My Ubuntu 11.10 experience so far...

I've been using Ubuntu 11.10 since yesterday that it became available for download, and I'm very pleased with it.

The user interface is a lot cleaner, and easier to use. I really like the look of it, in my opinion is a big step forward for Ubuntu and it has cemented it as my favorite Linux distro. I've been using Ubuntu on regular basis since the 10.04 LTS version, though I used for a while the 8.04 LTS before, I've found it to be easy to use and very stable.

And since the 10.04 LTS version, I've like the look and feel of the user interface a lot better than the one in Windows and I like it as much as the Mac OS X one. But, with the current Unity shell, I like it even more. I find the design to be clean, and easier to use than the previous ones. You could say that Unity has won me over, and I plan to stick with it.

I can't recommend Ubuntu enough if you want to make the jump to Linux, specially if you are new to the world of open source software.

There are still a few rough edges, but as with the two previous versions I've used these will be fixed rather quickly. Besides, these aren't that big and are on par with any new release of an OS and knowing me I most likely found them because I like to go deep when I personalize my OS to my taste.

So, if you are an average user you are unlikely to find them.

At the end, if you want to make the jump to Linux Ubuntu 11.10 is a great distro to start from.

Do what's right for you...

It's sad to see how many people don't question themselves why they believe what they do, or if those believes are a valid platform to stand on.

Many just accept what is told to them, without really analyzing what's is told to them. Some won't see the contradictions on the information given to them, because they don't bother to actually pay attention. It seems that they don't want to take the responsibility and face the consequences of their own actions.

Some seem to have the need to be told what to believe, and how to act.

It's important to understand that what's good for some doesn't make it so for others. The idea that something will work for us, just because it works for someone we know is not true. Yes, we should consider several paths before one is chosen. But, at the end each of us needs to choose what is best for us as an individual.

More often than not, it's hard to be completely certain if what was chosen will work out the way it was intended to do. If it does, that's great. If it doesn't, don't blame others.

Learn from what happened, and move on. The blaming game is not really useful, since most of the time it doesn't help anyone to move on with life.

As humans, we are fallible. We make mistakes, but we can overcome them to make things right.

At the end, do what's right for you to the best of your abilities. Remember that you are the one you must answer to at the end of each day. You're the one who must feel comfortable on your own skin, and live your life the way you believe is the best way to do so.

Give yourself more credit.

End of an era...

When I read the news that Steve Jobs had died yesterday afternoon, at first I couldn't bring myself around it.

I mean, even if I disagree with how things are done in Apple, the man was a visionary. He did make great products, easy to use and with exquisite design. Products that just work, and perform in many cases better than advertised.

Is easy to see why people want Apple products, and why Apple has such a large and loyal group of base users.

Personally, I don't use Apple's products because of philosophical reasons. I do like the design of both of the software and hardware, they are pleasing to the eye and easy to use. Mac OS X is stable as OS's come, and it's really user friendly.

But, at the end Steve Job is someone that I admire, and respect. He was a visionary, that showed us that technology can be sexy and easy to use. His innovations managed to keep putting the bar higher and higher.

I remember being pleased when he putted Apple's might behind open web standards.

In my opinion, to pay tribute to Steve Jobs, the best way to do it is keep improving and making better things. Keep innovating. Never to stand still, and always bring forth new ideas.

I do believe that's what he would want.

FOSS...

If I remember correctly, it has been a year since I started using Ubuntu, or Mint, as my main operating system. I have found that I really enjoy using Ubuntu much more than using Windows.

So much more so, that I've no plans to go back to using Windows.

All the programs that I use, or need, are available in some way or another on Ubuntu or Linux in general. My favorite web browser, Firefox, is available. Also,my favorite office suite, LibreOffice is.

I've found Ubuntu to be more stable than Windows. In the year I've been using it, Ubuntu has only crashed once, an it was an early beta version of the 11.04 version. So, it was to be expected, since most of the bugs weren't ironed out. But, once I installed the stable version I haven't had no problem what so ever.

At this moment, I'm running the 11.04 version. I admit that initially I had my doubts about the Unity user interface, but I've found that I do like the look and feel it has. And I've been enjoying working with it, though I've run into some minor bugs that have been taken care off with the regular updates.

I do expect to up-date to the 11.10 version when it comes later this month.

Ever since I started investing, and learning, what free and open source software(FOSS) is, about 10 years ago, I've been trying to use as much as possible.

The principals and code of ethics that comes with FOSS are similar to those I've and believe in. So, I've become an advocate of FOSS and spread the word about it's benefits.  I find that FOSS are beneficial to innovation, that it actually can propel and foster it.

If more people can see, and modify, the source code to any piece of software to better suit their needs means that there will be better solutions to that given problem.

Allowing people to freely tinker with not just software, but hardware as well should not be discouraged. I agree there should be some rules to give credit to those who deserve it, but that doesn't mean that other people shouldn't be allow to work on, and improve on, the software and hardware they use.

And also to share with the community at large the work that they have done.

There more people works to improve the systems we use, the better. Protection sure be in place to protect the ideas to be stolen, but not in a way to impede the improvement of it by third parties.

In the end, it's a balancing act. But its outcome should be decided by the people who actually use the product, not by any government or any other group.

Change now..

What is most frustrating for me, is the fact that if things don't change things would only tend to get worse.

As things are at the moment, things seem to have no solution anytime soon. Structural changes are needed as soon as possible, if these these don't arrive things are seriously never to get better.

Yes, a wider segment of society as pushing for changes. In hand with that, some of the politicians are actually doing something. But, when you look at the changes made, or proposed, the realization that most of changes are merely cosmetic are self-evident.

The time for cosmetic changes has long since passed, and now what Mexico needs are deep and structural changes that help the country to face the future.

If we want to keep our position in the world, we need to make and apply changes that gives us the ability to better adapt to new circumstances. Other countries like China, Brazil, and India have already started to make these changes, and the results on their economies is outstanding.

Yes, there still plenty of inequality still to be seen on those countries. But, the are good signs that more people are coming out of poverty. It will take years, possibly decades, to eradicate poverty. And maybe, poverty will be eradicated, but something has to be done.

But, society at large should pressure more our politicians to make them aware that there to serve us. If left to their own devices, we have seen time and time again how they start acting as if society is here to serve them. Actions need to be taken to make sure that politicians understand that they are suppose to do OUR bidding. If would be naive to believe the current status quo will be in a matter of a few years. It will take some time, but it won't change all by itself.

The system is just as good as we make it.

Sense of community...

I find it rather sad that it's hard to really become involved in the community where you live in, because most of the services you need are to be found outside the community.

There are a lot of people are against having shops, banks and other of the kind of business that people use on regular basis arguing that it would disturb the peace and quiet of the community. Which, they shouldn't since and should make life more practical having things like banks and small shops that carter to the needs of the necessities of each particular community.

By letting businesses that carter to these needs to operate at each community, many problems would be solve. Transportation would be easier, since people wouldn't need to move as far. Thus saving time and money, and freeing people to actually do more.

Security would be improved, since people living there would have a greater sense of ownership over the community. Also would foster better relationships of the people living there, since using the services that are offered on the shops that operate at the community would bring individuals with the same interests together. And since people would naturally gather on these centers, people would have reasons to get to know other and share common interests rather that going somewhere else to do so.

Of course there should be limits to what kind of businesses, and their size, should be allowed to establish within each community. These should be based on what they offered, and the size of the community in question.

But, saying that commerce shouldn't be allowed in residential areas is detrimental to them. We are social by nature, and having plazas and parks where people can gather, are essential to the health and wellbeing of the community at large. These places become integral parts of the community, since it gives the people living in them a place to come together to talk, exchange ideas, and simply feel that they belong to the community where they live.

If the people are given the chance to get to know the people living at the community where they live, they become closer to the community and have the sense of belonging and ownership. This has the effect of making people to take care of the community they live in.

Most of the crime we see, comes from the social disintegration that comes of not having the sense of belonging to a group that makes us want to be better. Or, not wanting to take place of where we live.

Let's give people the chance of being proud of the community where they live. This is a big step forward to solving many of the problems we have.

Architect and builder...

Even though there are still people that don't do much other than just say how bad things are, and how things will never change, it's uplifting to see there are people who are acting to make things better.

What's best, the number of those who take action are increasing with time. The awareness that we can do something to make things work, and that we can actually do something to make our world a better place. That we don't have to wait, or depend, on our politicians to do something about the issues that concern us.

At the end, if we don't do what it takes to make things work no one else will.

We are the ones who are responsible of our life and our communities. The ones who can make it better are ourselves, and we must be aware that is up to us to make our life better. As much as we would like, no one else has the obligation to do anything for us. What we do for ourselves, and others, is up to each of us.

Is important to understand that each of us is the master of our own destiny. We make our way to the destiny we want to, with each step we take toward it. Each one of our actions brings with it consequences, with are the rewards or punishments we see as the end result.

We all have free will, but it takes courage to use it and face the consequences that come with the use of our free will. What we do comes from the choices we do through our life, and most of our choices that we must take are done so with no real knowledge of where those choices will take us. We must be constantly be adjusting to the new circumstances that arise with time and place.

There are no single formulas to face life. What works for some, doesn't work for others.

We like it or not, all comes down to what we choose to do. Even inaction is a personal choice, for which we must face the consequences of. What we choose not to do, may be the thing that someone else will choose to do whether we like it or not.

We'll make mistakes, but that shouldn't stop us for making things happen. Mistakes can be corrected, and we can learn from them.

At the end, we can choose what we make out of our life. But, it also takes the will to make things happen in order to get where we want to be. The most important thing in order to get where we want to be, is ourselves. No one else can get us where we want to be. Opportunities are only fruitful only to those who are willing to take them, and do something with them.

Each one of us, is the architect and builder of our destiny.

Power of the people...

As far I can see, many politicians still don't understand they are facing a more active and educated society. They still want to manage thing the way they did in the past, yet it's not possible to do so.

People have become more aware of their power they have on the government. And more importantly, people has become to see that the power of the government comes from the people. At the end, the government is there to serve us, not the other way around.

There is more of an understanding that the government has to surrender to the will of the people, since the government is just an expression of such will. The people who decide to work at the government need to realize that they just serve to make sure that the will of people comes to be realized.

At the end, the government that doesn't come to terms to this fact is not going to last for long.

We need to keep the government on check. People needs to realize that there is the constant need to keep tabs on government. Casting a vote of punishment at the end of each term is not enough to prevent, or control, what the government does. Or how it works.

It's up to the people, not to the government itself, to make sure it works as it should. As the saying goes, each society has the government it deserves.

Freedom...

I've been interested and supportive of open source software for a while now, since the collaborative nature and philosophy of it resonates with my core beliefs.

If we worked like this in more aspects of our daily lives, the world would be a far better place to live in. In many ways, the interest of the community at large overlap with those of the individual. So, the individuals should be involved with the community as much as possible.

True, the interests of the community are not always the same of those of the individual. There for, I also believe that the individual should be free to engage and work on those projects that are most beneficial for him with as few restrictions as possible.

I mean, no one should be allowed to do things that damage the community at large.

But, at the end each individual should have the freedom to work on what interest and benefits him the most. It's equally important that individuals to be allowed to associate as they see fit. There shouldn't be restrictions to with who, and what for, we associate.

Freedom is central to a healthy community. There should be as much freedom as possible to move, trade, and associate as possible. And the rules that limit freedom, should be as few as possible.

Bring change...

It's sad to see how many people complain about things don't worry, or how their needs are not being attended to, and when given the chance to do something about it they choose to stay and do things the same way.

They ask for change, but when change comes to their doorstep they choose not to take it.

I've been seeing it happing a lot more often than I'd like. People demanding some sort of change, and when an opportunity comes to make that change happen they just freak out and don't capitalize that opportunity. Most of the time it happens because many expect to change come in a certain way, and at certain time.

When it comes in some other way, some times they don't see it. But, it's sad when the opportunity is seen and not taken because it didn't come as they wanted it to come. Instead of taking the chance to change and making it work their way, they just let it go without realizing that the missed opportunity might not come again in a long time.

Most of the time, change won't happen the way we expect it to happen. The change presents itself in many ways, and we must be ready to cease it. It's up to us to make it happen, in the best possible manner. No one else has the responsibility to give us the change we look for, or to make it work our way.

And, in order to bring change, we have to give something in exchange. No thing in life comes for free, and at the end we have to pay for our actions.

News outlets...

Listening to the news and reading the papers can be really a depressing or annoying thing, depending on the report o news that are being given.

Most of the newspapers and radio stations don't seem to understand that even though they are entitled to give their own perspective to the information that they are giving, it doesn't mean that they have to always be in opposition or agreement with everything.

I'm tired that the left leaning are always being overly critical of the right, without questing their own position and the right leaning ones doing the same.

There are good and bad things being done on both sides, at the end we all make mistakes so often. The news outlet job is to find what is happening, and why. Yes, they have the right to criticize or praise when they say fit, but they have to see that just not all that is done by people they support is a good thing, or that what is being done by people they oppose is done wrong.

One of their main goals should be getting to the bottom of the issues before they actually get to a conclusion. By doing this, the news outlets actually help the people to get a better sense of what and why the things are.

If they can't do this, they aren't doing their job they way they should.