full circle WIN! ISSUE #31 - November 2009

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full circle magazine #31 contents ^ full circle Program In Python - Pt5 p.08 Ubuntu Women p.28

Universe Of Sound p.12 Ubuntu Games p.30

My Story p.19 MOTU Interview p.25 The Conversion. From a 486 PC with DOS and Windows 3.11, to Ubuntu. The Perfect Server - Pt1 p.17 Command & Conquer p.05

My Opinion p.21 Review - Linux Mint 7 p.23 Letters p.26 Top 5 - SVN Clients p.34

The articles contained in this magazine are released under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share 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 #31 contents ^ EDITORIAL

This magazine was created using :

Welcome to another issue of Full Circle magazine. his month we bring you the first part of a new series: . Yes, we've done several server articles in the past, but I thought that this one is particularly relevant since it uses the most recent T Ubuntu release, Karmic Koala. Looking back to Ubuntu 9.04, Robin Catling brings us a review of which is built on Jaunty Jackalope.

The article, this month, is on . We've never used any Windows reviews, or articles, previously, but this one is well balanced, well written, Ubuntu is a complete operating system that is perfect for and thought provoking, so I couldn't ignore it. Fear not, this magazine will not publish laptops, desktops and servers. articles that indulge in Windows bashing ... not on my watch! Whether at home, school or work, Ubuntu contains all the Oh, and one last thing: please note that FCM#32 (December 2009) will be applications you'll ever need including word processor, email released on , and not the last Friday of the month like we application and web browser. usually do. Our usual release schedule will return in January 2010. Ubuntu is and always will be free of charge. You do not pay any Enjoy the issue, and keep in touch! licensing fees. You can download, use and share Ubuntu with your friends, family, school or business, for absolutely nothing. Editor, Full Circle magazine Once installed, your system is [email protected] ready to use with a full set of productivity, internet, drawing and graphics applications, and games.

use the new 'contents' link to jump to the contents page from any other page! full circle magazine #31 contents ^ NEWS COMPETITION Giving Up The GIMP? Google Shows Chrome Skype Will Go Open An important part of the 10.04 OS, Promises 2010 Source On Linux roadmap that emerged during UDS [Ubuntu Developer Summit] is a Launch Skype announced [...] that it's tentative plan to remove the GIMP, developing an open source the GNU Image Manipulation Tool, "Speed, simplicity and security version of its client software that from the default Ubuntu installation. were the key components of the runs under Linux. Although this decision is viewed by design, said Pichai. "It takes some as controversial, the reasoning seven seconds to boot to the Skype developer Stanislav behind it is valid. The removal of a login, and three seconds to hit an Karchebny (whose screen name niche professional graphics editing application. We're working very tool reflects Ubuntu's growing is Berkus), said in a blog post, Google Wave is an online tool hard to make that faster." All "Yes, there's an open source for real-time communication maturity as a mainstream platform for applications are web applications, regular users. version of Linux client being and collaboration. A wave can he said, with the browser running developed. This will be a part of a be both a conversation and a each in an tab isolated from other larger offering, but we can't tell document where people can applications and the system, and you much about that right now." discuss and work together GIMP's strengths are precisely what there was nothing for users to using richly formatted text, photos, videos, maps, and more. make it unsuitable as a default install or maintain. Although Skype has confirmed component of a mainstream that the user interface will go operating system. Its expansive "All Chrome OS data is in the open sauce, customers We have four Google Wave assortment of rich features cloud", Pichai said. "If I lose my invites to give away to lucky FCM necessitate a complicated user expressed concerns in comments Chrome OS computer, I can buy on the announcement that readers. To be in with a chance interface that is intimidating to another one, log in and in a few of winning, all you have to do is inexperienced users. It is also saddled Skype's Internet protocol seconds everything is back." sign up with the FCM blog: with a lengthy startup time due to its software might remain closed. large collection of plugins. As one He also said the operating system would expect of a high-end graphic Comments from Skype's If you've already signed up, then was self-checking and self- editing tool, it also uses a lot of disk customer services reportedly you're already in with a chance! space. Its size footprint is especially repairing, with individual suggest that the open source The winners will be chosen, at problematic for Ubuntu, because the components cryptographically version will be available in the random, from the list of blog distribution ships as a CD image and signed. If the computer detects "nearest future", however users members on Monday 21st Dec. has a very limited amount of space. an error, malware or the system are already asking the company being hacked, it reloads some or to name a date. The GIMP developers, who have all of the system afresh over the expressed views on the subject, seem cloud. to agree with Ubuntu's plan. : theinquirer.net

: arstechnica.com : news.zdnet.co.uk

full circle magazine #31 contents ^ COMMAND & CONQUER

efore I start on the regenerated, which could take degrees warmer, since the Technology) values of your focus of this article, a few minutes (depending on hard drive generates heat. The hard drive by running the I'd like to take a the number of files and the positive aspect of this is that following command: moment to thank CPU of your system). If you're the hard drive will last much BDavid Rowell for pointing out not sure how big the longer than it will with the sudo smartcl -H /dev/sda that another space-waster on thumbnails folder is, you can power management on, and some systems is the check using my tip from last the hard-drive performance will You should replace /dev/sda thumbnails directory (this month's article: increase a little. I will be with whatever hard disk you applies only to systems where covering how to see if your want to check. This will return thumbnails are generated). In du -h ~/.thumbnails laptop is affected by this bug, information in the following Ubuntu, the default directory is and how to disable power format: ~/.thumbnails. I believe, Now, on to the topic of this management. Also, I'll cover smartctl version 5.38 however, that Thunar (on month's article. I know many how to use smartmontools to people use Ubuntu, or another [x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu] Xubuntu) stores it in a different check the health of your hard Copyright (C) 2002-8 Bruce location - the same is so for form of Linux, on notebooks disk. Allen Konqueror on Kubuntu. The these days, and so I thought it Home page is could be useful to cover how to Before we start checking http://smartmontools.sourcefo thumbnails don't get removed rge.net/ once the image/video that the disable power management for any values, you must first hard disks, which can cause a thumbnail applies to is install the tool we'll be using. === START OF READ SMART DATA removed, at least, this was the lot of wear and tear on Smartmontools is in the main SECTION === case in Gnome 2.24/2.26. So, if notebook drives. There are repository of most SMART overall-health self- threads on most distributions' distributions, including, of assessment test result: you store/stored a lot of media PASSED on your hard disk, chances are forums regarding this issue, course, Ubuntu. To install it, the thumbnails folder can be and, as far as I know, it hasn't run the following: been solved. The downside of As you can see, my laptop's rather large. To solve this, SMART hasn't been tripped simply delete the directory with this fix is that the hard drive sudo apt-get install doesn't spin down. This can smartmontools (meaning the hard disk's health is fine). If it says the rm -r ~/.thumbnails cause data loss if the laptop is dropped (especially if the hard Once it's installed, you hard disk didn't pass, you may want to think about replacing it and the next time you open a drive is in the process of should probably check the in the near future. If it says folder with media in it, the writing), and can also cause S.M.A.R.T. (Self-Monitoring, your hard disk doesn't support thumbnails will be your laptop to be a few Analysis, and Reporting SMART, then you can stop

full circle magazine #31 contents ^ COMMAND & CONQUER worrying, since you will be VALUE reaches 000, it's failing). unable to change any of the In order to check the start of The TYPE refers to the type of settings. the Load_Cycle_Count, type the THRESH (choice between Pre- following command: fail, where it warns you before Before proceeding to the the hard disk fails, and next section, I will take a sudo smartctl -a Old_age, where the hard disk moment to note that you /dev/sda|grep will have simply run the course should read the link to the Load_Cycle_Count @ of its life). UPDATED is how UbuntuForums thread below often/under what conditions This will spit out one or two before applying any of these the attribute is updated, lines of code that look like this: fixes, since it should be done WHEN_FAILED shows the date only when you have a good at which the attribute passed 225 Load_Cycle_Count 0x0032 understanding of what is 099 099 000 Old_age Always - the THRESH level, and the happening. Also, you have to 14091 RAW_VALUE is how many times take into account the period of it actually occurred. time you've had the hard disk, The first number is the ID#, etc. If you choose to follow the the name is the Anyway, record your information in this article, you ATTRIBUTE_NAME, the RAW_VALUE somewhere for are doing so at your own risk. I hexadecimal string is the FLAG, safe keeping, and check the am writing this article from the the first value (099 here) is the value again at a later date. The experience that most laptops VALUE, the WORST is the next best way to check would be to 10 each minute, divide by 10). I've used have required this fix. 099, the 000 is the THRESH, write a simple script to run as Once you have an idea of how This experience includes the Old_age is the TYPE, root in CRON once a day at the much it increases on average explaining the steps of this fix Always refers to UPDATED, the same time to give you an idea (per day), you should then to laptop owners. Be advised “-” is in the WHEN_FAILED of how often it's increasing. You calculate how much the value that some newer laptops may column (would be a date, if the can also, however, check will be in 3 years (average not need this fix, and may hard disk failed), and the manually how much it lifespan of a hard drive), taking even suffer a shorter hard- 14091 is the RAW_VALUE. Now, increases in 5 minutes, etc. If it into account, of course, how drive life if it is applied to I'll explain what some of these increases by more than 5 long you have had the laptop! them. The Web has lists of terms are. The VALUE is the increments in 5 minutes while If the value is under the laptops that suffer the power- SMARTCTL percentage-type the laptop is being used, Load_Cycle_Count that the management problem. These value. The WORST is the lowest chances are that it's not giving hard disk should be able to can tell you whether other stored value in the life of the you a proper value, and you handle (it's generally around owners of your laptop model hard disk, and the THRESH is could then divide the 600,000 but you should Google have reported this problem in where SMART decides that the RAW_VALUE you have by the your hard disk's Load_Cycle their machines. hard disk is failing (so once increase (so if it's increasing by limit just to be sure), then you

full circle magazine #31 contents ^ COMMAND & CONQUER will not need to worry about undo this, the default setting of simply because it uses a lot of the title and refer to the title of the fix. If, however, it greatly APM for most hard disks is 128, the commands that I use to Command & Conquer in the exceeds the limit, you should so running check hard-disk subject header (just to ensure apply the fix in order to keep life/information, and because it that I read it). I'd also like to your hard drive running for as sudo hdparm -B 128 /dev/sda is a useful thing to be made take a moment to point out long as possible. For example, aware of. I'm not saying that this is my 10th Command my Samsung n110 (running will set the APM back to its anyone should just follow the & Conquer article. Thanks to ArchLinux) increases at a rate default setting. instructions; I am making the anyone and everyone who has of about 1 per minute, so per reader aware of the possible been following this series since day it's an increase of 1440, This concludes most of what issue, and offering a way to I started writing it, after taking 1440*365=525600, I wanted to cover. If the fix check/fix it, in case she finds over for Robert Clipsham. 525600*3=1576800. I didn't, works for you and decreases it's necessary. If you buy a new however, account for the fact the Load_Count, then you may laptop/laptop-hard-drive once a that the laptop is about 4 need to add a script to run it on year, and are fine with it, then months old. Since the number boot up, but this is covered in chances are you won't need to Official Ubuntu thread on is so large, I decided to not the thread I listed below. Also, I even consider this. That being load_cycle_count: bother finding a more-accurate urge any reader who isn't said, not many people will do http://ubuntuforums.org/showth value, since it wouldn't make 100% sure that it's required on that. I hope the introduction to read.php?p=5031046 too much of a difference. This their hard drive to read through smartmontools was useful for value is well over any at least some of the thread, in everyone, and that the hdparm manpage, accessed reasonable limit for hard disks, order to grasp a better explanation on the Load_Cycle with: so I've turned the APM option understanding of this process. issue was useful for some man hdparm off. In order to do this, run the (hopefully, fewer than it would command: For those of you who are have been a year or two ago, smartctl manpage, accessed wondering why I included this but who knows?). with: sudo hdparm -B 255 /dev/sda information in an article after man smartctl warning the reader repeatedly As the last note of the Or, if you want to just set it that it shouldn't be used article, I am, as always, open on the lowest possible setting lightly, the answer is simple: to suggestions, questions, (waits the longest period of the smartctl command is comments, opinions, and time before going into power- extremely useful. It can give pretty much anything else to has learned all he knows saving mode) run: you lots of information about do with the CLI. If you're a from repeatedly breaking his your hard disk, and it can offer reader who has any of the system, then having no other sudo hdparm -B 254 /dev/sda you information on the status above, feel free to email me at option but to discover how to fix of your hard disk's life. I added it. You can email Lucas at: [email protected]. Be sure [email protected]. In case you ever want to the information about APM to include the word “FCM” in

full circle magazine #31 contents ^ HOW-TO Program In Python - Part 5

need to get some ground work The top frame is called the method I prefer to use. The FCM#27-30 - Python Parts 1-4 covered before we can really tool frame. The bottom-left wx.Frame is used to add more talk about trying to program. frame is the inspector frame, frames to our application and the bottom-right frame is and/or create a standalone app FIRST you need to install the editor frame. On the tool from a single source file. We'll Boa Constructor and wxPython. frame, you have various tabs discuss this later. Use Synaptic and select both (New, Containers/Layout, etc.) wxPython and Boa Constructor. that will allow you to start new Now look at the Once installed, you should find projects, add frames to Containers/Layout tab. Many Boa under existing projects, and add goodies here. The ones you'll Dev Graphics Internet M/media System Applications|Programming\Boa various controls to the frames use most are the wx.Panel Constructor. Go ahead and for your application. The (first on the left) and the sizers start it up. It will make things a inspector frame will become (2,3,4,5 and 6 from the right). bit easier. Once the application very important as we start to Under Basic Controls, you'll

CD/DVD HDD USB Drive Laptop Wireless starts, you will see three add controls to our application. find static text controls different windows (or frames): The editor frame allows us to (labels), text boxes, check one across the top, and two edit our code, save our boxes, radio buttons, and f you are like me, you will across the bottom. You might projects, and more. Moving our more. Under Buttons, you'll HATE the first part of this have to resize and move them attention back to the tool find various forms of buttons. installation. I HATE it when a bit, but get things to a point frame, let's take a look at each List Controls has data grids and an author tells me that I where it looks something like tab - starting with the “New” other list boxes. Let's jump to Ihave to double read every word this: tab. While there are many Utilities where you'll find timers in their book/chapter/article, options available here, we will and menu items. because I just KNOW it will be a discuss only two of them. They snore - even when I know it's are the 5th and 6th buttons Here are a few things to for my own good, and I will end from the left: wx.App and remember as we are getting up doing it anyway. wx.Frame. Wx.App allows us to ready for our first app. There create a complete application are a few bugs in the Linux Consider yourself warned. beginning with two auto- version. One is that SOME PLEASE read the following generated files. One is a frame controls won't allow you to boring stuff carefully. We'll get file and the other is an move them in the designer. to the fun stuff soon, but we application file. This is the Use the +Arrow keys to

full circle magazine #31 contents ^ PROGRAM IN PYTHON - PART 5 move or tweak the position of says not to put controls (other can see the tool box for the your controls. Another one Now let's examine a few of than a wx.panel) directly on a Editor frame. Two new buttons you'll find when you try the the buttons on the Editor Tool frame. So, click on the have appeared: a check and an tutorials that come with Boa bar. The important ones for Containers/Layout tab in the “X”. The “X” will cause the Constructor - when placing a now are the Save (5th from the Tool Frame, then click on the changes you made to be panel control, it's hard to see. left) and Run (Yellow arrow, 7th wx.Panel button. Next, move thrown away. Look for the little boxes (I'll from the left). If you are in a over to the new frame that you show you this soon). You can frame tab (Frame1 for are working on and click The Check button: also use the Objs tab on the example) there will be some somewhere on the inside of the Inspector frame and select it extra buttons you need to frame. You'll know it worked if is called the “Post” button. This that way. know about. For now it's the you see something like this: will cause your changes to be Designer button: written into our frame file. You Okay, here we go. Under the still have to save the frame file, 'New' tab of the tool frame, It is an important one. It but this will get the new things select wx.App (5th button from allows us to design our GUI into the file. So, click on the the left). This will create two frame - which is what we'll do Post button. There's also a post new tabs in the editor frame: now. When you click on it you button on the Inspector frame, one named “*(App1)*”, the will be presented with a blank but we'll deal with that later. other named “*(Frame1)*”. frame. Now save your file. Believe it or not, the VERY first thing we want to do is save our Go back into the Design two new files, starting with the Remember when I warned mode. Click the 'Buttons' tab Frame1 file. The save button is you about the bugs? Well, this on the Tool frame and then the 5th button from the left in is one of them. Don't worry. click the first button on the left, the Editor Frame. A “Save As” See the 8 little black squares? the wx.Button. Then add it frame will pop up asking you That's the limits of the panel. If somewhere close to the middle where you want to save the file you wanted, you could click of your frame. You'll have and what you want to call it. and drag one of them to resize something that looks close to Create a folder in your home the panel, but for this project this: folder called GuiTests, and save This is a blank canvas for what we want is to make the the file as “Frame1.py”. Notice you to put whatever controls panel cover the entire frame. that the “*(Frame1)*” tab now you need to (within reason). Simply resize the FRAME just a shows as “Frame1”. (The “*(“ The first thing we want to do is little bit at this point. Now we says that the file needs to be place a wx.panel control. have a panel to put our other saved.) Now do the same thing Almost everything I have read controls on. Move the frame with the App1 tab. you are working on until you

full circle magazine #31 contents ^ PROGRAM IN PYTHON - PART 5 Notice that there are 8 small tell the button to do anything. this is a boa file. It's ignored by squares around it just like the For that, we need to set up an the Python compiler, but not by panel. These are resize event to happen, or fire, when Boa. The next line imports handles. It also shows us what the user clicks our button. Click wxPython. Now jump down to control is currently selected. In on the X in the upper-right the class definition. order to move this closer to the corner to finish running the center of the frame, hold down frame. Next, go back to the At the top, there's the the Control key (Ctrl) and while designer, select the button and __init_ctrls method. Notice the that's being pressed, use the go into the 'Evts' tab in the comment just under the arrow keys to move it where inspector frame. Click on definition line. Don't edit the you want it. Now, let's look at ButtonEvent and then double code in this section. If you do, the Inspector frame. There are click on the wx.EVT_BUTTON you will be sorry. Any place four tabs. Click on the 'Constr' text that shows up, and notice BELOW that routine should be tab. Here we can change the Post (check button) and that in the window below we safe. In this routine, you will label, name, position, size and save your changes. Go back to get a button event called find the definitions of each style. For now, let's change the the designer once again, and 'OnBtnShowDialogButton'. Post control on our frame. name to 'btnShowDialog' and notice that (assuming you still and save. the Label property to 'Click Me'. have the 'Objs' tab in the Next, look at the __init__ inspector frame selected), routine. Here you can put any Frame1 is now selected. This is calls to initializing code. Finally, good because it's what we the OnBtnShowDialogButton want. Go back to the 'Constr' routine. This is where we will tab, and change the title from put our code that will do the 'Frame1' to 'Our First GUI'. Post work when the user clicks the and save one more time. Now button. Notice that there is let's run our app. Click the currently an event.Skip() line yellow Run button on the Editor there. Simply stated, this says frame. just exit when this event fires. Now, let's skip over all the rest of that tab and go to the Now, what we are going to Objs tab. This tab shows all the Before we go any further, do is call a message box to pop controls you have and their let's see what we've got in the up with some text. This is a parent/child relationships. As Click all you want on the way of code (page 11). common thing for you can see, the button is a button, but nothing will programmers to do to allow the child of panel1, which is a child happen. Why? Well, we didn't The first line is a comment user to know about something - of Frame1. that tells Boa Constructor that an error, or the fact that a

full circle magazine #31 contents ^ PROGRAM IN PYTHON - PART 5 process has finished. In this Understand here #Boa:Frame:Frame1 case, we will be calling the that this is just about import wx wx.MessageBox built in the simplest way to def create(parent): routine. The routine is called call the messagebox return Frame1(parent) [wxID_FRAME1, wxID_FRAME1BTNSHOWDIALOG, wxID_FRAME1PANEL1, with two parameters. The first routine. You can have ] = [wx.NewId() for _init_ctrls in range(3)] is the text we wish to send in more parameters as class Frame1(wx.Frame): the message box and the well. def _init_ctrls(self, prnt): second is the title for the # generated method, don't edit message box. Comment out Here's a quick wx.Frame.__init__(self, id=wxID_FRAME1, name='', parent=prnt, pos=wx.Point(543, 330), size=wx.Size(458, 253), the line event.Skip() and put in rundown on how to style=wx.DEFAULT_FRAME_STYLE, title=u'Our First GUI') the following line. change the way the self.SetClientSize(wx.Size(458, 253)) self.panel1 = wx.Panel(id=wxID_FRAME1PANEL1, name='panel1', parent=self, icons work on the pos=wx.Point(0, 0), size=wx.Size(458, 253), wx.MessageBox('You Clicked message box (more style=wx.TAB_TRAVERSAL) the button', 'Info') next time). self.btnShowDialog = wx.Button(id=wxID_FRAME1BTNSHOWDIALOG, label=u'Click Me', name=u'btnShowDialog', parent=self.panel1, Save and click the Run pos=wx.Point(185, 99), size=wx.Size(85, 32), style=0) self.btnShowDialog.Bind(wx.EVT_BUTTON, self.OnBtnShowDialogButton, button (yellow arrow). You - Show a question icon id=wxID_FRAME1BTNSHOWDIALOG) should see something like this: def __init__(self, parent): self._init_ctrls(parent) def OnBtnShowDialogButton(self, event): - Show an alert event.Skip() icon

- Show an to use that suited the situation. And when you click the error icon There are also various button button you should see arrangement assignments something like this: - which we'll talk about next Show an info icon time.

The way to write this would is owner of be , a consulting company in Aurora, Colorado, and has been wx.MessageBox('You Clicked programming since 1972. He the button', 'Info', enjoys cooking, hiking, music, wx.ICON_INFORMATION) and spending time with his family. or whatever icon you wanted

full circle magazine #31 contents ^ HOW-TO Universe Of Sound

disc by simply clicking on the red button in the lower part of N/A Of course you may have all those genres crammed into the Exaile window. The one single music manager such program will automatically as Rhythmbox, the default create a folder for every radio music manager in Ubuntu. Yet, station you choose, and save you may prefer to separate separate files in MP3 format for your different collections in every song you listen to. You various music managers. It can increase your music is the name of a makes sense mainly if your collection considerably just by gigantic wolf in Inuit Dev Graphics Internet M/media System collections are huge. tuning to the radio stations of mythology. It is said to hunt Rhythmbox is an excellent your preference and saving down and devour anyone who sound manager, but if you them to your hard disc while hunts alone at night. But fear need to add more options to you listen to the radio. You may not, Amarok is also the default silence the radio, and CD/DVD HDD USB Drive Laptop Wireless your sound experience, you sound player and manager of can try the following: Streamtuner will continue to Kubuntu, the Canonical record the radio station you distribution that uses the KDE aving several music chose even if the radio is desktop. (Ubuntu uses the collections may be a paused (don't stop it, only Gnome desktop instead.) You bit confusing and pause it). What about leaving may install Amarok in Ubuntu, time-consuming to the recording function on all but some people think that the Hclassify and organize. Let's night? You'll wake up in the latest release (Version 2) suppose you have the following morning with a plethora of new doesn't run smoothly on categories of sound files in your music files on your hard disk Gnome. A previous version is collection: that were recorded while you unsupported but runs better in has everything you slept. On the left pane, Exaile Ubuntu (Version 1.4.x). You can 1. Rock, Pop, and Jazz music might wish a music manager to classifies your collections use a Personal Package Archive 2. Classical Music have - and more. It has neatly by artist, album, genre, (PPA) to install it. Follow the 3. Folk and Ethnic music Shoutcast radio, and, since the etc., making it easy to drag the instructions in the PPA page for 4. Sound files of lectures etc. Exaile installation includes content of your folders to the installation: 5. Podcasts Streamtuner, you can record right pane for reproduction. https://launchpad.net/~bogdan 6. Audiobooks any radio station to your hard Download Exaile from Synaptic. b/+archive/amarok14 (Karmic

full circle magazine #31 contents ^ UNIVERSE OF SOUND and Jaunty) side comment, I will quote the Banshee, you may go to this insignificant in size as it is. Webster dictionary; the page for instructions. Click on Don't let its size misguide you. You may also install it in meaning of Banshee may be the 'Technical details about this Once you explore all its Jaunty using the command line little known to some users. But PPA' notice, and then click on functions, which are indeed - follow the instructions in the again, fear not! the 'Read about installing' many, you'll see that it can Ubuntu Geek Web page: notice. Choose your Ubuntu actually do what any other http://www.ubuntugeek.com/ho version and follow the player can do. As you click on wto-install-amarok-1-4-in- instructions. its various controls, you'll see ubuntu-jaunty.html that a number of menus and https://edge.launchpad.net/~ sub-menus will open for you to Amarok is a topnotch music banshee-team/+archive/ppa configure the player as you player and manager that has please. It has an equalizer. You become very popular with can create play lists and all the Ubuntu users. It builds a list of rest. You can download it from all your music folders on the Synaptic. left pane so you can drag the contents to the right pane for reproduction. You can create playlists and also connect to boasts the your iPod. You can retrieve the tiniest interface of both lyrics of the songs you are possible and impossible sound listening to. It retrieves the managers and music players cover art of your albums as for the Linux platform. In full well. It is integrated to mode it is tiny, but you can still Wikipedia displaying artist You can play videos and reduce it to almost non- information. It is also podcasts and sync your music existence as a thin line so it integrated to last.fm and to and videos to your G1phone, becomes unobstructive on top tweets loud and Magnatune, the digital music iPod, or other device. Cover art of your desktop while you work clear! This sound manager has store, enabling users to is automatically fetched as you on other programs. It is an also had fast development purchase music in Ogg Vorbis, listen. Banshee also has the open-source replica of the recently. Songbird is an open- FLAC, WAV and MP3 formats. capability of reporting played popular WinAmp player that source media player and Web songs to a user’s Last.fm satisfied the craze for music in browser. It is built using code has had rapid playlist. PCs about a decade ago. At from the Firefox Web browser. development recently, making first glance, you may wonder The GUI is very similar to Apple it a full-fledged, reliable and If you wish to download the what this little player could be iTunes, and it is also capable of mature music manager. As a latest stable release of capable of doing, being so syncing with Apple iPods. Like

full circle magazine #31 contents ^ UNIVERSE OF SOUND Firefox, Songbird is extensible or video over the net its features. The Help menu your music experience. via downloadable add-ons. You (streaming), rip DVDs and CDs, has an Index sub-menu where can download the latest and much more. VLC is in the you can find a most useful version in a .deb package from Ubuntu repositories. You can manual. It is worth mentioning the GetDeb Web page (Version find the complete manual at: the two streaming radio sites it 1.2.0 for Jaunty, as of this links you to. Magnatune is a writing). http://en.flossmanuals.net/vlc source of music of every genre which you can stream from http://www.getdeb.net/updat Note: This is a remarkable Web Rhythmbox or download entire es/?q=songbird site called 'Floss Manuals' albums from their Web site. where you can find a number You are required to pay a of manuals for various open- minimum of $5 per album to source applications: support the artists. The other http://en.flossmanuals.net/. one is Jamendo; you can Among them are the ones I am equally stream it from is the multimedia pointing out. You can either Rhythmbox, or download entire player by default in Ubuntu. download them in PDF format zipped albums from its Web You may be well acquainted is a or print the manuals directly site at no charge. All music is with it. It uses GStreamer. It multimedia player, encoder from the site. FLOSS (or FOSS) licensed under the Creative plays sound and video files by and streamer supporting many is the acronym for 'Free [Libre] Commons license. default. Double clicking on audio and video codecs and file and Open Source software.' your sound files will formats as well as DVDs, VCDs, : automatically open it and play and various streaming http://magnatune.com/ them. It's very much the same protocols. It is able to stream with video files. It can also over networks and to : reproduce commercial DVDs transcode multimedia files and http://www.jamendo.com/en/ except that it does not play the save them into various film menus, which can be a formats. VLC is a great media The Web page for Rhythmbox hassle. To play DVDs you first player. However, saying that is: need to download the VLC is just a media player is http://projects.gnome.org/rhyth appropriate codec from like saying a Swiss Army knife mbox/ Medibuntu. You may be aware is just a knife. VLC can do that you have access to the much more than playback: it You can find a number of BBC radio of London, to can also convert audio and is the default third-party plugins and some Jamendo streaming radio, and video files to different formats music manager in Ubuntu. You extra tools to add features to to YouTube videos from the (transcoding), send live audio may be well acquainted with all Rhythmbox in order to enhance side bar of Totem. Cool!

full circle magazine #31 contents ^ UNIVERSE OF SOUND is the Make sure you download the including CDs, DVDs, audio is an open-source multimedia player by default in .deb package. It is a poorly files, VCD, video files, net software project downloadable Kubuntu. It uses Xine. It does developed version compared to radio, and streaming video. from Synaptic. It provides a very much the same as Totem, the full versions for proprietary MPlayer also allows you to GUI (Graphical User Interface) except that, if you want to play operating systems. manage playlists of material, that enables users of Linux to DVDs, you may as well use Nonetheless, it is useful if you so you can use it for playing transfer audio files to their iPod Totem Xine, for it plays them need to stream or download back your music library, and it Classic, iPod Nano, iPod from the beginning showing sound files for Realplayer from handles full-screen video very Shuffle, iPod Photo, or iPod Mini the film menus. You can Web sites that give you no well. So watching DVDs or DIVX music players. Although it does download it from Synaptic. other option. (etc.) with it is a pleasure. If not support some of the more you are using Ubuntu as an advanced features of iTunes, operating system, it is much Gtkpod still performs the role more powerful than the default of an iPod manager for Linux. media player (Totem), and it Album art and videos are also has a nicer interface, but it can supported. be a bit more tricky to configure. If you have patience, This list should suffice to get then stick with it, for it's well you started with a wide range worth it. You can download it of music players and music from Synaptic. You will find the managers. Last but not least, complete manual at: the following are some relevant open-source sound editors and http://en.flossmanuals.net/mpla digital recorders: yer is a proprietary media player that has twisted its arm in favor of the millions of Linux users. It's best to is used to capture all those users than to playback audio and video, ignore them. There are simply either from files, or delivered too many to be ignored! There live through the net. It's one of is a version for the Linux those products that you may platform that you can never have heard of, but, once download from Synaptic or you have used it, you don't directly from their Web page know how you could do without (http://www.real.com/linux). it. It plays almost everything, is a digital audio

full circle magazine #31 contents ^ UNIVERSE OF SOUND editor and recording http://en.flossmanuals.net/auda application. Typically, one uses city/ Audacity for recording sounds, such as interviews or musical instruments. You can then use Audacity to combine these sounds and edit them to make documentaries, music, podcasts, etc. Audacity is a is an easy-to-use You can download it from powerful tool for recording and audio editor. Its creator and Synaptic, but if you want the editing audio on a home developer is Jono Bacon, whom latest version (0.11.3 for computer. It is a very you'll remember as one of the Ubuntu 9.04 and 8.10), go to sophisticated program and can authors of the Jokosher download page: do everything one would Ardour is a hard-disk . He also writes a section http://www.jokosher.org/downlo expect from a modern audio recorder and digital audio in the Ubuntu User magazine ad/. You will download a .deb editor. Audacity perhaps falls workstation application. A (http://ubuntu-user.com/). package. Upon double clicking short of meeting the needs of description of it is beyond the it, a warning will pop-up saying professional recording studios, scope of this article. It is very that there is an older version in but not by much. You can buy a professional open-source the repository. You may ignore manual for Audacity and software. Digital audio it and continue with the download it in PDF format from recording has been a installation process. the InformIt site at revolution. For the first time, artists can cheaply and easily run their own recording studios Conclusion out of their basements, Ubuntu is an OS with an garages, or anywhere with amazing universe of exciting power. Applications like this possibilities. The first step is to http://www.informit.com/stor one are closing the gap know what applications e/product.aspx?isbn=01323665 between artists and recording populate that universe; the 76 engineers and giving musicians second step is to get the chance to do the job acquainted with those You can also find a free themselves. The following link applications and to learn to use complete manual for Audacity will tell you more: them so you can get all the at the FLOSS Manuals Web http://ardour.org/ juice out of Ubuntu. Then you page: can be immensely creative.

full circle magazine #31 contents ^ HOW-TO The Perfect Server - Part 1

Please note that this setup then select Install Ubuntu does not work for ISPConfig 2. Server: FCM09 - 16 : Server Series 1 - 8 FCM28 - 29 : LAMP Server 1 - 2 It is valid for ISPConfig 3 only!

Requirements To install such a system you will need the Ubuntu 9.10 Now you have to partition server CD, available here: your hard disk. For simplicity's http://releases.ubuntu.com/rele sake, I select Guided, use Dev Graphics Internet M/media System ases/9.10/ubuntu-9.10-server- entire disk and set up LVM. This i386.iso (32-bit) or: will create one volume group http://releases.ubuntu.com/rele with two logical volumes—one ases/9.10/ubuntu-9.10-server- Choose your language for the / file system, and (again), location, and keyboard CD/DVD HDD USB Drive Laptop Wireless amd64.iso (64-bit) another one for swap. Of layout. course, the partitioning is totally up to you—if you know The installer checks the his tutorial shows how Preliminary Note what you're doing, you can installation CD and your to prepare an Ubuntu also set up your partitions In this tutorial, I use the host hardware, and configures the 9.10 (Karmic Koala) manually. You may find it name , network with DHCP if there is a server for ISPConfig 3, helpful in future months if you with IP address DHCP server on the network: Tand how to install ISPConfig 3 set up separate /home and /var and gateway . partitions. on it. ISPConfig 3 is a These settings might differ for webhosting control panel that you, so you have to replace allows you to configure the them where appropriate. following services through a web browser: Apache web server, Postfix mail server, The Base System Enter the host name. In this MySQL, MyDNS name server, Insert your Ubuntu install example, my system is called PureFTPd, SpamAssassin, CD into your system and boot server1.example.com, so I ClamAV, and many more. from it. Select your language enter server1:

full circle magazine #31 contents ^ THE PERFECT SERVER - PART 1 Select the disk that you I don't need an encrypted manually later on. The only want to partition, and, when private directory, so I choose item I select here is OpenSSH you're asked 'Write the No here: server, so that I can changes to disk and configure immediately connect to the LVM?', select Yes. system with an SSH client such as PuTTY after the installation If you have selected Guided, has finished: use entire disk and set up LVM, the partitioner will create one big volume group that uses all the disk space. You can now Next, the package manager specify how much of that disk Your new partitions are apt gets configured. Leave the space should be used by the created and formatted: HTTP proxy line empty unless logical volumes for / and swap. you're using a proxy server to It makes sense to leave some connect to the Internet: The installation continues, space unused, so later on you then the GRUB boot loader can expand your existing gets installed. logical volumes, or create new ones. This gives you more The base system installation flexibility. is now finished. Remove the Then the base system is installation CD from the CD installed: drive and select Continue to I'm a little bit old-fashioned, reboot the system: and I like to update my servers manually to have more control, therefore I select No automatic updates. Of course, it's up to you what you select there.

Create a user, for example We need DNS, mail, and the user Administrator, with LAMP servers, but, the user name administrator. nevertheless, I don't select any When you're finished, hit Yes Don't use the user name admin of them now because I like to when asked "Write the changes as it is a reserved name on have full control over what gets to disks?": Ubuntu 9.10. installed on my system. We will install the needed packages

full circle magazine #31 contents ^ MY STORY The Conversion

y first encounter expensive operating systems. "Linux For Idiots" or some such Now I had something I could do with Linux, in any Then, on that day in 1999, my title. I tried it on my computer with Linux. Because I could real sense, was in colleague, Grant, stepped into at home. What a mind bend! boot into Linux or Windows, I 1999, when a my office and told me this Once again, I did not know spent as much time as possible Mcolleague came to my office unusual story about scores of what I was doing. Never before using Linux and re-booted and told me an unusual story. I people who write software and had I partitioned a hard drive. Windows only if I had to. was working at the Red Cross give it away. It was hard to Now this upstart software was War Memorial Hospital in Cape believe, but I knew that he wanting me to slice 'n' dice! I was still not totally Town, South Africa, at the time. would not tell me something But, help was at hand. My satisfied. It seemed that I could My job, as an electronics that was not true. He youngest son, Adrian, knew use Linux only as long as technician, was to maintain mentioned Linus Torvalds, Tux, what to do. Still, I did not really Windows was somewhere pathology-laboratory Richard Stallman, and also know what I could do with around to fall back on. In 2004, equipment. gave me a short introduction to Linux. Mark Shuttleworth released some of the Linux "geek- "Warty Warthog." As soon as I I had a 486 computer with speak." In 2001, I changed jobs, and got hold of a copy, I installed it DOS and Windows 3.1 started work at the University on my work machine and home installed. I used Microsoft I just had to try this new of Cape Town (UCT). It turned machine. Warty did not change Office - like all my colleagues - software. My first encounter out that there were others my computing world all that for administrative tasks. There was with "Tom's Root 'n' Boot." there who were interested in much. Once more, I was were, however, applications I had no idea what I was doing! Linux. They had set up a disappointed because I was not that remained out of reach. I managed to run it on an old server, and were offering Linux using Linux as much as I would Some colleagues pirated XT, but could not figure out on the UCT intranet. I have liked. I had thought Warty software, and I cannot be what to do with it. It was a downloaded Debian and would be the point where I honest if I didn't mention that I disappointment to have to turn managed to install it on my could dump Windows forever. also nobbled software. A friend back to my office machine and machine at work alongside once said that he had so much continue using software that Windows. I was still very much Mark Shuttleworth had other pirated software that he called was now starting to become an in the dark, but Grant, co- ideas. He released a new his computer the "Jolly Roger." irritation. incidentally, had been version of Ubuntu every six transferred, and was now months. As I installed each new I had occasionally seen A few days later, Grant working for the UCT IT version, I found that I was references to Linux, but I wrote came in with a CD in hand. He department. He came over to learning more about the inner it off as just another of those had bought it with a copy of my office and set up my email. workings of Linux. Also, my

full circle magazine #31 contents ^ MY STORY - THE CONVERSION

youngest son, Adrian, had left Freedom Toaster. At work, I have a standard school and was working for an issue XP machine, and a Linux internet provider who used At home, I use only Ubuntu. box connected through a KBM only Linux. Whenever I had I have no need for any other switch. I have become so used problems with Ubuntu, I would software. I mostly use Open to Ubuntu that I spend as email Adrian. He would then Office, Scribus, QCad, Gimp, much time on it as possible. If SSH into my work machine, Audacity, and Amarok. These you are reading this and have and fix things for me. I names might sound strange to not tried Ubuntu, all I can say gradually learned more about the uninitiated. Open Office is is, "Give it a shot." Run the live Linux and became increasingly an office suite, including, version on your computer so independent. I now do Ubuntu amongst others, a word that you can see what it can installations myself. processor and spreadsheet. do. If you would like to use Admittedly, it is not that Scribus is a desktop publishing Ubuntu, but have to retain XP difficult, thanks to Mark application. QCad is a technical or Vista, install Ubuntu with Shuttleworth. drawing program. Gimp is a "Wubi." That will give you a graphics manipulator. Audacity chance to try it out without I have progressed through is an audio editor. Amarok is a upsetting your original ten versions of Ubuntu. I enjoy top quality MP3 player. Those installation. And finally, if in using it because it costs so short descriptions in no way doubt, ask. There are normally little. When a new version is describe the quality of this a few tame Linux geeks to be released, I take a pack of DVDs software. You have to try them found somewhere in the and copy the whole of Ubuntu yourself. woodwork. plus repositories on UCT's

full circle magazine #31 contents ^ MY OPINION Windows 7

hat’s sad about standard Windows Defender under XP or Vista. MS claims actually less expensive than this commentary firewall. Do either of these and this is a safety feature to make previous Vista versions, but I is that I get most that stellar boot time of 30 sure the apps won’t don’t see it. For upgrades, the of my Microsoft seconds suddenly doubles. Of compromise the OS, but after a price can be somewhat Wsoftware free through the course, you can’t safely run 7 couple of uses it should reasonable (free for certain MSDN (Microsoft Developer without an anti-virus program, become apparent that I do machines bought by January, Network) program, so I don’t so the time claims are want this program to open and 2010 with Vista installed), but have to pay $400 for a full automatically doomed. I do trust it. Truth be known, installing a full version is version of Windows 7 Ultimate. some MS programs do boot nothing short of breathtaking. However, this doesn’t mean I Ubuntu boots in about 30 quicker but this doesn’t mean Count on dumping $200 for the necessarily enjoy what I get. seconds, and the plans for the they are quicker to work. Home Premium version and new version in mid-2010 call Explorer does boot within 2 $400 for the Ultimate version. I’ve been playing with 7 for a 10-second boot time. Go seconds, but it takes another 5 The cheapest version is the since I got the first beta ahead and add firewall and AV or so for the main screen to upgrade from Vista to 7, which version, and I recently programs and watch the boot appear. It’s an illusion might cost $120, but you have evaluated the final RTM (pre- time increase to all of 35 comparable to sticking a V8 to do a parallel update, i.e., release) version. I’ve also seconds! Now that’s engine in a Chevy Aveo. Sure, you can upgrade from Home compared it to Ubuntu 9.10 impressive! it will go fast but don’t take any Premium to Home Premium but (Karmic Koala) to see how the corners. not Home Premium to Ultimate two stack up. As for application speed, 7 is without first installing Premium. lightning quick for Microsoft Ubuntu may not be as quick apps but not for others. to open some programs, but at Has anybody told MS that SPEED Windows Explorer will open so least it is consistent. I already some new computers can be fast you’d better not look away know that OpenOffice may take had with 7 already installed for Microsoft touts the speed of after clicking or you’ll miss it. 5 seconds to boot (I dumped around $400? Why buy the OS 7, both in booting and Ditto for Microsoft Works. Now the splash screen to save time) for half that cost and slap it on application usage. Is this true? move on to OpenOffice, Firefox, and that Firefox may take the a computer it might not like? Yes and no with a possible Quicken, or any other non-MS same time, but I expect this. maybe thrown in for good product and you’ll get a shock. Even odder is the use of the measure. As for boot times, 7 You’re going to have to wait. term “Premium” in the Home is quicker than Vista, but only if Quite often these products COST version’s title. There is no Basic you don’t add an anti-virus won’t boot any quicker than version for sale this time program, or replace the Microsoft states that 7 is

full circle magazine #31 contents ^ MY OPINION - WINDOWS 7 around. Basic is standard on that might not qualify for free program listing. See if you you’ll see that this XP option is inexpensive computers, but upgrading). don’t have at least 30 entries not free after all. You’ll have to you can’t buy a standalone for various updates over the pay at least a $100 premium Basic product. So why have a years and see if these don’t over Home Premium in order to Premium when it’s really the UPGRADING ONCE add up to at least 2GB. If you run XP, but you can buy base product? Premium is INSTALLED started with XP Professional legitimate XP versions for better named “Home” without and have used it at least 4 or 5 around that price at most the additional word. One of the procedures I love years, you should have over major outlets. in Ubuntu (Karmic Koala) is the 3GB of updates and upgrades If you didn’t know, buying a relatively painless and optional on your hard drive. As for support, Ubuntu has computer with 7 Basic is akin updating. While MS claims their an easy-to-navigate forum, to electronic death. Basic updates are also optional, they whereas the Windows website cannot be upgraded, and the really are not. You either BLOAT AND OTHER is a hodgepodge of disgruntled only way to get another tier up update or leave your machine ODDITIES users who too-often don't is to blow off the hard drive exposed to various bugs and receive the right advice. and install a full version of viruses. I saw this during the MS claims that 7 can run XP Moreover, it appears that the Home Premium ($200), early stages of 7 in which over programs. Yes it can, but only if forum administrators only Professional ($300) or Ultimate 1GB of updates were issued by you have the Professional or occasionally get around to ($400). Go ahead and buy that MS in roughly 1 year. For an Ultimate versions and deleting improper entries, cheap unit with 7 Basic operating system that started download a ponderous file from whereas Ubuntu’s site is well installed and you’ll spend just at less than MS that includes a maintained and garbage is as much on the upgrade 3GB, basic version of kept to a minimum. software. something XP. From what I’ve tells me the been told, this file As for me, I’ll stay with Oh, as for the free upgrade future is full is close to half a Karmic Koala and steer away with some new machines that of nothing but GB in size. Those from 7. I see no reason to pay carry Vista, has anybody more bloat of you with dial- for a product that provides noticed that these computers and incessant up don’t stand a nothing more than what I’m are already gone? They were updating. chance of already getting for free. yanked from the market in late Think this is acquiring this, October when 7 came out. Fat not so? If you and users opting chance you’ll have any luck have XP at for Home finding a new computer with home or work, Premium are left Vista on it being sold at major go to in the cold (sorry, retailers (those remaining may “Add/Remove Software” and it’s not an option with be open box or display samples scroll to the bottom of your Premium). If you do the math,

full circle magazine #31 contents ^ REVIEW Linux Mint 7

confirm, the codecs are Ubuntu 9.04 underpinnings, shades of green with black, it installed in about 20 seconds. Mint 7 has speed, performance, wouldn’t be out of place on a The 100%-free-software zealots and stability, even on this lash- corporate desktop. That’s not won’t like Mint, because it uses up machine. to say it’s as hard-edged, proprietary, closed-source macho or techno-obsessed as media codecs. Does the new Here is a quick run-down of other themes we could release make it anything other the critical components: mention. than Ubuntu with codecs? erivatives have Reviews of previous releases in : Standard Ubuntu- : Mint is gotten a bad name Full Circle declared it a Linux style installer. It works. bundled with the latest Firefox, since the financial distribution for beginners and Everything is done for you. Thunderbird, Rhythmbox, credit-crunch and converts. Mint aims to make There’s nothing to edit at the Brasero, Mplayer, Pidgin, Dbanking meltdown. There is the whole experience of end. Transmission, and a selection one derivative, however, that installing, configuring, and of other up-and-coming looks like a good investment: maintaining a Linux desktop : Even on my USB productivity tools: Gnome-Do, , code-named feel a little more seamless, dongle, it works. I didn’t have Tomboy, and Giver. Browser . Mint 7 is a Linux easier, and more logical for to tell it a thing. No Ndis plug-ins, such as Flash, come distribution derived from new users or Windows wrapper or Windows drivers ready to go, so YouTube videos Debian via Ubuntu – in this converts. Don’t dismiss the required. The trouble I used to play straight away in Firefox. release, from Ubuntu 9.04 little touches like the welcome have with other distributions Moonlight is also included, so if Jaunty. screen that pops up with help did not occur with Mint. Your you install Mono apps or visit and guidance at login. Mint mileage may vary. certain websites, you don’t You can obtain a couple of may be the distribution for have to install a plug-in. editions: and . newcomers to Linux. : The Main edition has all the No default top panel, but a I threw a stack of media files codecs and support for the I’m running it on a spare unified and attractive desktop, into Gloria, and, for each left- restricted formats (such as g- machine built from salvaged not dissimilar to a Windows field format, Mplayer popped streamer and lame for MP3) old tat and some sheet start menu, task bar and up a box with its diagnosis and installed by default, whereas perspex: Abit Pentium4, notification area. recommendation; only on your Universal pops up a dialog box 2.14GHz clone, 1GB memory, confirmation does it then fetch asking if you want to download Geforce-IV AGP graphics card, : Of course you the right codecs. media codecs; with one click to Belkin wireless USB dongle. can change it, but the standard Remarkably, given its complex theme looks very smart. In : The

full circle magazine #31 contents ^ REVIEW: LINUX MINT 7 special apps were always a xine’, and find a screen-shot, strong selling point; the install or realize there isn’t and config utilities make Mint • Install package ‘xine’ (which one. You also get to easy to use. is pretty obvious). browse a predefined list of ‘Featured : This is a start It all works, and it’s a very Applications’. Click menu done right. Dividing the easy way to install new the ‘Featured menu items into Places, software. Applications’ button System and Applications is a to get a list of sensible use of screen real- Speaking of installing popular applications estate. The menu filter box software... you can install provides a convenient find-as- simply by selecting you-type search. You never is a superior its radio button. How have to scroll through menus version of Ubuntu’s Update much easier do you to find the application you Notifier, providing a list graded want it? This convenience and easy way to configure your want to run. Still can’t find that 1 to 5 for risk factor. You can ease of use runs through the desktop without diving into app? Mint goes out of its way choose what to update based Mint utilities: gconf files with a text editor. to be helpful; if I search the on risk (stability of the menu for Xine player, which package) or size of download. lets you make isn’t installed by default, by a backup of your home typing ‘xine’, Mint offers four If that’s not enough, there’s directory; just remember to Mint is built on the solid choices: also , which include hidden folders such as foundations of Debian and addresses every way of your Thunderbird user profile - Ubuntu. It benefits from the • Search Portal for ‘xine’, installing software on a Debian easily done from the hidden- vast Ubuntu repositories, and which takes you to the system and wraps them in an folders tab within the app. It's installing new software software portal on the Linux attractive graphical front-end. not a full-featured backup tool, becomes almost trivial. It may Mint website, You can browse the software but if you keep all your not be backed by a big and get descriptions and personal stuff together in one commercial support operation • Search repositories for reviews, all in one interface. place, you’ve covered the such as Canonical or Red Hat, ‘xine’, which goes directly to This is leading the way with essentials. but then a beginner is less the official Mint repositories innovative touches such as likely to break Mint and need to and any others you have displaying a screen-shot of a provides a raise a support call. I can’t configured, listed application, a feature parental-controls black-list of think of any serious niggles. which has found its way into blocked websites. Install it from a Live CD as I • Show package ‘xine’, which Synaptic. It’s not perfect: did, or download from the ever- shows the output of ‘apt search sometimes it takes a while to provides an effective Mint website.

full circle magazine #31 contents ^ MOTU INTERVIEW Andreas Wenning behindmotu.wordpress.com

behind the scenes, and in places to hang around if you I am, back in Denmark. I hang upgrading to alpha/beta happen to have a packaging around the IRC channel, help a releases and reporting bugs. question. And searching around bit with answering questions wiki.ubuntu.com has also and show up at the release When did you get involved with helped me a lot to get started parties. the MOTU team and how? with new things. My more serious involvement What are you going to focus on started in the beginning of What’s your favorite part of in Jaunty and Jaunty+1? Age: 23 2007. Ubuntu was changing to working with the MOTU? Trying to get as many of the Location: Thailand Apache 2 only, and all Apache Actually being part of making KDE 3 packages replaced with IRC Nick: a|wen 1 modules needed to go away something as great as Kubuntu KDE 4 equivalents; and making or get updated. I helped in and Ubuntu! And the friendly the KDE packages we ship at investigating possibilities, filing atmosphere of course :) release rock! Just upgraded to How long have removal reports, sharing my Jaunty on my main computer, you used Linux, and what was investigations with Debian, and Any advice for people wanting and they already rock, but let’s your first distro? taking maintainership in to help out MOTU? have them rock even more! I’ve been using linux since Debian for the modules to be Find a problem that really 2006, and my first distro was kept, but missing a maintainer. annoys you (not too complex, What do you do in your other actually Ubuntu. After that, I started helping out you know), and then try to fix spare time? some more with Kubuntu it. Reading up on packaging, I'm studying for a Master in How long have you been using during the last part of the patching and more on the wiki, Telecommunication; this really Ubuntu? hardy cycle. and joining #ubuntu-motu (or takes a lot of time. Otherwise, I actually switched to Ubuntu #kubuntu-devel for KDE I'm enjoying life, doing sports directly from Windows back What helped you learn packages) for asking the and travelling around Thailand when Dapper was the new packaging, and how Ubuntu questions that the wiki doesn’t (I’m studying on exchange thing. After using it as a second teams work? answer. Fixing rebuild FTBFS, currently). When I come back workstation/server for some Trying and trying, reading and and helping with merges, can to Denmark I will start being a time, I ended up switching to reading, and asking lots of also give a good hang of the scout leader again. use Kubuntu Edgy as my questions. I’ve had some great packaging flow. primary operating system on sponsors to ask, and both the all the hardware I had. I quickly #kubuntu-devel and #ubuntu- Are you involved with any local started developing some motu IRC channel are great Linux/Ubuntu groups? interest in how it all worked

full circle magazine #31 contents ^ [email protected] LETTERS PLEASE NOTE: some letters may be edited for space reasons.

authenticated (I'm no Linux Internet-less expert - barely past newbie LETTER OF THE MONTH ne of the things I stage). have noticed with First let me say that I really enjoy If you could, in future articles, those of us who Food for thought to all those your online magazine, and look address in detail some of the attempt assisting who install for others? forward to it every month. I am applications that are currently O about seven months into using being tested or that I may be Ubuntu users is that we tend Ubuntu as my primary OS, only lacking, that would be awesome. to assume all computer users switching my laptop drive to Vista Most of the results I got for video have internet access. Ultimate to do small business chat with Linux in general were Ed: accounting. I have found the OS bad or non-existent. Anything else I live in South Africa, where I to be very intuitive and as a (accounting apps, printer drivers, novice, that is nice. I took the connecting to a shared printer on have learnt not to assume dive into getting my desktop a MS network and such-like) would that every Ubuntu user out effects to work, and it looks be a plus. there has a full-time internet amazing. Blows Windows out of connection, can afford massive the water. Aero-who? I must Great Job so far and I look forward admit though, that there are to reading more from you guys! bandwidth or even has an drawbacks that I have yet to internet connection. It's usually figure out. Instant messaging, for And all this from a Microsoft a lot more cost effective for example. I utilize Pidgin, but System Administrator. these users to buy a cheap set would love to hold a video/audio chat session with family and of Ubuntu + repository friends. I have looked for open CD/DVDs. Any installation I source apps to get this done Ed: perform, I copy all my Is Ubuntu Trying To Go (probably not hard enough), and repository + security + Commercial? the same goes for small business accounting software, the kind that update DVDs to local hard 've been using Ubuntu for will use OpenOffice to generate drive and edit the sources.list invoices, for example. several months now, to add the local disk. Sure, you started with 9.04, earlier lose about 30Gigs H/D space, My biggest gripe with Ubuntu is had some experience with printing. I guess I should trash my but I believe the convenience IMandriva and Knoppix. I was Canon All in One MP 700 series. for the (especially new) Ubuntu satisfied with 9.04, upgraded user makes up for that. Now I to 9.10 and my impressions just need to figure out how to are, well, mixed to say the get the local DVDs

full circle magazine #31 contents ^ LETTERS least. I see Ubuntu netbooks. OK, but why is the stop making it commercial. group of people share disk incorporating much useless EEE PC ACPI utlity project not Otherwise, we can go Debian, space and files with each other. bling instead of growing into a supported? Fewt, the developer or Moblin, or Mandriva, or... This is in contrast to the mature, steady and reliable has just dropped the project corporate approach where you distribution. calling it an endless fight with rent disk space or service from Ubuntu developers who are a company, and it is in contrast I see Ubuntu loosing its developing a more buggy to the "lots of ad hoc humanity for commercial system with each update. Tahoe-LAFS strangers" approach where you babble. I see too much useless Please notice that Tahoe- share files with strangers a la junk instead of hardware Why can't we fix bugs LAFS is included in Karmic. BitTorrent. support. I see ubuntu loosing in instead of implementing new Tahoe-LAFS is a backup and the eyes of third party stuff that is not relevant for the filesharing tool intended for developers, discouraged with system functionality? Boot time "friendnet". Which is where a constant bugs, and code being better in 9.10? I've not seen inserted just to hold the any improvement. I've seen system from falling apart. I see the nonsense of changing the improvements that are worth performance mode three times little to nothing; like the new during boot and changing the boot screen, Ubuntu One and backlight on my EEE PC twice the Ubuntu Software Centre before I see the desktop. Is it which is worse than its improvement? No, it's insanity. predecessor. My word of advice: focus on I see Moblin adding some the system and make it work really important stuff to their with the hardware. Leave the distribution who have one huge cloud computing and web advantage - a line of sight. drives alone. Anyone They know where they are interested has already signed going and what they want their up for it. OS to be like, unlike Ubuntu, which I see adding all the junk The core of the system is that one can find available, and what counts in the end. If you losing more and more in terms make it fancy and buggy, all of speed and reliability. the bling in the world will not bring you users. Make it human Ubuntu focuses on in a way humans need, and

full circle magazine #31 contents ^ UBUNTU WOMEN Ara Pulido Interview

quality of Ubuntu as a final team (http://qa.ubuntu.com/) AG: I read that you also help product. Our range of activities has several links to organize Testing Days. Can you are wide, but they include documentation to start with. explain how LoCo teams can things like bug triaging, testing Most of the information links to help out on these days, and (both manually and the Testing wiki pages how they can get more automatically), and hardware (https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Testing information on involvement in certification. ), and I guess that's the best these global testing events? way to start. In the QA team I am focused on AP: I have to say that the testing. I care about manual There are a lot of opportunities activity of the Testing Days has testing of Ubuntu, and desktop if you like testing. And been slower in the Karmic : In this testing automation with our although testing is sometimes cycle than before. I was busy interview, I have the pleasure framework: Mago seen as a dull activity, I think it with other projects and could of speaking to Ara Pulido, a (http://mago.ubuntu.com) can be a lot of fun. You get to not pay the attention they member of the Canonical QA know the project in a wider deserved. Team and Ubuntu Women Team AG: You deal with Testing the spectrum. You need to know member. What a great time to ISO, and, during Ubuntu Open what's going on in the different But I think that it is still a good talk to Ara on the heels of the Week teams, and you need to idea to have them. In each Ubuntu 9.10 (Karmic Koala) (https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Ubunt communicate a lot with people. release we introduce new release, and before the Ubuntu uOpenWeek/), you gave an I love testing. exciting features in Ubuntu Developer Summit (UDS) awesome session about ISO that need a lot of testing. where Ubuntu 10.04 (Lucid Tester Tracking Also, Lucid is going to be a Testing these features with Lynx) will gain momentum and (https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Meetin great moment to join the fun. I others can be very challenging start to take shape. gLogs/openweekKarmic/TestISO am talking with the Community and exciting. s), but for those who didn't get team to organize a more formal Ara, you work for Canonical on a chance to attend the Testing team in Ubuntu, just I hope that we will be able to the QA Team. Can you tell us sessions, can you briefly like MOTU or the BugSquad. start these again for the Lucid what the QA Team does and explain where those testing We will be discussing this topic cycle, and be even better when what you do on the team? opportunities can be found and during UDS, and, hopefully, it the new Testing team members how people can help? will kick off before the end of start their activities. Of course, : Our objective as a the year. we will communicate with LoCo team is to care about the AP: The landing page of the QA teams to introduce Testing

full circle magazine #31 contents ^ UBUNTU WOMEN Days in their global jams. those? in Linux (including people from AG: Ara, thank you so much for GNOME Hispano), and together taking the time to tell us a little AG: I had not heard of AP: I am part of the Software we started the LUG of my more about you and the Checkbox until the Atlanta Testing Club university town awesome contributions you are Linux Fest, and the "Will Karmic (http://www.softwaretestingclub (http//gcubo.org). I would making - not only in the Run on My Computer" testing. I .com/) that is a community of recommend people to join a Ubuntu community but in the know that checkbox was used software testers. The club was local team if they have access FOSS community as a whole. in this testing but not sure of created by a woman, Rosie to one. For me, face-to-face the specifics. I read that you Sherry, and, although it does communication is very AP: Thanks to you, Amber. are also involved in Checkbox. not promote women important, and I don't think I Can you tell people a little bit participation specifically, I would have been so involved in about it, and what is it used for? think that seeing a woman as FOSS as I am right now if I the founder of a project hadn't met such a nice and AP: Checkbox is an application encourages more women to welcoming group of people. to run any kind of test, either join in. manual or automated. The I have been an Ubuntu user good thing about Checkbox is Women need more visibility in since 2006 and I created my its simplicity. It is used to run the FOSS world. The more we Launchpad account back then. tests and nothing more. It was participate in groups, blogs, I wrote some articles in a originally developed for our conferences, articles, etc., the Spanish Linux magazine - hardware certification labs, and more welcoming for women mostly in QA topics - and then I it is still used there. Using the community will be. started to be more involved Checkbox, we run daily tests with Ubuntu QA (the Mago against the certified hardware AG: Ara, can you tell us how project, ISO testing, testing and we can have consistent long you have been in the days...). My aim is to promote reports, no matter if the tests FOSS, and, more specifically, testing as a great activity to are manual or scripted, or if the Ubuntu Community. What help in making the Ubuntu they have been developed by was your point of entry into distribution better. us or by someone else. each of these communities, and how would you suggest AG: Thank you so much for others get involved? participation in the Ubuntu Women's Team; are there any AP: I started my involvement other groups you are in that with FOSS when I started encourage specifically women? college, back in 1998. I met Can you tell us a little about some great people interested

full circle magazine #31 contents ^ UBUNTU GAMES

time runs out. It's a simple but lock up when GAME NEWS addictive game, very similar to trying to exit. the games I reviewed a few This months ago - games which you surprises me - can pick up and play for short since the benchmarks both the open bursts. Those games offered game has and closed ATi drivers, and very little replay value due to been in found the open-source lack of content. Frozen Bubble development ones to offer the best is very different - there is so for years, so performance! much to do. For a start, there it just may are over 100 levels to be a problem complete, and improve your with Ubuntu score on, in single player 9.10, or with mode. There is split screen my system. support - for more hours of fun with friends. Online multiplayer Overall, is also available, with support Frozen for up to 4 players. There is Bubble is generally an even a Level creator, to create excellent game, with tons of your own levels to play. As you levels and features to keep this can see, for a casual game, game fresh for many hours. It : ver since I started there's tons of things to do. would be nice to have an online using Linux, everyone leader board for each level, to has been talking about The game looks and sounds complete the online Frozen Bubble as the great. I like the cartoony-style experience. Frozen Bubble is in Egame you must play on Linux. of the game - simple the Ubuntu repositories. I This month, I finally gave it a animations which will play well recommend you give it a go. go. on any computer you throw it Ed Hewitt at. I did find a few problems Frozen Bubble is a puzzle with the game. Sound would Score: 8/10 game, with the objective of crash, or not start up with the : firing at and knocking down a game, and the game would collection of bubbles before the

full circle magazine #31 contents ^ Q&A [email protected] Written by Tommy Alsemgeest Please include as much information as you can about your problem.

I was trying to save online music. In Ubuntu, how suffix .php. To make it work, I The problem is that some of some disk space using can I listen to music content would have to rename all .php the memory sticks and programs such as that requires the Windows files that I want to edit as external hard drives can be Q Kleansweep on my Media Player plugin? I have .html, and then rename before read on the Windows machines Kubuntu 9.04, but, tried the Gecko and Mplayer uploading. and my EeeUbuntu netbook, unfortunately, I may have plugin but they do not work but not on the laptop running deleted some system files. with all the sites. My ideal would be a clone of Ubuntu. The devices were After I restart Kubuntu it won't which is an excellent formatted under Windows. show the splash screen, it just Install the packages: (Windows) editor for Web page enters the desktop. However, non-free-codecs work, and which works fine By saying that they my keyboard and mouse won't gxineplugin with .php files. Yes, I know I can cannot be read by the respond. do this in a text editor, but Ubuntu machine, do A allows the preview you mean that they sudo apt-get install non- function which is so useful. Ado not show up, or that, when I would say the free-codecs gxineplugin easiest thing to do is you try to open it, it comes up to reinstall Kubuntu. As I do not program with an error? If it is the Restart Firefox and you To save your files that in PHP, I can't tell you former, you should try to should be able to play them. Ayou have stored in your home from personal mount it from the terminal. folder, you can boot from the experience. However, There is a nice wiki page for it I look after a small Aafter a bit of talking around, I here: live CD (like you do when you website. To make my are installing Kubuntu), but can offer : https://help.ubuntu.com/commu life easier, I decided make sure you select "Try http://www.geany.org/ as a nity/Mount/USB#Manually%20M Q that the PHP 'include' Kubuntu without any change to good tool for coding PHP. ounting. If the latter (an error), statement would be really your computer". Once you Geany is in the repositories. you should use Google to useful to me. For this to work, I have booted, you can back up search for the error message. If found that I have to name all your files to somewhere safe, I have a network and that fails, you can format the the files filename.php although before reinstalling Kubuntu. can move files around drive in Ubuntu using the they are mostly HTML with the from Windows to Partition Editor, which can be odd 'include' thrown in where Some music sites Q Linux and vice-versa, installed using Add/Remove required. The editors that I require the Windows but also use external hard Software or Synaptic (or if you have tried so far in Ubuntu will Media Player plugin drives and memory sticks. are running 9.10, the Ubuntu not work properly with the Q for Firefox to play Software Center).

full circle magazine #31 contents ^ MY DESKTOP [email protected]

This is my Ubuntu 9.04 Jaunty desktop on a computer with Intel Pentium I'm running Kubuntu 9.04, with KDE 4.2.2 on my PC with a 2.8GHz CPU, D 2.80 GHz dual core processor, 512MB DDR1 RAM, and Intel D101GGc 768MB of RAM, and an nVidia Geforce 6200 graphics card. motherboard with ATi Radeon Xpress 200 integrated graphics. This uses the Dark Clearlooks theme (can't seem to find it now) + Ubuntu Studio My KDE theme is Air, downloaded from svn. I downloaded the wallpaper icons I received from an install of Epidermis (now purged). The system from kde-look.org. Its name is rayair2. The picture in Picture Frame is monitors are conky. My .conkyrc for both the main and the Disk display Perfect Galaxy, made by Badjoker(Badboy). My micro-blogging software are attached. Both panels have been rendered transparent from the is Choqok, and I write my blog posts with Bilbo Blogger. Also, I'm using background tab of their Properties. The wallpaper was downloaded from StarCalendar for viewing Jalali calendar. I use Amarok to play music, 4scrape. The most interesting modification is the use of the Menu and SMPlayer or Kaffeine to play video files. I love Kubuntu and KDE invoked with Alt+F1 without having it in either of the panels, a la very much. Openbox or Fluxbox. :) I am an undergraduate engineering student at the University of Bombay, and I send my greetings to all from here in I should say I am 15 and I'm from Saqqez in Kurdistan, Iran. India.

full circle magazine #31 contents ^ MY DESKTOP

I run Kubuntu 9.04 with KDE 4.3 on my Dell vostro 1500 laptop. This is my awesome Ubuntu 9.04. I installed it in April from the It has an intel core 2 duo (2.5GHz) with 4GB of RAM and a free CD I requested. I found that it is like the previous version, 250GB Hard disk. I use the air plasma theme with widgets: but has better networking. To give it some eye-candy, I headed analog clock, rssnow, picture frame, daisy, searchmoid, to some websites, where I found some cool tricks. After applying opendesktop, weather forcast, ktorrent, and note plasma. these, my previously boring Ubuntu now looks stunning. There are 3 panels in this view. The one on the left looks like a Currently, this machine dual boots with Windows 7, but I seldom sidebar. It's about 120 pixels wide and holds my widgets. use Windows, since Ubuntu fulfils all my requirements.

Presently, Ubuntu is running on my HP530 with an Intel core 2 duo processor T5200 @ 1.60GHz, 1GB RAM, and Intel GMA 950 integrated graphics.

I am using Avant Window Navigator for creating the dock, Screenlets for my new-looking trash, Azeins Icon package, and home-brew nfs wallpaper.

full circle magazine #31 contents ^ TOP 5 Subversion Clients

Nautilus Subversion Management Scripts RapidSVN http://marius.scurtescu.com/2005/08/24/nautilus_scripts_for_s http://rapidsvn.tigris.org/ ubversion If you'd much prefer a standalone client, RapidSVN is a great alternative. It's a wxWidgets-based client that supports all the standard features, such as importing, exporting, checking out, updating, committing, adding, If all you need is some simple scripts, Nautilus Subversion deleting, and Management Scripts is a great tool. It's not a fancy moving. It also standalone client; it's just a plugin for the Gnome file supports a few manager. Once you install it, just right click on a file or folder, extra features, such and you can then perform standard Subversion actions. as bookmarking and Supported features include committing, adding, checking out, cleanup. Its biggest diffing, renaming, changing properties, and much more. If strength, though, is you don't need a full-fledged SVN program, Nautilus its simplicity: it's Subversion Management Scripts is perfect. dead easy to use, yet still powerful enough to get the job done. And because it's To install the script, use the ` wxWidgets-based, you get a consistent feel across desktop ` package in the `universe` repository. environments and operating systems.

To install RapidSVN, use the ` ` package in the `universe` repository.

full circle magazine #31 contents ^ TOP 5 - SUBVERSION CLIENTS

Subcommander eSVN http://subcommander.tigris.org/ http://zoneit.free.fr/esvn/

If, for whatever reason, you don't like RapidSVN, Subcommander is a great alternative. Like RapidSVN, it looks great across platforms, despite being Qt-based. It also supports the normal blame, checkout, diff, merge, mkdir, import, and export features that the rest of the If you need a powerful SVN, look into eSVN. It doesn't have the programs have. It prettiest GUI in the world, but it has a lot of customizable also has really options, including a flat view, customizable refreshing options, customizable advanced showing/hiding options, and some nice diff and cat bookmarks, features. logging, advanced diff options, and To install eSVN, use the ` ` package in the `universe` much more, all in a really clean and easy-to-use environment. repositories.

To install Subcommander, use the ` ` package in the `universe` repositories.

full circle magazine #31 contents ^ TOP 5 - SUBVERSION CLIENTS

KDEsvn http://kdesvn.alwins-world.de/

is presented by members of the United Kingdom’s Ubuntu Linux community.

We aim is to provide current, topical information about, and for, Ubuntu Linux users the world over. We cover all aspects of Ubuntu Linux and Free Software, and appeal to everyone from the newest user to the oldest coder, from the command line to the latest GUI.

Because the show is produced by the Ubuntu UK community, the podcast is covered by the Ubuntu Code of Conduct and is therefore suitable for all ages. If you're a KDE addict who likes everything integrated, check out KDEsvn. Based on RapidSVN code, KDEsvn supports all http://podcast.ubuntu-uk.org/ the standard SVN features (update, commit, blame, add, delete, merge, checkout, and import), but (as with most KDE apps), its strength is in customizability. Additionally, KDEsvn supports great integration with other KDE apps, including support for kio.

To install KDEsvn, use the ` ` package in the `universe` repositories.

full circle magazine #31 contents ^ F

HOW TO CONTRIBUTE - Ronnie Tucker [email protected] - Rob Kerfia We are always looking for new articles to include in Full Circle. For article [email protected] guidelines, ideas, and for issue translation, please see our wiki: - Robert Clipsham http://wiki.ubuntu.com/UbuntuMagazine [email protected] Please email your articles to: [email protected]

Mike Kennedy David Haas Robert Orsino If you would like to submit , email it to: [email protected] Brian Jenkins Send your or Linux experiences to: [email protected]

Hardware/software should be sent to: [email protected] And our thanks go out to Canonical, the Ubuntu Marketing for Q&A should go to: [email protected] Team and the many translation teams around the world. screens should be emailed to: [email protected]

... or you can visit our at: www.fullcirclemagazine.org

A magazine isn't a magazine without articles and Full Circle is no exception. We need your Opinions, Desktops and Stories. We also need Reviews (games, apps & hardware), How-To articles (on any K/X/Ubuntu subject) and any questions, or suggestions, you may have. Send them to: [email protected]

full circle magazine #31 contents ^