ubuntu and Linux refresh rate?

[me at mattgillen.net (Matthew Gillen)]

Scott Ehrlich wrote:
> Having used MacOS, Windows, and Linux, I've found Linux to be the most
> difficult to "easily" adjust the refresh rate on.   Screen resolution is
> not so much a problem.    I'm as much of a fan of command line as GUI,
> but if a Linux distro gives me the option of adjusting the screen
> characteristics via a GUI, as does ubuntu, I'd like to think I have full
> reign.   The same video card under Windows gives me the right balance of
> resolution and refresh rate.   But under ubuntu (or most any other X
> interface for Linux), I get 60 hz refresh for most resolutions, with an
> occasional 56 hz for a couple settings.   My preference is for higher
> refresh rates (80hz, 90hz, etc).
> 
> Why can't it be that simple?    For a distro designed to be user
> friendly, which, I will admit Ubuntu comes very close to being, this
> simple option can make a big difference with overall usability.    It is
> preferred to not have to perform a hard trial and error with editing a
> file or two in a text editor, then restarting X.   A GUI interface
> should provide an on-the-spot test.
> 
> Insight and education are welcome for feedback.

I don't know about ubuntu, but Fedora4 (using Gnome 2.10) has a program
called gnome-display-properties that lets you adjust both resolution and
refresh rate.

hth
--Matt