I was going to wait to write my kind words for the (soon-to-be) dearly departed Dapper Drake, but I have the time and inclination right now. I’m feeling nostalgic, and at the same time, I’m feeling benevolent.
So long, Dapper Drake.
Dapper was the first true and complete Linux desktop for me, even if by the time it was released I had already made my first forays into Arch Linux — the path of the Dark side, so to speak.
And Dapper was no picnic. I’ve written before about the Dapper-era desktop — half “just works,” half “just works with a little nudging.” Depending on your hardware, which is always the case.
At the same time though, Dapper had all the right parts and pieces, and due in a large part to the fact that I did have the right hardware, it solidified my emancipation.
More recently I’ve mentioned that Dapper had its mind in the right place though. At a time when function was premier, Dapper had already started collating things that worked, to make Ubuntu work … most of the time, of course.
But those are done days, past and gone. I don’t hold Ubuntu to the same standards any more, mostly because Ubuntu has become something different altogether.
And also because I just don’t use it any more, and the reasons for that are … well, you read them in the last sentence.
I occasionally hold a grudge, and I apologize for that. I critique Ubuntu even now, because it’s a front-line contender and because I have fond memories.
And among those are full-blown desktops that boot on 75Mb of memory. 😈
So long, Dapper Drake.
I have to say, I think it was nicer before too. I’m using the almost-latest version of Ubuntu on this computer maybe only because Debian hasn’t finished downloading yet, but the first version of Ubuntu I used was 9.04 Jaunty Jackelope 🙂 and it’s probably still my favourite of the Ubuntus.
I’m still using Hardy and if I do make a change it will be to Debian. I agree that Ubuntu has taken a different road, and I don’t care for it. But, that is what Linux is about, freedom of choice.
I have to work with my computers and don’t have time to be trying a different distro all the time. I don’t even want bothered with upgrading, I live by the creedo of “If it Ain’t Broke, Don’t fix it.”
In the Windoze world, and a lesser extent the Linux world, most software upgrades are just eye candy and possibly a new file format so we can sell more software. I mean, really…, what die for addition are they gong to add to a modern word processor or spreadsheet that we all are just panting to get? Micro$oft is great at changing the user interface to make all the old users have to relearn how to do something simple. All that does is make users angry.
I’ll get off my soap box now and find my asbestos underwear.
First version of Ubuntu was on Hardy, and it is still one of my favorites. So simple, but elegant.
This weekend my daughter found even older discs of 5.04 and 5.10. I felt a bit disappointed when I saw Gnome using 110MB few minutes after showing the desktop. I’m not sure if it was LiveCD to blame.
Nevertheless, it revived those good old times and that fun of viewing websites using Firefox 1.0…