my linux story: burning troubles

last time i used some alternative to built-in ubuntu burner (can't recall now - k3b perhaps), and it ruined the table of contens of my archive dvd-rom by switching it to 8.3 format even though i spent quite a time to ensure it is properly configured and it works with appropriate file system.
this time i copied a cd with brasero included in 9.04, and it let me chose desired recording speed, though later anyway burned with full speed. these overspeeded discs are useless for many old-school cd decks, especially in the radio, where i have many collaborations.
EDIT: i installed k3b to copy the audio cd. interesting, because k3b allows to input burn speed, but at the same time says it depends on the target cd, so somehow it can't guarantee anything. why then one can't input the speed after the temp image is made, when the target cd is inserted? wisely it corrected the burn speed from 8x i asked for to 16x the cd allowed (k3b said). the actual burning, though, was indicated as seemingly done with maximum speed, and i really don't know now what was the actual burn speed. especially that i vaguely recall that it happened to me once - wrongly indicated burn speed while burning.
confusing!

my linux story: still looks bad

i uninstalled full kubuntu-desktop (kde) using these instructions. for some reason it uninstalls also some programs i installed in the meantime (scribus, rosegarden), which must be re-installed. it shouldn't be like this, i think.
it didn't help. the system still has psycho displaying problems. seems it's some bug in jaunty, since before (8.04/8.10) i don't remember anything like this on the same laptop.
:(

my linux story: more zonks

the system now begun to not resume from screensaving state. "off" button worked, though (set for turning off the system), however i suspect the system is not being closed cleanly.
i admit i installed the new mozilla firefox 3.5.2 via ubuntuzilla against ubuntu warnings. i will see if removing it helps.

my linux story: that's how ubuntu 9.04 looks like after two days work

this is openoffice.org. the install is quite clean: ooo, gimp, scribus were used, kubuntu-desktop was installed. the problems appear on gnome session under both kdm and gdm. the artifacts can be "cleaned", but they reappear.

my linux story: back to wifi problems

seemingly everything was okay. i set up a new connection, typed in wep key, and it worked. though soon, after installing kubuntu-desktop, which needs its own config for wifi (why?), it went wrong, didn't connect anymore, and the key was showing other data than typed in (i believe it's because of automatic converting between hex and ascii). to heighten the confusion, ubuntu doesn't list "hex key" in its possible key format list. i had to: delete the connection; set it up again; restart the system. WHY?

my linux story: and here it is exactly how it breaks

quick and clean. since compiz's not working, i decided to install kwin. so i've chosen "kubuntu-desktop" in synaptic. while downloading, i was doing some simple tasks, like editing text docs in ooo and choosing a screensaver. and suddenly the computer starts to work very slowly (while choosing a screensaver), ąnd then freezes completely. i managed to restart via 'skinny elephants' and FORTUNATELY everything's okay, and synaptic resumed it's work without protests. but ooooh how stable.

my linux story: ...graphics problems recalled

...and immediately i recalled one of the problems i encountered while trying ubuntu 8.04 or 8.10 on the fujitsu-siemens - compiz visual effects were not working, though apparently they can on this video chip, as attested somewhere on youtube (UPDATE: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hklpe0OCclg, but i can't make it run on my system, because it needs viaarena driver, and it doesn't work on 9.04).
they can't be turned on also on 9.04. not fixed.

my linux story: new workstation needed, another attempt

i had to set up a new workstation for some project. i had an old fujitsu-siemens amilo pro v2010 laptop laying around and 10gb free space on hd. it has no usb boot support and a faulty dvd-rom drive, so i used this tutorial. it calls for installing ubuntu on another computer using usb connector for the hd. i used 8.10 factory disc.
i had to manually set up the partitions (493 mb for swap, the rest for the system), which needed minor research. also i had to unplug the main hd of my another computer, as existing swap partition there (of a faulty ubuntu i described in detail before) was continuously taken into account by the installer as main (or extra) swap for the newly installed ubuntu.
but generally it miracuously worked. the only thing i needed was to fix the screen resolution to fsc specs. it's now upgrading to 9.04 via upgrade option. we'll see.