gigabyte of my bandwidth allowance 
  • The easy on the eye 'Netbook Edition' crashed as soon as I  logged in
  • Installing flash  wouldn't work 
  • Downloading Thinkpad specific trackpoint drivers was an frustrating and futile exercise
  • So was installing Opera

I've by no means given up on Linux, but it will be a good few years before I try it again. I am glad, glad glad I didn't let Ubuntu anywhere near my proper hard drive.

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