Running Windows in Ubuntu Linux

Finally got back from months of not being able to use Linux because of my extra work with the Platon Martinez Law Firm website.  And lo and behold!  A new virtualization program that promises to run Windows on your Linux box without having to dual boot your computer and rebooting it when you need another OS for your work.  Now why would i use 2 OS for my work?  Well, I use Windows for my office work while I use Linux for my website creation work!

Just this afternoon while Me-ann (wife), Rod (younger bro) and I went to a seminar by PEAC-FAPE in La Union, we dropped by Mocha Blends to grab a jello frap (which tasted like it was poured with sushi seaweed, by the way…yuck!).  While waiting for my coffee, I quickly read an article about Virtualization — a software which allows you to open another operating system inside another operating system.  When I went home, I checked out www.ubuntuforums.org and was so happy to hear that a VMWare totally FREE alternative is ready for downloading and installation — VirtualBox!  Saw the screenshots and got convinced by it!  Wow, imagine the time you’ll save from booting and rebooting your computer just to run another program.  This is a revolution my friends! Totally awesome!

Right now, I’ve just installed VBox with no problems whatsoever…and I’m installing WindowsXP…I hope this would offer no problems.  Just a thought by the way, do I need to install an antivirus in Windows?  Will my Windows installation in VBox be virus-prone?  I never had any virus problems in Linux before…but virtual Windows in VBox in Linux?  Is it another story?  Let’s soon find out…hehehe.

For now, I’ll be exploring and installing lots of stuff in it, especially cool Windows games.  I have long accepted the fact that Windows has way more cooler games than Linux.  But I’m keeping my fingers crossed that gamer-developers (those who code and play at the same time) will get so envious that they’ll come up with Linux-ready games, and big game companies will follow suit, too.  I’ll test a few PC games later on.

Check www.ubuntuforums.org for more VBox installation info.

BSOD: The PC game you always play ;-)

While working on the Edubuntu textbook project, scouring the internet for rare Linux content, I chanced upon a rather exciting game which we unknowingly have played before. Since it’s inception in 1995, this game, known as the BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH (BSOD), is very much embedded in the deepest recesses of the popular Operating System, Windows. Little did we know that this game almost always pops up while cramming on an extremely important and lengthy report. Sometimes this game pops up when playing resources-hungry games like CounterStrike, Allied Assault and the like. And sometimes still, it just pops up even when you’re not doing anything to your computer!

According to my on-line source Uncyclopedia, “the Blue Screen of Death (abbreviated BSoD), also known as The Blue Screen of Doom, the “Blue Screen of Fun” or “Phatul Exception: The WRECKening” is an award-winning game first developed in 1995 by Microsoft. Along with HTTP 404 - File Not Found, a hugely successful epic Internet MMORPG developed by Microsoft, the Blue Screen of Death ranks among the greatest computer games of all time. The game simulates a “system error” and displays a series of nonsensical hexadecimal codes for the player to decipher. Since its inception in 1995, BSoD has maintained its position as the most played computer game ever, and is a cornerstone of the Microsoft Corporation.”

Now Data couldn’t even pass level 1.

The reason why I migrated to Linux

So many articles are written today about Linux and its benefits. Of course, you would expect that these techies would start ranting about their IT jargon until you’ll end up confused with jaws dropping. In the end, what matters is just one question: “Can I use it with ease?”

This is the basic question I’ve been asking when trying out different Linux distribution after my Windows XP (Pirated edition) has failed me miserably after it crashed an average of 3 times per month. This made me greatly consider about  the try-the-Linux-Live-CD commotion…and so I did.

The first set of Linux distribution I tried was an Ubuntu Linux (sorry, I forgot the version but this was 2 years ago). I was surprised how easy it was. The GUI was great and OpenOffice seems to be useable. However, the terminal command line bugged me…it’s like MS-DOS but with different commands. I also tried OpenSUSE, Mandriva, Red Hat, Bayanihan. All seems okay. But I never actually installed them fearing the worse.

Lately, this youtube video solidified my resolve to shift:

Damn, the GUI is so pretty. And so I made the shift…and so far, no hardware problems, no community support problems, no hassles! At first, I dual boot it with Windows XP but after two weeks of trying out Ubuntu, I never looked back. I wiped my harddrive clean and installed a fresh copy of Ubuntu 7.04 + beryl (the 3D desktop thing). Next project is installing either Avant Window Navigator (to make it Mac OSX style) and Gdesklets (like Yahoo! Widgets).

And this is how my dekstop looks now…instant eye candy without having to upgrade my box.

This is the 3D desktop cube. Linux has 4 desktops, so it’s easy to organize your work.

This is the top view of the 3D cube. You can even customize the cube wallpaper to have 3 different pictures.

And the reason why I migrated to Linux? Stability (no crashing experiences yet) and eyecandy (makes me want to work more with the wobbly, 3D GUI).

Try it, it’s worth it.

I’m back!

My my…I’ve been gone for so long! (My last entry was about an article I wrote way back June 2006). I just checked my old e-mails and remembered I have a blog to maintain. I was so busy with life that I forgot to journalize. Excuses…excuses…Ok. I promise to write again. Hehehe.

So much has happened after 1 whole year. I got a new bouncing…no, jumping little baby boy…our enrolment increased…I just got my first flu shot ever today…a wireless router at home…my HP iPAQ antenna got lost somewhere…and, I have just migrated to Linux.

Yes, the free software bug just bit me…BIG TIME. Well, i think i’ll be posting more about my Linux musings here…I’m so excited…I have spent countless hours trying to learn how to customize my Ubuntu LInux into a better-than-Vista OS. Actually, it is better.

I also have registered to the Linux World, becoming its 450,777th member. And since I used Ubuntu Linux 7.04 (aka Feisty), I also registered to Ubuntu and became its 16,277th user.

Here are my badges Wink:

This is my official Linux badge from http://counter.li.org/.

And here’s my official badge from Ubuntu Linux Counter: http://ubuntucounter.geekosophical.net/

So far, I’ve been enjoying Linux so much because of its flexibility, stability, and customizability. And, it costs me nothing, too! Soon, i’ll be posting more pictures about it, especially my latest experimentation on the Linux 3D desktop GUI.