Android 4.4 has a real browser, but it won't matter for two years

Finally the Android browser scores something decent on the HTML5test.

The reason is luckily not a reinvention of the wheel but the use of Chromium as base for it.

However, given the crappy upgrade policy reality of Android, this improvement is going to result irrelevant for at least the next two years. The quota of incapable Androids will be, in the meanwhile, still too big.

Users not wanting to spend 600 USD/EUR/something to have a fast, capable, respectful browser are encouraged to use Firefox for Android.

Buyers of new phones not wanting to face the same problem in the future are encouraged to buy a Firefox OS phone.

Fix for flipped (rotated 180º) webcam on Skype for Ubuntu

sudo apt-get install libv4l-0

sudo gedit /usr/share/applications/skype.desktop

Replace "Exec=skype" with the following.

Exec=bash -c 'LD_PRELOAD=/usr/lib/i386-linux-gnu/libv4l/v4l1compat.so skype'

Source: How To Fix Webcam Problem In Skype.

Tested on Ubuntu 12.04

Reset sound configuration on Ubuntu

I tried to install a sound equalizer on Ubuntu and ended up without sound equalizer, and also without sound. Classic Linux mess. To fix this and other similar problems run the following command.

alsactl init

Source: Hard Resetting alsa Configuration?

LibreOffice has to fix its presence on distros

Something that LibreOffice has to fix is its presence on distros.

Is close to value-less that you don't get LibreOffice upgrades if you don't upgrade your distro.

I use Ubuntu 12.04 based distros at home and at work, and I plan to keep doing that at least until May 2014.

Xubuntu 12.04

They just work, and they work fast.

They don't give me problems because Ubuntu 12.04 is the Linux distro developers look at when they do develop. It has been like so since a year ago, and it is going to be so for the next year at least.

But LibreOffice 3.5 is a piece of shit. Relatively at least.

Why do I have to miss all the new love that the community put in LibreOffice 4.1?

LibreOffice 4.1

Why will I have to miss it again for LibreOffice 4.2?

Early preview of LibreOffice 4.2

If Ubuntu 12.04 can receive Firefox upgrades each 6 weeks, for sure it can receive LibreOffice upgrades each 6 months.

So, gals and guys: Let's do it!

Using the discrete GPU on Ubuntu

The following might be interesting for you if you match the following:

• You have a CPU with integrated graphics
• You have a discrete GPU that your Ubuntu (or Ubuntu-based distro) does not use
• You need those goddamn extra FPS now!

Open a console, secure the perimeter of your modem/router whatever, and enter the following commands.

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:ubuntu-x-swat/x-updates sudo add-apt-repository ppa:bumblebee/stable sudo apt-get update sudo apt-get install linux-source linux-headers-generic sudo apt-get install bumblebee bumblebee-nvidia

Restart

optirun firefox

With that, Firefox will use your discrete GPU instead of your integrated graphics. The WebGL Aquarium benchmark should run like 10 times faster.

You should also be able to run other programs besides Firefox using this "optirun" command, of course. For example Kerbal Space Program, with something like the following.

LC_ALL=C optirun "/opt/software/SteamLibrary/SteamApps/common/Kerbal Space Program/KSP.x86"

Note that that "LC_ALL=C" is some kind of magic fix for multiple issues for Kerbal on Linux; I'm not explaining what it does here (neither I know, if you ask).

Source: A Noob’s Guide to Installing NVIDIA Optimus Driver in Ubuntu

What to use after Windows XP?

Lubuntu!

www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2013/06/germany-to-hand-out-free-ubuntu-cds-on-xps-deat

Download Lubuntu

More info about Lubuntu

Sweet

Scroll para hoy

En Firefox > about:config > mousewheel.acceleration.start > 3

Esto hará que al hacer scroll "con ganas" la velocidad aumente notablemente. Así podrás scrollear rápidamente documentos de varias páginas sin destruir completamente la articulación de tu dedo medio.

Facebook app: HTML5 better than native

Sencha Fastbook from Sencha on Vimeo.

Predicciones 2013

Retrospectiva de predicciones para 2012:

Los browsers ganarán acceso a casi todo el hardware que les hace funcionar.

50 % fail.

Apple perderá el rumbo y el iPhone 4S+1 se comerá un mojón.

Fail.

Ubuntu tardará 5 minutos en arrancar, tiraré el portátil y me compraré un Chromebook.

50 % fail. Me instalé Lubuntu, pero el soporte para monitores externos de LXDE es tan cutre que resulta más agradable usar xrandr desde la consola. Luego instalé Xubuntu.

Seguiré enviando documentos en ODT, aunque luego me pidan que los reenvíe en Word 2003.

75 % fail. Lo que he enviado han sido enlaces a Google Drive o a LinkedIn. Aunque sí que es verdad que los 4 o 5 documentos de escritorio que he hecho fueron en ODT/ODS porque parece que los targets han descubierto Office 2007.

Predicciones para 2013:

1. Chrome hará un 95 % en el HTML5 test. Firefox menos.
2. El share en desktop Chrome/IE/Firefox será 40/30/20.
3. Saldrá Firefox OS, funcionará en móviles de 150 euros, será la plataforma con menor coste de desarrollo marginal y deployment para el 90 % de las aplicaciones móviles, pero no llegará a los targets porque Telefónica no hará la correspondiente inversión en marketing, porque... (ver punto 4)
4. No más del 50 % de las aplicaciones que interesan a los targets tendrá versión "compatible con Firefox OS" (o sea, HTML5).
5. Saldrá un listo que inventará una palabra moderna para One Web. Los empresaurios oirán la palabra en alguna conversación y empezarán a decir que ellos "ya lo hacen", provocando el punto 4.
6. Los targets seguirán comprándose móviles de 600 euros y pagando tarifas de 600 euros al año porque "necesitan movilidad", pero seguirán rechazando Google Drive para trabajar porque "no es seguro".

Edit 5 de enero: Cambio "Google Docs" por "Google Drive". Gracias a Mario por señalarlo.