The Agony of Desktop Linux

Having acquired a mini-PC from my son-in-law, I installed Ubuntu and the installation went smoothly enough. Here are the details of the PC:

System Details Report

Date generated: 2025-09-14 13:08:48

Hardware Information:

Hardware Model: Leader NUC PC

Memory: 8.0 GiB

Processor: Intel® Core™ i5-5200U × 4

Graphics: Intel® HD Graphics 5500 (BDW GT2)

Disk Capacity: 240.1 GB

Software Information:

Firmware Version: 1.09

OS Name: Ubuntu 24.04.3 LTS

OS Build: (null)

OS Type: 64-bit

GNOME Version: 46

Windowing System: Wayland

Kernel Version: Linux 6.14.0-29-generic

Here is what Gemini had to say about the unit:

The Leader NUC PC model SN6 is a small form factor desktop computer. Its key components include the Intel Core i5-5200U processor and Intel HD Graphics 5500. This model is part of the Intel Broadwell-U platform, which emphasizes energy efficiency.

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Processor: Intel Core i5-5200U

The Intel Core i5-5200U is a mobile processor released in early 2015. It's built on a 14 nm manufacturing process and has a low TDP (Thermal Design Power) of 15W, making it suitable for compact devices like the NUC. Here are some of its key specifications:

• Cores/Threads: It has 2 physical cores and 4 threads, thanks to Intel's Hyper-Threading technology.

• Clock Speed: It operates with a base frequency of 2.2 GHz and can boost up to 2.7 GHz with Intel Turbo Boost Technology.

• Cache: The processor has 3MB of L3 cache, which helps with data access speed.

• Performance: The CPU provides sufficient performance for everyday computing tasks, including web browsing, office applications, and multimedia. However, it's not designed for demanding tasks like high-end video editing or modern gaming.

Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 5500 (BDW GT2)

The Intel HD Graphics 5500 is an integrated graphics solution that is part of the processor itself. It's based on the Broadwell GT2 graphics processor, which is Intel's 8th generation of graphics architecture.

• Execution Units: It features 24 execution units (EUs).

• Clock Speed: The base frequency is 300 MHz and can be dynamically boosted up to 900 MHz.

• Gaming Performance: The HD 5500 is an entry-level graphics solution. While it can handle older or less graphically intensive games, it will struggle with modern AAA titles. Its performance is comparable to some older dedicated graphics cards, like the NVIDIA GeForce GT 620 or AMD Radeon R7 240. It is not a gaming powerhouse, but it is capable of handling general multimedia and light gaming.

So the unit is now over 10 years old but it still does all I need it to do. The problem lies not in the hardware but in the software and the difficulty in installing software. I did succeed, with Gemini's help, to install SageMath but the installation of a simple screenshot app proved impossible. Currently I have no screenshot capability which is insane for an operating system. I'll probably find a workaround sooner or later but most people simply wouldn't bother. I'm only grateful that I have my Mac OS, installed on my MacBook Air to full back on. Ubuntu is simply a joke operating system and while Linux may dominate the servers that drive the Internet, it will never succeed at the desktop level.

Ubuntu Upgrade

Maybe it was changing from the main server to an Indonesian server that finally enabled me to begin the upgrade from Ubuntu 20.04 to 21.10. Figure 1 shows the early stages of the upgrade process. Let's hope that this upgrade will resolve some of my problems but knowing Ubuntu I'll probably a whole new set of problems. In terms of hardware, my only persistent issue is that the webcam on my 2013 MacBook Pro isn't functioning. Sporadically however, as I've mentioned in previous posts, the mouse, trackpad and keyboard all freeze. Software-wise, there are many issues: few installations proceed smoothly but I would have to single out WINE and Flatpak as being especially troublesome.

Figure 1

After a few hiccups, Ubuntu 21.10 has been installed and so far so good. Flatpak, Stacer, Calibre, Wine and Astrolog have all been successfully installed. I must say that Flatpak, once it's up and running, makes software installation very easy. You need to remember however, to log out and then log back in again in order to see the programs that you've installed. It took me a while to realise that.

I've also managed to install SageMath which I'm quite happy about. Figure 2 shows a screenshot of my first use of it. However, just as I was getting excited, the whole system froze again and I had to reboot. I suspect the problem may arise when I have too many tabs open. The poor old laptop's fan was working hard and I had many tabs open when disaster struck. I need to close down tabs and applications that I'm not using. The freeze may be the result of overheating but I need to investigate further.

Figure 2

I should keep a log of these freezes in an effort to discern any patterns.