Bend in the Weather (Entries tagged as Linux)

tzdata changelog

mbottrell@gmail.com (Matt) — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 08:40:00 +1100

Often changelogs have important information on why a package was updated. Other times, they are just humorous:

tzdata (2009n-0ubuntu0.9.04.1) jaunty-proposed; urgency=low

* Add argentinas-dst-2009.diff: Disable DST switch for Argentina tomorrow,
as the Argentina government decided yesterday. Careful planning is boring.
Thanks to Margarita Manterola for the patch! (LP: #453165)

-- Martin Pitt Sat, 17 Oct 2009 14:22:39 +0200

Joining the Netbook world

mbottrell@gmail.com (Matt) — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 12:51:00 +1000

I may be a slow adopter but I've finally jumped on the Netbook bandwagon.

I've been toying with the idea of getting hold of one of these beasties for a little while, and today a deal on Zazz! came up I couldn't resist.

They have the Asus Eee PC S101 for an amazing $444AUD. I'd seen them around the $999 price tag only as recent as March this year. (I think they are $599 RRP currently).

So in went my order.

Now -- what Netbook distro should I run on it (Windows XP Home is coming off immediately when it arrives).
I've looked at gOS and the Ubuntu Netbook Remix.

Any ideas/thoughts on the preferred Linux OS to run on such a beastie are greatly welcomed!

Automating Software Update Downloads

mbottrell@gmail.com (Matt) — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 01:59:00 +1000

Even as a Linux desktop user, I still have a need to run various pieces of legacy software under Windows.
Ideally, I would love to find a Linux alternative, but whilst the itch remains, I still need to scratch it.

As such, I run various Virtualbox Virtual Machines running Windows XP.

This gives me the added benefit of still being able to run my preferred operating system as my main desktop (Linux), whilst still using some legacy applications under Windows.

This is nothing new, and most people do this all the time. With most modern CPU chipsets from both AMD (AMD-V) and Intel (VT-x) providing hardware assisted virtualization solutions - it has become a simple task for many people.

One thing that has annoyed me, and any user that has ever had to reinstall a Windows machine (it happens to the best of us -- Windows often decides to eat it's own registry), is that whilst you might install straight from CD, it also means you have to then spend a good few hours applying all the service packs and then all the updates from the Microsoft website (and sit back and watch a dozen or so reboots between multiple updates). It's enough to send any sane person around the bend.

Once you've done it - you vow never to do it again, yet as Murphy would have it... it's bound to happen again. This is partly due to the fact that Windows Deteriorates over time, until one day the performance is so shoddy you can swear you saw a snail push the cursor on your screen. Once it comes to that, it's time to reinstall again.

Microsoft also recognised it's a problem, particularly in corporate environments that run many desktop PCs. As such they released WSUS. That's fine and well -- if you run a Microsoft Windows 2003/2008 Server. Unfortunately most home users don't.

Don't dispair! Some geeky German's have released a GPLv3 licensed utility that will pretty much undertake the task for you without the need for an expensive Microsoft Windows Server anywhere in sight. c't Offline Update, allows you to use either Linux or Windows to download all the updates for both Microsoft Office and Microsoft Windows platforms. In addition it can handle different language versions, and even build a nice ISO off all the updates so you can take it on the road, hand it to friends, etc.

Why on earth would they code it to download the Windows Updates on Linux? Well, it makes it easier to install in a central location -- say on a Samba server so that all your desktop machines can then install the updates from a central location over your LAN. (Call it a poor man's WSUS!)

To run under Linux it couldn't be easier. Once you have downloaded c't Offline Update and extracted it... change into the sh subdirectory. It's then just a matter of running the DownloadUpdates.sh shell script with the right arguments:

$ ./DownloadUpdates.sh -help

**********************************************************
*** c't Offline Update Downloader ***
*** for Linux Systems ***
*** ***
*** http://www.heise.de/ct/projekte/offlineupdate/ ***
*** Authors: Tobias Breitling, Stefan Joehnke ***
**********************************************************

Usage: ./DownloadUpdates.sh [system] [language] [parameter]

Supported systems:
w2k, wxp, wxp-x64, w2k3, w2k3-x64, w60, w60-x64, oxp, o2k, o2k3, o2k7, all-x64, all-x86

Supported languages:
enu, deu, nld, esn, fra, ptg, ptb, ita, rus, plk, ell, csy
dan, nor, sve, fin, jpn, kor, chs, cht, hun, trk, ara, heb

Parameter:
/excludesp - do not download servicepacks
/makeiso - create ISO-Image
/dotnet - download .NET-Framework
/nocleanup - do not cleanup client directory
/proxy - define proxyserver( /proxy http://[username:password@]:)

Example: ./DownloadUpdates.sh wxp deu /dotnet /makeiso

$

c't Update also provides a simple Windows GUI to automate the task:

Tab 1: Download
Windows Updates

Tab 2: Download
Office Updates

Installing the updates on the client.
Once you've downloaded the updates and either burnt them to a CD/DVD (for easy portability) or made them available on a network share (Tip: share the sub-directory called client) Windows users can then easily apply the updates.

A user can run UpdateInstaller.exe (in the root directory of the CD or the share). The UpdateInstaller will determine what you have installed already (and grey these options out). It's then just a case of selecting the options you want.

Client Installation
of the various updates.

Now for those family members who are in dire need of a 'computer fix' and need me to reinstall Windows for them, they'll be given burnt copies of the latest ISOs, so they can in future undertake the task themselves. I would rather educate someone how to undertake the rebuild themselves for future use. (That, and I really don't have the spare time/desire to rebuild dozens of Windows machines a year! )

Finally it's also worthwhile downloading and running the free Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer which will ensure you have all the updates applied (and inform you if you are missing any). It's also a good idea to disable any non-essential services the tool recommends.

Hopefully this tip will speed up the time it takes to fully patch a Windows desktop after a reinstall.

Presenting Pr0n.

mbottrell@gmail.com (Matt) — Fri, 15 May 2009 02:49:00 +1000

I read Jacinta's post and have to agree with the statements she made.
I'm a red blooded male with crazy hormones running around my body like the next person, yet I know there is a time and a place for such things.

Let's put it in clear context. "Pr0n has no place in a technical conference presentation."

One wouldn't show pr0n related images to their own grandmother or a stranger in the street.
Use this 'stranger in the street' or 'my own grandmother' as a general guide if you are unsure.

If you feel the need to resort to showing such images, you need to ask why.
Is your presentation that dull you need to distract your audience?
Are your presentation skills that poor you need to resort to cheap stunts to keep your audience interested?
Is your knowledge on the given topic limited and needs attention to be misdirected away from the main discussion point?
Are you sure all your audience is of legal age? Being a technical conference doesn't mean there aren't minors present. Keep this in mind.
As a parent, I would be outraged if my teenage child attended such a conference to be subjected to pornographic images.

Playing the 'pr0n card' in a presentation shows a lack of maturity and disregard for your audiences intelligence.
It really isn't 'witty' at all and quite offensive.

Feel free to use humour in your presentation to liven it up, but keep it on a neutral topic and not one that is controversial.
Remember - your presentation is supposed to educate people to your point of view. You won't do this if it polarises your audience!

You would expect a backlash to your presentation if it contained anti-semitic or a white supremacist suggestions... expect the same with anything controversial.

If in doubt, why not run your presentation prior to the conference via the organisers. It's much easier cleaning up the slides prior to the presentation rather than the egg you'll have on your face.

Welcome back Linux.com

mbottrell@gmail.com (Matt) — Thu, 14 May 2009 11:03:00 +1000

Linux.com screenshot

After SourceForge donated the Linux.com domain to the Linux Foundation, it has finally come back.

Whilst it's early days yet, I'm not overly impressed with the site and yearn for the good ol' Linux.com website.

The dark browns/black and oranges on the site looks like a propaganda website for Ubuntu (no offence Ubuntu... but it does appear that they are attempting to cash in on 'cool web colours' .. and not necessarily the easiest to read.)

Hopefully over time it will improve and these are just initial teething issues. I hope that the orange on white links disappear over time. I don't find them easy on the eye at all.

The new site contains a range of ideas submitted by the community. The site features news on both hardware and software, download links, forums and a blogging system.

Historically I haven't been a huge fan of the Linux Foundation, but hopefully they do listen to the community and represent it, and not just their own held opinions.

The site seems to aggregate views and news from other Linux sites, so it may end up being a fantastic portal to anything to do with Linux.

I agree that a co-ordinated central website for our much loved operating system is required. This will hopefully assist the average journalist on his discovery of Linux but also dispel widely held myths that competitors often throw around.

It will be interesting to see where the Linux Foundation market the website.
Will it be primarily for Linux novices looking for help, journalists wanting to cover Linux, or a valuable tech resource for the community or will it spin into a marketing website purely for the Linux Foundation; basically a membership round-up website so to speak.

It's early days yet for Linux.com, I just hope it becomes a resource for Linux users and potential converts. Personally, I liked the old website so I hope it lives up to it's former self.

Becoming just another marketing arm for The Linux Foundation serves only them and not the community. I hope this slippery slope isn't one we venture down and I'm sure it's not what SourceForge had in mind when handing over the domain.

Flash your computer BIOS now under Linux

mbottrell@gmail.com (Matt) — Sat, 09 May 2009 00:19:00 +1000

FlashROM 0.90 has been released as part of the CoreBoot project.

That means you can read, write and verify almost all common BIOS chips now under Linux!
Gone of the days of needing to boot into DOS to Flash your BIOS.

So what does this mean?

Flash a running system, without needing to reboot. The new BIOS comes effective after a reboot (you can verify it prior to bouncing it).
Flash a remote system over SSH. No physical access required.
No need for a boot floopy or bootable CD to flash a system.
More than Linux is available. It is also available under FreeBSD, DragonFly BSD, Solaris, Mac OS X, and other Unix-like OSes.

Awesome work by the CoreBoot developers, and it means we're one step closer to removing any dependency on that other OS.

OpenOffice 3.1 for Ubuntu

mbottrell@gmail.com (Matt) — Fri, 08 May 2009 01:28:00 +1000

OpenOffice 3.1 was recently released. It brings a range of new features and bugfixes.

Those of you on Ubuntu desktops who wish to upgrade can do so quite easily. It's been built for Jaunty, Intrepid and Hardy.

You can use the following apt repos to pick it up:

Jaunty:
deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/openoffice-pkgs/ppa/ubuntu jaunty main deb-src http://ppa.launchpad.net/openoffice-pkgs/ppa/ubuntu jaunty main

Intrepid:
deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/openoffice-pkgs/ppa/ubuntu intrepid main deb-src http://ppa.launchpad.net/openoffice-pkgs/ppa/ubuntu intrepid main

Hardy:
deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/openoffice-pkgs/ppa/ubuntu hardy main deb-src http://ppa.launchpad.net/openoffice-pkgs/ppa/ubuntu hardy main

Once that's done, just add the signing key:
sudo apt-key adv --recv-keys --keyserver keyserver.ubuntu.com D2BB86E0EBD0F0A43D4DB3A760D11217247D1CFF

Now it's a case of just running an update and you'll automatically be upgraded from OO.org 3.0 to OO.org 3.1.

sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get upgrade

Happy Open-Officing!

"We're Linux" Video Contest

mbottrell@gmail.com (Matt) — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 13:24:00 +1000

The Linux Foundation has announced the winners of the 'We're Linux' competition.

They have selected one winner, and two runners up (Runner Up #1 and Runner Up #2).
Personally I like the 1^st runner up. (With probably a different voice over). It's got all the geeky aspects I like, though this was probably not the chosen criteria for the competition.

Here is the winning entry on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qWEIQIv8zvY

Runner Up #1:

The Origin... from Agustin Eguia on Vimeo.

Runner Up #2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xceiMJSunIg

There was a range of submissions, and some are quite creative. You can see all the submissions here.

Well done to the winners, and those that entered. Truly inspiring!

Linux Audio : Welcome to the spaghetti system

mbottrell@gmail.com (Matt) — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 03:13:00 +1000

Diagram of Linux Audio

Ever wondered why PulseAudio sucks so bad?

Sick of the multiple Audio stacks in Linux? (OSS/ALSA/PulseAudio).
Ever wanted to make sense of items like JACK,ESD,aRts and NAS or just confused with either GStreamer or xine?

Here is a clever overview of the sound systems that is Linux. (click the image for a larger view)/

Linux audio like it or not is a mess. Multiple layers providing the same functionality. It's a house of cards that often falls down.
Things have been hidden well in OSS/ALSA and it's not until demanding audio like HD codecs have started to make their way across that some of these issues are starting to be uncovered (the infamous 'popping' sounds).

PulseAudio has been poking and pushing ALSA in recent times, and as a result unearthed a number of issues.

I'm hopefully eventually we'll get to a single, simple but powerful audio stack. I'm not holding my breath though.

Linux Printing - where is the fun in that

mbottrell@gmail.com (Matt) — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 04:16:00 +1100

Ahh the good ol' days.

I distinctly remember the days when you would stick a printer on the network and then wrestle with the sucker getting the right settings so your printouts didn't look like Egyptian hieroglyphics.
Installing custom filters and weird control files were all the norm. Not so much now.

Thanks to Michael Fox advice, I purchased a Brother Mono Laser printer this week (that handles Duplex/Networking as well). The Brother HL-5250DN works 100% under Linux and just required installing the PPDs off LinuxPrinting.org (though it was working fine prior to that just via CUPS and the included driver). What's even more surprising is that they have a Linux section on the Brother website.

I had the printer uninstalled from the box, read the 'setup instructions' included (plug this, remove that, etc), and had it printing duplex in < 10 minutes!

Before Michael's advice -- I had avoided Brother printers -- mainly due to having a PoS Brother plain-paper Fax machine. It seems their printers are much better than their Faxes.

So a big thanks to Michael.

So I ask Linux developers... stop making it so easy to install hardware. Otherwise everyone will be running Linux before too long!

Now -- I only need a bookcase in my office, and I've completed my new office setup!