Ubuntu (or other *nix) eye candy and favorite media programs?

[AJCopland]

64-bit stuff is usually just a different flavour of the 32-bit stuff so most simply have a slightly differently named repository, i.e.; "feisty-AMD64" instead of just "feisty".

Getting flash to work was a minor hassle but there's some guides online that are fairly simple to follow. I think the one I found actually had a script that did it for me :-D

For the eye-candy category you cannot beat compiz-fusion, but be warned that if you get it installed wrong it will be a pain until you've figured it out. It's the de-forking of the Beryl project and is now more up to date than Beryl. Also be aware that you MUST install the 64bit version. The 32bit one which _EVERY_ guide uses will install and seem to work just fine... for about 5 minutes then crash very badly. Just about the only time I've ever had to force power off when running a Linux distro, at least I know it was my fault! Just remember there are AMD64 repo's out there for it.
YouTube - Compiz Fusion
For example that video is almost exactly my desktop :-D

I haven't bothered with DVD playback (have a 360 connected to the same 24" monitor for that) and just use the distributed players for mp3s when I want them. They've done everything i've wanted thus far.

Andy

[AJCopland]

Hi Starrfoxx,

For DVDs try out VLC. It's what I've started using and it works just fine.

Forget Beryl as its been de-forked, erm, merged back into Compiz to become Compiz-Fusion and that's working fine on mine though I had a few goes at setting it up and as I said you MUST find and use the 64-bit install of it.

Unreal Tournamt 2004 run nicely if you're looking for a game :-D

Andy

[AJCopland]

Regarding the DVD stuff the legality of it all in the US is confusing to the point of stupidity. However VLC uses http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Libdvdcss to partially get around these issues. Which is probably exempt from the DMCA due to this section:

"Unlike DeCSS, libdvdcss has never been fought over in a courtroom, in part because Section 1201(f) of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act authorizes such circumvention for purposes of software interoperability."

Hell libdvdcss is such a simple little library we could probably port it over to AmigaOS in a couple of evenings :-D

Andy

[AJCopland]

stevil2k wrote:
As mentioned before, 64bit specific apps tend to be for server related stuff, even then you’re not likely to notice a huge speed difference. Most 64bit apps are nothing more than recompiled 32bit apps with no optimisation.

Well you won't see any speed difference. I know there's arguments about why you might but you tend to find that they're balanced out by the arguments against.

The main benefit of 64-bit apps is the address space you have for memory over the 4GB mark. However just being able to access that memory won't make the machines run any faster or slower even if you do have it (I don't).

As for drivers I've not had a single hardware issue with drivers under Ubuntu (ver 7.04) so I've been quite happy with it. Though getting hold of 64-bit versions of software can be more of a hassle, for example; irrlicht (a 3d engine) compiles just fine to 64-bit however the companion sound engine "irrKlang" is closed source and only supplies 32-bit binaries :-( Flash is another example.

There's no reason not to switch to 64-bit nowadays aside from a few minor annoyances such as the above. Even windows is going 64-bit.

Also if you disagree I'll be coming back home to Scarborough this weekend and will discuss it over a pint with you :-D welcome to Amiga.org dude!

Andy

[AJCopland]

Wow. Always beaten to the bunch :-D

Andy

[AJCopland]

Gnome or KDE? I've used both and I've come to like Gnome more over time. Couldn't even put my finger on what it is that I like about it either I think choosing your window manager is simply a personal preference you reach after a while.

Defending that choice is usually the dumb part :lol:

I know what you mean about switching back to windows afterwards too. I think it's from investing a fair bit of time and finding things to be easier than I imagined them to be in Ubuntu.

Compiz-Fusion should work just fine in any of the Ubuntu installs be they KDE, Gnome or Xfce... I don't think theres any reason that the education (eUbuntu) version can't use it in fact as it's not tied to Ubuntu in particular it's just a general system for any distro of Linux.

Andy