Ubuntu 9.04 64 bit

Well, it didn't last long. I need to virtualise 64 bit machines so I have to go back to ubuntu 64. Story is though that this was easier than I imagined.
First up was a fresh installation of ubuntu 9.04. To speed things up I used ext4 file system and now my laptop boots into usable workspace in about 30 seconds.

From there, I installed Lotus Notes 8.5 client using instructions here:
http://www.rayd.co.uk/blogs/rayblog.nsf/d6plinks/Ubuntu64
I had all my "nsf" files on my Windows Vista partition and I wanted to keep this so I created symbolic links back to those files. Glad to report that Notes 8.5 works happily on Ubuntu 64. Symphony and Sametime work without issues.

Next was Sun Java from the Add/Remove applications - OK
Next I decided to update Office to 3.1 by following the instructions here:
http://news.softpedia.com/news/How-to-Install-OpenOffice-org-3-1-on-Ubuntu-9-04-111105.shtml

Next I wanted WINK screen tutorial software. This does not work on 32 bit but I found instructions on how to get it working here:

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=938838

Next up was getting Evolution mail to work with my aol account - no problems use IMAP communcation inbound (host=imap.aol.com) and smpt outbound (smtp.aol.com). Aol requires authentication for outbound of course but this can be set up with the wizard.

Must have a JVM in my browser so that is easily done with:
sudo apt install sun-java6-plugin

I like SciTe as an editor so installed that directly with Add/Remove applications from the gnome interface.

Since I have a windows program l use a lot I also installed wine.

Lastly I wanted to get DVD's working on this machine so installed medibuntu with:
sudo wget http://www.medibuntu.org/sources.list.d/jaunty.list --output-document=/etc/apt/sources.list.d/medibuntu.list

sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install medibuntu-keyring && sudo apt-get update
Next added the GPG key
sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install medibuntu-keyring && sudo apt-get update
Next, installed VLC media player using Add/Remove programs
And lastly, the restricted content viewer libraries
sudo apt-get install libdvdcss2
So, now I can watch DVD's too.

Dave Matthews at O2 Academy Brixton

Jan and I went to see Dave Matthews at the O2 Academy in Brixton last night. He mainly played from his new album. He and his band were excellent but the sound at the O2 was ridiculously appalling and the heat in the venue was unbearably stifling - we had to leave early to stop expiring.
Also Dave Matthews band fans were, in my opinion, disrespectfully talking (more like shouting above the music) during the ENTIRE performance.
The journey was also a nightmare. There was an accident on the M4 at Junction 11 on the roundabout and the tailbacks meant a delay to the journey of at least 90 minutes. On the return journey the M4 elevated section was closed which meant a horrible detour via Slough.
All in all, not a good day. I am now fully resolved NEVER to go back to the O2 in Brixton unless air con is installed (sorry O2).

Mobile web and the 1.2.3.4

My thanks go to Ciaran and the article about "Mobile Web Acceleration". I thought I'd never get a "fast" internet connection via my O2 connection. It seems that every page was trying to poll 1.2.3.4 and my ubuntu 9.04 laptop running firefox didn't like the result.
The answer Ciaran found is elegantly simple. Just do the following:
Select System>Preferences>Network Connections
Choose the "Mobile Broadband" tab
Select your o2 connection and click the Edit button
Now change the "Username" field to "bypass" and click "Apply"
Then you are done.
At last! - Mobile web renders web pages as though it were a WiFi!

I tired ubuntu 64 - but have gone back to 32

The idea was to install an open source 64 bit OS on my laptop so I could get access to all my installed 4GB RAM.
Tried OpenSUSE 64 and Ubuntu 64.
I found that OpenSUSE did not directly support my laptop graphics card (ATI 3470) so reverted to Ubuntu 64.
Well after several days attempting to get ubuntu 64 working, I decided to revert back to 32 bit version. Ubuntu installed without issues but it was all the other apps that gave me issues (particularly Lotus Notes 8.5).
My conclusion was to revert back to 32 bit and go from there because Ubuntu DOES support the ATI graphics card.
As a side issue, I also noticed that if you upgrade ubuntu 8.10 to 9.04 then suspend and hibernate do not work on my T400 but if you do a fresh install of 9.04 then suspend and hibernate DO work! - cool.
(OpenSUSE ALSO supported suspend and hibernate on my laptop)
To add spice to the mix I decided to use Ext4 file system instead of Ext3.
I must say that I can definately see a difference. OpenOffice loads incredibly fast now.