This post is mostly in fun because I’m sitting here with Ubuntu 8.10 loaded on my Lenovo machine, checking my news-reader, keeping up with friends on Pidgin and Twitux (Twitter) plus the occasional email all while installing openSUSE 11 and Linux Mint 6 to my 2nd machine.

Reason why I said this post was mostly fun was because a friend of mine asked me via Twitter if I was ever going to settle on 1 distro for at least 1 week. I replied that I already have…Ubuntu and that I’m using the other machine to experiment with other distros that interest me. Thus, the title of this post: So many distros, so little time!

See, I got a late start into Linux so my plan is to experience as many different distros as I can. Sort of like tasting different flavors of ice cream at the ice cream parlor. Each one has it’s own particular uniqueness that sets it apart from all the others. So, why settle on just one when you can “taste” as many as possible? Heh, try that with Windoze!

Anyway, that’s what’s going on here at the moment. openSUSE 11 is installed and Linux Mint 6 is installing as I type this post. It was supposed to be Mandriva 2009 instead of SUSE but for some reason all my downloads (http or torrent) were corrupt and the install would freeze on the splash screen. They checked out ok so I’m a bit stumped on this for now.

By the way, thanks goes out to chrisindallas (Twitter friend) for the Linux Mint 6 idea. He runs it and seems to like it so I figured to give it a try myself.

<sigh> So many distros, so little time….

By real estate, I mean of course, screen real estate as in monitor screen size. Let me elaborate…

I posted previously about Needing Input! for advice on a new monitor for my Lenovo H210 Desktop that I run a dual-boot setup of Fedora Core 10 and Ubuntu 8.10. I stated that I wanted to go with a 22″ monitor so that I could get multiple apps going on-screen at once (which would be better than the 19 incher I had been running for several years), plus the fact my old 19 incher was beginning to show it’s age.

Well I came across this one at Best Buy yesterday afternoon that I just simply couldn’t pass up. It was a Samsung Syncmaster T220.

Talk about real estate screen-wise? This puppy has it. More than I expected seeing as I was accustomed to a 19″ monitor for the last several years. The color reproduction is awesome too (I know color too because I’ve been in printing since 1975. Did I just tell my age?  ) None of the reported back light leaking issues are apparent either so maybe I lucked up and got one of the better models.

The controls are a bit awkward though as they’re mounted on the right side of the “frame” and mean that you must either twist the monitor to use them or get up and poke your head around to them. Either way, they’re at least out of the way of curious fingers should you have children (or in my case, grandchildren) that like to press buttons.

As soon as I turned it on after making the connections, the screen was as expected….gorgeous! The overall look of the monitor is handsome whether it’s on or off. I think I’m going to like using the Samsung T220. Lord knows, I don’t have room for anything bigger and this monitor fills the criteria of what I was looking for anyway.

For a new monitor that is. I’m looking for at least a 22″ flat screen LCD that jumps out at you. In other words, great resolution, glossy screen (glare is a non-issue) no need for peripheral jacks as those are covered by the Lenovo H210 itself. Price range should be in the $200 - $250 range and manufacturer is a toss-up.

I’ve been looking online and in print and am getting more confused instead of getting a better idea of what I’m looking for. So, if any of you out there are running a 22″ flat screen LCD, please let me know what you’re using and how well you like it. Performance issues welcome too.

It will be going on my Lenovo H210 running 2 different distros of Linux with an Intel 82G33/G31 Integrated Graphics card. The CPU (if this info is needed) is an Intel(R) Pentium(R) Dual  CPU  E2200  @ 2.20GHz.

So, let’s hear it from those of you running a 22. I need input!

Update December 28, 2008 -

Picked up a Samsung SyncMaster T220 22″ monitor from Best Buy yesterday for around $279 + tax that looks great and no back light leaking issues either that have been reported about this monitor. This monitor looked great before I even turned it on!

I’ll post about this soon. Err, how about now?

To be honest, I wasn’t really quite sure what to expect. Outside of the well-known quality and workmanship, I had no clue as to how well this machine might perform, whether the peripherals would play nicely with my proposed dual-booting of Fedora Core 10 and Ubuntu 8.10 or even if the graphics card or any of the rest of the machine’s hardware would have issues.

Now, before anyone suggests I bought a pig in a poke, no, I did not. I did cross reference the machine’s hardware with Ubuntu’s list as well as other sources. I came to the conclusion that the Lenovo H210 should be a good candidate. As we  all know by now, should be and reality sometimes aren’t in the same realm when it comes to installing Linux. more…

Picked up my new Lenovo H210 desktop Thursday morning at a Circuit City store just south of town and after getting it out of the box, hooked up and booted, I began my quest to give Vi$ta the boot and install Fedora Core 10 and Ubuntu 8.10 in a dual boot option.

My old machine is still able and running albeit, just a tad slower than I’d like. She’s older, seen better days and I’m planning on installing a “lighter” version of Linux on her later. After I source another monitor that is. Until then, I plan on going through her and upgrading what I need to in order to keep her going as long as possible. She’s only around 12 so in doggy years, she’s a very young 84 or so.

Back to the Lenovo, it came with:

• Intel Pentium Dual Core E2200
• 3GB RAM (800MHz DDR2 SDRAM (PC2-6400)
• 320 GB 7200 rpm hard disk
• DVD/CD burner
• Video Memory 286 MB Shared
• Spare hard drive bay
• Media Card reader

As soon as I got it home, powered up and running, I entered the BIOS and set it to boot first from the DVD/CD drive because I’d need that set to install my Linux distros. I chose Fedora Core 10 and Ubuntu 8.10 because I wanted to learn more about Fedora and I was already used to Ubuntu so that choice was made for familiarity. more…