General Meeting

by Don Singleton
Tulsa Computer Society
From the September, 2006 issue of the I/O Port Newsletter

Richard Hall asked the members what they wanted to discuss: Ubuntu Linux, Office 2007 or Vista. The members wanted to discuss Ubuntu and Richard booted up on a CD that he had requested from Ubuntu. The company had sent ten CDs and stickers for the members. There was a slight delay as the Luggie2 bios was changed to boot from a CD instead of the hard disk drive. In fact one, of the members suggested that the hard disk be removed, which it was. The machine booted on the CD and allowed a little web surfing, although a little slow because the CD had to be accessed instead of the faster hard disk. The video, however, was lacking because of the projector screen resolution. The CD was removed and the machine rebooted again, this time on the Ubuntu hard disk. The screen resolution was changed to one more conducive to the projector and audience. Richard showed the members how to update the operating system and there were some updates ready to download. In the interest of time, this was not done.

There was a discussion about using Gnome or KDE for a desktop manager. A few members favored the KDE. Richard also showed the members how to download additional programs. Don Greer said he had a library of games on his Ubuntu machine that he had downloaded. Richard also noted the programs that come in the default installation of Ubuntu, including the office applications. Ned Mayrath had a question about the $100 laptop that was being developed for students in developing countries. The members looked at several pages that had pictures of the computer.

Richard told the members that there had been a Microsoft Event the day of the TCS meeting. He removed the Ubuntu had disk and booted up on the Luggie2 Vista hard disk drive. Richard tried to do some tricks that he had learned at the show, but Luggie2 lacked the video horsepower to run the Aero Glass video element of Vista. Richard did get the Side Bar to work that includes various gadgets.

The Ubuntu CDs and stickers were distributed to the members who wanted one. Richard asked if anyone wanted a demo version of Microsoft MapPoint that he had received at the Microsoft Event. Richie Shroff got that program. For the big raffle of the night, Don Greer won a demo version of Vista. There was some confusion about the handwriting of the winning ticket, but that was resolved on Don's favor. He hand been wanting to examine Vista but he had not been able to burn a copy of the Vista ISO on his home machine. He also was happy to get the "Start Here" Vista hat.

For the next meeting, the members wanted to get the CD of the freeware from the Free Willie project started last year. They agreed to bring blank CDs to the next meeting to trade for the data CD that Richard will burn.



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Tulsa Computer Society 9/01/2006
Don Singleton, President