Yesterday Alex rather foolishly agreed to let me remove Windows ME from his (old old old) laptop and but something decent on there instead. ie linux, in the form of xubuntu (cos the laptop is crap and only has 64meg of ram)

I don't think I've mentioned here yet that my kubuntu install is now working perfectly.. My dad changed one setting in the bios and suddenly everything started working properly without me having to do anything else. So actually not linux's fault at all, but rather my hardware being a bit stupid. oops.

But yes, the laptop. Installing xubuntu wasn't entirely straightforward, but that's mainly because of the lack of ram and space and stuff. After 2 failed attempts at a 'normal' text-based install, where both times it got stuck at the same point (configuring something called 'anthy' which I don't even need..), I installed a command line only system, which worked fine and at least that way it got to the point of installing grub so the thing would actually boot. Then it took an hour and a half to install the desktop (urgh, sloooow) and another hour to update everything else, but it's all working now
Even the wireless works! (laptop is too old to have anything so useful as a network adapter). I thought I'd have to fight with ndiswrapper, but no, it picked it up and got the right drivers and Just Worked. I'm impressed

Just for some kind of weird geeky bragging, here's a list of the computers in the house now:

• Dougal - my desktop, dual booting Kubuntu Edgy and windows XP (but only when I absolutely have to, ie never)
• Ted - my old machine, which in theory dual boots 98se and debian sarge, but in actual fact doesn't boot anything at the moment... one day I'll fix that
• Dmitri - laptop, now exclusively running Xubuntu Edgy (I wanted to call it Jack but Alex wouldn't let me)
• Alex's desktop - currently running nothing because its graphics card has died so now all it does is make angry beeping noises when you turn it on. hah.

Mmm, linux everywhere

Alex seems slightly less impressed at the idea of him using linux, and went off on some weird rant about how you can't actually do anything with it because it's not windows and therefore software won't run on it. eh? I pointed out that I've been happily using it for lots of different things for over two years now, but apparently "that doesn't count". er, okay then.
But at least now he can check his emails without hijacking my machine.

tags: geeky linux