Ubuntu Karmic
Suprisingly I didn't read much about Karmic yet. But that will probably change in a few weeks, when its released. I upgraded my laptop and my desktop to karmic in the last week and I am quite impressed. The look & feel improved and everything is integrated very well. Shiny.
The desktop just connects... It also seems Ubuntu is slowly extending to the web with Ubuntu One. It seems quite cool. If you don't mind storing your documents at a 3rd party, it does give you a lot easiness with exchanging files between computers or with friends. It is obviously beta, but the core functionality seem to work well (synchronizing files) and it looks good.
KVM (virtualisation) integration also seems very promising, I will test that later.

A very karmic koala
picture from here
Jaunty on HP Probook 4510s
Walter and I got a new laptop from the office. Unfortunately, even though Ubuntu "Jaunty Jackalope" is really great, there are some small issues.
The screen detection doesn't work properly sometimes and so it gives you a messed up resolution regularly (800x600). Although a login and logout fixes it, it is annoying.
Fixable with replacing you xorg.conf with the following configuration:
Section "Device"
Identifier "Intel Corporation Mobile 4 Series Chipset Integrated Graphics Controller (rev 07)"
Driver "intel"
Option "monitor-LVDS" "LCD-1366x768"
EndSectionSection "Monitor"
Identifier "LCD-1366x768"
Option "Position" "0 0"
Modeline "1366x768" 69.30 1366 1382 1416 1466 768 770 776 788 -hsync -vsync
EndSectionSection "Screen"
Identifier "Default Screen"
Device "Intel Corporation Mobile 4 Series Chipset Integrated Graphics Controller (rev 07)"
#Monitor "LCD-1366x768"
EndSection
Another problem is the sound just doesn't work. But this can be fixed with the following addition to the modprobe configuration:
echo 'options snd-hda-intel model=laptop' >> /etc/modprobe.d/custom.conf
All credits for providing the solutions go to Walter and check his homepage for a little more information.
Overall I am very content about the laptop, not expensive and after these fixes it works splendid!
update: there are several models of the HP Probook 4510s and some even seem to have different chipsets. The model I bought has HP product code NA920EA.
Report Ubuntu releaseparty Groningen
Looking back on the releaseparty last weekend it was quite successful in my opinion, with about ~50 humans, who all sticked around for the whole program.
In my opinion this releaseparty had a perfect size. At least a size which stays fun for the organizing ubuntunese in the sense that your not only busy with logistics. This size is also great for the athmosphere, "gezellig".
The two talks were good too. First a boring talk by Jan Stedehouder and afterwards an lively and interactive talk by Kees Hink which failed horribly, both in a positive way.
Akke, my co-organizer wrote a report on the party in Dutch: read it here.
22 November: Ubuntu releaseparty in Groningen
Programma
14:00 start - install party
Altijd al Ubuntu eens willen proberen, maar drempel net iets te hoog? Bij de install party zjin ervaren Ubuntu gebruikers aanwezig om nieuwe gebruikers te helpen bij hun eerste stapjes. Al bekend met Ubuntu? Kom ook langs, om te helpen, of om kennis te maken met andere Ubuntu gebruikers. Gezelligheid voorop.
16:00 spreker 1, Jan Stedehouder
Jan Stedehouder is naast schrijver van 'Probleemloos overstappen op Linux', redactielid van Livre, columnist bij Digiplace, actief forumlid en nog veel meer. Met een inleidend verhaal over Ubuntu in het algemeen en Intrepid in het bijzonder.
17:00 spreker 2, Kees Hink
Kees Hink is Ubuntu-gebruiker sinds 2006, en sinds januari van dit jaar ontwikkelaar bij Goldmund, Wyldebeast & Wunderliebe, een open source-geöriënteerd bedrijf dat gevestigd is in Groningen. Hij zal een presentatie geven over de visuale effecten in de Ubuntu Desktop.
17:30 borrel tot sluit.
Na praten en gezelligheid.
Wanneer moet u waar zijn?
Op 22 november van 14.00 tot 17.30 uur bent u welkom op:
Herebinnensingel 2-4
9711 GH Groningen
