i should be working (but i'm fixing my computer).

A few things shaking, such as OpSu 11.3 and the Blackberry 5.0 OS for my Blackberry Tour.  It's been a techie few days.

...

First on the 5.0 OS.  Well, of course RIM and Verizon tell me if I am on an Enterprise Server, I cannot upgrade to 5.0, I have to see my server admin.  Then on the other hand, I got my blackberry individually and later hooked it up to my employer's enterprise server, so it is not as though I have to wait around for admin, which doesn't care anyway.

So, I selected the choice for personal use, which is to say the choice that is not "I use my blackberry on an enterprise server" and I did the install.  It's not specifically clear what the improvements are but "5.0" should be a significant step forward from "4.whatever", so I definitely needed it. The first think I noticed was a slightly glossier color scheme and somewhat later it occurred to me that power up is significantly faster.  The install preserves everything -- oh, except mail settings.  So, first I re-established my individual blackberry mail service.  This was a bit dicey because I didn't remember any of the account login info or even where online to find the server interface.  Interesting.

Nextly, I had to contact enterprise server admin so I could re-connect.  Having done this twice before, I am now an "expert" -- which is to say, at least I know what to expect.  Once I got a password, the connect went flawlessly and I was then back online.

I have never worried much about "apps", though I use Intergalactica (?) translation service quite a bit.  So, I don't know if there are more 5.0 apps than 4.series apps.  I think the YouMail for 5.0 is a bit improved.

Some of the "improvements" aren't.  For instance, I had a random re-boot for no apparent reason in the middle of a tethered session.  Rather inconvenient and I hope I don't get more of that.  Secondly, and quite irritatingly, my usb tethering connection in linux now requests confirmation that the passcode is the same on both the computer and the blackberry.  It took a while to figure out what the problem was -- when I first set up tethering, I ran the bluetooth device software on the laptop, but then later discovered it wasn't necessary except in the first pairing effort.

Except -- without bluetooth app running, I don't get the passcode confirmation dialog and therefore I can't confirm and connect.  So, I am back to running the bluetooth app, then fumbling around on the laptop and the blackberry to confirm this indeed the right device to connect.  Total pain in the tush.

For whatever reason, this complication does not afflict my bluetooth headset, it still connects without confirmation.  And yes, I do have the "trust" and allow setting set -- this is something separate from whether the device is allowed to connect.

Nextly, I had not used the BB for music (rather, hauling around my ipod) but as there is a 4gig ram chip sitting in there doing nothing, I thought it was about time to figure out how to load music and run the music player.  But first I ended up with a diversion -- I found and downloaded the free Pandora app, which works great.  Verizon is going to be none too happy as my bandwidth consumption goes up -- but hey!  I have been paying for unlimited bandwidth for years and consuming a few megabytes a month.

Oddly enough, I can't get my linux firefox to properly access the Pandora website.  Chromium almost works, but there are some gliches.  Weird.  But in any event, plugged into my car stereo, Pandora is a whole lot better than the satellite radio in my wife's car.  Wait!  I shouldn't have told you that!

So, now on to OpSu 11.3.  Is the internet getting zippy or what?  I downloaded the Live KDE iso in like 10 minutes via torrent.  (The first linux I installed some years ago took three days to download!)  I loaded up a USB flashdrive and started up my laptop.  No Problemos.  I think (I hope) the racinge-cpu-while-idling-with-screen-off issue is gone.  Nevertheless, the KDE 4.4.4 install still runs the laptop about 5 degs. hotter than the way it runs with LXDE.  I think I need an LXDE live USB iso.  I will have to check and see if there is one.

I also want to look into how to create my own live USB stick from the actual install I use.  My setup is considerably customized, so I would prefer it to a plain vanilla, though I do admit plain vanilla on a stick is pretty cool in its own right.

Not that I have ever come up with a use for it, seeing as I drag around a netbook everywhere anyway.

Speaking of racing cpus -- I've noticed a problem with firefox not unloading on exit for some reason.  Some chunk of firefox sits in memory doing nothing useful I am aware of, while eating up 45 percent of the cpu.  What's up with that?  Don't know if this is specific to my LXDE desktop, or common to my entire OpSu install.

And that's the gnuz, except as far as the netflix stuff I will comment on shortly.