Category: Misc

World of Goo Linux Port Available

I previously spoke about the game “World of Goo” a few months ago on Yet Another Linux Blog.  I was eagerly anticipating the release of a Linux port of the game and attempted to drum up support for the release of the game for the Linux platform.  All the efforts of bloggers everywhere has paid off.  Today, 2d Boy, the gaming studio behind “World of Goo” have released a Linux version of the game!

This game is not freeware…it is 20 dollars to purchase.  it also was one of the most pirated games of 2008 on the Windows platform.  I myself will be legally purchasing the game for Linux in a move to show the developers that free software and open source geeks aren’t just about getting all things free and also to let my money do the talking for Linux as a viable game platform.  If they took the time to make a Linux version of the game (I played the demo on Windows…it’s FANTASTIC) then I would readily buy it for 20 dollars from them.  Thanks 2d Boy!

UPDATE:  2dBoy posted a few updates to their release blog posting saying that Linux sales of the game has broken records for them and has paid for them more than other platforms.  They also state “There is a market for Linux games after all :))”

The Foresight Linux Search Engine

If you’re a Foresight Linux user, there are many resources you have at your disposal for documentation.  First and foremost, you have the excellent guide shipped by default in Foresight accessible in the menu…but there are other resources you can search for a resolution to your problems.  The Foresight Wiki and Foresight Forum are other areas that can be searched as well as the Foresight Issue Tracking System (FITS).  Since Foresight is rPath Linux based, you also have the rPath mailing lists, the rPath wiki and rPath Issue Tracking System (rITS).  There is also Planet Conary and Planet Foresight.  With all of these resources, I found that I was jumping back and forth quite a bit while searching for information.  There isn’t anything wrong with that, but it isn’t efficient.

Taking this into consideration, last year I created a Foresight Linux search engine.  (You can bookmark this at http://bit.ly/foresight-search-engine because the Google url is quite long)

This search engine is Google powered and searches the following locations for you:

  1. http://wiki.rpath.com/wiki/*
  2. http://foresightlinux.org/*
  3. http://wiki.foresightlinux.org/*
  4. http://issues.foresightlinux.org/*
  5. http://planet.foresightlinux.org/*
  6. http://planet.conary.com/*
  7. http://lists.rpath.com/*
  8. http://forum.foresightlinux.org

The interface is a single search blank that returns results from the aforementioned 8 sites.  Google indexes those domains and searches through them for you, making it much easier to find what you’re looking for.

If you’d like to give it a try, you can visit the link above.  On the front page of the search engine, you can get code to embed this search engine on any web page or add it to your google homepage as well.  Hopefully, this search eninge will come in handy for Foresight Linux users.

Dear Lazyweb, Microsoft Laser Mouse

I was shopping around for a mouse for gaming.  After reading the reviews, I found that I wanted to give the Microsoft Sidewinder x8 a try (previously had a Logitech G5 that broke).  It works great in Windows, which I dual boot on my gaming machine.  However, when I try to use it in Linux…it doesn’t operate at all. (2.6.26 kernel)

Googling around hasn’t turned up much at all…so I figured I’d ask here.  So…here goes:

 

Dear lazyweb, has anyone gotten the Sidewinder x8 or x5 laser mouse to work in Linux and if so, can you point me in the right direction in the comments?

Is Usability Really Simplicity?

What usability reasons do you have for using Gnome vs. KDE? I’m looking for usability issues here and not specific bugs that cause you to drop one on its head. Bugs can be fixed. I’m talking about hard features that lack from one environment to the other. What makes you use it in Ubuntu versus KDE? Remember, not bugs…features!

I prefer using KDE or Openbox as my main desktop when using Linux.  I’ve used Gnome quite a bit too when working for rPath last year (Foresight is THE Gnome distro).  Still, I prefer KDE…I really like the direction that 4.x is going also.  Sure, they’re not there yet, but I trust they will be because I haven’t been let down in the past 🙂  I have a little faith (Plus I’ve run snapshots of 4.2).

The thing that boggles my mind is that everyone says Gnome is better for a Windows convert taking his/her Linux steps for the first time.  I have to disagree based on the experience I’ve had with conversions of new users from Windows.  I think KDE gives the best experience for a new Windows user…it’s familiar or at least feels familiar…things are in similar places to Windows.

I’d say that 80-90% of the users I convert across to using Linux prefer KDE to Gnome.  I always wonder why people think Gnome is so new user friendly.  Since I’ve always wondered, perhaps some Gnome users can tell me, what usability reasons do you have for using Gnome vs. KDE?  I’ve often heard that Gnome has integration and simplicity as the main reason…but could I not argue the same for KDE?  I’m looking for usability issues here and not specific bugs that cause you to drop one on its head.  Bugs can be fixed.  I’m talking about hard features that lack from one environment to the other.  What makes you use it in Ubuntu versus KDE?  Remember, not bugs…features!  Please let me know which desktop you prefer below and don’t forget to let me know the reason in the comments section below.

[poll id=”1″]

Call to the Linux Community

Demasiado Personal writes

“There’s a game studio made by only two people, that released an excellent game for Windows, called World of Goo. I recently saw that the piracy on this game is over 95%, and it’s only a 20 dollars game.”

The blog brings up another valid point

“Now, the fun begins. Some of you will ask, what does this have to do with Linux anyway? Easy to answer. Lately this programmers are working in a Linux native port, and that gives us an amazing opportunity.  Imagine for a moment what would happen if Linux users bought more original copies than Windows users. I can answer what could happen. Those innovative programmers will make next game for Linux, and not Windows.”

So if you can afford 20 Dollars for an Award Winning game that will provide hours of entertainment, let your MONEY do the talking for you 🙂  Afterall, these guys won awards with a fantastic game and are taking the time to port it to Linux…I think of it as a donation…and if Linux sells more than Windows, it may show validity for Linux as a platform!  The Linux version is currently in Beta, but your 20 dollars will get you access to the Beta AND the release when it is made ready.

CodeWeavers Offers Free CrossOver – 1 Day Only

3 months ago, CodeWeavers CEO Jeremy White issued a “Lame Duck” challenge for the President.  If any of those goals were met, he’d offer CrossOver free for one day.  Fast forward 3 months and at least one of his six lame duck goals were met.  Thus, CrossOver is available today only for FREE.

To get in on the action, head over to the CodeWeavers CrossOver Lame Duck Page.

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