Time for me to take the stock of Linux Activity

Time for me to take the stock of Linux Activity 

It was more than three years that I constantly investigated the Linux World of Freedom.

There were many frustrations when I could not download, Puppy Linux even in the in the University Setup which was less than 100 MiB.

Running the first Puppy Linux was the height of satisfaction.

I still carry that trait and it is still my favorite distribution.

When I first ran it from a USB Stick, it was the glory of discovering the the freedom.

Getting first Linux distribution which was Redhat Linux running in my 4MiB inbuilt graphic card on P2 Machine was never a failed exercise.

Real reason for my enthusiasm I should bare it now.

I wanted to have a little workshop for School Children in Kandy and it was total disaster not because I was ill prepared.

Microsoft bribed the guys organizing (with alcohol and money) the function and prevented me from having an audience.

I am one who never take  anything lying down in this country.

For that matter any where in the globe.

It was a simple innocent exercise. 
Never thought it will blossom to this extent. 

I investigated and found the guys (who had left school just 17 plus or 18 plus not able to get into the University).

Unfortunately. those guys published their intention in the web and what I did to them is only a tiny history now and no need to say anything more.

I am still thankful to Microsoft for doing that.
Microsoft inadvertently charged my inner brain faculties. 

If they did not do that my enthusiasm would have petered out in no time.

I had finished my research work in the University and I was looking for something new.

This was a great opportunity and I took Linux head on and later having mastered Linux I took, Microsoft in any position they attack me.

Only once they could do that this time from India and I was up to it in hours and traced the guy to India with open challenge.

He never appeared again on my back.

Guy did not know that I had several computers monitoring which Microsoft could not monitor since all the operating system were pirated ones in Sri-Lanka, to my credit.

Thank god for the piracy of Sri-Lankans.

They had no hold and I started talking of Copy Right Law in my city.

To my happiness over twenty in the city (everybody except me had pirated copies then, I had Windows 95) were prosecuted for violating Sinhala Songs and Films.

That did them too and some lost their businesses.

Unfortunately, to this day, it is still going on, even in temples and nobody was prosecuted after that incident (since then to my knowledge).

I did venture into Colombo and got a few guys involved in Linux and I used to get my Linux CDs from (DVD not on the market then) Singapore until one, day I went to Singapore and downloaded my first 20 Linux distributions including Linpus Linux from Taiwan.

Nobody in Singapore knew about Linux then, I believe. 

I was there for only two weeks and I came home with a Router (Wireless) and made sure I downloaded one distribution a day.

Writing about Linux was also an accident and the University guys (not academics) were on strike and I had all day from 7 to 5 pm in my office to publish in the web.

Fortunately, I was involved with a British Institute which struck a code not violating Copy Right Law and we were getting young (not University  undergraduates) ones to write to improve English.

This site was attacked by somebody for political reasons and knowing Sri-Lankan politics when I detected the first intrusion, I dissociated with them for a long period of time until recently.

I deleted all my politically sensitive (not Linux) items when they started running again.

Enough of dirty politics in the world wide web and thanks to Linux I was able to my register my presence in the web with many free web sites.

Now I am going to severe some of those connections by April only due to rising Electricity Bill.

Nothing Else.

So it is time for me to thank all those who were inspirational to say the least in the Linux community, including Peter Parfitt.

I have no antipathy with Microsoft now but I have a hearty laugh when one is struggling with Windows with a toned down hype.

Because of this reason, not looking at Microsoft Updates my email is never cluttered and delete them at the first glance by reflex action.

Now let me thank all the guys who developed little utilities.

To begin with I hate all the web browsers except perhaps Iceweasel. 
Simply because some of isos were severed in the last few minuets and having to download from the beginning.

Browsers good at eavesdropping on you but never help you from to begin an activity that was terminated by faulty Telecom connection or server not ready with a file.

1. I love K-torrent and it had done the donkey work.

2. I love www.linuxtracker.og which was hacked several times by the undesirables.

Thank god my electricity bill was manageable, then.

3. Then Distromania site for storing old copies of Linux. 

It went defunct for some time and they are back again.

4. Thank for all the Linux forums who would have a line or two at their web sites to help my searches.

5. Then www.Softpedia.com Linux page 1.

6. Then the www.Distrowatch.com.

7. Not forgetting the Live CD list. 

From that site I managed to download Linux in Singapore.

8. Linux Freedom for having sample of most of the Linux Distributions.

9. Let me say I hate writers who writes, 10 best distributions which distort the facts often with a Virtual Machines.

Linux counter is trying to rectify this anomaly.

10 Then to my amazement only 32 Sri-Lankan guys were using Linux.

Even in South Africa where Ubuntu originated there were very few using Linux.

11. That made me to do some research and one of my dear friend’s son in UK (on my invitation) has already completed his masters (Linux penetration).

I provided him with all the useful information.

I am currently doing some local research in the University and that will take some time before my retirement.

So I will take a break and I want the young guys to follow my footsteps.

I will be reading the Linux magazine and they are also doing a very good global promotion.

It is well set and my absence wan’t be felt much.

There will be a book on Quality Concepts too.

If I missed anybody that is not an oversight but my gray matter failing in old age.

12. The work horse for me was K3B.

With out which over 1000 CD/DVD sessions (on Nero would have been a disaster) would not have come without a scratch.

I may say with conviction, less than 10 CD/DVDs failed due to faulty manufacture of the CD/DVD.
That is the strength of the Linux utilities.

13. UnetbootIn is my love and I have about 20 USB sticks for demonstration and I now  use SD Cards with Androids, hitting the market and Raspberry Pi is doing the rounds in UK where I started my computing work, first and not in USA.

Fortunately USA, guys and girls outnumber my Sri-Lankan counterparts.
And thanks to all of them who visit my site!