Christmas Present reviews

I got some gadgets for Christmas and thought I'd take the opportunity to let you know how everything worked on my Linux setup.

I already let you know how things went with my digital camera, a Kodak EasyShare C533. Not so much with the camera as with my desktop manager. Gnome is working well for me, and I'm using digiKam to import and organize my photos. Very nice piece of software. I'm finding that even though I'm using Gnome most of my favourite apps are from KDE.

My new keyboard is a Microsoft Comfort Curve, an inexpensive keyboard that has a very nice feel once you get used to it. Again, the main problems I had with it had to do with KDE not recognizing all of the extra multimedia keys. Gnome recognized all of them without a problem.

I also got an Epson Picturemate photo printer to go with the camera. It's very small, looking like a high-tech lunch box with its handle. Epson claims that photos printed with it will last up to 200 years. I'll let you know.

I was only slightly worried that I would have problems with it in Linux as Epson printers generally have excellent Linux support. I needn't have worried at all. Adding the printer was a snap with Gnome's printer manager, and I was able to print out great looking photos right away, in both wallet size and 4" x 6".

I'm also very happy with my new LCD monitor. On paper it's the same size as my old 17" CRT monitor, but we all know CRT manufacturers lie. There's a noticeable amount more screen real estate, and the picture is brighter and the colours are more vibrant. I have a feeling there wasn't much life left in the old monitor.

None of my other gifts were compatible with Linux, like the showerhead and bicycle pump, but they seem to work as stand-alone devices well enough.

Have a happy New Year everyone.