Re: [tlug] Ubuntu Breezy and Knoppix 4

[Joseph Essertier <essertier@example.com>]

>So just to be clear, is the Knoppix 4 you installed the
>Japanese-specific distro? 
I didn't install it yet; it's just running off the DVD.  (I'm afraid
that Windows will start having problems, even if i install it on a
separate partition on the same hard disk as Windows.  I had trouble with
my Mac PowerBook G4 after installing Ubuntu Hoary on a separate
partition.  Again, i didn't know what i was doing; i might not have done
the partitioning correctly).  But i guess that's the distro.  It says
"Knoppix 4.0 LinuxTag Japanese edition" on the front of the DVD, but i
didn't download it.  I came with the magazine.
>Probably from the here -
>
>  http://unit.aist.go.jp/itri/knoppix/
>  http://unit.aist.go.jp/itri/knoppix/index-en.html
>  
Looks like the same one.
>If so, some 3.x version of that is what I run on my laptop
>(Thinkpad T42p). Install was a relative breeze and all Japanese
>support (fonts, localized menus, IMEs) worked right out of the box
>without me needing to do any additional config.
>  
Cool. 
>And everything else works quite well (um, expect in the case of
>driving an external projector -- the people who were lucky enough
>to witness the unintended comedy of TLUG DocBook presentation can
>attest to that). 
I see.  I have to use it with a digital projector all the time, so i'll
check if it works with the projector i use.
>Also, I have some cases of font bizareness for
>glyphs for a few uncommon characters. It's possible that might be
>due to some kludge that's in the Japan Knoppix files.
>  
What's a kludge?  A bug?
>The Knoppix Japan LiveCD is also a great choice for showing/giving
>to people. 
Cool.  I'd like to do that.  I know a Japanese scholar who asked me why
i had purchased SuSE 9.3.  When i told him that i had trouble with
Microsoft Word, and that was one of the reasons why i became interested
in open source software, he said, "Oh really?  Microsoft software works
great on my computer.  No problems at all.  I'd rather spend my time
listening to music and watching movies than figuring out how to use
Linux software."  Well, whatever--that was my reaction.  Either he is in
denial about Windows, or doesn't use MS Word much, or his definition of
the word "problem" is different from mine.  Waiting 10 seconds for one
kana-kanji conversion may not be a problem for him.  Even for me it's
just a little irritating; it doesn't take up that much time, and if he
doesn't mind waiting, then fine.  But while it's a little problem, it
tells me that "This product is not designed well.  Surely they can do
better than this."  For 20,000 yen?  After how many years of work by how
many thousands of (exploited) programmers?
 
Maybe i'll give him a Knoppix DVD.  It might be interesting to hear what
he has to say after using it, if he gives me his honest reaction. 
>It defaults to a Japanese environment, so people trying
>it can get started right away without needing to do anything special.
>
>  --Mike
>
>  
Thanks, Mike.
Joe