Kubuntu 14.04.5 LTS and online harrassment instruction flawless

[woodsmoke]

I knowwww...

Woodsmoke you old doof! WHY are you still running that antique release...

Well, it IS LTS!! lol

So I have two things to report.

a) It prints on a HP Envy 4520 but, unfortunately it will not scan. It is a known problem so no biggie.

b) All of the adjuncts have to do a kind of bi-yearly sexual harrassment / harrassment training, the full timers have to take it I think tri-yearly.

the cut to the chase is that Kubu LTS and an older version of FF worked flawlessly but...

to explain in detail why this is a really good thing I will offer the following description ...in other words Gnash/Flash latest HTML, whatevers were actually USED by the thing.

= = = = = =

These things have been, at best, irritating and at worst for the people who are easily impinged in any way with anything, I have seen people literally sweating bullets about the thing and for good reason, there was always a TEST AT THE END that asked questions to the effect of remembering the second bullet point on slide 12 of a 200 slide presentation.

Well, this one was done RIGHT.

And that was because...

It was rather "multimedia" in that it had a lot of interactive "tiles" and popups on click, links to embedded pdfs, also video, all of which was seamlessly integrated into the two hour offering.

Whoever produced it actually knew about the absurdity of some of these things.

Back when I was in HIGH SCHOOL... we were given a "personality test"... why I have no clue but one of the questions was literally:

"There is a posse chasing a bank robber" would you want to be:

a) the sheriff leading the posse
b) in the posse
c) the bank robber

I mean...give me a break! a) sheriff - you my boy are a born leader! b) posse - you... are part of the crowd and will not take responsibility or make decisions c) bank robber... WE are going to keep an EYE on you because YOU ARE A BAD KID

a goodly part of the questions on the previous versions were literally of this type...

and...

this one had a few of that type but then...there were a couple of more nuanced questions in the form of ... "given a video description of... what would you do?"

And this was because it really was rather media (online browser) intensive to be able to get past the types of questions exemplified by my high school experience..

One was warned before hand that one had to have the absolute latest browser from the usual suspects for Windblows and Mac/Apple(tm).

And that was because it was done through the browser as opposed to the "Learning Management System" for the very first time.

And, even using this old OS and the "not latest and greatest" version of FF the experience was seamless.

I am not wont to imply an endorsement for much on this august forum but, if there happens to be someone who is some kind of "supervisor or whatever" where some kind of training needs to be done and one is still using the "plow through the slides and take a test you may not pass and have to take the whole thing over again" or maybe a participant and would like to offer a suggestion to the powers that be... the producer of it is "EverFi" I will leave it to the gentle reader to find the site.

= == = = = =

But to finish...LTS really is...LTS... kudos to the developers!

And, as usual...If anyone has questions, please feel free to ask.

woody

[Simon]

I have not been here in a long time. But I stopped by, when I saw this post, I just had to reply. You are not the only user holding on tight to Trusty 14.04 LTS. My coworker Frank has been bugging me about upgrading. To be honest, I think you and I are of the same mind. If it aint broke, don't fix it. The main reason I stopped using Windows was Microsoft stopped supporting my favorite XP SP3 and force Vista, 7, 8, and 10 on the world. I am still using 64 bit 14.04 since it came out. I have no issues. If I reinstall, I do tweak it up a lot.

I turn off the bells and whistles, I shutdown PulseAudio and use ALSA, I turn off Baloo file indexer, and I make my own custom shortcuts. My step-son is using Mint, since I introduced him to Linux, but there is just no accounting for taste. In a few years, I will be sending him off to college with a notebook and it will be loaded with Linux. I think one of the issues I have about upgrading to 16.04 or 18.04 is how much they visually made it look more like Windows 10. It has gaunt angles and boorish squared icons, lacking the creative look I would expect from my OS DE. I know, I could replace the theme, but why should I? They should show some respect, and make it look better, and not attempt to clone the Windows worst look in the whole series.

[woodsmoke]

Hi Simon!

Thanks for the nice reply!

Just as a note about the stepson going off to college with a lappy, here is some information about how fast things are changing in academia.

A) Colleges are not trying to "install software" anymore in terms of a student having to have a particular app. The main reason being that it would create winners and losers as to who has the software and does not.
B) The thing now is the "cloud" apps. Again, this gets into winners and losers, but the college whereat I teach has gone to MS cloud, which is not a bad thing in and of itself.
C) It is very possible that he will do all of his e-mail through the cloud for MS outlook if the college uses it and also he would be able to use Gmail, etc, depending on desires.
D) So, there really is no absolute need to use an onboard mail client like Tbird or Kmail. When it comes to "the number of clicks" to get at the app what is one or two more or less.
E) if he is going to be in classes which offer an e-book version of a physical text he really does not need any kind of WINE or anything else because it is all done through the browser. He should probably have both Firefox and Chromium to see which works best.
F) The real problem with the e-book type thing NOWadays is that it is not just an e-book like OpenStack, We are using a major book companies software ( on the cloud ) and the real problem is that all of the companies are trying to get "the whole thing" like MS or Apple in that the teacher might make a test and the student is continually shifting back and fort ON THE SCREEN between the e-book and the homework and it is just a long drawn out hassle it isn't like having the homework online and the text on the table.

It really is just a "mess" in terms of the companies trying to force their particular paradigm.

One problem which occurs is that of the tablet. The student "thinks" that the tablet will make it all easier, not it does not. trying to SWIPE between this part of the app and that part of the app and then switch to the keyboard mode to enter a paragraph makes things an even bigger hassel.

Then it comes down to internet and wi-fi connectivity

A) He REALLY does need to have a device and OS which will connect to Wi-fi without hassle because he will be moving from classroom to classroom, be in the hall, be in the commons be in a dorm or apartment. The wifi really needs to be done right.

I...personally, would set up the best lappy that you can and then EMBARRASS him greatly by physically going to the college a month or so ahead of time and work with a secretary someplace to get some kind of "guest" access to wi-fi to make sure things are seamless.

He should then be good to go.

As to papers submitted online a WORD document will work fine through the cloud etc.
BUT
An impress presentation will always be "oh my golly I found a problem and had to replace a slide or more" by MS to force people to purchase the absolute newest versions of Powerpoint (tm) but, if he keeps things VERY SIMPLE, uses simple fonts keeps each slide "one sentence and one image" and make the image relatively small and LOCK things to the page then he should be ok.

Actually nothing was wrong and a "white sheet" was placed over the slide in the xml file when he tries to show it on his lappy again, the white sheet disapears. He should always submit files in READ ONLY mode if the .ppt is submitted to a professor over the net.

But, a better option is to just export to a .pdf. Animations won't work but if he needs animations then take the original .ppt or .pptx made by LibreOffice to a computer lab and finish it there an save as .pptx .

Or, He might be able to get a cheap student version of Office, which will NOT include Powerpoint and run it under wine.

Or use the online presentatin software, forgot it's name.

But if all he needs is to produce paper copies to hand in he should be copasetic.

I have several students that run "Ubuntu" on laptops mainly so that they can play games on STEAM but also take notes by typing on the laptop in class. I, personally, think that typing notes is a hinderance for most.

The other thing is...get him a LARGE display cellphone so that he can interact with the Lerning Management System, where grades are posted, he gets announcements, etc. so that he can easily see the messages, etc, a grade that is posted etc. while he is outside or in a hallway or whatever.

I have a lot of students who work exclusively with a cell phone while at the college and do the other stuff at home etc.

Some of the very basic stuff, like replying to an e-mail can be done by talking to the phone.

So, hey, thanks for the reply and hope I helped a little with your step son.

Woodsmoke

[Simon]

I just tend to get ahead of myself, he is still in the 10th grade. I went to college with a desktop in my dorm room. I still have the old clunky thing put up in a closet. I know the tech changes so fast anymore, you buy something brand new and they tell you it is a dinosaur before you get it unwrapped. He has the smart phone, tablet, and a desktop PC. But the idea of having a portable PC is just another tool. He is still thinking about what he want to do with his life. He was talking about something in the lines of mechanical engineering or building robots on Mars. LOL

Who knows what changes in education await us in the next 2 years? Thanks for your reply and useful information!

[jglen490]

I have not been here in a long time. But I stopped by, when I saw this post, I just had to reply. You are not the only user holding on tight to Trusty 14.04 LTS. My coworker Frank has been bugging me about upgrading. To be honest, I think you and I are of the same mind. If it aint broke, don't fix it. The main reason I stopped using Windows was Microsoft stopped supporting my favorite XP SP3 and force Vista, 7, 8, and 10 on the world. I am still using 64 bit 14.04 since it came out. I have no issues. If I reinstall, I do tweak it up a lot.

I turn off the bells and whistles, I shutdown PulseAudio and use ALSA, I turn off Baloo file indexer, and I make my own custom shortcuts. My step-son is using Mint, since I introduced him to Linux, but there is just no accounting for taste. In a few years, I will be sending him off to college with a notebook and it will be loaded with Linux. I think one of the issues I have about upgrading to 16.04 or 18.04 is how much they visually made it look more like Windows 10. It has gaunt angles and boorish squared icons, lacking the creative look I would expect from my OS DE. I know, I could replace the theme, but why should I? They should show some respect, and make it look better, and not attempt to clone the Windows worst look in the whole series.

You don't like what Windows pushes. You don't like what Kubuntu pushes. You have no problem with customizing applications that Kubuntu sends out by default, yet you have a problem with customizing the Kubuntu presentation layer with a simple them change, and you think that Kubuntu should push out some "creative look" - just like Windows. These are all your choices, of course, but there is something missing in your logic ...

[Snowhog]

Ones opinions are just that; their opinions. Beauty in the eye of the beholder, et al. We aren't required to understand or agree, when "we" don't understand/agree with someone else's views. Let's just leave it at that.

[jglen490]

Got it

[Simon]

You don't like what Windows pushes. You don't like what Kubuntu pushes. You have no problem with customizing applications that Kubuntu sends out by default, yet you have a problem with customizing the Kubuntu presentation layer with a simple them change, and you think that Kubuntu should push out some "creative look" - just like Windows. These are all your choices, of course, but there is something missing in your logic ...

Sorry I made the comment to Woodsmoke rather simplistic, I can expand on my Windows/Linux history. I hope this will better explain my position and where I came from and heading into Linux.

Back in 2010, I was using Windows XP although the company had announced they would no longer support it. I was ok with that, but then Vista was being taste tested on TV commercials as Mohave. The commercials were just blatant lies and made it appear people based their OS decision on name only and not by actually using the system. When they have to promote the new OS with deception, I lost any respect I had for Microsoft. A friend mentioned there are alternatives to Windows and I considered buying an Apple but it wasn't in my budget. I researched Linux OS and stumbled upon Debian, Ubuntu, and Kubuntu. I tried them all and found Kubuntu felt the most XP like. I didn't upgrade from 10.10 until 12.04, I stuck with 12.04 until 14.04. I run a dual boot Linux machine in case I mess something up I have a clean copy of the same OS to fall back on. When 16.04 came out I placed in my back up Linux and didn't care for the look or feel.

When 18.04 came out it looked almost exactly like Windows 10 OS I see around the hospital. I try out the newest but I keep falling back to 14.04 not just because of the look (but it is an issue) I don't like how the system handles. I don't care for the 16.04 or the 18.04, but they are what they are. The reason I tweak out Pulse Audio, it tends to pop and crackle on my system. Who knows maybe I will find 20.04 better? Maybe not, but I don't hate on Windows or Linux. I felt abandoned by Microsoft. I feel that developers of KDE might be pushing the look to attract current Windows users. As snowhog said, it is just my opinion, don't let it get under your skin.

At my clinic in Windsor, Frank and I have Debian running on all the PCs we use. Debian was Frank's choice. He keeps begging me to leave Kubuntu for Debian. He keeps the network up and running but my laptop is my business. Frank is also our phlebotomist (blood doctor) also we shared a room in college together. Frank has built some computers too. We currently run 13 PCs in the clinic but 2 of those are out in the waiting room for the children to play on while we treat the parents. The waiting room PCs, I installed Kubuntu on those.

[jlittle]

All of what follows is my opinion, I'm taking out all the "IMO"s and "seems to me"...

... When 18.04 came out it looked almost exactly like Windows 10...

It doesn't have to. That's the default theme, "Breeze", and both it and Windows 10 are trying to look and work like an iPad, (or maybe an iPhone, I wouldn't know) so are similarly awful. The "flat" icons are particularly bad.

GUI designers are slaves to fashion (they call it BS terms like "fresh", "modern", or "up to date").

The underlying display tech of KDE plasma (really KDE 5, 14.04 is KDE 4) is flexible and agnostic about the GUI. But the themes, and tools for mere mortals to fix them are lacking. There could, and should, be a consistent, well-tested, XP theme for plasma that would suit you, but it would be a lot of work for GUI and human interface experts, who don't want to work on "old" looks.

Regards, John Little

[chimak111]

GUI designers are slaves to fashion (they call it BS terms like "fresh", "modern", or "up to date").

My favorite is "intuitive".