Managing Passwords

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Beginning,

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

I used to remember all the telephone numbers of my friends by heart in good old days and friends are the ones, one frequently ring and (telephone charges were relatively expensive, then) the brain stores them for good.
 
I stop doing that when cell phones came into existence.
 
One has to have one’s own trick for remembering blocks of three or four.

Try to associate them with pictures, names, pets etc.
 
Your pet fish or dog or cat would have a secret code attached.
Every time you feed them repeat the code (in mind) mentally in no time it get fixed as a long term permanent memory.

Step 2
 
Come with a phrase to include all the 10 to 16 characters in one’s password.
This is the hard part but it can be done.

Step 3
Use elements that one never forgets (unless one has Dementia).
Birthday is an easy one to remember.
 
Use only two numbers from it, not all.

Step 4
Unfortunately this cannot be used if one is English but I will give some hint for them too.
For Sinhala U Mata Banna, or Muta Mata Gahanna Hithenawa or Even Puke Ariya are good enough relatively used rephrases one can remember in trans-literate content, which the English Search engine might have trouble in figuring out.
From that phrase  one can choose four characters (even more if the phrase is carefully constructed) easily.
For English user, one good example is to go to alchemy and remember few Elements from the Tables.
Elements like Argon, Neon, Nitrogen,Bromine could be used at lib.
Or even one can use pentagon, hexagon, octagon or any other scientific or mathematical elements.
 
Again one only remembers four characters.

Step 5
If one has ever used a password before which one has remembered with repeated usage, use the same in the middle or rearrange it and put it in the middle.
 
Which will easily give you at least six characters.

You already got 12 characters now.
 
Step 5
Use two capital letters easy to access from the keyboard as the leader or the end of the password or leader and end, depending one is right or left handed.

Step 6.
If the web site requires you to use an alphanumeric pick an alpha numeral to satisfy them.
You got 16 in all and 14 probably is adequate.

Step 7
Do not tell your method to anybody.
Do not share your password even with your spouse.
One day you me be divorced!
That is real and if you have time read my book on “Myths, Miracles and Marriage”.
Usually perfectly normal people become paranoid after getting married.
That is my medical experience.
It is often the people who are near and dear (sometimes, so called friends) who steal your password, not a rouge who breaks in for quick takeaway and getaway.

Keep the record of the method in a secret hiding place that you only have access.
In case one day you forget.
The best place to HIDe t is your brain.
Not even a brain surgeon would not have any access.



When resetting the password.
When you change the password, drop two and take two from your birthday.
Pick four alternative block of four from your catch phrase.
Jumble your original password or add a new one.
Follow the rest as required and one may be able to go on till eighty to ninety since you practised your own method and is almost specific to YOUR BRAIN which a hacker may not be able to penetrate or crack.

Unless you are one of twins there are no two people alike.
Even in them their are subtle differences not due to genetics but the brain behaves differently, even in twins.

Foot Note
But beware your doctor with a short memory or who is cash strapped who might steal your birth day or the catch phrase that you utter to him every time you visit.
Remember doctors forget their passwords more often than their patients.
They will never tell you.
That is why they record every word you utter and then get the vital diagnosis
wrong.
In this computer age doctors have become robots (unlike good old days) and not real humans.
If they ask you do you forget your passwords
Straight away say NO.

The stupid guy will ask you to state the password and put it in his computer memory which is not protected from hackers.
Even the nurse can steal it, if she/he is inclined.

I trust my doctor does not apply to passwords when you do visit him/her, next time, round.
That includes me too.
I might do that, catch your password, certainly not to steal but because my brain is getting absent minded I might put that in my computer, easily accessed even by a little kid.
Do not worry, I do not practice now by choice not by design anyway.
You are safe with me, my dear.

How to Delete your FaceBook Account?

How to Delete your FaceBook Account?

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ubuntu, Emma Bantu and Mobile Platform

Ubuntu, Emma Bantu and Mobile Platform
We forget what Ubuntu has done to Africa.
Emma Bantu which is Xubuntu derivative is platform for mobile communication.
It is a known fact Mobile Technology has contributed immensely to African hinterland.
Emma Bantu in addition to all the Linux Utilities has a mobile platform for telecommunication for African communities including bushman if they are any left.
It has a wonderful educational utilities separated according to ages which is a very good idea implemented with lot of thought to universal approach to computing.
In addition it has support for French language.

In that sense Ubuntu Edge and Mobile platform was the right decision as far as the African continent is concerned.
The music supplement is an added bonus and Africans love music.

It was unfortunate that Ubuntu did not catch up in Africa in spite of its origin in South Africa.

I hope the new platform of Ubuntu would invigorate the African base.

Emma Bantu which is Ubuntu derivative has taken the lead as far as the old PC are concerned.

My only worry is who is going to keep the repositories of Ubuntu 12-04 running for it to be used for another decade.
Simply because Linux is moving fast for any guy or girl to keep pace.

Synchronizing Peppermint with Ubuntu One

Synchronizing Peppermint with Ubuntu One
I decided to use my spare computer (not my Netbook) as a Cloud Enhanced Computer and was using Peppermint IV as a base since it has Google Drive.
I download Dropbox first and and it was easy and it sits in the bottom panel.
I was annoyed that Ubuntu One was not there.
Mind you I used Dropbox as my first Cloud Utility to share Linux images with my friends and then joined Google.
I added Ubuntu One last of all even though I did not use use Ubuntu (I have changed now and test all the Ubuntu Distributions and Ubuntu as and when they are ready for use) as my first distribution.
Thee was no problem with Ubuntu One for its credit anybody including Microsoft and Mac users can use it just like JoliOs (Joil OS, JoliCloud came into the scene later and I am supposed to be a founder member and it is also Ubuntu based) without Ubuntu running.
Ubuntu one is there as a default in Ubuntu but many other Linux distributions (especially KDE based have not embraced the good idea, until of course, they have their own Cloud Package to boast about).
Puppy Linux started it briefly and gave it up probably due to practical reasons.
I went into synaptic package manager and typed Ubuntu One and got a heap of packages and clicked the packages that I thought would be enough and dowloaded them.
One first run I could not get Ubuntu One on my menu.
I restarted the computer thinking it might configure on ts own but did not.
Went back to package manager and added few synchronization packages and on the second attempt also I did not have Ubuntu One icon to click.
Annoyed I ran Ubuntu One on Run but it said No Ubuntu One.
I thought there is a dependency problem and wanted to Un-Install all Ubuntu One, but when I tried that, the package manager resisted me doing so since if I did that lot of other GTK and Lib Peppermint uses may be lost.
Then I searched again the preferences (I must tell you I checked all the menu items before, un-installing) menu to see Ubuntu One sitting there for me to click it.
I logged in and made the  Ubuntu One synchronization, similar to Dropbox (but bit more than Dropbox).
I have now Google Drive, Ubuntu One with six months free music (which I am not entitled since my registration with them is over three years) and Dropbox do the file sharing in the cloud.

One can have Joli Cloud and do the same but it does not give the option of having Ubuntu One (bit naughty of them coming from Ubuntu base).
One does not have to have all but mind you I am testing them for your use and reporting my adventures, all the same.
Whatever you do make sure you have a password as long as 14 plus characters to be sure that your data is safe from hackers.
I changed my password before attempting all this since recently hacker had broken into Ubuntu Forum and little over one year ago, www.linuxtracker.og and if I remember right Linux Question Forum were compromised.

Whatever, you do in the web is your own responsibility and it is adult domain and not kids’ playground.
Beware.
In my case I do not have any critical or adult content since my blog pieces are meant for all ages.
If I am hacked, I would go for them using Kali Linux or DEFT or similar Linux distribution, all the same but one need not be paranoid to be on the web or in a swimming pool.
Take care when you are in the deep end.

NetBook Booting and Cloud Computing

NetBook Booting and Cloud Computing
NetBook  (Tablet in due course) is probably the best utility for Cloud Computing and a mobile alternative.
For some reason it did not catch the imagination of many since there were many types of laptops and other market hype.
I bought a NetBook with SuSe enterprise edition (old version) and quickly erased it to install thinking that there are many Linux distributions dedicated to NetBooks.
After weeks of trying I found only two to my satisfaction.
Both were Ubuntu based.
Knoppix did not support it.
The two were EasyPeasy (11.04 version)which had minimal of software.
Only Pinguy Eee had enough software for me to use as my base distribution.
Thank you Pinguy Developer team that come from UK.
Net Runner Kubuntu derivative, I could boot up with a flash card (SD Card) but could not install since the installer crashed.
I played with it for few weeks and but it back to rest for prolonged period.
The when Peppermint IV came I tried it on my spare computer and found it light weight and very flexible.
Subsequently I loaded it up to 10 GiB with latest GIMP 2.8, Libre Office 4.0,Firefox in addition to Google Chrome and all are working to high standard.
I wanted to give it a try erased my netbook hard, repartitioned re-installed Pinguy Eee with the SD card and then peppermint with SD Card.
This is to avoid using the external USB DVD driver and downloaded all the software that I did not have on Pinguy Eee.
Pinguy repository did not downloading updated software.
It is working fine.
The bottom line was that Linux did not take advantage of its light wight capability and the global trend in cloud computing.
In cloud computing every thing has to be paper thin to get efficiency and functionality.
That is what is Linux is capable and Peppermint has shown the way.
Light weight desktop to start with.
All the Linux distribution except perhaps SuSe (Mind you KDE is resource draining desktop) were obsessed with bloated their image but forgot about efficiency and functionality.
This is why Linux is under represented globally just over 1%.
If not for Google and its Android clones and Ubuntu Linux would have been taking final gasping breaths.
It is not Linux Mint but Peppermint that will energize the Linux enthusiasm.
Even Debian and Fedrora have failed us.
I hope Linux magazine do a follow up and I do not mind them using this preamble to show a glimmer of hope for Linux.

Peppermint-IV-Update-It can be booted with a USB

Peppermint-IV-Update

I am booted with Peppermint on a Live USB prepared from Pinguy 11.04 on my HP Netbook.
I am sorry I reported that Peppermint cannot be booted using UnetBootIn.

It was again the fault of PCLinux default UnetBootin utility.
It had some missing files, in this case it did not copy the image (which was very small) of Peppermint properly.

The fault was with PClinux and its USB creator is no better, anyway.

If sorry especially to Peppermint guys/girl (developers); 
In future release you should include UnetbootIn as a default for using as a USB creator.
I have in fact downloaded UnetBootIn which a tiny useful utility.
It works well with Peppermint.

Until now, I could use only Pinguy 11.04 and Ububtu based EeePeasy on my HP NetBook.
Now  can proudly say Peppermint IV boots well in my netbook and in addition to the USB stick, I have a 8 GiB SD card (Camera storage) that boots peppermint.
Again using UnetBootIn.
Peppermint needs at least 5 GiB of capacity installation.

I will be using Peppermint on daily basis now.
Problem with Pinguy (old 11.10 Ubuntu) is that it does not support a software repository for this version.
I hope Pinguy Linux follow the Peppermint example and produce a Light Weight Cloud based utility with ability to download current software (for example LibreOffice 4.0).

Mind you my Netbook has both Pinguy and Peppermint.
Pinguy 12.04 is large and cannot be intalled on my netbbook.

This is true of NetRunner (Kubuntu based-KDE) and cannot be used on a Netbbook.

I think Puppy Linux or Knoppix should rise up to the challenge by producing a cloud utility that fits into 4 GiB SD Cad.
There was a Puppy Linux with (?Slako) cloud support but it never took off the ground for some unknown reason.
I hope Puppy supporters enter the fray to fit in with the needs.
Small is beautiful and fast.

Why I hate Face-Book?

Why I hate Face-Book?
About three years ago unwittingly  I joined the Facebook and there is noway I can opt out.
I am one who spent lot of time on the web promoting Linux, Cloud Computing and Blogging for fun.
I have many connections including Dropbox, JoliOs-JoliDrive, Ubuntu One and Wordpress in addition to Google.
None of the above providers insist that I use them obsessively and neurotically.
In fact I have not used Dropbox for a long time and my password had expired but they did not remind me of that fact.
Just as good to illustrate the difference between a service of a professional cloud server (dropbox) and a social media (facebook) with very little relevance to my day to day work.
To illustrate the point I get an invitation from some unknown baby (under two years) Deelip Kalum to join his page (these parents do not understand principle of privacy and little child’s rights).
I stop writing a stinker bud did the same to two of my friends to get the message across to all and sundry.
 
The Message went like this,
I rarely use Facebook.
Fortunately, I have given very little information about me on the page.

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

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

After hour an half of searching I could not sign off or opt out.
I am really hooked to my grave with Facebook.
Will you be sending some “Flowers or Wreath"?
Thanks a lot social media.
What are going to do when I am dead?

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

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

Please note that individuals are not allowed to communicate in Apaya by email.
I have already figured out a way to deal with my email (dead email) after my death but not FACEBOOK.

Stuck on the Keyboard-We have to get out of it!

Stuck on the Keyboard-We have to get out of it!
 
I often wondered why they have made the English Keyboard so difficult to remember and type.
Except for the numbers all the  letters are arranged in a haphazard order.

In a computer keyboard F1 to F12 function keys are programed in a such a way to do many functions in Linux.
Shift Control, Alternate and Del and combination of these keys do have a special utility value.
Rest of the keys are reserved for letters which has no meaning if one wants to type in Chinese or Sinhala.
To type a Sinhala document one has to make many adjustments to fit into over (56) fifty six phonome/s.

So I never bothered to remember the shortcuts or learn typing in Sinhala.
Doing things in the mother tongue should be a natural thing but the English keyboard has made it such a hassle.
Because of the computers Sinhala keyboard has long been retired to the attic.
I am not saying that the Sinhala keyboard was a good type front or typeface.
It is even worse than the English keyboard.
It was designed to suit printing industry of the time with nothing in relationship to computers, their functions or memory.
It is as an old design as English keyboard.

I did a little research on the design of the original of the typewriter and found that it was designed to be difficult and very slow from the very beginning.
The reason being that in the original design if one typed fast the keys used to get jammed.
The design was anti-human (as far as the speed of the fingers and hands are concerned) and anti-computers by default.

I think we need to revisit this issue and redesign the keyboard with user friendly typeface.
This can be done now with the touch sensitive screen and tablets are on the market.
One does not have to redesign a hardware (Keyboard) typeface.
 If we take the screen it is a blank sheet or blank slate.
The slate was the one we used when learning to write with fingers when computers were not heard of.
That skill was useful when I started surgical skills and suturing techniques.
Hand is much versatile than a computer.
At a time when educators in USA are lurking to abandon the hand writing skills of young ones, a serious thought should be given to the redesigning of the virtual keyboard of the tablet.

We have to abandon the present keyboard to begin with.
We have to reinvent the wheel of success taking into consideration, the skills of both hands, speed of the computer and its adaptability to new way of doing things.

I do not think this will evolve in USA but most likely in Japan and China.
 
The tablet would add insult to injury unless we design a virtual keyboard on the tablet face with use of all the fingers and both hands.

My suggestions for the future.
Give up the old keyboard in a staggered basis.
I have a few design suggestions until the new features get established.
Have two typefaces, one old typeface, the other taking into consideration of the alphabet of a given language with may keys as the screen can accommodate.
I am pretty sure young ones will opt for the latter and will abandon the old keyboard in no time.

For the hardware, I have many innovative suggestions, taking tablet as the future digital slate of education.
1. Both sides of the tablet should have screens and the battery and computer circuit sandwiched between the two.
One face should be the typeface.
Right and left hand sides be used for well designed functions and a guide what is in store of a very simple tablet.
Just like in Ubuntu Unity but I like the overall design of the Pinguy face.
The virtual keyboard should be accessed from the corners and it should stay in the middle in a lengthwise orientation.
The other side should be made into an eReader.

If one types a paragraph and turn around the tablet, the content should be visible like a newsreader or a book face on the other side.

One side is the work face, the other side is the output or the proofreader side.
The reverse side could be used as a photo-editor, camera and many more functions.
There is no limit given the capability of the processor.

For more robust design it should be made like a clam shell (like a laptop) with four input and output faces.
The two functions mentioned above as the bare bone architecture and additional faces for more advanced work like video editing which needs lot of memory and graphic functions.

If we get out of the box and the current keyboard restriction altogether the versatility of the tablet is limitless and enormous.
We must get out of, on the tabletop design of the PC and all waterproof new design should work even underwater.
Even if you drop it on the pool by accident it should work provided the batteries and circuits are well insulated deep inside, in its core.

Yes, we have redesign the wheel and come out of the Box mentality.
The design capabilities and options are limited by only the imagination of the mind.
Instead of thinking of star wars we must make the most versatile tablet on this planet.

There is also one more important ingredient for success.
It should be cheap enough and affordable.
It should not look like an ipad a nice gadget but out f the reach of many.

I am pretty sure this will not happen in Sri-Lanka with a politically frozen nation.
Not in USA too.

But it will come from China and will rule the world in another 10 to 15 years time.

Final Update-Multiple Linux Distribution in one box

Final Update-Multiple Linux Distribution in one box
Simple way of doing things which needs multiple start ups in Microsoft!

I have not discussed how to partition and one should master it using Gparted (Gnome Live CD) which is a graphical interface (not terminal) before getting started.
I have discussed them elsewhere in the web and in my simple books at Amazon
This is to illustrate bottom up approach to using Linux.
Also illustrate the versatility of simple application (Gparted and Abiword).
Only does not need a Gorilla version to be productive.

What is illustrated here is using a cloud based distribution of Linux and bloating it to a full sized work environment.
This is written on Abiword on Peppermint 4.
It only took only a few minutes to download Abiword.
I of course downloaded 8 hours worth of packages (LibreOffice, LyX, UnetBootin and few more) at a slow pace of 50 KB/Sec and went to sleep and woke up to see everything was up to date to write this.
I have 
SuSe 12.3
Peppermint 4.0
PinGuy Ubuntu 10-04 LTS
KiWi Linux        12.04 LTS
Ubuntu 13.04
Knoppix 7.0 Mini Version
And a few spare partitions to test any Linux distribution worthy of install after few sessions of Live interventions.
Note I have dropped PCLinux due to many reasons.
I have dropped both Linux Mint Gnome and KDE editions since both of them could not read my partition table or install it after several attempts.
It may be for laptops, I wonder, please do not try them in spite of the hype in the Linux forums.


Updates.
For Suse which is ideal for a Microsoft convert, one should install it with internet connection Live connected to the PC.
It has automatic configuration ability and setup the SuSe repository in one go.
f that is not done (download configuration)one will find it difficult to get additional software after installing.
It gets all the utilities necessary for first up installation and automatic configuration.
I have used only KDE version, the big DVD version has other desktop functionality. (LXDE,Gnome).
KDE is very similar to Microsoft.
It has the best partition utility, best configuration (automatic on first boot) utility and the most versatile GRUB-2 which is the boot manager with graphical upfront.

I have used the three Ubuntu versions, 10.04.,12.04 (Long Term Support) and 13.04 to see what is missing and what is added up over time to see which has the best functionality.
All of them fared well except 13.04 which was bit slow at start up and Plymouth froze once or twice but with recovery boot up sorted itself without much of my intervention or reinstalling.

Ubuntu 10.04 enough utilities but one cannot download new packages due to dependency problem.
In that sense KiWi was marginally better.
Ubuntu has an enormous repository.

It is hard to chose between Ubuntu versions and Unity installs only a few utilities in the default DVD.
One need at least 126, better 256 graphic card.
In that sense Ubuntu Unity is like KDE and not minimal Android.
AntiX, I erased because it had only a limited installed software.
Mind you Debian is in its 7th new edition and it may be a few years for a newbie to master Debian.
I am going to migrate to Debian 7.0 when and if I have a new 64 bit computer which is very unlikely with tablets on the market.
I prefer light weight cloud compliant software, instead.

I have left many useful Linux distributions not because of any dislikes but Linux newbies might find them hard to configure unlike Linux experts. 
The ones mentioned are easy to install and versatile enough.
Fedora and Korara need special mention and like Debian undergoing radical change to meet new hardware needs.
It is changing it installer and the file system btrs (I have not studied there uses to recommend)
Only Gentoo has ZFS file system with ability to encrypt the user file system leaving behind only the operating system untouched.
That is for experts IT administrators with laptops.
If somebody steal a computer they cannot steal critical data.
One has the option to do the encryption of the home folder of most of the distributions mentioned above and I do not recommend them only since, if you as a newbie becomes paranoid one must not stop using email, social networks, computers and Internet and stay at home covering self from head to foot with an old bed sheet.
As a youth one should not become paranoid but become nice and loving creative creature enjoying simple life and not become hackers consortium like the US bureaucrats of the FBI.

Why I use Abiword / LibreOfice for basic work?

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Why I use Abiword / LibreOfice for basic work?

There are many reasons.

I will list only a few.

1. Simplicity.

2. Ability to remove all formats

3. Ability to remove annoying Macros (this is on reason I started using OpenOffice when word processing was dominated by Microsoft word-97-when one starts opening a document, one was allowed this option).

4. Its page format is solid if one knows how to use them effectively.

5. It is print ready

6. Let one uses the page view and print view before finalizing a document.

7. It has its own document format not recognized by any other word processor big or small and let them go into panic mode.

This I use as a security option and save option as well as to tease other word processors.

8. It is light weight when uploading a document.

9. It can be converted to any other word document format effortless and seamlessly except perhaps Latex.

10. It has PDF facility.

11. it does not have facility for index but makes good a good table of contents

12. I do not use images and photos at this stage of the document to simplify my work.

When and Why I use LibreOffice?

Having finished the basic document in Abiword and when I want to add few cutting edge formatting, I upload the Abiword file and do the final touch up in LibreOffice without infringing copyrighted material.

I add images and photos shed of the unnecessary load of the image format ( for example added in by gimp

If I am not happy with the touch up, I upload it back again to Abiword and remove the touch up and work upwards to my satisfaction.

Lot of people try to do everything on the first go and on the first file, that is why reworking is hazardous and time consuming on the original file and it has to be proofread before publishing.

Update on installation of Multiple Linux Distributions on Single or Multiple Hard Disks

 29-07-2013

Update on installation of Multiple Linux Distributions on Single or Multiple Hard Disks

I have completed three cycles of Installations and it is time for me to report.
One of the reason for updating one of my spare / old computers, was to get LibreOffice 4.0 into one of the distribution.
After a week of testing to my amazement I have to report that Peppermint and Lubuntu are good enough distributions to have in your system or on one’s USB stick (in addition to one’s choice of major distribution).

 
At a time when there is a rapid change in hardware and software and tablets are taking over PCs and Cloud is supplying the utilities, the change in one’s mindset to accommodate the challenge is mandatory for survival in the IT world.

1. Peppermint 4
Peppermint is trying to sit on the middle ground.
It is cloud ready with its window’s desktop taking a light weight window manager for fast booting.
It takes Google seriously and uses it chrome browser efficiently.
It has no utilities to boast on especially office packages but uses Ubuntu repository for retrieving any of the latest packages amounting to over 33,000.
I downloaded Abiword which is an excellent word processor and writing this report in Abiword.
It is three in one.
It is light weight .
It is Google enhanced.
It s Ubuntu ready (repository).
It is not a proper Linux image and cannot be booted on a USB stick using UnetBootIn, unlike Joli OS.

2. Joli OS 1.2
It is a cloud distribution with many cloud utilities.
It can be installed and can be carried on a USB stick.
However one is hooked to the OS provider unlike Peppermint and one has to be signed up with an email address.

3. Lubuntu 13-04
It is Ubuntu based without Unity desktop.
Instead it uses one of the best light weight desktop which is LXDE.
It can be carried in a USB Stick and the whole distribution fits in a CD.
It as Abiword which is very handy.

4. Knoppix 7.0
In my assessment it tops the list.
It is breezy.
It is LXDE.
It has many utilities including Gparted.
It can now be installed on the hard disk.
It needs a swap partition and reserFS file system.
Its grub is no the best though still probably uses Grub not Grub 2.

 5. AntiX-Debian Based
This is one of the best for old computers.
It is light weight and one can chose either Debian Wheezy (stable) or testing repository for packages.

Its Grub is one of the best.

6. Ubuntu 13.04
Now then where does Ubuntu Unity fits in.
Surprisingly it fits in on both side of the divide.
It is small and can be fitted to a mobile phone (given time like Android), tablet and the PC.
It is cloud ready with Ubuntu One and Music store.
It is a clear winner.
It still has rough edges with the Plymouth and the Unity desktop but it has taken the lead and adapting fast to the IT jungle with the survival of the fittest mentality.
Its repository is full with Debian based trusted and tested packages.
It might even beat and give a run for the money as far as Debian concerned given the rapid changes in the horizon.

What will happen to KDE?
Only a few will survive.
In that context SuSe is in the forefront.

7.SuSe 12.3
Latest version is pretty good
It has in addition LXDE in its DVD.
It has the best partition tool.
Best Grub-2
It has the best configuration tool (YAST).
It lets the user knows what is happening (minor details are omitted) in every stage and one can fall back.
it has a pleasing desktop.
It has shed its weight and still supports old hardware.
It has a good community.
It is a versatile desktop but yet to be cloud ready (because of its desktop weight) as like the light weight champions mentioned above.

8. Current (not old versions) version of PCLinux
It has the worst partition manager and the grub file.
It dose not recognize other Linux distributions except Knoppix, which is very strange.
It configuration is pretty standard but not while installing.
It hangs up and freezes in the middle of the installation.
It is very slow in installation.
For the fist time in my experience it burned my Graphic Card (128 VGA) and I had to fall back to 64 bit Card to restore my old computer.
It tried to install plasma on a 128 card after installation without me prompting which resulted in the accident.
If it burns a Redon graphic card of a user he may even throw a fit.

 
I must tell you I have burned few RAM cards before I started using at least 1 GB but never a graphic card.
 

I buy old computers mainly for testing and upgrade them to my liking with RAM and graphic cards and I have an array of old graphic cards removed.
 

One cannot buy them now and they are hard to find.
 

I had to fall back to 64 GB graphic card which is retrogression in technology but still the computer does do the basic function including cloud computing.
This why I say never buy an old laptop and very soon I may have to say do not refurbish old PCs since tablets are on the market.

I may retire with a tablet or an ebook reader with Chinese taking over tablet market one can buy five (5) for the price of one iPad.
That is a real progress in the third world.
One has to be stupid or fabulously rich to buy an iPad.
This is what I recommend to my students (medical and dental) who will soon become professionals in their own field and be using tablet (palm computer of the yesteryear) for referring medical texts and pictures for their postgraduate training.

PCLinux is trying to do to many things at the same time after Textstar retired.
I am going to give it up sooner or later.

Reading and Revisiting Old Books for Pleasure

Reading and Revisiting Old Books for Pleasure

From the very outset I must say, I am not a guy who would read a fiction book from cover to cover.

It is almost an anathema to me.

I read the back cover first and then see whether the story has been made into a film and go and see the film instead. That was good old days when we got down all the good English films including box office ones.

Last film I saw was Karma. I went to see that film expecting to get some inspiration for finalizing my book on “Rebirth Revisited” but on the same day I wrote a stinking blog piece to say it was my bad Karma, for me to see it from beginning to end. Outright distortion on medical facts and no understanding on what is envisaged in the concept of Kamma as is said to be stated in Dhamma.

This is my entry point to state categorically that reading a good old book is an inspiration, to say the least. I could not find a single recent book incorporating evolving medical facts about the concept of Kamma but I dug into my old books and found a good book written by Francis Story. Unfortunately this gentleman died of an incurable cancer and could not finish his task but Rev. Bhikku Bodhi had compiled a book having collected his old writings.

It is not a masterpiece but it is the best book available for one to read.

If one s inquisitive, that book has enough material to dig in deeper and discover facts from fiction.

My attempt was not to recompile but to revisit the same theme with little bit of scientific thought process activated by default. So having had few old books in my collection was a big boost. Revisiting Rebirth was almost spontaneous reaction having read those old books.

With lot of human right talks on the horizon, I wanted to dig into the history of the white man in the last 500 years with special reference to South Africa. I could not find a single book in all the bookshops in Kandy city.

I did not try the University library knowing very well that would be futile.

I did not give up finding a book and for my luck there is a bookshop in Kandy, 145, D.S. Senanayake Vidiya, called “Tel” with a remarkable collection of old books.

I hit a gem pit of old English books.

I have a penchant for old books and they are enough to keep me fully occupied for the rest of the year.

I think it is worthwhile to revisit why Sri-Lankans have lost the habit of reading, especially English books. The biggest reason is that the books are written in fairly advanced English and reading and comprehension of them are not within there capability of the average young reader.

They second reason is we do not have good English teachers now and most of them have retired or gone abroad for teaching. The current English teaching in schools is very poor.

I must state that I sat the O Level examination to see it for myself 12 years ago, I got a distinction and my office boy's son also got a distinction. I am sure the examiners who corrected my paper did not understand my English and gave me a distinction by default.

The examination did not have a way to distinguish me from the teenager whose English was not at its prime.

There was a fault in the examination.

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

I call it the distinction question.

Suffice is to say we had five first classes this time and old of them got an A grade in the subject I teach passionately.

There is also a dangerous habit of trying to translate them with no attempt at improving the standard of English. I think it is far better to have a lighter and easy version in English than to translate them.

One can never get the same feeling the author had when he/she incubated the wonderful idea for the book. I tell young ones please do not read the translation but read the original.

If one cannot have the new book, go for a secondhand book.

That is not a crime.

Out of the many other reasons what stands out most is that the children are examination oriented from their tender age and not learning oriented. I hate the year five examination and I am one who is vociferous that this examination should be scrapped.

I have stated it before and many a times.

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

It is an antithesis to me in the modern age and IT world.

We have not produced outstanding educators simply because of this reason and it is a hindrance to freelance writers of educational books.

Until we produce enough educators and good authors only thing one can do is to read old books. If you have old books please make sure they are recirculated.

The “Tel” bookshop would be an outlet for them in Kandy.

What if one wants to try Linux?

 25-07-2013

 

What if one wants to try Linux?

 

This is a short recipe but the steps are far too many.

1. Decide what one needs

List the utilities one needs

Web browsing using only a cloud utility

Anonymous web browsing

Needs a word processor free of copyright, for example LibreOffice

Needs a photo editor

Video/Audio player +++++

2. Decide on the CD/DVD image (DVD is preferable) of the distribution

3. Download preferably a torrent file which checks the file integrity and checksum

4. Decide on the hardware Laptop (never use a secondhand laptop) PC or self assembled PC.

Old secondhand PC computers with updated RAM (minimum of 1 GIB is my recommendation) with a graphic card of 256 to 512 MB is a good choice especially if it is the spare computer one is going to use it as.

On board Ethernet card is mandatory.

If there is no spare computer to download or the download speed is slow like in the developing world one has few options.

I do not download or test distributions now to save my electricity bill.

If I can save one month's of electricity bill I can buy the Linux magazine for a whole year.

That is what I do now.

One can visit and browse the Linux Magazine site and buy old copies of the magazine with Linux DVDs in them.

If you do so and buy a magazine copy, go for the copy with Knoppix DVD (as an extra copy) and a another copy of your desired distribution.

My approach.

One has to decide on either 32 bits or 64 bits (can have more RAM) version.

I will have five to six distributions in one box, few for my use and others for testing.

1. Knoppix CD (not DVD)

2. Gparted CD.

3. Linux Mint KDE (15)

4. Peppermint 4

4. Kiwi Linux

6. SuSe Linux KDE

7. PCLinux LXDE

8. Tails

9. Kali Linx

10. Debian 7.0
11. Pinguy Linux and many more

STEP 1

I boot up the Knoppix 7.0 CD.

This is to check my hardware.

This is the best Live CD to check on my hardware and it never fails.

If you buy the Linux magazine one is able to read the articles (questions and answers mostly) written by Knoppix himself.

I use this CD to partition my hard disk using Gparted.

It needs a rerserFS partition and a swap partition (onw has to use sufficient capacity for the DVD).

Then I install Knoppix CD version on the hard disk (follow the instruction while installing).

STEP 2

Then I boot Gparted Linux CD (Gnome Linux) and verify what was done and format all the partitions, (except where Knoppix is installed) for my need (read my articles on partitioning).

STEP 3

Then I install one by one all the distributions and see which one has the best GRUB utility.

Suse has the best configuration, partitioning and Grub file.

Peppermint comes close second but has very few utilities (cloud friendly Google based).

No word processors, torrent or disk burners.

Kiwi is pretty good alternative to Ubuntu

STEP 4

Redo the Step (three) 3 so that I get the best start up grub file that boots all the distributions.

I do this once a year and I have finished that cycle a few hours ago and I installed (downloaded) all the missing files of Peppermint except one that creates (it is not available in graphic form) an iso image of my final upgraded distribution.

Few comments worth mentioning.

 

1. use a router and not a telephone hookup.

2. Do not listen to guys/girls who test them on virtual machines.

There is a big difference in performance in actual hardware than in a virtual machine.

3. Do not install while connected to the Internet, it takes hell of a long time.

It is a waste of time.

4. Use SATA with at least 150 GB not IDE of 80GIB.

5. Do not use more than 15 partitions (SuSe cannot detect more than that).

6. Have three partitions for your most used Linux distribution.

/root., /home and /var and the rest of the distributions can be installed in one or two partitions.

5. Have two users always, one for root or administrator and one for regular user with good passwords.

 

All my users name come from the primate family from chimp to bonobo to gorilla.

Ubuntu forums tells me that their password file is compromised and that means my account too.
So strong password is mandatory now with lot of hackers out there.

Once one is familiar with a distribution try to stick with it without upgrading if the system is running well.

6. Do the preparation in mid July and not in December when everybody is on leave.

We were on a long industrial action in 2012 and I had nothing to do except fiddling with Linux and that was a discovery I made quite fortuitously.

Before that I did it on December and found that I had to re-install some f them in April or May.

Linux distributions tend to mature by mid year, strangely enough!

Linux Update -SuSe Linux and PCLinux

Linux Update -SuSe Linux and PCLinux

I wanted to update my PCLinux KDE, simply because I wanted LibreOffice 4.0 for daily use.

It ended up in disaster.

I will write very detailed account later but suffice is to say I erased the entire hard disk since, PCLinux GRUB is disaster prone by default and recognizes only probably Microsoft (Even though, my NTFS partition does not have any Microsoft installed, I use that to store Linux images not mounted but as an archive) and its own set of distributions.

Firefox was paranoid and partition utility is mediocre and would not let one choose the partition type.

It froze for no reason and even upsetting my CMOS and not booting.

I went into panic mode not kernel panic.

Finally I booted up Knoppix 7.0 CD and it reported nothing wrong and in 10 minutes installed it on my hard disk.

Then I searched for SuSe 12.3 KDE and booted live and found my computer hardware fully fledged for any distro except PCLinux.

I have written a brief account of SuSe recently (detailed account will follow soon) with all my admiration.
Only glitch I had was that could not use my own partition for installing.
After some brief investigation in expert mode by right clicking I found the desired menu.

I am back again with my old flame SuSe and LibreOffice my love fully functional even at midnight.

If you have an old computer and have PCLinux please do not upgrade.

I am telling you this with one week of disaster.

I was on a short holiday with my students done well except a handful, so thankfully I did not have a Heart Attack.

This is why I am hesitant to talk about Linux to newbies, the virtues or lack of them in some of the updated of Linux distributions.
Beware and be warned. 
If the system works for you do not update for some frills and fringes.

Vanilla-the Orchid, I struggled to make some saplings

Vanilla-the Orchid, I struggled to make some saplings

It took almost six months for me to understand this wonderful plant.

It has a beautiful flower but it is famous for its smell of its pod.

If one keeps a pod inside your tea, it gives a wonderful flavour and aroma.

Vanillin is a simple phenolic compound and artificial flavour is nowhere near its natural compound.

It reminds me of the organic chemistry practicals as a school kid when we could smell and identify various compounds which I have forgotten now.

Last November, I accidentally found a few branches of Vanilla and and I thought it was piece of cake to get a few saplings from the branches I selected in a heap of branches.

I can pick a branch that would be young enough to plant I never thought, I had to wait nearly four months to see any sign of success.

First time, I cut the branches to various sizes to see from which node the young shoot will sprout.

Second time, I bought few more branches and the results were equally bad.

Then I went to the web and did a search and found unless one has young leaves at the end they won’t grow.

All the shoots I had were, without the young leaves.

I knew I was taken fora  sucker by the vendors in the city.

I demanded, I need few shoots with the top leaves remaining but not chopped off.

For my luck I met the old gentleman who comes to the city with Vanilla pods and sell them seated on the pavement.

I told him my plight, sure enough the next load of cutting he sent me two with leaves on the the top.

To my surprise when I came home to plant them, I noticed two of my original shoots showing signs of young buds.

1. If one wants to succeed one needs at least one foot long branch with young leaves on top.

2. One must not chop the top off like when one plants shoots as vegetative growths.

3. They should be grown in shade with lot of humidity.

4. They should be planted with other plants which need lot of water and and transpirate water around them giving lot of humidity.

In my case tomato plants and a particular water plant (name I do not know) did give the company for the young shoots. 
I have found even the amazon plant is a good company by accident.

5. No need for rooting chemical.

6. One need lot of patience.

The fourth batch of shoots even with top chopped off I managed to get saplings.

The secret is that the bottom part of the shoot have to be (at least one foot) flat on the ground covered with little soil. 

The top part has to be anchored erect on a pole or stick and that curvature gives the signal for shooting.
That is my observation.
 

The hormones are produced somewhere round the bend in the inter-node stem.

That is my observation and all my fourth round shoots are now showing (after about six weeks delay) signs of budding shoots, HAVING APPLIED THE SCIENTIFIC OBSERVATION ABOVE.
.

7. when the shoots come out it needs a stick to anchor.

8. It is better to grow the anchor plant in anticipation of the young shoot. It is vital for its needs. 
The anchoring roots get hod of the closet anchor.

This orchid is a plant in between orchid and a runner.

It has a 90 degree orientation.

The flat portion is like any other vegetative plant.

The erect portion is the true orchid.

It is really a hybrid plant A cross between a runner and an orchid.

It needs lot of water and humidity when young.

I will report to you when it starts flowering probably in another six months.

I have changed to orchids since the Kandy weather is now  coundusive for them and its climate has drastically changed in the last five years.