Hmmm …
I’ve got to admit, that’s a photo I never thought I’d show you …
Yes, that’s the Mac Mini; I know at least three friends of mine have looked at and been surprised about the size of it, I know that …
But that’s the Mac Mini running a Ubuntu 9.04 live disc.
Not something I thought I’d have a punt at, I know!!
And I’ve got to confess that, at the moment, actually installing Ubuntu on a few spare gigabytes of the Mini’s hard drive space is still something I’m a little unsure of, even though I know Ubuntu is something that works.
Good ol’ fashioned nerves, I think!
But it does show me that — in principle — it’s something I, or someone else, can easily install on many brands of computer.
I think the other hold back, there, is good ol’ inertia; lets face it, how many of us want to change, unless we absolutely have to?
But either way, Canonical have been rather clever; or at someone in the open source community has, at any rate!
You notice I called that a live disc?
In this particular context, that’s actually quite simple to explain.
Basically, what you have to do is put the disc in a PC and restart the PC. The Ubuntu disc basically takes over — much like any other install disc — and, if it’s the first time you’ve used it on a given PC , the Ubuntu disc will offer the usual sort installation options.
But also offers a ‘Try Ubuntu before Installing on This Computer’ option.
It’s a try before you buy scheme, in other words.
It’ll let you hook up to the net, use the on-board copy of Open Office, what have you.
And let’s you have a go at using Ubuntu, before you take what — for most of us — is the big step of installing it.
•••••
Actually, there’s another point, if you’ve got a friend with a computer running Ubuntu 9.04.
I do know it’s relatively easy to burn an Ubuntu install disc, whether I’m using the OS X powered Mini, or Ubuntu itself.
With OS X 10.5.x, I can open up Disc Utility, pick the relevant .iso image, and then hit the ‘Burn’ button.
Disc Utility even allows me to check on what’s called the MD5 Checksum, to make sure I’ve downloaded it correctly.
No, don’t ask.
I don’t know what an MD5 checksum is, either; beyond the obvious fact it’s what I have to check, to see if something’s downloaded properly!!
Hmmm …
No help, there, then!
But I’m burbling, aren’t I?
The point I’m trying to make here, is that Ubuntu allows you to either burn an install to either CD …
Or to a USB flash drive.
You know, those little memory stick things?
Something I’ll admit I’ve already tried to do, with mine. Which didn’t work, to be frank. Mostly because it’s one that’s partitioned into a larger (3.82 Gb) and smaller (1.5 Mb) volume; something I think prevents it from being used as a start-up drive. Don’t quote me on that, but I think that’s what’s happening.
I’m might just have to see if I can use Disc Utility to reformat it …
I’ll let you know on that.
•••••
I’ve also been in touch with an old school friend, on Facebook. As a result of which, we both had a look round, and managed to find a site called ZX Spectrum Games.
Dedicated to online versions of some old ZX Spectrum games.
Unsurprisingly …!!
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