Elephant Talks

Elephant Talks

I am not referring to the two legged variety.
Talking to them has no meaning electoral wise since they cannot talk with one voice or with coherence.
I sometime think they talk from both ends open, since the odor or the malodor that emanate is no different.

I am referring to the four legged variety who take the center stage for a brief period of ten days in the hill capital, Kandy .

I wish they could talk.

If they do, I know, unlike the two legged variety they will talk with one voice.

They will tell us, ¨Give us our heritage, the vast stretch of land we had for ourselves including  the hill country now covered with tea plantation¨.

Do not give us th barren land without water in the dry zone.

We cannot keep cool in the dry zone without waterholes.

No more development please.
No more electricity nor fence with electric shocks.
This land was hours long before humans existed.
Mammoth has gone for good, we are next in the line of extinction.
Give us a break!

Give us the ¨watershed¨.

I wish they could pull a trigger in evolution to develop the capacity to acquire language facility of their own like how the humanoid developed it (the capacity to talk and develop language was a very recent development in evolution).

But the way, the things are as it is, there is no time in their life history to develop it.

In any case, the man (including Buddhists)  will not allow that to happen by even a stroke of accident.

Why?

They will be extinct in a matter of a century.

There is no time for the evolutionary changes to come about.

Since that is not possible, I decided to have little look around the captive ones and try to develop, some channel of communication.

Make it a silent rapport.

Yes, they can understand our language but we cannot understand how they think of us.

First I wanted to see whether they were happy or not.

Of the few I surveyed they were more than happy.

They weather gods had been nice.
We had light rain from the first day of the Perehara.

The scorching sun has taken a little respite.

They have had good baths, the manicure, pedicure and the trunk-cure (this is a word I coined today-the looking after, the trunk of an elephant) or the tong-cure have been excellent.

(Mind you Cambridge professor of English, take a note of my new word.
I have no trust on Oxford with the Olympics on stage.
They will be busy coining new words for the Olympic Security Protocol taken over by the private sector.
 It looks like, after the Iraq War Crime Issues of Labour regime in the background as it were with some bad taste, the conservative administration has no faith in their regular security arm).

All the elephants were happy, except one veteran in near retirement.

Unfortunately there is no retirement facility for these gentle giants.

He had tears down his cheek but they were dry when I saw him.

He was in the middle of the pack with young and the very young chaperoning him.

This guy was tall and that gave an indication of his age in years.

His skin was brownish and not golden black, like in the young adults.

He looked anaemic too.

He is no longer chewing his meal as he used to do when young.

His molar teeth are failing him and that would have been the reason for his pallor.

I do not say he was neglected but his age was showing.

Moment I came near him he gave me a gesture that told me.

I knew when you were young, you used to come and watch me in the parade or half ditched in water at Katugastota Elephant bath.

You have even scrubbed my skin and you were on top of me.

You were like a feather on my hat.

I was young but you were tiny.

Yes, I can jolly well remember you.

He lifted his trunk very very slowly not very gracefully though, but gave a glimpse of his good old majesty.

I took his picture in a snap second.

Then he stopped and looked at me very attentively.

That look was very familiar to me.

When did I see you last?

Could have been 40 odd years ago.

Your look is admirably different now.

You have no hair on your top.

They are becoming silvery.

But the smile on the corner of your mouth is the same.

You look is trim and I like the way your are.

Look at me I am having arthritis.

I cannot lift my trunk like it used to be.

I am not going to lift you up, it is going to make cranky noises in all my joints.

It might snap few ligaments if I try.

I am sorry but I wish I could take you up for a ride.

Don worry man.

My tears are not because I am sad.

I am old enough to take life on a springboard.

In fact I am happy to be in the parade this year too.

The tears were due to excruciating pain when I chew.

This may be my last parade or the tour of gratitude to the lord.

No, No I will come and see you next year too.

That is of course, if I do not kick the bucket before you.

But you can have  a bypass, know?

But I do not want a heart of a young buddy.

Even if I had a bypass my teeth are failing to pump in enough food for its smooth running.

Good Bye!

We may not see again or may be we might.

I keep my fingers cross.

I said thank you for his thoughtful gestures and remarks.

Good Bye and turned round to come home.

Mind you, I was in between four giants.

I was within their trunk range and all the mahouts were gone for lunch.

One big one was blocking my exit pathway.

He was telling me you had a big chat with the old guy.

Why not me, I can take you on my hood.

Just stay a little while,  till my master comes after his lunch.
I have not had a bath too.

I am game for a chit chat all the same, like the old guy.

As I entered the closed enclosure, I had a long pause at the entrance and he displayed few of his tricks to me with the mahout prompting.

I told the mahout just let him be.

I like the way he is.

You said you like the way I was.

I liked your comment very much.

Before you came, I was thinking of all the lasses I am going to see tonight in the parade.

When you said, ¨I like the way I was¨, I started thinking of the real reason I was here.

Not to see lasses but to pay homage to the lord.

I will focus on that now and I have all the years ahead of me to see not one but many lasses, if I do want.

I politely said, you are blocking my way.

There is nobody to order you now.

It is only a polite request from an older guy.
Why not let me go.

Your big trunk is far to comfortable for me.

I do not trust you.

You might take me for a ride or a trick or two.

I am not a bully, you know, but I like a few teasers though, to keep ahead of the time.

Then he turned 90 degrees to let me pass through the entrance.

That is very nice of you.

Thank you.

Do not forget to come again next year.

I will.

Who says elephants can´t talk?

Tablet coming from Nigeria

Tablet coming from Nigeria
It is very nice feeling to see an African entrepreneur has developed a tablet for $350=.
He may not have the money that Mark Shuttleworth of Ubuntu has but his courage to go head on this market should be appreciated not only in Africa but in the Asian continent too.
I wish him all the success. 

I HAVE SOME RESERVATION ABOUT hooking to Goggle´s Android which has departed itself from Linux base but one man cannot achieve both hardware and software independence unless he links up with Ubuntu.
WHICH IS A POSSIBILITY.
Our politicians here  do not know what is a tablet?
They there is a ballot to rig.
They also do not know the potential it has in education.
By simply giving free books they think the educational institutions will prosper, but the higher education minister cannot solve the problems of the university dons.
This is a miracle country by all means.
In Singapore, in 2009 had Barnes Noble giving free digital books to students.
Dou you know the number.
It was over 90,000 books but their politicians do not boast about it. 
When Metro had some problems in last December, they ministers took responsibility.

Knoppix-7.0.3-Hard Disk Installation-Update

 Update on Update

I have downloaded Knoppix Cd 7.0.3 and installed it on my old hard disk with a new Graphic card without any problem.

It took only six minutes.

I had prepared 20 GiB rersersf  partition (always reserved for it) and the swap partition as the first partition and the second one for Knoppix.

This saves time for Knoppix searching/looking for a suitable partition.

I do not think I need to wait for the DVD download to report and update on Knoppix.

It has two desktops.

All the utilities are in the FOLDER on the top of the left hand corner.

Good luck in your own installation.

Mind you it give an opportunity for root pasword too.

Make sure one has a root password.

As I mentioned in an earlier blog, Knoppix 7.0.1 had some problem with Hard disk installation and I managed to Install with Genome Desktop and it is a pretty good updated version.

I received the Linux Magazine last week with Fedora 17 and did not bother to read the magazine or test Fedora (Unfortunately Install only), since I was more keen in finishing my book (Code named Teeny Weeny Linux), Tiny Linux distributions and their Utility value. It is now available in digital (I have priced it higher than the print form deliberately) and print form.

Strangely enough, Linux guys and girls do more to recover Microsoft not booting than the Microsoft trained guys/girls.

Then when I got  a little time to read the magazine, it was obvious that even the Knoppix that came with April Edition had manufacturing defect.They are replacing the CD free of charge if you happen to be one of them.

Fortunately my subscription was from MAY and not on April.

Linux Magazine is a very nice one to have.

Reason for me subscribing the magazine is to cut my electricity bill in Sri-Lanka (because of the slow download have to keep my computers running 24/7 schedule sometimes) for one month is enough to cover 12 DVDs and the magazine for one year.

I am currently downloading Knoppix 7.0.3 and a few more CD/DVDs for testing and at the end of this month I will stop this to save time and money.

So you won´t here any more updates from me.

Sorry, guys and girls for that but the ranting will go on till I can find the keys in the keyboard.

Currently there are only 3 seeders and it will take twp full days to download.

So please join the Linux tracker and download it and keep your computer running for others to make use of the image you have downloaded and speed up the things.

Point to point download broke three time in mid air and unless it is a small file like Deli Linux (80 MB) do not try point to point.

If you happen to download it test it for integrity and make some copies and share with your friends.

This edition is a prety good one in spite ot the hard disk install glitches.

I hear Unite Airline has more glitches than Knoppix, Klaus and the Clan.

I also reported to the Magazine editor that when one search for Knoppix it goes to a nasty phonographic site and that has stopped after my reporting.

If that happens to you please report it to Klaus.

If one wants to knock somebody please do not use Linux or Knoppix for that act.

We do not have sex discrimination in Linux.
 Posted on the 4th of August

I am afraid I have to report to you that the Knoppix 7.0.3 DVD I downloaded from LinuxTracker still has the installation problems that I described (not CD) earlier. this time even the KDE did not work.

I hope Knoppix team will polish it and test it again before relasing the next DVD version.

THANK YOU boys and girls.

Arch Linux-X-Windows and Window Managers

This is a Chapter in my new book soon published. I am reproducing it here for larger audience to share this knowledge about window mangers.
What is summarized here goes into almost 100 of pages in content elsewhere.
Many do not have the time read volumes of Linux information. 

Tiny Linux Distributions and Their Utility Value 

(Teeny Weeny Linux)

Arch Linux-X-Windows and Window Mangers

The Arch Linux project was started by Judd Vinet in his attempt to create his own distribution. He wanted to make a lightweight and simple system aimed at power users.

Note that "simple" does not mean "newbie friendly".  

The system is structured in such a way that the user has to customize according his or her needs.

It is not a distribution for a newbie.

One needs to know how Linux works and how to configure from ¨bottom up menu¨, like in Gentoo Linux.

There is no out of the box Linux experience.

One can easily configure by changing simple configuration files and installing just what he/she needs.

No place for automatic configuration.

There are no GUI tools in Arch to help a newbie.

That means the system is highly configurable and the config files are simple in structure and easy to find in contrast to many of the other distributions which uses a graphical installer.

This is one reason I never liked it myself as a distribution to work with my busy schedule.

Concept-The Arch Way

Having said that I like the concept very much, ¨I get what I need¨.

Linux is not a toy to play but a toy to build and Arch fills in that need.

I do not like the idea that the vendor knows what´s best for the customer.

In actual fact, Linux came into existence because of this need for freedom and flexibility and lately it has moved into ¨You get what we dish out¨-we know it all; the inside the box experience.

Same old  Microsoft and Apple propaganda.

Simplicity

Arch Linux defines simplicity as without unnecessary additions, modifications, or complications, and provides a lightweight UNIX-like base structure that allows an individual users to shape the system according to their own needs.

In short: an elegant, minimalist approach.

Code-correctness

The Arch Linux system places precedence upon elegance of design as well as clean, correct, simple code, rather than unnecessary patching, automation, eye candy or "newbie-friendliness."

Simplicity of implementation, code-elegance, and minimalism shall always remain the reigning priorities of Arch development.

User-centric

Whereas many GNU/Linux distributions attempt to be more user-friendly, Arch Linux has always been, and shall always remain user-centric.

Arch Linux targets and accommodates competent GNU/Linux users by giving them complete control and responsibility over the system.

Openness

Openness goes hand in hand with simplicity, and is also one of the guiding principles of Arch Linux development.

Arch Linux uses simple tools, that are selected or built with openness of the sources and their output in mind.

Freedom

Another guiding principle of Arch Linux development is freedom. Users are not only permitted to make all decisions concerning system configuration, but also choose what their system will be.

By keeping the system simple, Arch Linux provides the freedom to make any choice about the system.

Arch Linux base system.

Note that the Base System does not include a GUI.

It is mainly comprised of the GNU toolchain (compiler, assembler, linker, libraries, shell, and utilities), the Linux kernel, pacman (Arch's Package Manager), and a few extra libraries and modules.

Features

Arch installs a base Linux system, and then the user can configure it and expand it depending on his or her needs. It uses the pacman package management system written by Judd Vinet himself and has -like the most distribution out there- its own repositories filled with many useful programs.

Unlike rolling distribution like Ubuntu where one has to install the new version every time a new version is released, it has its own unique feature of rolling update system of its core and software system.

When a program is updated upstream, after some testing it is immediately made available to the users in the Arch repository. The ISO images are just a snapshot of what is in the repository at a given time. The rolling update system means a user never has to do any kind of "upgrade of the entire system" to get the latest and greatest software.

In fact, after the first Arch installation a simple "pacman -Syu" command will always keeps one up to date.

Installation

1. Downloaded the latest ISO.

2. Then boot the CD into an installation / recovery system.

3. To install Arch, one just types /arch/setup and the installer will be activated one step at a time.

4, Install the base system which include partitioning the hard disk

5. Configured the kernel and

6. Finally install the Grub.

All this can be done in 10 to 15 minutes.

My Comments

Arch installer simple and straightforward, but one has to be pretty experienced with Linux to figure out what to do and when to do it.

Linux is a text based operating system and every operation is written on a simple configuration file at a specific hierarchic point in the file system.

There parent and child processes that follow a logical pattern.

Because of this reason it can be configured with pinpoint accuracy if one knows what one is doing.

The learning curve is steep but when one has mastered the basics, one can even start writing, changing, modifying the software that one needs to do a particular job.

The reason for me writing this is to go step by step order, so that one can have a Graphical Environment or Desktop, on top of the core system at the end of the exercise.

Every distribution has its own finicky ways of doing things, which another distribution might implement differently.

Gentoo is difficult and it does not have an official installer of it own unlike the robust Arch installer.

One needs check with the official installation guide that will help one to go through the first past the post or the process.

One has to do it many a times, may be hundred times to master all the intricacies and then one knows the process by heart.

The difference between a user, vendor and a developer is that the developer has clear understanding of all the stumbling blocks.

The user and the vendor has no idea to change the script to overcome the difficulty.

This is where the community come into play and help an individual developer to make improvement to a system already running.

Configuration

After installation all one will have is a Linux prompt.

Using the excellent wiki,

1. Configure the Network,

2, Installed X.org, nVidia drivers (or whatever the driver necessary for the hardware one has in the installing system).

3. Configure  Alsa to get the sounds and decide on the graphic front to install .

Graphic Front End and Back End

I must tell a few words about how graphic architecture works in Linux.

As I have already stated Linux is a text based operating system and that is how servers work.

Servers do work or services but do not need to be visible or transparent to the human eye, a monitor is a dumb terminal for a server.

The graphic in Linux also works in a similar fashion.

There is a graphic server called X-window system which is the back end and do the configuration of the hardware (Screen includes, both the graphic RAM/Driver and the monitor) and a client or the front end called Window Manger.

What the window manger does is to organize the behavior of the windows, add menus and panels and the likes. It is a software that run on top of X-Window system and X-Windows have no say except providing the service requested by the Window Manager.

There are over 35 window mangers and one of it name is named Window Maker.

Desktop Environment

The Desktop Environment is an integrated system and has its own Window Manager. The desktop is what one sees in the monitor glaring at you when the distribution is up and running.

The X-Windows system and Window (behavior) Manager sit behind the monitor and does the donkey work that the user requests.

What to Chose?

A Window Manager or a Desktop Environment?

The choice depends on the needs.

It is better to chose the Desktop Environment and in that also to chose LXDE.

Why LXDE?

It is not resource hungry and works on laptops with low battery charge time for long hours and on old computers.

Yes it uses Openbox window manger which consume little RAM.

Both KDE and Gnome and especially Unity take up lot of resources and slow down the computer.

Window Manager?

If you want to cut down on resources and play and see which one fits your needs, there are 30 odd window mangers to choose.

Above is the nuts and bolts about graphic front of Linux.

The beauty is one can configure it the way one wants it to be.

There is lot of work involved in customizing a distribution and one needs lot of patience, understanding of the hardware, the software and the operating system running on the platform.

Book on 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 MiB 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 MiB are wrong but are nearest estimate.
 I copied from sorceforge.

For example OminiBoot CD is 692 MiB 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.

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 resorces 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 MiB (just above my cut off point which is 200 MiB).
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 a  few more colourful lines in my own writing.
THANKS.

Fedora 17 and Sinhala Capability

Fedora 17 and Sinhala Capability

I have some good news for you.

Fedora 17 DVD is out and with torrent it is easy download with many seeders.

It is 3.6 GiB and not a Live DVD

This is not a review since I did not install to see its features.

In graphical installation I went in as far as I could to see in Sinhala and the translators have done a good job

I must remind you Fedora was the Fedora was the first distribution to allow Sinhala font way back almost a decade ago before Sinhala Unicode was available.

Hantahna Linux (14.5 derivative) is currently supporting Sinhala but unfortunately what I downloaded did not have Sinhala Unicode.

Debian is also supporting Sinhala its 6.0.4 is currently out which I have downloaded but did not have time to test.

Debian is going for the version 7 (seven version) and it is better for one to download the latest stable version and use.

The bottom line is if there are not enough users the developers may drop the language capability if not the Unicode since that add to the size of the DVD or CD.

So start using these distribution and give feedback to the developer community.

As far as I have tested Ubuntu has Sinhala capability but not to the extent of Debian and Fedora.

An Ubuntu Fork Pinguy OS 12.04

 Following is a reproduction from Software

I must confess for not writing a detailed review, which 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 experince 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 especailly 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 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 GiB 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 Ant--British sentiments here and BCs 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 Ubunu.

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 nat 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 Distro 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.

Linux-Royal-Titan-LTS-Update

Linux Royal Titan-LTS

This is a beautiful Ubuntu based Linux distribution with lot of utilities packed in a DVD.

I tried the latest one because I was impressed I went to their web site and downloaded the light weight one too.
Both boot up well and graphic is soothing.
Just scanned it to see it has Microsoft Windows 7 in it Wine Folder.
I do not like Win 7 but I did try live Microsoft but did not start.
Either one has to install a certified copy or code wiever copy.
I won´t try it for you.
Overall it is a good distribution to try.
Only difficulty was its long user name (which is visible on the top left hand corner and one has to selected the classic or without effect gnome.
I tried the Classic which is COOL.
There is no password but on has to fiddle with to get going. 
It was good with my laptop too.
I am wondering I should install it to give feed back later.
But right now I am busy with other writing.

My conclusion is it has cool desktop effect.

 Of course on need not use desktop effects if one´s graphic card is old.
Go download and enjoy the Linux freedom.

Birds birds and birds, where the hell they come from?

Birds birds and birds, where the hell they come from?

This is my comment below a paper article about unusual bird activity

There is something radically wrong for them to come out.
I have been observing this for a while.
I have not nailed it down but In Kandy it is due to clearing of their habitat on the Hantana foothills by guys with political patronage.

They move from East to West which is not normal.
They are now nesting in few trees near our house.
Never seen before except Blue Kobeeyahs.

Second reason is they need lot of water (not food) due to  unusually warm weather.
Global warming to be precise.
In our case we have a water purification plant and they come there to bathe and drink water.

Leave lot of water for them to drink if not bathe.
They die without water.
Mind you we had two full moons without rain in Kandy.

Third reason is our mulberry tree is full of fruits due to warm weather.

I am trying to make few sapling (very difficult in this warm weather) of mulberry and give it to my friends to encourage their visits.

If not Jam Trees would do.

My guess is without visiting the hinterland, a baaaaaxxxxD with political backing and in the name of development must be destroying the last vestige of their natural  habitat.

Pass this message and this news by email to all bird lovers and start investigating without delay.

I have few sketches devoted in my blog-post-Linux 100 and parafox to alert bird lovers of this country.

Try your email in the meantime.
Thanks for highlighting this phenomenon.

Ubuntu and Ubuntu Derivatives-12.04

Ubuntu and Ubuntu Derivative

Ubuntu 12-04 and its derivatives are now out.

All of them are exciting and one should try them and enjoy the freedom of Linux.
At Least Live CD/DVD.

I have to shift my recommendation but it all depends on one´s requirement.

If you a newbie just go for Ubuntu.

If you are savvy Linux guy/girl, one has lot of choices.

Ultimate Linux and Dream Linux are neck and neck but I prefer dream Linux because of its pleasing graphics and the presence of Scribus.

It has almost everything thing except games.

Ultimate is good for games but one has to download them or alternatively go for Ultimate Games Linux.

If you a love music and and films go fro Ubuntu Studio.

Then there is Tango Studio too.

All of them have 32 bits and 64 bit versions.

Only today I tried all of the 64 bit that I had downloaded but not tested one on my laptop and they do work OK.

I tried Linux Mint Cinnamon and Mate too, the version 13 of course but for me version 13 is an unlucky number and I go for PinGuy as my favorite.

I tried Gentoo 64 bit version too but I  still could not find a live script for its install.

They promised to add Anaconda install but it never came .

Hence I am downloading Sabayon, ¨the dream I (we) believe in and it in its final 600 MiB of the download sequence.
Now less than 100.

All these time FullMonty is in real dream mode and I have to wake it from slumber.

This is the wake e up call for FullMonty.

Mind you one needs at least 2 GiB of RAM in your laptop,

Without adequate RAM do not try them, they might FREEZE on you.

So who wants windows 8 with secure boot?

Probably ones who cannot independently think and act.

While all these happening Debian Lenny is releasing it 6.0.4.

All the above started from Debian.

But do not forget Slackware the oldest and Absolute Linux a Slackware derivative without a tag of a particular desktop (I love this approach) and AntiX and Simply Mepis.

Yes I did not talk about Redhat and Suse both of them are trying to have unhealthy relationship with Microsoft.

I wish them bad luck by choice and by default of mindless high flying CEOOs..

Thin Client Cloud Service- T.C.S- 2X Version is Out

Thin Client Cloud Service- T.C.S- 2X Version is Out

Thin Client  @X software version is out and boots with minimum of resorces.

It is open source version with proprietary help.

I wish them all the luck and progress.

It has Opera Browser.

Adobe reader.

Google application and Skype.

And few more application.

I am not sure whether one can add few more application but its server version may be preparing to add all the applications in the cloud.

One has to probably register with them. 

I believe it can be carried in a Flash Stick  and Cd is bootable.

Cloud computing is taking its shape and it is going to be a new ball game soon.

I hope they provide some more information and few demos on the cloud for users to try it out.

Like EyeNux with applications, 2X should provide more of applications to try.

I have not heard anything about EyENux activities for sometime probably they are also working hard to make an impact in cloud computing.

I hope EyENux also take a note of other guys on the horizon which may healthily compete with them

Good luck boys and girls at  2X.

Knoppix 7.0.1-Update

Knoppix 7.0.1-Update

Brand new Knoppix Live DVD is out and I could not wait till I tested it to write a few lines.

But I have some complaints too.

First the compliments.

It looks fresh and it has 4 desktops.

1. LXDE

2.Gnome

3.KDE

4.LarsWM--Light Weight Window Manager

On a live session one can switch from one desktop to the other in a flash.

Its has GPRS capability.

Compis is there and graphic features are fantastic.

Cheese the Web camera is much improved with very clear pictures.
One can have root password. 
One needs to change it after installing.
Detect hardware in a breeze.
Orcas works well and tell you the keyboard shortcuts, which is handy for a blind person.

Now the complaints.

It is slow to boot up but understandable with the amount of software packed into one DVD.

It is very slow to install for the aforementioned reason.

Even though, there is warning not to remove the DVD it can be removed.

Installation does not go on smoothly.

It hangs up without reading the DVD in LXDE and Gnome modes.

With LXDE after several attempts, I wanted to give up (in my laptop with big hard disk and plenty of RAM).

I tried the brand hew Gnome desktop and could not figure out where the applications were but when finally I tried installing it to hard disk it failed to continue.
It also did not read the DVD.

It could not fetch the installation files from the DVD.

Then finally as a last resort I tried the KDE, which is the Debian desktop and it worked but it took a very long time.

I had prepared my hard disk for the install well in advance and this did not happen with the last version.

My guess is, because I had lot of RAM, once the files were in the RAM, the DVD went to sleep mode.
I could take it without a problem, in spite of the warning.

Gnome is brand new and looks appealing to the newbies. but it has some teething problems as far as the installation is concerned.

Since KDE is heavy and graphic intensive, all the files were not mounted on RAM and the DVD was in active mode and missing files (installation script probably) were fetched, after a little pause.

My biggest complaint is that it did not detect my other Linux distributions but only windows.

The GRUB needs to be updated to detect Linux distributions.

I will have to install AntiX on a little partition, it takes less than  3 GiB and it has one of the best GruB files and detect multiple distributions (everything installed) without any hassle.

It is my savior!

In the good old days it was Redhat and even Fedora Grub is not up to date.

Overall it is one of my favorite ( the shear number of software) Live distributions, only second to Puppy.

The Gnome desktop looks pretty impressive and I am slowly becoming addicted to it more than the KDE.

Its tablet like feeling and look to the desktop can lure any newbie.

Well done Boys and Girls.

Coming from Germany it has very neat and tidy look.

Not being able to install in a FLASH, gave me some time to explore the inner working of it.

That was a blessing in disguise.

This DVD is included in the Linux April Magazine and if you are lazy to download, order a copy of the April magazine before it goes out of stock.

Mind you downloading took nearly two days due to lack of seeders. 

If you download it with torrent, please keep your computer running to build up a seed farm of Knoppix 7.0.

I keep my computer running as a seeder for the next couple of weeks.

Hurry up and download or order a April Linux magazine with the DVD.

Ultimate Edition 3 Plus

Ultimate Edition 3 Plus

There is lot of things happening in the Linux Front.

The desktop competition from Unity to Mate to Cinnamon has taken the limelight.

It has overshadowed the current trend of tablet entry and cloud computing.

Suse has turned 20 and this was my favorite KDE few years ago.

But its heavy weight and graphic intensive needs and slow performance had made me to switch to FullMonty.

But before I switched Suse made a very successful entry into customizing one´s own desktop Linux.

Suse Studio was and is the best available currently for one who needs to make a custom Linux distribution based on Suse.

Unlike other distributions Suse supports  Electro Medical Record keeping (EMR) and  GNUmed Live is a Suse studio derivative.

Its long drown out milestone issues also make it painful for a busybody in Linux World.

I once wanted to promote Commercial aspect of Suse Linux in Sri-Lanka but all the efforts I made were futile since guys/girls in the front office does not know how to answer even an email.

I do not know how they serve their customers.

Having said that Happy Birth day and good luck on all your future endeavors.

But this is to write about Ultimate Edition which the Linux magazine of June issue had dispensed a FREE DVD (Ultimate Linux 3.2).

I tested it and it is pretty good if one is lazy to download a copy and extra software.

It is graphic intensive and one needs a good graphic card.

I have removed all my old graphic cards and lately installed new ones and even my old IBM boots it albeit slowly.

Only missing items were Scribus, Dropbox and Ubuntu One all of which one can download from Ubuntu software.

If you want to get all in one place this the distribution one should go for and few downloads will accomplish one´s needs.

Its graphic front is dark and ugly for old one but young one with good vision will not have any problem

But I still go PinGuy (In Sinhala PIN = Wholesome Merits) and one transliterate it is the Good Guy in Linux for me or the PIN Guy that I prefer because of it pleasing desktop which has some semblance to Ubuntu´s Unity.

If you do not fancy Ubuntu there are at least two other distributions to try and both are pretty good.

But mind you Ubuntu has everything in one place and its repository is packed with Debian utilities of current use.

I tried Ultimate Edition 3.3, the latest and the items I listed above are not incorporated with it,too.