"A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects." (Robert A. Heinlein)

Wednesday, 26 June 2013

Back to Ubuntu : installed Ubuntu Gnome 13.04 on the EEEPC


I've been using Mint 12 on the EEEPC since February 2012. it worked fine all this time but, what I really missed was the ability to upgrade the distribution to a new release without the need of a full installation. After the recent positive test I eventually decided to install on my net-book Ubuntu Gnome 13.04.

Installation

As usual the installation process begun by backing-up my home folder and preparing a bootable USB disk. I booted the EEEPC from the USB disk and started the installation program. The installation sequence was definitively the same I encountered while installing Ubuntu. Like then, the only interesting part has been the disk partitioning part. I use the 4GB SSD EEEPC disk as boot disk for windows (I like to play some old games every now and then) so I must be sure the installation goes all on the 16GB secondary SSD.
I selected the “Something else” custom partitioning option that brings to the partition editor.
Unfortunately the disk partitioning tool is bigger than the EEEPC 900 screen: here is the full window (I got it with the 'alt-print screen' screen-shot shortcut)
and here what was really visible on the EEEPC screen
It's not a real problem, you can easily move the window partially out-screen using the mouse and the 'alt' key, but it's really annoying especially if you thing how much unused space there is in the window layout.
Once the partitioning was completed the installation proceeded with the usual questions: language, keyboard, time-zone and the first user. At last the real installation started.
once the installation completed, and I restarted the system, I first installed all the gnome-shell extensions I'm used to work with. Here is how, at last, my desktop looks like.

First impressions

After the first hours of use, I've been installing the most used applications and writing this post, the EEEPC seems to work fine. Gnome shell is responsive and the new Ubuntu installation seem not to need all the post-installation fixing and tuning Mint 12 needed. The only little glitch: when I switch off the WI-FI interface the system doesn't seem to “remember” it on next session. I'll look for a solution soon but, for now, I can live with it.

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