ALT-Linux-WorkStation-10-04

 I am averse to Flathub and Flatpak that comes from Ubuntu, mainly due to duplication of files in the name of containers.

Cairo Dock is also depreciated.

 

ALT-Linux-WorkStation-10-04 is pretty good.

It is a Russian distribution.

 

If I remember right it was only had install mode iso image

 

It has a Live and Live persistent mode.

Persistent mode did not work.

Mate Desktop which is sleek.

 

Wifi configuration is excellent.

 

It has Firefox as the browser.

 

 It has LibreOffice with Thesaurus which is pretty good.

 

It is 7.2GB and has Synaptic Package Manager.

Theme is light and bright with my old age it is bit inconvenient.

 

Spell correlation is pretty good.

Nothing to complain and if I do visit Russia I may carry this distribution in my packet. Only for a live session

Could not install Abiword and Tux Racer in a live mode.

Additionally, it corrupted EFI boot Loader.

I could not boot Gnome.

It may be due to my faulty.

On second thought, I may have formatted boot section as EFI partition. 

It should be a FAT partition of about 532 configured as EFI.

I did not have a Gnome Boot USB. I deleted them to make room for ALT-Workstation.

I only had boot DVD of Debian.

Ultimately I installed Netruuner KDE plasma and installed it over ALT- Workstation to boot Netruuner. It got the boot Loader back but without the proper journal it won't boot.

I am currently reinstalling Debian Boot CD one to reconfigure the boot Loader.

I have forgotten manual editing of fstab file.

The bottom line is now I have the sleek Netrunner KDE plasma.

It had Synaptic Package Manager which is handy but could not install AbiWord my favorite word processor.

I have few more problems that I did not anticipate. I used KDE to write the image and it missed a few files and USB did not boot. I verified the Image using Transmission.

 

The biggest mistake that one has to use Calamara Installer not the old Debian Text Installer. 

Installer is progressing well and it need an EFI partition to boot.

Calmara Installer is Distribution Independent Installer  and its file systems are different. There is no temporary file but an optional file. This option file is finicky.

In Linux there are chron jobs and integrity checking at every boot instance. At boot time it gives conflicts files in Red, which I always read. 

 

Often I do not know what to do about but make a note of them especially time stamp. If recurrent I install the System leaving behind DATA files in my /home folder which I can manually inspect.

There are no duplicate files in the System files unlike in Microsoft Windows.

That is the beauty of Linux.

I messed up everything especially the EFI file which is necessary for booting.

I would stick to latest Debian Image 12.8.--- so that I have only one boot file in the /boot partition.

If YOU look at it will have separate 12.6--- and 12.7--- boot file but if you install 12.8--- last it will keep the latest file for booting.

 

I do not know what changes will come with the Debian 13 series. But current one is valid til 2025 July.

I need some corrections here.

If you try the Live Session one is offered the Calamara Installer. 

It is the Graphical installer.

If one is like me an old timer and knows about Debian Linux and partitioning methods, one can click straight to the Text based Installer, which much quicker and is not hard on the RAM.

This Russian Distribution did some irreversible alterations to EFI partition plus its installer could not figure out my partition table which was not in serial order.

My Guess looking at the partition table, it did not see partition 3 in the partition table. It is only a guess.  In any case MATE desktop which I have not used on a regular basis has some problems. In any case I have MATE in one of my distributions installed (DVD 1 of Debian).

I am not going to use it any way.

 

This in Christmas Holiday and time we'll spent.

I am going to download Debian Gnome today the latest Version.

By the way, I have Gnome, Cinnamon, Mate, Xfce and KDE desktop in one root partition.

It takes a long time to install.

I would delete the ALT-Workstation but keep the Live USB as. reminder of the today's SAGA.

Transmission and Deluge Torrents Integration

Transmission and Deluge Torrents Integration

I am currently downloading 7.2GB Alt-workstation-10.4-x86_64.

I used Deluge to begin with.

My usual torrent download is transmission.

Since it very slow download, I deliberately.

Well the two integrate well and bulk comes form Deluge.

Transmission gives an up to date account of the download status bu Deluge does not.

Deluge says 4mintes time left but Transmission (it is downloading at 0.5kb speed) says 8 hours. Over the next couple of minutes Transmission got more peers and sped up.

Transmission is the winner but it is still 4GB out of 7.2GB.

Linux Utilities I Use

 I use Debian as my desktop and rarely KDE.

While KDE cannot handle Gnome packages Gnome works well with evreything except Gnome-Pie

Linux Utilities I Use

1. Firefox

2. Transmission

3. VLC

4. Audacity

5. Abiword

6. LibreOffice

7. Synaptic Package Manger

8. GDebi Package Manager

9. Stacer

10. Notepadqq

11. Ranger

12. Gnome-Pie 

13. Gimp

14. Gnome-Pie does not work with Gnome

15. K3B

16. KDN Live

17. Box

18. Transmission

19. Deluge

20.  Flathub and Flatpak  NO with Gnome and they are Ubuntu derivatives

21.  Blender

22.  Joplin

23. Paperwork not with Gnome

24. Xournal

25. Scribus

26. Inkscape

25. Variety has a bug in it

26. Spectacle

27. Sweeper

28. Bleachbit

29. Clapper

30. MVP

31. Notes

32. shotwell

33. Calibre

 

An Ubuntu Fork Pinguy OS 12.04

Friday, June 22, 2012
An Ubuntu Fork Pinguy OS 12.04

 

I did have some liking for this distribution with a lovely booting music.

 

It is currently dormant. 

I have given up using PCLINUX, too. 

Very INFREQUENTLY updated.

Following is a reproduction from Software
I must confess for not writing a detailed review, which this distribution richly deserves and only a few comments.
I had a horrible night yesterday.
I slept from till 7.00 p.m tonight.
My PClinux FullMonty (current work horse of mine) was playing Pandu (Ball Game) with my desktop and every time I click the mouse it switches off my monitor.
In fact it was so bad I did my work on my Abiword on completely black monitor (pretty nice experience without any distractions barring typos and no editing facility).
Worse scenario was yet to come when I got the monitor on, by pressing hard on the UPS battery, the monitor got switched on and I was pasting few photos off from an old DVD of mine, the desktop effects when into DEAD FREEZE MODE and I could not do anything but Ctrl+Alt+ Del, completely disrupting my point to point download of Ubuntu Server and Desktop CDs and all my background activities.
I will right a detail report about the FullMonty´s desktop effects later and I will cut this story short now.
In the Frozen sate I stopped the desktop effects, restarted the computer with my download active and went to sleep.
Sometime a good sleep will give your ¨BACK UP BRAIN¨ to work well and I was dreaming a lot which was a pleasant experience.
I always say a good night sleep, in my case a good day time sleep on weekends, rejuvenate my brain especially I am working on a book and running short of ideas.
Ideas get deposited in your brain when dreaming.
Got up had a cup of tea and opened my Abiwod (mind you this is my latest book) and corrected all the bugs (PCLINUX and not in Abiword) in about 10 minutes, my correct document (renamed) and the original in pristine form recovered, browsed the www.linuxtracker.org to see PinGuy 12.04 (I call it in Sinhala Ape (our) PIN (Kusala or Merits) Guy (transliterated to Ape MAN).
Renamed Ape PIN= OUR MAN.
I remember reading a review of it,  couple of years ago and the reviewer ended up saying I like this distribution but I do not know what the developer is trying to DO or ACHIEVE.
He is very expressive  here and I agree with the developer´s views without any reservations.
It has a very good grub and unlike Ubuntu recognizes all other distributions (in my 500 GB hard disk on laptop) when installing.
Only other distribution, light weight though, that has a good grub is AntiX and Mephis.
It has Ubuntu one.
It used to have UnetBootIn but I will tell you soon after I checked the downloads (currently on) later.
Thanks, I believe you guys coming from UK (unfortunately there is some Anti--British sentiments here and British Council's www.writeclique.net is defunct now) doing some excellent work.
Nice to see practical men in Britain, instead of celebrating Monarchy (we are heading that way unfortunately) doing yeoman service to the entire world with the help of South African Ubuntu.
I believe some of you are South Africans domiciled in UK.
BIG THANK YOU for your hard work it is PIN or Merits in Sinhala.
I use PinGuy (11.04) in all my computers an keep it as a reserve distribution to enjoy Gnome not the KDE.
I will soon drop my KDE addiction and it is the K3B which is an excellent CD/DVD writing utility.
 

An Ubuntu Fork Pinguy OS 12.04

Pinguy OS an out-of-the-box working operating system for everyone, not just geeks.

This OS is for people that have never used Linux before or for people that just want an out-of-the-box working OS without doing all the tweaks and enhancements that everyone seems to do when installing a fresh copy of Ubuntu or other Linux based Distro's.

Ubuntu is a great OS and undoubtedly the most popular and easiest Linux based Distro to use but even with its default setup and chosen programs it's still lacking functionality and ease of use for most new users. So what I decided to do was build a Distro that looks good, could do everything most user would ever want to do and that was very simple to use.

I started out by listening to what my friends and family wanted to use their PC for and found the most user friendly programs for the task they wanted to do. After a while I got a good idea what most people use their PC for and what programs were the easiest to use. Like using Shotwell for easily uploading images to Facebook, gtkpod for putting music, photos and video on a ipod/iphone and Arista for converting the video to a iPod friendly format.

So all the programs in Pinguy OS have been chosen because of their ease of use and functionality, I also changed every file type to open with the right program, like for some reason by default .iso are opened with Archive Manager so I changed that to Brasero Disc Burner.

As I already said apart from it being easy to use I also wanted it to be a very good looking operating system. There are now a lot of programs out there for Linux to give the OS a very smart and polished implementation, like CoverGloobus, Gloobus Preview, GNOME Do, and Docky. These programs don't just give the OS a good look and feel but they are also very useful and handy.

Pinguy OS is an optimise build of Ubuntu 11.04 Minimal CD with added repositories, tweaks and enhancements that can run as a Live DVD or be installed. It has all the added packages needed for video, music and web content e.g. flash and java, plus a few fixes as well. Like fixing the wireless problems, gwibber’s Facebook problem and flash videos in full-screen.

Everything is set-up for samba, all you need to do is right click a folder you want to share and add a password in samba using system-config-samba.
It also has a UPnP/DLNA server (pms-linux) so you can share your music, video’s etc. With a PS3, XBOX 360, Smart Phones or any other UPnP/DLNA media reader.

Nautilus has been replaced for Elementary-Nautilus with added plug-ins so it can get music and video art from the web. The default theme is Elementary using ttf-droid font with Docky and a custom Conky.

I have also added DVB support to Totem for anyone with a TV card that wants to watch tv on their PC but doesn't want to install a dedicated program like myth-tv.

For a full list of installed programs and repos for 10.04.2 *OLD* download this file.

If you prefer to download and install the LTS (long term support) 10.04. It can still be downloaded from here.

If you like this Distribution and would like to help it improve and grow you can always donate, it doesn't matter how small the amount is, it all helps.

Teeny Weeny Linux-OmniBoot Base-2012-2

 
Tuesday, July 3, 2012

Teeny Weeny Linux-OmniBoot Base-2012-2
Omni Boot Base-2012-2
 

Omniboot DVD is big DVD of 4.1 GiB and it won´t fit in with my Teeny Weeny Linux book but its content does.
I went to sourceforge and downloaded omniboot base which is 109 MB and has more than 100 utilities, to crack window´s password and booting without password, even on a Linux distribution, are there.


 Please note the following values in MB may be wrong but are the nearest estimate.
 

 I copied from sorceforge.

For example OminiBoot CD is 692 MB and I am currently downloading it.
I have downloaded CD and it is even better than the base utility
 
OmniBoot v0.4 cd.iso                                                    2012-04-16                 725.6 MB  

System Rescue CD 2.5.1.iso                                          2012-04-15                 360.7 MB  

RIP-Linux 13.7.iso                                                          2012-04-15                 162.5 MB  

Puppy Slacko 5.3.1.iso                                                    2012-04-15                 135.3 MB  

Porteus 1.1.iso                                                                2012-04-15                 346.0 MB  

Parted Magic 2012-03-24.iso                                        2012-04-15                 208.7 MB  

m0n0wall 1.33.iso                                                          2012-04-15                   18.9 MB 

 
Geexbox 2.0.iso                                                              2012-04-15                    77.6 MB  

Freenas 0.7.5.iso                                                             2012-04-15                 147.8 MB  

Diskcopy 2.3.1.iso                                                           2012-04-15                   33.6 MB  

CD Linux 0.9.7.1.iso                                                        2012-04-15                  98.6 MB  

AVG 120.2012-03-27.iso                                                 2012-04-15                 83.9 MB  

OmniBoot v0.4 base.iso                                                  2012-04-15                114.3 MB

Base CD has SliTaZ, PLOP and many more.

Posted by Asoka at 5:21 PM No comments
Sunday, July 1, 2012
Book on Teeny Weeny Linux-TinyMe-2012-1
Book on Teeny Weeny Linux
I have decided to finish my Little book on Tiny Linux distributions and give a tiny report as I test each one of them before making an entry in my book.
This was long overdue.
Yes one year or so.
It was just as well, I did not finish this task earlier than this.
Lot of changes are taking place of the Linux Desktop front, Gnome and Unity of Ubuntu only little is is talked about the functionality and use of the distribution
These distributions use very little resources and can be used, using an old computer taken out of attic and bit of dusting done.
They use forgotten but very useful desktops.
They also use alternative browser.
Browser which is light weight (I have written about it earlier in this site) is useful when one uses the cloud computing utilities too.


About Tiny me.
1. It is a PClinux derivative and called Unity Linux (Don´t confuse with the desktop) long before Ubuntu hijacked that name for its new desktop.
2. Its new version comes in 32 and 64 bits.
3. It detects my old IBM Netvista with a new graphic card easily.
4. Boots quickly
5. Configure the browser with few key strokes.
6. It has new package manger.
7. Its browser is Netserf
8. Above all it has AbiWord my favorite light weight but versatile word processor.
9. It does not tell you how to log in but coming from PCLinux base guessed root first and later with guest (with the password of the same letters) later.
10. It can be installed and CD is only 230 MB (just above my cut off point which is 200 MB).
I cannot load from a Tiny pocket size CD.
That is just a minor point.
It is useful as a tiny distribution with a nice looking desktop and why grumble.
It is not a utility distribution like Gparted of RIP but a good desktop to do ones day to day work.
I won´t award any points to any since all of them serve some useful purpose.
I would be grateful for your own comments about this distribution and then I can add a  few more colourful lines in my own writing.
THANKS.

Stupidity that goes with Windows and Proprietary Installations

 Wednesday, September 19, 2012
Stupidity that goes with Windows and Proprietary Installations

Stupidity that goes with Windows and Proprietary Installations
I will be brief.
Whether it is Microsoft or Linux Proprietary Installation, one is handicapped from day one.
It was true with SuSe installed as OEM on a netbook.
I got rid of SuSe Enterprise with the first opportunity I had.
I had to find a good alternative from my archived distributions and unfortunately I found only a few.

There is no excuse for me with Windows 7 starter pack.
I bought a  Microsoft Starter pack for Rs10,000/= in case my daughter´s netbook packs up (this was a netbook with OEM XP introduced sometime ago to counteract Linux popularity) but I never used it for that purpose.
So I had it on my laptop which I rarely use except to demonstrate Linux on workshops or to my friends.

 
My workhorse is old IBM desktop with various Linux installed.
 

I wanted to upgrade my laptop with new stuff and I did all that last night including downloading the packages I wanted which were missing with the iso.
Today I was busy preparing USB boot up hard disk with UnetBootIn and the USB creator pack of PCLinux and accidentally formatted the partition where windows was installed and another partition where Ubuntu/Super OS was installed.
This is something I do but never worry about it.
Since I can simply plug in a USB KEY with Live Linux or live CD to get the system running.
But, alas, not today.
I got my other Linux running and happily switched off the computer.
Since we are still on strike I attended to some gardening and came and switched on the computer.
It started up and got frozen  at the first page looking for Windows 7 and won´t  switch off the computer.
Won´t boot on with Live CD or the Live USB hard disk.
I was in a bit of a panic mode not knowing how to switch it off and thinking I have burned something by overcooking and overclocking the laptop.
Normally when I press hard on the on button for a few seconds it switches off but not today.
I removed all the USB sticks DVDs and waited for a while but it won´t switch off.
Well. I took the battery off as the last resort which was not a thing one should do in this type of situation.

 
Having  checked that nothing running, no kernel or init or hardware except the DVD ROM running, I did the unthinkable as the last rescue effort.
When I put the battery on, the above scenario repeated with no possibility of booting a Live Linux to repair the MBR I have willingly damaged.
I removed the battery again and had a complete survey of all the components and all of them were in good condition to my satisfaction and waited for one hour for the RAM to discharge and in the next time round put the windows DVD and switched on the computer on.
Presto!

 
It booted up and this is the trick Microsoft does to O.E.M if ever one boots a window´s starter.
 

This is the computer I bought while on a short holiday without an operating system and booted up while waiting in the airport lounge with Linux and used it till its battery went dead and I was coming home safely only a laptop as the hand luggage.
I tested it with a Puppy Linux pocket CD and a Live USB which I prepared while in transit, before buying it.
In my case I was prudent never to register with Microsoft, I could boot the DVD 100 times or more if there need be.
This is a dirty DOS Trick and with Windows 8 coming there will be much more dirty tricks up their sleeves and I won´t boot up Windows 8 even to have a  look.
O.E.M guys and girls BEWARE the DIRTY TRICKS!
 

Well yesterday, I did install my favorite but light weight Linux on a pocket and portable USB Hard Drive and copied the GRUB file to it and this will never happen again with Microsoft for sure.
One has to have a laptop that boots up with a USB Key.
There is a problem with the USB key.
Anybody can destroy the data with a USB key, unless you lock your laptop with a chain.
That is why I prefer a full blown operating system with root and user password.
Never leave a laptop unattended specially when abroad and on holidays.

 
Skinheads are there for your Money, Laptop, Master Cards and the Cellphones ( four digit passwords for your cards can be easily cracked).

 

 BEWARE.

 

This laptop which is heavy by any standard has Endless OS running with a 1GB hard disk.

Apple Mac, Yellow Dog, MakkOS (Fleas) and My Dog-The Connection and the Nation Building

 
Monday, November 12, 2012
Apple Mac, Yellow Dog, MakkOS (Fleas) and My Dog-The Connection and the Nation Building

Apple Mac, Yellow Dog, MakkOS (Fleas) and My Dog

 

The Connection and the Nation Building Tax
All the above have literal and metaphorical connection.
 

The common denominator is thee size of one’s pocket.

All except Yellow Dog is going is going up and the trend is exponential with the announcement of our budget which is is economically strangling the nation with debit and credit crisis.

While the black money is going in percentage from 30% to 50% and we are debiting our money in the N.B.T (Nation Building TAX) and if one is having Rs.33,000/= turnover (above the SME-Small and Medium Enterprises) a day one is taxed for helping the economy in which the current government is unable to encompass and accomplish its energy with unnecessary extravaganza.

Yellow Dog is is open source distribution that can be installed in a Apple Computer.
I do not think any one of us in the university can afford to buy an Apple computer for productivity work. I was involved in networking of our faculty (we had only Rs.500,000/+ donated by Lions of Kandy), and we got some help from J.I.C.A. The guy who heads the Computer section who did not have any idea about networking was in charge. 

J.I.C.A donated an Apple Computer computer to the Unit but this guy disappeared from the Faculty with the Apple Mac. 

Practically stealing. I did not see him again.

Leave alone if one us including academics can afford an old netbook, it is a luxury.

Some years ago I figured out the cost of one Microsoft Computer not pirated, I could have three computers, one at office, one at home  for me and one for my kids for playing games (basically DOS games that are / were very good but out of vogue, now).

If I revise my old computations with Apple as an example today I can have almost 50 computers wirelessly connected in my SME business model using Linux as the Link Language.

The beauty is that the economics of the  NBT pundits cannot figure it out or understand the Linux or its open philosophy and versatility.
 

They are engrossed with hedging deals instead of critical thinking.
 

What about MakkOS, the dog fleas which are plenty in this country like IRCs in Welikada with some political backing or the vote bank.

But the trouble is the treatment of dog fleas has gone up and I have to live with my dog and its fleas.
 

There is a saying in Sinhalese, that we say “if we sleep with a dog we wake up with dog fleas”.

That is of course if we are not interrupted by mosquito menace.
Fortunately we have a temporary respite with torrential rain and not full game of cricket.
That is also a blessing since we can switch off the TV to save on electricity.
Fortunately, I do not watch SORROW-Lankan cricket but more interested in how the hedging deal was accomplished with ex-cricketers in the fray and running the SHOW.

I sometimes think if I hedged myself with an ex-cricketer instead going on an academic exercise called industrial action, I could have earned the entire emoluments in the university in one transaction.
That is only a wishful thinking.

Coming back to my dog which is having an expensive taste is refusing to eat the meager meal provided.
 

I did a survey and realized he wished that I should be back on with industrial action lest he missed all the fun we had during the prolonged strike.
Yes, we had dog food those days without our salary being paid but the dog food we shared had more meaning than all the 6% increase in educational funds we were asking for.
I am in full agreement with my dog who does not understand anything about Work or Free time (duly paid after three months) or Strike.

Yes the company we had eating dog food was worth in gold than the promises we were entertained by the economically Enlightened Economists.

We are treated like Pol Buruwas by the elite.
Fortunately my dog who is eternally wagging his tail is a Pol Buruwaa but I am not.
 

Who else are the Pol Buruwas?
They are the poor voters

 
Posted by Asoka at 12:44 AM
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
Linux Update on Apple Mac
Linux Update on Apple Mac
I have lot to report now.
Even though, Apple Mac on IBM hardware is based on Linux architecture boot parameters are different from Microsoft.

There is no BIOS but it has something called EFI where Apple Mac boot parameters are locked in and that little bit less than 1 MB [in fact few kilo bites] cannot be erased or formatted.
That little bit is essential for booting the computer and probably the firmware is written there and is permanently resident there.

I could not change it and after installing Ubuntu, I could not boot any other CD.
I searched the web and an Apple user who seemed to be having the mind of a HakingTosh PLAYER helped me.

One has to hold down the C for Command line and P and R for RAM to get the factory boot options and then I could boot all the CDs I downloaded with Linux for Power Pack PCs.

 I managed to install Debian xfce.
The old Mac has very little RAM.
It took a very long time while connected to the internet for updating files.
Ubuntu and Xbuntu (I have now installed Xbuntu because my favorite word processor is AbiWord ) 6.0.6 version (do not confuse with Debian 6.0.6) which is few years old and has no updates and installation was pretty breezy.

Debian is the latest 6.0.6 and has up to date facility.

I managed to install Yellow Dog 5.0.2 and had to terminate it due to not having the third CD downloaded.

It is like the old Redhat 8 with 6 CDs and it is pretty good.
 

I had to do lot of searching for the images.

Its partition tool detects Apple firmware unlike gParted in Ubuntu and Xbuntu.

I could also use a home partition.
Yellow Dog based on Redhat has the best partition tool for Apple Mac hardware.

OK then, thanks to Debian, Yellow Dog and Ubuntu for your their excellent work on Apple hardware.

I won't test or write on Apple Mac for sometime, lest I will destroy the precious little RAM I have in my old Apple hardware.

I have done enough installing already.
I am currently downloading the 4th, 5th and 6th CDs of Yellow Dog.

If you have any additional information on Linux on Apple Mac please do not hesitate to make some comments below for other users Apple users to experiment with Linux.

Posted by Asoka at 9:55 AM
Saturday, November 3, 2012
Linux-Ubuntu on Apple Mac
Linux-Ubuntu on Apple Mac

 
You may be wondering why there was no addition to my blog post.
I did not have access to internet for two solid weeks all due to thunder storms and the local telecom server unable to provide service.

I wanted to write about Linux on an Apple Mac and my first encounter with Apple Mac computer had to be delayed by about three weeks.

Three weeks ago, I was hunting for a RAM for IBM Server which I had misplaced after dismantling its components.
With the strike on, I did not want it (the server) to be obstructing my massive clean up efforts.

Before tidying up, I just wanted to see whether I could find few 266 DDR RAM.

I was looking for them over the past 9 months.

It needed an EEC (Error corrected) dedicated RAM.
I walked into a computer shop and the guys knew me instantly and after a little search gave me a negative reply.

As I was walking out I saw an Apple Mac (Globe) with a beautiful monitor.

I asked, is it working and the guy said not Apple but Ubuntu.

That was a pleasant surprise and I got the young chap to run it and he even did not know how to open the CD tray.

I jacked in a USB Linux and it did not boot but after a long pause it booted up Xubuntu and it had Abiword, my favorite word processor.

I told him nobody except me would by it and nobody knows Linux in Kandy as much as I do and it is not Ubuntu but Xubuntu to be precise.

I checked the hard disk capacity which was 36 odd and the RAM was pretty low in today's standard and it was a good toy for me to play with Linux testing.

I told him I will be back in two hours and if they quote a good price the deal was on.

I was collecting money for breast cancer project in those two hours.

Try all your tricks and tell me how it boots and BIOS etc were my instructions.

When I came back, they had given up on it and only the live CD was booting after a very long delay.

I managed to take the live CD out and could boot live only once at home and the thunder storms started and the install script did not work.
The same night the local server of the telecom was out and I could not have any access to download a Linux CD to install.

Ubuntu 5 and 9 power pack editions, I had were of no use and did not boot.
I downloaded Xubuntu 10 and it also did not boot.

All this was due to low RAM.

Toady morning I managed to download both Xubuntu and Ubuntu 6.0.6.1 and fortunately I managed to install Ubuntu on the first go.

Several goes with Xubuntu (to save the RAM) did not work with some file errors in the CD.

I could not find a Debian or any other less than 700 MB (CD version) to install on the old Apple Mac.

It is again Ubuntu to rescue.

What ever false propaganda people are spreading against Ubuntu, it was Ubuntu which had the nerve to spread its influence even on Apple hardware.

In less than 10 minutes it copied the files and in another 7 minutes it installed and configured the hardware in a Mac which had 80 odd RAM.

It is amazing what Linux can do even with low RAM.

It has open office 2 and firefox which was old but got me to my email and blog spot in an instant but without cookies.

I hate cookies which is pain in the neck and delay mounting files.

BiC THANK YOU to guys at Canonical and the guys who keep old repositories full of old Linux distributions.

If not for you lot of working hardware would be in the junkyard.

Now I can say I am an Apple hardware (if not software) convert.

Apple Mac and Boot Loaders for Linux Distributions

 Tuesday, December 4, 2012
Apple Mac and Boot Loaders for Linux Distributions

Apple Mac and Boot Loaders for Linux Distributions.
Boot Loaders both Grub and LiLo can be pain in the ArXXXX if one is installing as many as seven (7) distributions in one computer.
That is what I do .
Each distribution, I use for a particular purpose, for testing and demonstrations.
Sometimes it is the smallest distribution that does it well.
I am going to talk about AntiX in a while, just hold it for a moment.
Because I use so many passwords including my Bank Cards I tend to forget some of them due to lack of use.
I forgot the root password for  PCLinuxFullMonty.
One cannot ROOT without a root password in Linux.
That is my work horse and I use it everyday including for downloading distributions for testing.
I wanted to do some simple task, home keeping task, one may call it BOX keeping task, like what cricketers wear when they go out for batting.
Like cricketers protecting their testicles one has to protect important data when computing and Linux has a way of doing it.
All important tasks are delegated to root user which normal user cannot use unless he is given sudo user privilege.
I could not remember the password and I could not cover my computer genitals.
That speaks lot about Linux.
Once configured I rarely do any household task.
 Once the firewall is properly configured, one can do seamless work day after day.
No complaints.
It is true that Linux computer should run 24/7 day schedule.
.
No hassle of updating too.
I decided to format and install it again since that is what I do in December.
This time because of our industrial action and particularly the laziness acquired during long drawn out strike, this was bit delayed.
I keep entire December for enjoying and the computer also get a rest.
But not this time round, we have to extend the sessions to accommodate for the lost time.
December 1st and second I was busy installing PCLinuxFullmonty.
Only PCLinux.
Others were OK and I could remember their passwords.
Installing went OK but with a hitch.
It did not recognize some of my other distribution in its GRUB file for booting.
I Installed Debian 6.0.6.
It recognized all but but PCLinux failed to start.
The fact of the matter is PCLinux is KDE desktop.
Debian was Gnome.
They do not speak to each other.
That is true as far as GRUB booting is concerned.
Then I re-installed PCLINUX without formatting home partition.
This time Debian did not boot.
Then I go for my magic-wand.
It is called AntiX, a Debian based Mepis derivative, and tiny and install in 10 minutes.
It restored my boot Loader with all in its menu.
I used to do all this manually with Redhat and Mandake and edit the boot partition line by by line.
Mankdrake had LiLo and Redhat had very good GRUB then.
Now of cause Linux does not need a boot partition and all is integrated with root partition and they can be mounted from any partition and MBR has all the details.
Coming back to Apple Mac it is Unix based and it still uses 1 MB bootstrapping partition which none of the partition tools is able to do now.
I installed Debian in the Apple Mac and then mounted Xbuntu and reduced the home partition and installed Xbuntu on the available space.
Now it has two bootstraps but can recognize only one.
that is the last install boot partition.
Apple Mac does not have MBR like in windows and it recognize only one boot partition.
I know one thing I can do is to edit the boot menu in the boot partition using an editor.
I am too lazy to do that now and I have no idea how Apple uses its command to recognize alien distributions.
This is how Apple works and even Windows 8 is trying to emulate Apple very late in its downward trend evolution.
I can use only one Linux distribution in an Apple hardware.
It is an absolute waste of resources as far as hardware is concerned.

This is one reason I never use Apple Mac.

The second hand Apple Globe, I gave it to a young guy along with one of my old computers.

He could never figure out how to boot Apple.

I gave him the Redhat version of set of 6 CDS to install.
 

The core Debian used only 280 MB of hard disk.
That is how powerful Linux is.
Rest of Linux utilities are spread over var and user partitions.

My Tale of Google; I love you and Hate You

 Wednesday, March 6, 2013
My Tale of Google; I love you and Hate You
Google, I love you because you have taken adequate protections to save my blog site from intruders.

I hate you because all the methods you have adopted to see that I am human drives me mad at my old age.

It was after 10 or 11 attempts, I got to my page.

Your initial attempt to check the telephone, I hated the most since I had to come down two stairs and climb up two stairs to get back to type your secret code number,
I never use mobile phones.
Thank god you drop that vice.
I am still virile enough to do that but many Americans and British at my age would have ended up with a heart attack with that method.

Your initial attempt to block my entry, I bypassed with a very simple child like strategy.
I won''t let you know that method except telling you I am a Linux user, not a dirty guy or a hacker but wanted to check the latest Debian Based Tails on my computer.
I must tell you we live in a country where our normal day to day life is monitored with paranoia.
We need Google in an emergency if our human rights are violated.
Please do not be paranoid like governments big and small, who are having shady actions every minute of the day.
For normal humans beings like us the only entertainment may be the world wide web.
Be easy on it and password cheking and some entertaining web work up.
You have to think creatively.
 
We doctors use awareness, memory and alertness by using some simple an complex methods.
I don't see why computer guys like you cannot develop a creative Work Up, thinking of the elderly and young (they are more clever than adults and I used a method my dog use, to bypass my simple orders, today).
 
Blogging may not change the world but it is a simple recreation for some old people who have no friends left in this world and Facebook is not their forte.

Facebook does more dirty tricks than Google.

For tails developers THANK YOU and YOU Must keep your tails up like a good guard dogs.
You must know the vices of the web providers too.

Reading and Revisiting Old Books for Pleasure

 Friday, July 26, 2013
The gentleman who sells these books went bankrupt, sice he could not afford the rent in Kandy City. 

Other guy who were selling songs, mainly "oldies" used to sell those once a year at  Kandy City Center.
 

Reading and Revisiting Old Books for Pleasure
From the very outset I must say, I am not a guy who would read a fiction book from cover to cover.
It is almost an anathema to me.

I read the back cover first and then see whether the story has been made into a film and go and see the film instead. 

That was good old days when we got down all the good English films including box office ones.

Last film I saw was Karma. I went to see that film expecting to get some inspiration for finalizing my book on “Rebirth Revisited” but on the same day I wrote a stinking blog piece to say it was my bad Karma, for me to see it from beginning to end. 

Outright distortion on medical facts and no understanding on what is envisaged in the concept of Kamma as is said to be stated in Dhamma.

This is my entry point to state categorically that reading a good old book is an inspiration, to say the least. 

I could not find a single recent book incorporating evolving medical facts about the concept of Kamma but I dug into my old books and found a good book written by Francis Story. Unfortunately this gentleman died of an incurable cancer and could not finish his task but Rev. Bhikku Bodhi had compiled a book having collected his old writings.

It is not a masterpiece but it is the best book available for one to read.
If one s inquisitive, that book has enough material to dig in deeper and discover facts from fiction.
My attempt was not to recompile but to revisit the same theme with little bit of scientific thought process activated by default. So having had few old books in my collection was a big boost. 

Revisiting Rebirth was almost spontaneous reaction having read those old books.
With lot of human right talks on the horizon, I wanted to dig into the history of the white man in the last 500 years with special reference to South Africa. I could not find a single book in all the bookshops in Kandy city.
I did not try the University library knowing very well that would be futile.
I did not give up finding a book and for my luck there is a bookshop in Kandy, 145, D.S. Senanayake Vidiya, called “Tel” with a remarkable collection of old books.

I hit a gem pit of old English books.

I have a penchant for old books and they are enough to keep me fully occupied for the rest of the year.
I think it is worthwhile to revisit why Sri-Lankans have lost the habit of reading, especially English books. The biggest reason is that the books are written in fairly advanced English and reading and comprehension of them are not within there capability of the average young reader.
They second reason is we do not have good English teachers now and most of them have retired or gone abroad for teaching. 

 

The current English teaching in schools is very poor.

I must state that I sat the O Level examination to see it for myself 12 years ago, I got a distinction and my office boy's son also got a distinction. 

I am sure the examiners who corrected my paper did not understand my English and gave me a distinction by default.
The examination did not have a way to distinguish me from the teenager whose English was not at its prime.

There was a big fault in the examination.

I am an examiner myself and I set a question to distinguish the mediocre from the brightest.

I call it the distinction question.

Suffice is to say we had five first classes this time and old of them got an A grade in the subject I teach passionately.
There is also a dangerous habit of trying to translate them with no attempt at improving the standard of English. I think it is far better to have a lighter and easy version in English than to translate them.
One can never get the same feeling the author had when he/she incubated the wonderful idea for the book. 

I tell young ones please do not read the translation but read the original.
If one cannot have the new book, go for a secondhand book.
That is not a crime.
Out of the many other reasons what stands out most is that the children are examination oriented from their tender age and not learning oriented. 

 

I hate the year five examination and I am one who is vociferous that this examination should be scrapped.

 
I have stated it before and many a times.

The government giving free books often not edited for 30 years or more is another factor to contend with.

It is an antithesis to me in the modern age and IT world.
We have not produced outstanding educators simply because of this reason and it is a hindrance to freelance writers of educational books.
Until we produce enough educators and good authors only thing one can do is to read old books. 

If you have old books please make sure they are recirculated.
The “Tel” bookshop would be an outlet for them in Kandy.

Managing Passwords

 Tuesday, August 13, 2013

Managing Passwords
I think Ubuntu One and few others give concern for good password management.
Naming others would be improper since they are not Open Source based.

What goes behind them and whether they share them with the NSA or a corrupt regimes is open for debate.

I have personnel reason to believe they do and my own experience with institutions specially corrupt or vested interests, is on the affirmative.

They are hell bent to breach any privacy one may have.
The reason being that they do not want to be exposed of their sordid acts.
They are paranoid and it is a disease.

Fact that this blog post exists is due to the interference with my blog post elsewhere and a site that lacked good security protocol.

They were dysfunctional over more than a year and I do not use the site anymore.
My writings were very docile innocent and not politically involved.
They were bit humorous and the basic ingredients were satire.

Unfortunately for me, out of the top ten, my writings (I was involved in initial setup) filled the top eight and the administrator got paranoid and blocked my name.
I still continued to write (very little traffic) in spite of noticing the administrators handiwork, since my idea was not to reach the top ten.
They used my birthday as a discriminator.
Who says there is no discrimination in web hosting and social media.
But my writings were there for anybody to read in spite of blocking the rating.
 
I have collated them and recently deleted 75% of the original writings from that site.
Some of them are now in digital output for posterity, in a book form.

This preamble is necessary since when one opens one’s heart and not the mind in the web, one has to be prepared for insults and discrimination.
Sadly now governments and secret agencies are doing things that one would not suspect 30 years ago.
Technocrats and not the real hard working guys who fill these posts and operating from air conditioned cubicles and are scared to be on the beat and foot.
 
Invariably paranoia develops.

So I think it is necessary to have a bit of paranoia when one enters the web with email to begin with.

How does one have a good password?
 
How one can remember a password with 14 to 16 characters (what banks employ now for an account, with the help of computers)?

To begin with one has to train the brain to remember.
I have a suggestion elsewhere (under web etiquette) that  I do not want to repeat here.

Beginning,

Step 1
One has to remember in blocks of three or four.
To train your mind try to remember your VISA card number.
Front four are almost specific and easy.
The last four should be your next attempt.
Do this every time when you go to the bank or to the till.
Do not worry if you forget.
When you can remember the first and the last lot of four numbers, try the other two lot not in specific way.
Suddenly part of the brain not utilized before get a rush of blood and new neurone networks.
Person with any age with firm resolve can do that.
This subconscious repetitive acts can be easily extended to one's password.

I used to remember all the telephone numbers of my friends by heart in good old days and friends are the ones, one frequently ring and (telephone charges were relatively expensive, then) the brain stores them for good.
 
I stop doing that when cell phones came into existence.
 
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 the 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 hint 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 5
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 6.
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 7
Do not tell your method to anybody.
Do not share your password even with your spouse.
One day you me 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 t 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 practised 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.

How to Delete your FaceBook Account?

 Sunday, August 11, 2013

How to Delete your FaceBook Account?

After lot of trial an error, I managed to delete my FaceBook account.

However,  I have to wait for another 14 days to take that into effect.

If you are old and visually handicapped, I tell you that you will not be able to do that.

They have made it awfully difficult and if you are old you must do that two weeks before your death.

In the first instance I could not find the logout menu.
After I posted a blog report on FaceBook it appeared faintly.

One reason (out of many) for my decision is that they are sharing my information with people I wish not to be associated with.

 

Friday, August 2, 2013
Why I hate Face-Book?
Why I hate Face-Book?
About three years ago unwittingly  I joined the Facebook and there is noway I can opt out.
I am one who spent lot of time on the Web promoting Linux, Cloud Computing and Blogging for fun.

I have many connections including Dropbox, JoliOs-JoliDrive, Ubuntu One and Wordpress in addition to Google.
None of the above providers insist that I use them obsessively and neurotically.
In fact, I have not used Dropbox for a long time and my password had expired but they did not remind me of that fact.
Just as good to illustrate the difference between a service of a professional cloud server (dropbox) and a social media (facebook) with very little relevance to my day to day work.

To illustrate the point I get an invitation from some unknown baby (under two years) Deelip Kalum to join his page (these parents do not understand principle of privacy and little child’s rights).
 

I stop writing a stinker bud did the same to two of my friends to get the message across to all and sundry.
 
The Message went like this,
I rarely use Facebook.

Fortunately, I have given very little information about me on the page.

In fact, I hate it since I cannot opt out or log out.

It is like the a “Pissige Pala Malla”-literally means the “mad woman’s belongings"-life jacket of survival of the illiterate- and I just keep it running by default for my friends to realize that I do exist in the sea of Junk world.

After hour an half of searching I could not sign off or opt out.
 

I am really hooked to my grave with Facebook.
 

Will you be sending some “Flowers or Wreath"?
Thanks a lot social media.
 

What are going to do when I am dead?

Will you be willing to join me in Hell (or Apaya).
At the moment I am in connection with the Apaya Computer Administrator to sort this out before my departure..

His administration of my Facebook from Hell will be Handy with Gory Pictures, from Hell.

Please note that individuals are not allowed to communicate in Apaya by email.

 
I have already figured out a way to deal with my email (dead email) after my death but not FACEBOOK.

 

Wednesday, August 28, 2013
Why it is so painful to cancel an account in a Social Media-This time Hi5
Why it is so painful to cancel an account in a Social Media-This time Hi5
 
I still wonder why social media are behaving like leeches.
They are hell bent on increasing their share in the open but dirty market

1. They start by offering you a free account.
That is the final bait.
In this consumerist world who will offer a free lunch?

2. Then they get every bit of your personnel data which even (probably) government agencies are not interested in.
The governments want to know you are security risk and or a xenophobic.
If you are an average criminal, they are not worried about.
It is a civil matter.
They only want big fish.
In this country of ours, some government agencies actually promote average tricksters and they take them into their fold, get the dirty work done and dispose them unceremoniously like a pulp when it is a liability (we have a police ex-chief and a Sanganayaka involved in plundering archaeological artefacts) to the beholders.
Guys / Girls include those who steal our ballot paper for election rigging.
Some of them steal even the vote of old people in "Incarcerated Homes''
 
They (the criminals) are a wanted commodity come elections.

3. These social media know that the governments steal their data whenever and wherever possible.
Earlier it was done at the airport.
Now they scan you in your kitchen doing daily chores.
They do not have to be on the beat but remain in air conditioned cubicles.
 
What a luxury?

4. This government paranoia for no reason to remain in absolute power has now infiltrated the social media.
They fear a bubble like in the credit crunch.
They fear the  credit crisis.
 
Their profit margin that come free due to technology and that infiltrates into every nook and corner (luckily we have only 10% Internet penetration in spite of the massive drive) one does not have to sweat for one's tasks.
 
These guys also live in air-conditioned living rooms and sit in front of the computer and do not have to travel like the ordinary guys and girls who toil, every day of the week.
 
They have cushy IT jobs.
The network of computers and various search engines do the talk.
They talk tall!

5. Invariable they become the worst pests of this century and of any country
So they fear when a old guy like me want to opt out of their site for an ornamental coffin for the eternal peace six feet under.
 
They make de-registration, the most difficult job on this planet.
Why?
I do not know.
As a doctor, I can say it is an early sign of serious pathological entity not yet defined by the medical fraternity.
I coin the word digital Mafia that metamorphoses to Digital Morphea
 
Getting out of Hi5 was as difficult as with FaceBook.

The details are hidden in the Full Site out of reach of the folks.
 
You have to contact them by email and tag with another entity and a token obtained for one to see the Full Site.
Even after getting there they will ask you various (FUD, Fear Uncertainty, and Doubt) silly questions.

Now they try to keep the data in their server and promote a reactivation scheme.
 
I don't think I can reactivate it from my coffin unless, I take a Tablet with Wireless connection to my final resting (rite's) site, the TOMB.
 
Rest in Piece Social Media.

I have raised this many moons ago.
What happen to my emails when I am DEAD and Disposed?

What happen to it when I am disposed or dispossessed?

Have I got to declare a Dying Dispossession?
 
In spite the technology they are unable to device a full proof method.
That is the case in point.
 
I tell old people please do not use Internet.
 
Visit your friends in person and enjoy a cup of Tea/Coffee or a pint of Larger.

That is more user friendly than social media.

Real people (not digital) need personnel touch.

I now practice digital zeroing when I am on holidays.

I really enjoy my privacy and holiday but enjoy every bit of flavor of food and drinks, I used to enjoy as a young guy (but going up in price for an average citizen).
I practice bit of Moment Meditation, too.
Life is to live.
Not to sit in front of an idiot box.
Creativity comes naturally, then.
See you next time.
I am trying to devise a method to opt out not log out.
Hope, I will have a Brain Wave when on digital holiday.

Poverty

Wednesday, November 27, 2013

Poverty

 

We have a population of over 6 billion.

It is going to be 8 billion by 2020.

 

25% of the world population, equivalent to 1.5 billion earn less than $1 dollar a day.

 

50% of the world population, equivalent to 3.0 billion earn less than $2 dollar a day.

 

Most of them (60% in Asia) are in Asia and Africa.

 

Unfortunately these very same people are subjected lack of sanitation and water which lead to infections.

 

Worldwide 2 to 3 billion will feel the effect of shortage of fresh water (not polluted) in 2020.

This will increase the water borne disease by many folds.

 

As at present millions die of water borne diseases.

 

Latest is the contamination of water by industrial effluent which include heavy metals and insecticides.

With all these U.N.O is only worried about Human Rights of smaller nations.

 

By their inaction W.H.O/U.N.O violates the rights of every child born to this century.

 

AIDS is increasing fast in Africa and Asia.

 

In Africa AIDS was spread by roaming armies (including in Congo) due to internal conflicts.

 

In Ceylon when “Pavans” were there administering “Peace” in the North, nearly 1000 Tamils women / a month came to Colombo for abortions.

 

The killing/ assassination of Rajiv Gandhi was directly related to this.

 

Nobody has done any study on how many were infected with AIDS with the help of “Pavans”.