The Thamesmead Grump

ubuntu smartphone

Canonical, the UK company that developed the Linux based Ubuntu operating system has launched a new smart phone. Running the Ubuntu operating system, the Aquaris E4.5  will offer an alternative to the usual app based systems run on Apple or Android phones.

Android, of course, is also a version of Linux and seems to be a perfectly good system (except when they launch untested upgrades which crash your device and make it virtually inoperable) but I have very mixed feelings about Ubuntu.

I have Ubuntu loaded on both my desktop computers and have to say that it is so full of bugs as to be almost useless. I'm sure that it works well in certain conditions and for a computer set up to carry out one specific business function or the like, it probably is as good as anything else. 

It may be that I could make improvements to the way it is set up on my systems. My fellow blogger, Hugh Neal of Arthur Pewty fame and who is a computer expert, once generously offered to help me with installing Linux on my computer, an offer I have rather shamefully not yet taken up.

I'm always in favour of anything which breaks the stranglehold of the big companies like Microsoft or Apple and I do wish them well and if it encourages Canonical to do something about the Ubuntu bugs in it's computer operating system then I am all for it.

flu alert

This weeks offering is rather short as the Grumpy household is suffering various diseases at the moment. Yours truly has a rotten cold and is also looking after Mrs Grump who has the Flu. (Yes, she has had her vaccination but it didn't work). 

The sneaky little virus has undergone a sudden mutation making the current vaccine ineffective in most cases.

I don't even have the energy to be really grumpy about anything. When you consider the news about Heineken Brewery changing the recipe of Newcastle Brown Ale to appease some American health loonies, that's saying a lot. I may have more to say about this next week.

In the mean time, here are a few pictures of the local wildlife I took along the river recently. There may be an honourable mention if you can tell me what they are.