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As of yesterday, the latest Ubuntu release ‘Hardy Heron‘ is available for download (both client and server). Every time a major Linux distri(bution) hits ‘the shelves’, the Linux community roars. With each release (Ubuntu or whatever flavor) the Linux community gets closer, and closer to Windows.

Even though the OS itself is getting better and better. It still lacks the support of decent major software like Adobe Creative Suite, etc. It’s missing the software people use in every day (business)life.
Sure, there a million different ways of running Microsoft Office or Adobe Photoshop on a Linux OS, but these require a commercial piece of software (CrossOver) , or in depth knowledge of the OS to make it work (Wine in some cases). Two things that shouldn’t be required. Not if you’re used to Windows (or Apple’s OSX). And even if you find a ’substitute’ it’s most likely to have an awful user experience.

The average housewife won’t use Linux, because her friends all use Windows. All those nice little Windows programs, which makes life easier (or a living hell with all the mal/spyware out there). So if the Linux community wants to make a difference they need to create some sort of critical mass (by their selves, or by Microsoft screwing up) to get the attention of the ‘normal’ user. But in a community where there’s no real (commercial) business model, it’s gonna be damn hard.

Microsoft created this critical mass by playing (probably) the best marketing trick in the world; Release Windows 95, and turn a blind eye to those who use a pirated copy at home. The home users create demand on the workfloor, so businesses start to use it on their workstations. Soon everyone was addicted. And now it’s damn hard to beat the addiction.

B.t.w., Apple is doing it a lot better. They created a nice and stable OS (just like the average Linux desktop distribution), BUT the OS has ALL the relevant drivers for the hardware used. ALSO they have a complete (and cheap) software suite (iLife and iWork), which is more than enough for the average family. No need to search the caverns of the Internet for software, and they look and feel the same as the OS.

So, I guess that my conclusion is that the OS is nearing perfection, but it (Linux in general) lacks good and decent third party software (and a good marketing machine )

In the mean time; I’m gonna upgrade my Linux (mail, web, and ssh) servers at work to ‘Hardy Heron’.

Since I upgraded from OSX 10.5.1 to 10.5.2 I haven’t been able to use my shared printer on on my Windows server. Every job I submit gives me an error saying On Hold (Authentication Required).

There’s no way that I could submit the printjob to the server from my Mac.

It seems that there is a bug in the authentication mechanism on OSX 10.5.2. If you add a (network) printer by using the System Preferences, you get to browse to find the actual printer. this results in a printer in the following location:

smb://<servernetbiosname>/printershare

For some weird reason this won’t work. You need to specify the IP adres of the server or include the windows workgroup name in the url. This can be done by using the System Preferences. But you can also use CUPS. This is the webinterface on OSX to access printing services. You can access CUPS by entering the following URL in your browser;

http://localhost:631

This give you a webinterface for managing printers. Just add (or edit) the printer. During the ‘Wizard’ you can specify the actual path/URL where CUPS can find the printer. Just one of the following:

smb://<username>:<password>@<IP Address>/<Printershare>

smb://<username>:<password>@<workgroup>/<servername>/<Printershare>

Don’t worry about the username and password being displayed in the URL. These will be ‘moved’ upon insertion to the Keychain.

Alternative is to add the Advanced button on the Add Printer Wizard on the Print & Fax panel in the System Preferences. This can be done by doing the following:

• Open System Preferences
• Open Print & Fax
• Click on the ‘+’ to add a printer.
• Right-click (or ctrl + left-click) on the menubar
• Customize Toolbar
• Add the ‘Advanced’ button

With the Advanced button you can specify the exact smb path mentioned earlier to add the printer by its IP address or with the workgroup information in its path.

More info on the Apple Support Discussion pages [1, 2].