Ubuntu 8.04: Just a tad bit disappointing

Submitted by Tendai Chiguware

I have to admit I was not one of the first people to download Linux Ubuntu 8.04 when it was released some time last year. The reason was that I already had Ubuntu 7.01 Ultimate Gamers Edition (which I believe is the best thing to come out of the Linux community) running alongside my Windows XP. A few months back I laid my paws on the shiny new OS from Linux and held it in both hands till I got home. Unfortunately that’s where all the excitement ended, from then on it was all downhill.

Admittedly, the installation was simple and straightforward with wizards to guide me all the way, Ubuntu style. Upon running the OS for the first time I was a trifle disappointed to be greeted with the bland and empty interface. Being one of those people with a natural aversion towards Windows Media Player, I popped in a flash drive with a couple of media files to see how the new default media player on Ubuntu will fare, and whether it will measure up to Winamp & Media Player Classic, my favourite media players. The OS recognized my flash drive without fuss. You can imagine my horror when I couldn’t even play a single audio track.

Put simply, the OS cannot play Mp3 files in their native state, you have to download additional codecs to play MP3 files. Similarly, I couldn’t open video files in MPEG-4 format. Next I tried opening some web files I had downloaded previously with tips on how to configure the OS. Upon double clicking the web files I was further asked if I wanted to run the file in terminal, whether I wanted to display the file or whether I wanted to run the file. I got it right on the second attempt when I pressed “display” and the web page was rendered. Upon opening the second web file, and all the remaining web files, I was asked to make the choice over and over again. I could understand how a machine with a single browser just can’t open a web file when it’s the default opener. Like most people with above-average knowledge of computers I love Firefox but this time I was left disappointed.

One of the main arguments put forward by Linux loyalists is that their OS comes with everything bolted and, unlike Windows, you don’t have to pay for extra software like an office suite or disc-burning software. With Ubuntu, in a minimalist and Spartan way, all the essentials were there. These include a browser, email client, an IM client capable of running several accounts (Pidgin) and Voip and peer-to-peer file sharing software as luxuries. A couple of media players also come bolted on (though they can’t play popular formats like MPEG-4 natively). CD ripping and burning software also come included but these are barebones and honestly they disappoint and their drab interfaces don’t help matters either.

Maybe like the next man, I am entitled to my (often prejudiced) opinion but what I find confusing is the whole concept and philosophy behind Linux. For starters, it is an established fact that Linux is a pastime for IT gurus. It is not for newbies or those learning computers — its learning curve is relatively steeper than that of Windows. Again it is an established fact that you need to have a bit of programming experience (for tinkering with the Linux kernel) to get the best out of Linux. Now that everyone and their grandmother are preaching the gospel of open source (including the SA government) it becomes tricky when it’s difficult to divorce Linux from the whole hullabaloo of open source as the operating system incarnates and embodies the open source concept. This complexity on the part of Linux overshadows all its perceived benefits. With the world coming up with innovative projects like the One Laptop per Child (the laptops will run on Linux), one can argue with certainty that the project’s Achilles Heel is its operating system which is complex even for seasoned IT people. In an article on Tech Leader, Tumelo Mphafe recounted a not-so-pleasing encounter with Linux and it is likely that his is not a lonely voice.

Perhaps the biggest letdown of the Ubuntu 8.04 operating system is its unpopularity as a gaming platform. The fact that some people buy computers and graphic cards sometimes more expensive than the computer shows how far gaming has come. Considering the popularity, scale and growth of the gaming industry, Ubuntu 8.04 does precious little to jump on the gravy train. With the PC platform being threatened by consoles as the gaming platform of choice, Ubuntu 8.04 would have done much better to play its part and help the folks from Windows considering its popularity with the Linux community.

In retrospect, it can be concluded that the very foundation of the Linux platform has become its undoing. The emphasis on open source and a natural aversion to entrepreneurship and market inclination also means there are no funds for research and development from the private sector. Research is necessary for the development of virtually anything in the IT sector. Shortly before the release of Ubuntu 8.04 I read several posts on the internet comparing it to Windows Vista. In my opinion (this time humble) I believe, security issues aside, Ubuntu 8.04 doesn’t stand a chance even against Windows XP. To put it mildly, Ubuntu 8.04 is a good alternative to Windows but as a competitor it takes a bruising beating, even from the Macintosh’s Leopard OS. In terms of comparability, I believe Ubuntu 7.01 Ultimate Gamers Edition leads the pack on Linux flavours capable of comparing with Windows Vista on an equal footing.

Tendai Chiguware doesn’t have any formal IT qualifications (a social scientist by training) but is fascinated with computers. He works at the University of Fort Hare. He is designing a data collection and poverty analysis application and loves trying out new operating systems, especially those that aren’t in the mainstream like BSD