Hanthana Linux-Sinhala Edition

I have some good news to report.

Finally I managed to download Hanthana Linux Version11.1 from iBiblio.

It was 2009 December edition probably comes from Fedora 11.

It took almost the weekend to download and it finished before mid night and I am writing this well past midnight.

Before writing this I did another search to see from where it can be downloaded.

Three sites.

1. Ibiblio has  old and latest versions.

2. Sourceforge has up to 14.2 version

3. Sri-Lankan LEARN.net for latest version

Both Sourceforge and iBiblio have torrent downloads too.

I have to thank, those who were involved in doing the hard work.

I have been downloading various Linux distributions and once after about 40 attempts I managed to download SwiftLinux (Point to point download breaks without any warning).

Their web site could not handle the downloads and decided to place a limited number of iso images at sourceforge and now even the point to point download is OK.

All these problems I have highlighted here in my blogspot.

I had a particular liking for Taylor Swift (Taylor is a singer) and somehow managed to download it after many tries before they shifted to Sourceforge.

SwiftLinux is a derivative of AntiX which is a Mini version of Mepis which I  am fond of, coming from Debian base.

SwiftLinux comes form America and their vision is to produce a light weight distribution for old machines with low RAM.
It's philosophy is to even beat Puppy Linux (latest Puppy cannot be run on old machines but Puppy 4.1 can) in the light weight Linux game.

AntiX of course is a good distribution and SwiftLinux still has teething problems.

What I said is relevant to Hanthana Linux too.

We have lot of old computers and many buy secondhand ones because they cannot afford expensive dual core machines.

Light weight version is easy to download and easy on old computers with low RAM.

The simple fact is that I could not download the Hanthana Linux in spite of trying on torrent download.

I hope new torrents would be better.

In the mean time, I have downloaded gorilla sized PCLINuxFullMonty (many seeders) and Knoppix 4.7.1 without a problem.

Even downloaded Ultimate Linux (point to point) with some difficulty.

It took me 10 days to download Absolute Linux (Slackware derivative) CD which is very good and one is not fixed to one desktop (KDE or Gnome).

It took 14 days for me to download Fedora 13 (from Fedora 13 there is Sinhala Unicode Support) and when I finally tested it there was no Sinhala in it.

Debian started supporting Sinhala Linux from version 6.0.0 (current version).

It is also merging with LinuxMint and making Debian Mint version. 

This is due to Ubuntu becoming Unity and Ubuntu does not support Sinhala.

I am currently downloading them and testing to see where Sinhala script is there. In the live session or when attempting to install (I have not installed) Sinhala can be selected but font does not appear.

So Fedora is still ahead because of Hanthana Linux and I hope a Light Weight version will seal it's position well ahead of others.

This is specially so because Redhat is moving fast to Btrs file system and it does not bother about desktops (that was a terrible mistake in the past and Redhat still continue to follow that policy).

What happened to Linux Mint is a case in point and they realized the folly  of piggybacking on one distribution and quickly went back to Debian base.

Once, one is with the Debian fold, there is no update cycle (at least for Debian Mint for the time being) and this leaves Developers free to address new frontiers.

With cloud computing on the horizon (general and global picture  changing) there going to be lot of changes including hardware.

O.E.M guys will stop supporting Linux and get a big thumb up from windows 8. In that scenario, the ability to support old computers is mandatory.

Linux can continue to do that for another 10 years.

Unfortunately Linux developers are also changing the course anticipating changes and Ubuntu and Linux distributions (CloudUSB, JoliCloud) that support cloud computing (Redhat included) are taking a calculated risk.

I hope these changes might not affect Hanthana Linux in the long run.

It is better to be ready with the challenge and the changes. 

By the way the CD is pretty impressive.

Suse or Trisequel or Mandriva

I looked at my blog posts and discovered that I have no entry for Suse.
This is to rectify that omission.
Unfortunately I am bit explicit here.
Suse or Trisequel or Mandriva
Suse Linux had a special place in my choices before it went commercial. I left Fedora and embraced Suse Linux and had been using it from Suse 8. Till Suse 10.1 there was no problem and when it was taken by Novel I had lot of expectations. Novel concentrated on server but I believe like Redhat neglected the desktop version. By Suse 11.1, I was changing my allegiance. Mainly due to it’s failure in commercial support of the desktop version.
It was less than ideal.
Then it’s alliance with Microsoft was not a favorable enterprise.
I will talk about the plus points first.
It had one of the best installation script even though unlike Redhat sometimes tends to miss some of my other Linux distributions already installed in the box. It also had a very good partition utility when compared to other Linux distributions except Mandrake, Debian and Redhat. It’s YAST was a very good configuration utility. Its KDE was bulky but very attractive. Then it introduced the Suse Studio where one can Mix and Match utilities and make one’s own Live distribution. In fact, I made one distribution myself. ChromeOs is one of those distributions a that took root from Suse Studio. From then onwards I shifted my allegiance totally and it’s Milestone releases are “pain in the neck” and worse than the Fedora experience for me.
I stopped downloading and testing them after the last version 11.2. When I saw many innovations in other Live CD/DVDs it was easy for me to ditch it in favour of PClinux.
Now few of my reason for ditching it.
It is bulky and consumes lot of RAM.
It is slow in boot up.
Its downloading of Linux images was bad.
It tends to pile up all the junk temporary files and what really annoyed me was it did not have a way of cleaning up and deleting large files. With time file corruption ensued. At that stage to save time I had to dump it and never used it again.
It stopped reading partitions above 15 and with me having 5 to 6 distributions in one box it was restricting my freedom. With disks of 500 GiB coming to the market restricting to 15 partition was a stupid idea. Only Microsoft would have done it that way. New Windows 8 not allowing alternative operations to boot is a case in point.
It also take the belief and shoot that belief out of window that commercial ventures do add value and complementary and better than community work.
Suse desktop was a commercial failure for the happy faces of Microsoft and Apple CEOs.
I wanted to write about Trisequel here instead of Suse but took the decision if I do not write little bit of Suse and its history, justice is not done to those developers who created Suse.
Trisequel
I will be brief in here writing about Trisequel. Suse and Mandrake took Open Software theme to the extreme and in their early releases excluded all packages which had slightest taint of commercial tags and did not include things like Flash and the like limiting the functionality for those who migrating from Microsoft background. They then bundled them in their commercial counterpart to lure them to buy their distributions. This was not a healthy ploy, and the clever customer like me can see the commercial intent. I have personal experience with Suse the details which I decline to state here.
XandosOS is another good commercial product which apply this principle.
I should close this entry with why I have not included Mandrake. Many reasons as stated above an it’s split recently into two. Mandrake has been acquired by a Russian company and it is applying rigid and regimental style, somewhat akin to military. The breakaway Mageia is not yet mature. I wish both of these endevours success but hesitate to recommend them just for now.
Coming back to Trisequel if one wants a pure Linux derivative and beautiful and clean distribution too, I have no hesitation of recommending Trisequel that come from Spain and has English version too.
It has everything except cloud utilities.
That shoots two birds with one go.
1. No commercial involvement or enticements.
2. True to it’s Linux base.
So if any Linux distribution goes commercial like Redhat focus that commercial aspect and give customer due care which Suse failed in desktop range. I am not stating that Redhat customer service good. It is far from it but it knows it’s obligation and working towards that goal at least in the server section.
Redhat is well known for failing the desktop clients.

XBMC Linux and Media Center

XBMC Linux and Media Center

This is a Live CD that specializes on Multi-Media applications. It runs on Flushbox X-windows and has XBMC as its major package.This is a mouse happy distribution and when one right clicks the application menu comes to life.

One interesting feature about this distribution is the distribution is only tine but its application XBMC takes a large portion of it’s MiB.

If one has an old computer with a good graphic utility one can use that computer as a home media center and store all your videos and audios in one place. Not only that t can store pictures to. Once it is connected to the internet one can get the local weather too.

This is something one should have one’s bedroom and program it to wake you up with music and morning weather. Of course one has to write a tiny script to wake you up at 6 A.M or 7 A.M.

I am told early risers are healthy and manage stress better. Music and cup of tea (not coffee) is healthy start up for one who has cash strapped duty debt crisis.

What better way other than rise up XBMC on a old computer.

XBMC is under the menu video when you right click and get the applications into life. It has lot of other little applications.

Incognito Linux and the Visually handicapped

Incognito Linux and the Visually handicapped

This is something one should take cognizant of. I was looking for a post in the name of incognito in my blogspot but I have posted it as Webbo Amnesia. Amnesia is a medical term and I had gone to the town with that word and has completely forgotten to highlight the Linux distribution in my post. My apologies to the guys and girls at Incognito. 

The error of commission and omission should be put right here.

1. It is a Live CD if one wants to browse anonymously and without leaving any traces to detect.

2. It has vidalia which gives a list of guys logged in at the time of one's current browsing. 

3. It has ORCAs which is something I should highlight here. 

Even a blind person can browse the web without any intrusion or obstruction.

4. Web browser is light and no cookies or attempting to remember all one's actions. 

5. It does not feed back your browsing habit to commercial interests. It is fast because of that fact and i was immediately on my blog entry and reading its first few lines.

I am happy even a blind person can read this entry if he/she accidentally visit my site. There are lot of nice Linux guys/girls out there doing things that are commendable. Helping visually handicapped to be independent is one such thing. Thanks a lot to all ORCAs developers out there.

Incognito is an amazing utility which all the aspiring politicians and power hungry ones should worry about. It can boot and erase all the traces of memory in the browser and the computer of use after posting a message out of the country which some dictators like what you find in China may not like it, and the true state of affairs are known to the rest of the world.

Tor is a small utility one can carry in a floppy disk and it will send chills in the spines of some politicians!

Linux can do it and www is for all not for a few powerful and wealthy.

It makes the ground rules simple and open. Be transparent in all public (not private) affairs.

What I gather is that this utility is used by teenagers in the West to hoodwink their parents and reach unwanted sites. Well, teens are two steps ahead of their parents and old folks should fast learn "tricks of the trade".

Use of this utility in bad hands can be deplorable but I will use it only when their is a dire necessity political-wise.

 

1. Number one feature one I want all the Linux distribution to have is UnetBootIn.

2. Number two is ORCAs.

3.Number three is gParted and partition image.

Incognito has it.

Knoppix has it.

Most of the Ubuntu derivatives VinuX have it.

Dynabolic should have it and it has it.
The  visually handicapped will enjoy Music with Dynabolic.

In other words all audio visual Linux CD/DVDs should have ORCAs and UnetBootIn.

So he/she can wear the distribution around the neck wherever they go.

Who knows I am in my twilight years and I may go blind due to old age and I will have to carry one with me.

Thanks young guys and girls for your wonderful communal spirit.

Demo Linux and the Nostalgia

Demo Linux and the Nostalgia

It was a very pleasant experience to boo the Demo Linux that I downloaded 2 days ago.

It did not boot up with my ThinkCentre but did boot up with the NetVista without a problem an even detected the USB ports and the paraphernalia attached to the computer.

It had KDE, Gnome and surprisingly StarOffice 2 (which I had never used before).

Most of the utilities were Debian based and it did not have office package not even AbiWord but there were 10 or more text editors including LyX, Latex derivative and Quanta 2 the web editor too.

There were hundred of utilities and games and demo did not need a password to boot.

It was very quick to boot and had all the text stating what was happenings behind the scene.

With tablets coming to scene, the humble beginning of Linux and now almost 95% of utilities including Androids using Linux is an amazing feat of the last 20 years.

But thank goes to Live CD List web site for keeping an archive CD there for downloading.

Now I am going to download version 2 too.

I used version 3 for testing.

Now that distromania is defunct I hope LiveCD List keep some copies of old Linux for the future generation to see as a historical fact.

Without history mankind does not exist even in the digital age!

 

It reminded me of the Live Suse CD I used before I migrated from Redhat and Debian to Suse.

The Live CD List Web Site

This is a comment I posted at the site of the Live CD List.
I have used that site nearly over 18 months and for me it is one of the best neatly organized site without advertisements.
There may be lapses in part when I write about Linux distributions which are coming thick and fast but keeping them available for downloading is the best service one can offer a newbie or a savvy.

My Comment
I have been downloading Linux images for testing for a long time.
Your site and layout is excellent..
Unfortunately distromania suddenly went defunct and there is no site other than your site where old images (or redirection to home site) archived and kept for downloading..
I was looking for pocketwriter a Slackware derivative but got redirected to GoDaddy site.
Failed after several attempts.
Similarly I could not find an image of Musix 64 bits.
There is some problem with Porteus, too (portable Linux).
What I want to thank you very much is for keeping the very old DemoLinux (currently downloading version 3) with you.
 I have had lot of problem with point to point downloads which get disconnected abruptly.
Now I use Linuxtracker and try to seed as much as possible..
It took 14 days to download Absolute Linux (old version) and 10 days to download Fedora 13 even at Linux-Tracker due to no seeders.
Keep up the good work.
We greatly appreciate your work for the Linux Community and the rest.

Linux Updates-Dynabolic and Knoppix DVD

Dynabolic has revitalized itself and come up with it's 3.0.0. beta version.

It has almost everything what I want except installation.

It is at beta stage and that may be the reason it has not yet included the install script which I am eagerly waiting.

It is a DVD just over 2 GiB and packed everything apart from Music and DVD stuff.

It has Scribus, Blender and Inkscape.

It has Orcas too.

What more one needs.

I have not given my score but it will top 2000 and possibly 2500 if they include the install script when ready.

I do not discuss two distribution in the same blog page but today I am going to do that to save time

I should say few words about Knoppix 6.7.1 DVD.

It is excellent and now can be used for 64 bit computers too.

If you type adriane at boot time everything is in audio mode for visually handicapped and this must be the first time somebody who is blind has given a chance and full control of using a computer including going to to the web.

Mindfully it has put installation as the last option.

This is something Linux community can do to a blind but computer literate guy or girl to be independent.

Blind people love music and Knoppix and Dynabloic if they join hands will be coming out as an easy winner.

I must tell you once booted using orcas has some glitches which needed to be sorted out soon.

Dynabolic is also of the same class for me as Knoppix.

Talking about both in the same line of thinking I think is not inappropriate, when I come to think about it.

We will join hand with you a better product comes out of Unity in Diversity.

What can go wrong for Android Tablets?

Lot can go wrong with Android tablets.

Long period elapsed from the concept to execution and most of it was tested on high end of the market.

The average user was not involved in the decision making.

It was probably an effort of a small team which worked hard (dedicated to the task at hand).

To begin with it was the development of the browser.
Then the tiny OS without security enhancements.

It was a new browser not a time tested one.

There were many suitable candidates for this new browser in the  Linux community and none of them were considered or compared with the Chrome. 

Now take FireFox.

It has lot of loop holes when used in the Microsoft Environment.

It originated from Linux but then arched its way out to embrace Microsoft community.

With that it lost the security features.

It is possible to customize it in the Linux environment and even in that environment some cookies till lately (penetrated even my computer) do some undesirable things.

I was doing lot of downloads without a firewall and hacker (most likely windows guy from India-that is far as I went in search of the guy) installed a script in the browser.

Fortunately I detected it in matter of hours and took necessary steps.

Instead of point to point I went for Torrents which has a way of of using the port and testing the threads.

Even torrents can be attacked and it happened to LinuxTracker and lately Linux foundation is affected by a similar attack.

If Linux could be attacked it is going to be chicken feed for attackers in Microsoft environment.

Chrome will have to deal with this threat.

It has no human resource to deal with like in the Linux Community.

In a commercial environment Linux does not prosper as was shown in Fedora Project.

Fedora's contribution was marginal when compared to Debian.

It was today I (rather PCLinux) detected something fishy.

I was using point to point download overnight (two files) and one of them (either Zenwalk or Absolute Linux let in a cookie in between the download streams disrupting my download (point to point) today.

Equally it could have happened after the downloads were finished and I did not terminate the download as usual and left the computer running.

If I had the torrent running this would not have happened which I usually do.

I removed all the Google Cookies (including useful ones) to get some sanity back and system running smoothly.

Any browser is vulnerable and not foolhardy.

So Google gadgets are also vulnerable.

In any case I do not use Chrome.

I am into Cloud computing I have to and I will be using the browsers.

I think Linux has to develop a utility like torrent to deal with this problem and Google with its limited staff cannot do that.

For cloud to succeed something better than the browser has to take the  tiny  computing moments and events into control.

I believe the browser is not the best vehicle for Cloud computing.

Time will tell whether my apprehensions are true or false.

Google cannot do it alone.

The stakes are high if they fail. 

Like viruses for Microsoft viruses it will be Cookies for Google that set in a bad omen (for Chrome and Google).

It has to forge a friendship with Linux Community for it to be successful.

The mistake it did was to declare it's kernel is pure and original.
It is not and it is vulnerable.

Linux has to look forward to the challenge and take a giant stride now  (before it is too late) in Cloud Computing.

Linux can do it with or without Google's help.
That is my belief.

PCLinuxFullMonty-Update

PCLinuxFullMonty has done an excellent update.

Thanks Guys and girls for including Calibre, the E-book organizer which is an excellent package.

Only thing missing is Cloud Computer readiness but dropbox is there for the taking but I prefer something like Ubuntu One or JoliCloud with lot of little application.

In the alternative PCLinux can work on that as a separate Cloud Project with all inclusive Light weight CD and a Browser of Debian style compatible with cloud.

In any case FullMonte is going to be my work horse for many years to come.

I am still waiting for the 64 bit version that was promised sometime back.

They layout for FM is now placed separately and installer is placed as an option in the start up splash which is a good thing, since when on Live it takes a lot of RAM and freezes a bit, if one does not have minimum of 1 GiB RAM.

I still call it dearly as the Gorilla of a distribution.

It's stand out feature is the FM layout for me. 

My work is always well organized even if I am following cricket BBC live (commentaries).

Thank again for inclusion of Calibre.

That name fits in well since it has almost everything in one DVD.

Ten (10) or more things I would like to see happening before end of 2012

Ten (10) or more things I would like to see happening before the end of 1012.

Some saints are predicting end of the world by 2012 but I have a few predictions and I would like to see some of them happening before the end of 2012.

I will list them here first and would enlarge upon them on a future date depending on the time at my disposal.

These are made without any attachment to any country or state or company at large.

The concept I would like to develop is that there should be greater good to the average person on the street or is born every 7 seconds or so  to this World / Century with IT industry expanding and penetrating into every corner of life from medicine to agriculture to information technology.

Everybody enjoys music.
Similarly everybody loves reading a magazine or daily paper.

Both have become part of our lives.
Cellphone is universal now.

Information and its technology is no different.

Information should not be concentrated on few rich countries nor few rich companies nor a few rich guys/girls.

When OLPS came up everything possible was done to kill its impact in its infancy by the rich and the powerful.

Unfortunately credit crisis and debt crisis came in at the same time and put a powerful lid around spread of information to the poorer countries and copyright laws and similar instruments are used to keep the knowledge hub in the hand of vested interests.

This cannot go on for ever, if we have a defunct Organization called United Nations Organization.

U.N.O does not think that Linux exists but only Microsoft and Apple.

Unite Nations does not even have a Language Policy now.

Only English is dominating.

I cannot go there and address an audience in plain Sinhala but Linux and Debian/Fedora can do that without the support of UNO.

Linux Community has done a lot to World Languages much more than the White Elephant U.N.O.

Vatican uses one Linux computer and U.N.O does not have even one from the statistics available currently on the web.

This organization should be closed for good since the end of the world is already predicted by the saints and Maurians.
If not me American politicians think so and would not like to spend money running this organization except their interests.

What I state here should come from U.N.O or W.H.O but the guys and girls there are only interested in Human Rights of some godforsaken countries deprived of every possible avenue of help; from poverty, hunger to malnutrition and exploitation of rich mineral sources by corrupt rulers and administrators who come to power or attempt to come to power by not so democratic means  or by shear deception (L.T.T.E and their backers included). 

It is true that a few western countries which dominate the world  of IT industry.

That domination should end, sooner than late.

1. In my list Apple Mac comes first. 

Its domination with its pricing scale should come to an end sooner than late. It should be affordable if not it should be replaced by similar applications.

Could alternatives fill in?

Yes Linux can do that.

2. Domination of Microsoft should end.

It is already happening thanks to its own creation of wealth around itself.
Linux has already made inroads and has enough weaponry to offset any more exploitations.

But windows 8 has already gone paranoid.

3. Domination of IBM in high tech area should be squeezed especially its classmate kits for rich kids.

It can be done easily with tablets and anti-androids that come from the Asian continent.

4. Google will kill itself by following policies similar to Microsoft in its Android (Linux inventions tampered with minor details) manifestation.

5. Intel's domination should end with alternative chip making and it's already happening. 

There are alternative chip manufacturers.

If I am attacking all the powerful companies is there anything left to fill the gap.

Yes there is enough.

6. Amazon should step in. 

Its kindle, its publishing arm, its cloud services and powerful marketing philosophy should move forward and take the lead and stretch its arm all over  the world including China and India.

This should come before U.N.O declare human right violation in China.
In India Human Right Violations including rape happens everyday.
Nobody talks after IMF incident.

Yes it's an American adventure but it does not matter if it is doing the right thing at the right time for the children of the world and ordinary masses. 

I hope the CEOs there make the right decision for this century and be proud after 100 years from now.

Amazon had been doing a silent service. 

Its cloud service going to be the next important thing that will change how things should be shaped up right now.

We must not let Oracle with its powerful database machinery to take over the IT industry with other selfish collaborators.

7. Cloud computing is going to shape up everything from year 2012.

Linux has developed all the tool kits. 

It looks like rich companies are going to hijack all the innovations that came from Linux.

We must put an end to this.

There are over 100 very good Linux distributions out there.

If we let the current trends to dictate about 10 companies will determine the wealth of information while Mr Bunki Moon and Mrs.Pillay are dabbling with human right issues while allowing USA and UK going unscathed.

The 10 or so companies are gearing  readily albeit  slowly to strangle the whole world economy.

Nobody in the U.N.O speaks.

Those human rights issues are carrots to donkeys, issues when compared to what you see how things are shaping up in the West in the IT industry.

I am here with Richard Stallman.

What free software and Linux achieved over the last 20 years will be used by these few companies and become much more richer.

There are 10 Linux distributions for each exploiting company as it is now. They should divert their resources to take up the challenge and cloud computing seriously.

Ubuntu One is there.

CloudUSB and JoliOS are also there both Ubuntu derivatives.

Then there is Mobilin derivative MeeGo.

Why can't the other distribution take some lead now?

8. What can the China do. 

It can do a lot. 

It can flood the market with tablets with anti-androids.

Its space industry (GIS -Global Internet Service) should take over the Internet service sector and cloud computing.

India cannot contribute anything to this scenario since they are taken for a ride by the American companies and American interests.

Mind you Chinese use graphic language unlike English which is words language.

Graphic language is far superior in the tablet and cloud industry. 

Even the people without English knowledge can use the technology  with graphics and charts included without reading a word.

This is where Chinese innovation and invasion is good for the world economy. 

India is not ready and that is the biggest advantage for China.


9. For over 100 years what we used were slate and slate pencil. 

Instead of the slate and the pencil, tablet, the mini-version of the portable computer and the cellphone alternatives will be the game changer from 2012. 

Governments providing obsolete printed books Sri-Lanka included will be the thing of the past very soon.

What is preventing is the cost of the (OLPS for example) O.E.M.

Tablet will change everything from communication to to way we teach and learn. 

Is U.N.O ready.

Not at all UNICEF is dead now and only a concept.


Only hindrance is the speed of the Internet. 

Moment this barrier is broken like the sound barrier of the last century, everything will change.

The game changer has come to live but U.N.O is sleeping with it Mr.Bunki Moon.


It will be sooner than we have anticipated.

More satellites and fibro-optic connections will take IT industry forward.

We Sri-Lankan do not have a satellite of our own even  though the country is placed in a superior position in the GeoSpace.

10. What is necessary is training of personnel to take over the this challenge but that is where we are the slowest and the laziest.


There is lot of resistance to change. 

That is the human nature but few powerful companies are pushing us towards this goal whether we like it or not.

But U.N.O is sleeping.


We must be ready with alternative strategies as well as alternative technologies.

Linux can provide it. Its Community Spirit is more powerful than the USA or the sleeping U.N.O.

Already 95% of the industry depends on Linux.

We must not let 10 or more companies to take the copyright ownership of the Linux achievements.

This is specially so because U.N.O is sleeping on big capitals.


I hope this piece of writing is also a game changer.

JoliCloud and JoliOS

Joli Cloud and JoliOS is a Ubuntu based distribution supported by a company and has an innovative approach to Linux.
It has a JoliBook (limited edition) for 300 dollars and can be installed in old computer.
One can register with it and use it as cloud service.

Joli OS is a free and easy way to turn any computer up to 10 years old into a cool new cloud device.
Get on the Web and instantly connect to all your Web apps, files and services using the computer you already own.

You may never need to buy a new computer again.

It’s easy.

Just download Joli OS.

It installs in just 10 minutes.

Jolibook by Vye comes with literally everything. 

More than 750 apps from the built-in Jolicloud App Center—games, office tools, music and video players and more—all installed and updated in just one click.
Plus you can see what apps your friends are using in the Jolicloud Stream. Best of all, all of your apps are always up-to-date.

Going for a uniform Live CD/DVD approach

There are many Live CD/DVDs for one to try but there is lack of uniformity in their final output.

For example some live CDs boot without a password.

Some do not have root permission.

Equally there are different names for the user and  equally bewildering passwords for root.

I have a few suggestions for future live CD/DVD developers having tested over 200 over the past two years.

1. Live boot should be guest and the past word should be guest.

2. Root password should always be root.

Other alternative is to assign a password for root at the boot up time which few live CDs let one do.

3. Live CD/DVDs should always have a X Windows.

If there is no X windows they should be named as console boot ups not live CDs. One cannot see live in a console boot ups and they are for administrators doing maintenance work.

4. They should have UnetBootIn included for it to be booted into a USB.
That is the easiest and the best way.

Alternative is to have a simple script or simple graphic utility for preparation of a pendrive and not command terminal.

5. They need not be DVDs but having fully fledged DVD is good if one wants to install it after a live session.

6. By default include install script.

In the alternative have one Live CD and one install CD.

7. They should include Cloud Utilities by default in preparation of the IT sea change that is happening now.

8. What to be included can be decided independently to the taste of the developer (not the user).

For example take 4MLinux.

It is very small but it has four components.

1. Multimedia.

2. Mini Server

3. Maintenance Utility

4. Mystery or games.

Damn Small Linux is another example.

Gparted for partitioning.

SliTaz is another example.

Browser Pup is another very good example.

For desktop environment Zenlive approach is good.

It has 5 different CDs.

Or take the approach of PClinux which has several CDs. Mini, Medium and Standard and a big daddy approach of FullMonty (September version is out).

It is high time Live CD / DVDs take cloud computing seriously and have approach like Ubuntu One or CloudUSB or JoliCloud.

The threat of Google Android's invasion should be beaten sooner than late.

I like the CloudUSB approach very much except it's passwords.

EyeNux is another good one gone into hibernation.

I hope many more brighter ideas would emerge from crafty developers.

9. There are two other important points. One is to have simple instruction included in the CD/DVD itself.

10. They should also have a good home page if the developers are expecting users to visit site for information and feedback.
For example there is a Live CD distribution based on Slackware PocketWriter which is pretty good and a personnel contribution but no home page or instructions. I wanted to suggest they should include a install script and I could not do that.
Home page is very important.

Level of Citizenship

Level of Citizenship

This is something I wanted to write but escaped my attention for so long.

I should be brief.

I categorize citizens into 4 main groups.

But there can be many in between.

Since I have traveled a fair bit when young and I was out more than in, may have caused this delay.
But it is never too late than ever.

Probably I am less hypocritical of myself.

Recent visit of the CID to our neighbourhood made me pen this down lest I forget.

We have no war but the long period of paranoia has made us less flexible and open but very much reserved and less proactive.

This is very much shown in our cricket and the political involvement especially around world cup has made it worse.

When we want to go out especially to UK or USA, they do a scan of your profile and fingers to the extent many of our criminals (must be laughing) never have had that opportunity (they are out there in the open without a warrant) granted to them sometimes probably due political patronage.

When the Visa guys finished me I wanted to say to them  you must take an accurate profile of the penis or vice versa of the opposite sex to prevent powerful IMF guys with political clout escaping the security net.

For my own sanity I differed saying that till now.

My categorization are as follows

1. First Class Citizen of a First Class Country.

2. First Class Citizen of a Second Class Country.

3. Second Class Citizen of a First Class Country.

4. Second Class Citizen of a Second Class Country.

Many of us fall into the last category and try our best to achieve the Second Class Citizen of a First Class country and never go beyond that point.

Mind you there is no First Class Country and that is found only in heaven.

Now then, can I give an example of a country that come near  enough to a First class Country.

Only one comes to my mind.

It is New Zealand that come anywhere near that category in people-wise and policy-wise as a First Class Country.

UK and USA now come under Second Class Countries due to their policy changes.

They are paranoid (crimes they have  involved in over the past two centuries  and still committing are too numerous to mention) in their demeanour and that is why I categorize them as such.

It is far better to become a first class citizen of a second class country which none of us can achieve given the global scenario of debt crisis.

So when you think of going abroad please think twice, if you become  a second class citizen, you remain so for your entire life and one cannot ascend up the ladder.

Zenwalk Linux Update

I have said earlier that if I did not discover PCLinux (first discovery of Desktop Live) I would have chosen Zenwalk as my standard and live Linux distribution and lived with it while experimenting with all the other Linux distributions for fun.

If I do not make special mention of it here I am doing diservice to Slackware which is as old as Linux.

20 years to the count and Zenwalk is a derivative that took its roots from it but now can stand on its own right in Linux world.

I have used Knoppix, Puppy Linux and Demo Linux before going back to year 2003 but none of them were desktop oriented at least at the beginning.

The differences are basically PCLinux is KDE based an it has full blown FullMonty.

Five CDs

1. Standard                                         323 MiB

2. Zenwalk Core                               329  MiB

3. Zenwalk OpebBox                      503  MiB

4. Zenwalk Gnome                          665  MiB

5. Zenwalk Live                                688  MiB

If you look at the difference between the Live Cd and the Gnome Cd the difference in MiB is only 30 MiB and that is the amount of memory needed for including the Live Script and I cannot understand why some developers do not include it in a CD or DVD.

Installer script and UnetBootIn are other utilities that should be essential part of a  Linux CD without much a do.

Copied from their Home site.

Modern and user-friendly (latest stable software, selected applications)

Very fast (optimized for performance capabilities)

Rational (one mainstream application for each task)

Complete (full development/desktop/multimedia environment)

Evolutionary (advanced network package management tool - Netpkg)

The Zenwalk Project aims to create a lightweight Linux distribution (through using only one application per task on the release ISO image), optimization for a specific processor architecture to increase execution speed, and introduces a comprehensive package management system with dependency resolution.

Zenwalk is a Linux distribution founded by Jean-Philippe Guillemin. It was originally based on Slackware. Since its creation, the distribution has become very different from Slackware in most regards while still maintaining compatibility with its binary packages. Zenwalk aims to be a modern and multi-purpose Linux distribution by focusing on Internet applications, multimedia and programming tools.

Slackware and Gentoo Linux

Slackware Linux is the only Linux distribution I could not test on its own merits simply because of its own rigid way of installing it but that is going to change soon.

I am currently downloading its latest 4.3 GiB DVD.

It is as old as Linux  having celebrated 20 years.

However I have used Salix and  SLAX.

SLAX is only Live and it has a very nice live script and module to make a Live CD but defunct now.

However, Porteus has taken over and produced both 32 and 64 bit version of Slackware derivative and they are under 400 MiB.

Slackware is unique in that it applies one utility for one function.

It does not allow for redundancy.

The utilities are time tested and stable but Slackware is bit resistant to allow Live CD/DVDs.

Salix has filled this an d it has number of Live CDs.

Absolute has done a good job of producing a Live Cd packed with utilities.

It is opposite of Gentoo which produces Live DVD but resistant to installers.

The two are on two opposite poles of the concepts.

But both uses the same principle of installing the Distribution from core utilities and then use the Internet for adding features.

Gentoo uses stepwise installation platform from a minimal core.

But one need a fast Internet and through understanding of how to use Linux in a networked environment.

Like Salix Sabayon has provided the Live CD/DVD environment.

For the sake of uniformity both should produce Live  as well as installer DVDs and Gentoo is soon going to use Anaconda from Redhat for its installer.

Absolute Linux-Install Only

I had some allergy to this distribution but any more.

Allergy is due to------->

In the early days of my Live CD distribution testing, I downloaded Absolute Linux and by shear accident I said yes to a command and it took over my hard disk and installed it and wiped everything. 

That was long time ago and I wrote Microsoft Killer on the CD and never tried it again till today.

Almost everybody in the University on token strike (remind me of the old days when we had to strike demanding bread, milk, rice and not coconuts) I decided to try this on one of my old computers in office which  I had messed up including the boot record and its mouse PS/2 mouse was fidgety.

I plugged in a USB mouse and started installing.

Installing was on write mode which I like very much and it was like using Debian where everything was configured step by step.

It took a little extra time fearing it will destroy my FAT partitions used for storing some archived material which i have already forgotten.

True to the statements below which I copied from its home page it does write and reported the faulty on board sound and gave me opportunity to configure USB external sound card I plugged in.

It is very light on the old computer and had everything including K3B, AbiWord and Libre Office.

I have no hesitation of recommending it for dual booting.

It uses LiLo and could not detect Peppermint I had already installed.

Apart from that glitch it is an excellent distribution for a newbie learning Linux.

Another admirable feature is that when you first time boot it tells you what ought to be done including using a user account.

I had some difficulty finding the control center which is the first entry in the menu because it gives neither Gnome or KDE desktop appearance which is in fact is a remarkable feature what i like the most.

It gets one out of the regimented routine and frees you with new found linux independence.

Well done guys an girls at Absolute Linux.

Mind you it took 11 days to download (the longest but Hanthana Sinhala Linux did not finish after 14 days) by torrent.

Please use the point to point download and I am currently downloading its latest version.

It cannot be listed in  my Live CD/DVD list since only thing it lacks is a live sfs script an I hope in future it is included by default with UnetBootIn for USB booting.

• Desktop oriented, as opposed to use as a server 

• All-at-once installer with the packages I wanted. Sifting through everything on the Slackware installer was hell. 

• Lightweight. Had some older equiptment and also wanted to incorporate use of my modified version into my PC repair business -- installing it on older machines for customers. 

• Like to play. Want the latest, best software. Slackware was perfect for this as all the headers are left in the packages/libraries so I can compile what I like. Since I like to script/program, I made myself many little utilities and shortcuts to configure the system more easily. 

• I want complete control. 
•  
• But I want the operating system to stay out of my way.

• Is a modification of Slackware
• Fast, stay-out-of-your-way desktop. No Gnome or KDE. Uses well integrated collection of the best lightweight software to give you most of the things the "big desktops" give you, only at at much, much faster pace.
• The software folks use on a desktop: Firefox, OpenOffice, LibreOffice, Pidgin chat, GIMP image editor, WPClipart, Thunderbird mail, K3B CD/DVD burning, Frostwire P2P, Deluge BitTorrent, 2 dictionaries, a bunch of games -- basically any of the latest, most popular Open Source software.
• Many script utilities (with friendly little GUIs) to make configuration and maintenance of system easier and still allows manual (text-file based) configuration, if desired.
• Package compatible with Slackware minor versions. (ex. Absolute 12.2 -> Slackware-12.2), with a few exceptions: kernel packages, KDE-libs, madwifi, ndiswrapper, svga-helper, a/etc.
• Root user can install software or set system configurations. That's it. Perfect for parents and IT guys. If you want to do something root user is allowed to do, log in as root. That's what the account is for.