Ubuntu Gutsy Gibbon and ATI Drivers

My love affair with Ubuntu Linux is just growing stronger and stronger. In fact, I've found myself preaching to my neighbours, my friends, my family of cousins, aunts and uncles, nephews, pretty much anyone who will give me a moment to listen or shows interest. Hell, when I was going through my Officer Interview with the Recruitment Officer we spent a good 15 minutes just talking about the benefits of Linux vs Vista. The more I use it, the more I love it, and the more I learn about it.

However, having said that I have finally come face to face with an issue that I just can't seem to resolve and it is really pissing me off to no end that I can't fix it. This is not even Ubuntu's fault it's ATI's and there extreme lack of open source driver support.

Before I upgraded to Gutsy (7.10) I was using Feisty Fawn (7.04) and couldn't be happier. I had 3d accelerated graphics, I had my cube all done up with a cool desktop look (see previous Ubuntu blog for pics), I had Avant-Window-Navigator working like a charm and all was well in the world of me. Then I upgraded to Gutsy and I was extremely excited about it, all of the new features, fixes, and look. However, I come to find out that my ATI Mobility 9100 card is no longer in the Restricted Drivers list, in fact there are no drivers other than the default standard drivers which do not allow me to have 3d graphics acceleration.

So off i go on my search to make it all right. I hit the Ubuntu forums with a gusto, I find a bajillion posts about ATI drivers and the problems people are having. ATI even released a brand new proprietary driver for Linux support for certain cards (of course mine isn't one of them) and some folks are having success.

So I follow a bunch of How-to's, I install the new drivers, then I install the old Open-Source drivers, then I try Envy and try both Auto and Manual installs, then I try reconfiguring my xorg.conf file by myself with some help from the forums.

Nothing worked. No cube, no AWN, nothing. I have my desktop set up the way I want it, I have all of my applications set up and installed, everything is fine, but I can't use my graphics card and I'm super frustrated; here is what my Desktop looks like currently, and I'd like to keep it but add the Compiz-Fusion effects as well:




Anyways...I finally managed to fix it. The fault was actually my own, I had not installed the Beryl Manager and therefore could not run the Desktop effects I wanted. How stupid do I feel now, lol. So in the end the fault wasn't Linux or ATI it was my own, just like everyone out there who sometimes just need to rethink the problem through and don't, lol.

For those of you that would like to try Ubuntu here are some links that are invaluable, and I honestly believe once you give it a shot, you'll ask yourself why you haven't switched earlier.

To install and download: Ubuntu live CD -Ubuntu
For information on installation and apps: Gutsy Gibbon Info
For some great applications: GetDeb
For some sweet and advanced desktop stuff: Fluxbox
And for everyday desktop customization: Gnome Look

--- Seth

P.s. Ubuntu Forms is the best and quickest way to find help if you need it, the community there is unbelievably helpful and quick to answer.

Naval Officer Board Assessment

Well the time has come and on March 1st I am flying to Nanaimo, BC for my Naval Officer Board Assessment. I'm both thrilled and terrified at the prospect of what is to come. I'm thrilled because it means a change for me, a change for the better, the possibility of belonging to something noble and proud, the possibility of working towards the greater good and to work for something that has meaning and impact. I'm looking forward to the training, the challenge, and the knowledge that this decision will provide me. I've gone too long working for nothing other than a paycheck, I feel that my efforts have done nothing but made the "man" richer and myself more jaded.

The downside is that I'm fearful of being rejected based on being out of shape, older than most applicants, or a zillion other things. I know deep down in my heart and soul that I would make an excellent officer, leader, and member of our Canadian Forces, I am just worried that some of my cons like age, weight, and knowledge (different career path than my chosen military one) may play a part in giving me a negative appearance to the board.

Then again, I also realize that they have been doing this for many years and that they are intelligent and capable. So if they do judge me unsuited, than that may be a wake up call for me to go in a different direction. I can handle failure, I just can't handle rejection based on things that I can change.

The scariest part for me is not knowing what to expect from this trip. I've always prided myself on being prepared and organized. A challenge for me will be to spontaneously challenged and then to meet that challenge appropriately. I've always been able to adapt quickly, think on my feet, and to come up with a game plan but the fact that this meeting is so very important to me and my future places a bit more stress on my mind wondering what will happen.

I have always faced my fears, I have always adapted and overcome, and I will face this challenge as I do everything else, but that still doesn't help the nerves before hand, hehe.

I'm so excited about the changes ahead of me. My girls are excited for me as well and they know that their lives will change drastically as well. I'm looking forward to getting back into shape, learning a new trade and career, and most of all becoming part of a large, tight knit community. I remember well my days as an Army brat living on bases and moving every three years due to postings. That was the single largest factor for me becoming the person I am, outgoing, confident, and wise. I wish the same for my children.

So, even though I'm as nervous as I ever have been, I'm also very excited and very honored to have this chance. I will prove myself worthy and I will prove myself to be the type of leader that they are looking for in an Officer. I understand the responsibilities and am willing to face those challenges. Most of all, I want to serve my Country and protect those that can't protect themselves. The Canadian Military has always been there to fight for the weak, to help those in need with support, to help our allies fight for a safer world. I couldn't be more proud of the involvement of our Military and the Political will to change the world for the better or to at least offer the support to do so. I want to be a part of that, to know that my life and effort went towards something that makes a difference and that means something. The last 10 years of my life I've worked so very hard at building a career that only benefited my employers and really gave me no sense of accomplishment. I hope those days are at an end.

-- Robert