Ubuntu HowTo: Open .docx File In OpenOffice – Make Tech Easier

Very cool.

It occurred to me that, as cool as Compiz Fusion is on Ubuntu 7.10 (Gutsy), I almost never get to take advantage of that anymore. I do most of my computing from my laptop, and connect to my Ubuntu machine via FreeNX. Over a 54mb/s wireless connection using a standard mix of applications, FreeNX provides real-time remote access. It is really almost impossible for me to tell the difference speed wise between sitting at my desktop or accessing remotely. I can see why No Machine called their company what they did.

Of course, there are things that one just doesn’t get over the FreeNX connection. Video, games, good quality audio. All the nice parts of computing, and one’s that I would really miss, if it weren’t for the other devices I can use. For example, watching TV on my High Def set. It’s a tradeoff, one that is usually worth making.

One other big advantage is being able to access my home computer at other places than just home. The FreeNX connection is still pretty fast piped through Comcast’s pathetic upload pipe and over the ‘net itself. I don’t run full-screen sessions then, but normally run floating windows. Which is kinda cool, because then the apps come up like any other Windows application. The difference being that it is running on my home computer, and I can’t easily trade data between the two.

All in all, it is very cool. If you haven’t given FreeNX a spin, do so immediately. You won’t regret it.

I am certain that most everyone saw ZDNet’s article/editorial describing “five crucial things the Linux community doesn’t understand about the average computer user. When I read the title of the article, I immediately became defensive. After all, what in the world could the ZDNet folks know about Linux? Who are they to say why Linux isn’t being adopted as quickly as some would hope? Who were they to even suggest that Linux isn’t being adopted? I was positive that the article was going to be a load of horse manure.

Good thing I actually read the article. Because there are actually some very good points listed, including:

1 – On the whole, users aren’t all that dissatisfied with Windows
Despite what you read on websites and blogs, newspapers and magazines, people on the whole aren’t all that dissatisfied with Windows. There are millions of users out there who just get on and use their PCs without any real difficulty.

It’s an interesting read, and raises some interesting points. While a few have been debunked (Linux is too geeky, you have to use the command line), the other points are definitely valid. The point above is very true. Most people don’t think about their OS, they want their computer to Just Work. The other regards hardware: as long as hardware manufacturers won’t release Linux drivers, hardware compatibility is going to be a problem.