Arch Linux Derivatives Coming of AGE-Testing All

I have made Year 2024 as the Penguin Year.

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

Arch Linux Derivatives are Coming of AGE.

 I am going back to my writing.

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

Editing take along time.

Good Bye.

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

Already I have downloaded ArcoLinux and Reborn-OS.

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

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

Reborn-OS

Is pretty Good.

Only bare bone installation.

No Office.

I manged to Install AbiWord my favorite.

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

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

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

Gparted is included.

No idea about the GRUB Boot Loader..

It is Xfce desktop.

It is 2.6GB Image.

ARCOLinux

Only 1.8GB.

Gparted included.

Wants internet connection for advanced installation

Offline I think Core Linux.

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

I am downloading Endeavor OS to test now.

It is only 2GB and already downloaded.

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

Only one peer.

Thanks.

I am going to test it.

No Peers unfortunately.

Lya is Cinnamon.

Arch Ultimate Plasma Edition

Arch Ultimate Plasma. Edition is a sleek distribution.

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

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

It is simply paranoia in psychiatric terminology.

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

Linux is only 30 years old.

It has a long life time.

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

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

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

Now little warning.

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

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

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

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

Good on you.

Sparky Linux I have media edition and game over editions.

I support Linux gamers but not Steam OS of Valve.

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

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

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

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

I hate Microsoft from the time I entered Linux.

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

That is my best description of Microsoft.

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

I have ditched SuSe and Redhat for good long years.

 

Thank YOU Moxilla and FireFox.

I am a long time user of FireFox.

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

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

The Mozilla Manifesto Addendum

Pledge for a Healthy Internet

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

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

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

Show Your Support

An internet with these qualities will not come to life on its own. Individuals and organizations must embed these aspirations into internet technology and into the human experience with the internet. The Mozilla Manifesto and Addendum represent Mozilla’s commitment to advancing these aspirations. We aim to work together with people and organizations everywhere who share these goals to make the internet an even better place for everyone.

Share on Twitter

Our 10 Principles

1. Principle 1

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

2. Principle 2

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

3. Principle 3

   The internet must enrich the lives of individual human beings.

4. Principle 4

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

5. Principle 5

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

6. Principle 6

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

7. Principle 7

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

8. Principle 8

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

9. Principle 9

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

10. Principle 10

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

Arch-Gnome-BiG-N-Iso

Arch-Gnome-BiG-N-Iso 

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

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

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

Thank you guys and girls.

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

It is Windows over Ubuntu image.

I hope it is live.

I will never install Windows in my NUC.

Solus Linux Distribution

Solus Linux Distribution

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

1. Configured Wireless Internet. 

2. Plasma Desktop does not look heavy.

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

3. Only 2.7GB.

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

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

5. FireFox is smooth and fast as usual.

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

 

Tuxedo Linux

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

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

Report when I have finished testing it. 

The Cosmic desktop is not available.

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

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

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

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

4. Wireless connectivity is effortless.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

I did not copy them to a USB stick.

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

Carry on Regardless!

Linux Mint-Mate Desktop

Linux Mint-Mate Desktop

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

I could not get Emmabantus to boot.

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

I am currently reinstalling Linux Mint.

Report the outcome, soon.

Basic Intel NUC and USB Boot

Basic Intel NUC can be booted with USB.

One need not have an expensive Hard Disk.

Basic NUC consumes very Little Electricity.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

It is good for planet!

Another Debian Experiment-12.4.0

Debian 12.4.0 DVD-1 image is only 4GB.

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

It can be booted  only for installing Debian.

I decided to install Debian on a 32GB USB.

It is progressing well.

I do not have a SATA portable disk.

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

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

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

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

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

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

You got to try and figure out.

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

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

Yes Application is not opening but Internet is OK!

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

Endless OS Freezes

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

Please DO NOT use it.

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

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

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

Debian Standard or Desktop Live

Debian Standard or Desktop Live

Please note that Debian  use Calamara Installer.

Yes, the Debian Standard DVD is for install

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

It configures Wireless WiFi effortlessly.

I think its desktop is Gnome.

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

That is to  store my favorite distributions.

Each distribution has its own distribution Iso in its Download Folder

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

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

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

That put me off, completely.

It is true of current 12.5.o edition.

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

One can have only one desktop at a time.

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

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

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

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

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

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

It is still smart word processor.

I am currently working on four books.

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

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

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

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

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

Arch Linux makes my nerves tingle!

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

SysLinuxOS-12.2 is NOT Fabulous

SysLinuxOS is NOT fabulous.

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

It cannot be installed along with other Linux distributions.

It cannot identify already existing SWAP partition.

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

I had 3 distributions already inside the 320GB Toshiba.

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

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

Earlier it had Linux Mint Mate. 

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

SysLinux OS 12.2 has a heavy weight approach.

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

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

1. It is Debian based.

2. One needs some understanding of Use of Linux.

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

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

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

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

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

Did not have any worthwhile games.

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

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

8. It has both Synaptic and SNAP packages.

No FlatPak.

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

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

Yes, I tried installing and it failed.
 

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

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

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

A bogus approach, I believe.

Gnoppix and Knoppix

Gnoppix and Knoppix

Knoppix was my start to Linux from its 3.4 Version.

Last release of Knoppix is in 2021 and it has everything and I do not see it needs any updating. 

1. It configures the hardware at boot time and test Audio at boot time.

2. It can be installed in a USB and in the hard disk.

3. It configures the Internet effortlessly.

4. Fourth thing I look is AbiWord which is actually a command line utility without hindering Macros. 

I use it for my book publishing.

Now coming to Gnoppix it cannot configure the Network including particularly now common use wireless WiFi. 

It looks for only Ethernet.

Without connectivity Live CD or Live USB is USELESS.

I won't try to Install it without connectivity.

Good Old Days only Ubuntu could do wireless configuration and even Debian could not.

Both Ubuntu and Debian are superb now with many of their flavours.

One cannot Install required applications (even the distribution has them in store) when basic requirement of connectivity is lacking.

By the way, my comments are constructive and having admin and root password even in a Live Session is vital and perhaps mandatory in current use.

I am going to test SystemLinuxOS12.2 (Debian based) and report soon.

Update of Gnoppix is bit better and until it has Wireless connectivity, I won't install and test it.

I am currently downloading its latest version and incidentally falls on my birthday.

What a coincidence?

Linux Basics

1. Linux Kernel


2. Desktop Environment
Gnome
KDE
LXDE
QTE
XFce


3. Services
Networking, Graphic, Audio and more
Applications


4. Software Management
Ubuntu and Debian packages or .deb
Redhat or rpm packages

Bank Officer who became a Monk

Reproduction with Relevant Information. 

Bank Officer who became a Monk

This is again a real dream and no real monk was involved in this racket. All Ceylonese monks are of high esteem and some may even have attained Dyana State. 

Of course few of them distort Dhamma for gain in this life and the dream is about such a monk.

No pun intended to Sasana.

Before that, I must say a few words about dreams and how to obtain a diplomatic passport.       

I have obtained my last passport that expires at the age of 80 and I have no intention of renewing it except for putting an application for my next round of birth, as the mighty Director of Hell or Apaya.

I have three books on Dreams I, II, and III and I have detailed how I reserved a place for Apaya Directorship, in them.

I intend to write a book on sleep in due course.

This is a preview.

There are two two types of sleep.

Real deep sleep of 4 phases.

In one of these phases one retains memory of the subject matter of a new discipline.

Deep sleep is vital for students.

I started loosing memory due to excess of regular alcohol. I stopped drinking and memory improved.

I have a book on "Joy of Alcohol" at Amazon for enlightenment.

Lack of sleep incurred when I was reviewing 100 Linux distributions non stop at this blog spot.

In that scenario I forgot the PIN numbers of my bank cards for three months.

Luckily I had a saving passbook at the bank and survived the financial crisis. During this period I devised my own method to remember my passwords for different emails, I have.

In three months without regression or help from a psychiatrist I regained my memory to 80% and the bank PIN numbers.

I did not ask the bank to change the PIN number.

Have to remember another number was a toll order.

Getting back to my old number would actually reinforce my memory channel.

This is where I disagree with digital banking.

The bank server remembers it for you and it impairs your memory.

This discussion is relevant to my dream retold here.

By the way, I sleep well.

The other type of sleep is REM or Rapid Eye Movement Sleep.

If one is woken up during this sleep one remembers the dream. I have no    idea why we dream and what physiological role it has.

My theory is it erases the action potential in certain parts of brain cells, so the awake state reality is maintained.     

I do not subscribe to unconscious mind at all. 

Mind is in a continuous stream and flows from awake to dream state to awake.

There is no break in thread unless one kicks the bucket.

I have two books on Mind, too.

Read them for detail.

Deep Sleep and REM sleep alternate and one has more of REM states.

In other words one has more dreams.

My scenario is I go to sleep well and I have a rhythm of 4REM hours and 4 hours of deep sleep.

Only 8 hours in total.

I go to sleep early and wake up around 4AM to 5AM.

Back at home I switch on the old PC or NUC and do some work until it is 7.30AM when I come out for 15 minutes for Sun Bathing for VitD.

By the way, the computer heat keeps me warm (dog too).

The bees leave by 6AM and the birds leave at 7AM.

Crow comes last and I do not want to upset their daily routine.

4 hours of Deep Sleep is enough for an adult and children and babies have more deep sleep to assimilate new data.

I go bit deeper and I say one has to erase the memory of the immediate past birth to enter into this life of rebirth.

My current problem is I wake up at 5AM and due to morning cold (not extreme like in UK), I do not come down to the pantry to make a cup of tea.

From 5AM to 7.30AM, I have three doses of REM sleep and the dream in the last REM, I remember in bits and pieces.

Being a satire man, I insert a few pieces of my own to make it narrative.

Now let me come to passports.

This information I have gathered from YouTube and I have seen only one type of passport.

There are 3 types of passports in Ceylon.

1. An ordinary passport which I have with no VISA except Travel VISA.

2. Special passports for MPs like Wira Wansa and his Family members.

3. Diplomatic passport.

4. There is another called dual passport for Sri-Lankans who are resident in other countries.

One had to pay Rs.500,000 sometime ago and this fee has gone up.

There is woman PM in Ceylon who is well known as a high class prostitute.

She owns a diplomatic passport.

That is my bone of contention.

In her passports the entries of names, addresses, parent names are different.

It looks like she was bastard by birth and was adopted as an orphan. May be her mother was a high class prostitute and her putative husband was white skinned guy from Britain.

All these are immaterial.

One should have only one passport.

This woman does not deserve a diplomatic passport.

If at all she is smuggling gems, gold and ancient artifacts of Ceylon stolen from our museums.

There is another female MP who was related to previous boss who smuggled our valuable artifacts for sale aboard.

It is not only Baby Elephants, everything valuable is smuggled.

Why these guys and girls are not in prison but only Rajan Ramanayake was sent to prison?

Now come my dream.

This bank officer was rogue while working in the bank and now in saffron cloth.

When he was being investigated he without resigning garbed the saffron cloth and changed his personal criteria.

He came into possession of another diplomatic passport and claimed immunity from bank prosecution. 

He did not cancel his layman National ID to become a monk.

Now he has a new Buddhist ID registered under Buddha Sasana.

He was ordained in a reputable temple.

He was then entrusted with keeping the accounts of the temple.

In each transaction he deposits 10% as commission to his layman account.

You remember we had a 10% guy who was a USA resident.

Similar scenario in action.

The dream goes like this but somewaht vague.

All dreams are vague not like Tele-Dramas.

Missing points, I have edited.

I ordered a Pizza round.

They guy came in.

I did not have cash.

I tendered the VISA card.

It was rejected.

Not enough to buy even PIZZA round.

Then he came in to use our land phone.

I refused.

Little altercation with the PIZZA delivery guy who had several other orders.

I rang the bank.

No reply from the bank as usual.

Several tries with other numbers and the guy who was now residing in the temple answered.

He asked for my ID.

Then he was asking me details not relevant.

I asked his name.

He obliged.

"You are the guy that the bank is investigating on fraud", I responded.

He put the phone down.

I checked and found he was residing in this famous temple.

The lesson of this dream, of course in general is, one should never volunteer information over the phone other than the ID and contact telephone number.

Fraudulent guys collect information and pose as real guys.

In a lighter note PIZZA story was surreal and I had another card with money available and PIZZA guy was paid on delivery.

In old age, one cannot remember each transaction and other overdue charges.

Having a current account is mandatory and one should ask the bank to sent a monthly record.

ANSI C and Brian, Denis, Debra and Ian

Reproduction.

I wake up to Australian birds singing at 5AM.

Busy working on book "Give a Chance to Philosophy".

ANSI C and Brian, Denis, Debra and Ian

I have avoided the surnames and one should go to the library and pick a  book on C, the code base  (C++ came later).

It is hard to learn Linux in the Internet.

I my time Ceylon Internet was hopelessly slow and Maru Sira destroyed the SLT and I moved to Dialog.

Hutch is hopeless in customer service.

Lanka Bell does not have the outreach to reach my neighbourhood.

I have gone to all these places but when I used Linux there were only 32 Linux Users in the entire world.

What a turnaround for Linux?

With,  reverence to the first two guys, I learned the basic code.

Only by reading their books.

Second two are the creators of Debian which I am based now not Ubuntu or Mint.

I have over 2000 CD and DVDs which I collected to make a local archive and I am going to put them to fire except the 64 bit versions.

I started with Knoppix 3.4.

Graduated to Puppy Linux and later to Mandrake, Suse, Redhat, Mepis, PCLinux.

I think Mepis made me to change to Debian and it had the best boot loader then, for Multi Booting.

This piece is about books.

I have books on,

DOS

Q Basic

C

C stuck with me.

Then I went to Linux Unwired and pulled out the Ethernet Wire since I was using my wife's data in 3 days and paid extra for every MB.

Mind you, I paid the bill.

I was working and I had money to spare.

Amazing think was, I was a doctor,  teacher and a private hospital administrator, all at the same time and did not sleep well.

I was multitasking.

People use to call me RIGID but I was very well organized for multitasking, like a computer.

I did not have time for gossip or flame wars.

I sleep well now 8 hours exact and get up at 5AM and do my browsing, emails and blogging until 7AM and sit and watch birds and squirrels.

There was a plant blooming for the first time after 38 years.

The stupid gardener who cheats my wife, who comes with a sharp knife chops everything.

I have stopped him when he raised his fee to Rs.3000/= with food and amnesties from our house bill.

He was a cheat.

I scarred him but he bought some orchids but none of them bloom except Kandyan dancers, I myself found and another one which bloomed after 18 years.

I do not put any artificial manure except rotten leaves and pure tea leaves which kills fungal parasites of plants.

With all this busy work in Linux, I was truly a gardener.

It takes 2 to 3 hours for watering and rain has come in, but in bit and pieces and I deserve some well earned rest.

Penetration Testing of Linux and Statistics

Reproduction but contents are valid to this Day!

Penetration Testing of Linux and Statistics

Nobody is sure how many are exactly using Linux worldwide but guesstimate is 1% of the computer users.

This is excluding Linux servers which is in the majority in all the spheres including Science.

This statement is related to desktop users.

I am urging all the people using Linux desktop to register at the distrowatch affiliated organisation.

Global census is mandatory to see what the exact penetration is.

The fact of the matter is millions of users are out there but getting them registered in one site is humanly impossible but if a cross section of them register a reasonable guess work estimate can be arrived at.

I use several machines and a laptop with Linux on board with number of distributions (some for testing and some for my work) but I registered once with my regular machine.

My wife uses another Linux machine which is not registered and my daughter uses both Microsoft and Linux. My household is not a typical one but     I would rather reflect (not that it matters a lot statistically) an average family where husband or wife uses Linux and the other half uses Microsoft.

Current statistics is very interesting.

In a 20 million population of Sri-Lankans only 133 machines are  registered currently (178 out of 224 countries).

In a 1.2 billion population 2340 Indian are registered from India (208 out of 224 countries).

Monaco with 1113 comes 5th out of 224 one of the richest private cities in the world.

Vatican city comes 6th with 26 Linux machines.

I won't talk about any any Buddhist international Institutions in Sri-Lanka.

I know of one Buddhist monk (who comes from Sweden) who is involved in getting the Pali  (Buddha's Language of use) Unicode into Linux.

That's all.

What about Singapore?

119th with 150 machines.

No   Country

Pers      Current    Mach      P/Mpop     Mpop

103

US United States Of America       15555    133           21367     51.2            303 millions

Tanzania, North Korea, Myanmar, Ethiopia and Nigeria come last 5 (five) and Japan, Bangladesh and Pakistan behind them.

This is revealing.

That is a big puzzle for me where Indian institutes boast that they produce lot of technocrats including Linux for  India and for the West.

That argument evaporate into thin air statistically.

Somebody from India should do a study on this.

I will talk about Sri-Lanka why we are way behind in this race.

I will start with a real story.

Way back in 1984 when I came back from England with Two computers one Atari and the other Compact 128, I happened to visit the college where I studied celebrating its 100th year in existence.

The principal was futuristic and asked me what we should do and I promptly  said we will establish a computer unit and I told him I will get a few computers from England.

With the help of some of our old college guys in UK I manged to get the first 3 computers myself. Then the ambassador of UK was from our college and coordinating the thing was just a matter of few phone calls.

This was done without any government help.

Some years later I visited the college and the principal was different and I met him and told him

I would like to see the computer unit.

I did not tell him that the early conceptual idea of starting the computer unit was mine and I physically brought the first three computers.

I just wanted see how those old computers were used and what new ones they  have added (this was before windows 95).

I was sent from  pillar to post.

First to Vice Principal, then to another teacher and another and nobody was of any help and I could not get the room opened where the computers were locked in.

In my mind I had decided I will not visit it again. This is the type of teachers we have here and we did not have a computer course till 2 years ago.

That speaks volumes of the Education Ministers too. Anyway I joined a private hospital in Colombo where I worked with 6 programmers and we got Unix from Singapore and used it there in dumb or black and white terminals and got the network running for the first time in Sri-Lanka.

Then within six months I joined the university and was very much involved with computers (a new hospital was built with Japanese aid) till I stepped down to  devote full time to Linux.

Why we are behind in Linux?

1. We use pirated copies even in Universities.

2. We teach them in Sinhala or Tamil and they cannot read a book on computers in English.

3. We have not trained teachers in English and IT (computer science) for over 30 years.

4. If somebody has a good idea all the other teachers come and destroy  that somebody (person) first and then the idea.

5. Our administrators including principals takes bribes to admit students with the help of some powerful politicians.

6. Politicians use teachers for political work and sometimes even malpractices at polling stations.

7. Only corrupt teachers get promoted and stay in one station till life.

8. Most evident corrupt practice is to not to teach during school hours but  to do private tuition after hours.

9. Even our professors are paid half what is paid in India.

10. Next round is to destroy the higher education and install private universities.

That is why we have only 133 guys using Linux Boxes in the entire country.

I am not at all surprised.

Very simple explanation.

We have got our priorities wrong.

Now few words about E-commerce in Sri-Lanka.

We have Electricity Board, Water Board and Telecoms fully digitalized and none of them can give an accurate bill or balance sheet on the last day of the month.

I have personal experience that computer programmers fiddle with the data and produce inaccurate reports.

There is some sort of racket going on with money matters and the higher authorities neither have vigilance, know how and the necessary apparatus to make investigations.

The programmers themselves do what the teachers do kill the person first and the idea of check and balances that needs to be installed next.

When I was in the private sector there were over 100 computer mistakes  I manually detected daily including wrong blood groups and wrong blood transfusions out of over 1000 (over 10% error which is not acceptable when working with computers) reports  and my target was to make zero defect (Quality Control).

This malady has now infiltrated the private sector too.

That is why when I do shopping check every computer entry which I ask every intelligent customer should do.

My final analysis is that we a mathematically stupid nation run by mathematically stupid Central Bank who runs the affairs in a very ordinary manner without check and balances and let the country taken to ransom by speculators, hedgers and IMF  and is equally very good at  printing various coloured notes with politicians face on them and cost of printing is far in excess of the face value of the currency note.

If we wean off these malpractices we would be able pay economic professors 3 to 4 times the current pay so that they are also not involved in corrupt practices.

Valve and Steam OS

Valve and Steam OS

What Valve and Steam OS done to Linux is unbelievable.

Even SuSe and Fedora and Nobara and Ragata jumped the wagon wheel of Linux Games. 

I cannot afford $350 to 500 buy a steam deck but even PS3 and to 5 are porting lot of games now.

I am currently downloading 6.6GB Game Linux of Fedora to test.

That is all, I can do that in my twilight years.

I wish I could play a game like wizard kid!

 

FireFox is doing a Good Job

FireFox is doing a Good Job

FireFox is my favorite browser which I have used it from Mozilla time.

In fact, I have given my email address and registered with it.

I browse Google under FireFox.

I have never had any problem except when the Grammer Utility when it went commercial wanted me to use it as my base for writing.

I do not need Grammer for my work.

I use AbiWord. 

Additionally I have Scribus, Inkscape and Blender for my work.

Redhat Nobara Steam Deck and Game DVD

Redhat Nobara Steam Deck

Fedora Also has a Game DVD of 6.6GB

I am just finishing writing Nobara on a USB stick.

I will report soon once I mount it and test it on my own leisure. 

It is  5.7GB and one need at least GB stick.

If you do not know how to prepare a USB stick one can purchase it from Nobara site. 

I am doing a service and I do not need to pay for it. 

File system include 5.7 Nobara partition, 12MB Anaconda Fat Partition and partition 3 is 307KB unconfirmed file and 10 GB Free Space.

It does not let me use the Free Space as a FAT partition.

I have nothing bad to report about Nobara Live Session except it did not tell me how long it takes to test file in my 320GB Toshiba Hard Disk with 3 other distributions in it.

It took a long time and did not find any problems with my file system.

1. It has its own package system and support Flatpak, which is good.

All the packages are available for installation including AbiWord, VLC and Digikam.

2. Configure the wireless easily.

3. Web browser is Chrome which I hate, did go to the Nobara site straight away which I have browsed adequately through FireFox before writing the Iso image.

4. Probably after my reporting both SuSe and Nobara has torrent clients to download.

Direct download took 6 hours to download 3.2GB but torrent downloaded both in less than five minutes. 

More torrent client faster it downloads.

But Ragata was in the A-Z list of Torrent Index but Nobara was not.

Thank you for the torrent clients.

5. For games it has only Steam support and no native support for Linux Native game clients.

If you are gamer you are better off installing Ragata.

6. I think I have served justice for my old flames of Linux and wish them both success.

7. I am nothing against Linux guys going commercial and doing better work than windows but my grouse is that guys and girls saying that this distribution is better than the other.

It is like chocolates, they are only different Linux flavours.

8. They are all based on Debian and I am a Gnome User and the day I decide to use KDE, I will consider both SuSe and Nobara good as choices.

9. Ubuntu has a special interest in me from Version 6 and I still have those CDs.

10. Puppy Linux and Knoppix are my entry points to Linux.

11. The Installer of Nobara is Calamara, which I begin to hate but BUT Debian has decided to go with it and I have no qualms!

Happy New Year 2024 to all.

Xournel and Xournel ++

 Like AbiWord, Xournel was one of my favorite utility to make a word processing file.

Xournel ++ has added the ability to make notes and sketches on the go.

They are like Gambas is available in both Ubuntu 21.10 and Debian 12.4.0 Gnome Live DVDs. 

One cannot find them in both SuSe Linux and Nobara Linux (what a pity for those commercial users).

Debian and Ubuntu also have Steam deck clients for gamers' use.

One have to purchase the games but it has retro games capability.

Linux has come a long way.

Redhat Linux,- Nobara Steam Deck

I have given up Redhat, Fedora long time ago.
For academic reason, I decided to revisit Redhat.
It looks like Steam Deck is having a big impact on Linux and commercial Linux entities like Redhat and Suse Linux are feeling the pinch.
Nobara is trying to include a Steam Deck utility to its fold.

Both distribution do not have torrent files but www.distrowatch.com has given two images.
I  trying to download the iso direct and it is taking ages to download.
Both SNAP and FLATPK are not supported.

I do not think I have not lost much since I kept my trust on Debian and its Synergy with Synaptic Software of Ubuntu has made Linux community not on commercial footing proud of their collaborations.

Nobara has only KDE and Gnome desktops.

Nobra-39- Steam Deck is taking hours to download.

It is only 800MB yet, I am dropping to sleep and hope when I wake up the file is ready without breakages.

Not having a torrent file to download is a Big Drawback of Nobara Linux. 

SuSe Linux Gamer Ragata OS

SuSe Linux Gamer Ragata OS 

I accidentally found Ragata OS based on SuSe Linux which is game oriented.

SuSe was my first regular Linux and gave up after it went commercial.

Story was same with Redhat and Fedora.

It is a good match for Steam OS.

There Ragata Store

It supports Ubisoft

Epic Game Store

GOG Galaxy

Battle,net

Rocket Star Launcher in addition to KDE desktop.

It is elegant and configure the WiFi effortlessly.

 

 

Gambas 3 and Bluefish Editor

Gambas 3 and Bluefish Editor

Bluefish editor was the First Linux Text Editor I used to learn programming many moons ago.

Then for a short time Gambas was used by me but it's developer stopped promoting it. 

It is similar to windows basic which I used for a short while.

Debian Gnome Linux and Ubuntu have both these utilities in their respective repositories and there is mutual (respective) synergy.

Debian 12.4.0 Genome Live DVD Install

I had some problem with Debian 12.4.0 DVD1, install.

Live installer assumed it as DVD install and ask for DVD to install VLC and Abiword.

AbiWord was my major issue!

It is only about 28 to 32MB and if any distribution does not support it, I have decided to not to support it.
It may be that during the New Year Holiday, the Server was not switched on.
 

I wanted both synaptic and FlATPAK if not SNAP of Ubuntu.

Today, I tried OpenHipster and it won't give me a graphic desktop.

Annoyed I erased it and mounted Gnome 12.4.0 and in a Live Session it offered me FLATPAK and decided install it instead.

It is currently downloading the package store.

It looks like Debian is committed to the Calamara Installer.

At last I got AbiWord installed in Debian Gnome.

I think the problem is most likely with the WiFi system.

It is slow due to evrybody is using WiFi now.

Dedicated Ethernet (not available to me currently in Australia) may be the easy way to install additional software.

I am going to get Frozen Bubble and VLC before I lose the connection with Flatpak.

I'll keep you posted.

In software update, it is currently downloading LibreOffice, Does not say which version.

Thunderbird and system updates.

I got my favorite Dilo.

Opera is not available.

I am getting down all the writer software now.

Found USB formatter and image writer.

It is worth the trouble and I am going to get BOX and no VirtualBox.

Audacity and asunder audio CD ripper included.

Blender and Scribus included.

Inkscape next.

Clementine and beach-bit I have forgotten many of the packages including sweeper.

I am hitting A-Z alphabetical order!

Yes I am Frozen Bubble while installation is underway!

Tux Line is included.

By the way, Synaptic Software Manger is also working OK.

 

What is important is Flatpak install software within a  container. What synaptic does is to identify the software installed and add additional plugging missing in Flatpak.

Absolute synergy with software management. No need to work on a terminal for updates.

I tired with AbiWord and now updating VLC.

It is slow but works OK.

The safe bet is to use the synaptic for installing the packages.

One need to know the package name exactly, though.

With Flatpak I could not get camera utilities including digicam.

FLATPAK- Some Comments

1. Good for Kids

2. Large Panels Identify Applications Placed on the desktop

3. They are arranged horizontally

4. The Item can be brought to the bottom panel

5. Kids games can be placed at the bottom panel

6. I have arranged all my writing tool at the bottom.

7. Flatpack can be activated by by a normal user but installing and uninstalling need root password.

8. Debian has done a good job and opening desktop can be and log in screen can be zoomed to a bigger size and good for Visually Handicapped.

Application Management in Linux

I generally do not add packages after installing but find a distribution I like and have all the applications.
This is all due to each application depends on its own libraries.

Things have changed a lot.

There are lot of applications in Linux and they are not streamlined and have problems.

1. Application used to come as packages and Debian and Redhat had their own package management protocols.

2. Ubuntu introduced SNAP system to with own distribution.

3. Then comes the container FLATPAK.

4. Application images in one file.

Sand Boxing is a method used in Linux to restrict access to unauthorized use. In other words plug in security holes.

Packages not coming from recognized package stores may contain scripts that do snooping on your system.
So do not install packages coming from unauthorized sources. That is one way a distribution can become vulnerable to malaware.