After another episode of ToMacOrNotToMac when the mac mini came out, a special at Micro Center caught my eye, and I put together a vanilla PC, with an AMD CPU and an Antec case, for the boys. It runs Ubuntu linux. See photos and notes on the upgrade.
- Antec SLK2600AMB case and 300 watt power supply; $59.99 less $30 rebate.
- Sempron 2500+ CPU $89.99
- 512MB RAM, $40 after rebates.
KT600-AL bios update for sempron
Hmm... installing this video capture card messed up sound. DebuggingSoundProblems in the ubuntu wiki led me to Alsa FAQ026: How can I change the default ALSA device? Which gave the relevant /etc/asound.conf magic.
Things to check:
- USB 2.0 support what's the deal with USB?
Motherboard research notes...
- K7VME MicroATX Socket A Motherboard; video OK?
hmm... let's try newegg... ABIT "NF7-M" nForce2 IGP Motherboard... lspci from NF7-M... GeForce4? MX. unofficial ubuntu support
sound problem persists --connolly, Wed, 28 Dec 2005 21:17:10 +0000 reply
In office-cleaning-mode today, I thought I'd try Ubuntu again. The goal: update to current stuff and listen to some creative commons music.
Upgrading went fine; I thought I'd have to go from Hoary to Breezy, but I must have done that earlier. I had just a few dozen packages to upgrade.
A new kernel was among them, but it doesn't seem to help with the audio problem. 2.6.3 seems to be the last kernel that works.
I thought gentoo bug 78327 nailed the problem exactly, but I'm not so sure any more.
I wonder if launchpad support would work. Sigh... yet another password. Oh for openID!
Ubutntu doesn't help getting started --connolly, Wed, 28 Dec 2005 21:17:33 +0000 reply
Overall, Ubutntu feels like it lacks a basic task-oriented "Getting Started" interface. Where the OS X doc comes with Mail, iPhoto, iTunes, and a handful of others, the Ubuntu menu has "Applications Places System" and under Applications, we get "Accessories, Games, Graphics, Internet, Office, ...". Mail. I want to see Mail right in front of my face when I start. Or maybe OpenOffice?? stuff... write a letter, make a presentation. Maybe edubuntu is more focussed.
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