Some texts are more equal then others

In #Ubuntu, the fonts for #Malayalam and several other scripts are a bit broken. As you can see in the Google+ screenshot, headers are not displayed. This is probably because the font provided by Ubuntu does not support bold or something.

Obviously, the best solution is when the fonts used by Ubuntu provide the full support applications expect. When these fonts fail as they do, it is possible to provide web fonts. Google is very much into web fonts but it seems that they have a preoccupation with the one script that is already so well supported.

It would be so cool when the people who develop fonts would concentrate their efforts where they provide the most benefit. Enabling the full functionality of a script and its associated languages on the Internet is arguably more relevant then prettifying single webpages.
Thanks,
     GerardM

#Ubuntu Maverick Meerkat and #Windows Mobile in the #computerpress

In the last week two new releases became publicly available. The new  "Maverick Meerkat" is good news for all people already using or considering using Ubuntu. Microsoft's latest Windows mobile is of interest to people considering a new mobile phone.

Most Ubuntu users will upgrade to Maverick Meerkat therefore any articles has an immediate impact on the largest installed base of Linux distributions. It has been easy for journalists to learn about it because the pre releases were publicly available.

Microsoft's new product is only available on new phones so either the journalists are quoting the press information or they were given new toys to play with. It is not unreasonable to expect that other incentives were provided to ensure a good impression.

Much of the information we get is on the Internet, so it is "free" and it is advertisement or infomercial that pays the bandwidth, the salaries. It is however the balance that has to be right.

My time is not free, I am disappointed as the balance was off.

Thanks,

       GerardM

#skype works for me again as it should

A functioning skype client is essential for me. Lately the version that came with Ubuntu did not work for me; the sound was broken. I un-installed skype and, eventually learned that skype is now hosted by skype itself. At first this made no difference at all; it was broken, it was awful.

Yesterday, I was notified that a new version of skype was available. I installed it and now it works as it should.. No more rebooting into Windows for me.
Thanks,
    GerardM

Firefox 3.5

Firefox 3.5 has become a reality. I have been looking forward to it. I want to use it. I even went for a monment back to Vista just to install it...

As I am running Ubuntu, Firefox is the default browser but the update manager/ does not have the new Firefox available for me. I expected that Firefox would work the same but so far it has not. I would love to see the same usability on Ubuntu.
Thanks,
        GerardM

First Vista then Ubuntu

My old laptop died. The bottom of the screen was black. It died some time ago when I was in New York. That was fortunate because laptops are much cheaper in the US. So I bought a cheap new laptop and was still under the legal limit of what I could import.

The system I bought, a compac presario CQ60 came with Vista. So I started using Vista. After working with it for a few weeks, I found that I had a steep learning curve behind me and came to the conclusion that it did not really work for me. So I decided to give Ubuntu a spin as well.

Now after two weeks of Ubuntu, I have learned that Ubuntu provides me with superior functionality. The version of Vista was "home edition"; when you compare this you find that in a comparison with Ubuntu, it is cripple ware. The things that make Vista professional useful are the same things that are to justify the much higher price.

Given that I do a lot of things on MediaWiki installations, having the same operating system makes it easier. My networking is more stable, the editing of scripts is superior. I think I am going to stick with Ubuntu.
Thanks,
GerardM

A computer that works for Luna and Marco

Luna and Marco live in Italy. In Italy it can get hot. It gets so hot that the computer they use overheats. Their computer only works early in the morning and late in the evening. They can push at the edges a bit because Marco found that an Ubuntu live CD gives them some more time then Windows XP does.

Their mother, Luna and Marca are five years old, also has a computer. Her computer only works reliably in the hot Italian summer with an external fan pointing at the computer. The computer is raised a bit from the desk to improve ventilation even further.

In all the talk about computers something simple like the environment is hardly mentioned. PC's and laptops are thought to work in an office environment. In an office environment it is expected that the temperature is regulated.

The OLPC is made for kids and it will work in a hot environment. Luna and Marco would love to have one. It is sad that their mother has to use a computer that cannot take the heat and, a computer that is not as cool.

Thanks,
GerardM