tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55886193466114417422024-03-14T07:45:42.855+00:00Nick's Morning Beat BlogThoughts about pretty much anything, although most likely to do with cars, music, photography, computers, and the state of the telecoms industry, in which I play a small part.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03009983006147324179noreply@blogger.comBlogger39125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5588619346611441742.post-53011501860215460562012-03-27T21:20:00.001+01:002012-03-27T21:25:13.503+01:00Coming soon: Super-robust music serverI'm a huge fan of the Logitech's (or should I say Slimdevice's) range of Squeezebox players. I own three currently and use them every day to stream my entire CD library in high-quality FLAC format around my house. I absolutely love them.<br />
<div><br />
</div><div>Accordingly, I'm a long-term user of the Logitech Media Server software (nee. Squeezecenter, Slimserver) and have run this on all sorts of servers over the years, including a custom build PC server, a Buffalo Linkstation, and currently a Synology Diskstation. The Diskstation is brilliant - well supported, small, quiet, and efficient. However, with now over 1,000 CDs on the system, I've started to think about building a new super-robust server to protect my collection.</div><div><br />
</div><div>So, here's what I'm planning:</div><div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiEyYUkSUNu5l-AXcTYFPcZjg_L1GU5wIoL7w7Yi_loxGrA-mMhMaXwfAEPLQQ1tNVxn5sSFwVSQbq5oypYjprwBvUoLNzIm7AKI-oXwZPtv-tlBaHngRdm-OvX_8IdgSO63p_PT95HWrs/s1600/Proliant.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiEyYUkSUNu5l-AXcTYFPcZjg_L1GU5wIoL7w7Yi_loxGrA-mMhMaXwfAEPLQQ1tNVxn5sSFwVSQbq5oypYjprwBvUoLNzIm7AKI-oXwZPtv-tlBaHngRdm-OvX_8IdgSO63p_PT95HWrs/s400/Proliant.jpg" width="347" /></a></div><div>Hardware:</div><div><ul><li>HP Proliant N40L Microserver. Currently £230 approx, with £100 cashback until the end of March. This is an absolute bargain in my opinion for a 4-bay, 2Gb RAM server including a 250Gb disk. I have mine currently on order from eBuyer (<a href="http://www.ebuyer.com/">www.ebuyer.com</a>).</li>
<li>Sony SATA DVD drive from which to install the OS.</li>
<li>4Gb USB flash drive to install on the Microserver's internal USB port onto which to install the OS.</li>
<li>1x WD 2TB hard disk. I have this spare from a previous project and will use this to start my RAID array. Once up and running, I plan to migrate other disks from my existing NAS to increase the capacity on this new server.</li>
<li>Total cost after cash-back: £149.00</li>
</ul><div>Software:</div></div><div><ul><li>I have been exploring the excellent FreeNAS 8.2 (<a href="http://www.freenas.org/">www.freenas.org</a>) and really want to use this for the following reasons: ZFS file system for fault-tolerance and error correction; regular filesystem snapshots; RAID 5; small & fast footprint; very quick to install, and good support.</li>
<li>Logitech Media Server (LMS) 7.7.1. This is the tricky bit as there is no official method that I can find to install this on BSD UNIX (on which FreeNAS is based). I've played around with this on Virtualbox and haven't found a way yet to install LMS yet. Herein lies the major challenge of this project!</li>
</ul><div>I'm looking forward to putting this all together and if I can get LMS working on top of FreeNAS I'll let you know how I do it. Meanwhile if anyone has already achieved this please post a comment with some tips!</div></div><div><br />
</div><div>Thanks for reading,</div><div>Nick</div><div><br />
</div><div><br />
</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03009983006147324179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5588619346611441742.post-36225565666874861672012-02-16T22:51:00.003+00:002012-07-31T19:15:35.302+01:00Convert UK (or other) Motorola Xoom to GED with Jelly Bean** IMPORTANT EDIT 31/07/2012 **<br />
If you have been patiently waiting for Jelly Bean to land on your GED Xoom, <b>wait no more</b>. You can force the upgrade by clearing the Google services framework via Settings - Apps - All - Google services framework - Clear data.<br />
<br />
Having done this, go back to 'About Tablet' and hit the 'Check for updates' button and the latest update should appear. 4.1.1. This has worked for me today.<br />
<br />
EDIT 24/07/2012: Confirmation that Jelly Bean is on its way for the Xoom - hopefully within the next week:<br />
<a href="http://www.androidcentral.com/case-you-needed-confirmation-it-jelly-bean-will-be-arriving-xoom-wifi">http://www.androidcentral.com/case-you-needed-confirmation-it-jelly-bean-will-be-arriving-xoom-wifi</a>
<br />
<br />
EDIT 28/06/2012: With Google's announcement of Android 4.1 'Jelly Bean' yesterday, it appears that the Xoom will receive this update some time in July. I hope this will automatically appear on my ICS Xoom, so when it does I will post an update with details on the upgrade.<br />
<br />
--><br />
<br />
I bought a Motorola Xoom last year and think it is superb. Living in the UK though I have been keen to obtain Ice Cream Sandwich (ICS) but rather disappointingly it hasn't officially been released yet. It turns out that the non-US Xooms are not officially 'Google Experience Devices' and so have some amount of customisation in their OS, making updates slower to emerge as a result. The US devices however have no such restrictions and are already able to upgrade to ICS.<br />
<br />
The excellent <a href="http://www.xoomforums.com/forum/" target="_blank">Xoom forums</a> have a good article posted on how to safely convert your Xoom to one running the stock US ROM, which you can then update to the latest release. I tried this the other day and am delighted with the results. Everything works - I still have access to the UK App Store (with prices in GBP) and the ICS experience is genuinely much slicker than Honeycomb. So, if you are impatient and wish to try this yourself, here is how I did it.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4rOzEvIT9WNUjNfr1beRC7tDFqUHMaLy6hQXMG0wPm3eQQQWq3bZoraHqYr9p3CFWbmKT-KUjwEdca0n0XczJ1W735YlzzZELwmQpMc3UthPpENKK5O3PbmD_8CskBAPVthbl7-9TYilB/s1600/P2161805.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4rOzEvIT9WNUjNfr1beRC7tDFqUHMaLy6hQXMG0wPm3eQQQWq3bZoraHqYr9p3CFWbmKT-KUjwEdca0n0XczJ1W735YlzzZELwmQpMc3UthPpENKK5O3PbmD_8CskBAPVthbl7-9TYilB/s400/P2161805.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Firstly a warning:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>THIS PROCEDURE WILL WIPE YOUR XOOM AND ALL DATA ON IT - BACK-UP NOW.</li>
<li>THIS PROCEDURE MAY STOP YOUR XOOM FROM WORKING PERMANENTLY.</li>
<li>THIS PROCEDURE WILL MOST LIKELY VOID YOUR WARRANTY.</li>
<li>FOR PRECAUTION CONNECT THE XOOM POWER SUPPLY DURING THIS PROCEDURE.</li>
</ul>
<br />
Still here? OK - I'll start with two pages for reference from which I derived this procedure:<br />
<br />
<div class="p1">
<a href="http://www.xoomforums.com/forum/motorola-xoom-hacking-guides/6591-how-uk-wifi-us-ged.html" target="_blank">http://www.xoomforums.com/forum/motorola-xoom-hacking-guides/6591-how-uk-wifi-us-ged.html</a></div>
<a href="http://developer.motorola.com/products/software/?pubid=987654" target="_blank">http://developer.motorola.com/products/software/?pubid=987654</a><br />
<br />
You will need to install the Android SDK on your PC / Mac / Linux box - see elsewhere in this blog for instructions for various Linux installations, or visit this page:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://developer.android.com/sdk/index.html" target="_blank">http://developer.android.com/sdk/index.html</a><br />
<br />
Now for the procedure:<br />
<br />
1. Connect Xoom to your computer via USB.<br />
<div class="p1">
2. On the Xoom, go to Settings -> Applications -> Development -> Enable USB debugging - tick this.</div>
<div class="p1">
3. Download MZ604_HWI69.zip from the Motorola Developer link above. You will need to register to access this file but this is a simple step. Unzip contents of MZ604_HWI69.zip into a folder. Move this folder into /Applications/eclipse/android-sdk-mac_x86/platform-tools/, or wherever this folder exists in your Android SDK on your hard disk. <u>This last stage is very important you do correctly otherwise the commands below will not be able to find the ROM image files.</u></div>
<div class="p1">
4. Now, open a terminal and execute the following (these examples were run on a Mac but should be the same for Linux. Windows users will need to adjust these to suit - see the Xoom Forums post for examples for Windows):</div>
<div class="p1">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">cd /Applications/eclipse/android-sdk-mac_x86/platform-tools</span></div>
<div class="p2">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
5. Check your PC is talking with the Xoom over USB with:</div>
<div class="p1">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">./adb devices</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
Which should return something like:</div>
<div class="p1">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">List of devices attached </span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-tab-span"></span>3848204958a394e5 device</span></div>
<div class="p2">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
6. Then start the procedure to flash the US ROM with:</div>
<div class="p1">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">./adb reboot bootloader</span></div>
<div class="p2">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
7. The Xoom reboots. When the Xoom screen shows "starting fastboot protocol support" now type in the terminal:</div>
<div class="p2">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">./fastboot oem unlock</span></div>
<div class="p2">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
8. Now use 'volume up / down' buttons on the Xoom to answer the displayed questions to accept the license. After some formatting, the device reboots. Now manually power off the Xoom and then, holding the 'volume down' button, power on again. You will enter fast boot again. Now in the terminal type:</div>
<div class="p2">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">./fastboot flash boot MZ604_HWI69/boot.img </span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">./fastboot flash system MZ604_HWI69/system.img </span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">./fastboot flash recovery MZ604_HWI69/recovery.img </span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">./fastboot flash userdata MZ604_HWI69/userdata.img </span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">./fastboot erase cache</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">./fastboot oem lock</span></div>
<div class="p2">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
9. Again, use the 'volume up / down' buttons to answer the questions. The Xoom now reboots into the US ROM. Once booted for the first time, start downloading all the system updates in the usual way. After 5 or 6 of these, your Xoom will eventually boot into ICS. That's it!</div>
<div class="p1">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhDj7MVtExpYLpbhVpG0IXr7GDkNCehzemmXPsHWKyKTTYS2_O_7rIVkDlM0ZZNGYCsxGDutinTbHi-9tlx46UZt48o-e5edkaB0GYETD0xwd7yIDIVj8IbvxvfxDKpwg-1CIV9gZatmem/s1600/P2161807.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhDj7MVtExpYLpbhVpG0IXr7GDkNCehzemmXPsHWKyKTTYS2_O_7rIVkDlM0ZZNGYCsxGDutinTbHi-9tlx46UZt48o-e5edkaB0GYETD0xwd7yIDIVj8IbvxvfxDKpwg-1CIV9gZatmem/s400/P2161807.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
<div class="p1">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
To return to UK version repeat the above using MZ604_H.6.2-24_Retail_Europe.zip (N.B. I have not tried this - I plan to keep my Xoom in it's GED guise and hope it receives Android Jelly Bean later this year)!</div>
<div class="p1">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
I hope this works for you. Good luck if you do try, and thanks for reading.</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03009983006147324179noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5588619346611441742.post-6403884313070991192011-08-21T20:21:00.003+01:002011-08-21T20:49:09.292+01:00Top Gear meets a camera store in Hong Kong<div class="p1">I've always been into cameras, and in the last couple of years have got quite seriously into photography. Recently I've bought a few bits of new kit and found on-line reviews a great help in choosing the right compromise. Better still are the video reviews where camera experts actually demonstrate the kit in the real world, and in my searches no-one does these better than <a href="http://www.digitalrev.com/en/digitalrev-tv">DigitalRev TV</a>.</div><div class="p1"><br />
</div><div class="p1">From what I can fathom, <a href="http://www.digitalrev.com/">DigitalRev</a> are a Hong Kong based camera shop serving primarily the UK market. However, their web site not only sells you kit, but it also hosts tips & review reviews in both written and video form. The videos for me are pure entertainment, with the host Kai Wong (who appears to be of Hong Kong origin, but must have spent some impressionable years in the UK) doing for cameras what Jeremy Clarkson does for cars. His videos are very well made - can be a tad crude at times - but generally are great fun and very informative.</div><div class="p1"><br />
</div><div class="p1">I bought an Olympus E-PL1 camera and Billingham Hadley camera bag on Kai's recommendation and love both items. Kai is an interesting character - Leica & Nikon loving, but usually often seen testing Canon gear. He's always inventing unusual ways to test lens 'bokeh' and does a great take-off of your stereotypical British paparazzi. His latest video is a good example of the formula - actually, this is a self-take off - gently mocking Kai's much more traditional predecessor on the DigitalRev TV channel. If you're into cameras, and enjoy a 'Top Gear' style sense of humour, then I recommend you check out DigitalRev TV.</div><div class="p2"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/XE8tBLaTxAc?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="p2"><br />
</div><div class="p2">Thanks for reading, and happy shooting!</div><div class="p1">Nick</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03009983006147324179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5588619346611441742.post-46768444949517910502011-08-07T13:24:00.004+01:002012-02-16T22:59:40.982+00:00The marvellous Mac.I briefly blogged a while back that I'd taken the plunge and purchased a new Macbook Pro (13" i5 Thunderbolt). I've set this up as a desktop replacement, connecting it to my existing Samsung LCD monitor, giving me a 2-screen set-up, perfect for photo editing which is my main use for it. Having lived with this for a few months now (and recently upgrading to Lion), I can confirm it is everything I hoped it would be.<br />
<br />
For a long while I've wanted to break free from Windows but have never found a satisfactory alternative in Linux. Nice as many distributions are (especially my favourite, Fedora), they all have one fundamental flaw - lack of support for commercial desktop apps. I wish to use MS Office, Photoshop, and iTunes - all of which just do not exist on Linux (although, of course, similar alternatives are available). Having tried hard to migrate to these alternatives, they simply do not give me the functionality I want. As such, I had 2 choices: stick with Windows, or 'Think Different' with a Mac.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqSYC85chj90TvGp3k6kzyTP06-wuXpz_yD71SWcZ1lHXJBYZvZxS8jUFG3gbq1YwwiW_Y5_r_zvgfiKdU7b3_d4dA9MuibRD7kRqhyphenhyphenwiu7ZTlyLvgjciICSdGXIfI_snToPuN5kkfTHRT/s1600/New+Macbook+Pro_0157_edited-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqSYC85chj90TvGp3k6kzyTP06-wuXpz_yD71SWcZ1lHXJBYZvZxS8jUFG3gbq1YwwiW_Y5_r_zvgfiKdU7b3_d4dA9MuibRD7kRqhyphenhyphenwiu7ZTlyLvgjciICSdGXIfI_snToPuN5kkfTHRT/s400/New+Macbook+Pro_0157_edited-1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<br />
So, how have I found the Mac? It's not perfect, but it's pretty damn close, and to be honest, it's by far the best computing experience I've ever had. Here are the pros and cons as I see them:<br />
<br />
Cons:<br />
<ul><li>Despite the powerful processor and large memory, apps still tend to 'hang' more often than I'd like, exhibiting the spinning beach ball pointer while they think about what to do next. What's that all about?</li>
<li>The hardware is somewhat expensive compared to equivalently specified Windows laptops.</li>
<li>Hmm, I can't think of any more cons!</li>
</ul><br />
Pros:<br />
<ul><li>The hardware, despite it's price, is absolutely exquisite. The aluminium unibody detail is wonderful - having a solid base with no fans to suck the fluff from your trousers means you can properly use it on your lap without fear of gunging up the internals.</li>
<li>Wonderful screen.</li>
<li>Very quiet most of the time - silent hard disk, very quiet fan, and no flashing activity lights. Fan does get noisy when the processor is working hard however.</li>
<li>Great backlit keyboard, although the flat keys take a little while to get used to.</li>
<li>Appstore - borrowing heavily from Linux repositories as a way of distributing software, I have to say this is such a good system. Being able to purchase high quality apps and install them almost instantly is just better.</li>
<li>Support for commercial apps on a Unix-based system is great - MS Office is very smart on the Mac, and I have since moved from Photoshop to Aperture which is simply a joy to use.</li>
<li>System updates are handled in a smooth and unobtrusive way, similar to Linux. No longer do I have to suffer Window's insistence that, before you can get any work done, you must spend half a hour installing updates.</li>
</ul>I've always been dismissive of Macs as expensive form-over-function devices, although I have always admired OSX since it's release. Whilst they do cost more, I genuinely believe you get value for money especially with such a high quality of build. I can't see myself replacing the hardware for many years, and with OS upgrades for only £20, and apps cheaper via the appstore, the running costs feel less than Windows.<br />
<br />
So, I'm very happy to kiss goodbye to Windows. I also bid a fond farewell to Linux desktops (although I will still run some form of Linux on my netbook - currently Fedora 15). If you too are trying to break free from Microsoft's finest, and Linux just isn't delivering, then save-up and buy a Mac - you'll love it.<br />
<br />
Thanks for reading, NickAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03009983006147324179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5588619346611441742.post-67416232796191413252011-07-11T23:55:00.000+01:002011-07-11T23:55:08.891+01:00Note to self: coming soon!Long-overdue blog updates coming, featuring:<br />
<br />
<ul><li>Mac OS X vs Linux - which is my favourite Windows alternative and why?</li>
<li>Fedora 15 - in my mind the best Linux desktop out there.</li>
<li>Cars: The Goodwood Festival of Speed</li>
<li>Google +</li>
<li>Chromebooks</li>
<li>Photos & cameras, including my new quirky favourite: Olympus EPL-1 fitted with a Lumix 20mm F1.7 'pancake' lens.</li>
<li>More music lists.</li>
<li>Possibly some work-related talk.</li>
</ul><br />
Come on then Nick - warm-up those fingers.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03009983006147324179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5588619346611441742.post-15043385559623085022011-02-28T21:39:00.000+00:002011-02-28T21:39:04.307+00:00Irresistible AppleI've finally been sucked-in to the hype and can resist the shininess no more. Last week I ordered my first Apple Mac - a brand new i5-powered Macbook Pro 13". It's the base-level machine only with the HDD expanded from 320 to 500Gb:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsgthYFzYFW2JRDJGlS0l3JqVOK03qWZ9-umnaulHgYbdpEThKeVDBuIx0jHuQwq2nN4OpuwWOGFEMASX81XBZUdTJnPZIuHVqu1xG2yZTZknjUNM87Xw0nbsV4j8IH2Q8pNznO8Ke4IE_/s1600/Screen+shot+2011-02-28+at+21.28.15.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsgthYFzYFW2JRDJGlS0l3JqVOK03qWZ9-umnaulHgYbdpEThKeVDBuIx0jHuQwq2nN4OpuwWOGFEMASX81XBZUdTJnPZIuHVqu1xG2yZTZknjUNM87Xw0nbsV4j8IH2Q8pNznO8Ke4IE_/s320/Screen+shot+2011-02-28+at+21.28.15.png" width="320" /></a></div><br />
This left the factory in China today according to UPS - once it arrives I may post some comments on how it runs. Next stop Germany by the looks of it. Handle with care please UPS!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiaxN9kDUkNcvCSgys1EelViGR5Jla_mIoNOMDBsAC_7jjkkYmCWCcQBio_oGAOgajbiRjZMk-w7YPr90XKpXa-7yLX253TYCyL2XktkW_p9e2NtEed1Ka8EKiyYuRt9k-GDnzvZHEh_wO/s1600/Screen+shot+2011-02-28+at+21.27.45.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="152" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiaxN9kDUkNcvCSgys1EelViGR5Jla_mIoNOMDBsAC_7jjkkYmCWCcQBio_oGAOgajbiRjZMk-w7YPr90XKpXa-7yLX253TYCyL2XktkW_p9e2NtEed1Ka8EKiyYuRt9k-GDnzvZHEh_wO/s400/Screen+shot+2011-02-28+at+21.27.45.png" width="400" /></a></div><br />
NickAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03009983006147324179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5588619346611441742.post-63709062380752083962011-01-17T21:03:00.002+00:002011-01-18T12:46:30.538+00:00Linux Mint Debian Edition - a green goddessStill on the hunt for the ultimate netbook Linux distribution, I recently discovered a great new project by the <a href="http://www.linuxmint.com/">Linux Mint</a> team. Until recently they have focussed on re-packaging Ubuntu Linux into a more attractive desktop distribution. Recently though, they have launched a project which, like Ubuntu itself, is now based directly on Debian. However, unlike Ubuntu, Linux Mint Debian Edtion (LMDE) is based on Debian's 'testing' branch, which means that instead of having a periodical release schedule, new updates are added all the time. In theory then, you install LMDE once, and once only. Just run online update to keep up with the latest developments.<br />
<div><br />
</div><div>So the rolling release philosophy, along with Mint's exquisite design and artwork, for me combine into a very interesting project. I've just installed it onto my HP Mini 110 netbook and can confirm it works a treat. It takes a little more effort to set-up than, say, Ubuntu, but in theory I should never have to re-install, and the pay-off is to enjoy the Mint team's wonderful attention to detail. Below are some screenshots, plus my installation notes in case anyone else wants to try this on the HP Mini, or similar netbook.</div><div><br />
</div><div><b>Screenshots:</b></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLPjpFdZRmVjSDXHTS5Qw_KMr8uqVJRQYsxv8mEUV4pD-KYqUV93MjpB7xT-r25AJWgBxgOtyf-sgfv-Cp-MLnxKH-C-6uWqgLdgpXTGhOOXLafvGQC8qNLCITKGFTWcSbP19CrhbRSe3W/s1600/Mint1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLPjpFdZRmVjSDXHTS5Qw_KMr8uqVJRQYsxv8mEUV4pD-KYqUV93MjpB7xT-r25AJWgBxgOtyf-sgfv-Cp-MLnxKH-C-6uWqgLdgpXTGhOOXLafvGQC8qNLCITKGFTWcSbP19CrhbRSe3W/s400/Mint1.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The standard desktop, with my own minor customisations for my netbook.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCho0SA4RQTJPw7insfKufXzVxPNuJuHJF5YkhDDRYwm0hPwboOOkfWONrfdAKRlPfAlyJehkVq8n-TjSHHybo0U4Y88DvzfhRax_2nogOEDv3PrirKcXXALvSnL4WPS2d_ELQjPGJ3BVC/s1600/Mint2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="233" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCho0SA4RQTJPw7insfKufXzVxPNuJuHJF5YkhDDRYwm0hPwboOOkfWONrfdAKRlPfAlyJehkVq8n-TjSHHybo0U4Y88DvzfhRax_2nogOEDv3PrirKcXXALvSnL4WPS2d_ELQjPGJ3BVC/s400/Mint2.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mint uses a custom 'start' menu which is extremely functional and very attractive. The best I've used in any distribution.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDywnX0ciQynxVU9hbAeE4HBwFXMkyM28OhNu0u0kXd7SVKjCGKnFwItj9TwH0-X9euw0Oot5_o_t4Ed3HOZ3qif5AcBr-hsYtX_6HL7a7aJgyuC54AFOJd9BiPCKT4JnlUDHhlvViE2Ln/s1600/Mint3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDywnX0ciQynxVU9hbAeE4HBwFXMkyM28OhNu0u0kXd7SVKjCGKnFwItj9TwH0-X9euw0Oot5_o_t4Ed3HOZ3qif5AcBr-hsYtX_6HL7a7aJgyuC54AFOJd9BiPCKT4JnlUDHhlvViE2Ln/s400/Mint3.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mint's theme applied to the standard Gnome file browser.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAyyXenv5e5YPPtI-OnHxC2qdXEpYZ5fKWJBbxgAYT2-1dfcjzR_27PNgdiQOKvQMc0wkwyPFYkoU03nb7uTK_e5C2aldjiVuAhtEMAcOt3txfnlzHReaJ0SdTL1wGY-fq1cWa36xJV1Xc/s1600/Mint4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAyyXenv5e5YPPtI-OnHxC2qdXEpYZ5fKWJBbxgAYT2-1dfcjzR_27PNgdiQOKvQMc0wkwyPFYkoU03nb7uTK_e5C2aldjiVuAhtEMAcOt3txfnlzHReaJ0SdTL1wGY-fq1cWa36xJV1Xc/s400/Mint4.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mint's software centre for finding and installing apps.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div><br />
</div><div>Installation notes:</div><div>These notes are for my installation onto the HP Mini 110 based on my own needs. This is not an exhaustive guide, but I've tried to include as much detail as possible:</div><div><br />
</div><div><div><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Setting up an SD card with 32 bit Mint Debian DVD for installation:</span></u></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Format a 2Gb or larger SD card with FAT32 on Windows.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Download the 32 bit DVD .iso from the Mint web site (<a href="http://www.linuxmint.com/edition.php?id=66">http://www.linuxmint.com/edition.php?id=66</a>) and install to SD card using Windows UNetbootin (download from <a href="http://unetbootin.sourceforge.net/">http://unetbootin.sourceforge.net/</a>). I used the 'Mint 9 Live' preset.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br />
</span></div><div><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Installation:</span></u></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Connect wired LAN cable (needed to install wireless driver).</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Insert SD card into netbook and switch on.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Press 'F9' on BIOS screen to select boot from SD card.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">At UNetbootin boot menu, select 'Default'</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Boot to the live desktop, then install system using the standard installer with the following options:</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Computer name: hp-mini-110</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Install GRUB on /dev/sda</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">When prompted. re-boot into the new desktop, install all updates, & reboot once more.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br />
</span></div><div><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Fix missing wireless:</span></u></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Install propriatary Broadcom driver thus:</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">(Reference: <a href="http://wiki.debian.org/wl#Squeeze">http://wiki.debian.org/wl#Squeeze</a>)</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">In a terminal, type:</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">sudo aptitude update</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">sudo aptitude install module-assistant wireless-tools</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">sudo m-a a-i broadcom-sta</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">sudo vi /etc/modprobe.d/broadcom-sta-common.conf</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Append the file with the following:</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">blacklist brcm80211</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">sudo update-initramfs -u -k $(uname -r)</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">sudo modprobe -r b44 b43 b43legacy ssb brcm80211</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">sudo modprobe wl</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">sudo iwconfig</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Then reboot, disconnect your wired LAN cable, and configure wireless using Gnome Network Manager.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br />
</span></div><div><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Install some essential apps:</span></u></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Install using Software Manager or via terminal:</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">sudo apt-get install chromium-browser ttf-mscorefonts-installer gnome-alsamixer</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br />
</span></div><div><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Disable PC speaker (to stop an annoying buzz on boot and shut-down):</span></u></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Launch Gnome Alsa Mixer, and mute the PC Speaker.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br />
</span></div><div><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Desktop settings:</span></u></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Desktop Settings -> Change button layout to 'Left - Mac like'.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Change panel from bottom to top.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Remove 'show desktop' icon from panel and replace with 'workspace switcher'.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Add Computer, Home, Network, and Trash icons to right-hand side of desktop using Desktop Settings. Untick Mounted Volumes.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><u><br />
</u></span></div><div><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Enable Compiz</span></u></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Add the following Gnome startup entry:</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Name: Compiz</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Command: compiz --replace</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Description: Start compositing manager</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Reboot to enable Compiz, then In CCSM select:</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">General Options -> Focus & Raise Behaviour: </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Untick 'click to focus'. Tick 'auto-raise'.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Enable Application Switcher</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Enable Minimize Effect</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Move Window -> Change opactity to 75%</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Enable Desktop Cube and Rotate Cube (needed to enable multiple desktops, otherwise you are stuck on just 1)</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Desktop Cube -> Change cube colour to black (to remove blue cube top & bottom)</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Rotate Cube -> Transparent Cube -> 'opacity during rotation' = 50%</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br />
</span></div><div><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Configure Power Management:</span></u></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">On AC Power:</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Put computer to sleep: Never</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">When laptop lid is closed: Shutdown</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Never spin down disks</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Put display to sleep: 30 minutes</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">On Battery Power:</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Put computer to sleep: 10 minutes</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">When laptop lid is closed: Shutdown</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">When laptop power is critically low: Suspend</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Do spin down disks</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Put display to sleep: 5 minutes</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Do reduce backlight brightness</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">General:</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Keep default settings</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br />
</span></div><div><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Configure Firewall and allow browsing Samba shares on Windows PCs, etc:</span></u></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">In a terminal type:</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">sudo vi /etc/default/ufw</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">then change:</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">IPT_MODULES="nf_conntrack_ftp nf_nat_ftp nf_conntrack_irc nf_nat_irc"</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">to:</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">IPT_MODULES="nf_conntrack_ftp nf_nat_ftp nf_conntrack_irc nf_nat_irc nf_conntrack_netbios_ns"</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Save and exit vi, then in a terminal type:</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">sudo ufw enable</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">sudo reboot</span></div><div><br />
</div><div>And that's about it. I hope I've inspired you to try this interesting new distribution - I'm certainly hoping to keep it on my netbook in the long term.</div></div><div><br />
</div><div>Thanks for reading,</div><div>Nick</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03009983006147324179noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5588619346611441742.post-39044649473010309912010-10-17T17:16:00.004+01:002011-02-28T21:46:38.141+00:001,000 mph on the streets of LondonI like fast cars, and none come faster than Britain's latest attempt on the world land speed record - <a href="http://www.bloodhoundssc.com/">Bloodhound SSC</a>. SSC stands for Super Sonic Car, which is precisely the aim of this latest project - a car which breaks the sound barrier (around 750mph) and then press on to over 1,000mph. Fiction you might think? Well, think again, as today the full-sized mock-up of the car was on-show on The Strand in London.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.bloodhoundssc.com/"><img border="0" height="119" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI6oUqqkO4efp8IhmFcftFbAGOz2g1Ju6zMDQLBYIzJFCHwXA3Oq6WkKkQsIF1rTWd3vqA_ezWxpkqbynIFDkg-piiTEnSZdE-O-Uhg1GyeJ8f8Kd_nfDf-bXT2YtSEof7OqhVE-aDJJ67/s400/Signature-SSC.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
I have childhood memories of Richard Noble breaking the record in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thrust2">Thrust 2</a>, but it was <a href="http://www.thrustssc.com/thrustssc.html">Thrust SSC</a> (the first and only official supersonic record holder) which really captured my imagination. This car was run in the Black Rock desert in autumn 1997, a time when I was in Canada attending an extended software training course at Nortel. It was a fantastic time, and to be able to follow the record attempts on line, via the web site and e-mail updates, was cutting edge at the time and really engaged us followers in the runs. <a href="http://www.thrustssc.com/Web_Cameras/Web_Cameras.html">The webcam pictures</a> of the Airshelta told you when the car was running (i.e. it was empty), and I still remember checking my e-mails in the classroom when instead I should have been paying attention to the lesson, and the day the record was broken. I wish I'd kept that e-mail!<br />
<br />
Now the team are attempting to break their own record with Bloodhound, and I'm both a member of the supporters' '1K club', and an educational ambassador for the project, which is one of the key objectives of Bloodhound. In a world where land speed records may be a little out of fashion (ecologically, financially, etc) Richard Noble has put the emphasis on Bloodhound to make it a vehicle to inspire young students to pursue careers involving Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. To this end, Bloodhound is working closely with the UK government's STEM organisation, and ambassadors like me are taking the Bloodhound message into schools and hopefully inspiring more kids to go on to be the UK's technology pioneers of the future. I think it's a great idea, and I understand Bloodhound is proving a very popular addition to the curriculum.<br />
<br />
Below are a few shots from today's demo in The Strand (including an appearance by Mr Noble who is a real star wherever he goes). I hope the traffic wasn't held up too much - buses, taxis, coaches, and even traffic wardens were pulled in to help set the scene! Good fun. Meanwhile, I urge you to <a href="http://www.bloodhoundssc.com/">visit the project's web site</a>, and <a href="http://www.bloodhoundssc.com/supporters_club.cfm">join the 1K club</a> or contribute in any way you can.<br />
<br />
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[edit]<br />
Some of my shots made it to the <a href="http://www.bloodhoundssc.com/news/latest_news.cfm?widCall1=customWidgets.contentItem_show_1&cit_id=4913">project's web site</a>!<br />
<br />
Thanks for reading,<br />
NickAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03009983006147324179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5588619346611441742.post-22291095182436339362010-09-08T21:43:00.000+01:002010-09-08T21:43:06.331+01:00A brand new word processor from 1995!I received an e-mail out of the blue last week from a stranger. His name was Andreas Magerl from Germany, and he asked the a question: "Are you the Nick Harvey who wrote TextEngine for the AMIGA?"<br />
<br />
After a quick flashback to a pre-internet 1990s, I recovered enough to reply "Yes"! As it turns out, Andreas runs an online magazine at <a href="http://www.amigafuture.de/">http://www.amigafuture.de/</a> servicing what appears to be a thriving Amiga community. TextEngine was a hobby of mine during my younger years. As an owner of an Amiga A500, and later an A1200, I decided to programme my own simple word processor just for my own use. By today's standards it's no better than Windows Notepad, with a couple of additional features. But for me it did the job. For fun I submitted version 1.0 to Amiga Format Magazine who very kindly included it on their cover disc (issue 25, August 1991 to be precise). From there I released it into the Public Domain as a fully functional shareware product (via 17 Bit Software in the UK - now <a href="http://www.team17.com/">Team 17</a> - if I remember rightly), and was very lucky to receive some donations from generous users all over the world.<br />
<br />
Even though back then the Internet as we currently know it didn't exist, there was a growing FTP site called Aminet, the de facto repository for Amiga Public Domain software. TextEngine has resided there in good company for many years, and looking back it feels like that was in some way one of the places today's open source community has grown from. I hope it was.<br />
<br />
Anyway, getting back to Andreas - he suggested I re-release TextEngine as a freeware product. Once he convinced me there would be a demand (I was rather sceptical) I fired up Devpac (within the incredible WinUAE emulator running on my PC) and was quickly making changes to my 15 year old 68000 source code. The result?<br />
<br />
<a href="http://aminet.net/package/text/edit/TextEngine">http://aminet.net/package/text/edit/TextEngine</a><br />
<br />
And Andreas was right about the demand - it's been online for 2 days and has so far had over 100 downloads. So many thanks to everyone who has downloaded the 144kb file and still find it useful. Also an especial thanks to everyone who sent in money during the Shareware days - your names all still appear in the Amiga Guide file which accompanies the programme. And a final thanks to Andreas for giving me a brief opportunity to return to the good old days. TextEngine was a real pain to programme - I wouldn't do it again, and have no plans to return to it, but seeing it on-line, on magazine cover discs, and in magazine reviews (even the bad ones!) was very satisfying indeed.<br />
<br />
And for those young kids amongst you who never enjoyed owning an old 16 / 32 bit computer such as the Amiga, here are some screenshots...<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxebcqUltNdTQV6r8WTHPblqAHhpWoFXvjYKOgR2UNkgqlx5rYFOR5pwARnS3dcrz0-ThJhSDDygm_F9CP5xLiMDf3OLQ2O9gbMCSYQsyQCtKkMsRw_sJgwQn0DDmM3yJirt7_GDOmmJyV/s1600/TextEngine1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxebcqUltNdTQV6r8WTHPblqAHhpWoFXvjYKOgR2UNkgqlx5rYFOR5pwARnS3dcrz0-ThJhSDDygm_F9CP5xLiMDf3OLQ2O9gbMCSYQsyQCtKkMsRw_sJgwQn0DDmM3yJirt7_GDOmmJyV/s400/TextEngine1.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">TextEngine's icon on a sparse desktop</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX7lvVl6UHeBx5W9PEnU4iaPxYzsvoVt-s7g3Jb0URk0BXz79JdJJKTfSHDN0_XGTnp18v4JBBWzy99D-MIuWyb9MQ2_eEDTR-JbSYmJ-y-APlQgoLRMdcZO5A0gmqilFuhm6UXRMx-G6l/s1600/TextEngine4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX7lvVl6UHeBx5W9PEnU4iaPxYzsvoVt-s7g3Jb0URk0BXz79JdJJKTfSHDN0_XGTnp18v4JBBWzy99D-MIuWyb9MQ2_eEDTR-JbSYmJ-y-APlQgoLRMdcZO5A0gmqilFuhm6UXRMx-G6l/s400/TextEngine4.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">TextEngine, editing its own source code</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2B_sxsphMuUxexBq1Pqk_G7aNt5F-kF82TCgIhaIkJfzRdc_yPEo3DAKI6li4wOis3wgmWl_3tFxMhUOBrJDjuWi-Tx8IqIbBkTrBBS9rWsx8XQSFkMbzYxKTx8_jAECPq0_8LyYJHtrr/s1600/TextEngine6.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2B_sxsphMuUxexBq1Pqk_G7aNt5F-kF82TCgIhaIkJfzRdc_yPEo3DAKI6li4wOis3wgmWl_3tFxMhUOBrJDjuWi-Tx8IqIbBkTrBBS9rWsx8XQSFkMbzYxKTx8_jAECPq0_8LyYJHtrr/s400/TextEngine6.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A very basic spell checker, but better than nothing</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div>Thanks for reading,</div><div>Nick</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03009983006147324179noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5588619346611441742.post-71738055435253632922010-08-12T19:25:00.000+01:002010-08-12T19:25:48.635+01:00Cool stickers from Google's GMail TeamI'm a GMail user, and received an envelope full of nice stickers in the post this morning. Here they for the curious:<div><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Thanks Google! But what does it all mean...?</div></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03009983006147324179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5588619346611441742.post-54328109228620032792010-07-19T22:47:00.000+01:002010-07-19T22:47:09.587+01:00OpenSUSE 11.3 - just how do you configure this animal?In my last post I complained about issues in the latest OpenSUSE 11.3 release which annoy and frustrate me, especially as I believe they could be easily avoided. I've persevered with the distribution for a couple more days, hoping I could get to like it, but I'm rapidly loosing faith. Mainly due to the very confusing settings system SUSE employs.<br />
<br />
One common but astonishing discovery is that the SUSE integrators appear to have included two of many of the main configuration panels. Granted, the duplication is between Gnome or KDE's built-in tools, and SUSE's proprietary YaST system, but as a user I've just got very confused. How am I supposed to know which tool to use? And who knows what happens if you switch from one to the other, creating duplicated settings for the same devices. Why have they left this choice to the poor, hapless user, instead of doing the sensible thing and removing the Gnome or KDE default where a better alternative exists in YaST?<br />
<br />
Not convinced? Well, I'll stop moaning and will let the following screen-shots from a default Gnome installation do the talking. Who says you don't get value for money with Open Source software - two for the price of none anybody?<br />
<br />
1a. Keyboard settings - Gnome:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKt3gjR0wFGVxWxRycbbIyPy1Imim90dTybmu07dcUICX6RjYmbPvaDtj-BVQtLwVT2lm2vlUcSWws6sYcDkmu_U2pulMmgo_MQ53tJ6kFXYT63MxmAdBrOG8C7xj9IVbIiAn5uw2fJJbX/s1600/Screenshot-Keyboard+Preferences.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKt3gjR0wFGVxWxRycbbIyPy1Imim90dTybmu07dcUICX6RjYmbPvaDtj-BVQtLwVT2lm2vlUcSWws6sYcDkmu_U2pulMmgo_MQ53tJ6kFXYT63MxmAdBrOG8C7xj9IVbIiAn5uw2fJJbX/s400/Screenshot-Keyboard+Preferences.png" width="355" /></a></div><br />
1b. Keyboard settings - YaST:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKJA0l4o5bjIKFaX9u8UMKGSN97fXOQ5KcU9_k4Ww1uy47kLn2-xkUd3NwuA2of_nkpEQDOBhCiqVGv_XwMMw2fo8i1geCahjUDL5y6tsFbhTGxQ4gn6QbzbHRuabHBOaDcTzETwJ2YLh3/s1600/Screenshot-System+Keyboard+Configuration+-+YaST.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="362" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKJA0l4o5bjIKFaX9u8UMKGSN97fXOQ5KcU9_k4Ww1uy47kLn2-xkUd3NwuA2of_nkpEQDOBhCiqVGv_XwMMw2fo8i1geCahjUDL5y6tsFbhTGxQ4gn6QbzbHRuabHBOaDcTzETwJ2YLh3/s400/Screenshot-System+Keyboard+Configuration+-+YaST.png" width="400" /></a></div><br />
2a. Mouse settings - Gnome:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihXTq62jUU8N-qwFXGXr8onlgRv_ccJjuUkzsAeGD2gS0__7nLheVMK7K_M0T0hzakUsnOsBgiab_qoZGi1ljr9ugbJeCvTT9M-w714OyypR8zZGnHNSGHXMHLdGkuqsPkManYb1ryGh4g/s1600/Screenshot-Mouse+Preferences.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihXTq62jUU8N-qwFXGXr8onlgRv_ccJjuUkzsAeGD2gS0__7nLheVMK7K_M0T0hzakUsnOsBgiab_qoZGi1ljr9ugbJeCvTT9M-w714OyypR8zZGnHNSGHXMHLdGkuqsPkManYb1ryGh4g/s400/Screenshot-Mouse+Preferences.png" width="306" /></a></div><br />
2b. Mouse settings - YaST:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZDJ-J8b5XKyNkk9RF1-lMnCbc1bUvjYTrjDR6F1BwefjhLzVrJ1KKSNiZ09jkcvXXjAq5Cz3oECA_06JBxewzD5jKpPzTXFa4wOCyZps46VazF5D7373I4VFA2JUKgN_CmevVMX1yzlZs/s1600/Screenshot-Mouse+configuration+-+YaST.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="362" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZDJ-J8b5XKyNkk9RF1-lMnCbc1bUvjYTrjDR6F1BwefjhLzVrJ1KKSNiZ09jkcvXXjAq5Cz3oECA_06JBxewzD5jKpPzTXFa4wOCyZps46VazF5D7373I4VFA2JUKgN_CmevVMX1yzlZs/s400/Screenshot-Mouse+configuration+-+YaST.png" width="400" /></a></div><br />
3a. Network settings - Gnome:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg39XIlsHu7gDGc2F8HuAoIWIB0QkY6GbIJOw9Sip64SwGvqzUmKUf35ExAwGOwtpMj3FkxhQz3W2i6KPD8bv6w-ZB2zFcXvo81jnp89LPlpVhNwNm6ZbWLTsT0gpk7t2tDVRDln_Cl3MzN/s1600/Screenshot-Network+Connections.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg39XIlsHu7gDGc2F8HuAoIWIB0QkY6GbIJOw9Sip64SwGvqzUmKUf35ExAwGOwtpMj3FkxhQz3W2i6KPD8bv6w-ZB2zFcXvo81jnp89LPlpVhNwNm6ZbWLTsT0gpk7t2tDVRDln_Cl3MzN/s400/Screenshot-Network+Connections.png" width="400" /></a></div><br />
3b. Network settings - YaST:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdH3wHyfbUun7CfUm5yKACZKfHsM8H-3Wdw4ctnaN2w0FZ-_64U8u4TwS34IRsf7lKqvnwIUn2H483IHvw-VTsTFk2Wll3h5cnYn4isTKOXByxotc4bFygJqJ2NYkBalNe4ncwvdxr43uV/s1600/Screenshot-Network+Settings+-+YaST.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="362" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdH3wHyfbUun7CfUm5yKACZKfHsM8H-3Wdw4ctnaN2w0FZ-_64U8u4TwS34IRsf7lKqvnwIUn2H483IHvw-VTsTFk2Wll3h5cnYn4isTKOXByxotc4bFygJqJ2NYkBalNe4ncwvdxr43uV/s400/Screenshot-Network+Settings+-+YaST.png" width="400" /></a></div><br />
4a. Printing settings - Gnome:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie6i2gY_LyYpqwp3kG6pGFaGy-a6DeQ_Qx6rqNizRrHt-mpjECeLhC-96AZY6DgELHQIm7dpKCvVn02VRatt7vjoQVrR2ChLzkXb9h1dKdUAPbHMzsVubhD1cYtICP2WzGq7Lq7WAECrRa/s1600/Screenshot-Printing+-+localhost.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie6i2gY_LyYpqwp3kG6pGFaGy-a6DeQ_Qx6rqNizRrHt-mpjECeLhC-96AZY6DgELHQIm7dpKCvVn02VRatt7vjoQVrR2ChLzkXb9h1dKdUAPbHMzsVubhD1cYtICP2WzGq7Lq7WAECrRa/s400/Screenshot-Printing+-+localhost.png" width="400" /></a></div><br />
4b. Printing settings - YaST:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghNrRY55vBkKdjo0q6oWj-OxBmAcsZ-cZgXKF2AFj82dBIHtyZ1IBYTlpHrjFopqFxBKTaZn7uKTgAPcSdFvNrc0PAj7ns075seu4jIdBYVTRiMZTS81dFZEozneNlUjAmx37Tv8eg2V0M/s1600/Screenshot-Printer+Configurations+-+YaST.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="362" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghNrRY55vBkKdjo0q6oWj-OxBmAcsZ-cZgXKF2AFj82dBIHtyZ1IBYTlpHrjFopqFxBKTaZn7uKTgAPcSdFvNrc0PAj7ns075seu4jIdBYVTRiMZTS81dFZEozneNlUjAmx37Tv8eg2V0M/s400/Screenshot-Printer+Configurations+-+YaST.png" width="400" /></a></div><br />
5a. Software updates - Gnome:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb3A3z2h-iC9xFV4hLEdtRcI_gkzQSTMVto2JxsTAkvkCxEApreLgvP985P7Yuk40lCRRW9F8_SB-gn7y9oXEj7gFGayIHG4cnOFxGivHZYlKRMMn91KU8Hw8dzQBlo6dQr3FuwnnbEZRi/s1600/Screenshot-Software+Update.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb3A3z2h-iC9xFV4hLEdtRcI_gkzQSTMVto2JxsTAkvkCxEApreLgvP985P7Yuk40lCRRW9F8_SB-gn7y9oXEj7gFGayIHG4cnOFxGivHZYlKRMMn91KU8Hw8dzQBlo6dQr3FuwnnbEZRi/s400/Screenshot-Software+Update.png" width="400" /></a></div><br />
5b. Software updates - YaST:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge3W76fe3bpAW2qTGekm5Hfo64B1YUXVXMt4d_Qs1TQAJ1kpucoiDXPZISs0Dm3ZL9lOf6WeeWZ0iExfslvzol8GnoLfNjHhGQhYKJiLebkNxB6OcyQ9xm7Dm2lWITGeYuTFUdt9gN3yAh/s1600/Screenshot-Online+Update+-+YaST.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="398" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge3W76fe3bpAW2qTGekm5Hfo64B1YUXVXMt4d_Qs1TQAJ1kpucoiDXPZISs0Dm3ZL9lOf6WeeWZ0iExfslvzol8GnoLfNjHhGQhYKJiLebkNxB6OcyQ9xm7Dm2lWITGeYuTFUdt9gN3yAh/s400/Screenshot-Online+Update+-+YaST.png" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<br />
I'll be keeping Fedora 13 on my netbook thanks, even if it does only have half the configuration options that SUSE offers. Sometimes less really is more.<br />
<br />
Thanks for reading,<br />
NickAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03009983006147324179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5588619346611441742.post-54870513056446506102010-07-17T13:14:00.003+01:002010-09-28T22:32:51.165+01:00OpenSUSE 11.3 - my Linux love / hate relationship continues...OpenSUSE 11.3 was released this week after an 8 month development cycle, and so I had to download and try it out. This distribution is the only one which keeps me interested in KDE. It is also, in my opinion, the distribution which gets closest to feeling like a proper commercial product, including everything a user needs to get started. 8 months is longer than Fedora and Ubuntu takes to knock-out a release, so I expected the latest OpenSUSE to be highly polished.<br />
<br />
I've played around with it for a bit in Virtualbox, trying to decide whether to replace Fedora 13 on my HP Mini netbook, and, well it's not been great. I've always had a love / hate relationship with Linux desktops, and the latest SUSE release has done nothing to help. What follows are my thoughts as to why this is. Granted, some of these issues are not specific to OpenSUSE, but I as far as the general integration and coherence of the Linux desktop is concerned, I think we still have a long way to go.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnj4U5o-vRYCRtEW4UNZTa8V8gLWJXGYiH3EF0nQ5X6YDgtGb3RUl_cFSQnU_mkLGavKe_3-NH3CZdT65yhobuOAsyhGfXDmSLxPbGdn2jnoZ6usbx0e4HkC8864RCgSir0xBFUDBCSw9e/s1600/OpenSUSE+11.3+-+1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnj4U5o-vRYCRtEW4UNZTa8V8gLWJXGYiH3EF0nQ5X6YDgtGb3RUl_cFSQnU_mkLGavKe_3-NH3CZdT65yhobuOAsyhGfXDmSLxPbGdn2jnoZ6usbx0e4HkC8864RCgSir0xBFUDBCSw9e/s400/OpenSUSE+11.3+-+1.png" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<b>So let's start with the 'hates':</b><br />
I installed the KDE desktop first, with default options, and booted-up. First look through the Kickoff menu, I notice the hateful 'Edutainment' category is there as usual, containing only the Marble desktop globe programme. I decide to uninstall this, but when I try I'm told Marble is a dependency for Digicam. Why? What have these two programmes in common? I load Digicam and open the 'Digicam handbook' to investigate. But instead of seeing the handbook, I get a KDE Help Centre error: "The file or folder help:/digikam/index.html does not exist". I give up.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGy0ZsXQsDNN77b67BNdDlxhhoJVrIyLV0VCvbC4CMkSZbFTV8tWc4llqelT4RYGW_gtBFiaaqPlT-JQR7BU0ePH37KcbH8kE5hx2Ilmx8tpjtGQaS73wEKhR5g-CEDEGhlK2glnamw_5E/s1600/OpenSUSE+11.3+-+4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGy0ZsXQsDNN77b67BNdDlxhhoJVrIyLV0VCvbC4CMkSZbFTV8tWc4llqelT4RYGW_gtBFiaaqPlT-JQR7BU0ePH37KcbH8kE5hx2Ilmx8tpjtGQaS73wEKhR5g-CEDEGhlK2glnamw_5E/s400/OpenSUSE+11.3+-+4.png" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Next, I install Google Chrome and launch it. It complains it is not the default browser so I tell it to become so. But wait, next time I launch Chrome, I'm told again it is not the default. And again, and again. OK, this is a <a href="http://code.google.com/p/chromium/issues/detail?id=33842">known issue</a> with Chrome but it's been around for months. How frustrating that such an apparently simple, yet annoying incompatibility between two significant open source products can hang around for so long.<br />
<br />
Oh, and on the subject of browsers, why is Konqueror still included? I would like to see this removed by default in future releases. It just seems to be irrelevant. So I've just uninstalled it, which worked fine actually, so this annoyance is easily solved.<br />
<br />
There are two different control panels: System Settings, and Administrator Settings (YaST). Both appear in different locations in the main Kicker menu, and there's no obvious clue as to which one contains the setting you want to change. In fact, both tools overlap in some areas, such as network settings, date & time, system services, and so on. If I change a setting in one tool, then change it in another, what happens? I'm just amazed nobody has stood back and said "this is confusing, we need to simplify this". Just one single control panel next time will do thanks.<br />
<br />
Oh, and one more comment about YaST's omnipresence in the Kicker menu. When I click on the 'Computer' view, I see an icon named YaST, with a sub-title of 'Administrator Settings'. However, in the Applications -> System menu, it appears with the same icon, but now named 'Administrator Settings' and sub-titled 'YaST'. Unnecessary inconsistency - does anyone check for this kind of thing?<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8eokBCYARrvJ1Zlc3QblXGzHFQ3tAKIalUBfpmwardSEyQuhrtMyydBKlXwNzLTmHi2886SkTOr7Dq7fq2rq_H-e1ah8Us0edFsQE_H2qQqc67VFKHACXQV5_ixOo69JZp-qpn5vaOxCu/s1600/OpenSUSE+11.3+-+2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8eokBCYARrvJ1Zlc3QblXGzHFQ3tAKIalUBfpmwardSEyQuhrtMyydBKlXwNzLTmHi2886SkTOr7Dq7fq2rq_H-e1ah8Us0edFsQE_H2qQqc67VFKHACXQV5_ixOo69JZp-qpn5vaOxCu/s400/OpenSUSE+11.3+-+2.png" width="400" /></a></div><br />
It's a shame SUSE has not adopted the Plymouth boot system for seamless graphical boot. It's a matter of taste, but I like my PC to just switch on and take me to the log-in screen without any fuss. MacOS X and Windows does this quite nicely. So does Fedora. But SUSE shows you the Grub menu for too long (8 seconds), followed by ugly text as the Kernel is loaded, and then finally quite an attractive graphical load while everything initialises. It all feels a bit old fashioned.<br />
<br />
<b>EDIT 19/07/2010:</b><br />
Oh, and what appears to be one quite serious bug to make it through to release, is that as far as I can fathom, you can't enable AppArmor. Try it. Go to YaST, AppArmor Control Panel, which brings up a fairly blank panel with a check box entitled 'Enable AppArmor'. Enable this, then click 'Done'. AppArmor is now enabled, yes? No! Open AppArmor Control Panel again, and the check box is de-selected once more.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxPMpjOSJmE1D8qU2ut-5MmdhuIq0r9PJWMN7-T3eMie1hdBnmkzuOLf0q-h7iNjcDxg_M1VnZ5utgn5W1axGqFxKM5LhWiyG9Hr9zjazl4pUeqD9atQXzwL-I4mz74TYMz28R5EXy-x8N/s1600/Screenshot-AppArmor+Configuration+-+YaST.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="362" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxPMpjOSJmE1D8qU2ut-5MmdhuIq0r9PJWMN7-T3eMie1hdBnmkzuOLf0q-h7iNjcDxg_M1VnZ5utgn5W1axGqFxKM5LhWiyG9Hr9zjazl4pUeqD9atQXzwL-I4mz74TYMz28R5EXy-x8N/s400/Screenshot-AppArmor+Configuration+-+YaST.png" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<b>EDIT 28/09/2010:</b><br />
I've actually been running Suse on my netbook for the last couple of weeks having decided to try it one more time. Today a fix for this Apparmor issue has just downloaded and I can confirm this is now resolved. We're heading in the right direction.<br />
<br />
<b>OK – that’s enough moaning. Now, what do I love about this distribution?</b><br />
The installer is very nice - attractive, user friendly, functional, & fast.<br />
<br />
I love the way that, on first boot, the system checks for updates and automatically pulls-in Adobe Flash Player (which also works great on the 64bit distribution) and then offers you an option to download Microsoft Fonts & MP3 codecs. OK, slightly at odds with the spirit of free software, but since most users install this stuff anyway, I love the fact SUSE makes it easy (and optional, should you wish to remain free). This is better than any other mainstream distribution I have tried.<br />
<br />
I love OpenSUSE's integration of OpenOffice into the KDE theme. Very smart.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-c1Sv1MBNeGsxTb_sYs9g3gAYnt263WpQz1MOlS7_mbzSTRyK0jTOyPIOQA0PQsOvaT7olfH2BPb8whIE8t9U57cIf5Vzlwu8M8iyNsd4QB7Rd2G8Y3v_A3RHDeWB3LqSgeiY1QShbCE9/s1600/OpenSUSE+11.3+-+3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-c1Sv1MBNeGsxTb_sYs9g3gAYnt263WpQz1MOlS7_mbzSTRyK0jTOyPIOQA0PQsOvaT7olfH2BPb8whIE8t9U57cIf5Vzlwu8M8iyNsd4QB7Rd2G8Y3v_A3RHDeWB3LqSgeiY1QShbCE9/s400/OpenSUSE+11.3+-+3.png" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Excellent default desktop theme in fact, although why does the Gnome desktop have a larger selection of wallpaper than KDE? Annoying inconsistency [sorry, I know this is the 'love' section]!<br />
<br />
YaST, despite the appalling name, is an extremely capable system configuration tool. Probably the best out of any of the main distributions.<br />
<br />
KDE's 3D desktop effects are very slick and attractive, and I prefer them to Gnome's equivalents.<br />
<br />
<b>Conclusion:</b><br />
Again, please don't take all of my complaints to be directed specifically at OpenSUSE. These are frustrations I feel with most distributions, but OpenSUSE's latest release just prompted me to write about them. Functionally SUSE has a lot going for it, but it could be so much better with some attention to detail in the user interface.<br />
<br />
Fortunately though, with Linux being so configurable, I might just spend some time trying to get things how I want them. I'm not convinced yet that 11.3 will replace Fedora 13 on my netbook, but I might just install it and see.<br />
<br />
Finally, I must recognise the fact that OpenSUSE, along with all the other distributions, is completely free. For the cost of a 4Gb download I have a hugely sophisticated and powerful system at my disposal. I can only thank everyone who contributes to these projects, and hope all of these distributions continue to improve over the next few years.<br />
<br />
Thanks for reading,<br />
NickAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03009983006147324179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5588619346611441742.post-24956692080131091542010-05-16T17:24:00.001+01:002010-05-16T17:29:59.162+01:00Fedora 13 & Gnome Shell - looking great.Having just declared my admiration of Ubuntu 10.04's slick new look, too soon has my in-built need to find something better kicked-in. Not that there's anything wrong with Ubuntu 10.04, but I've always been a Fedora fan, and with version 13 due for release on 25 May, I had to give the latest beta a try. And I reckon it's great.<br />
<br />
Having installed the <a href="http://fedoraproject.org/en/get-prerelease">Gnome live CD</a> to my hard disk, all my usual apps have installed well. Fedora's default theme though, despite some attractive wallpapers, is looking rather out of date in my opinion. Having enjoyed Ubuntu's latest look, I went in search of a way of improving Fedora's look, and installing Gnome Shell (a preview of the new user interface due in Gnome 3.0 later this year) seems to have done the trick.<br />
<br />
Gnome Shell is still under development and therefore incomplete, but from my initial tests, it is already very usable and stable. If you want to learn more about what it does, I suggest you follow the <a href="http://live.gnome.org/GnomeShell/Tour">official tour here</a>. Otherwise, below is a quick guide to getting it working in Fedora 13:<br />
<br />
1. Open the Add/Remove Programs package manager, and install the following package:<br />
<br />
gnome-shell<br />
<br />
2. Once installed (it only takes a few seconds to download), open the Desktop Effects settings, in which you will notice a new option for Gnome Shell. Enable this now:<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikDViPapZGanZ3EeEGsj7jvPtlkdYolCUNyukh-nqHYuPpyDWZv-lKAcoHRs0Du67dQrC0xg1xnr2iFwUiJO7cORylSoO5jYUTELBQ07cDDQLjiWkn_mmNkZDm7V03PiRNpJCFqkJU2N1x/s1600/Fedora13+nome+Shell+Screenshot-Desktop+Effects.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikDViPapZGanZ3EeEGsj7jvPtlkdYolCUNyukh-nqHYuPpyDWZv-lKAcoHRs0Du67dQrC0xg1xnr2iFwUiJO7cORylSoO5jYUTELBQ07cDDQLjiWkn_mmNkZDm7V03PiRNpJCFqkJU2N1x/s320/Fedora13+nome+Shell+Screenshot-Desktop+Effects.png" /></a><br />
<br />
3. That's it. Simple eh?<br />
<br />
Below are a couple of screenshots of the new desktop in action. Of course, getting this working depends on your system having a compatible graphics card and drivers, but I believe if you are already able to run Compiz, then Gnome Shell should work too. My test laptop has in-built Intel graphics and works fine.<br />
<br />
So I think I'll stick with Fedora & Gnome Shell for the time being (farewell Ubuntu!), and very much look forward to Fedora 14 later this year, which should hopefully include Gnome 3.0 and Gnome Shell by default.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfhkp6JkvHY6TMYrkLRyNURocu4kW3QGUId84bOXhOoeVE1vo6HW1zvKf518dFDSrjDjLuqjF9DbehNlTQL2DteCW0Eu6DTvPcDucDUQS3Rwl3pbkJhOgfF4aq6Wmk0dLjcQZaR88Ahd3j/s1600/Fedora13+Gnome+Shell+1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfhkp6JkvHY6TMYrkLRyNURocu4kW3QGUId84bOXhOoeVE1vo6HW1zvKf518dFDSrjDjLuqjF9DbehNlTQL2DteCW0Eu6DTvPcDucDUQS3Rwl3pbkJhOgfF4aq6Wmk0dLjcQZaR88Ahd3j/s320/Fedora13+Gnome+Shell+1.png" /></a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ12dMoQeu3EDybN-1urDLfwtTX0osDGceFKDtTEib3FIXoLLaA_Ob48E8TUpUCs0Op2IQsBkQH-CvvVxk5vK9RytQNQcZftP7fwa3mzSgBncd2T2ZhFUgLnXm6H1BLn0HWw_kLnZtL3UL/s1600/Fedora13+Gnome+Shell+2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ12dMoQeu3EDybN-1urDLfwtTX0osDGceFKDtTEib3FIXoLLaA_Ob48E8TUpUCs0Op2IQsBkQH-CvvVxk5vK9RytQNQcZftP7fwa3mzSgBncd2T2ZhFUgLnXm6H1BLn0HWw_kLnZtL3UL/s320/Fedora13+Gnome+Shell+2.png" /></a><br />
<br />
Thanks for reading.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03009983006147324179noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5588619346611441742.post-21902166530074576102010-05-06T21:28:00.001+01:002010-05-06T21:29:29.695+01:00Ubuntu 10.04 LTS (Lucid Lynx): By 'eck it's gorgeous!After switching regularly between Fedora, openSUSE, and Ubuntu for years, I've finally found a Linux distribution I think I can call 'home'. The lovely Ubuntu 10.04 LTS is it.<br />
<br />
I won't go into much technical detail here - by now there will be huge numbers of online reviews picking through the distro in minute detail. Below are a couple of pictures of how my desktop looks on my Acer Aspire laptop. I love the new Gnome theme, and choice of backgrounds. In my opinion this is the closest a Linux desktop has come to rivaling the sleek lines of Mac OS X, and maintaining an original modern look. And I like the new window control position in the top left corner. I tend to drag windows off to the right of the screen to temporarily hide them, so having the controls still visible, poking out from the edge of the screen when I do so, is just better.<br />
<br />
Behind the scenes, everything seems to just work: apps install easily through the Software Centre; security is handled by the reasonably simple ufw firewall and Apparmor; and it all happens really fast, boot and shutdown especially so.<br />
<br />
I've also installed Ubuntu 10.04 on my HP Mini 110 netbook (the full desktop, rather than the netbook remix) and it runs beautifully. Additionally I've upgraded my media server to Mythbuntu 10.04 from 9.04, and all is well. Finally, I have tried Kubuntu 10.04, but have yet to commit it to hard disk - Ubuntu's new Gnome theme is just too nice to leave!<br />
<br />
So, <a href="http://www.ubuntu.com/">go try it</a> - it's awesome. I'll leave you with a couple of screenshots and an obvious 6 May pun: Ubuntu 10.04 LTS get's my vote!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5N1_miTP935dfpIW3rCcM3dmZVWcljb2EnS-LMPkNtXQA85C50J6-UUFOlOtRL1vekBmsm3ZwLUfz-wgwoH-JFkNYLH_5JKl02bk7GpGj_JWlFhbHuctDc-oJKTk6YRYstXGL_B6a-aTr/s1600/Ubuntu_Lucid_1.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5N1_miTP935dfpIW3rCcM3dmZVWcljb2EnS-LMPkNtXQA85C50J6-UUFOlOtRL1vekBmsm3ZwLUfz-wgwoH-JFkNYLH_5JKl02bk7GpGj_JWlFhbHuctDc-oJKTk6YRYstXGL_B6a-aTr/s400/Ubuntu_Lucid_1.png" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisdoZiHJ7ssy_VlsOvmAuW9coj5A_D7VcmemHiA9Kizb3vlLqLSmkh1q5-ysnGvunUGIhkonWApSv6woggj20v7IsF3nmVmR0rIyXCM_2NRk0_uM6WEtXGbgBlACqSzJO31MTNp70TpZC8/s1600/Ubuntu_Lucid_2.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisdoZiHJ7ssy_VlsOvmAuW9coj5A_D7VcmemHiA9Kizb3vlLqLSmkh1q5-ysnGvunUGIhkonWApSv6woggj20v7IsF3nmVmR0rIyXCM_2NRk0_uM6WEtXGbgBlACqSzJO31MTNp70TpZC8/s400/Ubuntu_Lucid_2.png" width="400" /></a></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03009983006147324179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5588619346611441742.post-1853464040151628562010-05-02T11:00:00.000+01:002010-05-02T11:00:59.732+01:00Brooklands Hotel, Surrey. Boys with toys, check in now!Last week I had the opportunity to stay a night in the new <a href="http://www.brooklandshotelsurrey.com/">Brooklands Hotel</a> in Surrey. Built within the original historic race track (and indeed, the foyer is slap-bang on the Solomon Straight), this is a modern contemporary hotel but with many cues from the 1930's racing scene.<br />
<br />
Apart from a rather muddled on-line booking system (which I understand is now fixed) I found the hotel experience very positive. The hotel is beautifully decorated throughout (enjoy spotting the motor themes, such as the spark plugs in the lobby flower vases!), with excellent service from the staff, a great choice of drinks & cocktails in the bar, and excellent food. The evening menu is Italian themed, and delicious throughout. The breakfast buffet differentiates itself with a wonderful choice of freshly made fruit smoothies, along with the usual favourites.<br />
<br />
On paper, the hotel is situated a little out of the way - you certainly can't stroll out in the evening and find any local bars or restaurants. It is, however, just across the road from Mercedes Benz World, and about half a mile from the Brooklands business park. I imagine then the hotel will be popular with overseas businessmen flying-in to meet in the offices of Sony, Proctor & Gamble, etc. I can also see great potential for a day's entertaining (either business or personal) at Mercedes Benz World to end comfortably at the hotel.<br />
<br />
I can thoroughly reccomend the Brooklands Hotel for anyone who wants to enjoy the historic motor racing atmosphere, or just enjoy a comfortable contemporary hotel experience. It is sad, though, to see the Brooklands track in its current state - chopped-up to allow traffic in to the business & retail parks, and the old runway now filled by Mercedes Benz World. Such a shame the track is not still intact so cars old & new can still drive the circuit. And an even bigger shame that, in a site so important to the British 2nd World War effort, a German car company has such a dominant presence. A sign of the times I guess.<br />
<br />
Now, if there was only a Bentley World there instead...Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03009983006147324179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5588619346611441742.post-56785946555082646362010-04-23T16:24:00.000+01:002010-04-23T16:24:01.988+01:00Ubuntu 10.04.I've been testing Ubuntu / Kubuntu / Mythbuntu 10.04 over the last few weeks, and they all look great. I'll be posting some thoughts when the final releases are out and I've tested them properly. For now though, click below to learn more:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.ubuntu.com/"><img src="http://www.ubuntu.com/files/countdown/static.png" width="180" height="150" alt="Ubuntu: For Desktops, Servers, Netbooks and in the cloud" border="0" /></a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03009983006147324179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5588619346611441742.post-42072294223885971932010-02-19T22:24:00.001+00:002010-02-19T22:27:17.426+00:00My perfect Android development environment #2Awhile ago I posted an entry detailing an Android development system based around Kubuntu 9.04. I used this for a while but later moved back to my usual Fedora set-up, based on Fedora 12. Whilst this worked well, I've since been wanting to get back to a KDE based system, but one with good security which Fedora has, but which Kubuntu seems to lack (firewall, and SELinux / Apparmor).<br />
<br />
Anyway, I've now completed a working installation using OpenSuse 11.2 on my new Acer Aspire 5332 laptop which I'm very pleased with. I've also found that there are no good guides on-line on how to get Eclipse / Android SDK / OpenSUSE 11.2 to all work together, so if you (like me) have been struggling with this, read on!<br />
<br />
Firstly, here's a screenshot of what we're striving for:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU9GTLnY2zkteP5XJA9Y4AOBZPOWtpvbA92348dGYpRbE8h5rFFFNhq9CQBVQdhkTW9VdSQybIFwG-JeNT3LQGP96DXK07v9TQJf05kxaXt544_zbej3YCaF2dw5RFPie0UtzFFGOs_RTv/s1600-h/OpenSUSE+11.2+Android+SDK.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU9GTLnY2zkteP5XJA9Y4AOBZPOWtpvbA92348dGYpRbE8h5rFFFNhq9CQBVQdhkTW9VdSQybIFwG-JeNT3LQGP96DXK07v9TQJf05kxaXt544_zbej3YCaF2dw5RFPie0UtzFFGOs_RTv/s400/OpenSUSE+11.2+Android+SDK.png" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<ul><li>I used OpenSUSE 11.2 64 bit DVD for my installation. I assume these instructions also work fine for the 32 bit version. First step then, download the OpenSUSE 11.2 DVD from here: <a href="http://software.opensuse.org/112/en">http://software.opensuse.org/112/en</a></li>
<li>I installed the system using mainly the default settings. Once complete, I got the laptop on-line and installed all updates, ready to begin the Eclipse / Android SDK installation.</li>
<li>Using Yast's Software Manager, I selected 'Patterns' from the 'View' drop-down, and then installed the following three patterns: Base Development; Linux Kernel Development; Java Development.</li>
<li>Next to install Eclipse. I found the version in Suse's repository to be problematic, so instead I download the latest version straight from the Eclipse Project web site. The following link is a useful reference to help you do this: <a href="http://developer.android.com/sdk/1.5_r3/installing.html">http://developer.android.com/sdk/1.5_r3/installing.html</a></li>
<li><a href="http://developer.android.com/sdk/1.5_r3/installing.html"></a>Firstly, download the 64 bit Linux version of Eclipse Classic 3.5.1 from here: <a href="http://www.eclipse.org/downloads/">http://www.eclipse.org/downloads/</a></li>
<li>Next, download the Android SDK from here: <a href="http://developer.android.com/sdk/index.html">http://developer.android.com/sdk/index.html</a></li>
<li><a href="http://developer.android.com/sdk/index.html"></a>Assuming the two files you just downloaded are in your Downloads folder, follow these steps in a terminal to unpack and install them:</li>
</ul><div><br />
</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">cd ~/Downoad/</span></div><div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">tar -xvf eclipse-SDK-3.5.1-linux-gtk-x86_64.tar.gz</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">tar -xvf android-sdk_r04-linux_86.tgz</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">su</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">mv eclipse /usr/local/bin</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">mv android-sdk-linux_86/ /usr/local/bin</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">chown -R root:root /usr/local/bin/eclipse #Do not do this for the </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">android-sdk-linux_86 directory, otherwise you won't be able to install the SDK later!</span></div><div><br />
</div><div><ul><li>Then we create a custom start-up script to launch Eclipse to work-around a known GTK bug (see <a href="http://mou.me.uk/2009/10/31/fixing-eclipse-in-ubuntu-9-10-karmic-koala/">http://mou.me.uk/2009/10/31/fixing-eclipse-in-ubuntu-9-10-karmic-koala/</a> for more details):</li>
</ul></div><div><br />
</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">vi /usr/local/bin/eclipse/eclipse.sh</span></div><div><br />
</div><div><ul><li>and make it look like this:</li>
</ul></div><div><br />
</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">#!/bin/bash</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">export GDK_NATIVE_WINDOWS=1</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">/usr/local/bin/eclipse/eclipse</span></div><div><br />
</div><div><ul><li>Save this, then make it executable:</li>
</ul></div><div><br />
</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">chmod 755 /usr/local/bin/eclipse/eclipse.sh</span></div><div><br />
</div></div><div><ul><li>Next, create a new Start Menu item for Eclipse by right-clicking on the Suse KDE Start Button and selecting 'Menu Editor'. Then add the following to the 'Integrated Environment' section of the start menu:</li>
</ul><div><br />
</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Name: Eclipse</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Location: /usr/local/bin/eclipse/eclipse.sh</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Description: Java IDE</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Icon: /usr/local/bin/eclipse/icon.xpm</span></div><div><br />
</div><div><div><ul><li>Start Eclipse, select the default workbench location.</li>
<li>Then select Help -> Check for updates.</li>
<li>Click 'Available Software sites'.</li>
<li>Next set-up the following software sources:</li>
</ul></div><div><br />
</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Android SDK </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">https://dl-ssl.google.com/android/eclipse/</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Galileo </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">http://download.eclipse.org/releases/galileo/</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">The Eclipse Project Updates</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">http://download.eclipse.org/eclipse/updates/3.5/</span></div><div><br />
</div><div><ul><li>Install all updates then restart Eclipse. Then</li>
<li>Help > Install new software....</li>
<li>Select the Location: </li>
<li>https://dl-ssl.google.com/android/eclipse/</li>
<li>If you have trouble aqcuiring the plugin, try using "http" in the Location URL, instead of "https" (https is preferred for security reasons).</li>
<li>Select the checkbox next to Developer Tools and click Install...</li>
<li>On the subsequent Install window, "Android DDMS" and "Android Development Tools"</li>
<li>should both be checked. Click Next. </li>
<li>Read and accept the license agreement, then click Finish.</li>
<li>Restart Eclipse. </li>
<li>Now modify your Eclipse preferences to point to the Android SDK directory:</li>
<li>Select Window > Preferences... to open the Preferences panel.</li>
<li>Select Android from the left panel.</li>
<li>For the SDK Location in the main panel, enter: /usr/local/bin/android-sdk-linux_86</li>
<li>Click Apply, then OK.</li>
<li>Disable useage stats.</li>
<li>Finally download the SDK packages using Window -> Android SDK and AVD manager.</li>
</ul></div><div>Done! You should now be able to develop Android apps on your smart and secure new OpenSUSE 11.2 installation.</div><div><br />
</div><div>If you get stuck post a comment and I'll try to help. And if it works, post a comment and I'll just feel good!</div><div><br />
</div><div>Thanks for reading, Nick.</div></div></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03009983006147324179noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5588619346611441742.post-82030678145950509952010-01-27T23:42:00.000+00:002010-01-27T23:42:50.606+00:00Apple iPad - oversized iPhone or svelte new computer?Despite the on-line communities' best attempts to spoil the surprise, I still admire Apple's ability to keep a secret. The launch today of the iPad seems to have kept the usual Apple sparkle, despite Steve Jobs doing basically a sales pitch for the new gadget, albeit in his usual slick style.<br />
<br />
Time will prove whether Apple have created a truly popular & new computing form factor. Personally, I like the fact the software will be custom-built for the device, ensuring the interface is smooth and capable. At the same time, this will restrict what can be run on the device, which would frustrate me. If you can make phone calls on it then I think that would be an advantage. The device does appear to be very desirable, something which the more generic competition might struggle to match. As 2010 progresses then, I'll be interested to see how many iPads are sold, and how the competing, lower-cost, and possibly Linux-powered competition pans out.<br />
<br />
For me (a Google fan), a sub-£200 tablet running Google Chrome OS might be a perfect alternative.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03009983006147324179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5588619346611441742.post-15371592613302370142010-01-25T19:32:00.001+00:002010-01-25T19:34:17.999+00:00Porridge - the ultimate camouflage?Anyone like me who works in an office will have experience of the office kitchen, complete with communal fridge. If everyone plays fair, what you put in the fridge in the morning will still be there at lunch time. Not always the case in my office, as today I was reminded of an incident almost exactly three years ago.<br />
<div><br />
</div><div>A software developer (who remains anonymous to this day), having had his sandwiches stolen once too often (so, twice then), decided to apply his engineering skills to catch the culprit. The next day, along with a stern warning note pinned to the fridge, an out-of-place box of Weetabix Seriously Oaty appeared on the adjacent water cooler. Below are a couple of photos I snapped at the time on my mobile phone - can you spot the subtle modifications?<br />
</div><div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0q1SnP2jmPnUUNDOZmbE6_dVj6gI2X2g2DnAcixDR4tkMvdD2tdjiRkxKmst7RnwzgABa2qc5jPbnxNa6LLlqHL35-EZqLUbfhbb3QaZpOT8F4oz9G-_FSd9x9XUmwp7cbr81OtfGu8TH/s1600-h/Hidden+Camera+31-01-07_1403.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0q1SnP2jmPnUUNDOZmbE6_dVj6gI2X2g2DnAcixDR4tkMvdD2tdjiRkxKmst7RnwzgABa2qc5jPbnxNa6LLlqHL35-EZqLUbfhbb3QaZpOT8F4oz9G-_FSd9x9XUmwp7cbr81OtfGu8TH/s320/Hidden+Camera+31-01-07_1403.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiavInSZHhdGDU2_iuPsiQdpMvuCG3l2T6aLfdGrc9LsHZvGrwSMDD8YwVdYgCBwkm-cLEhOwX7Md0HDFRb5BTwrbuxNybrPN_nrj-EkakfiSOw9V7qAZGQ0vylmcAW7JD-gCjf59yTuf8M/s1600-h/Hidden+Camera+31-01-07_1402.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiavInSZHhdGDU2_iuPsiQdpMvuCG3l2T6aLfdGrc9LsHZvGrwSMDD8YwVdYgCBwkm-cLEhOwX7Md0HDFRb5BTwrbuxNybrPN_nrj-EkakfiSOw9V7qAZGQ0vylmcAW7JD-gCjf59yTuf8M/s320/Hidden+Camera+31-01-07_1402.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><div><br />
</div><div>The box had no wires, and was fairly heafty when lifted - which I'm sure was not down to a full bag of wholesome oats within. I couldn't work out whether just placing a bare camera in the same spot would have been just as subtle, as the package stuck out like a sore thumb. It must, however, have been effective as after just two days the device had gone. No doubt the sandwich thief in our midst had been banged to rights. Well, either that or someone had made off with an expensive wireless video camera!<br />
</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03009983006147324179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5588619346611441742.post-50924195615246709672010-01-11T18:19:00.000+00:002010-01-11T18:19:55.458+00:00TV as it should be......well, almost. Just wanted to share a link to the 'Remote Control' blog, which is able to sum up the cream of British TV like no-other. Go here to read more:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.remotecontrol.merseyblogs.co.uk/">http://www.remotecontrol.merseyblogs.co.uk/</a><br />
<br />
What caught my eye was the review of an <a href="http://www.remotecontrol.merseyblogs.co.uk/2008/05/nightwatch_goes_off_the_rails.html">episode of Nightwatch with Steve Scott from a couple of years ago, here</a>. Anyone who has caught Nightwatch and ask themselves afterwards what were they thinking, well, you have a friend over at the Remote Control blog!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03009983006147324179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5588619346611441742.post-48255036371726086862010-01-08T08:30:00.006+00:002010-01-08T09:30:19.963+00:00XBMC 9.11 Live on Acer Aspire RevoI posted an entry last year detailing how to set-up the excellent Acer Aspire Revo as a high definition media streaming device using the equally excellent XBMC 9.04 software. The post proved quote popular, and thanks to everyone who commented on the article. Since then the XBMC have released the new 9.11 version, which I have recently installed onto my Revo.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDHNowVb0cOd0rH4vJxbs0Vf5cuTWBD0-KO67CK__zFyjL6v-JX36A28RNfd0mHm79DsJyBtu9T3qu5KGVRQWEff1Lac4PJ2Gi8O6EpDdLcuOE5UPaXXZq__lCJoxmXCT35k1McZHTt778/s1600-h/XBMC911.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDHNowVb0cOd0rH4vJxbs0Vf5cuTWBD0-KO67CK__zFyjL6v-JX36A28RNfd0mHm79DsJyBtu9T3qu5KGVRQWEff1Lac4PJ2Gi8O6EpDdLcuOE5UPaXXZq__lCJoxmXCT35k1McZHTt778/s400/XBMC911.png" /></a><br />
</div><br />
<br />
Installing 9.11 is almost identical to 9.04, with a few steps removed due to 9.11 being more complete. In case it helps, below are the steps I took to get XBMC 9.11 working successfully on a Revo, using WPA protected wireless (with unhidden SSID only). I did note that some people have struggled installing from a USB memory stick. I've been using an external USB DVD-ROM drive which has simplified things, but I'm sure posts elsewhere can help regarding memory stick issues.<br />
<br />
So, here's the installation sequence:<br />
<br />
<ul><li>Physically install the Revo - connect HDMI, power, keyboard, Ethernet network cable (VERY IMPORTANT to start with) and in my case, a Windows MCE remote control USB IR adapter.</li>
<li>Switch on the power, and hit DEL to get to the BIOS settings. Disable Revoboot as this is not required.</li>
<li>Next, download XBMC 9.11 Live from <a href="http://xbmc.org/download/">this link</a>.</li>
<li>I burned the ISO to a CD ROM, then plugged-in my USB CD drive to the Revo, inserted the CD, and rebooted.</li>
<li>Hit F12 to get the Revo boot menu. Select the CD ROM and proceed.</li>
<li>Follow the instructions to install XBMC Live to the hard disk, which is now a Debian-style text-mode installer. Just select the default options if in doubt. Once complete, reboot.</li>
<li>After about 20 seconds of boot time, I was greeted with the familiar XBMC welcome screen. Remote control working right out of the box. Before configuring XBMC itself, some system-level tasks are required first.</li>
<li>Since the WLAN does not work out of the box, I first install SSH from the command line by hitting CTRL+ALT+F2, logging in as XBMC user, and then typing: sudo apt-get install ssh</li>
<li>If you like, you can continue to use this command line to complete the set-up, but I found the text was cropped by my Sony TV, so instead I SSH'd from my main desktop PC using PuTTY.</li>
<li>Next, I performed a system update with <span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b>sudo apt-get update</b></span> and <span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b>sudo apt-get upgrade</b></span>. I then rebooted after this.</li>
<li>Next, SSH back into the box and install more essential packages for the WLAN to work: <span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b>sudo apt-get install ntp wpasupplicant wireless-tools</b></span>. Some of these packages are already installed in 9.11. I included NTP so the Revo can keep accurate time.</li>
<li>After another reboot, time to set-up the WLAN. My home network uses a hidden SSID which I have not managed to get the Revo to connect to. Having now unhidden my SSID it works. If anyone knows how to get this working with a hidden SSID then please post a comment! Additonally, I have WPA / WPA2 security enabled. First thing to do is <span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b>sudo vi /etc/network/interfaces</b></span> and make your file look just like mine:</li>
</ul><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b># Used by ifup(8) and ifdown(8). See the interfaces(5) manpage or</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b># /usr/share/doc/ifupdown/examples for more information.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b><br />
</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b>auto lo</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b>iface lo inet loopback</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b><br />
</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b>auto eth0</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b>iface eth0 inet dhcp</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b><br />
</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b>#iface eth0 inet static</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b>#address 192.168.0.100</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b>#netmask 255.255.255.0</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b>#gateway 192.168.0.1</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b><br />
</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b>auto wlan0</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b>iface wlan0 inet dhcp</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b>pre-up wpa_supplicant -B -Dwext -iwlan0 -c/etc/wpa_supplicant.conf</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b>post-down killall -q wpa_supplicant</b></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<ul><li>Next, you need to configure wpa_supplicant. Two pieces of information you need are: a) your SSID, and b) your WLAN password. In my example below, I will use your_essid and your_ascii_key to replace my actual values used. A good reference for this part can be <a href="http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=202834">found here</a>. First thing then is to get your HEX password by using the following command: <span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b>wpa_passphrase your_essid your_ascii_key</b></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-weight: normal;">Which will give you, as an example, this output in a terminal:</span></b></span></li>
</ul><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b>network={</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b>ssid="test"</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b>#psk="12345678"</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b>psk=fe727aa8b64ac9b3f54c72432da14faed933ea511ecab1 5bbc6c52e7522f709a</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b>}</b></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<ul><li>Next, copy this, and then sudo vi /etc/wpa_supplicant.conf and make the file look like this:</li>
</ul><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b>ctrl_interface=/var/run/wpa_supplicant</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b>ap_scan=1</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b>network={</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b>ssid="your_essid"</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b>proto=WPA RSN</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b>key_mgmt=WPA-PSK</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b>pairwise=CCMP TKIP</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b>group=CCMP TKIP</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b>#psk="your_ascii_key"</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b>psk=fe727aa8b64ac9b3f54c72432da14faed933ea511ecab1 5bbc6c52e7522f709a</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b>}</b></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<ul><li>Save this file and you are ready to test the connection. If all has gone well, running the following command will confirm you can connect via WLAN now: <span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b>sudo wpa_supplicant -iwlan0 -c/etc/wpa_supplicant.conf -Dwext -dd</b></span></li>
<li>Hit CTRL-C to quit wpa_supplicant. You can now manually bring up the connection with sudo ifup wlan0, or just reboot.</li>
<li>And that's it for getting the WLAN working. The final base configuration required to ensure XBMC can play audio through the HDMI cable correctly is as follows:</li>
</ul><ul><li>Go into XBMC's settings, and select the following:</li>
<li>Audio output -> Audio output (digital) - Digital</li>
<li>Audio output -> Audio output device - hdmi</li>
<li>Audio output -> Passthrough output device - hdmi</li>
<li>Audio output -> Downmix multichannel audio to stereo - ON</li>
</ul><ul><li>The rest of the XBMC configuration is up to you, but having done the above, you have a solid, fully working system to build on.</li>
</ul><br />
Thanks for reading. Have fun!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03009983006147324179noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5588619346611441742.post-48329825322126083072010-01-08T07:52:00.000+00:002010-01-08T07:52:49.022+00:00Avatar 3DI finally got around to viewing James Cameron's 3D Avatar last night at the local cinema. The most stunning visuals I've ever seen, and most likely the future of cinema. It does seem ironic though that a film which is meant to get you thinking about looking after the planet, will probably trigger many people to throw away their old flat-screen TVs and go out and buy new 3D ones later this year.<br />
<br />
Certainly though the most comfortable, convincing, and beautiful 3D experience I've ever had.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03009983006147324179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5588619346611441742.post-47772035902683675142009-11-29T15:10:00.002+00:002009-11-29T15:11:46.332+00:00Amazing Space Shuttle launch footage.Long time no post, but having just discovered this amazing Space Shuttle launch montage, I had to share it. Sit back for 12 minutes and be amazed and inspired...<br /><br /><object width="400" height="300"><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><param name="movie" value="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=7852885&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=0&color=&fullscreen=1" /><embed src="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=7852885&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=0&color=&fullscreen=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" width="400" height="300"></embed></object><p><a href="http://vimeo.com/7852885">STS-129 Ascent Video Highlights</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user2705084">mike interbartolo</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03009983006147324179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5588619346611441742.post-66734410795479473822009-09-13T07:46:00.006+01:002009-09-13T09:09:44.552+01:00Sony MHS-PM1 - a great take-anywhere camera / HD camcorder.I recently saw Amazon selling the Sony MHS-PM1 camera cheap for around £140, and thought this might be an ideal camera to carry anywhere, for those impromptu photographic moments. So I ordered one this week (in tasteful orange), and can report it is an impressive device.<br /><br /><div><div></div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 280px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 280px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5380842710992352866" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEideNlVxph95cvTGRgiLXOhfgLAVZLq1bZ8aw3ZwYKA4MarXFC1Mk28uGu9nQZmEaHfCJAT-t_vH6B6iXYvILK9U-H4LE8dPGXn_Ao6BWAe14jkpzSAPGthYaVglCQ0P9bAPQF_fIlroexE/s400/mhs-pm1.jpg" /> <div></div><div></div><div> </div><div>Already owning a small Lumix compact, plus an FZ18 for serious photo taking, I wanted something which could slip into a jeans pocket, and could be pulled-out quickly for immediate shooting. The Sony is good enough for this, and here are the pros and cons as I see it:</div><div></div><br /><div>Pros:</div><ul><li>Small, and lightweight.</li><li>Removable battery and memory card, a plus in my opinion over the rival Flip cameras.</li><li>Quick and easy to use. Frame your shot on the LCD screen, then either press 'photo' to take a 5 megapixel still, or 'movie' to start shooting digital video.</li><li>Up to 1080p video resolution.</li><li>Fixed focus lens, which eliminates focus hunting issues which traditional camcorders can suffer from.</li></ul><div> </div><div>Cons:</div><ul><li>The glossy LCD can be difficult to see in bright sunlight.</li><li>The fixed focus lens can limit artistic shots, but then this camera is not designed for that kind of photography.</li><li>No optical zoom, and the digital zoom is quite jerky. I can live without these though.</li><li>Sony still sticking to their expensive Memorystick card format.</li><li>Plastic enclosure feels a little cheap. Had a metal case been used this would have been a hugely desirable camera.</li></ul><div></div><div> </div><div>Here are a couple of photo and video examples taken yesterday. I'm really pleased with this camera, and plan to keep it tucked in my pocket from now on. Some reviews report the low-light performance might suffer a bit, but for this price, I'm not worried. £140 for a pocket-sized, HD camcorder and digital stills camera? A bargain!</div><div> </div></div><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 267px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5380843340012379746" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2gb76bst0iPSpJvo60uecGu5kX96xgUgV5Sgi4VDb7LvVzMJnTfH3uJZfVY86FBvgMGfPWV0FbuSPuLnwNy4LOMmuI2RbjikZhNq9ljabmzrJ70l7o9gHKmxEmr7jUDM0h0mGJpFYpfPB/s400/MHS-PM1+Test+012.JPG" /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5380843334047697666" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvUbXdDQPrMq-PT7mwbyYtnpdBHgM8Oum0NGpleKJCunDZd8P0A38kDelTgOUzbVQQ5S8SIOMqYjJhmJSPPyyvhEYdx6vm7L1nn8l-o1YLY6s94y2llfy__3eD0mGFdF20qa_xMTvcydYW/s400/MHS-PM1+Test+010.JPG" /></div><br /><p> </p><p align="center"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwEZdqdeaJwPrqKkx_s5zuwF47OpmNqd0_zCibcO0jmYeg69LOveo1Ls1qPmME1VTbgzULcktWSyUdf4iiLkg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></p><p align="left">This video clip was shot at 1080p, and trust me when I say the quality is very good when viewed on my Bravia TV!</p>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03009983006147324179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5588619346611441742.post-54530985071351803972009-09-03T11:15:00.010+01:002009-09-03T18:55:42.826+01:00My perfect Android development environment.Hi Everyone<br /><br />In case you spotted my previous post, I'm dabbling right now with software development on the Android phone platform. To do this, I've set-up a dedicated development system on my Acer 4520 laptop, and below is my installation guide, in case anyone wants to do something similar.<br /><br />The specification for the system is as follows:<br /><br /><ul><li>Kubuntu 9.04 running KDE 4.2 (I wanted a KDE environment specifically for this system, mainly for the looks!)</li><li>Latest Eclipse Galileo development environment.</li><li>Latest Android 1.5 SDK</li></ul><p>Here's the installation sequence I used:</p><strong></strong><br /><strong>Screenshot of the finished environment:</strong><br /><br /><strong></strong><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 250px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377196792567886978" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8M-FYoCONj40zrmX97K_SDN9xrItLX1HZxBdqzDeFnSysC_wjI0v2psnUWQm9gexrwpLyvQOp8sHGjt4WV5Af4hMDWJYvjtKUnkaDAQsg-Y5-QmkJcq1Gp_DnZH8kr4uno08PIgcgUv9u/s400/Android+KDE.jpeg" /><br /><p></p><p><strong></strong></p><p><strong>Base installation</strong> </p><ul><li>Clean installation of 32 bit Kubuntu 9.04. 32 bit required for Android IDE compatibility.</li><li>Boot into desktop and enable wireless networking.</li><li>Enter the WPA password twice when prompted.</li><li>Just enter a blank password for the KDE Wallet.</li><li>KDE might crash once networking has been enabled. Reboot at this point, and network will connect when you log-in again.</li><li>Install all updates using System Settings -> Add & Remove software.</li><li>Reboot</li><li>Next install NVIDIA v180 driver using Hardware Drivers tool. Ignore the proprietary Atheros driver option.</li><li>Reboot</li></ul><p><strong></strong></p><p><strong>Packages to install</strong> </p><ul><li>Using command line to install these packages in order for the Java license to be displayed correctly:</li><li><span style="font-family:courier new;">sudo apt-get install flashplugin-installer sun-java6-jdk</span></li><li>Verify Java version with:</li><li><span style="font-family:courier new;">java -version</span></li><li><span style="font-family:courier new;">javac -version</span></li></ul><p><strong></strong></p><p><strong>Installing Android development environment</strong></p><p></p><p>Reference: <a href="http://developer.android.com/sdk/1.5_r3/installing.html">http://developer.android.com/sdk/1.5_r3/installing.html</a> </p><ul><li>Download eclipse Galileo and Android SDK 1.5. Then install as follows: </li><li><span style="font-family:courier new;">tar -xvf eclipse-jee-galileo-linux-gtk.tar.gz</span></li><li><span style="font-family:courier new;">unzip android-sdk-linux_x86-1.5_r3.zip</span></li><li><span style="font-family:courier new;">sudo mv eclipse /usr/local/bin</span></li><li><span style="font-family:courier new;">sudo mv android-sdk-linux_x86-1.5_r3 /usr/local/bin</span></li><li>Then add Eclipse manually to the KDE start menu:</li><li>Name: Eclipse</li><li>Location: /usr/local/bin/eclipse/eclipse</li><li>Description: Java IDE</li><li>Icon: Search for 'Eclipse'</li><li>Start Eclipse, select the default workbench location, then close the Welcome tab on launch.</li><li>Then select Help -> Check for updates.<br />Install all updates then restart Eclipse. </li><li>Now set-up the Android plugin in Eclipse with:</li><li>Help > Install new software....</li><li>Click Add Site...</li><li>Enter the Location: <a href="https://dl-ssl.google.com/android/eclipse/">https://dl-ssl.google.com/android/eclipse/</a></li><li>Select the checkbox next to Developer Tools and click Install...</li><li>On the subsequent Install window, "Android DDMS" and "Android Development Tools" should both be checked. Click Next.</li><li>Read and accept the license agreement, then click Finish.</li><li>Restart Eclipse. </li><li>Now modify your Eclipse preferences to point to the Android SDK directory:</li><li>Select Window > Preferences... to open the Preferences panel.</li><li>Select Android from the left panel.</li><li>For the SDK Location in the main panel, click Browse... and locate /usr/local/bin/android-sdk-linux_x86-1.5_r3.</li><li>Click Apply, then OK.</li><li>Disable Google usage stats. </li></ul><p>The Android environment is now ready to use. All that is left is to fine-tune the desktop to my preferences, and we're done. </p><p><strong></strong></p><p><strong>Configure Konqueror</strong> </p><ul><li>Install Adobe flash player: Having installed the flash plugin in the earlier steps, launch Konqueror and do the following:</li><li>Settings -> Configure Konqueror</li><li>Web Browsing -> Plugins</li><li>Plugins tab -> Scan for Plugins </li><li>Flash plugin should then appear in the list. </li><li>Hit 'OK' to confirm, then test at <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/">http://www.bbc.co.uk/</a> </li><li>Settings -> Configure Konqueror</li><li>Set homepage as: /usr/local/bin/android-sdk-linux_x86-1.5_r3/documentation.html</li><li>Set Konqueror to load homepage on start-up. </li></ul><p><strong></strong></p><p><strong>KDE desktop configuration</strong></p><ul><li>Right-click workspaces -> Configure Desktops. Increase workspaces from 2 to 4. </li><li>System Settings -> Appearance -> Fonts. Change font DPI to 96. </li><li>Add the following apps to Start menu Favourites: Applications -> System -> Terminal; Development -> Eclipse</li><li>System Settings -> Notifications. Event Source -> KDE System Notifications. Remove sound from Logout and Login events. </li><li>Go into sound mixer and maximise Front and PCM sliders (or there will be no sound in Flash Player). </li><li>Set wallpaper. </li><li>Lock widgets. </li></ul><p></p><p>Done!</p>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03009983006147324179noreply@blogger.com3