MASTERING LINUX online efficiency Mastering Linux, part 8 In this month’s instalment of the Mastering Linux series, PDF version of Mastering Linux, part 2 (included on this month’s cover DVD). Jarrod Spiga explains how to get the most from the Internet, To proceed with the system update, right-click email and Windows networking under X-Windows. on the icon and select Launch up2date. Enter your root user credentials, confirm which mirrors to Last month’s instalment of the Mastering Linux download from, and up2date will fetch the headers series detailed some of the networking functions for all available updates. which can be performed from the command line. By default, up2date is configured to skip the Now it’s time to head back into X-Windows, and this kernel packages since updating the kernel in month’s Workshop will cover Web browsing, FTP, this way can render a system unbootable (updating Bonus DVD software email from the desktop and transferring files to and the kernel will be covered in a future instalment of Mozilla Firefox 1.0.2 from Windows systems using SMB shares. this series). • Mozilla Thunderbird 1.0.2 Click Forward and select all packages to update. • Mastering Linux, part 2 PDF. BRING ME UP2DATE Up2date will resolve any dependencies, then The first networking tool, up2date, updates all download and install the updates. Skill level software packages installed in your repositories on Intermediate the Internet. BROWSING Like Windows, open source software has security Fedora Core 3’s default browser is Mozilla Firefox Requirements vulnerabilities. Most applications used in this series 1.0 (which up2date should have upgraded to at An installation of Linux have had security weaknesses fixed since the release least version 1.0.3 — the version current at the time (Fedora Core 3 was used in of Fedora Core 3, demonstrating the importance of of writing). Firefox functions almost identically in the writing of this article, regular system updates. Most Fedora systems have Linux and Windows, with tabbed browsing, pop-up and can be installed the Red Hat Network Alert Notification Tool running blocker and an extensive plug-in framework. from the APC January in the system tray at the top right-hand side of the Go to the Quick Launch toolbar at the top of the cover DVD) • a working screen (updates are available if an exclamation mark X-Windows desktop and click on the Firefox icon. network or Internet over a red circle appears). The browser can render most sites on the Internet, connection. Before you download any updates, configure and supports Flash, Shockwave, RealPlayer and Java the system to get them from a local Fedora mirror. plug-ins, among others. Time to complete The default update repositories are often very busy Media plug-ins can usually be downloaded 3 hours (approx) and take a lot longer. An explanation of how to on-the-fly. For instance, when you visit a site that reconfigure the up2date tool is provided in the requires Flash, the animation is replaced by a small dialogdialog statingstating thatthat thethe sitesite requiresrequires a FlashFlash plug-in.plug-in. ClickClick onon thisthis dialogdialog andand thethe FlashFlash playerplayer isis automaticallyautomatically installedinstalled onon youryour system.system. ManyMany otherother extensionsextensions availableavailable forfor FirefoxFirefox cancan bebe downloadeddownloaded fromfrom https://addons.update.mozilla.org/ extensions/?os=Windows&application=firefoxextensions/?os=Windows&application=firefox. Sadly, some features don’t work in Firefox, for instanceinstance ActiveX,ActiveX, thethe proprietaryproprietary MicrosoftMicrosoft technologytechnology thatthat allowsallows sitessites toto runrun moremore likelike applicationsapplications (some(some expertsexperts considerconsider itit a majormajor securitysecurity risk).risk). InIn Windows,Windows, youyou cancan workwork aroundaround thisthis bbyy loadingloading thatthat particularparticular sitesite inin InternetInternet Explorer.Explorer. Unfortunately,Unfortunately, thatthat optionoption isn’tisn’t availableavailable toto LinuxLinux users.users.

CORPORATE EMAIL EmailEmail isis probablyprobably thethe mostmost importantimportant aspectaspect ofof thethe InternetInternet forfor manymany users.users. A securesecure andand feature-richfeature-rich emailemail clientclient isis a necessitynecessity forfor communicationcommunication andand collaboration.collaboration. TheThe featuresfeatures requiredrequired willwill usuallyusually determinedetermine whichwhich emailemail clientclient isis used.used. Fedora Core 3 installs a copy of Novell Evolution byby default.default. ThisThis applicationapplication waswas formerlyformerly calledcalled XimianXimian Evolution,Evolution, butbut changedchanged namesnames whenwhen PlayPlay ffetch:etch: regularlyregularly uupdatingpdating aallll iinstallednstalled ppackagesackages isis a goodgood ideaidea ttoo mmaintainaintain ssecurity.ecurity. Novell acquired Ximian’s assets. Evolution is the

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Linux equivalent of Microsoft Outlook — an email client, plus a full suite of collaboration tools. When used in conjunction with the Evolution Connector, connections can be established with Microsoft Exchange 2000 and 2003 servers (provided Outlook Web Access is enabled on at least one of the front-end Exchange Servers in your domain). The inability to work with Exchange Servers has prevented the adoption of Linux in many corporate environments. The Evolution Connector (not usually installed by default) means this is no longer the case. To add it to your system, navigate to GNOME > System Settings > Add/Remove Applications (root user credentials are required to add or remove software on your Linux system). If you look under the details of the Graphical Internet branch, you should see the Connector option awaiting your approval. Once the connector is installed, launch Evolution by clicking on the email button in the Quick Launch bar. The first time Evolution SlamSlam sspam:pam: oneone ofof Thunderbird’sThunderbird’s strengthsstrengths isis itsits accurateaccurate spamspam filtering.filtering. starts up, a wizard will guide you through the process of configuring the connection to the After completing the identification (APC June, page 116). Fill the relevant fields Exchange server. A new Exchange Server information, select the Microsoft Exchange with information about your front-end connection can be added to an existing option from the Server Type drop-down Exchange Server. Evolution profile by selecting Tools > Settings menu. You can also set up IMAP, POP, Novell > Mail Accounts > Add. GroupWise accounts, or even use fetchmail BACK TO BASICS UsingUsing a largelarge emailemail clientclient whichwhich supportssupports tasktask lists,lists, calendar,calendar, contactcontact managementmanagement andand notesnotes isis overkilloverkill ifif thethe featuresfeatures aren’taren’t required.required. ToTo simplysimply sendsend andand receivereceive email,email, a lightweightlightweight clientclient suchsuch asas Mozilla’sMozilla’s ThunderbirdThunderbird mmightight bbee better.better. Thunderbird isn’t included in the Fedora CoreCore 3 ddistribution,istribution, butbut versionversion 1.021.02 isis includedincluded onon thethe covercover DVD.DVD. TheThe mostmost up-to-dateup-to-date versionversion cancan bebe downloadeddownloaded fromfrom www.mozilla.org/products/ thunderbirdthunderbird. Before installing Thunderbird, you should bebe loggedlogged inin toto X-WindowsX-Windows asas thethe rootroot user.user. Double-clickDouble-click oonn thethe tar.gztar.gz filefile andand extractextract thethe contentscontents ofof thethe ThunderbirdThunderbird directorydirectory toto a locationlocation underunder thethe /root/root directory.directory. The installation instructions say that once extractionextraction isis complete,complete, navigatenavigate toto thisthis locationlocation andand double-clickdouble-click oonn tthehe “thunderbird”“thunderbird” sscript.cript. HHowever,owever, ddoingoing thisthis underunder FFedoraedora CoreCore 3 won’twon’t installinstall Thunderbird.Thunderbird. TThishis iiss bbecauseecause TThunderbirdhunderbird requiresrequires thethe libXp.so.6libXp.so.6 component,component, whichwhich hashas beenbeen deprecateddeprecated inin FedoraFedora CoreCore 3.3. It’s possible to install the necessary librarylibrary filesfiles ifif youyou knowknow wherewhere toto look.look. LoadLoad NautilusNautilus fromfrom eithereither thethe FedoraFedora NaturalNatural EEvolution:volution: NNovell’sovell’s EEvolutionvolution eemailmail clientclient wwasas ccreatedreated sspecificallypecifically forfor corporatecorporate emailemail users,users, butbut manymany powerpower CoreCore 3 CCDD 2 oror thethe FedoraFedora CoreCore 3 users will appreciate its organisation features. DVDs and search for a file named

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xorg-x11-deprecated-libs-6.8.1- 12.i386.rpm under the Fedora/RPMS directory. Double-click on the file and press the Continue button to install the deprecated library files. Once these are installed, you can then return to the location the Thunderbird installation files were extracted from and execute the thunderbird script (double-click on it or run it from a command line). The installer asks whether you want to import preferences from compatible mail applications. When the installation is complete, a wizard pops up to guide you through configuring the email profile.

FTP Mastering Linux, part 7 (APC June,June, pagepage 116) briefly demonstrated the method for connecting to FTP sites from the command line, and the basics of transferring files. While it’s handy to know how to do this if you’re stuck at a command line, using FTP from the GUI is much easier. The gFTP application is included with Fedora Core 3 but again, it’s often not installed by default. To install it, use the same process as Evolution Connector, but select a the gFTP box at the package selection screen. Once installed, launch gFTP by navigating ReadyReady toto transfer:transfer: thethe datadata iinn tthehe llefteft ppaneane isis storedstored onon tthehe locallocal system,system, whilewhile tthehe rightright panepane showsshows what’swhat’s onon thethe to GNOME > Internet > gFTP. The main screen remote system. looks a lot like most FTP applications. Along the top lies a quick connect toolbar which configure the client with the corresponding window and enter the following text in the allows quick and easy connection to FTP IM service. Add as many accounts using as Location bar: servers. The left pane contains a list of files many protocols as you like — Gaim and directories on the local system, while the consolidates them into a single contact list. smb:// right pane holds the details of what’s on the Gaim provides a basic messaging facility remote server. The bottom section of the for all of the popular IM protocols including where is the name of the window lists file transfers currently in MSN Messenger, ICQ, AOL Instant Messenger target system. progress and a log of what the client is doing. and Yahoo! Chat, and some of the lesser- Nautilus invokes another Linux Transferring files is usually as simple as known ones. Note that not all of the features application, Samba, for the SMB protocol and connecting to a remote FTP server, selecting — such as the animated winks, online games to communicate with the Windows system. the file to up- or download, and then clicking and remote desktop support — of the Once connected, you can browse through the on one of the buttons in between the left and supported protocols are available. files and directories on the remote machine as right panes. The arrow pointing to the right is if it were local (assuming you have the for uploading to the remote server, while the WINDOWS NETWORKING network privileges to do so). left-facing arrow is used to download data to Since it’s rare to encounter a network Under Fedora Core 3, you can browse for your system. without at least one Windows PC on it, network resources using just a few the ability to access data from Windows customised Nautilus screens. This is accessible INSTANT MESSAGING systems via the network is a requirement for via GNOME > Network Servers > Windows One application not available at the command most Linux boxes. Many Linux distros don’t Network, but it’s even more unreliable than line is instant messaging (IM). Considering include a network browser (such as Network Windows’ Network Neighborhood. much of the development currently occurring Neighborhood or My Network Places), but in Linux is based on improving efficiency, it’s with a little knowledge of your network, you Next month . . . not surprising to find there’s a single client can connect to Windows systems via the that handles just about every IM protocol on desktop file managers at your disposal. Part 9 of the Mastering Linux guide will demonstrate how to install software the Internet. Windows shares resources by using the packages using package management This client is called Gaim, and can be Server Message Block (SMB) protocol. The tools, and by building and compiling launched by clicking on GNOME > Internet > easiest way to start browsing the SMB shares source code from scratch. IM. When launched, you’ll be asked to on a Windows system is to load a Nautilus

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