h man, if I never see apt-get mania again, I'll be happy lol.

$ sudo apt-get install -y foo
 ....
$ sudo apt-get install -y foo-doc foo-eggs foo-ham foo-spam

To be honest, if whoever organized this thing... doesn't know what database normalization means, I'd be shocked as shit lol.


I've been using a mixture of vim/ssh to setup sal1600 with my standard operating environment, thankfully Ubuntu has a decent package search site hehe. I still need to sort out Java (jdk, jre, browser plugins), flash plugins (maybe anyway), realplayer, and codecs for mplayer. But for the most part, I'm up to go. I'll need to go over libraries with a fine tooth come, to make sure I don't lose anything. I really don't like GNU/Linux, I like the Linux kernel well enough, but the mish-mash of parts pisses me off. But, given the choice of Windows or GNU/Linux, I'd rather put up with it. As far as Linux distributions go, Ubuntu is probably one of the best desktop systems. It's certainly not my favorite distribution (Slackware), but it likes my desktops hardware much better... Something no other GNU/Linux distro has done lol. One thing I regret about my desktop, it usually needs kicking into obedience a lot of times under any OS.


Tomorrow, I've got 3 main goals after work:

1. Setup XFire plugin for Pidgin
2. Tweak my dual head X.Org configuration
3. Combat test SWAT 4: TSS for performance

If I can play SWAT comfortably on GNU/Linux, I'm more then willing to switch back to a single monitor. Which really, is a shame b/c the X Windows System truly offers a better experience then what I've had with Windows multi-monitor support. The real concession will be having to shift to a usable resolution to play SWAT :\.


For the most part, I've only used the 2nd monitor as a dumping ground for extra programs. Most of the time, I'm alternating between 2-5+ programs. On my laptop however, I've found it perfectly comfortable to arrange 3 virtual desktops to "split" the workload. I guess, I will probably end up with something similiar on my desktop now. 1600x1200px on a 19" CRT is just to small for the amount of programs I interact with; but the 2880px wide (-monitor edges in the centre) that my current setup gives, is also a bit too darn big... optical scrolling sucks. This really makes me wish I had one big 22" LCD, but I'm not sure if anything with a /sane/ price and good performance for action games, has caught up yet (probably has).


My original design specs for sal1600, did call for an LCD - not because I /like/ them, but because it's a pain to lug a CRT around haha !