Today was not eventful in my Linux journey. I installed Java, not too much of an issue; but word to the wise, the current version which has a file name ending in -rpm.bin didn’t work and I had to go for the regular version entitled “self extractive”. I just used to ./filename.bin command and it installed right away.
I also had sound issues which were mostly unexplained in which I got system sounds (startup, shutdown, error, etc..) but no other sounds. I didn’t know what the issue was so I booted into Windows (gasp) to check if it was hardware and found that all audio stuttered. After about ten minutes of freaking out and drooling over possible replacements for this laptop I returned to Kubuntu and found that the PCM Audio volume was muted while all of the other volumes were set high in the KMix application/control panel. Adjusting this solved the problem entirely (except for that Windows issue, but Windows will be Windows.)
I guess I have this computer running steady and up to what I need; even better because the power management seems to be working a lot better than Windows’ power management. Tomorrow I will set out to solve the problem I have with the wireless manager not remembering my WPA-PSK password. Until then, I can say that Linux does pass the ‘family test’; a few people think it’s prettier than Vista or 7 and has come a l-o-n-g way since the last time I showed them it (Knopix 2.x, years ago). I think Microsoft should be sweating buckets, for about 90% of (home) users, (insert your favorite variety of) Linux is more than suitable… and because it’s a lot cheaper (The cost of Windows + annual subscription to antivirus) it would do just fine on a netbook/top.