Akbar From Linux To Windows XP November 6th, 2007
I have been using Windows XP full time for two weeks. It’s been so long time since I was Windows XP full time user. Maybe it has been four years. I have to tell you again that I am forced to use Windows XP because Linux does not support HSDPA USB Modem ZTE MF620. Somebody will say it’s my fault that I bought unsupported hardware. But sometimes you just don’t have luxury of choice. I move to a new place. I live in apartment which does not have internet connection. So you must find it from outside. The only practical solution is to use 3.5G wireless internet connection. Using cable based internet connection is not practical because I plan to move from this apartment. Using cable based internet connection means long term customer. Using parabola based internet is semi-practical. I don’t feel safe to put the parabola outside apartment. You can not move parabola as you like. Using 3.5G wireless internet connection only needs a small modem. Just plug to your computer then you can surf. It’s the most practical solution at this time with my condition. The only provider for this connection gave me the unsupported modem in Linux. Very nice.
So… You just have to use Windows XP. Being a long time Linux user, using Windows XP for the first time was not comfortable. But still… I must use Windows XP. So I set up the environment in Windows XP so I can work comfortably. The first issue is workspaces or virtual desktops. Windows XP per default does not have virtual desktops. But you can download third party software. Virtual Desktop Manager from XP Power Toys is not really virtual desktop because all windows are still visible from any virtual desktop. Then I used VirtuaWin. I kept getting error about hotkeys. The interface is cumbersome and very confusing. I gave up. I choose another virtual desktops software. DM2. It is not virtual desktops focused software. DM2 provided several Windows enhancements that may help in every-day work. Virtual desktop is a module for this software. It is nice. But you can not use hot keys or shortcuts. Every time you move to another virtual desktop, you must use mouse. Sending window to another virtual desktop needs mouse too. Very uncomfortable. Then I use VirtualDimension. You can use shortcuts. You can send window to another virtual desktop using shortcuts too. The only downside is there is no clue where you are. When you move to another virtual desktop, it will show you something like flash displaying your whereabout (desk1 or desk2). To know your whereabout, you just have to move to right virtual desktop and get back to your virtual desktop to see the flash message. But I can live with that limitation.
For email client, I choose Thunderbird as Evolution Mail replacement. No questions asked. There is Evolution for Windows. But it is a hacky solution. For calendar part, I use Sunbird.
Living in Windows means living a dangerous life. There is so called virus, malware, trojans. You just have to install antivirus. There is Clamwin. But it only scans. No good. I choose Comodo antivirus. It’s free. I plan to install another software from Comodo (firewall, anti-malware, etc).
For music player, I choose MediaMonkey. I know this software because Jeff Atwood has posted a blog post about this software. I gave it a try. I am satisfied.
Let’s face it. Command prompt window sucks. Ugly. So I use command prompt replacement. Console. It is not stable though. But I think I must give it couple weeks before I make decision. If it is keep getting crash, I will just have to use the ugly command prompt windows.
For explorer replacement, I use UltraExplorer. I just installed it yesterday. I must give it couple days before I can make conclusion.
Those are softwares that I installed to make my life in Windows XP convenient. All is free.
November 22nd, 2007 at 06:31 AM Dear Akbar, I am very interested in your experience with mobile broadband using Indosat 3.5G. How does it compare with ADSL ? I am considering to subscribe but I more interested in the data card which I hope is compatible with Linksys WRT54G3G wireless router. Thank you very much Best Regards Cheong Boon
November 29th, 2007 at 02:38 PM dear akbar, it is not true, that you c'ant use zte modem whith linux, search in net and you will find it. about xte modem, i'm using it to, but my zte only works at 384 kbs, it is limited by software, i think, i can only log in at UMTS, but it only works in GPRS, the connetcion stop when it change to umts. could you tell me whitch softare you have? thank p.s. i will post the link from the drivers to linux