Full Circle THE INDEPENDENT MAGAZINE FOR THE COMMUNITY

ISSUE #165 - January 2021

UUBBUUNNTTUU UUNNIITTYY 2200..1100 DESKTOP LIVES ON full circle magazine #165 contents ^ Full Circle Magazine is neither affiliated with,1 nor endorsed by, Ltd. HowTo Full Circle THE INDEPENDENT MAGAZINE FOR THE UBUNTU LINUX COMMUNITY Python p.19 Linux News p.04

Podcast Production p.23 Command & Conquer p.16 Linux Loopback p.XX Everyday Ubuntu p.35

Ventoy p.26 Ubuntu Devices p.XX The Daily Waddle p.39 My Opinion p.38

p.XX My Story p.41 Letters p.51 Review p.45

Inkscape p.29 Q&A p.50 Review p.49 Ubuntu Games p.55 Graphics

The articles contained in this magazine are released under the Creative Commons Attribution- Alike 3.0 Unported license. This means you can adapt, copy, distribute and transmit the articles but only under the following conditions: you must attribute the work to the original author in some way (at least a name, email or URL) and to this magazine by name ('Full Circle Magazine') and the URL www.fullcirclemagazine.org (but not attribute the article(s) in any way that suggests that they endorse you or your use of the work). If you alter, transform, or build upon this work, you must distribute the resulting work under the same, similar or a compatible license. Full Circle magazine is entirely independent of Canonical, the sponsor of the Ubuntu projects, and the views and opinions in the magazine should in no way be assumed to have Canonical endorsement. full circle magazine #165 2 contents ^ EEDDIITTOORRIIAALL

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WELCOME TO THE LATEST ISSUE OF FULL CIRCLE

ew year, new issue. Within these fine pages we have more Python, more Podcast production, N more , and a piece on Ventoy for both Linux and that other OS of whom we shall not speak. "Ventoy? What's Ventoy?" I hear you ask. It's a little known piece of that you install on a USB stick. Once it's installed you then simply copy distro ISO files onto the USB stick. And, like magic, it'll boot to a menu with your ISO files ready to run. It's bordering on witchcraft.

Elsewhere, we have Erik starting another short &C series. This time on using LMMS. Richard continues with his quest for the holy grail of cookery software. Then, Adam brings us a look at Ubuntu Unity 20.10. Find Full Circle on: New year, new you. Please consider submitting an article. The reserves are running low and .com/ Erik is, in all honesty, keeping the magazine afloat with articles (C&C, Q&A, game reviews, How-To's fullcirclemagazine etc.). Without him and the host of regulars this magazine would have sunk years ago. Please send an article on whatever subject you love the most. It can be a review of software, hardware, even a .com/#!/fullcirclemag book. Your story of how you got into Linux. Anything. All it takes is a couple of regular writers to http://issuu.com/ leave and the magazine will shrink or sink. fullcirclemagazine

://mastodon.social/ So, after some doom and gloom to start the year: send some articles! @fullcirclemagazine All the best for 2021! Ronnie Weekly News: [email protected] http://fullcirclemagazine.org/ feed/podcast http://www.stitcher.com/s? fid=85347&refid=stpr http://tunein.com/radio/Full- FCM PATREON : https://www.patreon.com/fullcirclemagazine Circle-Weekly-News-p855064/

full circle magazine #165 3 contents ^ NNEEWWSS Submitted by ErikTheUnready

NEW VERSION OF program to automate the and ships with the Linux 5.10 compared to the pseudo-FS / proc, downloading content using the kernel. Updated in this version: but instead of the parameters of MARTMONTOOLS S : HTTP / HTTPS and FTP protocols, is firefox 84.0.1, thunderbird-78.6.0, the current OS, it reflects the state 12/31/2020 out. libreoffice 7.0.4.2, filezilla 3.51.0, of the browser tabs. TabFS consists smplayer 20.6.0 and 2.10.22. of a FUSE module with a user-space new version of https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/ Full support for installing the file system implementation and a smartmontools, 7.2 has been A bug-wget/2020-12/msg00024. distribution on external USB-drives browser add-on for exporting the released , containing smartctl and or SSD-drives has been contents of open tabs. The code is smartd applications for monitoring implemented to obtain a portable distributed under the GPLv3 and controlling (S) ATA, SCSI / SAS working environment. The ability to license. Supported operating and NVMe disks supporting SMART SLACKEL 7.4 DISTRIBUTION update the environment installed systems are Linux and macOS. technology. Supported platforms RELEASED: on external media is also include Linux, FreeBSD, Darwin 02.01.2021 supported. TabFS allows you to use various (macOS), Windows, QNX, OS / 2, existing command line utilities to Solaris, NetBSD and OpenBSD lackel 7.4 distribution is http://www.slackel.gr/forum/ work with the contents of open platforms. S available , built on the viewtopic.php?f=3&t=655 tabs as with ordinary files, as well and Salix projects, and as create scripts to simplify the You can see all the major fully compatible with the processing of data in tabs (you can changes here: https:// repositories they offer. A key write a handler in any familiar www.smartmontools.org/browser/ TABFS – A FILE SYSTEM FOR feature of Slackel is its use of the programming language, without tags/RELEASE_7_2/smartmontools/ constantly updated Slackware- WORKING WITH BROWSER the need to create a browser add- NEWS Current branch. The graphical TABS: on). environment is based on the 01/03/2021 https://www.smartmontools.org/ . The https://omar.website/tabfs/ size of the bootable image with he TabFS project is a file system Live mode is 2.2 GB, available in 32 T that displays the contents of GNU WGET 1.21 and 64 bit. The distribution can be tabs open in Chrome or Firefox as a used on systems with as little as ELEASED hierarchy of files, encompassing R : 512 MB of RAM. 01/01/2021 tabbed sites and browser options. The state of files in directories The new release is synchronized wo years since the last major directly reflects the state of tabs in with the current Slackware branch T release GNU Wget 1.21, a the browser - TabFS can be full circle magazine #165 4 contents ^ NEWS THE COMPANY HAS the code of the Qt WebEngine and library of basic graphical interface programming interface Qt Script modules, which are linked elements, was released. Although implemented in a separate libtls RESTRICTED ACCESS TO THE to external dependencies under Tcl is mainly used for creating user library. It will be accessible and a SOURCE CODE OF THE LTS the LGPL license. interfaces and as an embedded ported version will be shipped as BRANCH OF QT 5.15: language, Tcl is also suitable for the "dev-libs / libretls" package 01/05/2021 A patch release of Qt 5.15.3 is other tasks. For example, for web with a link to OpenSSL. The libtls scheduled to be published in development, building network fork is being developed as part of a uukka Turunen, director of February for commercial users only. applications, system administration separate project, LibreTLS , which T development at the Qt The Qt Company has expressed its and testing. The project code is allows you to build programs Company, announced the willingness, upon request, to distributed under the BSD license written for libtls using OpenSSL restriction of access to the source provide maintainers of external Qt instead of LibreSSL repository for the Qt 5.15 LTS modules with access to private https://sourceforge.net/p/tcl/ branch, released last May. The repositories, which will give mailman/message/37189924/ https://www.gentoo.org/support/ limitation was introduced in community members the news-items/2021-01-05-libressl- accordance with the plan opportunity to observe changes in GENTOO DROPS SUPPORT support-discontinued.html announced a year ago, which Qt 5.15 LTS. Bug fixes and FOR LIBRESSL IN FAVOR OF implies public publication of the vulnerabilities can also be ported OPENZFS 2.0.1, ZFS code of changes in LTS branches from the dev branch where new Qt OPENSSL AND LIBRETLS: IMPLEMENTATION FOR LINUX only before the building of the releases are being developed. 06.01.2021 next major release. Typically, patches first appear on a AND FREEBSD: given branch and then migrate to ichał Górny notified all of the 07.01.2021 In December, the release of Qt the stable release branches. M decision to terminate 6.0 was made, the code remains LibreSSL support as an alternative n interim release of the available and the publication of the https://lists.qt-project.org/ to OpenSSL. From February 1, A OpenZFS 2.0.1 project is first corrective update 6.0.1 is pipermail/development/2021- 2021, LibreSSL and the associated available, the ZFS file system expected in the coming days. January/040798.html USE flags will be hidden. Advanced implementation for Linux and Starting from January 5, only users can continue to use LibreSSL, FreeBSD. The project became owners of a commercial license will but Gentoo maintainers warn that known as "ZFS on Linux" and was be able to access the code with TCL / 8.6.11 RELEASED: patches will no longer be accepted previously limited to developing a updates for the Qt 5.15 branch. 05.01.2021 within the Gentoo ecosystem module for the Linux kernel, but Public access to all previously (downstream patches). after the transfer of support for published Qt 5.15 branches will be fter a year of development, FreeBSD, it was recognized as the preserved, but new commits will be A Tcl / Tk 8.6.11 , a dynamic According to the Gentoo main implementation of OpenZFS added behind without public programming language, distributed maintainers, the only advantage and was removed from the access. Exception is made only for together with a cross-platform LibreSSL currently has over mention of Linux in the name. OpenSSL is the simplified OpenZFS has been tested with full circle magazine #165 5 contents ^ NEWS Linux kernels 3.10 through 5.10 and update Jail environments P2P content distribution network XNU kernel , Darwin components, (last release supported kernels based on the selected version of and linking visitors' browsers. The and other non-GUI components, from 2.6.32) and FreeBSD 12.2, FreeBSD and perform operations development of the project is programs, and libraries. A total of stable / 12 and 13.0 (HEAD) with containers such as start / stop, distributed under the AGPLv3 190 source packages have been branches. The code is distributed build, clone, import / export, license. published. under the free CDDL license. convert, change settings, manage network access, and setting A key innovation in PeerTube Developers from Apple have https://github.com/openzfs/zfs/ resource consumption limits. There 3.0 is support for live streaming prepared detailed instructions for releases/tag/zfs-2.0.1 are advanced features, that with P2P content delivery. Typical building their own version of the support running typical commands programs such as OBS can be used XNU kernel for macOS 11.0.1 from BASTILLE 0.8, A CONTAINER at once in several containers, to manage streaming. The viewing the source code on Apple hardware nested templates, snapshots and delay relative to the source is from with an Intel CPU. As a reminder, MANAGEMENT SYSTEM BASED backups. An environment for 30 to 60 seconds. Depending on the XNU kernel sources are ON FREEBSD JAIL: running containers can be created the power of the equipment, published as snippets associated 07.01.2021 both on physical servers or PeerTube can provide processing of with the next macOS release. XNU Raspberry Pi boards, as well as in hundreds of simultaneous views on is part of the Darwin open source astille 0.8, a system for AWS EC2, Vultr, and DigitalOcean one server. It does not scale up to project and is a hybrid kernel that B automating the deployment cloud environments. thousands yet, but they promise to combines the Mach kernel, and management of applications make it work. components from the FreeBSD running in containers isolated using https://bastillebsd.org/blog/ project, and the IOKit C ++ API for the FreeBSD Jail mechanism, was 2021/01/01/bastille-new-year- https://joinpeertube.org/en/ writing drivers. released. The code is written in 2021-release-notes/ news#release-3.0 and is distributed under the https://opensource.apple.com/ BSD license. The project is also PEERTUBE 3.0 RELEASED APPLE RELEASES OPEN release/-1101.html developing a collection of WITH DECENTRALIZED SOURCE PARTS OF THE templates for quickly launching SLACKO PUPPY 7.0 containers of typical applications, STREAMING SUPPORT: KERNEL AND SYSTEM DISTRIBUTION RELEASED: which presents not only server-side 07/01/2021 COMPONENTS FOR MACOS (nginx, mysql, wordpress, asterisk, 08.01.2021 redis, postfix, elasticsearch, etc.), he decentralized platform for 11.0 "BIG SUR": but also custom applications like T organizing hosting and 07.01.2021 new release of the minimalist Firefox. video broadcasting PeerTube 3.0 is A Slacko Puppy 7.0 distribution available for download. PeerTube pple has released the source has been released, four years after To manage containers, the offers a vendor-independent A code for the low-level system the last update, using Slackware bastille command line interface is alternative to YouTube, components of macOS 11.0, that package base and used, which allows you to create Dailymotion and , using a use , including the technologies such as the Woof-CE full circle magazine #165 6 contents ^ NEWS build system. The distribution is development of the branch based Therefore, new Nmap releases and binary compatible with Slackware on Ubuntu 20.04 LTS base. The other packages with NPSL-licensed KDE APPLICATIONS 20.12.1 Linux, but it also allows you to distribution is fully compatible with components will not be included in install PET packages specially RELEASED: Ubuntu, but significantly differs in the official Fedora, EPEL, and designed for Puppy Linux. The 08.01.2021 the approach to organizing the COPRs repositories. distribution is initially positioned to and the selection of run on outdated hardware. The size he January Cumulative Update default applications. The Linux The reason is the presence in of the boot image is 340 MB. T of Applications (20.12.1) Mint developers provide a desktop version 0.92 of the license: a clause developed by the KDE Project is environment that follows the that discriminates against certain The distribution uses the JWM out. In total, the January update classic canons of desktop categories of users, i.e. this license window manager and the Rox Filer released 224 programs, libraries organization, which is more familiar does not meet the Open Source file manager. and plug-ins. Information on the to users who do not like the new criteria defined by the Open Source availability of live images with new methods of building the GNOME 3 Initiative (OSI). In particular, the http://blog.puppylinux.com/slacko- releases of applications can be interface. DVD images based on NPSL defines restrictions on the puppy-70 found on the linked page. Also the MATE 1.24 ( 1.9 GB ), Cinnamon use of the code by companies that recently a bug-fix release to the 4.8 ( 1.9 GB ) and 4.14 ( 1.8 GB) release proprietary software. In the Plasma 5.20.5 desktop was RELEASE OF PROPRIETARY are available for download. Linux event that an updated version of published, in which the Mint 20 has been classified as a the NMAP license is released, NVIDIA DRIVER 460.32: accumulated errors have been Long Term Support (LTS) release, Fedora representatives promised 08.01.2021 eliminated. See: https://kde.org/ with updates available until 2025. to re-analyze and remove the announcements/changelog- license from the list of prohibited VIDIA has published the first releases.php?version=20.12.1 for a http://blog.linuxmint.com/ for use in Fedora, if the noted N stable release of a new branch lsit of changes. deficiencies are corrected in the of the proprietary NVIDIA driver NMAP SECURITY SCANNER new version. 460.32.03. The branch will develop https://kde.org/announcements/ within a long support cycle (LTS) releases/2021-01-apps-update/ LICENSE INCOMPATIBLE WITH https://www.mail-archive.com/ until January 2022. The driver is FEDORA: devel- available for Linux (ARM, x86_64), 09.01.2021 [email protected]/ FreeBSD (x86_64) and Solaris LINUX MINT 20.1 msg02463.html (x86_64). he Fedora project team DISTRIBUTION RELEASED: analyzed the NPSL license that 08.01.2021 T https:// the Nmap network security scanner forums.developer.nvidia.com/t/ had recently switched to and he release of the Linux Mint linux-solaris-and-freebsd-driver- concluded that it does not meet 20.1 distribution was 460-32-03-long-lived-branch- T the code license requirements for announced, continuing the release/165423 use with the distribution. full circle magazine #165 7 contents ^ NEWS TAILS WILL MIGRATE TO events associated with other WebRender support for GNOME / windows. Wayland prior to the January 26 WAYLAND: https://mastransky.wordpress.com/ release of Firefox 85. 2021/01/10/firefox-were-finally- 11.01.2021 https://tails.boum.org/news/ getting-hw-acceleration-on-linux/ plans_for_2021/index.en.html The use of WebRender on Linux he developers of the is still limited to AMD and Intel specialized distribution Tails T graphics cards, as there are (The Amnesic Incognito Live FIREFOX 85 WILL ENABLE GTK 4.0.1 PUBLISHED WITH unresolved problems when System), based on and HARDWARE RENDERING working on systems with the IMPROVED MULTIMEDIA designed to provide anonymous ACCELERATION FOR proprietary NVIDIA driver and the access to the internet, have GNOME SUPPORT free Noveau driver. WebRender is published plans for the BASED ON WAYLAND: 12.01.2021 written in the Rust language and development of the project in 11.01.2021 allows to achieve a significant 2021. The most notable change will he first interim release of the increase in rendering speed and be the translation of the user artin Stransky, Firefox T GUI toolkit, GTK 4.0.1, is now reduce the load on the CPU due to environment to use the Wayland Package Maintainer for available, which offers a large M the outsourcing of page content protocol, which will increase the Fedora, posted about the Mozilla batch of minor fixes to address rendering operations to the GPU security of all graphical developers' decision to enable the bugs found since the release of side, which are implemented applications by improving control WebRender compositing engine in GTK 4.0 last month. The new through shaders executed in the over how applications interact with Firefox 85 by default for a GNOME version also includes improved GPU. To force the inclusion in the system. For example, unlike user environment session using the documentation and improvements "about: config", activate the X11 in Wayland, input and output is Wayland protocol. In the last to the design theme. Testing of "gfx.webrender.enabled" setting or isolated for each window, and the release of Firefox 84.0, WebRender GTK, and gdk-pixbuf builds start Firefox with the is unable to access the support was activated for GNOME for macOS in the continuous MOZ_WEBRENDER = 1 contents of other clients' windows, in the X11 environment. Fedora's integration system is also available. environment variable set. and also cannot intercept input Firefox package includes Significant changes include the translation of the multimedia backend to use OpenGL textures, which made it possible to get rid of unnecessary frame transfer between GPU and CPU when using hardware accelerated video decoding. That said, the GtkVideo widget still has an experimental status and has not

full circle magazine #165 8 contents ^ NEWS yet been brought to the this storage scheme organization, HarfBuzz in FreeType will improve and users has not been recorded functionality of full-fledged video operations with passwords can be the quality of hinting (smoothing since 2015 are called candidates players. For example, GtkVideo can performed without elevating rights the outline of a glyph when for removal. If removed, the be used to play video from a file or to root, and the process that rasterized to improve legibility on platforms will be excluded from from a URL, but it does not support processes credentials is limited to low-resolution screens, mouthful future Linux kernel releases, but features such as multi-channel an individual user account. For for sure!) when displaying text in they can use the Linux 5.10 LTS audio, image overlay, and selection comparison, in the traditional "/etc/ languages with complex text kernel, which will be supported of output devices yet. shadow" mechanism, its handler layout, in which glyphs can be until December 2026. always gets access to all password made from several characters. In https://blog.gtk.org/2021/01/12/ hashes at once, i.e. a vulnerability particular, using HarfBuzz will https://lkml.org/lkml/2021/1/8/904 -4-0-1/ in the passwd utility will allow eliminate the problem of ignoring changing any password. when hinting ligatures for which SUDO 1.9.5 UPDATE WITH RELEASE OF TCB 1.2 - there are no seperate Unicode https://www.openwall.com/tcb/ characters. Last year's translation FIXES FOR SEVERAL SHADOW PASSWORD of the Pango library to use VULNERABILITIES: MANAGEMENT MECHANISM: FEDORA 34 PLANS TO HarfBuzz led to problems with 13.01.2021 12.01.2021 displaying old fonts. MIGRATE FREETYPE TO new release of the sudo utility en years after the last release, HARFBUZZ FOR BETTER https://www.mail-archive.com/ A is available, that is used to T the tcb 1.2 shadow password HINTING: devel- organize the execution of [email protected]/ management mechanism is finally 13.01.2021 commands on behalf of other updated. It acts as an alternative to msg02471.html users. The new version fixes six the traditional Linux "/etc/shadow" edora 34 scheduled transfer of security issues, of which two scheme. The tcb package is used to the FreeType font engine to use LINUX KERNEL DEVELOPERS vulnerabilities stand out: store a password in F * CVE-2021-23240 is a the layout engine glyphs (shaping) DISCUSS REMOVING LEGACY Openwall GNU / * / Linux , ALT HarfBuzz. The freetype- vulnerability in the sudoedit utility, Linux and Mageia distributions, package is provided for testing on PLATFORM SUPPORT: which is used to provide access to currently. The project code is Fedora Rawhide. The change has 13.01.2021 edit files belonging to other users distributed under the BSD license. not yet been reviewed by the (as opposed to starting the editor Fedora Engineering Steering rnd Bergmann, who is via sudo, the sudoedit utility starts The key difference between tcb Committee, which is responsible A responsible for kernel the editor without elevation of and "/etc/shadow" is the move for the technical development of packages at SUSE, suggested a privileges and allows you to edit a away from using a common file the Fedora distribution. significant cleanup of the kernel copy of the file with the rights of with all password hashes in favor of code that support legacy platforms the current user, and then replace separating password hashes into It is stated that the use of and processors. Platforms for the target file and restore the separate directories and files. With which the activity of maintainers original access settings). full circle magazine #165 9 contents ^ NEWS * CVE-2021-23239 - information https://github.com/juicedata/ features, in particular, transparent truncated rights will be exposed leak when using the sudoedit juicefs/releases/tag/v0.9.0 pass-through authentication of only for new home directories, in utility. By manipulating symbolic "Nomadic Identity" within the Zot previously installed systems links, it is possible to determine the HUBZILLA 5.2 network, as well as a cloning everything will remain unchanged. existence of directories in a function to ensure completely hierarchy to which the user does DECENTRALIZED identical points logins and sets of For historical reasons, user not have access. COMMUNICATION PLATFORM user data on various network home directories in Ubuntu were nodes. Supports exchange with created with permissions 755 RELEASED: https://www.sudo.ws/news.html other Fediverse networks using (drwxr-xr-x), allowing one user to 01/13/2021 ActivityPub, Diaspora, DFRN and view the contents of another's OStatus protocols. directory. Fifteen years ago, this FIRST PUBLIC RELEASE OF he new release of the platform approach was justified by making it for building decentralized THE JUICEFS DISTRIBUTED T https://hub.somaton.com/item/ easier for users to work together social networks Hubzilla 5.2 has 62492a32-6764-4312-af59- (assuming that Ubuntu is used FILE SYSTEM: been announced. The project 8189e912f9f7 mainly by members of the same 13.01.2021 provides a communication server family or work colleagues, for that is integrated with web whom it will be much easier to fter four years of publishing systems, equipped with exchange files if they have access A development, Juicedata, a transparent identity system and UBUNTU 21.04 WILL to each other's directories). Since backed by two major Chinese access controls in Fediverse RESTRICT UNAUTHORIZED then, the scope of Ubuntu has venture capital funds, has released decentralized networks. The expanded to server systems, and in the first public release of JuiceFS, a project code is written in PHP and ACCESS TO HOME modern realities this approach is POSIX-compliant distributed file JavaScript and is licensed under the DIRECTORIES: perceived as a security problem system that can be deployed on MIT license. 14.01.2021 top of Redis or Object Stores that leading to a breach of privacy. support the Amazon S3 API. Hubzilla has a unified he Ubuntu developers have https://discourse.ubuntu.com/t/ JuiceFS is being developed as an authentication system to operate decided to change the model T private-home-directories-for- intermediate solution to simplify as a social network, forums, for accessing user home directories ubuntu-21-04-onwards/19533/2 the adaptation of any application discussion groups, Wiki, article on the system. Starting with to work in the cloud infrastructure, publishing systems and websites. Ubuntu 21.04, home directories will thanks to the ability to work with Federated interaction is based on be created with 750 permissions ALPINE LINUX 3.13 object stores as with traditional file the proprietary Zot protocol, which (drwxr-x ---), giving only the owner systems. The project code is AVAILABLE: implements the WebMTA concept and group members access to the 01/15/2021 written in the Go language and is for transferring content over the directory. The necessary changes distributed under the AGPLv3 WWW in decentralized networks have already been added to the license. lpine Linux 3.13, a minimalistic and provides a number of unique adduser and shadow packages. The A distribution, built on the Musl full circle magazine #165 10 contents ^ NEWS system library and BusyBox is out the Apache 2.0 license to the SSPL ecurityFocus announced the now. The distribution has increased The base environment (/ and / (Server Side Public License) license, S closure of the BugTraq mailing security requirements and is built usr) is mounted as read-only. Data which adds additional usage list, which has been posting with SSP (Stack Smashing available for modification is located requirements to ensure the vulnerabilities in various products Protection). OpenRC is used as init in the /var directory (including / etc operation of cloud services. For since 1993. BugTraq was system, its own apk package is created as a symbolic link to /var/ those who are not satisfied with instrumental in encouraging the manager is used for package etc, /home as a link to /var/home the terms of the SSPL license, a rapid release of vulnerability management. Alpine is used to and /opt as a link to /var/opt). To commercial Elastic License is patches as it initially released build official Docker container install and update additional provided. Client libraries will issues without the approval of the images. Bootable iso images are applications, the flatpak system is continue to ship under the Apache vulnerable product manufacturers, prepared in five versions: standard used, with which applications are 2.0 license. who at the time often ignored (130 MB), with a kernel without separated from the main system direct vulnerability reporting. patches (150 MB), extended (570 and run in a separate container. The SSPL is already in use by the MB) and for virtual machines (40 Additional applications can be MongoDB project and provides the In February of last year, the MB). installed from Flathub, but work is ability to modify and distribute posting of new messages on underway to create official Flatpak code, but has not been peer- BugTraq was blocked without https://alpinelinux.org/posts/ packages for Fedora with KDE reviewed by the Open Source explanation. The reasons for the Alpine-3.13.0-released.html Apps. Initiative, which validates licenses blocking have now been revealed against Open Source criteria. and the decision has been FEDORA KINOITE, FEDORA https://fedoramagazine.org/ Lawyers from Red Hat moved the announced to completely close the discover-fedora-kinoite/ SSPL license to the unfree mailing list. From January 31, the SILVERBLUE WITH THE KDE category, followed by the Fedora official BugTraq archive with all Project to prohibit the insertion of previously published messages will DESKTOP? ELASTICSEARCH PROJECT 15.01.2021 packages with products under this be closed (mirrors will remain in MOVES TO NON-FREE SSPL license in its repository. the ranks, including a mirror edora has introduced a new LICENSE: maintained by the NMAP F atomically updated edition of 15.01.2021 https://www.elastic.co/blog/ developer). Fedora Kinoite, based on Fedora licensing-change Silverblue technologies, but using lasticsearch BV announced a https://www.securityfocus.com/ KDE instead of GNOME as the E change to the license for the CLOSURE OF BUGTRAQ, THE archive/1/542247 desktop. The Fedora Kinoite Elasticsearch search, analysis and OLDEST COMPUTER SECURITY monolithic image is not split into storage platform, as well as the separate packages, it is updated Kibana web interface. Starting with MAILING LIST: atomically and is built from official the release of Elasticsearch 7.11, 16.01.2021 Fedora RPMs using the rpm-ostree the project will be migrated from toolkit. full circle magazine #165 11 contents ^ NEWS RELEASE OF NFTABLES 0.9.8 level and move all the functions of new stable branch of the Linux (AppImage, Snap, Flatpak), parsing rules and logic for working Flatpak toolkit has been macOS and Windows. AND IPTABLES PACKET A 1.8.7 with protocols into user space. published, which provides a system FILTERS: for building self-contained During the preparation of the 16.01.2021 https://www.mail-archive.com/ packages that are not tied to new version, spesific attention was netfilter- specific Linux distributions and run paid to improving stability and ftables 0.9.8 packet filter has [email protected]filter.org/ in a special container that isolates eliminating errors, including N been released, evolving as a msg00227.html the application from the rest of the resolving problems with text replacement for iptables, ip6table, system. Flatpak execution support output and improving the normal arptables, and ebtables by unifying GHOSTBSD RELEASE is provided for , CentOS , operation of the eraser tool. the packet filtering interfaces for Debian, Fedora, Gentoo, Mageia, Improved packaging for macOS and IPv4, IPv6, ARP, and network 01/15/21: Linux Mint, Alt Linux and Ubuntu. improved performance on this bridging. The nftables package 17.01.2021 Packages for Flatpak are included platform contains user-space packet filter in the Fedora repository and are components, while the nf_tables he GhostBSD desktop supported by the stock GNOME https://inkscape.org/news/ subsystem, which has been part of T distribution was released on Application Manager. 2021/01/17/102-and-11alpha/ the Linux kernel since release 3.13, the 15th, built on FreeBSD and provides kernel-level functionality. offering a MATE desktop user https://lists.freedesktop.org/ GNU RADIO 3.9.0 environment. By default, GhostBSD archives/flatpak/2021-January/ At the kernel level, only a uses the OpenRC init system and 002085.html RELEASED: generic interface is provided that is the ZFS file system. Both work in 18.01.2021 protocol agnostic and provides Live mode and installation on a RELEASE INKSCAPE 1.0.2 basic functions for extracting data hard disk are supported (using its fter a year and a half of from packets, performing data own installer ginstall, written in AND START TESTING A development, a new major operations, and controlling flow. Python). Boot images are built for INKSCAPE 1.1: release of the free digital signal The filtering rules and protocol- x86_64 architecture (2.5 GB). 18.01.2021 processing platform GNU Radio 3.9 specific handlers are compiled into has been announced. The platform user-space bytecode, after which http://ghostbsd.org/ n update of the free vector includes a set of programs and this bytecode is loaded into the 21.01.15_release_notes A graphics editor, Inkscape 1.0.2 libraries that allow you to create kernel using the Netlink interface is available. The editor provides arbitrary radio systems, modulation and executed in the kernel in a A NEW RELEASE OF FLATPAK flexible drawing tools and provides schemes and the form of received and sent signals in which are set by special virtual machine resembling 1.10.0: support for reading and saving BPF (Berkeley Packet Filters). This software, and simple hardware 17.01.2021 images in SVG, OpenDocument approach allows you to Drawing, DXF, WMF, EMF, sk1, PDF, devices are used to capture and significantly reduce the size of the EPS, PostScript, and PNG formats. generate signals. The project is filtering code working at the kernel Inkscape binaries are prepared for distributed under the GPLv3 full circle magazine #165 12 contents ^ NEWS license. Most of the components of in 2013 after the project was taken environment or in a virtual in VirtualBox, marked as bootable. GNU Radio are written in Python, over by Cisco. machine, in order to create a parts critical to performance and working environment for software https://www.mail-archive.com/ latency are written in C++. This https://blog.snort.org/2021/01/ development. Use for production [email protected]/ allows you to use the package for snort-3-officially-released.html deployments, for building final msg00209.html solving problems in real time. products, for testing with multiple RED HAT UNVEILS FREE participants, or for providing https://www.gnuradio.org/news/ continuous integration systems LIBGCRYPT CRYPTO LIBRARY 2021-01-17-gnu-radio-v3.9.0.0- OPTIONS FOR RED HAT required a paid subscription. release/ ENTERPRISE LINUX: 1.9.0 RELEASED: 20.01.2021 https://www.redhat.com/en/blog/ 21.01.2021 SNORT 3 INTRUSION new-year-new-red-hat-enterprise- ed Hat today announced that it linux-programs-easier-ways-access- fter three years of DETECTION SYSTEM development, the GNU Project R has expanded its Red Hat rhel A RELEASED: Developer program to define the has released the Libgcrypt 1.9.0 library, with the implementation of 20.01.2021 free use of its Red Hat Enterprise VIRTUALBOX 6.1.18 . The new options the components behind the fter seven years of are aimed at meeting the need for RELEASED: encryption mechanisms used by A development, Cisco has a stable free distribution that arose 20.01.2021 GnuPG. The library provides unveiled the first stable release of after the transformation of the functions for use in third-party a completely redesigned Snort 3 CentOS project to CentOS Stream. racle has published a patch applications of various attack prevention system capable O release for VirtualBox 6.1.18, cryptoalgorithms, including of analyzing traffic in real time, Initially, the Red Hat Developer which include 14 fixes. It is not symmetric ciphers (AES, Arcfour, responding to detected malicious program allowed you to use explicitly indicated in the Blowfish, Camellia, CAST5, activity and maintaining a detailed standard builds of Red Hat changelog (Oracle does not reflect ChaCha20, DES, GOST28147, packet log for later analysis of Enterprise Linux for free to solve the fixes for vulnerabilities in the Salsa20, SEED, Serpent, Twofish), incidents. The project code is problems arising during the general changelog), but it can be hashing algorithms (MD5, RIPE- written in C++ and is distributed development process. Program assumed that a vulnerability was MD160, SHA - *, SHAKE256, TIGER- under the GPLv2 license. participants, after registering with recently disclosed that affected 192, Whirlpool), authenticated developers.redhat.com (indicating releases up to VirtualBox 6.1.16. encryption algorithms (HMAC- *, The Snort 3 branch, also known their full name, employer, email, The problem allowed access to the CMAC- *, GMAC- *, Poly1305- *), as the Snort++ project, has phone number and address) and host system from the virtual public key encryption (RSA, completely reimagined its product confirming the terms of use, were machine if the attacker in the guest Elgamal, DSA, ECDSA, EdDSA, concept and architecture. Work on allowed to use the distribution by system had access to loading ECDH ). The new branch is fully API Snort 3 began in 2005, but was one developer on one physical kernel modules, when the driver and ABI compatible with the 1.8.x soon abandoned and resumed only computer, in a local cloud for the SCSI controller was enabled branch (no need to rebuild full circle magazine #165 13 contents ^ NEWS programs to use the new version). 24th, i.e. before the release of SEAMONKEY 2.53.6 CUDATEXT CODE EDITOR Ubuntu 21.04, there would be only INTEGRATED INTERNET UPDATE TO V1.122.5: https://www.mail-archive.com/info- about a month for the final 23.01.2021 [email protected]/msg02838.html identification and correction of APPLICATION SUITE possible errors, as well as RELEASE: new release of the cross- correction of discrepancies with 01/22/2021 platform free code editor the applied add-ons and themes. A CANONICAL DECIDED NOT TO CudaText, written using Free Pascal he set of Internet applications and , has been published. MIGRATE TO GTK4 AND https://discourse.ubuntu.com/t/ T known as SeaMonkey 2.53.6 has The editor supports Python ON BUNTU staying-on-gtk3-and--3-38- GNOME 40 U been released, which combines a extensions, and has several this-cycle/20466 21.04: web browser, an email client, a features borrowed from Sublime 22.01.2021 news feed aggregation system Text. There are some IDE features MIDNIGHT COMMANDER (RSS / Atom) and a Composer implemented as plugins. More than WYSIWYG editor for html pages he Ubuntu developers have 4.8.26 FILE MANAGER 200 syntactic lexers have been made the decision to continue within a single product. In the form prepared for programmers. The T ELEASED shipping GTK3 and GNOME 3.38 in R : of pre-installed add-ons, the code is distributed under the MPL 01/22/2021 the spring 21.04 release. It is noted Chatzilla IRC client, the DOM 2.0 license. Binaries are available that the transition to GTK 4 and Inspector for web developers, and for Linux, Windows, macOS, fter six months of GNOME 40 was considered the Lightning calendar planner are FreeBSD, OpenBSD, NetBSD, development, the release of premature due to concerns about A available. The new release carries DragonflyBSD and Solaris the console file manager Midnight the stability of the solution based fixes and changes from the current platforms. on these branches. Given the Commander 4.8.26 is available, Firefox codebase (SeaMonkey 2.53 distributed in source code under significance of the changes in GTK is based on the Firefox 60.8 http://uvviewsoft.com/cudatext/ the GPLv3 + license. You can peruse 4 and the work on significant browser engine with porting of download.html upgrades to the GNOME Shell 40 the changes here: https:// security-related fixes and some interface, there may be problems www.midnight-commander.org/ improvements from the current with the reworked environment wiki/NEWS-4.8.26 Firefox branches). being fully ready for general use. https://mail.gnome.org/archives/ https://www.seamonkey- Ubuntu 21.04 is in the middle of mc-devel/2021-January/ project.org/news#2021-01-22 a development cycle, and the msg00007.html maintainer team is overwhelmed and not ready to whip up significant changes. GNOME 40 is scheduled for release on March

full circle magazine #165 14 contents ^ The VirtualBox Networking Primer Connecting and Configuring Virtual Machines

The VirtualBox Networking Primer is a no-nonsense guide for the VirtualBox user taking their next steps into virtual networks.

While Oracle VM VirtualBox is a great free tool, the real power of virtualisation comes when you start connecting virtual machines to each other and to the wider world. Software development, sales, education and training are just some of the areas in which network access to virtual machines offers endless opportunities. But the world of computer networks is filled with complex technical jargon.

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Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/the-virtualbox-networking- primer full circle magazine #165 15 contents ^ CCOOMMMMAANNDD && CCOONNQQUUEERR LMMS Pt.1 Written by Erik LMMS Pt.1

MMS is actually another very “doef-doef”. This quick and dirty already there. This is something part that will be repeated, as the L underrated Linux application. tutorial is aimed at “noobs”. At that used to confuse me too. By intro and outro will just be fade in What amazes me is the speed at people who want to get more out default, LMMS adds these for you and fade out. which you can make something. of their Linux computer, rather to play with, but we will be ‘making’ People usually talk about Fruity than “professional muzo’s”. If you today, not playing. Right, let's get our ‘doef and loops and how ‘crazy’ it is that you want to pick a fight with me over tish’. Click on the third icon down can make a tune in an hour. Well, in my terminology, please email Let’s dissect club music. It’s on the left side (the one with the LMMS, you can make a tune in 10 [email protected] with ‘doef’ and ‘tish’ and some sort of note) and it should expand into minutes! I am going to be very the subject line “You did that melody. The ‘doef’ is usually a bass “my samples”. Now expand liberal with the word “tune” here. wrong”. drum. The ‘tish’ is usually a hat or a “drums” . For this tutorial I am We need to make something that is snare, and the melody can be one going to pick bassdrum3 and drag repetitive, like rave music. * wink * Are you as psyched as I am? Fire or two instruments. The idea is to it onto my “beat+bassline editor”. Back in issue 62, Nikola promised up LMMS! (Yes, LMMS without any keep it simple. We can look at You can click on the samples in something in Ardour in issue 63, plug-ins or synths.) If you don’t see automation, fading in and out, in your samples library to hear what it but it never materialised. I suppose what I have on my screen, go to another quick and dirty tutorial – if sounds like before choosing it. (It it was different times then. I know ‘view’ and turn that module on. F5, there is any interest. A good rave sounds nice and wooden to me.) A nothing about Ardour, but I can F6, F9 and F11 are the shortcuts. beat is one you can say “someone wooden drum, a wooden flute – show you the ropes with LMMS. First things, first. We want to stole my slip slops, someone stole and I wooden play it in a club ever. start with a clean slate. Click all the my slip slops” over and over,. We Okay lame joke. Let us move on. This piece is supposed to be fun. gear icons and remove the tracks start with the “melody” part, the The next instrument we need is a If you want something serious, you snare or hat. Scroll down and grab know where to find us! Before we the first acoustic snare, as it sounds start, let me just say I don’t give a nice and full. Drag that in as well. flying rat’s behind if the music we As with any of my tutorials, you do will be making is hard style, or not need to choose the same house, or drum and bass, for that things as me, choose what makes matter. I just want to show you you happy! (Also, let’s be realistic (stretch that imagination) how to here, I am no Avicii.) If you are quickly come up with something following along closely, yay! Click that can actually be played in a club on the words somewhere, in humble LMMS. So “snare_acoustic01.ogg” and do not quote me on the genre. It’s another window should pop up.

full circle magazine #165 16 contents ^ COMMAND & CONQUER “Audio File Processor” should be all “controls”. It should be open effects chain. Now we make our turn the volume down a bit. In the over it in fat lettering. Just above already, but if you do not see it, doef-doef. Remember, we need to same row as “FX”, click the first that fat lettering, you should see click the controls button. Remove say ‘someone stole my slip-slops’ icon again (the one that looks like a small icons. Click the “FX” (effects) any dampening, by turning the with the beat at about every fourth two-pronged plug), and you will as we will be making the snare knob all the way down. Turn the beat. Count three spaces and paint see the volume. Make the sound more spaced out. (Geddit? other three knobs all the way up - a note, repeat until the end. Space waveform narrower (I made mine Okay I will stop with the bad jokes.) to get the maximum reverb on that your snare in somewhere. Here is 60%). You can always change the You may say to me, “but it is snare. mine for reference. This may “VOL” knob in the Beat+Bassline empty?”. Yes, click add effect. We change before the end! If it does editor afterwards too. will start with reverb. The list is not work for you, change it! long, but if you go down to “c” you Close the controls and test out Now for the song editor. You will find a “C * Plate 2x2”, highlight your changes by pressing the ‘j-key’ So far so good? Hit the play will notice Beat/Bassline0 is it and click “OK”. It is now part of or ‘u’ or ‘i’. That will give you an button and hear how awful it already there. Click in the first your effects chain of your snare. idea of how far down the well your sounds. Not to worry, we can fix block. So grab that block by the snare drum player is sitting. Do not that! If you are going for distortion, edge and drag it up to block 16. Place your mouse on “W/D” and be afraid to experiment. Click on do not do what I am going to do Open your samples again and find drag downwards. The knob will go the first two prong plug icons and next. I am going to try to prevent violin_pizzicato under instruments anti-clockwise. Please turn it all the click on the reversed “R”. This will clipping on my bassdrum03.ogg. (strings are usually a good choice), way down. This is Wet and Dry. It reverse the sample and the snare We are going to go to “FX” again, and drag it into the song editor. needs to go to -1, so we do not end will sound more in style with the like you did with the snare. Again Actually, remove that and add up with a buzz. Now go to sound we are going for. Close the go to C, and find “C * Clip”, and add wood, under drums. As we it to the effects chain. Open the ‘wooden’ want to deviate from our controls again, and this time you wood theme. * grin *. Now wash, should see only two knobs. Add rinse, repeat what we did with the about ten (10) gain so it sounds like acoustic snare. Once everything is a redneck’s car speakers blowing set, close those and go to the song out. Press the “u” and “i” keys again editor. Two and a half minutes! Yes, to listen. I am on a craptop, but if I am timing myself as I am doing you have decent speakers, you can this, to show you it can be done in

full circle magazine #165 17 contents ^ COMMAND & CONQUER under ten minutes. Select the copy / paste your pattern on master in the FX-Mixer window. We fun. So get your thing-a-ma-bob wood and press F7 to open the different “heights” (scales). Shift+s can add an effects chain to our FX- and your whatsis thumping and we piano roll. Now we make a melody lets you select the notes you want Mixer just as we did for our other will see you soon. by painting in the notes. You can to copy or move. This type of instruments. Find and add the test it out on your keyboard. Press pattern is not uncommon in club “Simple Compressor (RMS Want to impress us with your H, H, J, D. Does that sound like a (any) music. Just expand on it. Note Envelope Tracking)” to the chain. creativity? Would you like clarity on start of a melody or what? When how it goes up (happy), then drops Bring the threshold down to about anything? Drop us an email. your melody goes up, it is the last bar below the first. More a quarter. Bring the Compression considered ‘happy’, and when it here: https://www.youtube.com/ ratio up to about three quarters. Most of all, have fun with Linux! goes down, well... watch?v=jfFZnUWi8yE So here is a very basic tune, all I TIP: To see the notes your The little “stalks” at the bottom did was clone my wood track and keyboard is mapped to, scroll the of the piano roll is the “velocity” - shift it horizontally. So, ‘wood’ you piano roll up and down, whilst how loud the note is. Go ahead have believed me that you could pressing a key, to see what changes change them to see how it affects make this in under five minutes if I Erik has been in IT for 30+ years. He colour. You can obviously paint in your tune. said so in the beginning? has seen technology come and go. your notes as well, without ever From repairing washing machine sized hard drives with multimeters touching the keyboard. Once you have your tune over I intentionally tried to keep the and oscilloscopes, laying cable, to four or eight bars, you can copy / music terminology out of this scaling 3G towers, he's done it. Club music is high energy, so paste it in your song editor. tutorial, so you can on having shorter notes with higher frequency is better. Make a pattern You may want to curb the with half notes. Do not be afraid to clipping a bit, keep your eye on the

full circle magazine #165 18 contents ^ HHOOWW--TTOO Written by Greg Walters PPyytthhoonn IInn TThhee RREEAALL WWoorrlldd PPtt..111133

elcome back to Python in the One thing that I needed was to can be found at https:// When you run a “normal” CLI W REAL World. capture keystrokes and deal with pynput.readthedocs.io/en/lates/, (Command-Line Interface) program them without the need to press and is well worth your time to look written in Python, it probably runs I’ve been really busy with a [Enter] all the time. Python doesn’t over it. I will use some of his in only what’s called the main project for a friend and client. One support this natively. I also needed example code in the demo program thread. All this means is that the of the things that his project to deal with multiple threads, and I that I will present here. I also used execution of the program starts at requires is using GPIO pins on a haven’t “directly” messed with some code from a Real Python the beginning and runs each single-board computer (not a threads in a long while. Because of tutorial on threads, however I have statement, one at a time, until the Raspberry Pi) to monitor the this, I decided to create a small modified it pretty deeply. end of the program, without trying position of a stepper motor. While demo program to get up to speed. to do anything else at the same doing research for this phase of the After looking around on the Since pynput uses threading to time. A fairly good example that project, I needed to try to write Internet, I settled on a third party do its magic, we should have at demonstrates the need for threads and debug the code on my Linux Python library to deal with the least a basic understanding of what (in some things) is the time.sleep() desktop before testing the code on keyboard events. It’s called pynput. threads are and how they work. function. When you call this the single-board computer. Not You can find the github repository function, all processing in the very easy. One of the things that I at https://github.com/moses- THREADS program stops until the specified need to do is handle keyboard palmer/pynput. It handles mouse as amount of time is done. So if you input in an Event Oriented manner. well as keyboard input and control. There are two websites that I call time.sleep(5), your program For the purposes of this article, we have found that really do a good stops for 5 seconds. This is one of One of the things that keeps me will deal with only the keyboard job of threads: what they are, and the biggest hurdles that a going to and GUI monitoring capabilities. how to use them. You can find programmer (who is just starting to programming is the ability to deal them at https:// work with GUI programs) has to with events easily, without a tonne Of course, since it’s a third-party www.techbeamers.com/python- overcome. In GUI programming, of extra programming and without package, you need to install it. You multithreading-concepts/ and you deal with events. You don’t a lot of overhead (outside of the can easily do this via pip… https://realpython.com/intro-to- want to call a sleep function, GUI itself). Unfortunately, in the python-threading/ . because the GUI becomes environment that my client/friend pip install pynput unresponsive when this blocking is using, there can be no GUI. This function is called. or: I’ll try to break down the means everything must be run via information that is provided on the command-line interface since In CLI programming, you can get pip3 install pynput these two sites into simply a gross there is no display. overview of threads. around this issue by using a thread. Python and the computer The documentation on pynput full circle magazine #165 19 contents ^ HOWTO - PYTHON cooperate when running on def on_press(key): modern multi-core processors in try: such a way that threads can be print("alphanumeric key {0} pressed".format(key.char)) handled in different cores almost except AttributeError: print("special key {0} pressed".format(key)) concurrently. key on the keyboard, the callback The first thing we need to do, as When pynput starts (the way we will print in the terminal… To start the pynput listener in always, is to import our libraries... will use it), it creates a thread that the main loop, you simply continuously “listens” for any alphanumeric key a pressed instantiate the listener thread with import logging mouse or keyboard messages. import threading the callback functions so that the import time Once it “hears” a keyboard If, however, we press a “special keyboard events are captured. The import datetime message or mouse message, it key” like [Shift] or [Ctrl], the listener.join() allows the main from pynput import keyboard responds by calling a function that callback will print… thread (program) to be notified of we define. This function is called a the events and any errors or Next, we need to define our special key Key.shift pressed callback function. In that function, exceptions. callback functions (next page, top we can handle whatever key was right) for the listener. We’ve just pressed or released, or, in the case Or with discussed what they do. of the mouse, a movement or keyboard.Listener(on_press=on special key Key.ctrl pressed _press, button click. Once it has called the on_release=on_release) as There will be two threads that callback function, it goes back to listener: each run in a continual loop, This way, we can monitor for listening until the next keyboard or getting the current time, printing any type of keypress. We can also mouse message. We really don’t listener.join() it, sleeping for a specified amount monitor for key-release as well. have to understand the deep of time (each thread will have a Sometimes, monitoring for the internals of pynput, only the Now, we’ll create our demo different sleep time), and then release of a key is a better option, callback functions and how to start program that will contain the main doing it all over again. Since I’m since sometimes we can get the listening process. thread, as well as two secondary using a simple while loop, the multiple events when a key is threads and the listener thread. loop(s) run until the test condition pressed because the keyboard is To create the callback, we’ll first is false. We set the condition to internally dirty. Here is the author’s deal with the keypress callback. HE ODE True before we start the loop. For key-release callback function T C We’ll use his tutorial code (top example, in the first thread, we use (bottom right). right) for this. def on_release(key): In this function, the callback is When a key is pressed on the if key == keyboard.Key.esc: looking for just one thing. The [Esc] # Stop listener keyboard, this function will be key, which will stop the listener return False called. The key object is provided process. as a parameter. If we press the “a” full circle magazine #165 20 contents ^ HOWTO - PYTHON a global variable called doloop1, “worker” threads. def on_press(key): which we set to True before the try: loop. The loop will continue to run The next lines start the two print("alphanumeric key {0} pressed".format(key.char)) until, and if, doloop1 becomes time display threads and the except AttributeError: print("special key {0} pressed".format(key)) False. When it becomes False, the keyboard listener. loop is exited, and the thread will def on_release(key): end. In order to do this, I created a t1.start() if key == keyboard.Key.esc: t2.start() # Stop listener function called stop_threads() return False which sets the two global functions with to False. This will be called after keyboard.Listener(on_press=on the [Esc] key is pressed to end the _press, def thread_function1(name): on_release=on_release) as global doloop1 program. listener: logging.info("Thread %s: starting", name) print("This thread shows the time every 5 seconds...") def stop_threads(): listener.join() doloop1 = True global doloop1, doloop2 while doloop1: doloop1 = False tim = datetime.datetime.now() doloop2 = False At this point, when the print(f"Thread 1 Time: {tim:%X}") listener.join() call is made, the time.sleep(5) logging.info("Thread %s: finishing", name) Now (middle right) we define program just waits. In a real the first thread function. The idea program, you would normally have other things to do, but this is just a behind this, as I said before, is to def thread_function2(name): loop continuously, printing the simple demo. Once the [Esc] key is global doloop2 released (remember that we logging.info(f"Thread {name}: Starting") current time, and sleep for 5 print("This thread shows the time every 10 seconds...") seconds and then do it all over monitor for that in the doloop2 = True again. on_release() callback function), the while doloop2: rest of the code is run. tim = datetime.datetime.now() print(f"Thread 2 Time: {tim:%X}") Thread number two (bottom time.sleep(10) logging.info("Main : logging.info("Thread %s: finishing", name) right) is almost exactly the same as wait for the thread to thread number one, with the only finish") Lastly, we use the following When the program is run, we’ll difference is the sleep time for code as the entry-point into our get the following output in the thread 2 is 10 seconds. stop_threads() program, calling the mainloop() terminal. logging.info("Main : function. The main loop starts all of the all done") 07:24:18: Main : before threads and then sits idle until the if __name__ == "__main__": creating thread listener thread notifies us that the logging.info("Ending 07:24:18: Main : before Program!") running thread [Esc] key has been pressed, then mainloop() Press the key to politely shuts down the two exit... full circle magazine #165 21 contents ^ HOWTO - PYTHON 07:24:18: Thread 1: starting This thread shows the time def mainloop(): every 5 seconds... format = "%(asctime)s: %(message)s" Thread 1 Time: 07:24:18 logging.basicConfig(format=format, level=logging.INFO, datefmt="%H:%M:%S") 07:24:18: Thread 2: Starting logging.info("Main : before creating thread") This thread shows the time t1 = threading.Thread(target=thread_function1, args=(1,), daemon=True) every 10 seconds... t2 = threading.Thread(target=thread_function2, args=(2,), daemon=True) Thread 2 Time: 07:24:18 logging.info("Main : before running thread") Thread 1 Time: 07:24:23 print("Press the key to exit...") Thread 1 Time: 07:24:28 Thread 2 Time: 07:24:28 Thread 1 Time: 07:24:33 Thread 1 Time: 07:24:38 Thread 2 Time: 07:24:38 ... Thread 1 Time: 07:24:43 Thread 1 Time: 07:24:48 Thread 2 Time: 07:24:48 Thread 1 Time: 07:24:53 Thread 1 Time: 07:24:58 Thread 2 Time: 07:24:58 special key Key.esc pressed 07:24:59: Main : wait for the thread to finish 07:24:59: Main : all done 07:24:59: Ending Program!

That’s it. Now you have a light idea of how threads can be used, created, stopped, and how to capture keystrokes using pynput.

I’ve put this month’s code up on Greg Walters is a retired programmer living in Central Texas, my github repository at https:// USA. He has been a programmer github.com/gregwa1953/FCM-165 since 1972 and in his spare time, he is an author, amateur photographer, As always, until next time; stay luthier, fair musician and a pretty darn good cook. He still is the owner safe, healthy, positive and creative! of RainyDaySolutions a consulting company and he spends most of his time writing articles for FCM and tutorials. His website is www.thedesignatedgeek.xyz .

full circle magazine #165 22 contents ^ HHOOWW--TTOO Written by Tony Hughes PPooddccaasstt PPrroodduuccttiioonn iinn LLiinnuuxx -- PPtt..77

ast month, we looked at how then start up Audacity and import to load depending on size, and, as means undoing all that work to go L we record the audio for all the tracks I will be using to each track is loaded, it will ask you back to that stage. So it does mean mintCast; this month, we will look create the edit. At this stage, this if you want to make a copy; click being sure you are happy with each at putting all the audio tracks does not include the intro and yes, this preserves the original editing process before moving together and producing the edit outgoing music or the transition audio. At this stage, you will want forward – or you could have to that will be uploaded to archive.org music, as these will be added after to save the project as an undo a lot of work to fix an issue and fed to people’s podcatchers the edit is merged down to one audacity .aup file giving it a name; you did say 30 minutes ago. through your website or Blog. track. in this case it would be So, once the audio project has So, the first thing I do when File > Import > Audio, Navigate mintCast Ep340 First Edit been saved, the next step is to use editing the audio is download to the folder where the tracks are audio compression to bring all the everyone’s audio file from the stored, select them, and open. As you now have a fairly large audio recordings up to a level bet mintCast drive folder and store it in audio file, it will take several -3 on the sound level bar as the my ‘show file’ for that episode. I Each file will take a little while minutes for this first save, but sound level before this is around subsequent saves – as you proceed the -18 mark 2 which is a little low. with the edit – will be virtually instant. One thing to note about To do this, we go to the menu audacity is that it is a linear editor, bar and select: Effects > and does not create individual Compressor, and set the levels for layers that can be removed as you the various sound factors as you proceed with the edit; so, if you go see in the screen shot. through several processes and wish to undo one 4 stages back, it

full circle magazine #165 23 contents ^ HOWTO - PODCAST PRODUCTION

In most cases, a second pass is all that is needed to reduce the ‘silent’ recording area of the track to zero, but, in extreme cases, it may require a third pass; if so, it is important to see if this has affected the sound quality of the voice areas as it may be a compromise to leave as it is without a third pass of noise reduction, but generally two the silence on the track, we again could take several minutes for each passes is all that will be required. You can do this to each navigate to the Effects menu but track. After you have done this on a individual track separately, or this time pick Noise Reduction and track you will want to check if So, finally this month, we will highlight all the tracks and do it as this box (above) comes up. there is still any noise in the ‘silent’ look at the process of ensuring all one process, but this will take quite area you recorded, mute the other the tracks are in sync, as recording a while depending on the number This first time you are going to tracks and play the silent area, and over the internet can lead to a little of tracks being compressed and choose the Get Noise Profile if the sound bar still monitors some bit of lag in sound. In last month’s the power of your PC. In this case, button click this then when this is noise, then you may want to run article I said how we begin the on a Dell E6540 with a 2014 core i5 completed only a second or so. the reduce noise on the track again recording with the 3,2,1, record, mobile CPU with 16Gig of RAM, it After selecting the whole track this as you are trying to remove this and the 25 seconds of silence, took over 35 minutes. time, re-navigate back to the noise background noise to as close to which is then followed by a 3,2,1, reduction dialogue box and set zero as possible without affecting Zero, where on the Zero we all say The next step is to use the your noise reduction parameters; the sound in the voice areas of the ‘Zero’ this gives us a marker to line silence at the beginning of each the settings you see are what we track. the tracks up as closely as possible. track to reduce the ambient noise use now, but we have got here by First we need to select the track recorded locally by each of the trial-and-error to get what works moving tool which is the double- members. First, we highlight the for us. When you have set your pointed arrow in the box next to area of the track where we levels, then press the OK button the Red record button. recorded the silence on the track that this time will be activated as we wish to reduce the noise on. In you have now got a profile for the When selected, the cursor turns this case we will have to do each noise reduction tool to work with. into a double-ended arrow track separately as the background Again depending on the length of indicating it is selected; you are noise in each location will have the audio track and the amount of now able to move each track been different. So, after selecting actual sound on the tracks, this full circle magazine #165 24 contents ^ HOWTO - PODCAST PRODUCTION more information you can get me So now all the tracks are lined at: up and the audio should all be in sync; now go back into the track [email protected] menu and tick the sync-lock box to ensure that, during editing of the or show, all are in sync – even if you cut out sections of the audio. [email protected]

In next month's article, I will go independently in relation to the through the editing of the audio to others. If all the tracks move cut out the bits not needed, and together, go to tracks on the menu removing/shifting audio where we bar, and, at the bottom, make sure may have talked over each other. the sync-lock tracks is off by Then, merging to one track, and unticking the box; we will be adding the show bumpers and resetting this after lining the tracks truncating silence so all our talking up. So now navigate to the area of flows as naturally as possible. the track with the 3,2,1, Zero section, and ensure that all the If you wish to contact me for Zero’s line up:

full circle magazine #165 25 contents ^ HHOOWW--TTOO Written by Jon Hoskin (Windows) and Moss Bliss (Linux) VVeennttooyy

love checking out various distros; following instructions. Not all sets graphical menu for Ventoy, with all with those changes — this is called I I keep a box of USB sticks with of instructions are complete, so available distros listed. Select “persistence”, and you can check various distros ready to go in case I we’re going to try to help here. which one to load, and Ventoy does the Ventoy site for more need to change something, or the extraction itself. information on what has been someone I know would like to try You’ll probably want to create a tested, as well as for lots more Linux. There are 10 color-coded Ventoy directory and extract the Installing Ventoy formats the information on this app. Caution: USB sticks and 5 other sticks in my files there to keep things easy. You stick as exFAT, so you can’t add the devs of Ventoy are not well- box. then open a Terminal and CD to the Ventoy to a stick you’re already versed in English, so checking other Ventoy directory. And then you run using without losing the files on it; sites may be helpful as well, such as I’ve been looking for a way to this command for a simple Ventoy however, after installing Ventoy to https://www.ostechnix.com/how- use one large USB stick to install stick: the stick, you can use the stick to to-create-multiboot-usb-drives- several distros. Either due to my store other files and access them. with-ventoy-in-linux/ lack of skill, bad software, or my sudo sh Ventoy2Disk.sh -I / dev/sdx hardware, I have failed to be able Not every ISO has been My current feeling is that I use at least 3 different multiboot approved for Ventoy. I found I should have 3 sticks — one for Live …where “sdx” needs to be changed apps I’ve tried. cannot use the Feren OS. But I can ISOs, one for Install-only ISOs, and to the address of your USB stick, use the latest BionicPup64, Pearl, one for Persistent ISOs which I have probably sdc. The complete I mentioned that challenge in any Ubuntu or Mint, SuSE… modified. command, with switches, is: the Linux Mint Telegram group, Calculate Linux can be installed which is nice in that it includes a lot sudo sh Ventoy2Disk.sh { -i | using Ventoy, but cannot be run as I heartily recommend Ventoy of users in India. My friends there -I | -u } /dev/sdx a live disk (also true of a few other with no reservation. told me about Ventoy, of which I distros, determined by the distro, had not heard a whisper among my (from: https://www.ventoy.net/en/ not Ventoy). But here’s an extra Moss Bliss American/UK friends. Of course, doc_start.html) thing: You can also install Windows since that time, two or three other ISO from the same Ventoy stick as podcasts have covered it. So I I got lucky; I got Ventoy loaded your Linux ISOs. (Don’t tell anyone, looked into it. to my Memorex USB 3.1 64GB stick but I have Win 7, 8.1 and 10 ISOs on the first try. And there is downloaded…). There is a GUI version for nothing but fun from here on in. Windows, but there is a version for You don’t have to extract ISOs, just For some distros, you can even Linux. You install it by downloading copy the whole ISO to the stick. set them up, add and delete and extracting a .tar.gz file and When you go to use it, you get a programs, and the ISO gets saved

full circle magazine #165 26 contents ^ HOWTO - VENTOY WINDOWS file named Ventoy2Disk. Running it After install, you will notice that The computer in question may opens the application install the newly formatted device require a BIOS change to allow it to or Windows, download the interface and automatically finds reflects the installed version of boot from a USB device. Any F latest version of Ventoy from connected USB devices from which Ventoy. At that point, you simply modestly competent Windows www.ventoy.net which also lists you can pick an appropriately sized need to copy whatever ISO files computer user will find this to be the hundreds of ISOs that have device. Needed capacity is defined you want on to the USB device to an easy option to experience Linux been tested with Ventoy. It is 100% by the size of combined ISO files make available for booting. They distributions and/or make available Open Source with both legacy BIOS you wish to add. can be Linux, Windows, or any all needed computer fix and and UEFI support. compilation of bootable software troubleshooting software on one To allow for use, click on the you use or wish to try. device. After downloading, running the install button causing two warnings zipped application (currently that the device will be formatted Booting from the newly created Jon Hoskin ventoy-1.0.32-windows) creates a and you will lose any currently USB device brings up a menu folder named for the application saved data. (background is modifiable) of all and version number containing a ISOs from which you highlight the desired option, hit enter key and it starts the boot process. Add, remove or update ISOs to the device as needed.

full circle magazine #165 27 contents ^ full circle magazine #165 28 contents ^ HHOOWW--TTOO Written by Mark Crutch IInnkkssccaappee -- PPaarrtt 110055

ast time, I described the But what if we also wanted to L (unreliable) tooltip mode that see how wide the boxes are? For was introduced to the that we can enable the “Show Measurement Tool in version 1.0. measures between items” button That wasn’t the only change to this (the one to the right of the red tool, but the other addition is, outline). This shows the distances thankfully, a little more reliable. between each line or point that the measurement line crosses. MEASUREMENT TOOL That’s good, but we already For this simple example, I have know that the boxes are all the five squares – identical apart from same size, so it would be sufficient their colours – arranged in a line. to just label one of them. That’s I’ve got the “Ignore first and last” where the new button – to the left option selected on the of the red outline – comes in. The Measurement tool’s control bar tooltip describes it as “Measure (the button outlined in red), and only selected”. With this toggle have dragged a measurement line enabled, you’ll get additional from the top-left to the top-right measurements displayed for of the arrangement. As you can selected objects, as well as the overall dimension of your see, I’m presented with a single line, we can get a clearer view of between items” toggle turned off, measurement line. By selecting the measurement for the length of the the two values we’re interested in. this is the display that Inkscape first box, then drawing the same line. produces: top-left to top-right measurement With a single element selected the state of the “Show measures It’s a little hard to make out, but between items” button has no there is a small red cross at the effect. But when you select two or top-right of the green square. The more objects within the path of the displayed value of 82.77mm measurement line, it changes the represents the distance between result quite significantly. By the start of the measurement line selecting just the red and green (the small circle at the top-left of boxes, and with the “measure the red square), and that red cross full circle magazine #165 29 contents ^ HOWTO - INKSCAPE move the mouse over them. Although, in most cases, those red With this toggled on, the crosses are also a bit of a give- Selection tool acquires a third away. mode. Even the most novice of Inkscape users is familiar with the ON-CANVAS ALIGNMENT first mode, indicated by double- ended arrows that allow you to of a complex drawing should be – that is to say, the entire width of Another new feature in version resize selected objects. Once in measured, and which should be the selection, irrespective of the 1.0 is the ability to align selected that state, clicking on a selected ignored. It does have a slight unselected blue box that happens objects on the , rather than object will cycle to the second problem in that changing the to lie in the middle. via the Align & Distribute dialog. mode, where a new set of double- selection can cause all the Oddly, however, you do need to ended arrows are used to rotate additional measurements to With the “measure between make a visit to that dialog to and skew. With this new toggle disappear. Redrawing the items” toggle enabled we get a enable the feature, even though its button activated, a third click will measurement line brings them different collection of numbers. implementation is entirely based cycle to the new mode, where a back though, so it’s a small around the Selection tool. Let’s radically different set of handles annoyance rather than a major bug. There are now two additional first turn the option on, using the will greet you. red crosses – at the top-right new toggle button which is just You may have noticed that none corner of the red square, and the hanging out on its own at one side of the squares in these images give top-left corner of the green one. In of the Align & Distribute dialog the appearance of being selected: other words, the points that (outlined in red in this image). You you can’t see the usual dashed line intersect with the measurement can safely close the dialog once and handles that you would expect line, but only if they’re from the you’ve enabled the mode though, when the Selection tool is active. selected items. The numbers then as the setting does persist. show the distances between each These are suppressed when using pair of marks along the line, as well the Measurement tool – a good as our 82.77mm total for the thing, too, otherwise they would selection, displayed further down and confuse the layout. But (appearing over the blue box in this it might leave you wondering which image). And we still have a total objects are selected and which length for the whole measurement aren’t. Worry not! The new tooltip line displayed at the right. feature, although rather broken in the numbers it displays (see last This is a great new feature for month’s column), does reliably this tool, giving you the ability to state that each element is either The two thin blue lines are just more precisely indicate which parts “Selected” or “Not selected” as you guides that I’ve added to make it full circle magazine #165 30 contents ^ HOWTO - INKSCAPE clearer where the top and left that’s halfway down on the left. edges of the selection group lie, to help orient you in the screenshots The objects are to follow. Their position on the moved so that the canvas doesn’t change, so, by left edges of their treating them as fixed references, respective it should be clearer to see how the bounding boxes are items move around on the page. all aligned along the left edge of the The handles in question are the selection. Hold eight black icons around the Shift while clicking outside of the selection, and the the same button, one in the very center, but the first on the other hand, thing to note is that these aren’t and the right edges of the click, but you can still perform this really handles – not in the sense bounding boxes are aligned along Equivalent movements take operation as two steps if you wish. that the term is used for the other the left edge of the selection place, with the direction changed This is especially important to note two modes. You can’t drag these instead. accordingly, for each of the four if you wish to use different around. You can try, but all that buttons on the sides of the alignments for the two axes – for occurs is that they disappear from Holding Shift+Ctrl while clicking selection. The four corner buttons example, a click on the left edge the screen until you release the the handle provides one final also behave similarly, but align two button, but a Shift-click on the top mouse button. These ‘handles’ are alignment option: the entire edges at once. For example, the edge button. really just buttons that happen to selection is moved so that the right three images below show what you be positioned where the selection edge of the selection aligns with its get when clicking on the top-left The center button will move handles usually live. previous left edge. In other words, button, clicking the same button objects vertically so that they’re it’s shifted by the width of the while holding Shift, and finally aligned on the horizontal axis of Ignoring the selection. when holding Shift+Ctrl. the original selection group, while central button for a Shift-click will move them now, clicking any of Clicking the top-left corner horizontally to center them on the the others will align button is equivalent to clicking the vertical axis. One useful trick is to all the selected left edge button, followed by the perform a click followed by a Shift- objects to the top edge button (or vice-versa). click (or vice versa) to center the relevant edge or The same goes for the Shift and objects along both axes (i.e. stack corner. As an Shift-Ctrl variants. The corner them up with a common center example, here’s buttons are therefore just a point). These three options are what happens if you shortcut for aligning both shown in the image below. Note click on the button horizontally and vertically with one that Shift-Control clicking on the full circle magazine #165 31 contents ^ HOWTO - INKSCAPE

center button has no effect. tool is the way in which you interact with the new capabilities, it doesn’t Nevertheless this is a nice All of the alignment capabilities make sense to me that you need to addition to the standard tools offered by the new mode are also open the dialog every time you which, hopefully, will gain in available via the Align & Distribute want to toggle this feature on or features and prominence with dialog, with the “Relative to” pop- off. future releases. up set to “Selection Area”, but the • A keyboard shortcut for toggling on-canvas buttons are probably a this mode on and off. bit more obvious and intuitive. • A way to use other types of “Relative to” alignment. I most In my opinion there are three commonly use “First selected” or things missing from this new “Page”, and it would be great to feature which would have have easy access to those modes via the on-canvas handles. Perhaps Mark uses Inkscape to create three improved it: webcomics, 'The Greys', 'Monsters, • A toggle button on the Selection a duplicate pop-up in the tool Inked' and 'Elvie', which can all be tool’s control bar as well as (or control bar, or leveraging the found at http:// instead of) the one in the Align & unused Alt key to provide a second www.peppertop.com/ Distribute dialog. As the Selection set of alignment options.

full circle magazine #165 32 contents ^ full circle magazine #165 33 contents ^ LLIINNUUXX LLOOOOPPBBAACCKK Written by S. J. Webb

BACK NEXT MONTH

SJ Webb is a researcher coordinator. When he is not working, he enjoys time with his wife and kids. He thanks Mike Ferarri for his mentorship.

full circle magazine #165 34 contents ^ EEVVEERRYYDDAAYY UUBBUUNNTTUU Written by Richard Adams CCooookkiinngg WWiitthh UUbbuunnttuu PPtt..22

ast month, we revisited recipe was not fully functional, almost launch an application once You can also add notes, print, or L applications for Ubuntu 20, undocumented, and very non- installed), we are greeted with this share. One thing you don’t see in after I had significant struggles intuitive to use. Maybe we’ll have main screen (bottom right). the screenshot above is the with recipe management software better luck this month when we try ingredient ‘raisins’ (it’s off the previously in Ubuntu 16 (see GNOME Recipes. I’ve never heard of Struwen, so screen bottom and you have to Everyday Ubuntu in Full Circle let’s click on that recipe to see scroll down), but one small Magazine issue #148, page 28 and After installing GNOME Recipes what it is (bottom right). problem is that it says ‘1 raisin’. issue #150, page 30). We tried from the Ubuntu Software Center Well, one WHAT of raisins? I’ll Kookbook specifically last month, (see Everyday Ubuntu on pages 29- OK, so a nice thumbnail picture, venture that it’s not one raisin. but it appears to be an abandoned 30 of Full Circle Magazine #164 last simple directions for these little Given that the recipe is taking just and unfinished beta version, and month for more on installing German pancakes, an ingredient over a pound of flour, I’m willing to was definitely not satisfactory. It software and how to find and list, and a summary (upper right). bet it’s a CUP of raisins, so not that

full circle magazine #165 35 contents ^ EVERYDAY UBUNTU hard to figure out, but not entirely pancakes, but made with a thinner Turn with a spatula and cook the clear, either. Still, these look to be batter. They are VERY versatile and other side. INGREDIENTS worth a try. And we have are great in both savory and sweet • Roll onto a hot plate and fill with DEFINITELY gotten a lot further applications, although savory fruit, jam or preserves, Nutella, Fill in the information on the with this application than we did crêpes are often alternatively custard, sweetened cream , right, then let’s start adding with any prior efforts. called ‘galettes’. Appropriate to the chocolate syrup, and/or whipped ingredients. It won’t be obvious, season, they are also traditionally cream, if serving as a dessert crêpe. but each ingredient is actually two Printing is pretty served on Candlemas, so be ready • Sprinkle with powdered fields, an amount on the left and straightforward, and if you click to make these on February 2nd. (optional). the name of the ingredient on the the Share button at bottom, you right. Click to the left when adding get: Here’s our ingredient list: ADDING A NEW RECIPE to activate the ‘amount’ field. 1 cup all-purpose flour Interestingly, the program changes 2 tablespoons melted butter We’ll have to create a new our ½ cup measurements to 8 2 eggs recipe for these. Let’s select New tablespoons of its own volition ½ cup milk Recipe up top, then let’s use the (thankfully, that is a correct ½ cup water name Crêpes: equivalence - next page, top left). ¼ teaspoon salt

And here are our instructions: I clicked ‘Share with a friend’ at • Whisk together the flour and bottom, then the Share button at eggs. top and … the program crashed • Gradually whisk in the milk and completely. So, let’s not do that water. any more, and my friends will just • Add the salt and butter and have to fend for themselves when continue whisking until batter is it comes to cooking. smooth. • Lightly butter a crêpe pan or CRÊPES skillet and heat over medium high heat. I recently found my long-lost • Use about 1/4 cup batter for each crêpe maker/pan, so this month, crêpe. let’s enter a simple recipe for • Tilt the pan with a circular motion crêpes. If you’ve never tried them, as you pour in the batter, so that it crêpes are a staple in French coats the bottom of the pan evenly. cuisine. They are essentially • Fry the crêpe for about 2 minutes, until it is lightly browned. full circle magazine #165 36 contents ^ EVERYDAY UBUNTU Hmm. Not completely ideal. The reason this shows up the way it DIRECTIONS does is because I copy/pasted the entire list of directions at once. Now, let’s scroll down a little One thing that’s not immediately and enter our directions (bottom obvious is that the program has a right). mode where it shows a full screen with just the instructions, one step FULL SCREEN DIRECTIONS at a time, which can be quite handy SLIDESHOW in the kitchen.

Looks good. Let’s try hitting On the one hand, you can make Preview and see how it looks (top a case that each step should be right). entered by clicking Next Step at the bottom and adding it. I think that’s overkill in this case. I’m going

full circle magazine #165 37 contents ^ EVERYDAY UBUNTU to divide this up into sections that have one handy right now, so I’ll the top of the main interface and format files), it is a large step in the take up a reasonable amount of add one later. select French, since we stipulated right direction compared to screen space, neither too much nor previously that this was a French incomplete betas like Kookbook or too little. Let’s copy and paste When you save, it will ask if you cuisine recipe when we entered it: KRecipes, and it does a nice job of about three instructions or so at a want to share your personal allowing the user to enter and time and redo the preview (bottom information, which is obviously a I dig that the Cuisine page manage their own recipes. I believe left). personal choice. You can select mentions Escoffier, the great chef it is a very satisfactory and Start Cooking at the top to see the who codified a lot of what is now functional application, so I give this When you do the Preview now, slideshow version of the directions, considered to be classic French one a thumbs-up. you can use the small arrows at the one page at a time. Click the back haute cuisine. Pretty neat! bottom to see each page arrow at the upper left to return to individually and to go from screen the main interface: CONCLUSION to screen. The three screens I divided it into are satisfactory to FINDING YOUR NEW RECIPE While there are definitely some Richard 'Flash' Adams spent about 20 years in corporate IT. He in me, so let’s save. You can also add a things I’d like to see added to picture to the recipe by taking a rural northwest Georgia, USA, with You can find the recipe again by GNOME Recipes (like the ability to his adopted 'son', a cockatiel named photo or finding one on the clicking My Recipes at the bottom. import entire recipe collections, Baby who now has a little brother, a internet, then clicking the camera availability of such collections, and dusky-headed conure named Skittles. icon on the upper left, but I don’t You can also look up Cuisine at the ability to read MasterCook

full circle magazine #165 38 contents ^ UUBBPPOORRTTSS DDEEVVIICCEESS Written by UBports Team

full circle magazine #165 39 contents ^ full circle magazine #165 40 contents ^ MMYY SSTTOORRYY Written by Jaap Woldringh UUbbuunnttuu

his year (2020), it’s 20 years ago enthusiastic was the load of free mistakes, and learned and learned. Acorn Atom, and BBC B T that I first discovered Linux, software that came with RedHat, Problems with the printer, the microcomputers. To even picking up RedHat 5.1 (a number of you just name it and, somewhere videocard, sound and what not. But “reprogram” the hardware itself CDs and a manual) for a small sum on the CDs, it was there, to install also: the computer itself just with a soldering iron, which was at a computer meeting. Installing it and play with. Most of the available worked, and in Windows I have fun, as a member of a computer on the hard disk was very difficult, software I had no idea of what it never experienced that bliss. club, for the Atom. I even had to as the 540 MB HD was so encoded was for, but in the manual there abandon the Atom, as it had as to enable me to run my copy of was a short description, which (I had to use first DOS, and later changed out of recognition, poorly Windows, which was not able to sometimes I understood. Windows, for my work (teaching). documented: The Atom was recognize a disk larger than 504 Never did I use these by choice. changed, among other things, to MB, if I remember this well. But So I played, and made many Before that I “tinkered” with my think it was a BBC microcomputer. after a few tries (it was as if the But not quite. install program learned from the failures, and every next step the My Windows was always broken install went better, until: bingo:), I “because of my tinkering”. If Linux had Linux installed on my was broken, I just reinstalled it, and computer. played some more with it. Or tried to find out what broke the system, When I learned more, I but was not always successful. And discovered, and was very much had to go the easier way. surprised AND impressed, that the large HD was no problem at all for RedHat offered free updates Linux. It was only a problem for my for a year (from the top of my Windows (3.11, the computer was a head, may be confused with later Pentium 4 of 1992) at the time (so I trials of, for instance, Fedora, Suse still had to use the encoding and Mandrake), but all experiences program, that jiggled the disk ran down to the same thing: parameters such that Windows was installing updates was very slow if made to believe the disk was a they numbered more than just a much smaller one). few. So after some time, I tried other distros, among them, and the What made me really best and most beautiful of them

full circle magazine #165 41 contents ^ MY STORY all, was Mandrake: easy to install, be downloaded from repositories, done I still don’t know; the update became the most popular Linux easy to update, very nice to look at. and very easy to install. The process itself is fast, even if there distro almost overnight, leaving all But all of them had this very necessary dependencies were also are a lot of updates (or even an the big names, such as RedHat, serious problem, which caused me installed from these repositories, upgrade, which is a total update of Fedora, Suse, Debian itself and to download only one, or at most and this way the dependencies all the system itself, and the Mandrake, far behind. Even if these two, CDs (out of the six or were always up-to-date, and met, installed applications). had led the Linux scene for years sometimes even more than that): and the dependency hell was and years. after a number of updates it got history. Further the repositories All problems that I had had so very difficult to install applications were (and are, but I am now talking far with the other Linux Very soon I used Windows only from the CDs, as the change got of the start of Ubuntu) mirrored on distributions were solved! The for updating some gear such as my larger and larger that the hundreds of very fast servers globally mirrored repositories in Tomtom, for a number of years, necessary installed dependencies around the world, so updating, and one clean sweep outmoded every before totally wiping my Windows were updated to a new version, installing, was as fast as your own other OS: Windows and the other (XP) from the disk, and never and so could not be used by the internet connection. And, how it’s Linux distros. No wonder Ubuntu longed back for it. software on the CDs, which needed the original versions: this is the real dependency hell.

UBUNTU

In 2004, I was fortunate enough to discover Ubuntu, the very first version, 4.10 (“Warty Warthog”). This was the real thing, right from the start, and nothing but the real thing. I first tried it as it just was the only Linux distro I found to offer Kst, a program for showing graphs and diagrams from large sets of data, that I was translating into Dutch, for the KDE desktop, but I soon discovered more...

Ubuntu came on just one (Live) CD, and more free software was to

full circle magazine #165 42 contents ^ MY STORY the time was KDE 3: really lovely, notebooks and desktops. They all remarks I made concerning them One other thing at which the desktop around at the time. work very well, but I always noted, certainly are not true anymore. But Ubuntu shines is the recognition of But some unfortunate moment it after a while, these, oh so tiny, they once were, until Ubuntu came hardware. Once in a while, a piece was, very prematurely, replaced by things that did not work as along and showed the way. of new hardware is not recognized, KDE 4, which was no better than expected. Small things indeed, until but after some time it magically is: Windows: always broken, one you notice them: in Ubuntu (with We have to thank the originator, a driver for it has become available failure after the other, and I soon Unity) giving no problem at all, but Mark Shuttleworth, for organizing (developers: thank you very much!). dropped it, using the ordinary when noticed they get a bit the way that Ubuntu is distributed, Old regular hardware is always Ubuntu with the Gnome 2 desktop. irritating. But these versions keep right from the start, and as a really recognized without a problem. In A real setback after KDE 3, but, OK, these small and old machines free distribution, under a most Windows, you get a CD with drivers it worked, and was very simple (as going. And, to be honest: maybe sympathetic name. you need for installing your new an OS should be: the best OS is the Unity gives the same experience to hardware, or have to search for and one you don’t notice using it: a user who is accustomed to the download the drivers. In Ubuntu keeping your attention at what you lighter versions! * RedHat 5.1 image is from the new hardware just works, 99% are trying to do). September 1998 issue of PC of the time. That’s my story. Many users of Magazine UK And after a while, Gnome 2 also Ubuntu nowadays have no idea I have tried Linux Mint. It’s a got obsolete, and was, prematurely how Ubuntu revolutionized Linux fork of Ubuntu, and one would again, replaced by Gnome 3, which computing, and why Ubuntu think it therefore is probably even again was not the forward move. became so popular in practically no better. Something Ubuntu should So when Ubuntu ditched Gnome 3 time at all. Sometimes the original have been if Ubuntu were perfect. and launched Ubuntu with a new version, 4.10 or “Warty Warthog”, is But I have had a lot more trouble desktop, Unity, I was prepared to sneered at, even by the Canonical with my video cards in Mint than I give that desktop a chance. After people themselves, but even this ever had in Ubuntu. I think LM, some time using it, I realized that I “unpolished” version was a smash while it is more beautiful (it really began to love Unity, even if I did hit, right from the start. And got is), is nothing special. So there is no not use all the features that it has. me hooked :). So, for them, these reason at all to replace Ubuntu For that last reason I am quite reminiscences, which are very with LM, while the opposite is prepared to give Ubuntu, with an personal, and written from possibly more true. evolved Gnome 3, from 18.04, a memory, may be useful. real chance again. In the earlier days, I used I have no idea how things are Kubuntu: Ubuntu using the KDE There are also the other, lighter, now for the other, once great desktop. It was then when I started versions of Ubuntu: Xubunu, distros such as RedHat, Fedora, translating for KDE (or did I when and more. Most of them I Suse. They must have evolved in using Mandrake?). The desktop at tried, on a netbook and older the meantime too, and some full circle magazine #165 43 contents ^ HHOOWW--TTOO Written by Ronnie Tucker WWrriittee FFoorr FFuullll CCiirrccllee MMaaggaazziinnee

GUIDELINES REVIEWS • Images should be JPG, no wider he single rule for an article is than 800 pixels, and use low T that it must somehow be compression. GAMES/APPLICATIONS linked to Ubuntu or one of the When reviewing games/applications please state clearly: many derivatives of Ubuntu • Do not use tables or any type of (Kubuntu, Xubuntu, Lubuntu, etc). bold or italic formatting. • title of the game • who makes the game • is it free, or a paid download? RULES If you are writing a review, • where to get it from (give download/homepage URL) please follow these guidelines : • is it Linux native, or did you use ? • There is no word limit for articles, • your marks out of five but be advised that long articles • a summary with positive and negative points may be split across several issues. When you are ready to submit your article please email it to: • For advice, please refer to the HARDWARE [email protected] Official Full Circle Style Guide: When reviewing hardware please state clearly: http://bit.ly/fcmwriting TRANSLATIONS • make and model of the hardware • Write your article in whichever • what category would you put this hardware into? software you choose, I would If you would like to translate • any glitches that you may have had while using the hardware? recommend LibreOffice, but most Full Circle into your native • easy to get the hardware working in Linux? importantly - PLEASE SPELL AND language please send an email to • did you have to use Windows drivers? GRAMMAR CHECK IT! [email protected] and • marks out of five we will either put you in touch with • a summary with positive and negative points • In your article, please indicate an existing team, or give you access where you would like a particular to the raw text to translate from. image to be placed by indicating With a completed PDF, you will be You don't need to be an expert to write an the image name in a new able to upload your file to the main paragraph or by embedding the Full Circle site. article - write about the games, applications image in the ODT (Open Office) and hardware that you use every day. document.

full circle magazine #165 44 contents ^ RREEVVIIEEWW Written by Adam Hunt UUbbuunnttuu UUnniittyy 2200..1100

buntu Unity brings back Unity quickly lost interest. the same as the mainline Ubuntu: a it a smaller download than Ubuntu U 7, which was the face of 2 GHz dual-core processor and at 20.10, which is 2.7 GiB. Ubuntu from 2011-2017, and which Unlike some Ubuntu flavors, this least 4 GiB of RAM. still has a lot of fans, due to its release brings some notable Once I had downloaded the ISO efficient design and maximum use improvements, particularly “look I tested Ubuntu Unity 20.10 on file from the website via bit of keyboard shortcuts. and feel” upgrades. This points to my 2011 vintage System76 laptop torrent, and done an MD5sum the future direction for this which has a dual-core, four thread, check on it (MD5 is the only Ubuntu Unity’s second release, development cycle that will lead to 2.3 GHz processor, and 4 GiB of checksum provided), the next task version 20.10, came out on the the next long term support version, RAM, and it ran just fine. was to write it to a USB thumb same day as all of the other Ubuntu Ubuntu Unity 22.04 LTS. drive for testing. flavors, 22 October, 2020. The very BOOTING IT UP first Ubuntu Unity release, 20.04 SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS For my last review of Ubuntu LTS, was actually two weeks behind The Ubuntu Unity 20.10 ISO file Unity in Full Circle 159, I used the the rest of the pack last time, but it Saraswat has not published any has been reduced to 2.4 GiB, down Ubuntu Startup Disk Creator to seems lead developer Rudra system requirements, so I am from 20.04 LTS’s rather large 3.1 write the ISO file to a USB stick. Saraswat has moved it to coincide assuming that they are basically GiB download size. This now makes Startup Disk Creator is convenient with the Ubuntu release schedule. because every Ubuntu flavor comes with it pre-installed. I was Being a “standard” release, able to write an earlier alpha of Ubuntu Unity 20.10 is supported Ubuntu Unity 20.10 with it, but not for nine months, until July 2021. the release version of Ubuntu Unity 20.10, as Startup Disk That this new unofficial Ubuntu Creator just would not recognize flavor has had a second release at the ISO file. all shows that it is not just a “flash- in-the-pan” and that it has some Next, I tried “dd” from the momentum. That may seem a command line. That did write the pretty basic premise but, in the ISO file to the USB drive, but it still past, there have been a number of would not boot. Finally I installed Linux distributions that had fanfare an old favorite, UNetbootin, and initial releases and were never that worked fine, creating a heard from again as key developers bootable USB stick. full circle magazine #165 45 contents ^ REVIEW Settings Manager (CCSM) which themes: Adwaita, Ambiance, I evaluated Ubuntu Unity 20.10 Some of the 20.10 flavors, like enables a selection of Radiance and High Contrast. in a series of live sessions from the Xubuntu 20.10, have elected to put plugins and desktop effects. Opening up the included Unity USB stick. At least one reviewer of out a release with “no changes” at Tweak Tool provides 14 window the first alpha release noted that it all. Others, like Ubuntu and SETTINGS themes, including a way to restore ran faster than 20.04 LTS and, in my Lubuntu 20.10, are only very Arc-darker in case the user changes testing, I found that it did indeed minimally different from their Most of the effort for this to one of the other themes and have good performance, even on 20.04 LTS versions. Ubuntu Unity release has obviously been in the wants to get it back. The tweak my minimum spec hardware. probably introduces more changes “look and feel” department. It tool also has seven cursor themes this time around than any other makes a lot of sense to and 27 icons sets! I have previously used several Ubuntu flavor but then it is on just differentiate Ubuntu Unity from Unity versions of Ubuntu, like 11.10 its second release, so it is still in mainstream Ubuntu, which Ubuntu Unity 20.10 offers 54 and 12.04 LTS, so, when the relatively rapid development. famously has very few user wallpaper choices, which may be a desktop loaded, everything looked configurable choices in this area. record for an Ubuntu derivative. very friendly and familiar to me. Like all the other 20.10 releases, The default wallpaper is a new Unity 7 remains a great interface, this one adds new hardware Ubuntu Unity’s new default Groovy Gorilla design by Allan easy to use and efficient, and with support, employing the Linux 5.8 window theme is now Arc-darker, Carvalho, designed especially for appealing aesthetics. kernel. It also now uses GRUB for predictably a dark theme which is Ubuntu Unity 20.10. both BIOS and UEFI booting. In popular these days. The Ubuntu NEW addition, it adds the CompizConfig settings manager offers just four APPLICATIONS

full circle magazine #165 46 contents ^ REVIEW 3.38.0 image viewer manager* repositories, if needed. Some of the applications LibreOffice 7.0.2 office suite (Totem) 3.38.0 movie player included with Ubuntu Unity 20.04 4.6.5 file manager Ubuntu Unity 20.10 includes LTS are: PulseAudio 13.99.2 audio * indicates same application LibreOffice 7.0.2, lacking only the Cheese 3.38.0 webcam application controller version as used in Ubuntu Unity LibreOffice Base database CUPS 2.3.3 printing system 1.4.8 remote desktop 20.04 LTS. application which can be added if Document Viewer () 3.38.0 client desired. PDF viewer 3.4.4 music player* This release continues to use Document Scanner (Simple Scan) 0.30.10 photo manager the tried-and-true Unity 7.5.0 Ubuntu Unity 20.10 differs from 3.36.4 optical scanner Startup Disk Creator 0.3.8 (usb- interface. Unity 7.5.0 hasn’t been 20.04 LTS in that it includes only Firefox 82.0 web browser creator-gtk) USB ISO writer updated in the last four years but it one email client and one file GDebi 0.9.5.7 .deb package Text Editor () 3.38.0 text works well and doesn’t really need manager. The 20.04 LTS release had installer editor any improvement. two email clients: and Gnome Calendar 3.38.1 desktop Thunderbird 78.3.2 email client Thunderbird. This new version axes calendar Transmission 3.00-1 Ubuntu Unity 20.10 includes a Geary, while retaining Thunderbird. Gnome Disks 3.38.0 disk manager client webcam application, Cheese, while Gnome Terminal 3.38.0 terminal Ubuntu Software (Gnome omitting a default CD/DVD burning Ubuntu Unity 20.10 also drops emulator Software) 3.38.0 package application. It also does not include Nautilus, the standard Gnome file Gparted 1.0.0 partition editor* management system a general purpose image editor or manager, in favor of Nemo, the Image Viewer (Eye of Gnome) Unity 7.5.0 interface* video editor but there are some Nautilus fork that restored all the Unity Tweak Tool 0.0.7 settings good choices for those in the functionality that Nautilus dropped

full circle magazine #165 47 contents ^ REVIEW a while back. The last release which should overcome many of gaining official status. next LTS version, 22.04 LTS, due out version included both file the user objections to snaps in in April 2022. If this release is any managers but removing Nautilus is Ubuntu. Adding the CompizConfig indication, we should see good a good move, as Nemo is just a Settings Manager, more window things in the future. better file manager. Nemo is CONCLUSIONS and icon themes, and a wide array labeled as “Files” in the menus and of wallpaper choices, plus settling This release has enough new is not found on the Unity launcher Ubuntu Unity 20.10 is a very on Thunderbird for email and included that it may just lure some by default, although it can easily be strong release. It builds on the Nemo as the default file manager, users to switch from the LTS, even added there for convenience. success and all the tech press shows that this development cycle with its shorter, nine-month attention that the first release is going to be focused on support period. Gnome Software continues to garnered and shows developer sharpening the user experience. provide users with the choice of commitment to taking Ubuntu This makes it worth tracking this snap or deb files, where available, Unity further, with the goal of distribution along the road to the EXTERNAL LINK

Official website: https://ubuntuunity.org/

Adam Hunt started using Ubuntu in 2007 and has used Lubuntu since 2010. He lives in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, in a house with no Windows.

full circle magazine #165 48 contents ^ RREEVVIIEEWW Written by Vince Du Beau XXoojjoo

even years ago, I wrote a review You can also cross compile for type of app that you want to text field onto the window. Now S of the Lazarus/FreePascal Ide every OS. develop as well as some sample let’s add some code to the button for development. As my priorities projects. See bottom left. to write into the text field by changed, I switched back to using a You can download Xojo for free double clicking on it. A window will Mac. This time, I’m going to review to experiment with but in order to Let’s choose to create a simple pop up with all of the possible the Xojo development create apps you need to purchase Hello World app. See bottom right. event handlers (below). We want to environment. it. Their website is https:// use the “action” one. Keep that www.xojo.com. Enter a name for your highlighted and click OK. You will Xojo is an IDE similar to application. You can also enter a then see a window in which to Microsoft’s Visual Basic. It started I know that some developers company name if applicable. Click enter your code. out as RealBASIC, an Object view the Basic language as subpar, OK when you are ready. You will Oriented development but I think that if you give it a then be presented with the environment only for the Mac. chance, it can be quite robust and development window. On the right Today you can create apps for The flexible. side are the controls that you can Mac, Windows, Linux, iOS, the Web, drag onto your window. and the PI. They are also currently When you start Xojo, it opens a working on Android development. window where you can pick the Let’s drag a plain button and a

full circle magazine #165 49 contents ^ REVIEW just above the code window. See The syntax of Xojo events may bottom right. be a little difficult to get used to at first but the documentation is your Once you get past the idea of friend as well as code completion. using the basic programming Put just one line of code in for the language, Xojo is actually fun to event. develop with.

TextField1.Text = "Hello Pros: World". • Very active forum community with helpful people. You can test it by clicking the • A lot of people may already be run arrow at the top of the ide. familiar with some version of Basic. When you click on the button, • Easy to use development “Hello World” should appear in the environment. text field. Quit the app by selecting • Large range of plugins available. Quit from the File menu or using • Ability to utilize most . Ctrl+Q. • Able to compile for a large range of operating systems. Xojo also has a great debugger. You can drop into the debugger by Cons: adding a breakpoint by clicking on • Prejudice against the Basic the left side of a line of code language, although I have none. (bottom left). • People prefer to use free and open source software with Linux. The program will stop for debugging when it hits that line of code. The debugging controls are

full circle magazine #165 50 contents ^ If you would like to submit a letter for publication, compliment Join us on: or complaint, please email it to: [email protected]. LLEETTTTEERRSS PLEASE NOTE: some letters may be edited for space. facebook.com/ EASIER THAN NWIPE snapshot with Windows, given its UBPORTS TOUCH AND fullcirclemagazine frequent bugs, is a huge PINEPHONE he last edition (FCM#164) advantage! Another advantage is twitter.com/#!/fullcirclemag that I can continue to use my main T addressed a few aspects of he UB Ports article in FCM OS (Ubuntu) while running any of .com/company/full- security, which has been growing magazine was useful. But I my other OSes. T circle-magazine ever more important. I was bought a Pinephone recently and, interested in your article on using having put UBports [Touch] on it, Installing this way means that ubuntuforums.org/ nwipe to wipe the disk of an old found out that it is still a way when the time eventually comes to forumdisplay.php?f=270 computer destined for recycling. behind. I have to reboot the phone recycle this computer, I don't have every time I want to make a call, I to worry about erasing the drive. There is an easier way, but it have trouble selecting numbers All that I have to do is forget my needs to be addressed in advance. I when in a call (select 2 for sales...), FULL CIRCLE NEEDS YOU! LUKS passphrase, and the data is purchased a new Ubuntu computer and I get loud static over bluetooth lost. from Dell. After checking that it all in the car instead of audio. It was Without reader input worked correctly, I freshly installed all enough for me to put the phone Full Circle would be an I recommend this way forward Ubuntu 20.04, using LUKS to aside until an update fixes all these empty PDF file (which I don't for everyone who has a computer encrypt the entire drive (with UEFI things. I have my BQ Ubuntu phone think many people would find with sufficient memory and power: to check the unencrypted Grub to use in the meanwhile. particularly interesting). We are and /boot). This is an option on the Have your main OS on a disk fully always looking for articles, encrypted with LUKS, and all sub- standard Ubuntu installer, so it was Chris Burmajster reviews, anything! Even small easy to do. The passphrase that I OSes in VMs. It saves a lot of things like letters and desktop chose for LUKS is, of course, very bother! If you're a business, this screens help fill the magazine. strong, otherwise there's no point automatically satisfies to the encryption. requirements for fully encrypted See the article Writing for Full data-at-rest (such as GDPR in the Circle in this issue to read our I occasionally need a couple of UK or Data Protection in the EU). basic guidelines. other OSes, including Windows, so rather than using dual-boot, I have Paddy Landau Have a look at the last page of installed them as virtual machines. any issue to get the details of As their virtual drives are on the where to send your LUKS drive, they are also fully contributions. encrypted. Being able to use a

full circle magazine #165 51 contents ^ If you have a Linux question, email it to: [email protected], QQ&&AA and Erik will answer them in a future issue. Please include as much Compiled by EriktheUnready information as you can about your query.

Welcome back to another edition and my technician tested it. He were cheap). This is why : I am already on the latest of Questions and Answers! In this called me over, as the tin was certification is important to Q version of firefox on Ubuntu. section, we will endeavour to melted off two pins. I gave the corporations. My Ubuntu is updated, just answer your Ubuntu questions. Be client the benefit of the doubt and checked. My issue is that I get a sure to add details of the version of exchanged it. Now imagine my message on some websites, that your and your surprise when that one came back : Hello uncle. I cannot upgrade. “your version of firefox is no longer hardware. I will try to remove any in the same condition. I refused to Q Help me please. My error, I supported”. Do I need to add a PPA personally identifiable strings from swap it out. I actually voided the have tried sudo do-release- here? questions, but it is best not to warranty. I started examining the upgrade but it is said that an include things like serial numbers, pattern and realised that someone upgrade from 'cosmic' to 'focal' is : Ignore & continue browsing. It UUID’s or IP addresses. If your was forcing the DDR2 in the wrong not supported with this tool. It also A may be an add-on or a server question does not appear way. Needless to say, the client’s says, does not have a release file, side error. immediately, it is just because technician told his boss and his thus I can not run sudo apt-get there is such a lot, and I do them boss came to see me. Talking over upgrade? ‘first-come-first-served’. me, not giving me time to explain : I installed ubuntu and that I know what they did wrong, : Cosmic cuttlefish is 18.10. Q everything was fine for 3 he blows a gasket. He sees my A That is dead, with no upgrades boots, then, I got initramfs orking as a technical boss, telling him about how his and no upgrade path. If you want unpacking failed, /dev/sda3: W manager for an OEM, I tried technicians are more qualified than to upgrade, meaning you want to recovering journal, and that is the to be hands on, not sit in an office ours, etc, and my boss (branch continue using your Ubuntu, you error every time now when I want all day. It also allowed me to keep manager) proceeds to tell me to should rather not use test releases. to boot. Now, I can either press an eye on my technicians and what swap it out. Again I refuse, as I You could try: enter to enter the terminal which I the customers were up to. would not only have to carry the have no idea what to do in. If I then Remember that our clients were cost, but have to please and sudo do-release-upgrade -d leave it, it goes to disk checking resellers and distributors and so explain later. Whilst this is going and reboots itself in a loop. Then it forth; that have their own on, one of the client’s other or you could try going to 19.04 returns to this same screen again. technicians. One of these technicians walks in with another first. In my humble opinion, it is not technicians brought back DDR2 one in the same state. It turned worth the effort. Back up and : I am 99% sure you have bad memory. (It was new technologies out, this client had employed a install the 20.04LTS and write it up A sectors or your drive is failing. by about a month.) The front desk bunch of school leavers whose as schooling money. Time for that shiny new SSD. ;) booked the memory in (why, I have qualifications were that they no idea, as their job is screening), played PC games (because they

full circle magazine #165 52 contents ^ Q&A : I took the plunge and many lines of history you keep. You : The problem with torrents is Q upgraded Lubuntu. Now I am in can use grep to pipe for the word A that it is so easy to get into a horrible place as I can’t get back : Somehow I have run out of “install” in the history command. I trouble with something innocent. into my system. I’ve tried live Q space on my root partition. I know what you are getting at, but You may have an IP that was booting and chrooting, but it tried to install application updates, Ubuntu does not have a windows assigned to someone who is seems I am only making things and it said it couldn't due to "no “uninstall program”. involved in criminal activities, or worse. Can you help me? disk space." I looked on my hard you may inadvertently share drive and saw my root partition - something by mistake, etc, etc, – : A stitch in time saves nine, which I had allocated 10GB. Yes, I : How do I know what clock rather be safe than sorry? A they say. They actually state know, originally I made 3 x 10GB Q speed and bus width my GPU is. this: “Note, due to the extensive partitions. Anyway, I need to make You see my GPU isn’t dedicated, changes required for the shift in my root partition bigger, and I have but in the chip. So GPU-Z would be : I tried installing eclipse from desktop environments, the plenty of free space. My issue is the ideal, but I am running out of Q the software centre, but it is Lubuntu team does not support that somehow it is not allowing me. space, and I don’t want to install not working. I previously used upgrading from 18.04 or below to What do I need to do? anything else atm. I want to see standard Ubuntu, but now I am any greater release. Doing so will where about it fits on the “big list”. using Lubuntu. It was working fine result in a broken system. If you are : You can’t resize the root before I decided to make the on 18.04 or below and would like A partition while you are logged : Know that integrated GPU’s change to Lubuntu. I thought all to upgrade, please do a fresh on to it. Go grab https:// A scale with demand these days, the Ubuntu flavours were the same install.” .org/livecd.php, boot from so I am not sure what the results when it came to software? Anyway, it, and use it on those unmounted will be, but you can try: I am useless at reading error logs partitions. and what they mean. We are using : Hi guy, I am still on xubuntu sudo lshw -C display this in class, so I can’t just leave it. Q 18.04, but I want to turn off the nag screen about xubuntu : I installed a few apps at the in the terminal. : I would suggest grabbing the 20.04. Can you give me the Q beginning of the year on my A 2020 version from their command to do that? old laptop with rather website: https://www.eclipse.org/ than the software centre. There Q: I see one of my torrent client downloads/packages/ and install : I’ll do you one better. Open may have been one or two from the options is “encrypted that rather, until the version in the A Software & Updates -> terminal as well. How can I go back connections only”. I come from a software centre catches up. Updates tab, and at the panel with and check? Does Ubuntu even keep mac, and my torrent client, folx, did the label ‘Notify me of a new a log of installation of apps? not have all these settings. Are Ubuntu version’ change it from ‘For Ubuntu people just naturally more : I have an ideapad that I want long-term support versions’ to : Synaptic is easy; it has a security minded? Why would I need Q to install Ubuntu Studio on. ‘Never’. This way you can enable it A “history” choice under “file”. this on Ubuntu? Problem is that I can’t get into the again when you want to. Problem with the terminal is how BIOS to set it to boot from USB. I full circle magazine #165 53 contents ^ Q&A have tried all the ‘F’ keys and downloading any software all : I am going to point you here: delete as instructed, but it just again. Can I use on flavours? : Is there a way to map a drive A https://www.youtube.com/ steamrolls past into windows. I Q in Ubuntu, like in Windows? watch?v=dXHdpz9QA7M don’t want windows any more. Is : I think we have covered this as I do not have Netflix and know there another way? A before, but I may be wrong. : No. Ubuntu does not use little about it. Yes, the repositories are the same, A drive letters. That said, when : See if this applies to you, I am thus you can check your /var/cache/ you add a remote machine share in A almost certain this is the issue: apt/archives and copy all the .deb nautilus / files, it stays there. : Is there a way I can take quick https://support.lenovo.com/za/en/ files and install them on another Q voice notes in Ubuntu, like on solutions/ht062552 system, say from Ubuntu to my Samsung phone? Lubuntu and vice versa. : I wanted to check which point Q release I was on and was told : See: https://itsfoss.com/ : For some reason, gEDA has to type “lsb_release -a” and I get A record-streaming-audio/ Q disappeared from the software : I have asked this question on No LSB modules are available. centre (Electronic Design Q multiple forums, and the Distributor ID: Ubuntu Automation software). I can see it answer usually is ‘lshw’. However, I Description: Ubuntu 18.04.5 LTS on my old laptop, but not on my am new to Lubuntu and want to Release: 18.04 Codename: new Dell laptop with Ubuntu 20.04. see it in a GUI. Does Ubuntu not bionic On my old laptop, it is Xubuntu have an equivalent to device 18.04, but the new one came with manager in windows? I am sure I Is this “No LSB modules are vanilla Ubuntu 20.04. saw that KDE had. available.” correct?

: I suspect it is a Python 2 issue, : Yes, KDE does, Kinfo centre. : Yes. Maybe a better way to A but don’t quote me. Also gEDA A For Lubuntu, you are looking A check without confusing you for Linux seems dead. The for hardinfo (https:// would be: developers have forked it and www.berlios.de/software/ named it something else: https:// hardinfo/). For some reason it is cat /etc/os-release github.com/lepton-eda/lepton-eda called ‘system profiler and (or see: https://alternativeto.net/ benchmark’ in the software centre. software/geda-project/? There is also a GUI tool called lshw- : Sometimes I miss normal TV, Q where I can just sit down with a platform=linux) gtk (https://www.ezix.org/project/ Erik has been in IT for 30+ years. He wiki/HardwareLiSter) that puts a beer and watch. Netflix is always a has seen technology come and go. GUI on lshw. You can also see if fuss to use. Isn’t there a way to just From repairing washing machine : I download some sysinfo is still in your software have everything ready? My media sized hard drives with multimeters Q centre still runs Ubuntu 18.04. and oscilloscopes, laying cable, to and I use metered internet centre. scaling 3G towers, he's done it. access thus need to avoid full circle magazine #165 54 contents ^ UUBBUUNNTTUU GGAAMMEESS Written by Erik WWaaiittiinngg FFoorr TThhee RRaavveenn

Website: https:// you may feel a bit overwhelmed. tell you more about choices later. time on the map scheming and store.steampowered.com/app/ Some people love this, some The game is a top-down view, with plotting, this does not detract any 1380010/Waiting_For_The_Raven/ people hate this, just like the action what I can only assume are hexes, from the game. The cut-scenes are wheel that has pictures of your but it also has some first-person (or rather seem to be) hand Price: $5 - $9 USD actions. It was a bit of “meh” as it parts thrown in. Do not expect an painted and bring a hand crafted does not jump out at you, what FPS though, the first-person parts aesthetic to the game. The first- Blurb: “Become Master of Spies, each one is. That said, now you are mainly to look for things in a person part seems to feel a bit plant connections and agents in the know the “not so great” stuff room, which is the only part that 2000’s, and actually adds to the underworld. Who will you join? Who about the game. feels a bit repetitive, but gives you atmosphere of the game. To be may be betrayed? Decipher Letters, a break from your map. completely honest, it feels a hit like Solve Mysteries, Manage Businesses, Now for the good stuff. those hidden object games. Not Spy, Bribe, Abduct, Murder, Seduce GRAPHICS that I did not enjoy those games, I in an experimental atmospheric The options feel like they could am just trying to let you hybrid of first-person & top-down be infinite, that you could have The graphics are good, but understand what you are letting espionage experience.” many outcomes playing the same nothing to write home about. Since yourselves in for. game. Replay-ability... check. I will you will be spending most of your his little gem has just hit SOUND T version 1.0 and deserves a review. The sound is very atmospheric, but there is no dialogue (other Let me start off by saying this is than the voice acting during the a RPG management game, but your cut-scenes). Prepare yourself for tools are on the darker side. some ‘light reading’. Ok, I lied, Murder, seduction, counterfeiting, there is a lot of reading. The plot robbery – to rule a city all in the unfolds through the story, which name of “business”. Each unlock you need to read. At no point does brings a new mechanic, so the the music feel repetitive, as it is game is not just a rehash of the this ambient sound that immerses same game loop. This can be good, you into the game. There is so and this can be bad too. If your much going on later in the game, ADHD is on form, you will enjoy the that you would not find the pink game, otherwise as you progress, panther theme playing odd. full circle magazine #165 55 contents ^ UBUNTU GAMES Thankfully, it is not. English, it is not too difficult. shrouded in a ‘fog of war’ - I don’t Overall I find it to be fun. Things are in place, so the three- know how apt that is, but it is what Friends have rage, quit, and gone GAMEPLAY letter word at the start of a it is. You need to send out scouts to back to it the very next day (so it sentence is probably “The” and will ‘reveal’ more of the map as you must be addictive). You will have This is where the game shines. help you with the rest. Interesting progress. What is amazing is the many ‘lightbulb’ moments. This is You are a shadowy figure who fact, the way the Enigma machine amount of choice you have. You can normal. The game is in active pours over every inch of the map to was breached, during the second have the owner of, say a tavern, development, as I mentioned, just evaluate the ‘territory’ that you world war, was that someone seduced, befriended, blackmailed went to 1.0, so it is getting better control. The game and the story repeated the same message, the or even murdered, to get his all the time. don’t make you feel like Gargamel weather report, if memory serves, property. Pay attention to the ring from the Smurfs, though. You feel so if every message started with menu. You need to remember Grab it now, while it is cheap, like some spy master. The “here follows the weather report” which icon does what. Also there and you will have a replay-able communications are all secretive; a that is a lot of letters you have to are sub-ring menus (is this the right game for your holiday! (Maybe raven arrives with a letter, or an work with. The same holds true term?). You need to scout a even a love-hate relationship). anonymous one is slid under your here. A lot of people have difficulty location before you can act on it – door. You even operate from a with this part. I suggest you brush something a lot of people fail to mansion. Your “resources” are up on breaking cyphers. There are do. Remember to read, read, and connections, rumours, progression helpful tomes in your room too, so read the instructions, hints and tips and gold. Since the game is turn search within. again. The interface is not a pick- based, you need to plan your up-and-play intuitive type of thing. actions in advance. For instance, You start your map of the city you need to recruit an employee and tell him or her what to do in the next turn. Then the Spanish inquisition arrives, because nobody expects the Spanish inquisition, well not quite, but you are racing against the inquisition.

The part that has everyone talking is the ‘decoding’ or ‘deciphering’ of messages that you intercept. Basically, you are replacing letters, and as it is

full circle magazine #165 56 contents ^ PPAATTRROONNSS

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HHOOWW TTOO CCOONNTTRRIIBBUUTTEE Editor - Ronnie Tucker [email protected] FCM#166 Webmaster - FULL CIRCLE NEEDS YOU! Deadline: [email protected] A magazine isn't a magazine without articles and Full Circle is no Sunday 07th Feb. 2021. exception. We need your opinions, desktops, stories, how-to's, reviews, Release: Editing & Proofreading and anything else you want to tell your fellow *buntu users. Send your Friday 26th Feb. 2021. articles to: [email protected] Mike Kennedy, Gord Campbell, Robert Orsino, Josh Hertel, Bert Jerred, Jim We are always looking for new articles to include in Full Circle. For help and advice please Dyer and Emily Gonyer see the Official Full Circle Style Guide: http://bit.ly/fcmwriting Our thanks go to Canonical, the many Send your comments or Linux experiences to: [email protected] translation teams around the world Hardware/software reviews should be sent to: [email protected] and Thorsten Wilms for the FCM logo. Questions for Q&A should go to: [email protected] Desktop screens should be emailed to: [email protected] ... or you can visit our site via: fullcirclemagazine.org Getting Full Circle Magazine: For the Full Circle Weekly News: EPUB Format - Most editions have a link to the epub file on You can keep up to date with the Weekly News using the RSS that issue's download page. If you have any problems with feed: http://fullcirclemagazine.org/feed/podcast the epub file, email: [email protected] Or, if you're out and about, you can get the Weekly News via Issuu - You can read Full Circle online via Issuu: Stitcher Radio (Android/iOS/web): http://issuu.com/fullcirclemagazine. Please share and rate http://www.stitcher.com/s?fid=85347&refid=stpr FCM as it helps to spread the word about FCM and Ubuntu. and via TuneIn at: http://tunein.com/radio/Full-Circle-Weekly- News-p855064/

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full circle magazine #165 58 contents ^