I am Installing ArcoLinux-SUPERB

I am Installing ArcoLinux which is excellent.

I am installing ArcoLinux.

I am not a fan of Arch Linux because of its minimalist approach (one application for one job approach).

It seems like ArcoLinux has broken that tradition.

It uses Calamara Installer and Arco Calaramara is flexible and gives the installer options to choose.

I do not know I have chosen the correct options but I like it giving me AbiWord and several Word Processes.

WiFi configuration is effortless and I am posting this while it is being installed.

I hope it won't mess up my EFI partition which was only 532MB and it wanted 2000MB which is a big waste of partition space.

I have 320GB in my Hard drive and it has three distributions already installed. 

Installation is slow and only 65% completed. 

Session user is liveuser and no password.

It has Gparted for partitioning. 

I use several desktops including light weight desktops and I hope like the BIG CD version of Debian 12.4.0, I can test all the desktop types at boot time.

Additional feature is one can toggle what is being installed at 5 second intervals. 

It is still at 71%. 

By the way, it let me select host of games which none of the Linux distributions fancy about.

So if its boots OK it is worth the waiting. 

ARcoLinux is astonishingly good.

Now I have more than 20 desktops to write about. I am writing a book about available desktops and I was under the impression it is about 20 but to my surprise there are over 40 desktop types and I will select only 25 that I have used during my 23 years of Linux, one for each year and 2 as my overall favourites.

At boot time one can select only one desktop.

Yes it installed alright but lot of fragmentation.

Only MATE and  Xfce worked and not KDE Plasma.

The integrated video card of my NUC could not manage KDE plasma 6.

This is the very reason I favour Light Weight Distributions.

I favoured light desktops and Xfce3 was my usual and Gnome has taken over the flavor out of Xfce4.

This is posted with Cutefish Desktop.

It does not give any office packages but gives a selection office packages to choose after installing the base. 

AbiWord implementation was faulty but after reinstalling it worked.

Thank YOU all girls and boys of ArcoLinux (Developer community).

I am installing it for the second time having shed the bulk of unnecessary application and selected 33GB (it needs 30GB for Large Install) partition for full install.

Besides, I can add or delete after installation.

It does not have Ubuntu Synaptic but bulk is installed Snapack.

It is over 70% install now.

Few things I missed.

It lets you install several browsers including Opera, Falcon and Vivaldi which I really value

Root partition needs nearly 20GB and I gave 33GB. Home and var partition can be left small if the hardware is not sufficient.

In my case, I have other distributions installed.

I had 3 chioces of mine and I could not decide on the fourth.

ArcoLinux takes that place and  Parrot Linux and Kali take fifth and sixth places and Linux Mint in between.

Now I can safely say in 35GB partition space Linux can fit in all the Linux applications one needs.

I do not think Mac and Microsoft take pride in that scenario and their selection is very limited.

This is what a community can do for its Own development.

Share Your Skills and extra time the final product is creditable.

STEPS for each package.

1. Key Ring

2. Checking Package Integrity

3. Package Files

4. Checking file conflicts

5. Checking disk space

6. Processing or configuring the package.

Arch does this process over and over again for each application.

That is why it takes a long time to install.

No need to check afterwards!

It runs live installation and good Internet connection is vital for smooth installation.

Most of these facts are common to all Linux distribution installation.

Debiin has its own way of installation but it worries about sable installation whereas ArcoLinux installs the latest if not the cutting edge. utililties.

Password Strategy From my AOL Mail

Password Strategy From my AOL Mail

This is a reproduction over a decade ago which I sent to a friend whose password was hacked. 

I forgot my password and reactivated today.

They have Two Factor method now but not long time ago.

 

Step 1

One has to have one’s own trick for remembering blocks of three or four.

Try to associate them with pictures, names, pets etc.

Your pet fish or dog or cat would have a secret code attached.
 

Every time you feed them repeat the code (in mind) mentally in no time it get fixed as a long term permanent memory.

Step 2

Come with a phrase to include all  10 to 16 characters in one’s password.
This is the hard part but it can be done.

Step 3
Use elements that one never forgets (unless one has Dementia).

Birthday is an easy one to remember.

Use only two numbers from it, not all.

Step 4
Unfortunately this cannot be used if one is English but I will give some hints for them too.


For Sinhala U Mata Banna, or Muta Mata Gahanna Hithenawa or Even Puke Ariya are good enough relatively used rephrases one can remember in trans-literate content, which the English Search engine might have trouble in figuring out.

From that phrase one can choose four characters (even more if the phrase is carefully constructed) easily.
 

For English user, one good example is to go to Alchemy and remember few Elements from the Tables.

Elements like Argon, Neon, Nitrogen, Bromine could be used at lib.
 

Or even one can use pentagon, hexagon, octagon or any other scientific or mathematical elements.

Again one only remembers four characters.

Step 5
If one has ever used a password before which one has remembered with repeated usage, use the same in the middle or rearrange it and put it in the middle.

Which will easily give you at least six characters.

You already got 12 characters now.

Step 6
Use two capital letters easy to access from the keyboard as the leader or the end of the password or leader and end, depending one is right or left handed.

Step 7
If the web site requires you to use an alphanumeric pick an alpha numeral to satisfy them.
You got 16 in all and 14 probably is adequate.

Step 8
Do not tell your method to anybody.
Do not share your password even with your spouse.


One day you may be divorced!


That is real and if you have time read my book on “Myths, Miracles and Marriage”.
 

Usually perfectly normal people become paranoid after getting married.
 

That is my medical experience.


It is often the people who are near and dear (sometimes, so called friends) who steal your password, not a rouge who breaks in for quick takeaway and getaway.

Keep the record of the method in a secret hiding place that you only have access.
In case one day you forget.
 

The best place to HIDE it is your brain.
 

Not even a brain surgeon would not have any access.

When resetting the password

 
When you change the password, drop two and take two from your birthday.
Pick four alternative block of four from your catch phrase.
Jumble your original password or add a new one.
Follow the rest as required and one may be able to go on till eighty to ninety since you practiced your own method and is almost specific to YOUR BRAIN which a hacker may not be able to penetrate or crack.

Unless you are one of twins there are no two people alike.
 

Even in them their are subtle differences not due to genetics but the brain behaves differently, even in twins.

Foot Note
But beware your doctor with a short memory or who is cash strapped who might steal your birth day or the catch phrase that you utter to him every time you visit.
Remember doctors forget their passwords more often than their patients.
They will never tell you.
That is why they record every word you utter and then get the vital diagnosis
wrong.
 

In this computer age doctors have become robots (unlike good old days) and not real humans.
 

If they ask you do you forget your passwords
 

Straight away say NO.

The stupid guy will ask you to state the password and put it in his computer memory which is not protected from hackers.
 

Even the nurse can steal it, if she/he is inclined.

I trust my doctor does not apply to passwords when you do visit him/her, next time, round.


That includes me too.


I might do that, catch your password, certainly not to steal but because my brain is getting absent minded I might put that in my computer, easily accessed even by a little kid.
 

Do not worry, I do not practice now by choice not by design anyway.
 

You are safe with me, my dear.

Linux Mint named Jammy (? Version21)

 Yes, I testes Linux Mint since , I had an extra USB of 4GB.

It is 3.1GB.

I begin to like it because of user friendliness.

If one happy with basic stuff, I have no hesitation recommending it to a newbie.

It has Synaptic Software and Snappak from Snaphub.

Snappak is the user friendly part.

I downloaded Abiword in live session.

I am surprised and HAPPY that AbiWord has increased its resources to 1.4GB download and 3.6GB installed.

By the way, Google again (to my Blog post to post this) did not sign me in a Live session of Mint.

Batozera Game Iso

Batozera Game Iso 

I was installing Ubuntu for the umpteenth time to get my GRUB Boot Loader in pristine form.

I had problem installing Synaptic Package manager and trying to install VLC I got lot of JUNK.

It took lot of time and I decided to try Batozera image downloaded and copied it to a USB and extraction did not go well.

I may try it not on Live Mode but on a Ubuntu Session and report back.

It is 3.1GB and I had problem extracting it (went into 10GB or more) and gave it up.

This time it is smaller and may work all right.

 

MX Linux Install

MX Linux Install is bit of a pain even for guy who is using Linux for donkeys years.

I am surprised it stand first in the ww.distrowatch.com list.

It took ages to configure GRUB and I hope it did not miss any of my installed distributions. 

But it has enormous amount of resoureces including Virtual Machines.

Problem is I have to install them one by one.

It started as a minimalist distribution and it has become fatty.

I like desktop fluxbox.

I am getting ready to identify fifty (50) types in my book. 

Well MX Linux has a Smart Installer.

I had to type AbiWord and it did find it and installed it briskly.

I am going for light weight desktops and it let me select the avaible light weight desktops.

I selected all.

Torrent also I selected all three available including my favorite transmission,

Deluge is  also installed.

Next I am going for virtual machines.

I hope my var partition will have enough space for all.

Yes, MX Linux has done a excellent job.

It will stand as my fourth (4) favorable installation in my NUC.

It took some time locating the Applications I needed but once selected installation goes on occasionally asking for root password (whereas other distributions ask for password for almost every application.

It tells me the image and installation size,too.

I got all my browsers installed including LiBreWeb browser (I am on with LibreBrowser) in one installation whereas before I had to pick each and every one and lot of distributions did not support Vivaldi (96% Open Source).

I have no hesitation in recommending it but one has to have an understanding of how Linux works.

Debian Has Gone into Calamara Installer by Default

 Yes, Debian Has Gone into Calamara Installer by Default and is a bit of a pain for me.

I am trying to Install four Distributions in a 500GB Second hand hard disk.

I thought the disk was faulty.

It make a little hissing noise but the fault was with the Clamara Installer not recognizing Ubuntu and Emmabantus.

Emmabantus is no different it does not recognize the Ubuntu already installed.

Problem solved by installing two copies of Ubuntu.

One to play with Virtual Box Utility and the other as my workhorse.

I generally use Gparted for partitioning a big hard disk and keep a ntfs partition for storing Linux Images and Calamara Installer is a bit of a pain.

I can say, I have finished installing 4 Instances of Installation of Linux (two instances of Ubuntu) with 26 partitions in 500GB hard disk and I have left 80GB of space for any future installation or testing.

YES, I can also remove, the SATA Hard disk and stick in a external box if I wish. 

Well, well, well, I decided to fill the 500GB to its Total Capacity and installed Debian Cinnamon (Cinnamon is my Favorite Tea) as the fifth distribution.

Checked all of them today and they BOOT OK!

It took several days for Parrot OS home iso to be downloaded.

I decided to erase Debian Cinnamon and install Parrot OS 5.1. It is much better than Kali which is very invasive.

My Priorities in Linux

Entry into Linux was a pure accident.

I cannot think I will make this year the Penguin Year.

Equally, I will devote my twilight years for Linux and its progress.

Over twenty years, I had been critical of Linux my early interest was to promote Linux games and if possible code some games.

I bought a book on Linux Games but never read a single page (I was a busy medical guy).

During my Windows time I devoted my time on Databases.

I was annoyed when database activity was taken over by a big company called Oracle.

That would have been the reason for me migrating to Linux (apart from many other personal reason).

I have developed an aversion for Bill Gate and he getting involved in Epstein Sags, I could never envisioned.

This happens when somebody has lot of money, especially when ill gotten and they make bad friends.

When, I kick the bucket, I have no regrets.

This cannot be said about Kings, Queens and Presidents.

I think people will be happy when some of these wealthy guys kick the bucket (I myself was happy, in some cases).

In Linux I want  few capabilities.

1. Live Session.

2. Internet connectivity especially WiFi.

3. Browser (not one but many in my case)

4. Torrent client for downloading Linux images.

5. I may have downloaded thousands of images and tested all of them.

Making an Archive was my vision when Linux was not popular.

6. My current target is to make Linux hit 10% of the PC market.

Never 100%. I do not care less for Apple, Microsoft or any other operating systems including BSD.

7. I am slowly shifting to Android Application.Currently installing Android Studio.

So my targets are not even 10.

SLAX Linux is not USB bootable

 Yes. SLAX Linux is not USB bootable.

It is based on Slakware and is a minimal distribution.

It can be mounted on the BOX virtual machine.

Easy OS Version 5 is Great

I downloaded easy OS 5 version and it is great. However, I was looking for VM-Ware but could not find any.

It configured my WiFi effortlessly and this is posted in a Live session.

I could not get Vivaldi from FlatPak in both with Debian and Ubuntu.

Vivaldi is 96% Free Software and 4% Proprietary but is a very good browser where it allows add blocking.

Thank YOU EasyOS.

This was in 2020

 I forgot to mention both EasyOS and FatPup do not support my new NUC IBM PC Box.

But both support my old IBM computer.

Thanks to Dialog, IBM NUC Box and Linux Community. In under 10 minutes I was running Puppy on my son's old computer.

It was only 5 minute downloading and writing an image on a 16 GB stick.

No image compression now and capacity was little over 800MB after installation.

It took just 4 minutes for writing a persistent image in my old  rotating disk.

Puppy Linux was my entry to Linux and I love Dogs and Puppy Linux.

Thanks guys in Australia for reviving Easy OS.

Bunsen Labs

This is to report that I made a wrong comment on a YouTube presentation by a woman who has no understanding of Linux, saying Bunsen Lab cannot configure WiFi.

I was wrong, I am live from Bunsen Lab on a USB and it effortlessly configured WiFi and I am posting this to prove it Live from a Bunsen Lab Distribution.

Long long time ago, I used Crunch bang Linux and its versatility is it minimalist but a good work horse, then.

Mind you Internet was horrible then in Ceylon.

I am posting this from Australia.

Just Like in Snal Linux it has all the keyboard or Super key commands on the right hand side of the desktop.

The browser is Firefox is smooth and fast is on the top right hand corner.

It is only 1.8GB. 

Software installer is synaptic package manager.

It has Dropbox, Dilo and Chromium available for install and I did not try them on a Live session.

Yes, I tried Dilo and Abiword and it installed both of them briskly.

I have no hesitation to recommend it, if one is looking for minimalist distribution as opposed to KDE/Plasma.

I do not use Plasma at all but Gnome is my basic.

Good work, guys and girls of Bunsen Lab

BIG Thank YOU.

 

CrunchBang was a Debian GNU/Linux based distribution offering a great blend of speed, style and substance. Using the nimble Openbox window manager, it was highly customisable and provided a modern, full-featured GNU/Linux system without sacrificing performance.

Development of CrunchBang has ended, but it inspired the creation of some excellent spin-off projects by community members.

    CrunchBang++
    Bunsen Labs

Snal Linux is Pretty Basic

 Snal Linux is Pretty Basic.

I am going to relearn all the keyboard short cuts on BOX Utility.

In fact, I am doing it now. 

There is a problem with mouse moving from my desktop and the Box Window and gave it up, thinking of doing it on a live session with al the RAM devoted to the Snal Distribution.

Its mascot is a snail but it is pretty fast.

I had given only 2GB RAM out of 8GB to the Box Utility. 

Real reason, I am posting this is to say something about the Super Key which came as Windows Key a long time ago and I HATED it and never used it.

Mind YOU I came from DOS Era.

My first computer was a DOS enabled long before Windows.

I new keyboard short cuts then.

Keyboard is the basic IO device which should not have proprietary tag attached.

It sets in bad precedence. 

Snal name the Windows Key as Super Key and it has many combination to make you mad (memory) but all the short cuts are listed on the right side of the desktop.

Problem is if one is left handed this arrangement makes him mad.

It gives the feel of DOS time.

Well Done Snar Linux, it is Arched based.

Garuda Linux

Garuda Linux

Garuda Linux has everything, the Good, Bad and the Ugly.

It is live but getting to Live Session was circuitous.

It spring into action to install instead of giving a preview at a live session. 

That is the ugly part.

Bad part is it cannot configure the WiFi.

Its Desktop is Ugly to say the least about it.

It will put off any newbie by default.

Application list is a total clutter.

It is arch based which is minimal and good.

I will not use it but Erase the USB, henceforth.

Linux Games Come of Age, Ragata and Nobara

When I started Linux my only complain was lack of Games.

I did come from the Windows background and still earlier DOS.

DOS games were my favourite.

Atari Game (not Hatari, the African Game Hunt) Box,               I bought is still in the attic.

Game Distributions in Linux both Ragata and Nobara are pretty good Linux distributions. 

One based on SuSe and the other on Fedora.

I have no games but I can report Nobara has both Proton and Lutrius in addition to Steam utility.

This is posted with Nobara live on a USB.

Edited today on Ubuntu.

BlueStar Linux of ARCH is beautiful

BlueStar Linux of ARCH is beautiful.

I ran BluStar Linux on Box Utility of Gnome and it is really beautiful. It ran everything except Firefox (heavy duty) including Gnu Image manipulation, VLC and Open Office (latest 7.6) effortlessly.

I have no hesitation of recommending it to a newbie.

There is a BIG Problem!

It cannot configure Wireless Internet.

So I am going to erase it and install something else.

May be Endeavour OS.

LibreOffice 7.6...is Superb

 LibreOffice 7.6...is Superb

Yes, LibreOffice latest version in Ubuntu 21.10 is superb.

It detects and open AbiWord in Abi Format File without cutting and pasting its content into a LibreOffice office file.

I have not checked its other fancy capabilities until I finish my books.

NUC Basic has Limitation of Hardware Capacity

NUC Basic has Limitation of Hardware Capacity

 I tried a one Terabyte SATA disk with multiple Linux Distribution and it was a total failure.

It had 9GB RAM.

I think if YOU stick NVMe hard disk it will catch fire. 

 

Reproduction 

 Is My Intel NUC Compatible With an NVMe Drive?

Unable to determine if the M.2 drive slot on my Intel NUC is compatible with NVMe drives, does my NUC support an M.2 SATA or NVME drive?
Resolution

​​​​​​Things to consider:

    Not all M.2 drive slots support an NVMe connection as some will only support SATA.
    This factor may limit your SSD's read/write speed because a M.2 drive slot that only supports SATA will not be able to make use of the full speed capability of a NVMe drive.
    You can still put an M.2 NVMe SSD on an M.2 slot as it will fit, but if the M.2 slot is SATA only,  your throughput speed will be limited.
    A SATA III has a max throughput of 600MB/s while an NVMe Gen3 has a max of 3500MB/s. Due to the huge difference in speed, it is important to check the compatibility before buying or installing an NVMe SSD.

To check if your NUC model is compatible with an NVMe SSD, follow the steps below.

    Go to our product website and find your NUC model.
    On the product model page, scroll to Memory & Storage. 
    Note the supported storage types.

    Screenshot

You can also find compatible products for the NUC model, or the Technical Product Specifications (TPS).
Additional information

    NVMe - Non Volatile Memory express (the e is not capitalized)
    SATA - Serial Advanced Technology Attachment
    

SSD - Solid State Drive, a type of storage drive that uses flash memory.

What I have Learned From Linux is Patience

What I have Learned From Linux is Patience

Yes, if You do not have patience and You are  "Trigger Happy" you would never learn the Millions of TRICKS in Linux.

One of the basic things about Linux is Configuration of the System according to the hardware.

O.E.M guys had the habit of hiding their trade secrets or their defects under the cover of the Operating System.  

Weaker Operation or buggy System is a blessing for them to hide. 

1. One need to be calm when formatting 1TB hard disk using Gparted.

2. One need patience when Installing a system. 

Linux does not move forward unless all the files are ready and equipment are configured. 

This is true for Wireless configuration and Ethernet.

Why I Use Several Browsers?

By the way, Vivaldi is a very good browser.

It lets you block ads!

I use Linux for my daily work.

It is a multitasking Operating system unlike Windows OP or Apple Mac.

I have several (usually one work space) work places in my desktop.

I am currently working on Ubuntu (my work horse is Debian Emmabantus) with two workplaces.

I am downloading Parrot OS through Transmission (my fvourite) and that I shifted it to second work place by holding on to the windows and dragging and dropping.

Parrot 6 Version is big and is 5.3GB and it has another 20 minute to finish downloading.Version 6 has problems and cannot be installed.

Coming back to browsers, Firefox let you have two or three instances running in the same work place but Opera gives you one instance, whereas Falcon gives me several instances of web visits.

Falcon comes from KDE  / Plasma desktop platform. I have lost interest in KDE due to its consumption of large memory resource.

Opera is fast whereas Firefox might even though fast may have lot of connections in one instance.

I use several emails and one email for one browser seems to be the industry standard.

Yahoo does open one instance and cannot be open in two different browser, simply  due to its robust security protocol.

After my scathing remarks, when I changed Hard Disk to bigger one, gmail did not let me sign in automatically (same NUC hardware but a larger hard disk) and asked for the passwords again for signing in.

However, both do not ask for my cellphone number which is in Ceylon.

These guys are snooping on you every second and are paranoid.

AI connectivity make it even more bizarre.

Yahoo of course tested me on a puzzle which I generally like since it boosts my sharpness and memory.

By the way, Ubuntu has Gnome Box in addition to Virtual Box where one can test the iso and run the browser. Generally speaking browsers get stuck in virtual machines.

I have tested all the Isos except Parrot OS (not complete in downloaded) on Ubuntu Gonome BOX and it a pleasing experience.

I do not have restart my NUC every time, I test a Linux Distribution.

One need to ask for Gnome Box not simple BOX as in a Debian Base to get it from application store of Flathub and FlatPak.

Still few more minutes to down load Parrot OS which is a very good penetration testing OS.

It is better than Kali.

Not that I do penetration testing, yet I keep copy in case someone ask for advice.

Oracle Virtual Machine is a pain in the Arxxxs!

I am not happy with any of the browsers except Falcon browser.

All of them have search engines which slows down the web service.

Additionally they are profit minded and not service minded or customer oriented.

So I use many browsers, if one get stuck due to heavy traffic I shift to another. 

I need speed and I cannot wait for even a second more than necessary.

I am a multitasking man browser should not hinder my activities.

1. I use browser to search my emails (I have many).

2. I use Google to test and meaning of words.

3. I use the browser to visit my blog post to make another blog piece.

4. I have made this year a "Penguin Year" and anything new on Linux I would post it here. 

5. Planning tow rite a book on Desktop types and their feature. I would not bother about Pantheism desktop of Elementary OS since it does not provide a FREE User Copy from their web site for me to test drive.

That is their problem and not mine.

What am doing here is FREE and perhaps constructive in intent.

They want money for Open Source Linux an irony by itself!

By the way, Vivaldi browser is 90% Open source and only 10% proprietary and there is no free copy in Debian Store.

Firefox

Opera

Dillo

Ducky Duck

Falkon

Gnome Box Utility

Well, Well, the Box Utility of Gnome is amzingly good.

I used Firefox and then google and my email and my blog piece and started editing the piece.

Not only its saves my time it also do not stress my hardware since it is using only 25% of my RAM.

Mind you I am using Xfce and not KDE like Microsoft Windows take lot of RAM at boot time.

I am going to download a Linux distribution through it.

First Time I used a Slakware Distribution Sackel and it boots well inside the BOX.

Gnome Box Utility

Gnome's BOX Utility is a Virtual machine where one can mount Live Linux System for testing.

One need not run them in FULL RAM as usual.

It reserved 2GB RAM out of 8GB RAM in my NUC. 

It reserved 15GB Disk space for storing Live Images. 

Overall a good utility for Linux Guru as well as a newbie. 

Well today, I tested Russian ALT Linux in the box and this distribution is based on Light Weight Mate Desktop which I have little experience. 

I love Gnome and Cinnamon Desktops by default. 

I have done almost all the testing and I am going to sleep now.

USB Stick Capacity Statements and the actual Validity

USB Stick Capacity Statements and the actual Validity

 I have been using a USB stick of supposed to be 32GB but when formatting with Gpart I found 0nly31GB.

I wondered whether I damaged it while re-partitioning to Install over 30 different Linux Images.

I could not find any data except realizing that the partition tool hide the damaged part and reformat the viable parts.

The cells in SATA disks are supposed to last long time but I do not believe the manufacturer's claims.

Russian Linux Distributions, Astra Linux, Rosa Fresh and Rantu- Plus ALT Linux

Russian Linux Distributions, Astra Linux, Rosa Fresh and Rantu

Since the West is deliberately misguiding and discriminating Russia I have decided to take a diplomatic stand and promote Russian Linux distributions.

Astra Linux developed by the Russian Army is a pretty good distribution.

I had this distribution in my very old laptop and by trying to update I it erased the entire Hard disk of 120GB.

I cannot boot it from a USB (Microsoft Guys have a CODE installed in the hardware which I did not know).

However, it can be booted by a CD/DVD and I did not bring the DVD of Astra Linux.

I used BSD and erased Microsoft Code. 

I am going back to Ceylon and remedy this situation soon.

 

Both Rantu and Rosa Fresh have a very few peers in torrent.

I never try Point to point downloads, now.

 

Unlike Astra Linux ALT Linux was a large civilian project.

It has a server edition and thankfully new image is available to test.

Russian Linux distributions are stable and generally two years behind the upmarket distributions which Linux is.

They support a distribution for 4 years and like me their cycles are of 5 years duration.

I have five year political cycles (this time I am silent, because I am pretty sure of the outcome, total instability) and ruthless on the current CORRUPT Regime unlike an average Ceylonese who become vociferous after the election result is declared.

One can never find a guy or girl who voted for the opposition.

That is the malady of Ceylon for 70 years.

This time I am not there to vote but send one of my agents to see my election rights are NOT Violated in my absence.

No update for ROSA from 2020.

ROSA Fresh take one hour to download and ALT takes at least 4 hours.

It is some time before me reporting.

ALT of course which I tested two years ago has a sleek Mate desktop. Its image is 7.3GB and it might take another 4 hours to download.

I believe it is not live but padded with all Russian Software.

ROSA Flesh is pretty good KDE desktop.

It has all the things available in a KDE desktop.

 

Calculate Linux

I did not say anything about Calculate Linux which comes from Arch Gentoo base.

I am writing it image on a USB Stick.

It is only 3GB Iso.

It has a lighter 1.8GB server version,too.

It is almost finished.

It is a sleek Mate desktop.

In can be run in a live session.

One need to have partitioned defined before installation.

Gparted is there for partitioning. 

No update from 2022.

It took nearly 4 hours to download 7.3GB with only one peer.

I hope at least a few more Russians guys use it instead of Astra Linux which is almost official Linux distribution.

Afterall, it is a Russian product.

It is only in Russian with some Dulingo application helping English translation.

The alphabet is completely different and my NUC does not have audio port. I have to use my cellphone to learn Russian along with this distribution running live.

Manddrake Linux was my Heart Throb-Mageia

Manddrake Linux was my Heart Throb.

Mandriva was first made public by a French software company MandrakeSoft. Its first release was based on Red Hat Linux 5.1 and was released in July 1998. Mandriva Linux was originated by Gaël Duval, and intended to focus on ease of use for new users.

 

Mageia-9-Live-Plama

I just downloaded Mageia and writing it to test as a Live session.

I will be back soon with a report. 

1. It's Desktop I tested was KDE PLsama.

Sleek No clutter.

2. Gparte works fine.

3. Wireless configuration and connectivity is good.

4. Software center is its own and dicey.

5. Installation scheme its own old and regimented scheme.

6. It has VLC and Pusle Audio.

7. I could not test for my favourite AbiWord.

8. Even though it is 3.8GB Iso, it expands beyound 4GB and one need a 8 GB USB Stick.

Overall it is a good distribution and it has other desktops, too.

My only hope is community fork of Open Mandriva Lx follw suit and produce Live DVDs.

That is the only way to enter the market.

Guys and girls should have the freedom to test the distribution before installing.

By the way, long time ago Magiea used to take over the hard disk and install its in one go.

That is why I did not test it for a long time.

OpenMadriva

OpenMadriva does not have a Live DVD to test.

I hope they follow Magiea Trend and produce a Live CD/DVD.

 

History
The first release of Mandrake was based on Red Hat Linux (version 5.1) and K Desktop Environment 1 in July 1998.

 After that, it moved away from the Red Hat standard and Red Hat inspiration and influence on its own design and implementation, and became a completely separate distribution. 

Mandriva included a number of original tools that make system configuration less difficult. 

Mandriva Linux was the brainchild of Gaël Duval, who wanted to focus on ease of use for new users.

This goal was met as Mandrake Linux gained a reputation as "one of the easiest to install and user-friendly Linux distributions". At this time Internet Explorer held a dominant share of the web browser market, and Microsoft a near monopoly in operating systems. 

Mandrake Linux earned praise as a Linux distribution that users could use all the time, without dual booting into Windows for compatibility with web sites or software unavailable under Linux.

CNET called the user experience of Mandrake Linux 8.0 the most polished available at that time.

Duval became the co-founder of Mandrakesoft, but was laid off from the company in 2006 along with many other employees.

Name changes

Installation screen of Linux-Mandrake 8.0
From its inception until the release of version 8.0, Mandrake named its flagship distribution Linux-Mandrake. 

From version 8.1 to 9.2 the distribution name was reversed and called Mandrake Linux.

In February 2004, MandrakeSoft lost a court case against Hearst Corporation, owners of King Features Syndicate. 

Hearst contended that MandrakeSoft infringed upon King Features' trademarked character Mandrake the Magician. 

As a precaution, MandrakeSoft renamed its products by removing the space between the brand name and the product name and changing the first letter of the product name to lower case, thus creating one word. 

Starting from version 10.0, Mandrake Linux became known as mandrakelinux, and its logo changed accordingly. 

Similarly, MandrakeMove (a Live CD version) became Mandrakemove.

In April 2005, Mandrakesoft announced the corporate acquisition of Conectiva, a Brazilian-based company that produced a Linux distribution for Portuguese-speaking (Brazil) and Spanish-speaking Latin America. 

As a result of this acquisition and the legal dispute with Hearst Corporation, Mandrakesoft announced that the company was changing its name to Mandriva, and that their Linux distribution Mandrake Linux would henceforward be known as Mandriva Linux.

ALT Linux 

Russian ALT Linux is Mandrake based.

Its current Iso 10.1 is 7.3GB. 

I am in the process of downloading it.

Knoppix--9.1 of 2021

Knoppix-9.1 of 2021

I ran Knoppix on MultiSystem USB stick.

It needs a Persistent Volume.

Abiword is not there but LibreOffice is there.

I cannot install new application on a MultiSystem USB but if my memory is right in good old days (it is only two years back) on a USB dedicated for Knoppix, I could do that.

I have been using Knoppix from 3.1 or may be 3.9.

I have several USB sticks with OLD Knoppix versions.

It is gone dormant for two years and I hope they come out of slumber and support SNAP and FlatPak.

I am publishing this from a Live Post.

Strangely enough, after my scathing remarks, Google had let me sign on with Gmail on a Live Session.

If they did not I would have logged in with Yahoo Mail.

By the way, Knoppix let me log in with Yahoo Mail without key or without cellphone verification.

Thank YOU, Yahoo.

Thank YOU Knoppix.

By the way, Knoppix got me to sign in with a Root Password.

Many of the other Linux Distribution do not allow this password facility.

That is why Universities FEAR students using their own UNregistered USB sticks.

I used this policy and through SAMBA students had to use a USER Name and a Password.

I used Putty to monitor students misusing University facilities, other than for academic activities and sports.

I think students were interested in downloading pirated old films.

Long before I was interested in Copyright Law, I myself did download films like French Connection and God Father.

It was a trade in India and Ceylon to download films and sell them with an attractive cover for Rs.100/=.

I burned all of those CD/DVDs a decade or so ago.

Interestingly all the Microsoft and Windows copies were pirated.

During the time I used Microsoft I had twp paid copies.

Now that I use LibreOffice and Linux, I do not have to pay Windows a fee every year.

Ten or More Things Apple Mac won’t tell its Customers

Almost ten years has passed after posting this piece.

Everything in Apple has gone up in price.

My bone of contention here is, I have been using these utilities well over 23 years without knowing that Mac OS had been using Linux all alone.

But during the last ten years, the chip production has increased exponentially which even Moor's Law won't FIT In and buying an expensive product is counterproductive outside America.

Linux is open source and all the utilities are freely available.

What Apple Mac has done is using FREE SOFTWARE freely and has become fabulously rich and they do not pass down the that richness to the customers.

However, I have been using Android from Kit Cat and my latest android is 13the version both in Samsung Tablet and Vodafone.

I am a NOKIA Addict and I have over 10 Nokia cell phones.

My first cell phone is still working and the company that produced it has gone bust.

Its name sounds like Green-Tel and I had a tablet, too from the same company.

My third cellphone produced by Singapore was dished out (as many of my old cellphones) and its liquid crystal face started freezing but calling from it was OK.

By the way, there are over 100 phone companies globally and each company has at least 25 different models to sell.

The up market is nearly 15 billion (twice the world population) and only a very few companies have come on TOP.

Samsung has over 1650 Models to cell.

Posted on October 21, 2011

Ten or More Things Apple Mac won’t tell its customers.

1. It is a Unix derivative i.e. BSD (Berkeley Systems Distribution) which form the basis for both Mac OS X and the iOS that powers the iPhone.

2. It was hooked to a O.E.M platform (Power PC) till recently.

3. BSD is what Darwin is based on.

4. Darwin is Apple’s Open Source Unix operating system foundation.

Somebody should revive this, now that Steve Job is no more.

The Darwin kernel is equivalent to the Mac OS X kernel plus the BSD libraries and commands essential to the BSD Commands environment.

5  It uses Open Source OpenGL – Standard 3D graphics library

6. jEdit  4.3

7. Perl  5.10  Accessible through Terminal under Utilities

8. Python  2.6.1  Accessible through Terminal under Utilities

9. Python  3.3  Accessible through Terminal under Utilities

10. Ruby  1.8.7  Accessible through Terminal under Utilities

Items 6 to 10  are programming languages (now mostly platform independent) which made the backbone of  Linux.

11. Audacity   is a Linux derivative

12. Thunderbird is a Linux derivative

13. VLC    Media Player is a Linux derivative

14. Geogebra             is a Linux derivative

15.TeX

No operating system is Pure and I have not used OpenOffice or Libre Office since they originated from Sun Solaris system and later became Open Source.

Ten or More Things Apple Mac won’t tell its customers.

Ten or More Things Apple Mac won’t tell its customers.

1. It is a Unix derivative i.e. BSD (Berkeley Systems Distribution) which form the basis for both

Mac OS X and the iOS that powers the iPhone.

2. It was hooked to a O.E.M platform (Power PC) till recently.

3. BSD is what Darwin is based on.

4. Darwin is Apple’s Open Source Unix operating system foundation.

Somebody should revive this, now that Steve Job is no more.

The Darwin kernel is equivalent to the Mac OS X kernel plus the BSD libraries and commands essential to the BSD Commands environment.

5  It uses Open Source OpenGL – Standard 3D graphics library

6. jEdit  4.3

7. Perl  5.10  Accessible through Terminal under Utilities

8. Python  2.6.1  Accessible through Terminal under Utilities

9. Python  3.3  Accessible through Terminal under Utilities

10. Ruby  1.8.7  Accessible through Terminal under Utilities

Items 6 to 10  are programming languages (now mostly platform independent) which made the backbone of  Linux.

11. Audacity   is a Linux derivative

12. Thunderbird is a Linux derivative

13. VLC    Media Player is a Linux derivative

14. Geogebra             is a Linux derivative

15.TeX

No operating system is Pure and I have  used OpenOffice or Libre Office since they originated from Sun Solaris system and later became Open Source.

Gmac-10-OS

Gmac-10-OS

Gmac-10OS cannot be mounted on my NUC with integrated graphic card.

It's booting is with system V and Systemd, I believe.

It is Ubuntu based and I cannot comment anymore.

Who started Sinhala Linux and where it is now?

Who started   Sinhala Linux and where it is now?
Posted on April 11, 2011 

I can categorically say one thing for certain, it was our own Anuradha from Kandy who started Sinhala Linux, way back in late nineties and early this century but it went into hibernation after tsunami in 2004 but now it has emerged in 3 or 4 Linux versions I have tested.
 

They are as follows;
1. Fedora 13 2, 

Debian 6.0.0 3, 

Sabayon 5.5 4, 

Hanthana Linux 5, 

Fedora 15 Alpha.

My profuse apologies to FEDORA Team for jumping the gun and giving the credit to Debian as the first distribution supporting Sinhala Linux.
I was wrong and apologies are with this little update on Sinhala Linux.
 

I have dissociated with Fedora from Core 3 but did not use it for 10 versions (3 to 13) for many reasons but it is not the purpose of this writing.

 
First thing first, it was Fedora 3 that allowed the Sinhala font to be used, and I am proud to say I used it with Open Office, a decade ago when nobody was interested in Linux.

If I remember right I did my University Thesis on Open Office.
 

Then Mandrake (not Mandriva) allowed the Sinhala font installation but I was never drawn into the Sinhala capability of Linux until now.

The reason being Anuradha being drawn into Global Work by accident and he has no time for Linux Capability in Sinhala.

I have changed myself a lot and given up all and gone to PCLinux which is only in English and 32 bits version.
Reason being the introduction of Live CDs in which PCLinux was a pioneer from Big Daddy Stage.

 
It has FullMonty and this version of it is named (not by them, texstar tells me) as apartheid (it means what it says) which has brought bad taste to Linux community.

Only for white people.

Mr.Shuttleworth of Ubuntu must take action now to wean the bad eggs in the Linux community, even if they are not under his fold.

There is Linux dedicated to Bible and I see no problem with it but Obama in high office this propaganda (Using English Only for development) is something not for the current century.
 

What I am getting at is, all Linux Distributions including PCLinux should have multi-language capability and I give lot of credit and marks for that action. 

It is now happening, French, German, Spanish and Russian are using Linux for productive work.
Linux is global and for everybody (unlike Microsoft or Apple Mac) and multi-language capability is a must.

Coming back to Fedora when I realized that it has Sinhala capability and it is changing fast I decided to download all 5 CDs of Fedora 13 and the DVD. 

I downloaded all the versions of Fedora 14 and I was not impressed and did not check Sinhala capability since Fedora 15 was round the corner.
 

After nearly 3 days of downloading I managed to have a DVD in my hand and tried it and found the Sinhala capability (I now invariably check for that ability in any Linux Version) in installation. 

So my ignorance was exposed and I have to correct that wrong impression, right away.

In defense of Fedora, I have all the versions of Redhat from 7 to 9 and Fedora Core from 1 to 3 and now Fedora 13 and above to 15.
 

Suffice is to say, the most number of books and CDs I have are from Redhat and Fedora even though I did not use Redhat or Fedora for my daily work, recently. 

My entry into checking 100 Live CDs was a harbinger (this blog site is dedicated to Linux even though I have changed a lot) and the Rediscovery of Linux Potential and for two years I have been downloading and testing Linux and I am in the final (stage) lap of honours to all Linux Distributions and Communities, especially with multi-language capability.

Not only that I found a Fedora Bible (the book) with Fedora 6 version CD / DVD and bought it to add to my collection and for reference purpose and I am gong to support Fedora with all my heart from now onward, in spite of forgivable misgiving with Redhat Team, sometime ago.

My only concern is that Redhat is introducing so many changes in so little time, will it be possible to have a stable edition like Debian (with many derivatives) for me to use.
 

Currently I am using, Debian, Ubuntu and Emmabantus.

However, my recent promotion is Arch Linux and its various versions.

I might even consider dropping PCLinux, if they are resistant to other languages other than English.

In fact, I have not used PCLinux for ages but downloaded its 2023 version.
 

It is time for other distributions to take the lead from Debian and Fedora and take Linux to new heights with multi-language capability.

Sorry for me being political here.
 

I hate politics of all types whether, it is economic, power, race or language.
 

Update on Fedora 15 Alpha KDE I have now downloaded and tested the pre-release alpha version and it has no Sinhlaa capability in installation. 

In addition it has some difficulty in detecting hardware. 

It appears sleek and my genuine fears already compounded by its rapid change in many areas including file system and program selection make me feel hesitant to recommend for a newbie, especially in Ceylon.

Best bet is to use Fedora 13 and see how it works but download DVD version, (or 5 CD version) and not live CDs (see how it works for you).
 

This is the same reservation I have for Hanthana Linux which is based on Fedora 15.

I believe Hantana Linux has not made any progress and its Team Members have moved out for other activities other than Linux. 
 

I have not been able to download it beyond 700 MiB due to poor download speed in Ceylon Telecom.

But I will keep trying.

Fedroa 13 took almost 3 days with one or two seeds. 

Debian multi arch is taking about 7 days with one seed. 

It is painfully slow even with K-Torrent if seeds are not there.
 

In the mean time I have downloaded many others including CTKarchlive, Trisequel, Astrumi and Puppy and many other small utilities, including sound drivers for Microsoft.

I am also happy to report I managed to download Taylor Swift Swift Linux after about 40 (forty odd) attempts. 

That was something based on Debian and AntiX (Mepis) and plays a Taylor Swifts song at boot time which was very pleasing. 

It is meant for low RAM of 256 or so and old computers. 

Download and try it please if your Internet is fast enough!

I started with 4MB Video RAM and my NUC with integrated graphic has 8GB RAM.

What a journey! 

My NUC with 120GB SATA drive has three distributions.

I was downloading MAC version of Ubuntu Gmac or Gnome MAC.

It is finished and I am going to try it.

Currently Ubuntu has numerous versions.

How to ROM or FLASH an Old Android Tab?

Saturday, October 7, 2017

By the way, Linux Phone Lineage OS is very expensive.

I saw lot of torrent images for various phones at Linux torrents.

I have over 10 Nokia phones all working fine nd never tried to ROM or FLASH them

By the way, my son in law bought me a Samsung Tablet and another Android phone (its sim is blocked by the manufacturer).
I do not understand how manufacturers and vendors steal money from gullible customers.

 

How to ROM or FLASH an Old Android Tab?

This is a mail I posted to a friend.
How to ROM or FLASH an Old Android Tab?
I did a survey on how to erase the current operating system and install a new version of Android and was bewildered by its complexity.
They are bound by rigid protocols of Android and Google Giants.
Unlike computers, the hardware parts are brittle and finding a “patch” for a broken piece is not easy.
Besides, the terminology is funny, and only term I liked was BRICK for a stalled hardware.
Only open source ROM (Kernel should be the correct term) was CyanogenMod but developers had given up developing it and a firm has taken over it.
There is a Romanian guy who wants to make open source hardware!
But the problem is that there is no seamless integration since OEM guys are reluctant to give up their monopoly.
If one fiddles with the system it may end up as a Brick.
If you find any article that simplify this (Linux Magazine may not do it) minor process, please let me have it.

By the way, having gone for Zeroing I have stop reading big articles, especially political ones.
I have lot of time at hand after "Zeroing In" and sleep well after dropping Caffeine almost to Zero.
Unfortunately, Ubuntu’s Canonical and Firefox have stopped developing an Open Source Phone. 

CyanogenMod is arguably one of the (if not the) most installed Android ROM in the world, and for good reason.

It offers a ton of great features, is available for more devices than most other ROMs of it's type, and has the type of polish and support that makes it easy to fall in love with.
We have Kit Kat (version four in this country) in this country and the Android is on version seven or higher.
Even the Kindle Tab, a total failure, I believe.
Luckily, I bought a Lenova Tablet in Singapore and it is miles ahead of my Kit Kat Tablet which I want to erase and upgrade but the only problem is its RAM which is limited and it breaks up before a full film is viewed.

Lenova Tab froze and I could not replace it battery.

That is why I discourage people buying Tablets with a Frozen Battery (one cannot replace it and that is their business plan to lure the next generation of tablets).

I have of course migrated to bare bone NUC which is damn cheap!

I am glad that I got a good laptop for my son and if you have a laptop do not throw it away, in spite of its weight.

It is pleasing to see a film on a laptop.
One who buys an Apple iPOD is probably stupid or has lot of money to spare.
They have stopped making Laptops with a DVD driver.

Apple is very expensive, I saw my daughter spending over 100 dollars for a Apple Screen saver with a insurance plan.

A good product should not go for issuance plan.

This why encourage people to use Linux and Linux protects old and new hardware.

 

Open Letter to Yahoo, Mail, Gmail and Amazon KDP Publishing

 Open Letter to Yahoo Mail,

Gmail and Amazon's KDP Publishing.

 

All three of them have gone Paranoid?

 

I am currently in Australia.

When I travel I usually carry a USB stick installed with Puppy Linux.

This is my private Internet connection at airports.

I did not do that this time round.

I am not paranoid and do not use TAILS or KALI. 

 

I downloaded Puppy Easy OS based on Void (Independent Linux OS) and wanted to access my blog post to post something good about Easy OS.

It configured our wireless.

Yes it had my favourite browser FireFox and I accessed Google search engine to sign in with my gmail account.

Google treated me inhumanely, like a Robot.

I am finishing three books and I wanted to access my author page but I had to go through the Amazon Books, a big Rigmarole and I HAD to waste my money giving a call to Amazon.

They are promoting (now their money ) my books liberally and my cellphone is inundated with promotions of my own books, often three times the price, I intended for the reader to pay.

Except my scientific and special books I want my books even in digital form to be cheap.

Worse scenario is, I am being stopped by a telephonist at Amazon Head Quarters with bogus paranoia.

I use several phones in fact about 10 (15 SIMS) cellphones and left all of them except one in CEYLON and Amazon is asking for a particular number I have not used for nearly (for security reasons) 20 years.

Without that cellphone number, I cannot change, to another SIM number, I have in my hand (Nokia Phone) for direct communication.

My wife who is in Ceylon cannot trace it. 

She is planning to visit us and I won't write any more books for few months and equally I won't be able to publish the one's I have already finished.

I did not foresee this scenario!

Now I have to go back to Ceylon to formalize my dealing with Amazon, paying a BIG SUM to Singapore Air Lines.

Unfortunately my Royalties  are not enough to cover  the air ticket. 

I do not expect to earn millions writing dirty and vulgar stuff in my twilight years and I have enough to live on my own without royalties.

I think, I may consider building my own Publishing House with a bit of my knowledge in Linux using a FreeNAS Server.

The Internet intended to be FREE to access and Educational at its inception.

It is no more.

I have never been paranoid, in spite of some Guys in Ceylon stealing my cheques (from Amazon) in post. 

They could not cash them with my timely intervention.

Yes, cyber-crimes are there.

There were robber barons throughout our modern history including in politics.

But there are lot of good guys in this world, too, especially in Russia.

Yes one of my intentions is to travel to Russia and see the real life in Russia (not Americas).

I have already started learning Russians but their alphabet is difficult.

For heavens sake, DO NOT be PARANOID and DO NOT let the AI System takes hold of humanity.

This is already happening in China and I have no intention of visiting China.

This piece I am writing with disgust.

Money is their ONLY GOAL.

That leads to decadence!

That is normal throughout human history.