Wednesday, January 31, 2024

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.

Tuesday, January 30, 2024

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.

Sunday, January 28, 2024

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



Saturday, January 27, 2024

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.

Tuesday, January 23, 2024

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 Gaƫl 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 Gaƫl 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.

Monday, January 22, 2024

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.


Sunday, January 21, 2024

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.

Saturday, January 20, 2024

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.

 

Friday, January 19, 2024

Arch Linux Derivatives Coming of AGE-Testing All

I have made Year 2024 as the Penguin Year.

This time I included Arch Linux and hence it is an important year for.

Arch Linux Derivatives are Coming of AGE.

 I am going back to my writing.

Already 3 books are lined up and one is on Economic and Stock Market and there is one book on Vegetarian Diet.

Editing take along time.

Good Bye.

I am going to test all the Arch Linux derivatives which are user friendly and in Live Mode.

Already I have downloaded ArcoLinux and Reborn-OS.

I found their torrent files at FOSS Torrents and ARCH-Gnome-Big-N Iso is I have already tested and is pretty good. 

These guys and girls are working hard and they deserve recognition.

Reborn-OS

Is pretty Good.

Only bare bone installation.

No Office.

I manged to Install AbiWord my favorite.

Internet connection was breezy and one need Internet for additional packages.

Installation can be done off line but I recommend installation under online conditions.

It connects to its web site and information is ample and education.

Gparted is included.

No idea about the GRUB Boot Loader..

It is Xfce desktop.

It is 2.6GB Image.


ARCOLinux

Only 1.8GB.

Gparted included.

Wants internet connection for advanced installation

Offline I think Core Linux.

Desktop I guess is one of the Old Window Managers, I do not know which.

I am downloading Endeavor OS to test now.

It is only 2GB and already downloaded.


Laxeros is Gnome-1.2-x86_64.iso download finished after almost 7 days.

Only one peer.

Thanks.

I am going to test it.

No Peers unfortunately.

Lya is Cinnamon.

Arch Ultimate Plasma Edition

Arch Ultimate Plasma. Edition is a sleek distribution.

I am not a fan of Arch, simply because it drives me nuts when installing.

It's live session is very long due to its persistence on checking everything before booting.

It is simply paranoia in psychiatric terminology.

I am going to keep it until I finish my book on Linux Fundamentals, since at boot time it goes through all the naming fiasco of hooking udev to dbus to POSIX to kernel which is boring for an old guy who used Linux over 20 years.

Linux is only 30 years old.

It has a long life time.

However, I recommend it to a guy or girl who really wants to dig into internals of Linux.

Not for these YouTube guys who brag about their prowess on a dark terminal which is an antithesis to me.

Linux should fit in a 2GB stick and anything above is bloat ware!.

Now little warning.

These guys Zorin and PoPOS leave behind a script and one cannot clean erase the USB for refuse.

I have over 25 USB sticks with bootable Linux on them only Ubuntu and Sparky Linux I have two copies.

I love the animal graphic of Ubuntu front face when booting.

I love nature and Ubuntu developers coming from South Africa love nature.

Good on you.

Sparky Linux I have media edition and game over editions.

I support Linux gamers but not Steam OS of Valve.

It is long time before I write about Linux and my workhorses are Debian and Emmabantus.

I have love an affinity for Astra Linux from Russia. They have done a wonderful job of having sessions for desktop, tablet and cellphone.

Unlike Americans Russians are smart on table desktop and in the battle field.

Ask an American about Linux, they only know Microsoft's capitalistic crave.

I hate Microsoft from the time I entered Linux.

It is simply aristocratic lady in Kandy who hides her age behind a glossy sari.

That is my best description of Microsoft.

I have only one experience with Apple Globe with a faulty disk, I never used it beyond Redhat ? 6, certainly not Redhat 7.

I have ditched SuSe and Redhat for good long years.

 

Thank YOU Moxilla and FireFox.

I am a long time user of FireFox.

I have had no problem with it since it is always bundled up with my Linux distributions.

Like LibreOffice I have no issue if the version is little behind, since, I am going to get the most stable version for my current use.

The Mozilla Manifesto Addendum

Pledge for a Healthy Internet

The open, global internet is the most powerful communication and collaboration resource we have ever seen. It embodies some of our deepest hopes for human progress. It enables new opportunities for learning, building a sense of shared humanity, and solving the pressing problems facing people everywhere.

Over the last decade we have seen this promise fulfilled in many ways. We have also seen the power of the internet used to magnify divisiveness, incite violence, promote hatred, and intentionally manipulate fact and reality. We have learned that we should more explicitly set out our aspirations for the human experience of the internet. We do so now.

  1. We are committed to an internet that includes all the peoples of the earth — where a person’s demographic characteristics do not determine their online access, opportunities, or quality of experience.
  2. We are committed to an internet that promotes civil discourse, human dignity, and individual expression.
  3. We are committed to an internet that elevates critical thinking, reasoned argument, shared knowledge, and verifiable facts.
  4. We are committed to an internet that catalyzes collaboration among diverse communities working together for the common good.

Our 10 Principles

  1. Principle 1

    The internet is an integral part of modern life—a key component in education, communication, collaboration, business, entertainment and society as a whole.

  2. Principle 2

    The internet is a global public resource that must remain open and accessible.

  3. Principle 3

    The internet must enrich the lives of individual human beings.

  4. Principle 4

    Individuals’ security and privacy on the internet are fundamental and must not be treated as optional.

  5. Principle 5

    Individuals must have the ability to shape the internet and their own experiences on it.

  6. Principle 6

    The effectiveness of the internet as a public resource depends upon interoperability (protocols, data formats, content), innovation and decentralized participation worldwide.

  7. Principle 7

    Free and open source software promotes the development of the internet as a public resource.

  8. Principle 8

    Transparent community-based processes promote participation, accountability and trust.

  9. Principle 9

    Commercial involvement in the development of the internet brings many benefits; a balance between commercial profit and public benefit is critical.

  10. Principle 10

    Magnifying the public benefit aspects of the internet is an important goal, worthy of time, attention and commitment.

Thursday, January 18, 2024

Arch-Gnome-BiG-N-Iso

Arch-Gnome-BiG-N-Iso 

I am glad to report that I managed to mount or boot Arch Image with Gnome desktop. It is 3.3GB and has over 90 applications.It is not a torrent download and I had to download it point to point direct through FOSS Torrent site.

Arch is usually for install and I could not find a Live Iso.

Majararo of course I have tested but this is first time I am running Live ARCH distribution in 30 years.

Thank you guys and girls.

At the same site, I found Wbuntu and I am writing that image to a USB.

It is Windows over Ubuntu image.

I hope it is live.

I will never install Windows in my NUC.

Tuesday, January 16, 2024

Solus Linux Distribution

Solus Linux Distribution

For the sake of completeness of my testing I have tried a Live Session of and It booted quickly.

1. Configured Wireless Internet. 

2. Plasma Desktop does not look heavy.

I am a Gnome fan I believe it as good as Plasma.

3. Only 2.7GB.

4. Did not try Software center since a review of it says bad about its own software.

In any case it will fail since I always look for AbiWord.

5. FireFox is smooth and fast as usual.

Overall no hassle, pretty good and it comes from Ireland.

 

Monday, January 15, 2024

Tuxedo Linux

I am very supportive of Tuxedo Linux and I am waiting for it's Cosmic desktop.

I am just writing it's latest Iso into a USB stick.

Report when I have finished testing it. 

The Cosmic desktop is not available.

1. FireFox my favorite (apart from Falcon and Opera) is sleek.

2. It is Ubuntu based which is bit of downside since Canonical is going through a sea change.

Ubuntu 21.10 is OK but 21.10.1 is wobbly with old computers.

3. It is KDE my old desktop "flame" but an avid user of Gnome new desktop is Superb.

4. Wireless connectivity is effortless.

5. No Synaptic, SNAP or FlatPak which restrics the availability of software.

Since it is developing its own hardware, I have no qualm about it and they probably port only stable applications to cut down on customer complaints.

The other side of the coin, is when guys and girls looking latest and cutting edge utilities they will not join the band wagon.

5. Office is there as usual my faourite AbiWord is not there.

My conviction is any distribution who do not port this versatile (almost command line utility as a long tern Linux supporter, I will not change my habits.

Take a leaf from Parrot OS which is scaled down but very versatile without scarifying security.

Overall a good effort but it won't be my workhorse for any stretch of imagination.

I am a NUC guy and it only spends only 8 Watts typing this message and no irritating FAN hissing in the background.

In fact I bought a second hand SATA of 500GB and because it was giving a hissing noise I removed it from my NUC and put my OLD Toshiba SATA disk back.

In any case, two of my latest currently working books are there.

I did not copy them to a USB stick.

My saying, if the the old stuff works for YOU Do Not Change.

Carry on Regardless!

Sunday, January 14, 2024

Linux Mint-Mate Desktop

Linux Mint-Mate Desktop

Linux mate desktop is neat but I made a hash of it by resizing partitions using Gparted in spite of warning.

I could not get Emmabantus to boot.

Emmabantus detected file corruption and booted on dark safe mode which I could not see anything on the desktop.

I am currently reinstalling Linux Mint.

Report the outcome, soon.

Friday, January 12, 2024

Basic Intel NUC and USB Boot

Basic Intel NUC can be booted with USB.

One need not have an expensive Hard Disk.

Basic NUC consumes very Little Electricity.

If you boot it with a USB (not a Live Session) in which Debian 12.4.0. Live DVD Installed as a proper installation, USB can be removed.

NUC won't boot without the USB so both the NUC and USB are safe.

Since one uses a password fro booting even if you misplace the USB one cannot steal it.

The advantage is one can store data and file as a normal hard drive.

In a Live Session unless the Distribution supports persistence Like Knoppix one cannot store data.

Puppy Linux of course save data, which it reserves from the Hard Disk. The USB should be at least 32GB capacity and 64GB USB is ideal for safty and for your pocket.

Buying a big Hard disk is a wastage of money and in addition consumes lot of Electricity and Heat Energy.

It is good for planet!

Thursday, January 11, 2024

Another Debian Experiment-12.4.0

Debian 12.4.0 DVD-1 image is only 4GB.

I used Image Writer to write it on a 4GB USB.

It can be booted  only for installing Debian.

I decided to install Debian on a 32GB USB.

It is progressing well.

I do not have a SATA portable disk.

This was done in desperation to use all 8 desktops on a Bootable USB.

Thank you Debian Developer guys and girls keeping several (8) Live DVDs and 20 Installable DVDs.

Mission Successful and I am reporting this from Debian 12.4.0 installed on a USB.  

Yes I did some mistakes regarding EFI booting and I could not boot from my Toshiba hard disk.

I figured out the mistake and I am reinstalling it so that EFI remains in my Toshiba.

Guys and Girls I won't dish out everything, here.

You got to try and figure out.

Total files 2846 which is an addition of about 300 new files from 11 version.

I think Debian 12.4.0 by default won't let me install any additional applications for the reason of Stability. 

Yes Application is not opening but Internet is OK!

I could not install my favourite AbiWord but I have got AbiWord in Debian Genome, Ubuntu and Emmabantus.


Endless OS Freezes

This was posted by my Android while I was testing it.
I tried Endless OS of 20GB Iso using Linux Image Writer utility and it did not boot.
Then I downloaded the Base Iso of nearly 4GB and wrote it to a USB using Image Writer.
It booted all right and configured the wireless internet and it Frooze in mid air.

Please DO NOT use it.

It is supposed to be Linux based and it is not.
My past experience 3 years ago is it booted OK but take over the whole hard disk.

I looked at its home page and it seems it is Windows based utility of no customer use.

I am going to switch off my NUC literally since it actually frozen in action.


Debian Standard or Desktop Live

Debian Standard or Desktop Live

Please note that Debian  use Calamara Installer.

Yes, the Debian Standard DVD is for install

It is OK with a guy or a girl with some basic knowledge and understanding of Linux and Partitioning Strategy from which he or she can build up the necessary components. 

It configures Wireless WiFi effortlessly.

I think its desktop is Gnome.

I did not try installing it since, I already have three Debian based Distributions, Debian, Ubuntu and Emmabantus installed in my tiny Toshiba Hard Drive of  320GB and I have an additional partition of 40GB of NTFS.

That is to  store my favorite distributions.

Each distribution has its own distribution Iso in its Download Folder

Idea is not to breakdown  when downloading (which never happens).

It is the Display Option to a newbie (there aren't many newbies).

I have tried installing Debian 12.4.0 (Stable DVD Version) but could not get new software install.

That put me off, completely.

It is true of current 12.5.o edition.

On install it has 8 Desktops to test at boot time.

One can have only one desktop at a time.

Good old days, I think with Puppy Linux, I could switch to at least three light weight desktops without rebooting.

I wish I could have at least three desktop switches of Gnome, Mate and Cinnamon without rebooting.

Ubuntu has achieved this task by having multiple desktops but one has to download each desktop from the Debian repository. 

Live Gnome DVD once installed does the same thing what Ubuntu does but one needs Synaptic Package Manager to add new desktop types.

KDE or Plasma desktops have lost my interest in them due to their bulk but guys new to Linux probably love them.

Linux is known for light weight and minimum RAM  use and AbiWord is my favourite writing tool over two decades.

It is still smart word processor.

I am currently working on four books.

Its basic memory to hold a big file with images is a daunting task.

I am currently working on four books, one on Dogs  (I do not want to write a book on our dog, long gone, probably in heaven), the other on philosophy, another on Linux Essentials, the fourth of Vegetarian Saga.

By the way, I have almost all the Puppy (old and new) Linux Isos in a 32 GB USB stick.

For a beginner, my recommendation is to use the Live Debian CDs (Mate, Cinnamon, Gnome, LXDE, LXQt and Xfce and many more).

However, lightest weight desktops/ distributions are not available except in Puppy Linux. 

Arch Linux makes my nerves tingle!

Bye and I will come back, If I find anything interesting.

Wednesday, January 10, 2024

SysLinuxOS-12.2 is NOT Fabulous

SysLinuxOS is NOT fabulous.

It cannot even configure the mouse, just similar to Peppermint Linux could not configure the keyboard.

It cannot be installed along with other Linux distributions.

It cannot identify already existing SWAP partition.

I found a SATA disk for 10 dollars and I partitioned it to install an additional fourth distribution.

I had 3 distributions already inside the 320GB Toshiba.

This was Seagate Hard disk apart from slight hissing noise it has Emmabanrus, Ubuntu 23.10 and Debian Gnome 12.4.0.

Yes after two failed trials I installed Parrot OS as the fourth distribution. 

Earlier it had Linux Mint Mate. 

Since I already have Ubuntu another Ubuntu based distribution is redundant.

SysLinux OS 12.2 has a heavy weight approach.


It had added lot of Microsoft redundant applications on top of the Linux base.

Like Linspire it is a failure not in any way inspiring.

1. It is Debian based.

2. One needs some understanding of Use of Linux.

3. It has all the Network Tools but it took about 30 minutes for me to find the available Wireless Network.

4. I am In Australia and I was able to get our Ceylon Mobile Networks only after fiddling a little.

5. It has VM (Microsoft) Ware already installed and I did not bother to test it.

6. It has lot of Microsoft Windows software already installed and one who is coming from a Windows background should be pleased to use them.
 

But why use windows under Linux hood except for playing Window's games.
 

Did not have any worthwhile games.

7. As usual  AbiWord is NOT there.
I did  try looking for Software Install but could not find Abiword.

On that ground alone, I won't USE it!

8. It has both Synaptic and SNAP packages.


No FlatPak.

9. Mouse is wobbly when an item is active but wireless keyboard is OK.

10. I might give it a try on an External SATA disk which I do not have now.
 

Yes, I tried installing and it failed.
 

I think it was looking for Windows to dual boot and cannot dual boot with another Linux distribution.

11. Implementation of the Calamara Installer is a total failure.

I won't use it even though it claims it has System Ware.
 

A bogus approach, I believe.