Ubuntu 9.10 - One step forward, two steps back

Hi guys,

Ubuntu 9.10 Karmic Koala is out and you would expect an Ubuntu fan like me to be thrilled. Well, maybe.

I've written a long, extensive review of Ubuntu 9.10 Karmic Koala, including live CD session, installation and post-install setup and configurations, covering topics like Wireless, Bluetooth, multimedia playback, performance & stability, new themes, icons and wallpapers, Ubuntu Software Center, Ubuntu One, encrypted home folder, as well as application hangs and crashes, and other problems. Not quite what you expected.

http://www.dedoimedo.com/computers/ubuntu-9-10.html


Cheers,
Mrk

 

@Mrkvonic
First of all, thanks for all of your hard work and informative site. Albeit I'm not a Ubuntu fan or user I was very surprised about earlier messages on Wilders' indicating the numerous problems with 9.10.

This afternoon I downloaded the live-cd for myself to test certain things out. I installed in VMware Workstation 7 and on a Athlon XP 2000+ machine. Installation went smooth on the both of them and I was able to install the VMware tools without any error messages. I did experience the same problems with codecs as Mrkvonic, but not the Janitor problems. Like you see a mixed bag.

My girlfriend who actually uses Ubuntu updated her 9.04 installation to 9.10 last Sunday. At first it all seemed fine, she didn't experience the kernel errors as reported by others. However she wrote me today that if I wanted to take the Mandriva 2010.0 DVD-R with me from work for the weekend... wondering what happened?

 

Sound is the big issue. I had no trouble getting 5.1 surround to work in analog and thought, great I am lucky - but the quality is not as good as in previous
Ubuntus. Pulseaudio also breaks Kdenlive and their forums don't really know what to do about it. Uninstalling Pulseaudio seems to be the only sure way.

Very frustrating to find that programs which were good before are now broken.

Many thanks to Mrk for the review.

 

I've got one machine where Kamic runs better (esp. with new Intel GFX drivers) and another with an annoying brightness control problem (has a mind of its own).
Both machines the desktops are stable and no issues with sound.

Cheers, Nick

 

Running kubuntu here and no such problems. Propriety nvidia driver installed and working without a hitch, sound working as it should, flash, mp3, wmv playback all running as expected (after installing vlc and restricted extras), printer/scanner recognised and working. Maybe i'm in the minority but i'm really impressed. Best (k)ubuntu release yet on this machine.

 

With Jaunty (9.04), when networking/NetworkManager went south, all you had to do as root was:
# /etc/init.d/NetworkManager stop
# /etc/init.d/networking stop
and then
# /etc/init.d/networking restart
# /etc/init.d/NetworkManager restart

Now, you can do:
# /etc/init.d/networking stop
and
# /etc/init.d/networking restart
but, as for NetworkManager - it now uses upstart and there is no really good documentation on what to do.

Goes to show you that developers should not change things around to suit themselves about their great new ideas without selling them to the folks that will wind up being stuck with them when (the developers) don't communicate how to use the new features/facilities - to make things work again.

-- Tom

 

I have not explored the upstart thingie and the way it sounds, it's a monumental failure if so. I could not care less what technology is used, but I want my commands to work.
Mrk

 

Hah, it seems a simple reboot has fixed Kdenlive, and also sound is now fine. Strange but true.