I thought, I started using Debian from Version from version 10,
No but version 7 and may be even version 6 which I cannot member.
Reproduction
Debian 6.0 In Sinhala-Sinhala Linux
I can now report to you that Debian DVD 1 (one of many) has Sinhala capability and is available at LinuxTracker with many seeders and one can download it in less than 24 hours.
Please do not go for point to pint download or slt.net.
The good news is that I have now installed Debian in Sinhala with Sinhala drop down menu (mixture of Sinhala and English) and it is amazingly good.
It is Gnome but I will miss K3B but the Debian Sinhala is going to stay in my main computer from now onward and I will be reporting bugs if I detect any.
I hope, in its next edition, it drops Openoffice and go for LibreOffice.
In any case, it is going to improve my Sinhala leaps and bounds.
Thank you Debian and the Translator Team.
I have no hesitation in recommending it’s use but with one or two advice and some warning is in order.
Please get a proficient Linux guy / girl to install it and do not copy the DVD with Nero.
For best use one must have an internet connection when one installs it and Debian configures the card automatically (better have a router instead of telephone connection) in its initial install and please have patience, it takes a fairly long time to install (do it in the night when internet is not busy).
With those provisos HAPPY SINHALA LINUX for all.
Mind you this was edited with Sinhala Linux activated and Debian’s Iceweasel on the web track.
Old Note on the CD
Now I have tried installing Debian 6 in Sinhala, I can report back and say it can be done but prior understanding of Linux and how Debian does things is essential.
I also have to report that the 4 CD / DVD that I downloaded is not available in Linuxtracker due to unfortunate incidents there.
It is up and running but it will be sometime before all Debian CD/DVDs are restored for download.
Moment I have good news I will be posting it here and elsewhere.
I have to tell you that I had to format my hard disks and redo all the installations new.
It is all fun and game in Linux but took lot of my spare time and not having interesting cricket matches to watch was a bonus.
Everything went on smoothly and I was expecting to work in Sinhala after the installation but sadly it was not to be.
I could not select Sinhala at boot time and none of the Linux distributions let you do that currently and even though many of the Linux distributions have the multilingual capacity, Sinhala has not been promoted in the web world outside Sri-lanka.
I am afraid lot of translation work has to be done in legible and lexicographical world of Sinhala and enough Sinhala fonts have to be installed in the usr/src folders.
Coding for fonts and character map is now available but translation of computer terminology is extremely difficult and many thanks for the guys and girls for trying it.
I enjoyed installing it in Sinhala with my limited ability in Sinhala but lot of guess work, in doing so but having known Debian for a long time and had sweated a lot learning Linux, a little over decade ago, the guess work (Sinhala terms) did work.
This gives an opportunity to learn how Linux works especially Debian for one who has difficulty in English language.
But my advice for all is one should be proficient in both Sinhala and English to be a successful translator and Learning Linux in that process is an added bonus.
I am not at all good in Sinhala to be of any help to you but I am there to test the capability of Sinhala in Linux and report to the wider web.
Thanks again guys and girls for trying a very difficult task.
With good team work and perseverance it can be accomplished and good luck with your future efforts.
Debian is the best Linux distribution to learn nuts and bolts of Linux, even though it is bit difficult to master it and the learning curve is steep at the beginning but it invariably drops quickly after the first year of trying.
Do not give up your efforts of Learning Linux in Sinhala and English too.
This is going to be bit lengthy.
It was not my design.
But rain and elections had given me some welcome respite.
1.Rain
Rain is something I predicted many years ago.
Some of my predictions are in my book “Sri-Lankan Water Politics and Water Logic”.
No help from astrologers
This is mostly due to Global Warming.
I have already voiced my opinion elsewhere, no need to repeat.
In 1957 we moved to Kandy.
We only managed to get our belonging inside and it started raining for 10 days continuously.
That was the biggest floods in my living memory.
2.Politics
Regards to the elections, this is the most boring election campaign in my living memory.
It looks like our minds are frozen with “War and Hate” or is it “Hate of
Rainbow coalition has their work cut short due to bungling of the election commissioner's department and the torrential rain.
And our weather men also foul-up their reports.
They were not proactive.
Politicians are clueless.
I think, it is time to rethink and postpone the elections by at least 10 to 14 days.
At least for the relief work to be carried out without political insinuation.
That includes the masses effected by floods.
He hasn't got to listen to anybody.
Touch his heart with his own hand and tap to his conscience.
I do not think he has the backbone to be above politics.
3. Linux= Debian for Rescue
One has to install Windows first.
Then I quickly installed Abiword, Libre Office and even Apache's Open Office (it has changed hand from Oracle to Apache and Oracle was trying to kill it).
It took a day to find the small Mini CD /DVD containing all the software.
Pinguy Linux was a failure (I have stated it elsewhere).
PClinux did get the sound but Firefox was a disaster (no plug in for Sinhala Unicode) and its GRUB only recognizes Windows and Knoppix.
Fedora even though, very attractive, having read a review decided against.
I did not try SuSe since the latest is not out (It has many milestones) yet.
I got the Linux Magazine today.
It has Suse only 64 bits version.
I have tried all the Linux Magazine DVDs and I have had already made up my mind about them (nearly thirty).
So what NEXT
Nothing but Debian, my ultimate gold standard.
It got to be Gnome or Xfce (I started my Live Linux with Xfce Linux of PCLinux with the little mouse, the real mouse I hate but this mouse like Micky mouse I love).
That is my love affair with PCLinux but when FullMonty came with bloated tummy, I gave up.
It burned one of my graphic cards (wrong configuration).
That computer has gone to the end of its life time, after 7 years of daily almost 24 hour work and 32 bit anyway.
No hardware or software problem, simply burnt out syndrome!
If you are trying Debian, do not take it lightly.
Read all the instructions carefully, before pressing the OK button.
It gives you fall back options.
One should be thorough with the partitioning tool.
Make sure it is linked to a reliable repository (not your local or the nearest, Sri-Lanka or Singapore or India).
I always choose USA.
It does a yeoman service even though, some Sri-Lankans hate USA for no valid reason.
Only, downside it took 3 hours to install 1.2 GB.
What that meant was every file out of 1306 was thoroughly checked and updated.
New Gnome desktop is fabulous.
I was not happy, though.
I went ahead and installed LXDE desktop.
The xfce, openbox and Skol-Linux theme.
Mind you, it does a good advertisement for Linux specially Debian for schools.
I wanted to download the DVD but it was direct download not torrent.
I will search for the torrent and download in a minute.
In case, I need a KDE desktop as a consolation prize.
The experience with PCLinux KDE (2014-12) was very disappointing.
1. Debian is Sinhala, Tamil and Telangu empowered.
2. It does not support Firefox (probably for right reasons, no flash plug-ins.
3. It supports Chrome.
4. It has over 66,000 software utilities including ham radio, academic and scientific.
Apple and Microsoft can never overtake its marathon record.
Monday, December 29, 2014
Debian 7.1, is Fab
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