Joe Chin

Linux Hell

I've just had the pleasure of installing Kubuntu Linux as the alternate OS on my desktop. It looks great, excellent hardware support, and seems to have all the software I want on the default installation. After using it continuously for a few days I notices a few things that really bothered me.

• Konqueror wasn't integrated into the OS.
  
  You would think the browser and window manager could launch a little faster. Like it as there the entire time. No when I want to go to my home folder I have to wait for a stupid bouncing ball before I get there. I've used Linux and other Unix OSs for a long time. It was not like this before. And really, I don't need all the bells and whistles it provides, I just want access to my files.
  


• KBluetooth
  
  Something is wrong with my bluetooth. It detects my dongle. It doesn't see any of my bluetooth toys (namely mobile phone and headset). I'm still monkeying around with it.
  


• KTorrent
  
  The two bittorrent clients I have installed are absolute leaches on the system. I've used azereus, bittornado and ktorrent. the results are all the same 25%+ CPU usage. At extremely modest sharing levels. My windows client runs quietly unless it gets a hyperactive torrent. Then the HDD whirs. But I'm still able to watch my shows. With this, no go.
  


• Video on Linux
  
  I remember a time when the requirements to run a linux workstation were less than for windows. Now the answer seems to be to get faster hardware. I don't seem to have this problem in bloated, 1 year installed XP on the same damn hardware. Even my G4 with half the MHz and a Mach kernel from God could play a video, download torrents, and have other programs running without a sneeze.
  

I'll figure it out eventually. I would like a snazzy interface thats friendly. But MS will just have to do. I seem less and less inclined to reboot into linux.

Really, I just want my Mac back :-(