Ubuntu Gutsy post install script for your laptop

Ubuntu Guide is a valuable source of information on what packages you need to install after installing a base Ubuntu Gutsy system on a laptop.

So instead of manually doing lots of apt-gets based on the Ubuntu I just put all the relevant ones into a single bash script. This will get all the usual multimedia codecs, firefox plugins, and a lot of other stuff. Just chmod 700 postinstall after creating it in your favourite editor.
Then from a terminal type

./postinstall

to run it. If there is a software package that you don't want below, put a # at the start of the line to comment out.

Note: the medibuntu.org repository allows you to apt-get skype,googleearth,win32codecs and other packages that cannot be included in the Ubuntu repos for legal reasons. It is not supported by Canonical so use at your own risk.


#!/bin/bash
# postinstall script
#!//bin/bash

#this should be all on one line
sudo wget http://www.medibuntu.org/sources.list.d/gutsy.list -O etc/apt/sources.list.d/medibuntu.list

#this should be all on one line
wget -q http://packages.medibuntu.org/medibuntu-key.gpg -O- | sudo apt-key add -


#update your packages database
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install w32codecs libdvdcss2
sudo apt-get install mozilla-mplayer
sudo apt-get install flashplugin-nonfree
sudo apt-get install sun-java6-plugin
sudo apt-get install mozilla-plugin-vlc
sudo apt-get install kaffeine-mozilla
# astronomy programs
sudo apt-get install kstars
sudo apt-get install celestia

# genealogy
sudo apt-get install gramps

# plugin that allows you to type
#"apt:packagename" in the Firefox url bar

sudo apt-get install apturl

# bluetooth
sudo apt-get install gnome-vfs-obexftp

sudo apt-get install googleearth

# rar compressor/decompressor
sudo apt-get install rar unrar

# sticky notes
sudo apt-get install tomboy

#desktop system monitor
sudo apt-get install gkrellm

# allows you to tweak compiz
sudo apt-get install compizconfig-settings-manager

# lots of ubuntu tweaks in a handy GUI application
wget http://ubuntu-tweak.googlecode.com/files/ubuntu-tweak_0.2.0-1_i386.deb
sudo dpkg -i ubuntu-tweak_0.2.0-1_i386.deb

# music player/manager
sudo apt-get install amarok
sudo apt-get install sox
sudo apt-get install lmms

# sound editor
sudo apt-get install audacity

# codecs
sudo apt-get install mencoder avidemux transcode
sudo apt-get install ffmpeg2theora

# video player
sudo apt-get install mplayer

# mysql database server and client
sudo apt-get install mysql-server-5.0

# ssh server so that you can ssh login via terminal to your laptop from another box
sudo apt-get install ssh


# php web development language
sudo apt-get install php5
sudo apt-get install php5-cli
sudo apt-get install php5-gd
sudo apt-get install php5-curl
sudo apt-get install php5-mysql

# more bluetooth stuff
sudo apt-get install bluetooth gnome-bluetooth
sudo apt-get install bluez-gnome bluez-utils

# listen to thousands of internet radio stations
# and be able to rip the streams to mp3 format
sudo apt-get install streamripper
sudo apt-get install streamtuner
sudo apt-get install xmms

sudo apt-get install skype

# more codecs
sudo apt-get install non-free-codecs

# lightweight spreadsheet alternative to OpenOffice
sudo apt-get install gnumeric

# loads MUCH faster than Open Office Writer
sudo apt-get install abiword

# top notch programming editor
sudo apt-get install kate

# KDE office suite
sudo apt-get install koffice

# KDE browser and filemanager
sudo apt-get install konqueror

# allows SoundJuicer to rip to mp3.
sudo apt-get install gstreamer0.10-plugins-ugly-multiverse

Dallas Morning News review the Asus EEE PC

Asus Eee PC review

Ars Technica has a review of the Linux powered EEe PC mini-laptop.

Linux Time Machine

Google Code has released a Linux version of Apple's Time Machine , called Flyback, written in Python.

Asus launches Linux mini laptop

From the Register
Asus has formally rolled out its Eee PC line of sub-notebook computers, a week after UK supplier RM - formerly Research Machines - spilled the beans on two of the models. The complete line-up comprises four computers.

All four models are based around the same 7in display; 900MHz Intel Celeron processor and chipset; 10/100Mbps Ethernet port and 802.11b/g Wi-Fi for internet access; HD audio; three USB ports; SD card slot; stereo speakers and microphone input; and a version of the Linux open source operating system, Xandros.

The basic model, the 2G Surf has a 2GB of Flash storage and 256MB of DDR 2 memory. The 4G Surf ups the storage to 4GB and the memory to 512MB. The next machine up, the plain 4G model, matches that spec but introduces a 0.3-megapixel webcam into the display's bezel. It also ups the first two machines' 2.8-hour, 4400mAh battery to a 3.5-hour, 5200mAh unit.

The top-of-the-range 8G builds on the 4G and is fitted out with 1GB of DDR 2 and 8GB of Flash in addition to the extras the 4G offers.

ATI HDA - SIGMATEL STAC 9200 CHIPSET How To

From this Fedora forum thread.
Ubuntu launchpad also refers to it where a poster writes that he has finally got his sound to work

He writes: "I have the NVidia MCP51 High Definition Audio with the Sigmatel STAC 9200 chip on it. It came with my Gateway MT3421 laptop."

Here's the instructions:
1. uninstall every alsa package if you have any
rpm -qa | grep -i alsa - if it shows nothing skip this step
and then
rpm -evv --nodeps alsa-... for every package

2. go to www.alsa-project.org and download these files :
alsa-driver-1.0.15rc1.tar.bz2
alsa-lib-1.0.15rc1.tar.bz2
.alsa-utils-1.0.15rc1.tar.bz2

Open a terminal and type : su then make a directory called alsa into /usr/local/src. Copy the files to this directory and unpack them (tar xjvf alsa-... for every file).

3. go to this page and download the file patch_sigmatel.c.patch-1.0.15rc1-simple. Copy the patch to /usr/local/src/alsa.

4. type this :
patch alsa-driver-1.0.15rc1/alsa-kernel/pci/hda/patch_sigmatel.c < patch_sigmatel.c.patch-1.0.15rc1-simple.

5. do this:
cd alsa-lib-1.0.15rc1/
./configure && make && make install
cd ../alsa-utils-1.0.15rc1/
./configure && make && make install
cd ../alsa-driver-1.0.15rc1/
./configure && make && make install

If the configure script complains about missing some libraries yum for them and try again.

6. reboot
7. after rebooting volume may be muted so use kmix or some other mixer to enable it.

Hope it works for you. I have a Gateway MT 3705 laptop and i finally have sound after months of silence

NOTE - on Ubuntu with step 1 you just have to remove alsa-lib and alsa-utils.

Russian schools to switch to Linux

Via Cnews

Russian OS is to be installed on every school computer in Russia by 2009. Furthermore, every pupil will get the opportunity to operate the applied software produced in Russia, Leonid Reiman, acting Minister of Communication stated at a press conference.

The Ministry of Communication Press Service explains the Ministry plans to install Russian OS and alternative program package in every Russian school. The dates to carry out tenders for OS development have not been announced yet, but the tenders are to be held in the near future, the Ministry of Communication informs.

“Software distributives, developed on the basis of Linux and tested within 2007-2008 might actually be installed in schools by 2009 end”, - Sergey Shalmanov, CNews Analytics Analyst believes.

SCO blames Linux for bankruptcy

Via Slashdot and Information Week

More on Groklaw

"With its cash reserves running out and its legal case against IBM Corp. unraveling, The SCO Group Inc. says there is doubt that it will remain afloat.

SCO made the statement in its most recent quarterly U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission statement, filed today. The company cited its recent motion for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection as well as a recent court setback relating to its intellectual-property claims as reasons for worry."

Screen tutorial

A Quick Tutorial on screen
Screen power tips

Tech Talk - Linus Torvalds on git

Monitoring changes to a directory tree in Linux

If you are managing a multi-user Linux box , as a sysadmin you'd like to be informed of changes in certain directory trees. Inotify is often suggested as a solution. But that might be overkill if you aren't concerned about file changes and just want to monitor a directory tree - have any dirs been updated, any created, or have any dirs been deleted.

The solution is surprisingly simple. It's rsync. But rsync with a twist.

The steps involved are

1. rsync JUST the directory tree - no files - to another area.
2. pipe the output into a mail to yourself
3. cronjob it.


This is how i rsync the dir tree of a dir that i want to monitor

> pico monitortree

#!/bin/bash
rsync -av --delete --include '*/' --exclude '*' /websites/ /home/jflavin/sitetree/ | mail -s "directory tree report" justinf@gmail.com

my websites folder is rsync'ed across to /home/jflavin/sitetree - but only the directory tree. no files are rsync'ed. its a bash script, so you'll need to chmod it to make it executable.

here's the cronjob entry:

> crontab -e

15 * * * * /cronscripts/monitortree

so my monitoring script kicks off every hour at 15 minutes past. and the output is mailed to me.
note the rsync statement above - it only rsyncs the directory tree. NOT the files. so its very fast. also, if somebody adds a file to a dir, the dir time stamp changes - and that'll be rsync'ed , thus alerting you to a file change - without the file being rsync'ed itself.

List directories only in Linux

the command

ls -d */

will output only the directories below your current position in the filesystem.

So, if you are currently in /home/linus , and below that are three directories called images, docs, and code , the output will look like this

images/ docs/ code/

Compiz Fusion

Here's a video showing off the development version of Compiz Fusion. This is the future of the Linux desktop, and it will blow you away.

Alternative Linux development environments

HBasic
HBasic is an integrated development environment used to create, execute and debug programs with an BASIC style language. HBasic has object oriented features either in combination with precompiled C++ components (shared libraries) or class definitions (HBasic sourcecode). This also includes a version of inheritance. HBasic runs on Linux and uses the KDE GUI libraries.

Dabo Desktop Application Framework
Dabo is a 3-tier, cross-platform application development framework, written in Python atop the wxPython GUI toolkit. And while Dabo is designed to create database-centric apps, that is not a requirement. Lots of people are using Dabo for the GUI tools to create apps that have no need to connect to a database at all.

Lazarus
Lazarus is the class libraries for Free Pascal that emulate Delphi. Free Pascal is a GPL'ed compiler that runs on Linux, Win32, OS/2, 68K and more. Free Pascal is designed to be able to understand and compile Delphi syntax, which is of course OOP. Lazarus is the part of the missing puzzle that will allow you to develop Delphi like programs in all of the above platforms. Unlike Java which strives to be a write once run anywhere, Lazarus and Free Pascal strives for write once compile anywhere. Since the exact same compiler is available on all of the above platforms it means you don't need to do any recoding to produce identical products for different platforms.

Hat tip: Linux Action Show

Killing all zombie processes

its this one liner:
kill -HUP `ps -A -ostat,ppid,pid,cmd | grep -e '^[Zz]' | awk '{print $2}'`


explanation:
list all processes, show me the good stuff, like stat[e] p[arent]pid, pid, and c[om]m[an]d
Then, send the output to grep, because I only want the lines that start with a Z or z . Now let's restart the parent processes and shake out the zombie generation.

Found here

Linux Action Show

Episode 43 of the Linux Action Show is out.
A leaked Microsoft Memo gets Chris worked up, a version of Debian is out, the new release of Cedega is covered, Microsoft trying to kill ODF in California is mentioned plus they review some of the best open source first person shooters, answer listener questions and so much more.

Alan Cox Interview

Interview with Alan Cox

Installing nano and pico on Mandrake 9.1

NANO and PICO missing from Mandrake 9.1

Here's a way of installing Nano easily once you've installed Mandrake 9.1

Go to http://plf.zarb.org/~nanardon/urpmiweb.php

Select plf, texstar, main, contrib, updates and the mirror servers nearest to you. (I had problems with the UK mirror recently, so dont select that one)

Hit the send button - you'll get a list of urpmi commands.

Open up a Konsole and su as root.

Highlight the commands and cut and paste them into your root Konsole.

The urpmi commands will go off and download RPM package databases to a local urpmi database on your box.


Once this has finished, type into the Konsole

urpmi nano

And you'll get something like this - nano will be then installed:
ftp://ftp.ibiblio.org/pub/Linux/distributions/contrib/texstar/linux/distributions/mandrake/9.1/rpms/i586/./nano-1.2.0-1tex.i586.rpm
installing /var/cache/urpmi/rpms/nano-1.2.0-1tex.i586.rpm

Preparing... ##################################################
1:nano ##################################################


Type 'nano' from the command line - and you'll now have a Pico-like text editor in Mandrake.