Monday, April 14, 2008

Wubi: Playing nice with Windows

Wubi, is a tool that lets you install Ubuntu on your windows machine. Now what's so great about that? You could always install Ubuntu alongside Windows provided you have the installer disk. Well, this is where the magic begins. Wubi lets you install Ubuntu on your windows machine like it's just an application. No modifying the MBR to install the GRUB boot loader. No changing the partition table. Absolutely no impact on your current Windows installation. Wubi even lets you uninstall Ubuntu from your system leaving behind your Windows installation untouched. If you had installed Ubuntu before, you would know it is just a 6 step process. You answer some questions and you are well on your way to running Linux on your computer. Now Wubi cuts this even shorter. You are now three steps closer to Ubuntu installation.

1. Run the Wubi installer and choose the installation drive, size to be allocated, user name, password etc.
2. Wubi downloads the CD image from the Ubuntu website. (this might take a while depending on your internet connection)
3. Once that's done. You have to reboot and choose "ubuntu" from your Windows bootloader menu.

That's it. Installation begins here and you'll be prompted to login after it is complete.

That's all it takes to have a beautiful Ubuntu installation on your computer. Don't waste a minute thinking if you have been wanting to instal Linux your machine. Things couldn't get any easier or more beautiful.

I would like thank Agostino Russo and Evan Dandrea for creating Wubi, Mark Shuttleworth for giving us such a wonderful Operating System and the whole community that made Ubuntu what it is now.

Here's the Link for downloading Wubi.

Here's the Original Post by Mark Shuttleworth.
Mark Shuttleworth » Blog Archive » Playing nicely with Windows

Thursday, April 10, 2008

CEO Speaks...

I work for a start-up company and so get to speak to my CEO everyday (That's is whenever he's not out on sales calls). We have lunch once in a while in the small kitchen in our office or go out to one of his favourite places somewhere nearby. He speaks a lot, and I don't mean some useless stuff that some people speak but very entertaining and sometimes very deep thoughts. He's a very philosophical man and it shows very clearly when we are sitting in our small kitchen having lunch.
Yesterday he had some very interesting things to share with us. Someone somewhere had conducted a study about what the correct retirement age should be. Can you guess? I'll give you three choices, 50's, 60's or never. Anyways, this is what the study said according to Alex (That's my CEO). If one retires in 50's, he still has the zeal to look for alternative things to do to keep oneself busy, be it a hobby or a way of earning some lively-hood. So the person remains sharp, active and happy and lives a long life. If someone decides never to retire and work as long as possible (can give you some examples in Ratan Tata, Warren buffet, John McCain, JRD Tata etc), then too the brain remains active and sharp till the end. But if one retires during 60's, then the zeal is lost and its difficult to find a hobby you like, or to be creative enough to think of something to to to keep oneself busy. That sure was an interesting study and I never thought so many scenarios could happen. So guys and gals, what do you think, when would you retire?
There are a couple of more things that Alex talked about. Elders usually find very simple answers to very complicated questions. Alex once asked is mom these questions,
How do you know what's the right thing to do?
Her answers were very simple and precise. If you have a choice of doing something, then the hardest among those choice is almost always the right thing to do. I tried to think of some decisions I had taken which would prove her wrong, but 99.99% of times, she was right. What do you think about this guys? Now I guess its easy for me to know what decision to take next time I'm undecided. Thanks Alex, I'll remember this one forever.
How do you know if a person likes you?
And for this question, she said, If you like a person wholeheartedly, then that person sure likes you too, but if you do not like someone, then you can safely assume that you are also not liked by that someone. This sure is a very simple answer to a very very complicated question. I personally am not 100% sure of this, but I'd be delighted if this is the case. let me know your views guys.
This last one, I would keep open ended for you to think about and discuss. How will the world be if one knew the exact date, time and manner of ones death the minute one was born. Would it be better, worse or would there be no change?
Am very happy to have met someone like Alex and its wonderful to be working with him. I'll post more such discussion as they happen.