Linux? Why not?

This is another topic to celebrate my fourth year with Linux.

You may ask me why do I choose Linux (or GNU/Linux for exactly) as operating system for my computer? Well these are some reasons that I also encourage you to use Linux.

It's free
This could be the main reason. GNU/Linux is a free software. The word free is actually derived from freedom, but the Linux kernel is totally free of charge. Some Linux distributions (or distros for short) are commercial, especially the distros that are targeted for the Enterperise solution. But most of the distros are free of charge. It means that I can obtain a complete GNU/Linux distribution without needing to pay the developer.

We can download the Linux CD or DVD image from the internet for free. No need to pay any money, except for the internet connection. After the download is complete, just burn it to blank CD or DVD. Lack of internet bandwith? I doesn't matter. We can still obtain the Linux distributions from many online stores (by paying a little money to the store, of course). Some computer magazines also include the latest Linux distribution in their extra CD/DVD.

Now compare it to how much money we will spend if we want to buy the original commercial operating system like Microsoft Windows or maybe Mac OS? I decide not to use an illegal software in my computer so I don't wanna use a pirated software.

No EULA
We're not permitted to copy the MS Windows CD/DVD and then lend it to our friends. The End User License Agreement will not even allow us to install it in many computers with the same CD/DVD. So it won't allow us to modify it either.

Unlike MS Windows, the GNU/Linux distribution is a really a free software. We are legally free to copy, modify, and distribute it with or without any charges. We're also allowed to install it as many computers as we like from the same CD/DVD.

One CD/DVD for all purposes
If we install MS Windows from a CD or DVD, we can only get the operating system and only a few additional softwares by default. We have to buy the Multimedia or Office Suite separately (which also means more money to spend again).

Unlike MS Windows, the desktop oriented Linux distributions (such as Ubuntu, openSUSE, Mandriva, and PC Linux OS) has shipped their CD/DVD with a quite enough software for daily purposes. There we can find the software to play musics, videos, burn CD/DVD, and the Office suite. There's an exception for Ubuntu and openSUSE which are not able to play some patent-protected multimedia formats (such as MP3) by default. But we can still install the software freely by downloading it from their software repositories.

Hardware does not matter
Installing the latest version of Linux distribution doesn't mean you have to buy a new computer or upgrade your computer hardware. If our computer has the older hardwares like the one belongs to me, we can choose the latest Linux distribution which is optimized for old hardware.

We may choose thae lightweight desktop and application (XFCE or LXDE desktop instead of KDE or GNOME, Abiword or Gnumeric instead of OpenOffice.org an so on).

A different story will happen if want to the newest Windows version. We'll need a computer with a really high specification of hardware only to install a Windows Vista. Some users even reported with the minimum recommended hardware specification, their computer still seemed to run too slow.

Viruses??? NO WAY.
This is one of the Linux Power. The viruses, spywares, or worms won't be able to infect a Linux computer easily because Linux has a more powerful security system. Linux is a UNIX-like system, so it also implements the right access of every file and folder. Only the system administrator called root which has unlimited access.

It will really make Linux secure cause in every Linux system, we use a different user to work daily. We work as root only to do some administrative task such as installing/removing software or configuring hardware.

And please remember, most of the viruses are created to work only in MS Windows and the won't work in Linux.

So it's your decision now to choose the expensive and fragile operating system or the free., legal, and powerful operating system called GNU/Linux.

Celebrating My Fourth Year with Linux

It's already August of 2009. It means I've been using GNU/Linux as the operating system of my computer for about four years. Yes, my first experience with Linux happened on August of 2005. I remembered it happened when I found something wrong with my non-original MS Windows that made me have to re-install it. There was a little problem, I had no copy of MS Office. So I started searching for an alternative Office suite that led me to OpenOffice.org. I almost decided to download the OOo in an internet cafe, but the file size is too large that it would take a very a long long long time to finih the download. So, I went a bookstore, found a book about OOo-with an extra CD-there, and of course I then bought it.

After some periods of time, something went wrong again (and again) with the MS Windows that made feel so tired of re-installing it. Then I thought about using Linux as an alternative and legal operating system. After trying some Live CD's distributions, I installed my first GNU/Linux in my computer, SUSE 9.1 Personal. At first, I decided to use a dual-boot in my computer, but in my next adventure, I began to more and more fall in love with Linux, so I decided to erase the MS Windows from my computer completely.

To shorten this story, along these four years, I've been trying and installing many Linux distributions in my computer. Some of them need a more hardware resource aka the heavyweight distributions/distros and some others only need a little hardware resource aka lightweight distributions.

After spending some time with Xubuntu (it was actually Ubuntu Muslim Edition which I switched to Xubuntu desktop), I've finally found a more lighweight Linux distributions, PC/OS. I have some reasons to use PC/OS. First, this distro is also based on Xubuntu which means, it uses XFCE desktop that is so light and fast for a computer with a lack of hardware like mine.

The second reason, unlike Ubuntu or Xubuntu that has no support for propietary multimedia files by default, PC/OS has a more support of multimedia files such as MP3, MPEG videos, and other multimedia formats.

The third reason, if the software shipped in PC/OS CD is not enough, I can easily add the other softwares from the Ubuntu repositories.

Well, that's my story of my experience with GNU/Linux. There is one last story to tell that really makes me so proud of. I did my Final Task to graduate from my college with Linux. Right from the start. From the time I designed it, tested the design, simulated the design, created the report, created the graphics, and even created the presentation for my Final Task Seminar and Final Task Exams. All are done under GNU/Linux. I actually used a simulator that natively ran under Windows, so had to use a MS Windows emulator to use it. I can say that I might be the first non Information and Computer Technology student that used Linux completely in the Final Task.

Review Pertengahan Musim MotoGP

Gelaran MotoGP sudah memasuki pertengah musim. Saat ini bahkan telah memasuki masa istirahat sebelum seri ke-11 di sirkuit Brno, Republik Ceko. Berikut ini hasil rangkuman saya hingga pertengahn musim

Kelas 250 cc
Musim ini adalah musim terakhir diselenggarakannya kelas 250cc. Musim depan kelas ini akan berganti menajdi kelas Moto 2 dengan mulai dipergunakannya motor bermesin 4-tak. Persaingan sengit hingga pertengahan musim ini masih terjadi antar Hiroshi Aoyama, Alvaro Bautista, dan Marco Simoncelli. Skill ketiga pembalap ini bisa dikatakan setara.

Saat ini, Aoyama masih memimpin klasemen sementara diikuti Bautista dan Simoncelli. Ia memang terbukti menjadi yang paling konsisten meraih poin dan belum pernah sekalipun ia gagal finish. Sementara itu Bautista pun harus berjuang lebih keras dan juga tentunya berhati-hati. Ia beberapa kali terjatuh akibat kengototannya sendiri. Selain bersenggolan dengan Simoncelli, ia juga pernah gagal finish karena menyenggol Aoyama.

Untuk Simoncelli, pelan tapi pasti, sang juara bertahan ini mulai bangkit dari keterpurukan. Hasil cukup menggembirakan ia catat di dua seri terakhir. Ia pun berhasil menggeser posisi Hector Barbera dari peringkat ketiga klasemen sementara. Dia hanya punya sedikit masalah, yaitu tenaga motor Gilera yang ia tunggangi tak sebesar tenaga motor Aprilia milik Bautista ataupun Honda milik Aoyama.

Well, kita tunggu saja siapa di antara mereka bertiga yang akan menajdi juara dunia musim ini.

Kelas MotoGP
Untuk kelas teratas MotoGP, saat ini Valentino “The Doctor” Rossi masih di atas angin. Ia masih kokh bertahan di puncak klasemen sementara. Pesaing terberatnya justru dari rekan satu timnya, Jorge Lorenzo. Sayang di seri Inggris, Lorenzo terjatuh dan tak mendapatkan poin.

Pesaing lainnya jagoan Ducati, Casey Stoner, justru tertimpa masalah kesehatan serius yang sangat memengeruhi penampilannya musim ini. Dimulai dari seri Assen, Belanda. Ia terlihat muntah-muntah usai lomba. Kondisinya makin buruk di seri-seri berikutnya. Ia gagal naik podium di tiga seri terakhir. Penampilan terburuknya terjadi di Inggris kemarin ketika saat lomba berjalan separo, ia keburu di-overlap oleh para pembalap lainnya.

Ancaman Honda
Menjelang pertengahan musim ini, kejutan juga datang dari kubu Honda. Dimulai dengan kemenangan Dani Pedrosa di Laguna Seca, dan digunakannya mesin baru Honda di Sachsenring, Jerman. Hasilnya cukup ositif. Di Jerman dan Inggris, para pembalap Honda sanggup merengsek ke posisi depan.

Bukan hanya pembalap tim pabrikan, Repsol Honda, para pembalap tim satelit Honda seperti Toni Elias, Alex De Angelis, dan bahkan Randy de Puniet pun sanggup melaju ke posisi depan. Hanya Gabor Talmacsi yang masih kesulitan beradaptasi. Hal yang wajar mengingat Talmacsi sangat minim pengalaman karena baru berlaga di pertengahan musim, setelah musim lalu ia berlaga di kelas 125cc dan beberapa seri awal musim ini berlaga di kelas 250cc. Namun prestasinya di dua seri terakhir bisa dikatakan lumayan. Di Jerman, ia nyaris memperoleh poin pertamanya, sayang ia terjatuh. Tapi di Inggirs kemarin, ia membuktikan bisa menyalip duo Ducati yang tampil sangat buruk.

Memang sih peluang para pembalap Honda untuk menjadi juara dunia bisa dikatakan kecil, mengingat penampilan pembalap utama mereka, Dani Pedrosa, kurang konsisten karena lebih sering berkutat dengan cedera. Setidak-tidaknya Honda ingin memberi peringatan kepada pembalap lain bahwa Honda meraih banyak kemajuan. Tiga seri terakhir membuktikan itu dengan keberhasilan Pedrosa di Laguna Seca serta Dovizioso di Donington Park.

Prediksi
Bukannya mau jadi peramal tapi boleh dong saya memberikan prediksi. Hingga akhir musim tampaknya persaingan menjadi juara dunia masih akan terjadi antara Rossi dan Lorenzo. Sementara itu jika kondisi Casey Stoner tak kunjung membaik, justru ia terancam terlempar dari posisinya di peringkat ketiga klasemen sementara. Rasanya tak sulit bagi Dani Pedrosa untuk mengambil alih posisi tersebut.

Review MotoGP seri Donington Park

Seri ke-10 ajang MotoGP yang berlangsung di sirkuit Donington Park menyuguhkan pertarungan seru di bawah cuaca yang tak menentu. Hasilnya pun di luar dugaan. Para pembalap favorit justru bebertumbangan.

Jalannya lomba
Hasil seri donington Park memang mengejutkan sejak awal yang dimulai dengan munculnya Toni Elias yang memimpin balapan di lap awal. Sayang pembalap Honda Gresini ini justru akhirnya disalip oleh duo Fiat Yamaha, Lorenzo dan Rossi, serta duo Repsol Honda, Dovizioso dan Pedrosa. Elias memang sempat melakukan overtaking kepada Pedrosa. Sayang ia justru terjatuh dan tak dapat melanjutkan lomba
.
Jalannya lomba semakin seru ketika para pembalap favorit juara yaitu Valentino Rossi, Jorge Lorenzo, Casey Stoner, dan Dani Pedrosa justru tampil buruk. Lorenzo yang sudah di atas angin karena berada di depan sendiri dengan jarak yang lumayan jauh dengan Rossi justru menyusul Elias mencium aspal dan juga gagal meneruskan lomba. Sementara Rossi yang kini memimpin lomba, harus menghadapi tekanan dari Andrea “Dovi” Dovizioso yang terus menguntitnya denagn jarak yang sangat dekat.

Saat pertengahan lomba, hasil memalukan dicatat oleh duo Ducati Marlboro, Casey Stoner dan Nicky Hayden. Bukan hanya mereka berdua disalip oleh Gabor Talmacsi, ternyata mereka sudah di-overlap oleh Rossi, Dovi, dan Pedrosa. Bahkan para pembalap di belakang mereka bertiga pun akhirnya melakukan overlapping kepada duo Ducati tersebut. Sementara itu Dovi terus terlihat beberapa kali berusaha menyalip Rossi, namun gagal. Namun Dewi Fortuna tampaknya lebih berpihak kepada Dovi ketika Rossi terjatuh. Dovi pun melaju sendirian di depan. Rossi memang masih melanjutkan lomba, sayangnya Dovi sudah terlalu jauh untuk dikejar.

Pembalap lain yang tampil buruk adalah Daniel “Dani” Pedrosa. Sempat bersaing di depan di lap-lap awal, dan juga sempat bertarung mati-matian berebut posisi dengan Randy de Puniet, namun ia akhirnya gagal. Ketika terjadi perubahan cuaca, Pedrosa yang tetap bertahan dengan ban kering terlihat terlalu berhati-hati. Ia pun dengan mudahnya disalip oleh gerombolan pembalap di tengah seperti Colin Edwards, James Toseland, Loris Capirossi, Mika Kallio, dan Marco Melandri. Sementara Rossi yang sempat tercecer di posisi 11 dan akhirnya bisa merengsek ke posisi 6 setelah para pembalap lain memutuskan masuk pitlane untuk berganti motor dengan ban basah.

Di lap-lap akhir, Dovi terus melaju menggunakan ban kering meski mulai terlihat titik-titik hujan. Namun ia tak tersentuh hingga finish. Pertarungan sengit terjadi antara Randy de Puniet dan Colin Edwards untuk berebut posisi kedua. Edwards ahirnya finish di posisi kedua diikuti oleh de Puniet

Pertama di balapan terakhir
Musim ini menjadi musim terakhir digunakannya sirkuti Donington Park untuk ajang MotoGP. Tahun depan MotoGP seri Inggris akan berlangsung di sirkuit Silverstone yang selama ini dignakan untuk menggelar balapan Formula 1.

Uniknya. posisi podium di Donington Park justru menjadi yang pertama bagi Dovi, Edwards, dan de Puniet musim ini. Bagi Dovizioso, podium ini adalah yang kedua dan sekaligus kemenangan pertama sepanjang karirnya di kelas teratas ajang MotoGP. Yang sangat gembira tentu saja Randy de Puniet. Ya, ini adalah untuk kali pertama pembalap tim LCR Honda itu naik podium.