Colin Charles Agenda

Just to ensure, because it seems some people don’t understand English, but I never said people would sue Dell or IBM for non-functional software (arguably, the crap that comes from Microsoft, isn’t functional). But you can sue your hardware provider for non-functional hardware. Big difference there – software usually comes with indemnification and some explicitly come with no warranty.

Indemnification is such that if Microsoft Office eats up your data, the best you can ask for a “warranty” claim might be USD$5 or something absurd like that.

However, buying a piece of hardware, and then finding out say, it can’t drive the external display, or the SD card reader that comes with your laptop doesn’t work – that my friends, are hardware faults. Arguably, caused by software that lacks support for it, but still, not your problem.

The ACCC has a good guide on refunds, and on warranties and claims, and so on. Its not like I’m unhappy – I’m just saying someone might be, and then the real blow will come. Remember, refunds come via faulty, unfit for purpose, defective equipment. IANAL.

BTW, Dell responds, so kudos to Marco. They offer remastered ISOs which fix known issues, and assure me Gutsy Gibbon fixes all these issues.

Technorati Tags: linux, dell, ubuntu, laptop, suspend, resume, wireless, display

The MySQL Developer’s Meeting has started. The weather is pretty moderately okay, there’s occasional rain, so we’ve all been given rain coats/rain jackets. The hotel is fully packed, and the lobby is generally filled with folk hacking away at things. Plenty of meetings, plenty of sessions, it is highly interesting, and it looks like there’s some team interoperability and we can better understand how to deliver things now.

This meeting has encouraged blogging, but I have a feeling most are too busy to write stuff. There will be meeting notes, and at some stage we should publish them externally. There should be heaps of pictures because I see everyone walking around with cameras (so I’ve conveniently left mine at the hotel).

Oh, and did I mention, its a great way to meet other MySQLers? So many names and nicknames, are now put to faces. So yes, Heidelberg is proving to be fun.

Current sticker theme: “We need foreign keys now!” We also got a good understanding of where we’re headed to in 2008-2009, and our real role which is to serve customers, not necessarily please them. A good quote, on product management: Engineers want to be market driven, but not be driven by marketing! Current free t-shirt count: 4 (though I realistically have to give away two of them).

When is Linux ready for the desktop? Or more likely, the laptop? Walt Mossberg recently has echoed that while Linux is easier to use, its still not for everyone (permanently archived at his blog, Linux’s Free System Is Now Easier to Use, But Not for Everyone).

I have to applaud Dell for having the balls to sell Ubuntu on their laptops. In fact, now, Lenovo/IBM are thinking that they might do this as well, and the polls seem to suggest that Ubuntu is the favourite.

However, I should caution all these companies from even going near Linux with a ten-foot pole. Quite simply, this is because Linux doesn’t work. If their product doesn’t work as advertised, what are the chances of a customer possibly suing them, for a product that isn’t fit for purpose?

Before buying a laptop, I was told that if I went with an Intel video card, I would be safe, and everything would just work. I was lied to.

• Suspend and resume work sometimes, but its so unreliable, that saying random prayers are handy, but don’t always work.
• Turning off the wireless on a plane and turning it back on, will somehow ensure that I need to reboot my machine to get it working again.
• Attempting to drive the external display, could lead my machine to stop functioning, requiring a hard reset.

There are so many known bugs that Dell had to create a special Wiki page to list the known issues with the systems they sell. And if there are bug reports attached, these don’t look like they’re getting fixed anytime soon. Keeping in mind these are Intel video cards, and Intel tells you that they’ve got such a big commitment to open source. Last I checked, my Linux/PowerPC laptop with an ATI card (last generation PowerBook G4’s) did suspend/resume, external display driving and working wireless much better than I currently get on my newer Dell.

00:02.0 VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation Mobile 945GM/GMS/940GML Express Integrated Graphics Controller (rev 03)
00:02.1 Display controller: Intel Corporation Mobile 945GM/GMS/940GML Express Integrated Graphics Controller (rev 03)

Frankly, most of the time, my laptop sits at my desk. But there are times in a year I travel, a lot, changing wireless networks, turning it off and on from time to time, having to make presentations, putting it thru many suspends and resumes, and so on. That is, using it like how a laptop is meant to be used.

I’m so unhappy to say that after over a decade of using Linux on my desktop, I still find Linux inadequate for basic laptop functionality.

Don’t get me wrong. I like Ubuntu. I like their release policy, the fact that I have a working machine most of the time, and during the past release cycle I might have only seen two new kernels. I like that I can run some restricted/commercial software with no issue – VMWare, Java, Flash, etc. Sure I’ve had to have random hacks to get some things working, but for the most part Ubuntu has struck a chord for a good balance between freedoms and usability (when I want to futz around, Fedora is still the best for that). I just wish they would go the extra mile to ensure that basic laptop functionality works better.

Do I give up some of my freedoms and move to using OS X, like most people seem to do now? With pervasive Internet connectivity available, and IPv6 address spaces to rid me of NAT, maybe I should harness screen + ssh and get work done remotely, via a Mac.

Technorati Tags: linux, dell, ubuntu, laptop, suspend, resume, wireless, display, walt mossberg

What’s a good, quick way, to learn a new language with the help of Linux?

In particular, I’m interested in learning conversational Mandarin. Basic reading, is a bonus, but hey, I’m not that fussed. I’d like to not pay for my software, if possible, and since I tote a Linux laptop most of the time (this might change to an OS X based one that actually works – rant on this soon), if it runs on Linux, all the better. The Popagandhi tells me I need to go to a good class – do these exist in Melbourne/

Some useful links I’ve found, so far:

• QQ for Linux – QQ is the Chinese version of ICQ, that pretty much everyone there uses. Though MSN seems to be a lot popular these days (compared to what, 2.5-3 odd years ago)
• ChinesePod – podcasts to help? Well, maybe here’s a reason to use an iPod again…
• I saw this thread on the Ubuntu Forums, but it doesn’t really address anything of requirement

Technorati Tags: linux, learning, mandarin, foreign language, qq, chinese

Its exciting to see Zimbra being purchased for USD$350 million, by Yahoo!. Exciting because its a great product, exciting because I use it daily, and I guess Satish & team (of over 100 employees) deserve a big pat on the back. The other exciting thing to note is that its got MySQL in its core, and if they’re pushing it out farther and wider now thanks to the Yahoo! purchase, all the better.

There are a few things that are unclear, though, even from their FAQ:

• They mention commitment to Zimbra 5, but I’m still waiting for 4.5.7 :P (My Series 60 phone still hates IMAP via Zimbra).
• Will we see, say the AdSense Zimlet (only available in network, at the moment), disappear?
• Will they hurt the community by attempting to over-commercialise Zimbra? Compiling Zimbra from source control isn’t the easiest process, because of the dependency list, so I do hope they don’t run away from their amazing “easy” install process

I guess its good to know that they’re in the Communications & Community team. Yahoo! has a tendency to buy things and kill it in the past as well. Anyone remember Geocities? They were a better MySpace, any day. Lets hope Brad Garlinghouse ensures Zimbra stays committed to delivering their product, and remain relevant (today, I don’t see any better software for ease-of-use and integration available out there in the open source world). Again, congratulations to Yahoo! on acquiring a great company, and here’s me tipping my hat for their betterment in the future.

— a loyal Zimbra fan.

Technorati Tags: zimbra yahoo! acquisition

Its been a while since I last blogged. I’ve shifted through many countries now, since my post on UC-J Day 1. Since then, I’ve updated the set, and there are way more photos, even from Day 2. Day 2 photos are more interesting, because I bothered to take my 70-200/2.8 lens with me (no monopod though, so I bumped up the ISO for stability).

Basically, day 2 went on well, with a little less attendees in comparison to day 1, thanks to the horrendous weather. Most of us took cabs, but some brave souls got an umbrella and walked. Heh. Pictures from many sushi dinners should also make their way online soon. There was a very nice reception later on in the evening, with lots of people winning prizes and so on.

The general consensus from all the attendees is that they found the MySQL User Conference Japan, very useful, and from what I gather this will be a yearly affair, so there’s no one else to thank, besides MySQL KK for organising this great event. Big shouts out to Yoko-san, Daniel, and Larry.

Lachlan, talking to a new support guy and visitor to the booth

Marten, on the panel

Brian, on the panel

Kaj, with a hSenid doll

Technorati Tags: mysql tokyo japan uc-j uc-j2007 photos lachlan marten brian kaj