Because Ubuntu is a free operating system, they don't feel the need to shove the version in your face in quite the same way their commercial counterparts do. So, when you're on the threshold of doing an upgrade, it's nice to know what version you're upgrading from.

There's a quick, command based way to discover what version of Ubuntu you're using:

cat /etc/issue

Alternatively, for a more detailed output, try this command:

It was this post about GDM themes in the new version of Ubuntu that prompted me to install the latest version of Ubuntu tonight.

GDM (short for Gnome Display Manager) themes are a fast and convenient way of changing the default login theme for Ubuntu with very little effort. Check out the Tech Source post I linked to above to see examples of sexy login screens you can simply download, install and use.

Sweet! A new version of Ubuntu is always an exciting occassion: the release schedule is always way more frequent than Windows, and there's always some fascinating development that makes the upgrade worth your while.

So, tonight I'm upgrading my older version of Ubuntu from 8.10 to the latest release, which is 9.04. Otherwise known as Jaunty Jackalope, although the emphasis on animal names seems to be significantly played down on this version.

Something that bugs me in Ubuntu is the default text size for window titles and desktop icons - it's far too big. How do you change it?

Well, in Ubuntu 8.10, you browse to the System -> Preferences -> Appearance programme, and on the Fonts tab, you should be able to set the font size to your liking. I shrunk the font down to 8. I think this is pretty readable and saves a bit of space on screen.

I briefly had a dual boot setup a few years ago. Booting between Linux (I can't remember which distro) and Windows XP was always clunky. Two problems normally come up:

In deciding to run Ubuntu in a Windows environment (I run a Windows server as well as a couple of Windows XP machines), one of my key concerns was being able to connect to those Windows machines.

Now, looking around Ubuntu, you might come across an application called Remote Desktop Viewer. This will happily connect between Ubuntu machines and computers running VNC servers. But it doesn't do RDP (Remote desltop protocol) which you need to connect to Windows.

Lisa and I had a meeting with somebody the other day. As we sat in her office, the lady nodded toward an ageing PC and bemoaned the fact that "once you buy a new computer these days, it's almost immediately out of date".

It wasn't the time or place to argue, but of course I feel differently.

Sure, if you're locked into a Microsoft based system, you're going to find yourself in a viscious upgrade cycle. You'll constantly be watching for the latest version of Microsoft Office or anxiously wondering what their forthcoming Operating System will mean for you and your business.

Now, my main machine in the house is easily 4 years old. It was a highly specced Dell Dimension XPS system back then. Probably not as wonderful by today's standards, but still a fine system. Its only upgrade has been an additional 2Gb of RAM, and it's still a star performer. So, in my opinion, the hardware platform has stabilised.

The Windows World

In the world of software, things are much different. On Windows XP, I'm mostly committed to Free or Open Source applications: Aptana for web development instead of Dreamweaver, Notepad++ for quick text editing, OpenOffice forword processing and spreadsheet style stuff. Comodo for firewalling and antivirus.

I'm still using a fairly old version of Adobe Photoshop, but it does the job for my needs, even if it is missing some of the features of the newest version. GIMP's an acceptable replacement...I suppose. The only thing that's really tying me to Windows right now is the amazing Windows Live Writer.

I haven't made much fanfare on here about becoming self-employed.

Oh, in my head I wanted to write a sermon about how good it feels to be achieving a lifelong dream. The last few months at Howden, I was becoming more and more aware of how bogged down in paperwork we were becoming. It's hard to be passionate about something when you can't move for filling in forms.

So yes, leaving to work on my own business has been a great feeling. Liberating. Empowering. Lots of big motivational words like that.

But I'm a realist too, and I don't want to pen some high and mighty words that'll come back to haunt me later. It's a fact of life that the online advertising market is contracting at the moment. Revenues so far have been fine, but you'd be a fool if you thought that money just comes flooding in when you've got a website that's doing well.

On Wednesday 24th September, I handed in my notice at work. As of the 1st of November, I'll be a free agent. And I'm not going back into paid employment for the moment - I'll be working for Unreality TV.

A little over three years ago, Lisa and I started a little blog about Reality TV. I was working for Cleaver Fulton Rankin and doing a bit of web design work in my spare time to bring in extra cash.