I give up. As I mentioned in my last blog entry, I decided to give Linux an honest try and I did. For most everyday needs, it’s fine. All of the software that one would need to perform most tasks on the computer is available for Linux and even better, most of it is free and open source. The problem is the niche software that I use. I have written about this problem before. It’s particularly Reason — the program I use to make most of my music. I have gotten a lot of great music creation software suggestions for Linux, but none of what I have been shown or have found on my own accord does what Reason does. For a while, I was using both Linux and Windows — Linux for most tasks and Windows for running Reason, but that got quite old quite fast and I found myself more and more just using Windows and not even bothering to boot into Linux again.
The other issue I’ve had with Ubuntu was a resolution issue that I can’t seem to find a solution for. I’ve consulted books and forums and neither have had a solution. Basically the problem I’m having is that it will only go to 1280×800 at 60 hertz. I need to run 1024×768 at 75 hertz which is the highest my (old) monitor will support. This means that every time I boot into Linux, everything is very distorted and I’ve noticed my monitor is not doing so well either. I’m able to change the resolution to 1024×768 at 60 hertz, but my monitor won’t display anything in that case.
I have also found myself being drawn more and more back to my PowerBook G4 running Mac OS X 10.4.11. I guess it wasn’t until I decided to venture out again into the world of Windows and even Linux that I realized how immune I had become to the problems both Windows and Linux are prone to having. While Linux is a much more viable option for stability and security, I have had issues with software and with the resolution. When it comes to Windows, I don’t think much explanation is necessary. It seems that almost everything I do is plagued with stability problems. I have even checked for hardware conflicts by stripping the hardware done to the absolute bare minimum needed to boot the computer, but to no avail. Because of that, it looks like I will be buying a new Mac laptop afterall.
Yeah, Alex, that is always a problem with what can be considered an “alternate” operating system. Sometimes, there just isn’t a viable alternative to software available for Windows.
Make sure that the Mac OS has the special software you want, and has all the features of the Windows version. Sometimes, there are differences.
That is true. I’ve been using Mac OS X now as my main operating system since 2001 and it actually has all of the software I need. The program I keep mentioning, Reason, comes for Mac OS and actually seems to have a couple of things that the Windows version does not.
My only problem with Mac OS X though is that it only comes on hardware from Apple which is generally quite expensive…
For your resolution issue, how were you able to change the resolution to 1024×768? By the sound of it, it wasn’t truly 1024×768 if you couldn’t see anything on the monitor, although it might have been a symptom of slight incompatibility.
If you needed to use Reason in Windows, using a virtual machine is always an option, and it’s easier than dual-booting. VirtualBox is a popular open-source (and free) virtual machine solution.
Please don’t take these comments as trying to force Ubuntu on you; I’m just trying to help–perhaps if you ever entertain the possibility of trying another Linux-based distribution or a future version of Ubuntu. In the end, just use what works for you. Not everyone has the time it may take to learn to use a new OS or piece of software. I certainly applaud you for at least trying something new (something most people wouldn’t even consider doing).