So, I created a backup of Becky's data and proceeded to install my latest remastered version Ubuntu. I could of installed a vanilla Ubuntu install, but I wanted her first real experience of Linux to be as smooth as possible. Once the installation had completed, I restored Becky's data and handed back her laptop; she powered it up and proceeded to go about her business.

I waited for the comments and questions, but they never came. As it turned out, I actually ended up pestering her to show her a few things; we had a play with entering a few terminal commands and installing the odd package. Finally, Becky reluctantly said, "It's quite good".

Result :)

Tags: advocacy, life, linux, ubuntu

Not digging Flash? Then by the power of cow, view the ogg format.

Download and installation instructions for Ubuntu are available on my wiki. Enjoy :)

Tags: artwork, fun, ubuntu

2 projects, 1 name, an annoying issue which I would not wish on anyone. Unfortunately though, for Chris Jones of this Terminator project, it is an issue; an annoying issue which is probably compounded due to the fact that the other Terminator project is also a terminal emulator.

I feel for Chris as he is faced with 2 options, leave the name as is [and forever field questions from muppets like myself], or, change the project name. To be honest, I would not imagine either option is overly appealing; still, if I were to put myself in Chris' shoes, I think I would be inclined to change the name sooner, rather than later. I would do it for the following reasons:

• Respect for what came before, after all, is it not the Ubuntu way?
• Firebirdfox did it, although ultimately the project failed.
• My mum's mum's mum used to say, "A change is as good as a rest."

Having now committed to letting Chris know what to do, it would be remiss of me to spout all this nonsense without coming up a serious contender for a suitably catchy alternative name. So, I was thinking, what about TerminatorToo? Disregarding the silly pun, it would have the advantage of users not having to mentally relearn keystrokes when typing into any tab-completion enabled environments. Just a thought.

Finally, all testiculating aside, I am interested to know what you would do if you found yourself in this situation? Of course, I am speculating, but I think Chris would be interested too.

Tags: development, fun, software, terminator, ubuntu

I am totally impressed with Terminator. For anyone who has not heard [is there anyone?], the main advantage to using Terminator is its ability to split the screen into multiple terminals. The advantages this brings were made immediately obvious to me as I attempted to customise the look and feel of my new terminal window; in this screenshot I have the manual page open for terminator_config while editing my new config file. Good stuff.

The latests 0.9 release can be grabbed from the PPA for Terminator on Launchpad.

Tags: software, terminator, ubuntu

The good stuff

Here is a short list of features I like about openSUSE:

• The default look and feel is really professional and very slick. I know it is only a cosmetic issue, but first impressions count, or so I have been told.

• The single GNOME panel and main Slab menu make for a good combination. I did not think that I would be overly enamoured with it, but I found myself liking its simplicity. It only took a few minutes to make myself familiar with how it operates and when it is used in conjunction with the next impressive feature, it works well.

• GNOME Do is installed by default. I have been loving the speed advantage this application has given me, to quote the website, GNOME + Do = Crazy Delicious :)

• Both Compiz and PulseAudio are integrated into the desktop environment. I did not have to install any additional packages to make the most of Compiz as CompizConfig Settings Manager was installed by default.

The not so good stuff

Unfortunately, my time spent with openSUSE has not been all good, here is a short list of stuff I noticed which is not so impressive:

• During the installation I was unceremoniously dropped to the console and presented with a login prompt. This was slightly disconcerting and I nearly rebooted as I thought the install process had failed; then, just as I was about to restart my system, X popped back to life and the installation continued. I am not sure what that was all about?!

• I have experienced numerous application-level crashes. Banshee seems particularly unstable on my system and often disappears from my desktop without so much as a bye-your-leave — most disappointing as I was expecting good things from Banshee :(

• openSUSE's package management is fine, but it is not APT. I miss APT.

Conclusion

I have not been using the system long enough to make any solid conclusions; however, from what I have experienced so far, openSUSE 11 is definitely worth a look. If I was not so attached to APT, I would maybe consider keeping it installed. Having said that, it really is not too difficult to set-up Ubuntu to mimic and take advantage of the features I like in openSUSE.

Tags: linux, opensuse, ubuntu

Excellence is:

• The result of caring more than others think is wise
• Risking more than others think is safe
• Dreaming more than others think is practical
• And expecting more than others think is possible.

While I am not normally suckered-in by corporate spiel, I thought these words were pretty cool. Somehow they remind me of the Ubuntu community.

Tags: life, random, ubuntu

With Martin's guidance I have worked on the package and fixed numerous issues; though unfortunately, we have now hit a stumbling block regarding the package/fonts license. As a result of this, I am currently unsure if the package will pass Debian's strict quality control and make it into the repositories.

Still, as a result of this work, the package has been updated and is now available for Hardy.

Examples

The package itself contains a collection of over 400 fonts. The fonts were created by Brian Kent, who kindly agreed to let me package them for Ubuntu. There are numerous different types of fonts in the collection, see some examples below:

Embossing Tape:

Hack & Slash:

Hassle:

Licorice Strings:

Line Dings:

Stagnation:

Swirled:

Technique:

Unlearned:

Some more examples can be seen on the original post, 465 Free Fonts for Ubuntu.

Installing the fonts

You can grab the package directly from my PPA, or follow the instructions below to install:

1. Open your apt sources.list file for editing with the following terminal command:

gksudo gedit /etc/apt/sources.list

2. Add the following line to the bottom of the file:

deb     http://ppa.launchpad.net/corenominal/ubuntu hardy main

3. Close gedit and issue the following terminal command to update apt:

sudo apt-get update

4. Still in the terminal, enter the following command to install the package:

sudo apt-get install ttf-aenigma

5. Enjoy your new fonts!

Note: You can also browse and download Brian's fonts directly from his website.

License

See debian/copyright for details. Needless to say, the fonts are completely free and you are free to distribute the fonts further, create new fonts based on these fonts and make changes to the fonts — provided those changes are noted and the original fonts are still attributed to the original author.

Tags: fonts, ppa, typography, ubuntu

Welcome to pr0g80X.vid, an almost monthly show about technology, Linux, open source and many other topics. The format of the show usually contains a news section, book review, showcase of small open source project and two large tutorial/howto sections.

While Pete is not wrong in describing the show as such, I would like to point out that Progbox is so much more. For me, Progbox is a shining example of citizen media at its best; somehow, Pete has managed to produce a show which is not only entertaining and easy viewing, but preferable viewing over anything currently shown on regular UK television.

Having said that, I know I do not represent your average television viewer, my absolute distaste for what currently passes as Saturday evening viewing [excluding Doctor Who!] lends proof to that; still, if Progbox represents the future of user created media, I am going to be a happy man, looking forward to a time when there is enough of the same quality viewing material to turn on, tune in and drop geek out whenever I like.

Why the praise? And why now?

I think it is all too easy to undervalue/underestimate exactly what is involved in creating something like Progbox. Having recently attempted to create a small screencast myself, I have acquired a new found respect for anyone who manages such an undertaking, it is incredibly difficult; not only do you have to deal with the technical details, but there are also the personal performance hangups to consider [and Pete also has the added complication of styling his hair!]

Finally, not only does Progbox advocate Free and Open Source Software in its content, but also in its existence; Progbox is developed with FOSS on Ubuntu.

So, congrats Pete, you are creating something which you should be exceedingly proud of!

Tags: advocacy, progbox, ubuntu, video

• LugRadio — one of my favourite podcasts and probably THE podcast which got me hooked on listening to podcasts. LugRadio is released every 2 weeks and is currently in its 5th season. The production quality is always excellent and the content can be very thought provoking. Note, the LugRadio presenters are somewhat notorious for their use of colourful language, therefore it is probably not wise to listen to this podcast while at work [without headphones], or in the company of minors ;)

• The Linux Link Tech Show — again, another personal favourite, and again, a podcast which is not particularly safe for work. TLLTS is released every week and is normally over 2 hours in length. It is also probably [?] the longest running of all Linux related podcasts. Production quality is not always the best; however, the show is presented in a down-to-earth manner and the content is varied and interesting. The presenters often interview influential members of the Open Source community.

• Ubuntu UK Podcast — a fairly new podcast, [just released episode 6], but a very good one; IMHO, it could quite easily become the official Ubuntu podcast. The presenters apply the Ubuntu Code of Conduct to the show and therefore it is safe for work. Production quality is excellent, as is the content; Mark Shuttleworth has already been interviewed twice! Hopefully the presenters will be able to continue to push out this level of quality. The show is published every 2 weeks.

• Launchpod — again, another fairly new podcast. Launchpod is not strictly speaking a Linux podcast, still, due to Launchpad's close ties to Ubuntu it is interesting to hear news from the Launchpad developers. Production quality is fair and content ranges from Launchpad specific news to interviews with Launchpad users. There does not seem to be a set release schedule [very un-Ubuntu like]. Note, listen out for the funky bass!

• lottalinuxlinks — a Linux related podcast by Dave Yates, recorded at 75 miles per hour during his drive to and from work. I am not sure it is entirely safe [or legal for that matter] to record a podcast whilst driving, still, I enjoy listening to this podcast as it has character :) Like TLLTS, the presenter has a relaxed, down-to-earth approach to podcasting. Production quality is fair and the content is varied. Released frequently.

• Fresh Ubuntu — an Ubuntu specific podcast which covers news and community happenings. Another podcast which is presented in a down-to-earth manner. Production quality is generally good, as is the content which provides an insight into what is occurring within the Ubuntu community. Released most weeks.

• Linux Basement — "Greetings & Salutations", is how this podcast is commonly introduced, it goes downhill from there :D Just kidding, the Linux Basement is another down-to-earth Linux podcast, although content covers other topics such as Drupal and web development. The presenter, Chad Wallonberg, also entertains by writing and performing songs for the show. Production quality is good and the podcast is released every 2 weeks or so.

• Linux Outlaws — a podcast in which the presenters take a "laid-back" look at Linux and the Open Source scene. The presenters have good chemistry and the show is often amusing and insightful, although not particularly safe for work. Production quality is good and the show is released most weeks.

• The Bad Apples — Linux from the perspective of an ex-Apple user. The show has recently been released less frequently than before; still, when it is released it is often varied and insightful.

• The Talk Show — okay, so it is not Linux related; however, it amuses me to listen to Mac fans. Also, is it not good to mix it up now and again? Released sporadically.

• hashlugradio — a podcast which discusses issues raised by the LugRadio podcast and its community. Has recently been released less frequently than before, when it is released, the quality is good and often amusing. Another show featuring colourful language.

• The Linux Action Show — the Linux podcast presented by Bert 'n' Ernie from Sesame Street. Not :) The real presenters, Bryan 'n' Chris, take an energetic look at the latest Linux related news and releases. Production quality and content is excellent. The show does feature some strong language, though not nearly as colourful as LugRadio. The podcast is released every 2 weeks.

The above pretty much sums up the podcasts I am currently subscribed to. Am I missing any which you think I might enjoy?

Tags: linux, podcast, ubuntu

Tags: ubuntu

In my last post I had a mini rant regarding the BBC's use of RealPlayer and how I believe Real's media formats are not particularly well supported under Linux. In the comments which followed, James pointed out the fact that RealPlayer is supported under Linux; you just have download the executable binary file and install it yourself. In my reply to James, I stated:

While it may not be difficult for power users to install Real Player, I think regular users would maybe struggle. Personally, I cannot remember the last time I had to download and install an executable binary; which either says a lot about the current state of Linux and how far it has come, or how poorly supported Real Player is.

Anyhow, I do not like moaning about stuff without doing anything constructive to rectify things; so, I decided to write this little howto install RealPlayer guide for Ubuntu Linux. If this is something you are interested in doing then follow the instructions on my wiki.

Update: I have moved the instructional part of this post to my wiki, see:
http://crunchbang.org/wiki/realplayer-on-ubuntu/

Tags: bbc, rants, realplayer, ubuntu

Also, while I am on the subject of the BBC, is it not about time the BBC made their online services more Linux friendly? As a fully paid up license holder I am somewhat frustrated with the BBC's continued support of Windows Media Player and Real Player media formats, neither of which are particularly well supported on Linux. In fact, these days I rarely use the BBC website as it frustrates me so :(

Tags: advocacy, bbc, rants, ubuntu

Some people blamed their boobs on magic, disturbances in the force and warps [glitches, surely?] in the Matrix:

Due to an almost magical series of administrative, record-keeping, and usability errors, the domain registration for A List Apart momentarily lapsed this morning.

It was like a disturbance in the Force, or a warp in the Matrix.

Others held their hands up, admitted to a serious problem and got on with the job of correcting it. Some people started throwing muck, while others helped out in a more constructive manner.

Of course, all of this nonsense pales into insignificance when you think about what is happening in meatspace. Still, yesterday was the 13th, I am glad today is the 14th.

Tags: 13th, boobs, life, ubuntu

=========================================================== 
Ubuntu Security Notice USN-612-1               May 13, 2008
openssl vulnerability
CVE-2008-0166
===========================================================

A weakness has been discovered in the random number generator used
by OpenSSL on Debian and Ubuntu systems.  As a result of this
weakness, certain encryption keys are much more common than they
should be, such that an attacker could guess the key through a
brute-force attack given minimal knowledge of the system.  This
particularly affects the use of encryption keys in OpenSSH, OpenVPN
and SSL certificates.

This vulnerability only affects operating systems which (like
Ubuntu) are based on Debian.  However, other systems can be
indirectly affected if weak keys are imported into them.

We consider this an extremely serious vulnerability, and urge all
users to act immediately to secure their systems. (CVE-2008-0166)

This advisory also applies to the corresponding versions of
Kubuntu, Edubuntu, and Xubuntu.

== Who is affected ==

Systems which are running any of the following releases:

 * Ubuntu 7.04 (Feisty)
 * Ubuntu 7.10 (Gutsy)
 * Ubuntu 8.04 LTS (Hardy)
 * Ubuntu "Intrepid Ibex" (development): libssl <= 0.9.8g-8
 * Debian 4.0 (etch) (see corresponding Debian security advisory)

and have openssh-server installed or have been used to create an
OpenSSH key or X.509 (SSL) certificate.

All OpenSSH and X.509 keys generated on such systems must be
considered untrustworthy, regardless of the system on which they
are used, even after the update has been applied.

This includes the automatically generated host keys used by OpenSSH,
which are the basis for its server spoofing and man-in-the-middle
protection.

The problem can be corrected by upgrading your system to the
following package versions:

Ubuntu 7.04:
  libssl0.9.8                     0.9.8c-4ubuntu0.3

Ubuntu 7.10:
  libssl0.9.8                     0.9.8e-5ubuntu3.2

Ubuntu 8.04 LTS:
  libssl0.9.8                     0.9.8g-4ubuntu3.1

Seriously, it is time to update your SSH keys.

Tags: ssh, ubuntu

As with Darkness Returns, Brightness uses the Clearlooks GTK+ engine. I have made the theme available on my wiki. I have used the theme under Openbox with no known issues. I have not tested the theme under GNOME.

Regarding the origin of the theme, if I remember correctly, I used the Gilouche theme as basis to work from. Even though I prefer to use a darker theme, I still really like the openSUSE artwork, it is professional and consistently good.

Tags: artwork, crunchbanglinux, openbox, themes, ubuntu

The theme I have settled into using is called Darkness Returns. I named it so because CrunchBang Linux was originally distributed with a dark theme, then it changed to a light theme, before moving back to a dark theme for the last release; hence, Darkness Returns — pure genius :)

Darkness Returns is based on the Clearlooks GTK+ engine. It is not actually as dark as some dark themes, instead it is more of a halfway house between the lightness and the darkness; maybe I should have named it "Sitting On The Fence"? Anyhow, a couple of people have asked me for the theme and so I have made it available on my wiki. More screenshots of the theme can also be seen on my wiki: CrunchBang Linux 8.04.01 Screenshots. Feel free to use and abuse :)

Tags: artwork, crunchbanglinux, openbox, themes, ubuntu

I would like to say thank you to the guys for allowing me on the podcast. I can now place a tick next to the item, "Appear on a podcast" on my list of things to do before I die :) Oh, and thanks also for using a picture of Daisy, an unexpected, but pleasant bonus — Daisy will no doubt grin from ear to ear when I show it to her :)

URL: http://podcast.ubuntu-uk.org/2008/05/07/s01e05-everybody-come-aboard/

Tags: podcast, ubuntu

What we need is something as slick as Launchpad, and thousands of instances thereof, which all peer with each other, automatically. The information would automatically be mirrored wherever it’s referenced, so the entire cloud would be highly-available and failure-proof.

I agree that this would be great, in theory, and I look forward to testing the system soon, not :) Seriously though, being a member of the Launchpad Beta Testers team and having used many of Launchpad's features, I am not sure that Martin's proposal is even remotely possible — is it possible to maintain a complex project such as Ubuntu without a centralised project management system?

Tags: launchpad, rants, ubuntu

Finally it has happened! The last 'official' release of Puppy was version 3.01, released October 15, 2007. Version 4.00 is happening 6 months later, which is an incredibly long time considering the previous frenetic schedule of releases. Anyway, here it is: the live-CD file is 'puppy-4.00-k2.6.21.7-seamonkey.iso' and is just 87.1MB. Download from http://puppylinux.com/download/.

Also from the release notes, and something that I am particularly pleased with:

GTK1 and Tcl/Tk abandoned. The decision was made to go for a totally GTK2-based system. This meant that there could be a consistent user-interface throughout and further reduced the size.

I am downloading the live-CD as I type. I will give the system a run tomorrow night, and if I get time, I will post with my initial thoughts/feedback.

Tags: linux, puppy, ubuntu

Regarding the new logo font, it is BastardusSans, one of Manfred Klein's many freely downloadable fonts. I really like Manfred Klein's fonts, not only because they are high quality and freely available, but because they are so diverse. Manfred Klein's portfolio features hundreds of decorative, historical, picture and text based fonts. If you are looking for a unique font for a new a project, do yourself a favour and go check out Manfred Klein's portfolio at TypOasis.

Back to the website redesign; as well as the visual changes mentioned above, I have also made changes to how the XHTML is formatted — just recently I seem to have been spending a lot of time browsing the web using Links; it was during one of these sessions when I noticed just how poorly my site was rendering in a text-based environment. I have now fixed this and my site should not only look better, but make more sense too :)

Other design alterations include:

• An updated print specific CSS file. Pages from my site should now print nicely [when printed from a modern browser.]

• A complete redesign of my personal wiki, the wiki design now matches that of my blog. I am still loving my Wikka Wakka Wiki installation, its hackability, speed and ease of use continue to impress. I did have a problem with spam comments last month, but it was easily fixed.

• A change to the font-family referenced in my site's CSS. Previously I had been specifying a range of sans-serif fonts, including but not limited to Arial and Verdana. I have changed this and the font used now is simply sans-serif. I am not sure how this change affects other systems, but IMHO, it makes for more readable copy on my Ubuntu Linux based systems.

• As mentioned at the top of this post, I have updated the one and only advert on my site. I have had one advertisement on my site since it started, it is a non-commercial advertisement for Ubuntu Linux. I have toyed with the idea of displaying Google Adsense, but I just cannot bring myself to do it, so instead I have updated my Ubuntu advert :) The image has been shamelessly ripped from the new Hardy Heron CD cover art. I have no idea who the three models are, or who photographed them, but I really like the image — there is something strangely appealing about this type of top-down photography. I am not sure of the legalities of ripping the image, but I am sure modifying it to be used as a webby advert will do no harm. See below for some resized versions:

Ubuntu Circle of Friends - 300 x 396 pixels

Ubuntu Circle of Friends - 200 x 246 pixels

Ubuntu Circle of Friends - 100 x 123 pixels

That pretty much covers my recent redesign efforts [although I have been tinkering for days and I am sure to have missed some minor details.] Finally, I have got some plans to include some new features on my site, namely a new bookmarking system and links to interesting posts and articles from my shared Google Reader feed. I will post more details about this as and when I get around to scripting the features in.

Tags: design, fonts, typography, ubuntu, webdesign