I've written that I put Ubuntu 8.04 Hardy Heron on my 8G EEE PC 701, but I didn't tell the story of how I did it. So I thought I'd take a moment to explain all the steps I took.
First was the USB image for installation. Using a dedicated 1G usb key, I prepared it as a live image cd using the iso2usb script found here. This created a usb key from which I could boot just as if it were a live CD.
Second was the installation. I chose filesystem ext3 with no swap. I had issues with ext2 losing data, and removed the swap to decrease the read/write access on the drive. I would recommend a 70%/30% split between the root partition and the home partition.
Third, I used a second usb key to save a single folder with three items, one was the tarball downloaded for the madwifi source code, the ubuntutweak shell script and a simple text file for my steps to follow. The text file is the first paragraph from the Ubuntu EEE wiki page that describes the wifi fix.
Upon first reboot of the freshly installed system, the wifi won't work (ethernet port will). With the source and instructions on a second key, I copy them local on the non-networked EEE for permenent usage. I run the wifi fix first which requires a reboot before taking effect. I then proceed to get online since the ubuntutweak script will need internet access to download some files, packages and source. This batch of fixes will also require a reboot.
At this moment you would have a working EEE PC (700 models 4G/8G) working with all the hardware working. There are is still compiz - contrain y setting to fix and to remark the cdrom line of /etc/fstab. More problematic is that there have been kernel updates since the iso was released. Kernel updates break any/all compiled drivers. So the previously copied folder of wifi/ubuntutweak will be used any time there is a kernel update. This won't be an issue if you leave that folder on the system in your home directory.
I've used this through 2 kernel updates on my Ubuntu 8.04 system since instlaling on my EEE 701. I've also just walked through all of this on a brand new 700 model (purchased by a new user) which validates the process as working.
I have spliced this install/fix process together from the Wifi fix page and the general fix pages from Tux Family.org and give them credit for all of their hard work. Obviously once full support is built into Ubutnu (fingers crossed for 8.10) then this process will be a non issue. I hope my hints make your EEE PC transistion just a little bit easier. With the recent development of the Ubuntu Netbook Remix interface, my hopes are high.
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CafeNinja
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Missed language opportunity
After a recent trip to Germany I found myself asking which opportunity did I miss out on most. Learning German while in Germany or learning Ruby from experienced coworkers who swear by the programming language.
Either presents real world advantages, but in retrospect I would give both equal weight. When there are cool new ajax applications and ruby-on-rails developments happening, it is very interesting. German of course would offer me a new world of ideas and people with which to share. Neither is needed for my day to day, but would be another nice thing to keep in my hip pocket for a rainy day.
I'm still in Europe, and I'm still relatively young....maybe I have time to learn both yet.
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CafeNinja
Either presents real world advantages, but in retrospect I would give both equal weight. When there are cool new ajax applications and ruby-on-rails developments happening, it is very interesting. German of course would offer me a new world of ideas and people with which to share. Neither is needed for my day to day, but would be another nice thing to keep in my hip pocket for a rainy day.
I'm still in Europe, and I'm still relatively young....maybe I have time to learn both yet.
--
CafeNinja
Blogged with the Flock Browser
Thursday, May 22, 2008
XO-2 (OLPC) vs. EEE Pc vs. Monster Apple iPone
Not that I think the EEE PC or Apple are currently looking at this, but can you imagine the match-up of these three if they get the form factor and functionality they are showing in this video of the OLPC XO-2? I would be hard pressed for where to put my money. This would make your purchasing more political than practical as it has been in the past.
Watch and be amazed. Before anyone goes nuts in the comments YES I understand it's a non-functioning prototype. And I forgot that this might go head to head even with Amazon's Kindle.
Watch and be amazed. Before anyone goes nuts in the comments YES I understand it's a non-functioning prototype. And I forgot that this might go head to head even with Amazon's Kindle.
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CafeNinja
Blogged with the Flock Browser
Saturday, May 17, 2008
Bored part III
So, just as I promised, I have managed to make a new playlist on finetune which was much more work than I thought it would be as they require 45 songs with no more than 3 per artist selected in order to create a playlist. So here is my "female vocals" list. Enjoy
--
CafeNinja
--
CafeNinja
Blogged with the Flock Browser
Gnome-do = Quicksilver light
So I've now given Gnome-do a try. I've used Quicksilver on my mac for some time and have to say it is one of the first truly creative pieces of software that I've used. If you don't know about this application there is one similar for windows called Launchy, which like Gnome-do is a very young copy of Quicksilver. QS is quite mature and has been developed for quite sometime. Having the advantage of developing for the mostly predictable environment of the Apple ecosystem, QS has an extensive library of plugins which makes it VERY functional. Gnome-do, which is trying to also be multi-platform has started to create plugins which seem to be the .dll files for a windows filesystem. It looks quite similar in shape and form to Quicksilver and has most of the key functions that Quicksilver is used for. I think it holds promise.
To bring someone up to speed, all of the previously mentioned programs were originally designed as application launcher which has had small plugin after small plugin added that has increased it's functionality up to but not limited to controlling iTunes, manipulating text files and auto-attaching files to email templates. All of these functions and more are just a simple keyboard shortcut away. For a geek like me who prefers the command line this is just one more chance to not take my hands off the keyboard to reach for the mouse and try to navigate a program menu to find an application which I already know the name of.
Gnome-do, great fun. Still young, keep your eyes on it as it may make better you life in the future if you install it, learn it and use it.
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CafeNinja
Monday, May 12, 2008
Great website for geek play
I have recently found a website that is really interesting to add to my RSS feed. It is Ubuntu Geek and there, it would seem there is someone who has the time and inclination to play with all the pretty buttons in Ubuntu.
This site covers from things that are just broken and how to fix them to playing with new toys (software) as they come out. I'm impressed that they have managed to explain things quite well with the use of screenshots where critical steps are taken. As well, the articles are written with brevity so they aren't too much to digest and you can play further once there yourself.
Kudos to this site which is a neat reference for new users of Ubuntu.
--
CafeNinja
This site covers from things that are just broken and how to fix them to playing with new toys (software) as they come out. I'm impressed that they have managed to explain things quite well with the use of screenshots where critical steps are taken. As well, the articles are written with brevity so they aren't too much to digest and you can play further once there yourself.
Kudos to this site which is a neat reference for new users of Ubuntu.
--
CafeNinja
Sunday, May 4, 2008
Ubuntu 8.04 LTS - Hardy Heron - First Look Review
This is probably not the first review of the new release from Ubuntu that you've seen. Probably won't be the last. I have to say, if you don't want to read the whole review (which will be long), that I'm biased. I've liked Ubuntu for years and will probably continue to do so. I do like the new release. If you want to find out all the details, keep reading.
I feel that it is very important for everyone to stop and think for a minute that this is not the work of any one single team. Many teams contributed improvements in their individual contributions which, when all are added together make a seemingly grand improvement. I would like to personally thank not just Ubuntu for providing the solid stable platform for all of these developers and project to work on. Ubuntu was kind enough to list the highlights of what's new and improved in this version. With that being said, lets move on the the reviewing...shall we?
Firefox 3. This is a pretty big deal since most people need to use the primary browser for their web usage. Again, this is a case of "guilt by association" since Firefox isn't produced by any Linux team, but rather the Mozilla Foundation. The decision to include FF3 in this version of Ubuntu was theirs and I understand the logic that it is very close to final release and anyone who installs in 3 months time would have the final version in the first round of updates. I like FF3, it's cleaner looking, uses lest memory and overall a nice experience. My only "however" for this is that not all extensions have been brought up to speed on the new version so I'm missing some of that, but that is not a failing of Ubuntu or Mozilla since these are produced by 3rd parties who just need to get up to speed on the new browser, which under the hood is quite different.
Straight away after install compiz (3d effects) was enabled. That's nothing drastic, but then I observed a few small changes which I enjoyed. First I noticed when clicking on an icon in the the panel, that the symbol of the icon flares up and fades. Not a big deal, but a classy touch which wasn't present before. The second thing I noticed straight away was that in the time/calendar dock, there was the addition of weather information as well as multiple timezone selections. For me that was a very nice touch since I have coworkers around the globe. The only drawback to that is that I have an EEE PC 701 which, with the multiple timezones on expands below the visible area. On a standard desktop, this is a stunning feature, I really do like it and was a nice integration of an old Evolution function that was let go some time ago.
Since I work on laptop machines mostly and touch type in command line quite frequently I took a second while in the mouse properties (increasing the speed for the touch pad so I didn't look like I was petting it every time I needed to traverse the screen) and I saw that there is a check box for disabling the touch pad. That was GREAT news for me since I usually use an external mouse and it could be not be disabled at all in previous versions of Ubuntu.
Continuing to work with my settings to get the normal stuff I like set up the way I like them, I installed the compiz advance options control panel. This baby has gotten a great overhaul. The new control panel is a seperate entry in the System->Preferences menu which makes it much easier to get to than it's predicessor. The layout has all the same options as before (which may be too many for the normal user) but they are organized better, tool tip help is much more clear and easy to understand. I can't rave enough about the improvements here. I'm sure that even my wife will be able to super-tweak her system without a 400 page manual to decipher what everything means.
After configuring the myriad of instant messaging accounts I have in Pidgin I noticed a nice little touch, that when the person you are chatting with is typing the symbol used to appear near their avatar showing a moving keyboard. I found this in the past to be obscure and not always easy to see. Now a line appears in the flow of the conversation (where you would be looking anyway) that tells you that they are typing on the other side. This is of course, only supported in the protocols which support that type of communication.
There is now a python script program included called Uncomplicated Fire Wall (ufw) which is a command line tool for making simple rules. This then translates simple commands like "open ssh" into the correct iptables/ipchains rules which have governed the Linux firewall for ages and is very solid and stable techniques for regulating traffic requests to your system. Now even my mother could figure it out and there is an easy simple command line way of guiding novice users though the sea of managing a firewall. I'm sure it won't be long before there is a GUI that actually uses ufw on the backend. Securing you linux box very tight has never been easier.
Adding multimedia codecs, and 3rd party proprietary software to get a system ready to navigate the rich world wide web hasn't been much easier either. With the Medibuntu repositories added this also becomes a no-brainer with no other hoops to jump through, this has been one of the easies OS transitions I've done.
If you really want to get picky the one thing that I haven't been able to get working yet is a bluetooth headset for skype calls. But I'm sure to discover how to that in the near future as well. With web cams working and all hardware in the house supported this version will be installed all around in the near future. Even the process to get the EEE PC hardware working is pretty easy with simple one-page guides available.
I would advise anyone thinking about installing/upgrading not to hesitate. And for any nagging issues post-install the community resources are fantastic and very active so you won't have to wait for days/weeks to figure something out unless it is a problem at the software developer level that will just take more time to code and if that's the case, there are others in your boat who are always happy to share their work-arounds and solutions.
Simple answer, it's a great system. Use it. And it's freedom will set you free.
I'm sure with time I will observe more that is noteworthy and be creating a follow-up post to this one. Keep your eyes peeled :)
--
CafeNinja
I feel that it is very important for everyone to stop and think for a minute that this is not the work of any one single team. Many teams contributed improvements in their individual contributions which, when all are added together make a seemingly grand improvement. I would like to personally thank not just Ubuntu for providing the solid stable platform for all of these developers and project to work on. Ubuntu was kind enough to list the highlights of what's new and improved in this version. With that being said, lets move on the the reviewing...shall we?
Firefox 3. This is a pretty big deal since most people need to use the primary browser for their web usage. Again, this is a case of "guilt by association" since Firefox isn't produced by any Linux team, but rather the Mozilla Foundation. The decision to include FF3 in this version of Ubuntu was theirs and I understand the logic that it is very close to final release and anyone who installs in 3 months time would have the final version in the first round of updates. I like FF3, it's cleaner looking, uses lest memory and overall a nice experience. My only "however" for this is that not all extensions have been brought up to speed on the new version so I'm missing some of that, but that is not a failing of Ubuntu or Mozilla since these are produced by 3rd parties who just need to get up to speed on the new browser, which under the hood is quite different.
Straight away after install compiz (3d effects) was enabled. That's nothing drastic, but then I observed a few small changes which I enjoyed. First I noticed when clicking on an icon in the the panel, that the symbol of the icon flares up and fades. Not a big deal, but a classy touch which wasn't present before. The second thing I noticed straight away was that in the time/calendar dock, there was the addition of weather information as well as multiple timezone selections. For me that was a very nice touch since I have coworkers around the globe. The only drawback to that is that I have an EEE PC 701 which, with the multiple timezones on expands below the visible area. On a standard desktop, this is a stunning feature, I really do like it and was a nice integration of an old Evolution function that was let go some time ago.
Since I work on laptop machines mostly and touch type in command line quite frequently I took a second while in the mouse properties (increasing the speed for the touch pad so I didn't look like I was petting it every time I needed to traverse the screen) and I saw that there is a check box for disabling the touch pad. That was GREAT news for me since I usually use an external mouse and it could be not be disabled at all in previous versions of Ubuntu.
Continuing to work with my settings to get the normal stuff I like set up the way I like them, I installed the compiz advance options control panel. This baby has gotten a great overhaul. The new control panel is a seperate entry in the System->Preferences menu which makes it much easier to get to than it's predicessor. The layout has all the same options as before (which may be too many for the normal user) but they are organized better, tool tip help is much more clear and easy to understand. I can't rave enough about the improvements here. I'm sure that even my wife will be able to super-tweak her system without a 400 page manual to decipher what everything means.
After configuring the myriad of instant messaging accounts I have in Pidgin I noticed a nice little touch, that when the person you are chatting with is typing the symbol used to appear near their avatar showing a moving keyboard. I found this in the past to be obscure and not always easy to see. Now a line appears in the flow of the conversation (where you would be looking anyway) that tells you that they are typing on the other side. This is of course, only supported in the protocols which support that type of communication.
There is now a python script program included called Uncomplicated Fire Wall (ufw) which is a command line tool for making simple rules. This then translates simple commands like "open ssh" into the correct iptables/ipchains rules which have governed the Linux firewall for ages and is very solid and stable techniques for regulating traffic requests to your system. Now even my mother could figure it out and there is an easy simple command line way of guiding novice users though the sea of managing a firewall. I'm sure it won't be long before there is a GUI that actually uses ufw on the backend. Securing you linux box very tight has never been easier.
Adding multimedia codecs, and 3rd party proprietary software to get a system ready to navigate the rich world wide web hasn't been much easier either. With the Medibuntu repositories added this also becomes a no-brainer with no other hoops to jump through, this has been one of the easies OS transitions I've done.
If you really want to get picky the one thing that I haven't been able to get working yet is a bluetooth headset for skype calls. But I'm sure to discover how to that in the near future as well. With web cams working and all hardware in the house supported this version will be installed all around in the near future. Even the process to get the EEE PC hardware working is pretty easy with simple one-page guides available.
I would advise anyone thinking about installing/upgrading not to hesitate. And for any nagging issues post-install the community resources are fantastic and very active so you won't have to wait for days/weeks to figure something out unless it is a problem at the software developer level that will just take more time to code and if that's the case, there are others in your boat who are always happy to share their work-arounds and solutions.
Simple answer, it's a great system. Use it. And it's freedom will set you free.
I'm sure with time I will observe more that is noteworthy and be creating a follow-up post to this one. Keep your eyes peeled :)
--
CafeNinja
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