Full Circle THE INDEPENDENT MAGAZINE FOR THE UBUNTU LINUX COMMUNITY MY OPINION:
ISSUE #69 - January 2013 How The Ubuntu Phone Will Fail.
AANNDDRROOIIDD OONN YYOOUURR TTVV THE SONY NSZ-GS7 GOOGLE TV BOX
full circle magazine #69 1 Full Circle Magazine is neither affiliated with, nor endorsed by, Canonical Ltd. contents ^ HowTo Full Circle Opinions THE INDEPENDENT MAGAZINE FOR THE UBUNTU LINUX COMMUNITY My Story p.33 Programming Python 40 p.08 Columns
LibreOffice - Part 22 p.12 Command & Conquer p.06 Ubuntu News p.04 My Opinion p.34
Ubuntu Gnome 2 Style p.15 Ask The New Guy p.26 Ubuntu Games p.44 Review p.37
Letters p.40 Blender - Part 2 p.17 Linux Labs p.29 Q&A p.42
BACK NEXT MONTH BACK NEXT MONTH
Inkscape - Part 8 p.20 Linux Certified p.46 Ubuntu Women p.XX Web Dev p.XX Graphics Web Dev
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 is entirely independent of Canonical, the sponsor of the Ubuntu projects, and the views and opinions in the magazine should in no way be assumed tfoulhl acivrecleCamnaognaiczainlee#nd6o9rseme2nt. contents ^ EEDDIITTOORRIIAALL
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WELCOME TO THE FIRST FULL CIRCLE OF 2013!
ndeed. Another year, another Full Circle! I believe that April this year will mark our sixth I year. Wow! Anyway, back to the present. This month, we have the usual Python, LibreOffice, Inkscape and Blender HowTo's. Joining them is an interesting HowTo on making your Ubuntu look Gnome 2 style (that's Gnome 2 style, not Gangnam style).
Former podcast host, Ed Hewitt, courts controversy this month on page 34 with his opinion of how the recently announced 'Ubuntu Phone' (as it's being nicknamed by the Internet) will inevitably fail. Have your say by giving your opinion in an article or in an email. Full Circle Podcast I was gifted a Sony NSZ-GS7 Google TV box for Christmas. Read my review on page 37 of Released monthly, each episode covers all the latest Ubuntu news, this issue. If you were gifted something techy for the holidays, please think about reviewing opinions, reviews, interviews and it. Remember, we're a magazine for the Ubuntu Linux community. Linux. This means you can listener feedback. The Side-Pod is review or write about any *buntu, Linux or Android technology or distros. a new addition, it's an extra (irregular) short-form podcast which is intended to be a branch I've made a couple of small layout changes this month too. Don't panic, it's nothing of the main podcast. It's major. Just a small tweak to sub-headings, drop caps, and other behind-the-scenes font somewhere to put all the general stuff. Non-cap sub-headings are so 2012... technology and non-Ubuntu stuff that doesn’t fit in the main podcast.
All the best, keep in touch! Hosts: Ronnie • Les Pounder [email protected] • Tony Hughes • Jon Chamberlain • Oliver Clark
http://fullcirclemagazine.org
full circle magazine #69 3 contents ^ UUBBUUNNTTUU NNEEWWSS Written by The Ubuntu News Team
UBUNTU IN 2013 coming to phone. Silber also Features & Layout Demo & Mobile Linux Rivals Ubuntu And announces new way of building Hands-On Experience - Sailfish Could Share AP - ark Shuttleworth shares his apps for different form of factors https://www.youtube.com/watch?v http://www.techweekeurope.co.uk M thoughts about Ubuntu in i.e. QML based Ubuntu SDK and =qE-QPsATAS0 /news/linux-ubuntu-sailfish- 2013 with following: “It’s further work on Ubuntu for plasma-active-103978 important to me, and to the wider phones. And now read on for more Ubuntu Phone Download, Source Ubuntu community, the people be articles that caught our attention Will Be ‘Ready Late February’ - able to derive some benefit from Official announcement at: this week: http://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/201 our efforts. We know that there http://blog.canonical.com/2013/01 Is The New Ubuntu Phone An 3/01/ubuntu-phone-download-will- are plenty of smart people whos /02/its-official-ubuntu-now-fits- Android-Killer? Probably Not. - be-ready-late-february needs are well served by what phones/ http://www.datamation.com/open- Canonical Shakes Up Mobile with existed in the past. We continue to source/is-the-new-ubuntu-phone- Ubuntu for Phones - maintain older versions of Ubuntu UBUNTU PHONE an-android-killer-probably-not- https://www.linux.com/news/emb so that they can enjoy those tools 1.html edded-mobile/mobile- on a stable platform. But we want he Ubuntu Phone is still Ubuntu Smartphone Aims for linux/688686-canonical-shakes-up- to shape the future, which means T trending in the news, Success in Developing Economies mobile-with-ubuntu-for-phones exploring territory that is particularly with the demos by http://www.technologyreview.com Ubuntu At CES - unfamiliar, uncertain and easy to Mark Shuttleworth, Jono Bacon, /news/509646/ubuntu- http://www.jonobacon.org/2013/0 criticise. That’s why Unity in 2013 and the rest of the team from smartphone-aims-for-success-in- 1/13/ubuntu-at-ces/ will be all about mobile – bringing Canonical at the Consumer developing-economies/ Ubuntu to phones and tablets.” Electronics Show in Las Vegas this Ubuntu On A Phone Or Firefox HAPPY 300TH ISSUE OF OS: Which Scares iPhone And week! UBUNTU WEEKLY NEWS Read more at: Android Most? - http://www.markshuttleworth.com http://www.techweekeurope.co.uk Check out this short video of Mark WN has evolved to its current /archives/1221 /comment/ubuntu-phone-firefox- doing a demo or a longer one by form with the help of many Jono Bacon: os-linux-iphone-androi-103206 U Top 5 reasons the Ubuntu Linux throughout the Ubuntu IT’S OFFICIAL: UBUNTU NOW Ubuntu Phone OS Demonstration Community. The dedication, by Mark Shuttleworth at CES phone might make it - FITS PHONES http://www.zdnet.com/top-5- commitment, and passion the 2013 - Ubuntu News Team has for http://www.youtube.com/watch?v reasons-the-ubuntu-linux-phone- ane Silber CEO of Canonical might-make-it-7000009721/ ensuring that the community has a =RO7QbCqFY7Y place to turn for a summary of J announces that Ubuntu is Ubuntu OS for SmartPhones
full circle magazine #69 4 contents ^ UBUNTU NEWS each week of Ubuntu is amazing. UWN overthe years - yoursupport people who got a membership) and these past couple years. Thank you Many thanks especially to forUbuntu andforthe readers who "The Planet"(where the newest to everyone formaking us what we Elizabeth Krumbach, Nathan rely on yourwork to understand features andteam news can be are today andhappy 300th issue!"~ Handler and others for automating what's happening in the Ubuntu foundmainly). Thanks to everybody Elizabeth Krumbach, UWN Editor much of a time consuming manual community is legendary!”~ Jane who contributedto UWN forthis process. Thanks go out to the Silber, Canonical CEO great newsletter, especially to summary writers, reviewers and Elizabeth Krumbach, Nathan Full Circle Magazine also wishes our social media guru Jasna Benčić. Congratulations on your Handlerandothereditors. Thank to congratulate Ubuntu Weekly Thank you to everyone who 300th issue! What an you UWN!”~ smartboy UWN News on it's 300th issue. supports UWN either by accomplishment. Thank you to the Subscriber contributing or consuming! Here is UWN news team forall ofyourhard to another 300 issues and to work. It's collaboration andefforts I've been working with the Many Thanks to the Ubuntu Ubuntu in all its many forms! "like this that make the Ubuntu Ubuntu News team since News Team for their contribution community so amazing. Keep up the 2010 andtook up primary this month. Congratulations to the great work andcheers to your coordinatorofissue releases in mid Ubuntu Weekly Newsletter continuedsuccess."~ Leann 2011. In this time I've workedwith News this month comes from: team (past, present andfuture) for Ogasawara, Ubuntu Kernel Team "dozens ofamazing people, including reaching the milestone 300th Manager, Canonical Nathan Handlerwho I workedwith https://wiki.ubuntu.com/UbuntuW edition! UWN is a meaningful to make the release process much eeklyNewsletter/Issue298 "summary ofthe wide-ranging Congratulations to the more streamlinedwith ouramusing https://wiki.ubuntu.com/UbuntuW activities in the Ubuntu community Ubuntu News Team for collection ofPerl andPython scripts, eeklyNewsletter/Issue299 andprovides a valuable guide to the pushing the Ubuntu Weekly Jasna Benčić who works hardto not https://wiki.ubuntu.com/UbuntuW project, no matterwhat yourlevel of Newsletter(UWN) to the 300th only collect articles throughout the eeklyNewsletter/Issue300 involvement. I readit nearly every issue!!! UWN is a very goodsource week, but also acts as summary week on the wiki, skimming the "forobtaining the newest writer, editorandsocial media guru, table ofcontents andthen jumping information in the community of AmberGranerwho has been happy to the sections that catch my eye - Ubuntu andLinux. Ifyou want to see to pitch in with releases on weeks usually that's the windows into the what the different teams are doing, when I'm traveling andJim Connett community such as LoCo News, orwhat sorts ofnew features are andMatt Rudge who I've come to Ubuntu CloudNews, andthe Planet implemented, UWN is tailor-made rely upon foreditorial review each andblogosphere wrap up. UWN forproviding such news. I check into week. Finally, it's always a pleasure usefully andaccurately captures the Ubuntu Weekly Newsletterevery to meet andchat with ourreaders vast andfast-pacedcommunity time I receivedit through Gmail, andthe feedback I've receivedat activities in way that you can't find normally watching out the random conferences andevents I in otherpublications. Thanks to "Welcome new memberand attendhas been essential to everyone who has contributedto developers"(to congratulate the improvements we've made over
full circle magazine #69 5 contents ^ CCOOMMMMAANNDD && CCOONNQQUUEERR Written by Lucas Westermann GGooooggllee MMuussiicc
s many of you may already devices full access to your cloud, The Google Play store now also information; thus I can't tell you if A know, Google Music was from which you can pick and offers music downloads, with a the cloud service automatically recently rolled out to countries choose specific songs to keep similar pricing scheme to the updates the information, or how outside of the USA. As such, I locally on the device. iTunes store or Amazon. In easy it is to complete missing finally had access to it in Germany, Germany, it seems that the information. I would imagine it and promptly began uploading my THE SETUP selection isn't quite as complete as should be rather painless. Each music collection to the cloud. Due it could be, especially for more song can be downloaded from the to the fact that I am not Setting up your cloud is obscure artists. However, web page a maximum of 2 times, necessarily always on one of my fairly easy. You start some MP3s are and an infinite number through the own personal computers, and own up the Music available for free, music manager, as far as I can tell. multiple Android devices, having Manager although there is This is nice if you need quick access access to my music from anywhere application, no easy way to to an MP3 without going through was rather appealing. Nothing is select what you filter these out. any additional setup. worse for me than being stuck want to Therefore, doing IT work at someone else's synchronize increasing the As far as I can tell, you need to computer without music to listen (and whether it size of your configure your computer for to, especially if I can expect to be is automatically music collection uploads before being able to there for a long period of time. I've synchronized or should be fairly automatically synchronize new now been using Google Music for not), and then easy! files. I haven't yet configured about 2 months, which means it’s begin the process. The uploads on my laptop, making it high time for an article! application seems to Managing your playlists difficult to tell for certain. I upload a maximum of two or three and song information is just as remember initiating the process For anyone who is unsure what songs simultaneously, and for my simple as with any other music and having the laptop begin Google Music is, it is a free service roughly 2,000 songs, it took program. The nice thing is that if uploading the MP3s as normal, offered by Google. It essentially between 4 and 6 hours to upload you edit any playlists that you have although no duplicates appeared in allows you to upload 20,000 songs (at an average upload speed of set as “keep on device” on any my cloud database. This probably to your personal cloud, and allows 50KB/s). As such, this may not be Android systems, they will means that Google sorts out you to stream your music from any suitable for anyone with a slow automatically download the new duplicates after they've been web browser, synchronize the upload rate. files, which is a nice wireless uploaded – so keep in mind that cloud with personal computers solution. My music collection is you are effectively uploading your using the Music Manager library twice for no particular MANAGING thoroughly organized with album application, and allow Android art and completed song reason. I could be wrong, but it
full circle magazine #69 6 contents ^ COMMAND & CONQUER certainly seems that way. If anyone non-mobile devices (laptops, PCs, every song taking up space. It's FURTHER READING has different experiences, let me etc). If you have a mobile device also a wonderful solution for know via email. that runs Android, accessing and anyone who has issues syncing https://chrome.google.com/webst playing the music directly from the music with an Android device, as it ore/detail/ipfnecmlncaiipncipkgijb QUALITY cloud is possible with the Google effectively avoids the issue of oddcdmego – Music Plus Music app. This does not appear to compatibility. If you own a laptop The uploaded files are be the case with any non-Android with limited space, you may also http://music.google.com – Google converted to 320 kbps MP3 if they operating systems. There is also no very much appreciate this system, Music website are in an unsupported format such support for media keys, or although there are a few as FLAC or OGG. Otherwise they playback information in Conky. restrictions when using Google seem to retain their file types (my There is, however, an extension for Music purely in the cloud. Lastly, if MP3s are all highest-quality Chrome called Music Plus you have massive amounts of variable bit-rate for my mobile (developed by the editor-in-chief of music, or a slow internet devices). Streaming on a mobile Lifehacker), that offers further connection, this is probably not for network results in a lower quality, features, such as a popup you. It could definitely fulfill the in order to save your controller, last.fm scrobbling, role of a cloud backup for music bandwidth/handle the lower html5 notifications, etc. For a link, purchases, or for backing up speeds of a mobile network. When check the further reading section. certain favorite songs, as you have using a wireless network, the a lot of control over what files are quality of audio is akin to playing Google Music does offer the ultimately uploaded. the local file on any of my devices. ability to create playlists based on However, initiating the queue can a song, including both music you Due to the playback occasionally take a couple of own and music that is available on restrictions, I don't see Google seconds before it's buffered. Once the music store. Not all MP3s seem Music replacing a local music playback has started, it seems to stream in full length when doing player any time soon, but it there are no pauses between this, but it's an excellent option for definitely makes life a bit easier songs (with the exception of when finding new music. when organizing your music across there are massive drops in multiple devices. If you're someone bandwidth/available speeds). CONCLUSION like me who is constantly on the hunt for more music to listen to, This is a very useful free service you may also like some of the more PLAYBACK Lucas has learned all he knows from to use if you listen to your music advanced features offered by Google. repeatedly breaking his system, then Playing back music directly often on mobile devices (such as a having no other option but to phone or tablet), where you may discover how to fix it. You can email from your cloud storage is possible Lucas at: [email protected]. only through a web browser on not want to have local copies of
full circle magazine #69 7 contents ^ HHOOWW--TTOO Written by Greg Walters PPrrooggrraammmmiinngg IInn PPyytthhoonn:: PPtt 4400
ast time, we had a gross going to use the API, that you def DisplayShowInfo(self, self.FindSeriesString = discussion about the TVRAGE please register and get your own dict) "http://services.tvrage.com/m L yfeeds/search.php?key=" web API. Now we will start to look key, and that you don’t abuse the def DisplayEpisodeList(self, at writing code to work with it. site. Please also consider donating SeriesName, SeasonCount, The call we need to send (to get to them to support their EpisodeList) back a list of series information The goal of this part is to begin continuing efforts. with the series id) would be: the process of creating code that def main() will be a reusable module that can We will create three main http://services.tvrage.com/myfeed be imported into any python routines to make the calls and The routine FindIdByName s/search.php?key=Itnl8IyY1hsR9n0I program and will provide access to return the information, three takes a string (showname), makes P6zI&show={ShowName} the API easily. routines that will be used to the API call, parses the XML display the returned information response, and returns a list of We combine the string like While the TVRAGE API gives us (assuming that we are running in shows that match with the this... a number of things we can do, and the “stand alone” mode), and a information in a dictionary, so this will be a list of dictionaries. the registered version even more, main routine to do the work – strng = self.FindSeriesString we will concentrate on only three again assuming that we are GetShowInfo takes the showid + self.ApiKey + "&show=" + calls: running in the “stand alone” mode. from the above routine and showname 1 - Search for show by show name, returns a dictionary of information and get the ShowID Here is the list of routines we about the series. GetEpisodeList For the purposes of testing, I 2 - Get show information based on will be creating (although not all of also uses the showid from the will be using a show named ShowID them this time. I want to leave above routine and returns a list of “Continuum” which, if you’ve never 3 - Get episode specific room for others in this issue.) dictionaries containing information seen it, is a wonderful science information based on ShowID for each episode. fiction show on the Showcase def FindIdByName(self, network out of Canada. I’m using showname, debug = 0) Last time, I showed you the We will use a series of strings to this show for a few reasons. First, hold the key and the base URL, and there are only (as of this writing) “unregistered” and accessible-by- def GetShowInfo(self, showid, anyone API calls. This time we will debug = 0) then append to those what we two shows that match the search use the registered calls – based on need. For example consider the string “Continuum”, so that makes def GetEpisodeList(self, following code (we’ll expand these your debug easy, and secondly, a registration key I have. I’m going showid, debug = 0) to share this key with you (TVRAGE later). there’s currently only one season knows that I’m going to do this). def DisplaySearchResult(self, of 10 episodes for you to deal with. ShowListDict) self.ApiKey = However, I ask that, if you are "Itnl8IyY1hsR9n0IP6zI"
full circle magazine #69 8 contents ^ HOWTO - PROGRAMMING PYTHON Pt40 You should have an idea what using ElementTree to do the XML #======you will be looking for in your parsing, and urllib for the internet # IMPORTS parsing routines, so I’ve placed the communication. The sys library is #======full URL calls below for you to test, used for sys.exit. from xml.etree import ElementTree as ET import urllib before you get started with your import sys coding. We’ll set up the main loop now so we can test things as we go the URL for the function that we First (middle right), we set up Search using a show name... (bottom right). Remember this is want to use. (GetEpisodeListString the string that will be used as the http://services.tvrage.com/myfeed the last thing in our source file. should all be on one line.) The last URL. Next, we set up the socket s/search.php?key=Itnl8IyY1hsR9n0I four lines are the initialization of with an 8 second default timeout. P6zI&show=continuum As I said earlier, the first four the lists we will be using later. Then we call urllib.urlopen with lines are our partial strings to build our generated URL and (hopefully) Retrieve Series information using the ShowID (sid) def FindIdByName(self,showname,debug = 0): http://services.tvrage.com/myfeed strng = self.FindSeriesString + self.ApiKey + "&show=" + showname s/showinfo.php?key=Itnl8IyY1hsR9 urllib.socket.setdefaulttimeout(8) n0IP6zI&sid=30789 usock = urllib.urlopen(strng) tree = ET.parse(usock).getroot() usock.close() Retrieve Episode list and foundcounter = 0 information using the ShowID (sid) self.showlist = [] http://services.tvrage.com/myfeed s/episode_list.php?key=Itnl8IyY1hs #======# Main loop R9n0IP6zI&sid=30789 #======if __name__ == "__main__": Now that we have all that out main() of the way, let’s get started with Now we start our class. The name of the class is “TvRage”. We’ll also make our __init__ routine now. our code. class TvRage: You’ll create a file with the def __init__(self): self.ApiKey = "Itnl8IyY1hsR9n0IP6zI" name of “tvrage.py”. We’ll be using self.FindSeriesString = "http://services.tvrage.com/myfeeds/search.php?key=" this for the next issue or two. self.GetShowInfoString = "http://services.tvrage.com/myfeeds/showinfo.php?key=" self.GetEpisodeListString = "http://services.tvrage.com/myfeeds/episode_list.php?key=" We’ll start with our imports self.ShowList = [] shown above right. self.ShowInfo = [] self.EpisodeList = [] self.EpisodeItem = [] You can see that we will be
full circle magazine #69 9 contents ^ HOWTO - PROGRAMMING PYTHON Pt40 receive our xml file in the usock I’ll discuss the first one and
full circle magazine #69 10 contents ^ HOWTO - PROGRAMMING PYTHON Pt40 XML data. Once everything is routine (middle right) and continue elif n.tag == 'genres': done, we return the list of it next time. for subelement in n: dictionaries (bottom right). if subelement.tag == 'genre': if subelement.text != None: Next time, we’ll add the other if genrestring == None: Most of the code is pretty self routines. For now, the code can be genrestring = subelement.text explanatory. We’ll concentrate on found at else: genrestring += " | " + subelement.text the for loop we use to print out http://pastebin.com/6iw5NQrW dict['Genres'] = genrestring the information. We loop through each item in the list of dictionaries See you soon. and print a counter variable, the def main(): show name (c[‘Name’]), and the id. tr = TvRage() #------The result looks something like # Find Series by name this... #------nam = raw_input("Enter Series Name -> ") Enter Series Name -> if nam != None: continuum sl = tr.FindIdByName(nam) 2 Found Greg Walters is owner of RainyDay which = tr.DisplayShowResult(sl) ------Solutions, LLC, a consulting company if which == 0: 1 - Continuum - 30789 in Aurora, Colorado, and has been sys.exit() 2 - Continuum (Web series) - programming since 1972. He enjoys else: 32083 cooking, hiking, music, and spending option = int(which)-1 Enter Selection or 0 to exit time with his family. His website is id = sl[option]['ID'] -> www.thedesignatedgeek.net. print "ShowID selected was %s" % id
Please remember that the list of items is zero based, so when the foundcounter += 1 self.showlist.append(dict) user enters ‘1’, they are really return self.showlist asking for dictionary number 0. We #======do this, because “regular” people think that counting should start The next thing we will do is create the routine to display all of our results. with ‘1’ not 0. And we can then use def DisplayShowResult(self, ShowListDict): 0 to escape the routine and not lcnt = len(ShowListDict) make them use ‘Q’ or ‘q’ or ‘-1’. print "%d Found" % lcnt print "------" cntr = 1 Now, the “main” routine that for c in ShowListDict: pulls it all together for us. print "%d - %s - %s" % (cntr,c['Name'],c['ID']) cntr += 1 sel = raw_input("Enter Selection or 0 to exit -> ") For today, we’ll just start the return sel
full circle magazine #69 11 contents ^ HHOOWW--TTOO Written by Elmer Perry LLiibbrreeOOffffiiccee PPtt2222:: BBaassee QQuueerriieess && RReeppoorrttss
f you have been following along SQL View. This brings up the SQL I in this series on LibreOffice View with the complete SQL Base, you now have a database file statement for the query you just with tables and relationships. You created. I wouldn't recommend can enter information into your changing this unless you are well database through forms, but what versed in SQL, but creating about getting information out of multiple queries in Design View, the database? Queries and Reports and then viewing them in SQL are used for extracting data from View, could help you begin to learn your database - the Queries define SQL. what data is extracted, and the Reports define the appearance of CREATING A REPORT the extracted data. We will create type(s). from Media. That is all we need for a query and a report to show how A report runs a query and this query. Save it as AllFields. you can generate a report of your formats the query results into Click on Queries in the Close the Query Design form. data. something you can use. You can Database pane, then click on create many different reports with Create Query in Design View in the You now have a query to use in REATING A UERY the query we created – depending C Q Tasks pane. A Query design form creating multiple reports for your on how you group the data from will display with a Add Tables or database. If you're curious about Queries poll the database for the query. We will create a report Query pop-up dialog. Add all the the SQL used to create your query, certain information in your for sorting our books by media tables to the Query Design form, you can right-click on the newly database. You have three ways to type, and I will suggest how you and close the pop-up. You will end created query and select Edit in create a query: a wizard, design might create other reports using up with a form that looks a lot like view, and SQL. The wizard doesn't the relationships design we work with the type of relational created previously. Below the database we have created and SQL tables, you see a form that will is beyond the scope of this How-to, contain the fields which we want so we will use the design view to to include in our query. From the create our query. We will create a Books table drag Title and query that contains all the Published into the form. Drag important fields in our tables: title, Name from Authors, and drag Type published year, author(s), and
full circle magazine #69 12 contents ^ HOWTO - LIBREOFFICE Pt22 the same query. Step 2 is labeling our fields. want. We exclude the Name field There are several for each, and Here we specify how the fields are because if there is more than one they change the look of the report. There is only one way to create labeled in our report. Change the author, we want them listed I left mine at the defaults, but feel a report – use the wizard. Select label for Type to Media Type, and together. Click Next. free to play around with these Reports in the Database pane and Name to Author(s). Click Next. options. Under the Layout of data click on Use Wizard to Create list box, you can select whether Report. A report template window the report is landscape or portrait. will appear with the report wizard. For this report, I think portrait will You can actually watch your work best. Click Next. template fill in as you go through the steps of the wizard, giving you some ideas about how your final report will look.
In step 1, you will pick your query and the fields to use in the Sorting is done in step 4, but we report. If not selected already, We create our groupings in step don't have much use for it here. select the AllFields query we just 3. Groupings control how the fields You will notice that you can change created. Move all the fields into are consolidated and arranged in only whether the sorting is the Fields in report box by clicking the report. Grouping is important, ascending or descending for our on the >> button. If you wanted to because we can use it to create a groupings. In the fourth box, select The final step is where we create a report that uses just some whole different report depending Name and leave on Ascending. create the report. You can give it a of the fields, you would just select on how we group the fields. For Click Next. title, indicate how the report is the required fields. For our report, example, if you wanted to create a used, and what to do with the we will use all the fields. Click report of titles by author, you report. For this report, give it a Next. would make Name your first title of TitleByType. Now, we need grouping, then Title as a sub- to answer the two questions. What group. For our report, we are type of report do you want to creating a report of Titles by Media create? A static report is a one Type, so our grouping order is time report. It cannot change. Type, Title, Published. We add Once it is created, the data is fixed. published because, if there is more If, however, you want a report you than one author, the published can re-use, you want a dynamic date will repeat in the report report. A dynamic report is just a template, a byproduct we don't In step 5, we can choose a template you can use over again. layout for the data and the header. For this report, we want a dynamic
full circle magazine #69 13 contents ^ HOWTO - LIBREOFFICE Pt22 report we can use again, so select database and make it act more like Dynamic. How do you want to an application. proceed after creating report? 1166xx1166 SSUUDDOOKKUU Modify report layout will allow you to edit the report as a writer Numbers 0 to 9 and letters A to F are to be filled into the document. Create report now is 16x16 grid so that every row, every column, and every obvious; it will fill in the data and 4x4 box contains 0 to 9 and A - F. generate the report. We can always edit the layout later, so we will select Create report now. Click Finish.
Base generates our report and displays it in a Writer window. This generated report is read-only. If you want to edit the text or layout of the report, close it. In the Reports pane, right-click your report and edit. This opens the report template in Writer, where you can add text, graphics, etc, just like you would in any Writer document. Just take care when changing anything in the cells where the data is plugged in.
In this How-to, we created a query and a report. Play around with the grouping and sorting settings in the report wizard and see just how many different Elmer Perry's history of working, and programming, computers reports you can create from the Solutions are on the second last page. one query we created. involves an Apple IIE, adding some Amiga, a generous helping of DOS and Windows, a dash of Unix, and Puzzles are copyright, and kindly provided by, Next time, we will use macros blend well with Linux and Ubuntu. The Puzzle Club - www.thepuzzleclub.com to create enhancements to our
full circle magazine #69 14 contents ^ HHOOWW--TTOO Written by Marcel le Roux UUbbuunnttuu GGnnoommee 22 SSttyyllee
, like many fellow ex-Ubuntu You may want to also consider I fans, moved over to Linux Mint installing the Gnome Tweak Tool to get as far away from the Unity which will give you greater control desktop as possible. Although I over your shell extensions and was initially impressed with Mint, several other Gnome settings. You my concern has been that there can install this tool directly from are just too many desktop the Ubuntu Software Repository, variations. Seeing that Mint is or by copy-pasting the following based on Ubuntu anyway, I decided line into a terminal: to take another look at this distro sudo apt-get install gnome- with the release of 12.04 LTS. tweak-tool However, I had no intention of settling on Unity, so quickly You can now find this tweak researched ways in which to install sudo add-apt-repository gconftool -s ppa:gnome3-team/gnome3 /apps/metacity/general/button tool by searching for “Advanced Gnome 3 and tweak it to look and _layout -t string Settings” in your applications or in work like the much loved Gnome 2. sudo apt-get update menu:minimize,maximize,close System Tools menu. I won't take any credit for the sudo apt-get install gnome- workarounds I found and managed shell to cobble together to achieve my goal. Seeing that it worked for me, Reboot your computer, and I just wanted to share it with when you are prompted with your everyone else. So, here goes: login screen, click on the little Ubuntu icon next to your login After installing Ubuntu 12.04, name and choose Gnome Classic. boot your computer and install Gnome 3. Copy and paste the Moving The Windows Buttons following lines for the latest (maximize, minimize and close) release from the Gnome team into back to the right: Open up a a terminal (type Ctrl-Alt T to open terminal again and copy in the a terminal window): following:
full circle magazine #69 15 contents ^ HOWTO - UBUNTU GNOME 2 STYLE
If you want to change themes, Panel". I am very happy with the be very stable. get rid of the overlay scrollbars, end result, and, so far, it seems to and make many more tweaks, you can download and install this handy tool as well: http://ubuntu- tweak.com. Once installed, you can The Ubuntu Podcast covers all find Ubuntu Tweak under the the latest news and issues facing Ubuntu System Settings menu. Ubuntu Linux users and Free Software fans in general. The Finally, and this is only my show appeals to the newest user personal preference, you can and the oldest coder. Our remove the top panel by pressing discussions cover the alt + right-click and selecting development of Ubuntu but "Remove Panel". You can then add aren’t overly technical. We are the main/start menu, notification lucky enough to have some area, indicator applet, etc, to the great guests on the show, telling bottom panel by pressing alt + us first hand about the latest right-click and selecting "Add to exciting developments they are working on, in a way that we can all understand! We also talk about the Ubuntu community and what it gets up to.
The show is presented by members of the UK’s Ubuntu Linux community. Because it is covered by the Ubuntu Code of Conduct it is suitable for all.
The show is broadcast live every fortnight on a Tuesday evening (British time) and is available for download the following day.
podcast.ubuntu-uk.org
full circle magazine #69 16 contents ^ HHOOWW--TTOO Written by Nicholas Kopakakis BBlleennddeerr -- PPaarrtt 22
s I promised last month, today dimensions which side in nearer, knowing that confirm the destruction by A we are going to create (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orth is a cube. pressing Enter. something. But first let’s destroy a ographic_projection), very useful cube! for modeling! Of course, this is my opinion. Now press Shift+A to add Maybe you can model better and something, and, from the menu, Start a new project in Blender: On the bottom left image, we faster using perspective view. It's click Mesh->UV Sphere or, from the File-> New, or just open Blender. have an orthographic view. Our up to you. header, press Add->Mesh->UV brain cannot understand which Sphere to add a new mesh to your Press Numpad-1 to have a front side is the front. But it is great for A few months ago, Mark started scene. A sphere appears. view. At the upper-left corner you creating models, as we don't to demonstrate the great program can check what you are viewing. actually care for one perspective Inkscape (we will see in the future I guess that you are in front- but for the actual dimensions of how we can use Inkscape with orthographic-view (check the top Now press Numpad-5. You our model. The perspective is Blender) creating a snowman. I left corner on your 3d view change your view from Perspective going to be more realistic if we really liked his example, so let’s window) with the sphere selected. to Orthographic. Pressing create models ignoring the create a snowman as well. But If not press Numpad-1. Numpad-5 toggles the view from perspective! first, destroy the cube! perspective to orthographic and Press Shift+A to add a new vice-versa. In the bottom right image, we Select the cube with the RMB mesh. A UV sphere again. You see the cube from perspective (Right Mouse Button) and press don't see any difference in your TIP: Perspective view is the way view, so our brain can understand the X key or Delete key and monitor. Don't worry. LMB and our eyes see the world. Objects hold the blue arrow pointing that are closer seem bigger than upwards, to move the sphere up on objects that are further. the Z-axis. Place it near the top of the revealing sphere. Orthographic view, on the other hand, is like seeing an object from Press S to scale down the an infinite distance. All objects sphere moving your mouse to the seem as they are at the same center of the cursor. Move your distance relative to the eye. sphere down again to be a little Orthographic projection is a means “in” the big sphere. of representing a three- dimensional object in two Now press Shift+D key to
full circle magazine #69 17 contents ^ HOWTO - BLENDER Pt 2 duplicate the selected sphere. sphere. Press Z to lock the movement to Z- axis, and press and hold LMB to OK, press Numpad-1 for front move it up near the top of the view, and press S and X to alter the second sphere. X value alone. Now create a long or a short carrot-nose. Press S and scale down the third sphere. Press R and -10 to rotate the nose 10 degrees counter- Ok, we have something. clockwise.
Press File->Save As to save your Using the front view and the work so far. Select where you want right view, place the nose to save your file, give it a unique somewhere in the middle of the name (snowman.blend for snowman's head. example), and press the Save As Blender File button on the upper Now let’s create some buttons. right corner. Great! Press Shift+A to add a Mesh- >Cylinder. Use the same tools to On the Front Ortho view, press Now, select the first sphere by create a little coin-like button as LMB somewhere right of the pressing the RMB on it. Press S and the ones we use to create the snowman body. Press Shift+A to then Z to scale down your sphere carrot-nose. Scale it, rotate it, use add Mesh->Cone. Press R for altering only the Z-axis. your imagination! Don't forget to rotation, and 90 for the rotation duplicate with Shift+D to be more degrees. Do the same for the other two productive. spheres to make them look more TIP: You can manually input values “real” (shown middle left). The When you are happy with your by pressing directly a value. Your gravity pulls the snowballs to the model, save your work. cone rotated 90 degrees clockwise. ground. You can also use negative values Press F12 to render. for rotating your object counter- Press N to open or close the clockwise. properties window on the right of the Y and Z values together. Scale Your snowman seems a little bit your 3D view. There, you can silly. The snow doesn't have this Press Numpad-3 for the right the cone down to look more like a inspect and alter your object's kind of edges like well crafted view. Press S for scale and Shift+X carrot-size nose relative to the properties by actual numbers crystals! We have to smooth that to constrain the X value and alter third-created (snowman head) (shown middle right). up.
full circle magazine #69 18 contents ^ HOWTO - BLENDER Pt 2
So, press T key to bring up the toolkit on the left. Under the Shading section, you have two options: Smooth and Flat. With one sphere selected (or all) press the Smooth button. Your snowman is smoother now!
You can see the differences. On the image shown middle right, the spheres are flat with a more crystal like cut, and on the one shown middle left, we have applied the smooth shader giving a more smooth and natural feel of snow.
Using the box selection tool that we mentioned last month, select all objects that, united, very useful site with hot news represent “the snowman”. The We have a ground. about Blender. spheres, the cylinders, and the cone. Save your work under a unique Also for this month I have a name. video for you. Go to Using the blue arrow, move the http://www.youtube.com/watch?v snowman up as shown in the Render your snowman by =TLkA0RELQ1g, and enjoy images above, a little bit down the pressing F12. “elephants dream” a short film red axis. created with Blender in 2006, by If your camera doesn't capture orange open movie project. Press Shift+S. From the Snap your model as you like, move your menu that appeared, select Cursor Nicholas lives and works in Greece. camera. Next month, we will add a hat, to Center. Press numpad-7 for the He is working for a post-production maybe a pipe, and his brush-like top view. Press Shift+A to add a house (commercials - films) for Every month, I'll suggest an hands. Also, I will introduce you to several years. Three months ago he new mesh. A plane. Press S for interesting site for Blender. For the edit mode – the place where migrated to Ubuntu because “it scaling the plane and 10 to scale it renders faster”. Blender found him this month, I highly recommend you are going to spend most of up 10 times. two years ago. http://www.Blendernation.com. A your Blender time!!
full circle magazine #69 19 contents ^ HHOOWW--TTOO Written by Mark Crutch IInnkkssccaappee -- PPaarrtt 99
aving covered the use of for managing layers: the Layer objects in your layer. A second click can re-order your layers, which in H groups in Inkscape, we're now menu, a dedicated Layers dialog, will unlock the layer. turn alters the z-index of the going to move onto 'layers' – which and some quick access tools in the objects in your drawing. You may are just like groups, but with a status bar at the bottom of the There are several ways to recall that the contents of groups different interface for screen. Let's start with the Layers create a new layer, but the most can't be interleaved, with each manipulating them. There's a good dialog which can be opened via the obvious is simply to click the green group occupying a single “slot” in reason for the similarities between Layer > Layers... menu entry, by + button at the bottom of the the z-index. The same applies to groups and layers: the SVG format pressing CTRL-SHIFT-L, or by using Layers dialog. You'll be prompted layers: you can move them relative has no concept of layers, so the View Layers to give the layer a name, and pick a to one another, but their contents Inkscape actually implements each button on the toolbox: position for it. For now, let's call can't mix. layer as a group with some extra our new layer “Layer 2” and bits of custom data. The layers dialog is fairly position it above the current layer. When creating a new layer you sparse, consisting of a list of layers can use the Position pop-up to at the top, and a few buttons and The Layers dialog should choose whether the new layer other widgets at the bottom. For a appear much as you would expect, should be above or below the new file, only a single layer will be with two entries: “Layer 2” is at the current layer. There is also a third present, usually named “Layer 1.” top of the list and “Layer 1” is option, which is to make it a Create a few objects in your below it. The order of layers in the sublayer of the current layer. drawing, and they will become part dialog represents their z-index Sublayers appear below their of that layer. Now try clicking on within the drawing such that layers parent layer in the dialog, slightly the little eye icon to the left of lower in the list will appear behind indented. The parent gains a small “Layer 1,” and you'll notice that layers that are higher in the list. triangle icon that can be used to your objects vanish. Click it again Check that “Layer 2” is selected show or hide the list of sublayers. and they reappear. Click on the and draw some more objects, In the same way that groups can lock icon and you'll be prevented ensuring that they overlap the be nested down to deep levels, so from making any changes to the previous objects from “Layer 1” it's possible to add sublayers to and are in a suitably contrasting sublayers – although going more color. You should be able to see than two or three levels deep is that your new objects are always likely to confuse more than it drawn on top of the old objects. helps. This image shows our “Layer There are three parts of the Using the arrow icons at the 1” with the addition of three Inkscape interface that are used bottom of the Layers dialog, you sublayers, two of which also have
full circle magazine #69 20 contents ^ HOWTO - INKSCAPE Pt9 sublayers of their own, one of that you can easily move around. which is collapsed using the So which is better, grouping or triangle button: layers? As is so often the case, the answer is “it depends”. For something like the snowman I would tend to use groups: the ability to move the whole character as one is usually more useful than the ability to easily hide it. For the background of the image – the snow, sky and stars – I would probably use a layer: you're construct an additional sublayer each part of his body. Now you unlikely to move the background below the others to hold any have the ability to hide or lock much, but you may want to hide it background content. individual parts of him by using the icons next to each sublayer, or to when working on the snowman, or lock it to prevent it accidentally The biggest advantage of quickly hide or lock the whole being modified once you're happy sublayers is as a means to quickly character using the icons by the with it. hide several parts of an image at parent layer. once. Considering our snowman Let's look at a real-world from previous instalments, you You may recall that the previous example (shown below). This is a could easily construct a parent instalment suggested grouping the The order of sublayers within comic strip I drew in 2010, layer to contain the snowman as a various parts of the snowman the dialog follows the same rules together with the corresponding whole, with several sub-layers for together to create a single object as for normal layers: the lower Layers dialog. You can download down the dialog a sublayer is, the the Inkscape source file from the lower down the z-index its URL at the end of the article. contents will be in the drawing. From this, it follows that a Working from the top layer sublayer's content will always downwards, we first have a Frame appear below any content in its layer which is locked. This is a thick parent layer. Although this makes black border that sits as the logical sense, it's often not what topmost layer in most of my you want artistically, so I find that comics and hides the ends of lines the best approach to using that extend outside the main sublayers is simply to keep the image, meaning that I don't have parent layer empty of objects and to be quite so careful when
full circle magazine #69 21 contents ^ HOWTO - INKSCAPE Pt9 drawing objects near the edge of Content layer is just a holder for image much more quickly. One odd omission from the the scene. Next is the text layer, various sub-layers. Inside each of context menu is the option for which holds both the caption for those sub-layers the objects are When drawing a complex deleting a layer. This is available via this comic, and the box it sits in. grouped, such that the Towers image, you may find that you need the Layer > Delete Current Layer That layer is also locked to prevent layer contains three groups, one to move objects between layers. menu entry, or by the red minus me accidentally moving it when for each layer. That allowed me to This can't be done from the layers button in the dialog. Be aware that editing other parts of the comic. move each tower individually, dialog, but is instead handled from this will delete the layer and whilst still giving me the option to the Layer menu or a keyboard everything within it, including sub- hide them all at once. shortcut. Select the objects you layers, without any further want to move, and use Layer > prompting. If you do inadvertently The Background layer holds Move Selection to Layer Above delete a layer then all is not lost, as everything else that's visible within (SHIFT+PageUp) or Layer > Move Edit > Undo (CTRL-Z) will restore it. the comic image, including the Selection to Layer Below arena walls and hilly horizon. The (SHIFT+PageDown). Let's finish our tour of the Border layer, locked once again, Layers dialog with the controls at holds a common border that I use Another option you'll see in the the bottom. The Opacity slider with my comics which contains Layer menu is Duplicate Current works in the same manner as the license information, the URL of my Layer. This not only duplicates the one in the Fill and Stroke dialog, website and a drop shadow. layer itself, but also all the objects but applies to all the objects in the within that layer, including any sub- selected layer. It's yet another of Those last two layers are layers and their contents. Because Inkscape's many ways of making particularly interesting because the duplicated objects appear objects invisible. they both contain heavily blurred directly on top of the originals, it's objects. Blurs are implemented as not always obvious that copies The Blend Mode pop-up defines SVG filters, which will be covered in have been created, so be a little how the selected layer is drawn a future article, but at this stage careful when using this option. You with respect to the layers below it. it's useful to know that filters can can also duplicate layers directly Much like the Blur slider in the Fill be mathematically intensive, and inside the Layers dialog by using and Stroke dialog, it's actually a Below that is the Content layer. can significantly slow Inkscape's the context menu on the layer shortcut for adding a filter. The In many of my comics this is used redraw speed. One of the best name. Although the context menu blend modes on offer are Normal, as a normal layer in its own right, ways to avoid this slowdown is to offers up a “Rename Layer...” Multiply, Screen, Darken, and with all the main characters and hide the layer that contains the option, it's usually easier to just Lighten – although there's rarely props being placed directly into it. filtered objects. Inkscape doesn't click on a selected layer name much reason to use anything other In this case, I wanted to be able to have to draw them, so it doesn't do which turns it into an editable than Normal. I know of one artist hide various parts of the drawing the mathematical operations field. who puts all the shadows in his as I was working on it, so the required, and it can render your images into a single layer which is
full circle magazine #69 22 contents ^ HOWTO - INKSCAPE Pt9 set to Multiply, and I've also used LINKS the Multiple mode to produce an anaglyph 3D image of the space The comics used in this tutorial, shuttle. In this image I've used that plus their Inkscape source files, can anaglyph space shuttle to be downloaded from: demonstrate the differences http://www.peppertop.com/fc/ between the blend modes, but the actual effect produced is highly dependent on the colours you start out with.
There's one aspect of layer management left to mention: the pop-up menu on the status bar. This allows you to quickly switch between layers and to hide, show, lock, or unlock the current layer using the buttons to the left of the pop-up.
The previous instalment introduced this pop-up in the context of managing groups. This deeply nested collection of groups dangerous, resulting in hidden is a side-effect of the fact that as it provides a mechanism to jump groups that you can't easily reveal layers are just groups with a bit of back through several steps at once. or locked groups that you can't extra metadata. In this case, the readily unlock. For this reason I name in the button will actually be tend to only use the Hide and Lock the internal ID of the group, and buttons in the Layers dialog, or at Mark has been using Linux since you can use the menu to exit a least double-check that I'm not 1994, and uses Inkscape to create two webcomics, 'The Greys' and group by switching to a parent Beware, however, that using the inside a group before using them group, or straight to a different 'Monsters, Inked' which can both be Hide or Lock buttons when you've from the status bar. found at: layer entirely. This can be got a group selected can be http://www.peppertop.com/ particularly useful if you're in a
full circle magazine #69 23 contents ^ HHOOWW--TTOO Written by Ronnie Tucker WWrriittee FFoorr FFuullll CCiirrccllee MMaaggaazziinnee
GUIDELINES document. REVIEWS
he single rule for an article is • Images should be JPG, no wider than 800 pixels, and use low GAMES/APPLICATIONS T that it must somehow be linked to Ubuntu or one of the compression. When reviewing games/applications please state clearly: many derivatives of Ubuntu (Kubuntu, Xubuntu, Lubuntu, etc). • Do not use tables or any type of • title of the game bold or italic formatting. • who makes the game • is it free, or a paid download? RULES • where to get it from (give download/homepage URL) If you are writing a review, • is it Linux native, or did you use Wine? • There is no word limit for articles, please follow these guidelines : • your marks out of five but be advised that long articles • a summary with positive and negative points may be split across several issues. When you are ready to submit • For advice, please refer to the HARDWARE your article please email it to: When reviewing hardware please state clearly: Official Full Circle Style Guide: [email protected] http://url.fullcirclemagazine.org/7 5d471 • make and model of the hardware TRANSLATIONS • what category would you put this hardware into? • Write your article in whichever • any glitches that you may have had while using the hardware? software you choose, I would If you would like to translate • easy to get the hardware working in Linux? recommend LibreOffice, but most Full Circle into your native • did you have to use Windows drivers? importantly - PLEASE SPELL AND language please send an email to • marks out of five GRAMMAR CHECK IT! [email protected] and • a summary with positive and negative points we will either put you in touch with • In your article, please indicate an existing team, or give you where you would like a particular access to the raw text to translate You don't need to be an expert to write an image to be placed by indicating from. With a completed PDF, you the image name in a new will be able to upload your file to article - write about the games, applications paragraph or by embedding the the main Full Circle site. and hardware that you use every day. image in the ODT (Open Office)
full circle magazine #69 24 contents ^ https://spideroak.com Get 25% off any SpiderOak package with the code: FullcirclemagFans
full circle magazine #69 25 contents ^ AASSKK TTHHEE NNEEWW GGUUYY Written by Copil Yáňez
i, everyone! Welcome back to work in practice. to have your data replicated across and you’re being inaugurated as H Ask the New Guy! as many servers as the typical the next President of the United When we talk about The Cloud, cloud storage service like Ubuntu States in TWENTY MINUTES! Your If you have a simple question we’re talking about offloading One, Dropbox, or Google Drive. data may be backed up, but what and want an answer that doesn’t computing or storage duties to does that mean if you can’t access require intimate knowledge of someone else’s machine. 3. Your data is accessible the backup? This is bad. Just ask who Linus Torvalds is angry at this Everything from gaming, to anywhere: You’re totally hitting it Barack Obama. week, contact me at listening to music, to storing family off with a cute guy you just met at [email protected]. pictures, can be done in The Cloud. your local LARP Con and want to 2. Your data is NOT safe: show him your Galadriel cosplay. Replication on the other end is Today’s question is: But wait, you say. I’ve spent Just bring up your cloud service great! Until every one of their countless hours accumulating app on your smartphone, show him servers are subpoenaed by the : I keep hearing about “the pictures of my My Little Pony the pictures and, boom, you’re Department of Justice. This exact Q cloud.” What is The Cloud? Is it collection. Why would I let dating that Aragorn lookalike! thing happened to cloud storage dangerous? What does it smell someone else store them for me? service Megaupload.com. There’s a like? Unless he, too, was a bronie? 4. Your data is private: You are remote possibility those users will the only one with access to the get their stuff back from the US : In talking about The Cloud, I Here are just a few advantages Jersey Shore style book you government. But you’re more likely A like to give the same sage to doing things in the cloud: created for yourself. to get a full body rubdown by the advice my dad always gave me TSA, so I wouldn’t hold my breath. when he encountered a strange 1. Your data is backed up: In the Sounds good, right? cloud in the house: He who smelt event of a catastrophic Four Loko 3. Your data is NOT accessible it, dealt it. spill on your laptop at a LAN party, Well, there are some anywhere: Oh look, you got a new all those funny sloth jpgs are safe downsides. tablet! Cool. Yeah, our service The advice isn’t actually too far and sound. doesn’t roll out for that device for off. The Cloud can mean different 1. Your data is NOT backed up: another thirty days. Sorry. Now things to different people, and its 2. Your data is safe: Even if Sure, your preferred service is you’re stuck dating the guy who purpose and function are closely you’re careful to back up your files storing a scanned copy of your looks like Bilbo. associated with he or she who to an external hard drive and print birth certificate so you send the “smelt it,” meaning, the company out all your emails on a weekly original to your parents for safe 4. Your data is NOT private: No or program that offers cloud basis and store them in a fireproof keeping. But your cloud service one but you has access to your services determines how it will safe like I do, you’re still not likely just went down for maintenance files. Except the government. And
full circle magazine #69 26 contents ^ ASK THE NEW GUY disgruntled ex-employees. And cleanly reinstall the distro of your Click the button that says “I you have in those folders, it may hackers. And your nosy mom. choice and simply download your don’t have an account yet - sign me take a while. files from the cloud when you’re up.” You’ll go through some typical Okay, so are we clear on the ready. setup procedures including a The next time you click the pros and cons? Look, the truth is Captcha. If you fail the Captcha, Ubuntu One icon, you’ll be greeted cloud services are great and Not surprisingly, Ubuntu offers double check. You might not be by name – which is a little creepy – getting better every day. Yes, an easy way to set up some cloud human. but whatever. there are some dangers and you storage and start using it almost should still back up your files in a immediately. It’s called Ubuntu Ubuntu One will send you a From now on, anything you add place you, and only you, have One, it’s free, and you’re almost secret code (it’s all very NSA, need- to the folders you asked Ubuntu access to. Where do you hide your done setting it up – it’s that simple. to-know type stuff). Enter that into One to sync will automagically get vaping supplies from your wife? the registration screen and click uploaded to The Cloud and be That’s probably a good place to Ubuntu 12.10 comes with Next. You’ll have the option to available on any other device with store your backup drive. Ubuntu One pre-installed and select which folders you want to access to that account. So, if you loaded on the sync to The Cloud. I suggest started Ubuntu One from your If you’re willing to accept the left-hand app Desktop and Documents at the desktop, and then log into Ubuntu small downside to using cloud drawer. Find and very least. You can add more at any One from your laptop, you’ll have services, you’ll reap the many click the icon that time. Click Finish, and Ubuntu One access to the files from your rewards of doing so. looks like this: will start syncing those folders for desktop. Note that you’re not you. Depending on how much stuff accessing your desktop, just the One of the greatest benefits to You’ll get this window: files that were copied from there me that might be of interest to and stored in Ubuntu One’s cloud new Ubuntu users is the ability to service. Make a change to one of walk away from a disastrous install those files and the changes will be and start fresh without worrying reflected in the file the next time that all your precious memories you access it from your desktop (or just disappeared because you anywhere else). followed some joker’s suggestion to type “rm -rf /” at the command If you have a smartphone, you line. (Don’t do it! It does filthy can search the app store for things and you’ll hate yourself in Ubuntu One and download it. Once the morning). you log in with your credentials, you’ll have access to your files on By keeping your most the go. important files, photos, music, and downloads backed up, you can Ubuntu One gives you up to 5
full circle magazine #69 27 contents ^ ASK THE NEW GUY gigabytes of free storage, but you can pay for more if you need it. You can store music files as well, but you won’t be able to stream those files to another device unless you upgrade to the Music Streaming package which is $3.99 per month. Upgrading also nets you a total of 20 gigs of storage which you can use for anything you want, not just music. Your collection of Justin Bieber fan-fic erotica is now safe for the ages.
Can you smell that? That’s what freedom smells like! Now you can mess with your Ubuntu install, play around with settings, dual boot into the latest unstable version, stay up all night, sleep all day, and live life on the edge! You don’t care, you’re a rock star! And all your important files are always available simply by logging into Ubuntu One!
Play around with Ubuntu One. If you don’t like it, you can you! And just for the record, it was disconnect the file syncing and try usually him “dealting” it. something else like Dropbox or Good luck and happy Copil is an Aztec name that roughly Google Drive or any number of translates to “you need my heart for other services. Most will have a Ubuntuing! what again?” His love of women’s free version that’s pretty good for shoes is chronicled at yaconfidential.blogspot.com. You most casual users. can also watch him embarrass himself on Twitter (@copil). My dad would be so proud of
full circle magazine #69 28 contents ^ LLIINNUUXX LLAABB Tomato Anyone? Written by Charles McColm Tomato Anyone?
everal years ago, I went out reservations for example. About The stock Linux-based firmware but also allowed servers to be run. S and bought a mid-range priced the same time all this was on the WRT54GL isn’t bad, but one (In our area, the big ISPs personal router from one of the happening, I heard several of our local LUG members, who discourage home users from big box stores. We had used a members of our local Linux User also happened to be a co-worker, running servers). I could have couple of older models of this Group were hacking their own convinced me to take a look at manually set the static IP address brand of routers at work, so I routers. In fact, a regional ISP was Polarcloud’s Tomato firmware by on each Linux server in our house figured they were pretty good offering pre-hacked routers for showing me the built-in features: (we have a couple with the XBMC quality. But, after less than 6 slightly more than the cost of pretty traffic graphs (I’m a sucker machine and the Game/Web months, I found the router buying the router in a big box for eye candy), Quality of Service, server), but I find it easier to keep constantly dropping wireless store. Wireless Filtering, Access the machines on DHCP and set the connections. I tried changing the Restrictions, Port Forwarding, IP reservation on the router. channel the router was on (I’m in Our family had decided to Dynamic DNS, and a number of Setting the IP reservation on the an area of heavy wireless router switch ISPs anyway, but before I tools. router also means other clients usage), but, regardless of which could buy the router myself, I behind the router know about the channel I used, it seemed I found found myself on the receiving end At the time, I was planning on machine/hostname. myself resetting the router at least of a Linksys WRT54GL Linux based running a small server, and the once a day. Running: router (over the holiday season). new ISP not only sold static IP Polarcloud’s Tomato firmware addresses at a reasonable price, works only on particular routers. sudo iwlist scanning | grep You need to be careful because, Cell | wc -l even within certain models of routers, some are, and some are normally shows between 51-85 not supported. Flashing your connections depending on the day router’s firmware, of course, voids and time I run the command. any warranties. Like flashing a computer, it could brick your Because I work for a computer router if interrupted or flashed refurbishing project, I decided to with the incorrect firmware. Be buy a different brand router for careful and informed. The our project and give it a shot. The polarcloud web site router worked out quite well, it http://www.polarcloud.com/tomat didn’t drop wireless connections o lists which routers, models, and nearly as much, but sadly it was the particular version of each missing features – DHCP
full circle magazine #69 29 contents ^ LINUX LAB model supported. Linksys WRTGS useful for doing some trickery to v1 is supported by the tomato get around some of the traffic firmware as I write this article, but shaping technologies certain Linksys WRTGS v5 is not providers use. While we’re subject supported. You have to be careful, to traffic shaping, I haven’t because even slight differences bothered resetting the router for could mean you’re left with a MLPPP because we do so few doorstop instead of a router. torrents that we don’t tend to feel the traffic shaping much. Once you’ve downloaded the correct firmware from Polarcloud’s Most of the options on the left website, unzip it. Inside you’ll hand side of the router expand to generally find several .bin files for reveal further options. Within different models of router. Be sure status you can see the status of to read the readme html file your connection to your provider, unpacked with the archive for any the DHCP leases you’re giving out, important information before as well as different wireless flashing/upgrading your router. I’d options. already flashed my router long ago, but noticed at the start of the The Bandwidth screen (bottom article that my tomato firmware right) is where you can see pretty was several versions old. I decided graphs for Real-Time traffic and to flash/upgrade it. traffic within the last 24 hours. The Daily, Weekly and Monthly traffic is The initial tomato firmware all expressed numerically, but you screen looks something like the can choose to display in gigabytes screenshot shown right. or megabytes.
The first screen shows the Take note of the items in red in status of the router. I’ve modified the bottom right of the the screenshot slightly. Careful screenshot. Any item with an readers will notice the MLPPP underline is the current option. Failed message. The tomato Clicking an option beside will firmware is capable of multi-link change the option. Clicking the PPP which allows you to bond word Line in the Display option in multiple PPP connections. It’s also the bottom right results in the
full circle magazine #69 30 contents ^ LINUX LAB graph displaying as a line rather Conntrack/Netfilter options, DNS than a filled-in graph. Along the options, Firewall options, MAC top we have graph tabs for the address options (useful if you need various interfaces on the router to clone your PC’s MAC address including a couple of vlan ports. when you’re trying to connect to a modem you’ve used with a PC), Within the tools section there routing, wait time, and a couple of are a number of tools, a tool to miscellaneous options. There is a ping a server/system, a tool to lot that can be finely tweaked trace the route to a system/server, within the advanced menus, things a tool to set wake-on-lan for like putting the router into systems within your network, and a “Afterburner mode” (also known as tool to conduct wireless surveys of 125 High Speed Mode, basically a your area. wireless settings. If you plan on to do. It’s easier to assign the mode that’s suppose to be 30-40% using one of the dynamic DNS DHCP reservations on the Status > faster than 802.11g), allowing your RSSI (received signal strength services out there, the Basic > Device List screen where you can router to respond to pings (I turn it indication), the amount of Noise DDNS screen is where you set up click the word static under the off), and setting TCP and UDP and channel of other routers is your router to communicate with device’s MAC address. Still, this timeout times. helpful, but of course this can also whatever DDNS service you’re page is useful because the Status > be done (better) in Linux with the using. Device page doesn’t show which It’s within the Port Forwarding iwlist scanning command. Wireless addresses are static. > BASIC menu that I punched the Site Survey doesn’t list all of the Recent tomato firmware had a holes necessary for the outside wireless access points in range. In choice of over 23 service options If you’re having trouble with a world to see my server’s services. the example above only 1 router is from a number of providers particular person who keeps trying For the game server, I looked to using channel 6 (interesting since including 3322, DNS Exit, DNS-O- to log in to your router, or perhaps the readme and game most routers around here are set Matic, DynDNS, DyNS, easyDNS, you let someone have access to configuration files for which ports on channel 6 by default). EditDNS, EveryDNS, eNom, your router and they abused it, you to open. Search engines are your FreeDNS, Namecheap, OpenDNS – can set a wireless filter on the friend for common ports if you The Basic > Network screen is to name a few. Basic > Wireless Filter screen. You don’t already know them. where you set all your router’s can also permit only certain basic options: type of The Basic > Static DHCP screen wireless connections by specifying Also within the Port Forwarding WAN/Internet (DHCP, PPPoE, lets you see who has static DHCP Permit only the following clients menu are DMZ options, Triggered Static, PPTP, L2TP, or disabled), reservations on your network. You along with their MAC addresses. Port Forwarding options, and your router’s LAN address and can also assign static DHCP UPnP/Nat-PMP options. DHCP information and that IP reservations on this screen, but it’s The Advanced menu has a range, as well as your router’s actually more work than you need number of sub-menus including Tomato can do Quality of
full circle magazine #69 31 contents ^ LINUX LAB Service (QoS). The QoS menu keys), Web administration options, intriguing. When I looked into it give the Tomato project a look, consists of basic settings where and (yikes!) Telnet options. further, I discovered it seems to check out the compatible routers you can assign inbound and just be used to mount a CIFS (making sure to pay attention not outbound traffic percentages to I don’t want to sound too much (Windows) share for bandwidth just to models but also version terms Highest, High, Medium, Low, like a broken record by listing all monitoring purposes. About, numbers), and I think you’ll be Lowest, then Class A-E. The QoS > the menu options below the Shutdown, Reboot, and Logout are satisfied with the amount of Classification screen is where you Administration menu, so I’ll point obvious, so I won’t cover them options available. Also worth set which machines on your out the few that I actually use: here. checking out is the DD-WRT network get those Highest, High, Admin > Configuration is where project which does similar things Medium, Low and Lowest you back up your router’s I’ve actually only barely but tends to be more modular. priorities. You can also view a pie configuration to and from your PC. scratched the surface of the graph or details of your QoS if you Admin > Upgrade is where you Tomato firmware options. I didn’t IMPORTANT LINKS: have it set and configured. upgrade your Tomato router’s cover a lot because there are firmware (or revert it back if you’ve literally hundreds of options in the Tomato Firmware page: In our house, my wife’s PC had backed up the old firmware). The Tomato firmware. If you’ve ever http://www.polarcloud.com/tomat the highest priority, followed by CIFS Client menu option is been dissatisfied with a router, o DNS traffic between 0 and 2KB, then WWW traffic between 0 and Wikibooks Tomato Firmware 512KB. reference: http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Toma The Access Restriction menu to_Firmware/Menu_Reference option has no sub-options. It allows you to set rules like “Turn DD-WRT: off the router’s wireless between http://www.dd-wrt.ca/site/index 11pm and 5am” (useful if you have teenagers who like to surf all night instead of sleep).
If you install Tomato on a router, the Administration > Admin Charles is a step-father, husband, Access menu will be one of the and Linux fan, who hosts a not-for- places you’ll want to visit. On the profit computer refurbishing admin access screen, you set project. When not breaking options like the router’s password, hardware/servers, he maintains a blog at: whether you want the router to http://www.charlesmccolm.com/ allow SSH (also on which port and
full circle magazine #69 32 contents ^ MMYY SSTTOORRYY Written by 'Blackadder'
he first time I ever heard about me for a long time. I always school, for a bachelor’s in IT, that I enthusiastic user of Ubuntu. T Linux was five years ago, I thought about Ubuntu in those was again put in contact with Whether it's the desktop version or think. It was in our town library, days as “that other OS.” Ubuntu. But this time, with much the server, I'm liking it and using it. where they were installing Ubuntu more background to it. on a PC. That way, everybody But it was knowledge that I was At work, there's a mix of willing to learn this new OS could missing. Knowledge of what This was around the time that Windows and Apple workstations, have a go. Ubuntu stood for. (And still does.) Jaunty Jackalope hit the streets. It but I'm glad to see the was there, at school, that I learned introduction of Linux. It’s on the I even remember multiple CDs After playing around with it for much more about the OS itself, server side, but it's a start. lying on the counter waiting for some time, I forgot about Ubuntu about its rich features, the way it somebody to take them home. And for a while. works, and so on. When I look back at our town I did. I think it was Feisty Fawn or library now, I'm more than happy Gutsy Gibbon. It was when I attended night- From that time on, I've been an to see that all of the workstations, public and private, have switched The first time I gave it a try, I to a Linux OS. Kubuntu, to be was amazed and confused at the precise. same time. So that's my little story about Remember, I'm coming from a how I came into contact with Windows-only environment. Didn't Ubuntu. It's been some years now, know the first thing about open and most of the hardware at home source and what it meant or stood is running Ubuntu and doing just for. The only thing I knew was that fine. Most people I know these it was free and not some pirated days, consider Linux as their copy. weapon of choice, when it comes to installing a fresh OS on the I'll never forget my first hardware. I especially like the fact reaction after having taken my first that it doesn't matter whether it's looks at the screen: "what the ...... ?" old or new hardware. Just install the OS and run it. (This is a great This was something I didn't argument to get people using Ubuntu.) expect. That feeling didn't leave Photo: yum9me (Flickr)
full circle magazine #69 33 contents ^ MMYY OOPPIINNIIOONN Written by Ed Hewitt
arlier this month, Canonical unproven platform. Samsung, Sony, The next hurdle Canonical has sell the device to their customers; E held its first press event to and Motorola are having great to get over is carrier support – however, Verizon heavily marketed unveil its phone operating system, success with Android. HTC is providing it has a device to sell the new Motorola Droid, and Ubuntu for Phone. This is a already playing across two them. Carriers can make or break Sprint did not have a large enough product many have speculated platforms, and the success of a customer base to sell the Palm Pre. would happen after the launch of Nokia has device. They are Although many journalists in the Unity, providing a touch interface, dedicated its the ones who industry praised both the as well as Canonical bringing future to will buy the hardware and software, carrier Ubuntu to Android devices. While Windows device from the support was lacking, and Ubuntu for Android allows the Phone. This hardware subsequently Palm, and eventually Ubuntu desktop to run on a leaves manufacturer HP, struggled to generate interest. smartphone device via a computer Canonical with and sell it to This could happen to Canonical. dock, Ubuntu for Phone is a the smaller their customers. complete smartphone OS to manufacturers If they don’t The software could be killer, the challenge iOS and Android. I such as Huawei believe it will hardware could be excellent; but if believe Ubuntu for Phone is dead and LG. sell, they will carriers are not prepared to sell on arrival; it will fail. Providing they not be and market a device, Ubuntu for find a interested. The Phones is not going anywhere. One of the first challenges hardware most famous Canonical needs to overcome is partner, will example of this Canonical could do what Google the hardware partners. Canonical the device is Palm’s is doing, by selling its Nexus management has claimed that they itself be any WebOS. Carriers devices unlocked, off-contract expect Ubuntu smartphones in good? Poor killed WebOS. from its website. This will avoid the 2014; however, until I see a device, hardware and After HP ended carriers. However, I do not believe I’m not holding my breath. The build quality will affect the success development of WebOS, Jon that this will work. It still requires smartphone market is incredibly of Ubuntu on phones. We have Rubinstein (CEO of Palm) was heavy marketing to attract competitive. Many of the large seen Samsung produce poor interviewed by Josh Topolsky of attention, it needs to be priced manufacturers are struggling to Windows Phone devices – just to The Verge. Palm’s WebOS devices competitively, and Canonical may keep up. For example, HTC has have a device on that platform. We were picked up by Sprint and not have the infrastructure in place been reporting losses quarter on could see Canonical’s hardware Verizon in the US, since neither to sell and ship a device. They need quarter. Hardware manufacturers partners doing a similar thing. carrier had the iPhone at the time. the carrier support – mainly to hit will find it hard to bet on an Both were prepared to market and the mass market – and the ability
full circle magazine #69 34 contents ^ MY OPINION to sell the device to the average ecosphere. If they are not willing the dominant platforms for the unlikely they will move from those Joe. to support Microsoft and RIM, why foreseeable future. However, there spots. Plus, there are the minor would they support Canonical? is also third place to battle for, but smartphone platforms – which is The final roadblock that that is already locked down where Ubuntu for Phones will Canonical will hit is app support – Providing Canonical finds a between Windows Phone and likely sit. Here’s the list of the this is the Achilles heel for all hardware partner, gains the Blackberry. It will be an interesting major minor platforms; there are a computing platforms. You may carriers’ support, and has a wealth 2013 for these two. Windows few more: have a brilliant platform, but, if of popular applications, there is Phone 8 will be seen on more • Firefox OS you don’t have the apps people still the competition to deal with. devices, and RIM will be releasing • openWebOS want, you are a dead platform. The As of December 2012, Android and Blackberry 10. Fifth and sixth • Maemo reason iOS and Android are so iOS make up about 85% of the places are currently held by • MeeGo successful is because they have the world’s smartphones. They will be Symbian and Bada and it’s highly • Tizen killer apps which customers want. • Jolla They want to be able to access Facebook, listen to music on In a market where Palm has Spotify, watch films on Netflix, use gone, Blackberry has fallen from navigation with Google Maps, play greatness and is struggling to a quick game of Angry Birds. Both survive, and the might of Microsoft Blackberry and Microsoft have had is unable to put a dent in Google this issue; they are struggling to and Apple, how does Canonical get the developers on board to think it can survive? They have had produce apps for their platforms, minor successes in the desktop and and they both have reasonably server space, but I think this time sized user bases. Many developers Canonical has bitten off more than have already said they are not it can chew. interested in producing apps for Blackberry and Windows Phone. Recently, Google has said it will be supporting only Android and iOS. Canonical is bringing a 5th platform for developers to make apps for, and I can’t see them doing it, and this is discounting all the other minor smartphone OSs out there. There are too many platforms trying to build an app
full circle magazine #69 35 contents ^ full circle magazine #69 36 contents ^ RREEVVIIEEWW Written by Ronnie Tucker SSoonnyy NNSSZZ--GGSS77 GGooooggllee TTVV BBooxx
was quite apprehensive about into your TV. I buying this Internet media player as there were so many negative I’m using the box by itself, but reviews about it, but I decided to you can hook your cable/satellite take a leap of faith (in Google) and box into the Sony box. This lets the buy it anyway. I’m glad I did! Sony box control the displaying of your cable/satellite box allowing you to do fancy things like picture- WHAT’S IN THE BOX in-picture and such-like. The box is small! I expected to receive a box about the size of a CONFIGURATION DVD player, but the cardboard box is about 8” x 6” x 4”. Inside is the When the box is first turned on, Sony box itself, the remote, it will pair itself with the remote as batteries (for said remote), power the remote control is bluetooth. cable, and an IR blaster (more on No need to point the remote that later). directly at a sensor. There is none. Using bluetooth means you don’t even need to point the remote, SETTING UP remote control. This is a very configure the IR blaster. just press the buttons and it’ll be special remote (more on it later), detected as long as you’re within Hooking the box up is easy but suffice it to say that it has range of the box. IR BLASTER enough. You plug in the power buttons and touch-pad on one side, cable and (not supplied) HDMI and a full QWERTY keyboard on You now get a quick The IR blaster is a little widget cable. Plug the power cable into the reverse. introduction on how to use the that you get with the box – which the wall socket and the HDMI cable you don’t have to use if you don’t Now we’re on to setting up the want to, but it lets you control box itself. You sign in with your another box with the Sony remote. Google account, set the language, time zone, connection to the Initially, I was using it with my internet (wired, or wireless), and TV, or so I thought. I had the IR your screen size. You then blaster pointing at my TV’s remote
full circle magazine #69 37 contents ^ REVIEW sensor. On telling the Sony box box through the Sony), Media that my TV is a Samsung (and Player, Photos (viewer), [Google] model number), I can now switch Play Movies, [Google] Search, the TV off/on using the Sony Settings, Socialife (Twitter and remote. Nifty! It was only when I Facebook only it seems), Sony noticed the IR remote covered up Entertainment, Twitter, and a that I realised the Sony box is couple of other items. actually controlling the TV via the HDMI cable. More on that in a I installed [Google] Play Music, second. to try streaming audio (which worked fine), and Plex which will let me stream media from my desktop PC to the Sony box.
THE REMOTE
As I hinted at earlier, the remote is very special and took a lot of criticism in reviews, but I love it! On one side you have several on/off buttons (for TV/amp/other) UPDATE and some selection buttons to control a PVR/TV. Just above No sooner had I completed the center you have a D-pad with Flipping the remote over, you VIDEO setup, and searched feverishly for selection button in the center. have a full QWERTY keyboard! Netflix (which I couldn’t find), I was Either side of the D-pad are Pressing function, then search, will I haven’t tried presented with a pop-up telling me buttons to do picture-in-picture, enable a backlight to the keyboard, purchasing/renting videos via a system update was available. back, home, and menu. Taking up handy for those late night Play/Sony, but certainly YouTube Carry on! about half of the remote is the browsing sessions. and Netflix worked flawlessly and touch-pad, which is clickable. the picture quality was excellent. After the update, I now had the Touching this brings up a mouse On the right side of the remote Netflix application. Phew! I also pointer on screen. Below the are volume, mute, and channel AUDIO had Google Play, Chrome touch-pad are function, play, buttons. The remote is also motion (browser), Live TV (only of use if pause, and info buttons. Lastly, sensitive for controlling games. Again, haven’t tried using you’re connecting a TV/satellite there are some coloured buttons. Play/Sony stores, but several tracks
full circle magazine #69 38 contents ^ REVIEW on my Google Play/Music account known to work on Google TV. worked fine after installing the However, as I write this review, it is Google Music app. possible to ‘side-load’ apps by loading the APK file. There are STREAMING MEDIA some good apps in Play like AirDroid, Evernote, and the like. Most of my media is on my desktop PC. Thankfully, getting Moving between menus and this playing on the Sony box was items feels a bit sluggish, but easy enough – after installing Plex that’s nothing major. It could be (paid app, but is less than £1) on because the box is using Android the Sony box and on my desktop 3.2 and not the buttery Jelly Bean. PC. Plex on the desktop is a media Even with those negative server which will, after initial set relevant images. up, run through and catalogue all Not only that, but it gives you points, I’m a happy chappy. It does the option to ‘fling’ almost everything I needed it to do, and the media in the folders you’ve Plex can play/stream pretty given it. Plex will then sit and wait anything to your box. I could start a more. Previously, I had to use my much any audio/video file you YouTube video, then think ‘hey, Xbox for Netflix and TV, and my for connections before serving up throw at it. media. this is pretty cool’ and fling it to my Acer Revo for streaming media. box to watch on the big screen. Now I have everything in one Installing Plex on the desktop ADDITIONS package. either means downloading, and If you have a guest/partner and Recently a Chrome extension installing, the .deb file from the want to show them something, you Now, if we could have a Jelly was released called Chromemote Plex site can fling a web page to Chrome on Bean update... that’d be the icing (http://www.chromemote.com/). (http://www.plexapp.com/), or your Google TV box. on the cake! What this does is let you control adding the relevant repo. You then your Google TV box from within install the Plex media player on the CONCLUSION Chrome. For example: on my Sony box. On the Sony, you click desktop PC, I can click the Plex; it will search for a Plex server, I’ve said many good things Chromemote icon in Chrome, and then let you play your media. about the Sony Google TV box; switch on my Google TV box, Simple as that! what’s the down side? Apps. There switch on my TV, and then have full aren’t that many apps available for control over my Google TV box Ronnie is founder, and still editor, of Be patient, as Plex can take a the Sony box. While it does use Full Circle Magazine. Also, a part- without even picking up my remote while to catalogue your media as it Google Play as its source, you’re time artist whose body of work can control! I must say, it’s pretty be seen at http://ronnietucker.co.uk. will also fetch metadata and limited to only apps that are awesome.
full circle magazine #69 39 contents ^ If you would like to submit a letter for publication, compliment Join us on: or complaint, please email it to: [email protected]. LLEETTTTEERRSS PLEASE NOTE: some letters may be edited for space. goo.gl/FRTMl HOME SERVER almost all the time to cool down article in FCM#43 (Command & the processor. Besides the noise Conquer by Lucas Westermann). facebook.com/fullcircle magazine ould it be possible for from the fan, the battery drains He came back saying that it didn't W someone out there to write quickly due to the same reason. work. Testing, I found that all I twitter.com/#!/fullcirclemag an article(s) on setting up a home When compared to PC running in could get was a row of rectangles. server? It should be running Windows 7, the battery drains out linkedin.com/company/full- Ubuntu (of course), machines will quickly when it runs in Ubuntu. Like the author of this piece I circle-magazine do a network boot, data would be found: ubuntuforums.org/forum available on the server and the I wish someone could write an display.php?f=270 Internet will be too. Something article on solutions for this “Although Japanese entry that would be cheap, feasible and problem. Which may help me in workedperfectly on everything else, LO refusedto show any Japanese useful. making more Ubuntu fans FULL CIRCLE NEEDS YOU! characters (just empty/blank boxes) even though I hadset the default Danish Lala Saravanan M Without reader input Asian language to Japanese and Full Circle would be an checkedthe Asian languages SCANNING empty PDF file (which I don't UBUNTU IS TOO HOT! option.” think many people would find y Dell Vostro 1550 laptop ord, regarding your checklist particularly interesting). We The author had a solution: M dual boots with Ubuntu G for checking new distros. You are always looking for articles, could add scanning. This was the reviews, anything! Even small 12.04 LTS and Windows 7 running “Turns out there’s anotherset of one problem that prevented me things like letters and desktop side by side. I am a huge fan of options underTools > Options > from ditching Windows until screens help fill the magazine. Ubuntu, who tries to get things LibreOffice Writer> Basic Fonts Ubuntu 11.04 came along and done in Ubuntu alone, and I always (Asian). Switching the font to Droid solved my problem. See page 24 to read our basic try to convince other people to Sans Japanese solvedthe problem.” switch to Ubuntu. But I am afraid guidelines. Follow those and of the overheating problem in Michael Davies you're almost guaranteed Although I haven't tried it (yet) Ubuntu systems. success. the same method will probably CHINESE IN LIBREOFFICE work for Chinese and Korean When I am working in Ubuntu, Have a look at the last page (of (using Pinyin and ?Hangul). my laptop overheats quickly and few days ago a friend asked any issue) to get the details of seldom cools down to normal where to send your A about writing Japanese in Brian state, and the processor fans run LibreOffice. I pointed him to the contributions.
full circle magazine #69 40 contents ^ full circle magazine #69 41 contents ^ If you have Ubuntu-related questions, email them to: Q&A [email protected], and Gord will answer them in a future Q&A Please include as much information as you can about your problem. Compiled by Gord Campbell issue.
Running LibreOffice Writer In the first line for each device, • swap, twice the amount of 3) Downgrade your Xserver so the Q under Ubuntu 12.04 Powerpc it shows the size, such as: memory older fglrx/Catalyst legacy driver on an eMac G-4. I inserted a picture • /home, the remaining space. will work on 12.10 Disk /dev/sdc: 8413 MB, from file, then tried to export it to 8413773824 bytes a PDF. Total fail. The root partition is a lot larger The OS will typically be a lower than it needs to be, but it's an In Kubuntu, is there a hotkey Install cups-pdf. From the File device code, such as sda. enormous disaster if it fills up, and Q to lock the screen? Can I set it A menu in Writer, select "print," I have heard of runaway system to lock after a few minutes of and choose "pdf" as the printer. logs that grab space quite quickly. inactivity? When you click on "print," a file will I plan to put a larger hard Having a separate /home partition be created in the PDF folder in Q drive into my dual-boot means you can install a new (Thanks to amingv in the /home. laptop. What do you suggest as a version without disturbing your A Ubuntu Forums) The default partition setup? data. key combination to lock the screen is Ctrl+Alt+L. The other question is Can I use Kindle for PC under Make sure you understand I also suggest buying a USB a screensaver setting. Q Wine? A whether your laptop supports enclosure and installing the old IDE or SATA before you make your drive there. Yes! See post 3 of this thread: purchase. Q My display does a little A http://ubuntuforums.org/sho "flicker" every time there is wthread.php?t=1913348 It's much easier if you install Is there any way to install the movement on screen. I use Windows first on a new hard drive. Q ATI drivers for the 4670 on Xubuntu 12.10, and have an Intel Ubuntu 12.10? 12.04 picks it up Corp 3rd gen core processor If I am using two USB ports, I'm not sure if Windows 8 likes and installs them for me right off graphics controller (rev 09), aka Q one for the the OS and the to have a boot partition? If so, I the bat. 4000HD. It appears to be an XFCE other for data, how can I would use these partitions: issue. determine which is which? • boot, 100 MB (or whatever (Thanks to Temujin in the Windows wants) A Ubuntu Forums) AMD "Sync to VBlank support to Open a terminal and enter • Windows, 120 GB dropped support for that card in A the Xfwm compositor" seems A this command: • an Extended partition for the rest newer versions of fglrx/Catalyst. to help. See: of the drive. Within it: Your options: http://www.webupd8.org/2012/10 sudo fdisk -l • / (that's pronounced "root") of 30 1) Use the open-source driver /xfce-sync-to-vblank-support-for- GB 2) Use *buntu 12.04/LTS xfwm.html
full circle magazine #69 42 contents ^ Q & A In Windows I always choose to There was a ppa set up for Q do a long/slow format so mkfs.ext4 -c /dev/sdb2 Q Cinnamon applets and Windows can mark bad sectors on which took about 38 minutes. themes, but now it has been the drive. I added a data drive and Full Circle Podcast removed. When I run Update formatted it, half as NTFS for my Episode 31, The Is there a GUI method of Manager, I get an error message. Win7 multi-boot and the other half Q setting up a shared folder in Difficult Third How can I remove the ppa from my as EXT4, for Lubuntu. The format Xubuntu? sources? only took 2 seconds on the EXT4 Episode!! section of the drive, so it obviously Yes, install system-config- (Thanks to Askubuntu) The didn't check for bad sectors. It may be a new team of samba as well as samba. error message includes the A podcasters, but the format is A "Samba" appears in System full name of the ppa. Use this (Thanks to 3rdalbum in the still the same. Settings. command: A Ubuntu Forums) Modern hard disks are capable of determining Your hosts: sudo add-apt-repository -- bad blocks on their own. If they go Q In Ubuntu Server 12.04, with a • Les Pounder remove ppa:whatever/ppa to write data to a block and find static IP address, I can't ping • Tony Hughes that the block is bad, they google.com? • Jon Chamberlain automatically flag it and write the • Oliver Clark data to a better block. All disks (Thanks to cheesemill in the Q (Thanks to John O'Flynn.) I have a hundred spare blocks for A Ubuntu Forums) From 12.04 All members of the use LastPass (an add-on for this purpose. If you're worried onwards you shouldn't edit Blackpool (UK) LUG Firefox) and it repeatedly sends about bad blocks on a disk, check resolv.conf directly, as it gets http://blackpool.lug.org.uk me the message "An error out its SMART statistics; Disk rewritten by the system. Instead, occurred while attempting to Utility can read the SMART you should add the following line Olly & Tony bring everyone contact the server. Please check information from a hard disk and to your /etc/network/interfaces up to date with what´s been your internet connection." find out how many bad blocks have file: going on in the ¨Summer been flagged. If it starts getting up Break¨, Olly talks about his dns-nameservers 192.168.1.1 The problem turned out to be toward the number of spare Gnomebuntu install, Code- A a tangled series of phone blocks, you need to copy your data acadamy and Tony talks cords between the phone jack and off the disk and drop the disk into about his new Nexus 7. the modem. When the modem was the nearest rubbish bin. plugged directly into the jack, After a long career in the computer everything worked perfectly. However, the OP was industry, including a stint as editor of persistent, and used the command: Computing Canada and Computer Dealer News, Gord is now more-or- less retired.
full circle magazine #69 43 contents ^ UUBBUUNNTTUU GGAAMMEESS Written by Jennifer Roger SSnnaappsshhoott
napshot is a single player cubes to collect items and reach massive pits of spikes. Retro Affect if you’re just trying to beat the S puzzle/platformer by Retro your goal. The environments are was able to find the right balance level. In addition to collecting all of Affect. The story follows the quite dynamic and Pic will also be between puzzle and platformer the stars, the time trial allows you adventures of an adorable robot called upon to interact with various that is not too easy nor brutally to beat your best time. All of this named Pic. Pic is all alone, and creatures and objects to clear a challenging. adds tremendous replay value in armed with just a camera - a stage. For example, you can addition to the hundreds of levels magical camera that has the ability activate levers to free blocks from Although each level can be in the game. to not only take pictures, but no picture zones, or use flying cleared fairly quickly, there is delete them as well. However, you elephants as a springboard onto a plenty incentive to replay levels to are limited to just three photos, high ledge. fully complete the stage. Each Snapshot’s controls are simple which introduces the challenge of level has secret items that can be and easy to learn - the keyboard using your snapshots wisely. collected and added to your controls navigation while the Snapshot is mainly a puzzle gallery. Just snap a photo of the mouse operates the camera. The Taking these real-time game, but there are also solid object and it will automatically be mouse buttons are for taking and photographs is the heart of platforming elements. As with added to your collection. Most of deleting pictures, while moving the Snapshot, allowing you to solve other platformers, there are the items aren’t too hard to find, mouse around gives you a better each level by placing and rotating common dangers like fireballs and but it can be easy to overlook them look at your surroundings. The
full circle magazine #69 44 contents ^ UBUNTU GAMES actual feel of the mechanics took a bit of getting used to as the 40% OFF THE BOOK OF controls have a tendency to be overly responsive. On one hand, GIMP it’s nice that Pic can jump so high with a single click, but he can also be difficult to control when the situation requires a little finesse.
Aesthetically, Snapshot evokes memories of Rayman and Braid. All available for download at three games have a distinct artistic Snapshot proves to be a clever retroaffect.com and is redeemable style, and the environments are puzzle game with just the right on Steam. The DRM-free, cross colorful and vibrant. Although platform gem will set you back amount of challenge. It’s loads of For one week only, get 40% there are only subtle changes $9.99 for the game only, but you fun and there are plenty of secrets, off The Book of GIMP, a between the four environments, can also get the game and collectables, and, with over 100 complete, full-color guide to the visuals are gorgeous to look at. levels, you’ll have lots to keep you soundtrack for $12.99. The soundtrack is equally beautiful the free graphics editor. At coming back for more. If you 676 pages, it's everything you and compliments the gameplay Pros: Fun concept, great replay weren’t able to snag the latest ever wanted to know about nicely. value, balanced gameplay Humble Bundle, Snapshot is GIMP, and then some! Cons: Touchy controls Print books come with free ebook editions (DRM-free, of course).
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http://nostarch.com/gimp Jennifer is a fine arts student from the Chicagoland area. You can follow @missjendie on Twitter or visit her blog at missjendie.com.
full circle magazine #69 45 contents ^ LLIINNUUXX CCEERRTTIIFFIIEEDD Written by Richard Philip Witt
hapter 2 of my LPIC-1 study both package and configuration My style of learning throws up a conceptually very helpful. For C book deals with managing files while dpkg -r removes the few oddities. A case in point, I've instance, ever wondered why software. More specifically, with package files but leaves the learned that the main two user commands in man pages are package management, managing configuration files intact. configuration files are located at numbered? The top left corner of shared libraries, and managing ~/.bashrc and ~/.profile (global all man pages, shows the command processes. My coverage here of LEARNING FOR EXAM 101 configuration files are located to which the man page refers (e.g. chapter 2 content will be limited to elsewhere). I don't know how to passwd) and a number (e.g. a brief treatment of package I cannot stress enough how interpret the contents of the files passwd[1]). At the bottom of the management, as I am already after specific one's knowledge must be nor what to do with them, but I do man page, you can sometimes see only one month of studying, for this exam, and this is know where they're located. the command together with more lagging well behind. Hofstadter's responsible for my slow progress, Having said that, one general numbers (e.g. passwd[5]). This Law comes to mind as I write. The in part at least. I don't use Ubuntu, feeling has stuck with me, which is number refers to the man section law states, and please excuse my or any distribution, in my daily a sense of awe at the complexity of in which the command is to be paraphrasing, that everything work, where I could practice and this operating system: whatever found. passwd[1] is a shell takes longer than expected, even apply my Linux knowledge. you may want to alter, it can be command and passwd[5] is a file when you account for Hofstadter's Furthermore, my personal needs done. format: sections 1 and 5 of the Law. don't require me to address many man page categorization are 'bash of the higher-level functions Some commands, however, and shell commands' and 'file For Exam 101 of LPIC-1, you needed for Exam 101. Hence, I have proven to be very useful. For formats', respectively. By default, must be familiar with both RedHat have produced sets of flashcards example, coding errors often refer the man command takes the and Debian package management, and learn by rote. The flashcards to a line number. A simple cat -n lowest number categorisation. If as well as knowing how to convert are effective, but they take some file.txt > file_lines.txt will produce you want to access the man page between the two. Ubuntu, as it's time to produce. Yet repeatedly file_lines.txt with line numbers for passwd that relates to file Debian-based, uses dpkg, the apt transferring information from text (blank lines also numbered). formats, type: command suite or Synaptic. I shan't books to flashcards is mind- Alternatively, with a short piece of man 5 passwd. bore you with the details, but numbing at best. code, one could print directly to essentially one needs to learn the screen with: In short, I've still got a way to many of the common package There are test questions at the cat -n file.txt. go, but I'm integrating this management command options by end of the book chapters, but not heart. For example, the difference knowledge into my daily usage. I enough to point out knowledge I've also found some pieces of need to find more resources between dpkg -r (--remove) and gaps and foster learning. dpkg -p (--purge). dpkg -p removes knowledge that have been though.
full circle magazine #69 46 contents ^ Your chance to show the world your desktop or PC. Email your screenshots and MY DESKTOP photos to: [email protected] and include a brief paragraph about MY DESKTOP your desktop, your PC's specs and any other interesting tidbits about your
This is my recent KDE desktop. I use Cairo-Dock. Further, I have I am using Ubuntu 12.04 with Unity on my Dell Vostro 1510. The some clocks showing me the time in areas where family members wallpaper is one of the default wallpapers. The theme is live. The background is a picture I made in August of this year, a Ambiance, and the icons theme is ubuntu-mono-dark, I also use fantastic sunrise. A picture I am very proud of. Avant Window Navigator at the bottom of the screen. PC specs: The feature of my desktop that I really love is the use of Conky; Intel quad-core processor Q6600 running on 3GHz since day 1 you can see it shows me a lot of information of the system (time, 2 500GB SATA disks, which get very full lately battery, CPUs, RAM, HDDs, LAN, Wifi,...). I use my computer daily 4 GB RAM and an nVidia 8500GT graphics card for web browsing and making django apps. Not state of the art, but hey, it's 5 years old already and still going strong. System specs: Dell Vostro 1510, Intel® Core™2 Duo CPU T5670 @ 1.80GHz × 2, 2.0 GB RAM, 250 GB HDD. Jan Mussche
Javier Guillot Jiménez
full circle magazine #69 47 contents ^ MY DESKTOP
Customized Ubuntu 12.04, 32-bit, with Unity 3D. Icon size 32 and with a wallpaper from noobslab's black wallpaper collection.
Gtk theme=Ambiance, icon theme=NITRUX-Dark, cursor theme=DMZ-Black, and the window theme=Ambiance
Hello, I am from Indonesia. This is my Lubuntu 12.04 Using Compiz effects like weebly, and the desktop cube to make desktop. Look on the left dock, I made it with LXPanel my PC look great. Lubuntu. LXPanel is simple and great. And I use Lubuntu Box Icon. System specs: Processor: Intel® Core™ i3 CPU 530 @ 2.93GHz × 2 PC spec : Mainboard: Gigabyte H55M USB3 OS : Lubuntu 12.04 Graphics: Intel® Ironlake Desktop x86/MMX/SSE2 Processor : Dual Core E2200 Ram: 4GB Memory : 2 GB HDD: 1 TB HDD : Seagate 80 GB Monitor: DELL 19" lcd with 1366x786(16:9)Resolution
Resa Cr NAYON
full circle magazine #69 48 contents ^ PUZZLE SOLUTIONS U K O D U S
Codeword and 16x16 Suduko puzzles are copyright, and kindly provided by, The Puzzle Club - www.thepuzzleclub.com
full circle magazine #69 49 contents ^ Full Circle Team
HHOOWW TTOO CCOONNTTRRIIBBUUTTEE Editor - Ronnie Tucker [email protected] FCM#70 Webmaster - Rob Kerfia [email protected] FULL CIRCLE NEEDS YOU! Deadline: Podcast - Les Pounder & Co. A magazine isn't a magazine without articles and Full Circle is no Sunday 03rd Feb. 2013. [email protected] exception. We need your opinions, desktops, stories, how-to's, Release: reviews, and anything else you want to tell your fellow *buntu users. Friday 22nd Feb. 2013. Send your articles to: [email protected] Editing & Proofreading Mike Kennedy, Lucas Westermann, We are always looking for new articles to include in Full Circle. For help and advice Gord Campbell, Robert Orsino, please see the Official Full Circle Style Guide: http://url.fullcirclemagazine.org/75d471 Josh Hertel, Bert Jerred
Send your comments or Linux experiences to: [email protected] Our thanks go to Canonical, the many Hardware/software reviews should be sent to: [email protected] translation teams around the world Questions for Q&A should go to: [email protected] and Thorsten Wilms for the FCM logo. Desktop screens should be emailed to: [email protected] ... or you can visit our forum via: fullcirclemagazine.org Getting Full Circle Magazine:
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full circle magazine #69 50 contents ^