Full Circle THE INDEPENDENT MAGAZINE FOR THE UBUNTU COMMUNITY

ISSUE #171 - July 2021 ) m o c . r k c i l F (

- L v J -

: o t o h P

VIE RE W

K U 4 B .0 UNTU 21 CCRREEAATTEE AA CCLLOONNEE A HYBRID PORTABLE CLONE OF YOUR SYSTEM

full circle magazine #171 contents ^ Full Circle Magazine is neither affiliated with,1 nor endorsed by, Canonical Ltd. HowTo Full Circle THE INDEPENDENT MAGAZINE FOR THE UBUNTU LINUX COMMUNITY Python p.20 Linux News p.04

Latex p.23 Command & Conquer p.18 ... p.XX Everyday Ubuntu p.37

Hybrid Portable Clone p.25 Ubuntu Devices p.46 The Daily Waddle p.31 Micro This Micro That p.40

p.XX My Opinion p.XX Letters p.56 Review p.51

Inkscape p.32 Q&A p.52 Review p.54 Ubuntu Games p.61 Graphics

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 to have Canonical endorsement. full circle magazine #171 2 contents ^ EEDDIITTOORRIIAALL

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WELCOME TO THE LATEST ISSUE OF FULL CIRCLE

nce again we have the usual suspects; Python, Latex, Inkscape, LMMS, MTMT (Micro This Micro O That), and an article on creating a hybrid portable clone of your system. You never know when you'll need a copy of your system to boot from, or as a backup. Better safe than being in tears.

Richard returns to retrogaming in this month's Everyday Ubuntu, we continue our reviews of the 21.04 series with , an update to Ubports (Ubuntu) Touch in the form of OTA-18. Not to mention Q&A, a game review, and much more other goodness.

Don't forget: if you're looking for some help, advice, or just a chit chat: remember, we have a Telegram group. I mention this as I've been giving out the wrong link in a couple of emails. The Find Full Circle on: (new and updated) link is: ://t.me/joinchat/24ec1oMFO1ZjZDc0. I hope to see you there. Come facebook.com/ and say hello. fullcirclemagazine Anyway, stay safe, and all the best for 2021! twitter.com/#!/fullcirclemag Ronnie http://issuu.com/ [email protected] fullcirclemagazine

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full circle magazine #171 3 contents ^ NNEEWWSS Submitted by ErikTheUnready

LINUX 5.13 KERNEL 5.13 are related to device drivers, interface), and LTSM_sessions approximately 14% of changes are (graphical interface for session RELEASE UBUNTU IS MOVING AWAY : related to updating code specific to management). The LTSM project hardware architectures, 13% are differs from xrdp in other principles FROM DARK HEADERS AND 06/28/2021 related to the network stack, 5% of work - the emphasis is on LIGHT BACKGROUNDS: are related to file systems and 4% maximum use of built-in fter two months of are related to internal kernel components, compact source code development, Linus Torvalds 06/29/2021 A subsystems. (less than a megabyte) and use of has released the Linux 5.13 kernel. the DBus bus. Among the most notable changes: n Ubuntu 21.10 approved the https://lkml.org/lkml/ initial support for Apple M1 chips, I termination of deliveries of 2021/6/27/202 https://github.com/ "misc" cgroup controller, themes, combining dark headers, AndreyBarmaley/linux-terminal- discontinued support for /dev/ light background and light controls. service-manager kmem, support for new Intel and LTSM PROPOSED: Users will be presented with a AMD GPUs, the ability to directly completely light version of the Yaru call kernel functions from BPF 06/28/2021 RELEASE OF MIXXX 2.3, THE theme by default , as well as the option to switch to a completely programs, randomization of the FREE MUSIC MIXING APP: kernel stack for each system call, he Linux Terminal Service dark version (dark titles, dark backgrounds, and dark controls). the ability to build in Clang with CFI T Manager (LTSM) project has 06/29/2021 (Control Integrity) protection, prepared a set of programs for The decision is explained by the LSM-module Landlock for organizing access to the desktop fter two and a half years of absence in GTK3 and GTK4 of the additional limitation of processes, based on terminal sessions (so far development , the free Mixxx A ability to define different virtual sound device based on using the VNC protocol). The 2.3 package has been released , background and text colors for the virtio, multi-shot mode in io_uring. developments of the project are providing a complete set of tools title and the main window, which distributed under the GPLv3 for professional DJ work and does not guarantee the correct The new version received 17189 license. creating music mixes. Downloads operation of all GTK applications fixes from 2150 developers (the are available for Linux, Windows when using combined themes (for largest in history), the size of the Includes : LTSM_connector (VNC and macOS. The source code is example, in the disk is 60 MB (changes affected and RDP handler), LTSM_service distributed under the GPLv2 analyzer, a white input bar appears 12996 files, added 794705 lines of (receives commands from license. code, removed 399590 lines). About LTSM_connector, starts login and in the dark title). Another reason is too much labor costs to maintain 47% of all changes introduced in Xvfb-based user sessions), http://mixxx.org/ LTSM_helper (graphical login non-standard themes. The problem full circle magazine #171 4 contents ^ NEWS is that GNOME does not provide an 3MF, BMP, GIF, JPG, PNG), select the AMD ( 2.4 GB ) graphics chips . SEAMONKEY 2.53.8 official programming interface and speed, material and quality settings INTEGRATED INTERNET set of guidelines for GTK themes, and send the print job. There are Prior to the release of Pop!_OS which leads to a break in plugins for integration with 21.04, the distribution came with a APPLICATION SUITE compatibility with third-party SolidWorks, Siemens NX, Autodesk modified GNOME Shell, a set of RELEASED: themes in every new GNOME Inventor and other CAD systems. original add-ons to GNOME Shell, release. The CuraEngine engine is used to its own theme, its own set of icons, 06/30/2021 translate the 3D model into a set of other fonts (Fira and Roboto Slab), Among other changes expected 3D printer instructions . The project changed settings and an extended eaMonkey 2.53.8, which in Ubuntu 21.10, marked a code is written in Python and is set of drivers. In the Pop!_OS 21.04 S combines a , an departure from the use of distributed under the LGPLv3 release, the modified GNOME email client, a news feed aubergine color for the background license. GUI built with desktop has been replaced by a aggregation system (RSS / Atom) of switches and widgets (color frameworkUranium using 5. new user environment, COSMIC and a Composer WYSIWYG editor replacement has not yet been (Computer Main for pages within a single approved). https://ultimaker.com/learn/an- Interface Components), which is product. In the form of pre- improved-engineering-workflow- developed under the GPLv3 license. installed add-ons, the Chatzilla IRC https://github.com/ubuntu/yaru/ with-ultimaker-cura-4-10 client, the DOM Inspector for web pull/2922 COSMIC continues to leverage developers, and the POP!_OS 21.04 GNOME technologies, but features calendar planner are offered. The conceptual changes and deeper new release brings fixes and ULTIMAKER CURA 4.10 DISTRIBUTION OFFERS NEW desktop redesigns that go beyond changes from the current RELEASED: COSMIC DESKTOP: additions to GNOME Shell. During codebase (SeaMonkey 2.53 is based the development of COSMIC, such on the Firefox 60.8 06/29/2021 06/30/2021 tasks were set as the desire to with porting of security-related make the desktop easier to use, fixes and some improvements from new version of Ultimaker Cura ystem76 , a company expand functionality and increase the current Firefox branches). A is available, providing a S specializing in the production of work efficiency by customizing the graphical interface for preparing laptops, PCs and servers shipping environment to suit your https://www.seamonkey- models for 3D printing (slicing). with Linux, has released the Pop! preferences. project.org/news#2021-06-30 Based on the model, the program _OS 21.04 . Pop!_OS is based on determines the scenario for the Ubuntu 21.04 and comes with its https://system76.com/pop operation of a 3D printer with the own COSMIC desktop environment. sequential application of each layer. The project is distributed under the In the simplest case, it is enough to GPLv3 license. ISO images are import the model in one of the generated for x86_64 architecture supported formats (STL, OBJ, X3D, with NVIDIA ( 2.8 GB ) and Intel / full circle magazine #171 5 contents ^ NEWS SURICATA INTRUSION ALMALINUX INCLUDES 2.3 for RHEL / Fedora, Android, Haiku, macOS and Windows. The latest DETECTION SYSTEM UPDATE: SUPPORT FOR RELEASED: ARM64: release of the award-winning drawing program for children 07/01/2021 07/01/2021 07/01/2021 offers more fun for everyone with new features and expanded he OISF (Open Information he AlmaLinux 8.4, originally utebrowser 2.3, providing a accessibility options. T Security Foundation) has T released for x86_64 systems, Q minimal graphical interface that published corrective releases of now supports the ARM / AArch64 does not distract from viewing the http://www.tuxpaint.org/latest/ Suricata Network Intrusion architecture. There are three content, and a navigation system in tuxpaint-0.9.26-press-release.php Detection and Prevention System options of iso images available for the style of , built entirely on 6.0.3 and 5.0.7 , which fix the critical download: bootable (650 MB), keyboard shortcuts, is out. The code vulnerability CVE-2021-35063. The minimum (1.6 GB) and full (7 GB). is written in Python using PyQt5 BACKDOOR DETECTED IN problem makes it possible to and QtWebEngine. The source code CLIENT OF bypass any Suricata analyzers and The distribution is fully binary is distributed under the GPLv3 ON ASS CERTIFICATION checks. compatible with Red Hat Enterprise license. The use of Python does not M P Linux 8.4 and can be used as a affect performance, since the AUTHORITY: The vulnerability is caused by transparent replacement for rendering and parsing of content is disabling flow parsing for packets CentOS 8. Changes amount to carried out by the engine and 07/02/2021 with a nonzero ACK value but no rebranding, removal of RHEL- the Qt library. ACK bit set, which allowed starting specific packages such as redhat- *, vast has published the results a TCP session with a SYN packet insights-client and subscription- https://lists.schokokeks.org/ A of a study of the compromise with a nonzero ACK to take the manager-migration *, creation of a pipermail/qutebrowser-announce/ of the server of the Mongolian entire TCP connection out of scope repository "devel" with additional 2021-June/000104.html certification authority MonPass, in Suricata. Such packets in Suricata packages and build dependencies. which led to the substitution of a backdoor in the application offered were recognized as erroneous and Includes new modules with Python TUX PAINT 0.9.26 IS the handlers would return an error 3.9, SWIG 4.0 Subversion 1.14, Redis for installation by customers. The code without parsing the content. 6, PostgreSQL 13 and MariaDB 10.5. RELEASED: analysis showed that the Updated versions of GCC Toolset infrastructure was compromised by https://suricata.io/2021/06/30/ 10, LLVM Toolset 11.0.0, Rust 07/01/2021 hacking one of MonPass's public new-suricata-6-0-3-and-5-0-7- Toolset 1.49.0 and Go Toolset web servers based on the Windows releases/ 1.15.7. he graphic editor for children - platform. Traces of eight different T Tux Paint 0.9.26 has been hacks were identified on the https://wiki.almalinux.org/release- published. The program is designed specified server, as a result of which notes/8.4-arm.html to teach drawing to children aged 3 eight webshells and backdoors for to 12 years. Binaries are available remote access were installed.

full circle magazine #171 6 contents ^ NEWS development of IBM's business, but previously limited to developing a The project has been overhauling Including malicious changes already as an advisor to the IBM module for the Linux kernel, but the Vim code base for more than were made to the official client management. It is noteworthy that after the transfer of support for seven years, as a result - changes software, which was shipped with after the announcement of the FreeBSD, it was recognized as the have been made to simplify the the backdoor from February 8 to departure of Jim Whitehurst, IBM main implementation of OpenZFS maintenance of the code, providing March 3. The story began when, in shares fell in price by 4.6%. and renamed. means of division of labor between response to a client's complaint, several maintainers, separating the Avast was convinced of the From 2008 to 2019, Whitehurst The code is distributed under interface from the base part (the presence of malicious changes in served as chief executive officer the free CDDL license, which is interface can be changed without the installer distributed through (CEO) of Red Hat, and after incompatible with GPLv2, which touching the internals) and the official MonPass website. Upon completing the integration of Red does not allow integrating implementing a new extensible notification of the issue, MonPass Hat with IBM in 2019, he became OpenZFS into the upstream Linux architecture for based on plugins. employees provided Avast with vice president of IBM and head of kernel, since mixing code under the The original code of the project is access to a copy of the the division into which Red Hat GPLv2 and CDDL licenses is not distributed under the Apache 2.0 compromised server's disk image to moved. In January 2020, Whitehurst allowed. To work around this license, and the base part under the parse the incident. was appointed by the board of licensing incompatibility, it was Vim license. directors to serve as president of decided to distribute the entire https://decoded.avast.io/ IBM. Under Whitehurst's leadership, product under the CDDL as a https://github.com/neovim/neovim/ luigicamastra/backdoored-client- Red Hat's revenues have grown separately downloadable module releases/tag/v0.5.0 from-mongolian-ca-monpass/ eightfold and market capitalization that is shipped separately from the has increased tenfold. kernel. The stability of the OpenZFS AUDACITY'S NEW PRIVACY codebase is rated as comparable to JIM WHITEHURST, HEAD OF https://www.cnbc.com/quotes/IBM other FS for Linux. POLICY ALLOWS DATA RED HAT, STEPS DOWN AS COLLECTION FOR THE PRESIDENT OF IBM: OPENZFS 2.1 RELEASE WITH https://github.com/openzfs/zfs/ BENEFIT OF GOVERNMENT releases/tag/zfs-2.1.0 DRAID SUPPORT 07/02/2021 AUTHORITIES: EOVIM AVAILABLE 07/02/2021 N 0.5, : 07/04/2021 lmost three years after the integration of Red Hat in IBM 07/03/2021 A he release of the OpenZFS 2.1 sers of the Audacity sound Vaytherst Jim has decided to project has been published , editor have noticed a new withdraw from the post of T fter nearly two years of U which develops the ZFS file system privacy notice regulating issues president of IBM. At the same time, development - Neovim 0.5 is implementation for Linux and A related to sending telemetry and Jim expressed his readiness to out. This version focused on FreeBSD. The project became processing accumulated user continue to participate in the improving scalability and flexibility. known as "ZFS on Linux" and was information. In May, the audio full circle magazine #171 7 contents ^ NEWS editor Audacity was sold to the for MS Word formats, leading to a the linux-next branch. The new Muse Group, which expressed its buffer overflow when processing version eliminates the comments ABIWORD 3.0.5 UPDATE: readiness to provide resources for specially designed footnotes and made during the discussion of the modernizing the interface and documents in the "doc" format. first version of the patches. Linus 07/04/2021 implementing a non-destructive Torvalds has already joined the editing mode, keeping the product http://www.abisource.com/release- discussion and suggested changing year and a half after the last as a free project. Initially, Audacity notes/3.0.5.phtml the logic for processing some bit update, the release of the free was designed only to run on a local A operations. multi-platform word processor system, without accessing external AbiWord 3.0.5 was heralded. It THE SECOND EDITION OF services over the internet, but https://lkml.org/lkml/2021/7/4/171 supports the processing of Muse Group plans to include tools PATCHES FOR THE LINUX documents in common office in Audacity to integrate with cloud formats (ODF, OOXML, RTF, etc.) KERNEL WITH SUPPORT FOR RELEASE OF VIRTUOZZO services, check for updates, send and provides features such as the RUST: telemetry and reports with LINUX 8.4: organization of co-editing information about crashes and documents and multi-page mode. 07/05/2021 errors ... The Muse Group also tried 07/06/2021 (This allows you to view and edit to add code for accounting different pages of the document on iguel Ojeda, author of the information about launching the irtuozzo, who develops server one screen.) The project code is project Rust-for-Linux, application through Google and M V virtualization software based distributed under the GPLv2 proposed for consideration by the Yandex services, but after a wave of on open source projects, published license. Linux kernel developers an updated discontent, this change was Virtuozzo Linux 8.4, constructed by version of the components for the canceled. recompiling the source code The new version fixes several development of device drivers on packages of Red Hat Enterprise the bugs, including a crash when Rust language. Rust support is https://news.ycombinator.com/ Linux 8.4. The distribution is fully working with the clipboard. Fixed considered experimental, but has item?id=27724389 binary compatible and identical in two vulnerabilities in the processor already been agreed for inclusion in functionality to RHEL 8.4, and can be used to transparently replace solutions based on RHEL 8 and CentOS 8. Iso images of 1.6 GB and 4.2 GB are available for download .

https://www.virtuozzo.com/blog- review/details/blog/view/virtuozzo- vzlinux-84-now-available.html

full circle magazine #171 8 contents ^ NEWS OPENVMS OPERATING NEXTCLOUD HUB 22 BROWSER 10.5 almost double the speed of installing packages, at the cost of a SYSTEM FOR X OLLABORATION LATFORM RELEASED 86-64 C P : small increase in their size (~ 6%). ARCHITECTURE: AVAILABLE: Notably, support for using zstd was 07.07.2021 added to apt and dpkg back in 2018 07/06/2021 07/06/2021 with the Ubuntu 18.04 release, but fter ten months of was not used to compress development, a major release MS Software, who bought the extcloud Hub 22, which A packages. On Debian, zstd support of the specialized Tor Browser 10.5 rights to continue provides a self-contained is already included in APT, V N is out, which continues to develop development of the OpenVMS solution for organizing debootstrap and reprepro and is functionality based on the ESR operating system from Hewlett- collaboration between employees being reviewed before being branch of Firefox 78. The browser Packard five years ago, has released of enterprises and teams included in dpkg. OpenVMS 9.1, notable for its developing various projects, is out. focuses on providing anonymity, security and privacy, all traffic is support for the x86-64 architecture. Also, Nextcloud cloud platform 22, https://balintreczey.hu/blog/hello- redirected only through the Tor The OpenVMS operating system allowing the cloud to expand zstd-compressed-debs-in-ubuntu/ has been evolving since 1977, is support synchronization and data network. It is not possible to used in fault-tolerant systems that exchange, providing the ability to contact the current system via the STOPS require increased reliability, and view and modify data from any internet, which does not allow was previously only available for device at any point in the network tracing the user's real IP. Tor DEVELOPMENT OF FIREFOX Browser builds are prepared for VAX, Alpha and Intel Itanium (or using WebDAV web-interface). LITE BROWSER: architectures. It is noteworthy that The Nextcloud server can be Linux, Windows and macOS. attempts to port OpenVMS to x86 deployed on any hosting that 07.07.2021 systems in the late 1980s were supports PHP scripts and provides https://blog.torproject.org/new- release-tor-browser-105 unsuccessful due to the cessation access to SQLite, MariaDB / MySQL, he Mozilla company decided to of funding, after which the author or PostgreSQL. The Nextcloud T terminate the development of of the port moved to Microsoft and sources are distributed under the UBUNTU 21.10 SWITCHES TO Firefox Lite, which is positioned as a created Windows NT. AGPL license. USING ZSTD ALGORITHM FOR lightweight version of Firefox the Focus, adapted to run on systems COMPRESSING DEB https://vmssoftware.com/about/ https://nextcloud.com/blog/ with limited resources and low- openvmsv9-1/ nextcloud-hub-22-introduces- PACKAGES: speed data . The project was approval-workflows-integrated- developed by the Mozilla knowledge-management-and- 07.07.2021 development team from Taiwan decentralized-group- and was aimed primarily at delivery administration/ he Ubuntu developers began in India, Indonesia, Thailand, the T translating deb packages to use Philippines, China and developing the zstd algorithm, which will countries. full circle magazine #171 9 contents ^ NEWS RELEASE OF PROXMOX VE disk partitions, adds the ability to to be rolled out until 2025. Updates for Firefox Lite were 7.0: bind BPF programs to services, discontinued on June 30th. Users implements mapping of user IDs in http://blog.linuxmint.com/ are encouraged to switch to Firefox mounted partitions, offers a large 07.07.2021 for Android instead of Firefox Lite . portion of new network settings STABLE RELEASE OF The reason for the termination of and the ability to run containers. roxmox Virtual Environment support for Firefox Lite is that in MARIADB 10.6 DBMS: 7.0, a specialized Linux- the current form Firefox for P https://lists.freedesktop.org/ distribution based on Debian, 07/09/2021 Android and fully archives/systemd-devel/2021-July/ aimed at the deployment and cover all the needs of mobile users, 046672.html maintenance of virtual servers fter a year of development and and the need to maintain another using LXC and the KVM, and able to three preliminary releases, the edition of Firefox has lost its A act as replacement products such RELEASE OF LINUX MINT first stable release of the new meaning. as VMware vSphere, Microsoft 20.2: MariaDB 10.6 DBMS branch is Hyper-V and Citrix Hypervisor. The published. It is a fork from MySQL, https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/ size of the installation iso image is 1 07/08/2021 while maintaining backward kb/end-support-firefox-lite GB. compatibility and featuring the inux Mint 20.2 distribution is integration of additional storage NGINX 1.21.1 RELEASED: https://forum.proxmox.com/ L out, based on the Ubuntu 20.04 engines and advanced features. The threads/proxmox-ve-7-0- LTS package base . The distribution new branch will be supported for 5 07.07.2021 released.92007/ is fully compatible with Ubuntu, but years, until July 2026. significantly differs in the approach he release of the main branch SYSTEMD 249 SYSTEM to organizing the user interface and MariaDB development is T of nginx 1.21.1 was the selection of default overseen by the independent MANAGER RELEASED announced,where development of : applications. The Linux Mint MariaDB Foundation, following a new features continues (in the developers provide a desktop completely open and transparent 07/08/2021 parallel maintained stable branch environment that conforms to the development process independent 1.20, only changes are made classic canons of desktop of individual vendors. MariaDB fter three months of related to the elimination of organization, which is more familiar comes in place of MySQL on many development, the system serious bugs and vulnerabilities). A to users who do not accept the new Linux distributions (RHEL, SUSE, manager - systemd 249. The new methods of the GNOME 3 interface. Fedora, openSUSE, Slackware, release provides the ability to https://mailman.nginx.org/ DVD images: MATE 1.24 ( 2 GB ) OpenMandriva, ROSA, , define users / groups in JSON pipermail/nginx-announce/ shells ( 2 GB ), Cinnamon 5.0 ( 2 GB ) Debian) and has been deployed in format, stabilizes the Journal 2021/000304.html and Xfce 4.16 ( 1.9 GB). Linux Mint major projects such as Wikipedia, protocol, simplifies the 20 is classified as a Long Term Google Cloud SQL, and Nimbuzz . organization of loading alternating Support (LTS) release, with updates full circle magazine #171 10 contents ^ NEWS https://mariadb.com/kb/en/ personal use license . At the same to expand the storage size without HANDBRAKE 1.4.0 mariadb-1063-release-notes/ time, the project is a fork of the stopping work and creating ELEASED code base of the Sherlock project , snapshots. The size of the bootable R : supplied under the MIT license (the iso image (x86_64) is 380MB. The SNOOP 1.3.0: 19/07/2021 fork was created due to the 1.0 release marks a move to the inability to expand the base of openSUSE 15.3 package base. 07/11/2021 fter almost two years if sites). development, a release of a https://easynas.org/2021/07/10/ A he release of Project Snoop 1.3, tool for multithreaded transcoding https://github.com/snooppr/snoop/ easynas-1-0/ which is an OSINT forensic tool of video files from one format to T releases/tag/V1.3.0_10_July_2021 that searches for user accounts in another is presented - HandBrake public data (open source GNU BINUTILS 2.37 1.4.0. The program is available both intelligence), has been released. RELEASE OF EASYNAS 1.0 RELEASED: in command line mode and a GUI The program analyzes various sites, NETWORK STORAGE: interface. The project code is forums and social networks for the 19/07/2021 written in C (for Windows the GUI is presence of the desired username, 07/11/2021 implemented in .NET) and is i.e. allows you to determine on he set of system utilities, GNU distributed under the GPL license. which sites there is a user with the asyNAS 1.0, designed for the T Binutils 2.37 is out, which Binaries for Linux (Flatpak), macOS specified nickname. The project E deployment of network includes programs such as GNU and Windows are available for was developed on the basis of attached storage (NAS, Network- linker, GNU assembler, nm, download. research work in the field of public Attached Storage) in small objdump, strings, strip. data scraping. The downloads are companies and home networks, is Output, files can be generated prepared for Linux and Windows. available. The project has been https://www.mail-archive.com/info- in WebM, MP4 and MKV, AV1, developing since 2013, built on the [email protected]/msg02923.html H.265, H.264, MPEG-2, VP8, VP9 The code is written in Python openSUSE package base and uses and Theora codecs. It can be used and is licensed under a limited the Btrfs file system with the ability for video encoding, for sound - AAC, MP3 , AC-3, Flac, Vorbis and Opus. Additional functions include: bitrate calculator, preview during encoding, image resizing and scaling, subtitle integrator, wide range of conversion profiles for specified types of mobile devices.

https://handbrake.fr/news.php? article=47

full circle magazine #171 11 contents ^ NEWS LINUS TORVALDS stand up to criticism, and no major 470.57.02. The driver is available for claims were made to the new Linux (ARM, x86_64), FreeBSD COMMENTED ON THE FREETYPE 2.11 FONT Paragon driver for a year. (x86_64) and Solaris (x86_64). SITUATION WITH THE NTFS ENGINE RELEASED: DRIVER FROM PARAGON The code for the new NTFS NVIDIA also released the code driver was discovered by Paragon for the NVRHI (NVIDIA Rendering 19/07/2021 SOFTWARE: Software in August last year and Hardware Interface) library and differs from the one already in the Donut framework under the MIT reeType 2.11.0 , a modular font 19/07/2021 driver's kernel by the ability to work license. NVRHI is an abstract layer F engine that provides a single in write mode. The driver supports running on of various graphics API for unifying the processing and hen discussing the issue of all the features of the current (Direct3D 11, Direct3D 12, output of font data in various W separation of powers when version of NTFS 3.1, including Vulkan 1.2) on Windows and Linux. vector and raster formats. maintaining the code of file extended file attributes, data Donut provides a set of pre-built systems and VFS-related drivers, compression mode, efficient work components and rendering stages https://www.mail-archive.com/ Linus Torvalds expressed his with voids in files and replay of for prototyping real-time rendering [email protected]/ readiness to directly accept patches changes from the log to restore systems. msg00131.html with the new implementation of integrity after failures. the NTFS file system, if Paragon In addition, NVIDIA has provided Software takes over the https://lore.kernel.org/lkml/CAHk- support for Linux and ARM LINUX KERNEL BOOT responsibilities of the NTFS file =wjW7Up3KD-2EqVg7+ca8Av0- architecture in the SDK: DLSS (Deep MPLEMENTED ON system maintainer in the Linux rC5Kd7yK+=m6Dwk3D4Q+A@mail. Learning Super Sampling, Realistic I ESP32 kernel and receives confirmation gmail.com/ Image Scaling Using Machine BOARD: from others. Learning Methods), RTXDI (RTX Direct Illumination, Dynamic 20/07/2021 Linus noted that among the NVIDIA PUBLISHES DRIVER Lighting), RTXGI (RTX Global developers of the VFS kernel there Illumination, Light Reflection ), NRD nthusiasts were able to boot a are no people responsible for 470.57.02, OPENS RTXMU (NVIDIA Optix AI-Acceleration E Linux 5.0 environment on an receiving pull requests with new CODE AND ADDS LINUX Denoiser, Using Machine Learning ESP32 board with a Tensilica Xtensa filesystems, so such requests can dual-core processor (esp32 devkit SUPPORT TO RTX SDK: to Accelerate Realistic Image be sent to him personally. In Rendering). v1 board, no full MMU) equipped general, Linus hinted that he does with 2MB Flash and 8MB PSRAM 19/07/2021 not see any particular problems https:// connected via SPI. A ready-made with the adoption of the new NTFS forums.developer.nvidia.com/t/ Linux firmware image for ESP32 has VIDIA has published the first code into the main part of the linux-solaris-and--driver- been prepared for download. stable release of a new branch kernel, since the deplorable state N 470-57-02-production-branch- of the proprietary NVIDIA driver of the old NTFS driver does not release/184049 The firmware is based on the full circle magazine #171 12 contents ^ NEWS JuiceVm virtual machine and the for downloading music scores from Linux 5.0 kernel port. JuiceVm musescore.com for free without https://github.com/Xmader/ JULIACON 2021 ONLINE provides the smallest possible having to log in to the site and musescore-downloader/issues/ harness for RISC-V systems, capable without connecting to a paid 5#issuecomment-882450335 CONFERENCE WILL BE HELD of booting on chips with several Musescore subscription. (Pro.) The AT THE END OF JULY: hundred kilobytes of RAM. JuiceVm claim also concerns the musescore- A GPIO DRIVER WRITTEN IN provides the launch of OpenSBI dataset repository with a collection 20/07/2021 (RISC-V Supervisor Binary of sheet music copied from RUST IS PROPOSED FOR THE Interface), a glue interface for musescore.com. At the same time, LINUX KERNEL: rom July 28 to July 30, the loading Linux kernel and minimal Muse Group has nothing against F annual JuliaCon 2021 system environment from firmware the LibreScore project, in which the 20/07/2021 conference will be held. Dedicated specific to the ESP32 platform. same author develops a free to the use of the Julia language and Besides Linux, JuiceVm also alternative to musescore.com, n response to Linus Torvalds' designed to perform high- supports FreeRTOS and RT-Thread based on the code base of the I comment that the driver example performance scientific computing. booting . MuseScore application, distributed attached to the patchset for the This year the conference will be under the GPL license. The position Rust language support for the Linux held online, registration is free. https://www.reddit.com/r/esp32/ of the author of musescore- kernel is useless and does not solve comments/om106r/ downloader boils down to the fact real-world problems, a version of From today until July 27, a series boot_linux_500_on_esp32/ that he used a regular publicly the PL061 GPIO driver rewritten in of thematic seminars will be held documented API in his program, Rust is proposed. A feature of the for the conference participants, MUSE GROUP SEEKS which was removed from driver is that its implementation where the solution of specific musescore.com after the almost line by line repeats the problems will be considered in CLOSURE OF MUSESCORE- application was created. In addition, existing GPIO driver in C. For detail. Seminars suggest a different DOWNLOADER PROJECT the author of musescore- developers who want to get level of familiarity with the downloader considers it incorrect GITHUB REPOSITORY: acquainted with the creation of language: from zero to advanced. that access to publications drivers in Rust, a line- by -line prepared by enthusiasts and 20/07/2021 comparison has been prepared, The upcoming conference will initially placed in the open access which makes it possible to cover both programming issues and free of charge was limited only to he Muse Group, founded by the understand into which constructs in solutions to various applied paid subscribers, while Muse Group Ultimate Guitar project and Rust the C code has been problems from various fields, T does not own the rights to content owning the open source projects converted. including those not related to prepared by users (users do not MusesCore and Audacity, has scientific research. The conference own the rights to the sheet music resumed attempts to close the https://lore.kernel.org/ksummit/ is aimed both at participants who of other people's works, since the musescore-downloader repository, [email protected] are just getting acquainted with the copyright holder is musicians and that is developing an application m/ possibilities of the language and at music publishers). full circle magazine #171 13 contents ^ NEWS advanced users. As a reminder, the GPL license VIRTUALBOX 6.1.24 20.10 / 21.04, Debian 11 and Fedora provides for the possibility of 34 in the default configuration. It is ELEASED https://juliacon.org/2021/ revoking the license from the R : noted that other distributions have violator and terminating all the not been tested, but theoretically 20/07/2021 STOCKFISH SUES CHESSBASE rights of the licensee granted by they are also susceptible to the this license. In accordance with the problem and can be attacked. The racle has published a patch AND REVOKES GPL LICENSE: rules of license termination full code of the exploits is promised release for VirtualBox 6.1.24 , adopted in GPLv3, if violations were O to be published after the which includes 18 fixes . 20/07/2021 detected for the first time and widespread elimination of the eliminated within 30 days from the problem, and so far only a https://www.mail-archive.com/ roject Stockfish, distributed date of notification, the rights to prototype of limited functionality is [email protected]/ P under the GPLv3 license, filed a the license are restored, and the available, causing the system to msg00212.html lawsuit on ChessBase. Stockfish is license is not completely revoked crash. The issue has been apparent the strongest chess engine used by (the contract remains intact). The since July 2014 and affects kernel the lichess.org and chess.com chess rights are returned immediately releases since 3.16. The service . The lawsuit is for the also in case of elimination of LINUX KERNEL ROOT vulnerability patch was coordinated inclusion of Stockfish code in a violations, if the copyright holder VULNERABILITY AND with the community and accepted proprietary product without has not notified about the violation into the kernel on July 19. Major opening the source of a derivative within 60 days. If the deadlines have SYSTEMD DENIAL OF SERVICE: distributions have already work. expired, then the violation of the generated kernel package updates license can be interpreted as a 21/07/2021 ( Debian ,Ubuntu , Fedora , RHEL , The company ChessBase known violation of the contract, for which SUSE , Arch ). for its chess program Fritz from the financial penalties can be obtained ecurity researchers at Qualys 1990s. In 2019, they released the from the court. S have disclosed details of two https://blog.qualys.com/ Fat Fritz engine, based on the vulnerabilities affecting the Linux vulnerabilities-threat-research/ neural network of the open source https://stockfishchess.org/blog/ kernel and the systemd system 2021/07/20/sequoia-a-local- Leela Chess Zero engine, at one 2021/our-lawsuit-against- manager. A kernel vulnerability privilege-escalation-vulnerability-in- time based on the AlphaZero chessbase/ (CVE-2021-33909) allows a local linuxs-filesystem-layer-cve-2021- project, opened by Google. This user to achieve root code execution 33909 was not a violation of any law, by manipulating heavily nested although the Leela developers directories. were unhappy that ChessBase positioned Fat Fritz as a standalone The vulnerability is compounded development, not recognizing the by the fact that the researchers AlphaZero and LeelaZero teams. were able to prepare working exploits that work in Ubuntu 20.04 /

full circle magazine #171 14 contents ^ NEWS KDE PLASMA MOBILE SIXTYFPS 0.1.0 GUI https://github.com/sixtyfpsui/ https://firewalld.org/2021/07/ sixtyfps/releases/tag/v0.1.0 firewalld-1-0-0-release 21.07 RELEASED: LIBRARY AVAILABLE:

22/07/2021 22/07/2021 FIREWALLD 1.0 RELEASED: GENTOO STARTED GENERATING ADDITIONAL DE Plasma Mobile 21.07 is he cross-platform library for 23/07/2021 ASSEMBLIES BASED ON MUSL K published, based on the mobile T creating graphic interfaces edition of the Plasma 5 desktop, SixtyFPS 0.1.0 has been published, ntroducing firewalld 1.0, AND SYSTEMD: the KDE Frameworks 5 libraries, the targeted for use on embedded I implemented in the form of a Ofono phone stack and the devices and desktop applications on binding over nftables and iptables 23/07/2021 Telepathy communication Linux, macOS and Windows packet filters. Firewalld runs as a framework. Composite server platforms, as well as for use in web background process that allows you he developers of the Gentoo kwin_wayland is used to display browsers (WebAssembly). The to dynamically change the packet T distribution have announced graphics. PulseAudio is used for library code is written in Rust and is filter rules over D-Bus, without that they have expanded the range sound processing. distributed under the GPLv3 or having to reload the packet filter of ready-made stagefiles available commercial license, which allows rules and without breaking any for download. The publication of The structure includes use in proprietary products without established connections. The stage-archives based on the Musl C applications such as KDE Connect opening their code. project is already used in many library and assemblies for the to pair your phone with a desktop, Linux distributions, including RHEL ppc64 platform, optimized for document viewer , music The authors of the library 7+, Fedora 18+, and SUSE / POWER9 processors, has begun. player VVave , image viewer Koko (Olivier Goffart and Simon openSUSE 15+. The firewalld code They added stage archives with and Pix, system reference notes Hausmann), former KDE developers is written in Python and is licensed systemd manager for all supported Buho, calendar planner calindori, who later moved to Trolltech to under the GPLv2 license. platforms, in addition to previously File Manager Index, the application work on Qt, have now founded available builds based on OpenRC. manager Discover , program SMS their own company developing A major change to the version Through the standard download sending Spacebar, plasma- SixtyFPS. One of the goals of the number is due to changes that page for the amd64 platform, the phonebook, plasma-dialer , plasma- project is to provide the ability to break backward compatibility and delivery of Hardened stage files angelfish browser and Spectral work with minimal consumption of change the behavior of working with SELinux support and the musl messenger... CPU and memory resources (several with zones. All filtering parameters library began. hundred kilobytes of RAM are defined in the zone are now applied https://www.plasma-mobile.org/ required to work). There are two only to traffic addressed to the The changes were made 2021/07/20/plasma-mobile-gear- backends available for rendering - host on which firewalld is running, possible by the introduction of new 21-07/ gl based on OpenGL ES 2.0 and qt and to filter transit traffic, you need build hosts. Assemblies for amd64, using Qt QStyle. to configure policies . x86, arm (via QEMU) and riscv (via QEMU) architectures are now

full circle magazine #171 15 contents ^ NEWS generated on a server with an 8- core AMD Ryzen 7 3700X CPU and HARDWARE HEALTH 64 GB of RAM. Builds for ppc, ppc64, and ppc64le / power9le ASSESSMENT INITIATIVE IN A architectures are provided on a FUTURE RELEASE OF DEBIAN server with a 16-core POWER9 CPU and 32GB of RAM. For arm64 11: assemblies, a server with an 80-core 23/07/2021 Ampere Altra CPU and 256 GB of RAM is dedicated. he community has launched an open beta test for the https://www.gentoo.org/news/ T upcoming release of Debian 11, in 2021/07/20/more-downloads.html which even the most inexperienced novice users can participate. Full automation was achieved after the PEERTUBE 3.3 hw-probe package was included in DECENTRALIZED VIDEO the new version of the distribution, which can independently determine BROADCASTING PLATFORM the operability of individual devices RELEASED: from the logs.

25/07/2021 A daily updated repository with a list and catalog of tested eerTube offers a vendor- hardware configurations was P independent alternative to organised. The repository will be YouTube, Dailymotion and Vimeo, updated until the expected release using a content distribution of a new version of Debian on network based on P2P August 14, after which it will communications and linking become the place for collecting visitors' browsers. The project ode system usage statistics for the next distributed under the AGPLv3 two years. license. https://github.com/linuxhw/ https://joinpeertube.org/ TestCoverage/tree/main/Dist/ news#release-3.3 Debian_11

full circle magazine #171 16 contents ^ The VirtualBox Networking Primer Connecting and Configuring Virtual Machines

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

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

Complete with principles, practice, examples and glossary, The VirtualBox Networking Primer takes the frustration and confusion out of connecting real-world projects.

Author: Robin Catling Publisher: Proactivity Press ISBN13 : 9781916119482

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Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/the-virtualbox-networking- primer full circle magazine #171 17 contents ^ CCOOMMMMAANNDD && CCOONNQQUUEERR LMMS Pt.7 Written by Erik LMMS Pt.7

hope you’ve paid attention to octave (just keep that in mind). The Spread” that allows Zyn to move Then next to the “Frequency I previous issues, as this month we first one, top and bottom is a the tuning a bit – giving you a wider Spread“ you should see a knob with will be steaming ahead. If you did special one. Use this to make your spectrum of sound, if you would. the word “Stereo” above it; this not, I strongly advise that you do. instruments sound ‘fuller’. You spreads the sound in the left / right However, to avoid confusion, we should experiment with even Please, you have to play with spectrum. The more you crank this are looking into ZynaddsubFX (Zyn numbers as well as 2, 4, 8, 16, 32. this and hear the difference to knob, the ‘wider’ the sound will be. from now on) that comes with understand; I cannot tell you; you Try it! Spreading your instruments LMMS. I want you to know that, as In the Addsynth voice need to learn this, so if you do not in stereo allows for better sounding ugly as Zyn is (ugly as Zyn… OK, I’ll parameters, one screen back, you follow along and fiddle (don’t tunes in the end. see myself out), you can make will find your new voice / worry, you won’t break it) you will almost any synth out there on the instrument in the picture window. not understand what it sounds like. If your goal is to create special market with this. Not kidding! Just below that in the bottom-left, This will allow you to turn a simple effects for your games, the next you should see “Unison”. It is off by chord into a trance piano sound, for two knobs are your friend. Vibrato Fire up LMMS and let’s start! default. You can add as many as you instance, if you ever wondered makes those warbling sounds. Finer like, and by using the slider right where they get those sounds. tuning for these can be done in the First, Addsynth. Pull Zyn into next to it, you open the “Frequency frequency LFO, but again, I cannot your song editor. Click the show GUI tell you, you need to actually play button. Click advanced. Click edit with it and find what you like or instrument. Click the add button what works for you. If you have a under addsynth. Click show voice large screen, move the piano out to parameters. Next to the sine wave, the side, as there is no “play” option click change. here. If you make a boo-boo, just click on clear to the right, to reset This may look like an equalizer, all the harmonics. but it is not. It is a little counter- intuitive, the base function is to the The nice thing about this is that left and the Oscillator is to the each “instrument” you create has right, but you get used to it. its own volume control, so you can add loud and soft versions of the In the equalizer-type board that same instrument to use in your fills the bottom half of the screen, song, without having to fiddle with the even numbers usually mean an volume automation. You can also

full circle magazine #171 18 contents ^ COMMAND & CONQUER have multiple instances of Zyn in sounds so much different to the been on a synthwave trip (shout out cost between $70 - $10 million and your song editor, so don’t be shy. Addsynth is – if you look above the to Peter), now here is your chance they all sounded the same to me!). wave, you will see two blue dotted to create your own! The next one Also remember that all these lines intersecting the cyan on that list, double exp, is basically As the name says, it is made for are dependent on your sound card harmonic. This is adjustable by the a combination of the two above. making pads, they sound really too. My laptop’s built-in sound card bandwidth knob in the bottom-left. You can also use the great when you use octaves? (bear is probably made of cardboard, so it It tells you above that that it is the “AmpMultiplier” to multiply the with me on the music terminology, I is quite horrible. When I connect my frequency distribution. That is what amp, but what does that mean? It don’t know it, I know what I like and external Soundblaster card, the is filling out the horrible PC creates another hidden copy of the I know how to get it, and that is difference is chalk and cheese. speaker-esque sound to something harmonic and allows you to shape enough for me). Bear in mind that Thus, if you are just mucking about that does not make your ears the tune a bit more. Again, if you this is a base. Top-right it will even like we are, don’t try to make bleed. have tinny speakers, you may not say “base type”. anything too serious, you need a hear the difference, so I urge you to decent sound card for that. In the image, top-left, there is a get semi-decent speakers and a I have led you to the ‘points of word that is marred by the outline, semi-decent sound card if you plan interest’ – however, the onus is on On to Padsynth, (I am skipping just below ‘base type’. It says Gauss; on playing with Zyn. Or… if you are YOU to fiddle and find sounds you Subsynth as I don’t see how it is changing that to square should get tone deaf like me, you can just like. This is a really great way to do useful.) you into the synthwave-type sputter ahead. (No, really, I listened remixes of songs with arb sounds. I know some of you have to Rob Lande's video of violins that instruments. Things may look different and also similar, but it will sound Hope you guys had fun; we will different than Addsynth. If you look continue this in the next issue. at the interface, you will see ‘apply changes’ is highlighted in a As always, redirect your queries different color. (Supposedly red) as to [email protected] you need to press this every time to apply the changes you have made, before you will hear them. You would be surprised how often you forget. Erik has been in IT for 30+ years. He To the right of the sine wave, we has seen technology come and go. have our change button, which will From repairing washing machine sized hard drives with multimeters and allow us to choose a new wave oscilloscopes, laying cable, to scaling type, the same as in the other two 3G towers, he's done it. synths. The reason the Padsynth full circle magazine #171 19 contents ^ HHOOWW--TTOO Written by Greg Walters PPyytthhoonn IInn TThhee RREEAALL WWoorrlldd PPtt..111199

n the poem "to a mouse", Robert It also provides a simple command- import plotext as plt I Burns wrote "The best laid line tool. y1 = plt.sin(1000, 3) schemes o’ Mice an’ Men Gang aft y2 = plt.sin(1000, 3, 1.5, phase = 1) plt.plot(y1, label = "plot") agley". Now, some of us might not I haven’t had a tremendous plt.scatter(y2, label = "scatter", marker = "small") get Scottish quite readily, so with a amount of time to fully test and plt.plotsize(100, 30) little bit of web searching, the examine plotext, but by the time plt.title("Multiple Data Set") plt.show() general gist of the saying is (and you get to the end of this article, this is the opinion of multiple you will see that it isn’t very website writers) "the best laid plans difficult to use. of mice and men can still go wrong. No matter how well you plan, there You can see the project at is no guarantee of success." That https://github.com/piccolomo/ seems to be speaking directly to my plotext . life. It’s easy to install using pip (or The article you are reading was pip3). not my first choice of subjects for this month. In fact, it didn’t make it pip install plotext into the top three subjects. But such is life. When life gives you Once I had the library loaded, I lemons, what do you do? You make pulled open a ptpython REPL. I Lemon Drop Martinis. That’s what. borrowed one of the many examples from the repository (shown right). PLOTEXT

I’m always looking for a way to WORKING WITH REAL DATA produce plots that I can use easily, quickly and differently. I found I wanted to see just how easy it what I think is a really good one. is using some real data. I did a quick 2021. It was a very large amount of days. Then I threw together the ‘Plotext’ plots directly on terminal; web search for the latest Covid-19 data, so I simply pulled up the data following program (next page, top it has no dependencies; and the data for confirmed cases in Texas in a spreadsheet and pulled the right). syntax is very similar to matplotlib. from March 3, 2020 until July 12, totals for all of Texas for the last 40 full circle magazine #171 20 contents ^ HOWTO - PYTHON

You can see that the ‘last 40 import plotext as plt days’ shows what the news is reporting. Despite the attempts to data = [ 2520151, 2522016, 2523617, 2524212, 2524688, 2525991, 2527350, 2529068, control Covid-19, the number of 2530176, 2530658, 2530910, 2531194, 2532112, 2533123, 2534149, 2534730, confirmed cases rose at a fairly 2536217, 2536646, 2536691, 2538120, 2538908, 2540318, 2541586, 2542877, steep rate. 2543158, 2543253, 2544966, 2546040, 2547411, 2548878, 2549911, 2550317, 2550615, 2551284, 2552598, 2555504, 2557363, 2559192, 2559734, 2560137 ] Next, I tried to pull the data just print(data) for one county in Texas (bottom plt.plot(data) plt.plotsize(100, 40) right). Harris county is where most plt.title('Covid-19 numbers last 40 days') of Houston is located. Houston has plt.show() over 4 million residents and is the fourth largest city in the United States. When I ran the program, this is the plot that I got: This time I pulled only 28 days worth of data. This plot shows that, in Harris county, things were starting to stabilize and actually going down until around the 28th import plotext as plt of June, then started going up at a data1 = fairly quick rate. [403401,403496,403151,402894,402916,403069,402988,403035,403187,403027,403059,403134, 403276,403149,403149,402927,403019,403205,403240,403512,403584,403645,403646,404402,4 04986,405327,405627,405757] Finally, I pulled the data for Hays plt.plot(data1, label='Harris County') County in Texas (next page, top plt.plotsize(100,30) plt.title("Harris County") right). Hays county is a fairly small plt.show() county in terms of population, only around 157,000. Many of the residents of Hays county are college students. When I ran the program, this is the plot that I got: Again, the number of confirmed cases went from 17150 to 19230 in a period of 103 days. While that’s only 2088 more cases over the sample period, I find it interesting full circle magazine #171 21 contents ^ HOWTO - PYTHON that the number of cases were import plotext as plt rising at a fairly steady rate until data=[17150,17187,17187,17187,17187,17337,17351,17358,17446,17447,17447,17447,17600,1 about the time that the students 7619,17648,17694,17760,17760,17760,17876,17930,17979,18017,18061,18061,18061,18199,18 222,18236,18269,18354,18354,18354,18436,18463,18510,18535,18561,18561,18561,18606,186 started heading home for the 19,18634,18666,18683,18683,18683,18731,18749,18775,18798,18816,18816,18775,18828,1884 summer break. Then the number of 0,18856,18871,18864,18864,18864,18864,18880,18904,18916,18898,18898,18898,18911,18922 cases still went up but at a much ,18938,18951,18952,18952,18952,18974,18979,18988,18993,18991,18991,18991,19022,19034, 19035,19059,19059,19059,19059,19091,19103,19126,19145,19136,19136,19136,19136,19179,1 slower rate. 9192,19217,19238,19238,19238]

As you can see, with a very little plt.plot(data, label='Hays County') plt.plotsize(100,30) amount of effort, you can get plt.title("Hays County") reasonable plots. According to the plt.show() repository site, you can do scatter plots, line plots, log plots, stem plots, multiple data sets, double Y This dataset has 103 data points in it. axis plots, bar plots, histogram Here’s what the plot looks like: plots, set the data ticks to custom values, date/time plots, multiple subplots, plot streaming data, and more. Until next time, as always; stay It looks like the developers are safe, healthy, positive and creative! determined to continue updating the package, since everything on the site seems to have been updated within the last couple of months. They are currently on Greg Walters is a retired version 3.13. programmer living in Central Texas, USA. He has been a programmer since 1972 and in his spare time, he is This is a great little package and an author, amateur photographer, I intend to learn more about it and luthier, fair musician and a pretty update you as I can. darn good cook. He still is the owner of RainyDaySolutions a consulting company and he spends most of his The code that I used to produce time writing articles for FCM and the charts can be found at https:// tutorials. His website is github.com/gregwa1953/FCM-171 . www.thedesignatedgeek.xyz .

full circle magazine #171 22 contents ^ HHOOWW--TTOO Written by Erik LLaatteexx -- PPtt..55

Delete everything between \begin{figure} When it comes to typesetting, \begin{document} and \begin{subfigure} LaTeX is the undisputed champ. \end{document} so we can start \includegraphics{Figures/you} fresh. \caption{It's a U!} Boika, Boika... It outweighs its \label{fig:you}... opponents in the sheer number of \end{subfigure} options alone. At first, LaTeX is a bit This is what we will be covering \end{figure} confusing and difficult to use. Not if you are interested in the long to scare you, but I suggest looking explanation: https://latex.wikia.org/ here: http://tug.ctan.org/info/ wiki/Tabular_(LaTeX_environment) If you looked at the Wiki, you I am going with four columns, as symbols/comprehensive/symbols- would have seen a bunch of “c’s” our stolen data has four months a4.pdf Our code (or skeleton, per-se) following the word ‘tabular’. Now listed. We can do that first and see will be, if you deleted last month’s what is all this about? Well, the ‘c’ is what it looks like. You can name o by this point you have an file: shorthand for centre, so it is the your columns and use the S understanding of inserting alignment of your columns. From ampersand “&” to separate them. pictures into your LaTeX document, \documentclass[a4paper, this you should be able to figure twocolumn]{article} out that ‘l’ will be left alignment, Monkey see, monkey do quickly but let’s say you want to add some \usepackage{graphicx} data. I am unashamedly stealing \usepackage{subcaption} and ‘r’, right alignment. The pipe and I will explain. \graphicspath{dir-list} symbol is the line, separating the this from Wikipedia as I just needed \usepackage{lipsum} \subsection{Tables} some values (and because if I steal columns. Starting to make sense? I it anywhere else, people get upset \begin{document} thought so! We generally do have \begin{table} smart readers. about copyright nonsense). \end{document} \begin{tabular}{||c|c|c|c||} Jan & Apr & Jul & Oct So If I wanted to have a table \end{tabular} with the maximum temperatures for British Columbia, how would \end{table} you think that we would do it? With I inserted two pipe symbols on a subsection of Tables! This can be either side of my columns, to get sales figures or whatever you want, double lines. Pipe symbol = line, if we are just going to use that was not clear. It looks very temperatures as a neutral example. ugly, but it illustrates something I hope you have your practise you needed to learn. Tabular is document from the last issue. included in LaTeX and does not full circle magazine #171 23 contents ^ HOWTO - LATEX require you to import any packages. I added the Celsius symbol so 17506/the-tabular-environment We use {Tables} to make our tabular you can see that it is not numeric columns float. That way we can only. Go ahead and make a table. If you managed to keep up, well align our table with text. Please, at Admit it, it was easier than you done! See you next issue with more any time, feel free to play with the thought. cryptic codes. options you have learned so far. Make more columns, change the Homework: add a caption to the There are more graphics options amount of lines, whatever makes table explaining what we are available from the tikz package. you happy. If you make a mistake, looking at. That is another kettle of fish see if you can rectify it before completely. Tikz can net you a 12- looking back here. Feel free to add This is the basics of tables, we part series on its own. We will some ipsum text, to see what it can go deeper, but we have a lot to maybe touch on it at the end of this looks like. cover, and this series is aimed at series. newbies who have no idea what We have columns, but how do LaTeX is. They are kept short on Did I make a mistake? Do you we get rows? In LaTeX, rows are purpose, as LaTeX can overwhelm have questions? E-mail us at: called horizontal lines, so you will those who have no idea how [email protected] need to pre-fix and post-fix each complex it can be. data line with ‘hline’. The other thing you need to know is that two Reference for you: https:// slashes “\\” end a line. riptutorial.com/latex/example/

If you looked at the example on the Wiki, did you figure it out? Don’t worry, me neither. Monkey see, monkey do time. I will do the first and you see if you can do the rest from our stolen table.

\begin{tabular}{||c|c|c|c||} \hline Jan & Apr & Jul & Oct \\ Erik has been in IT for 30+ years. He \hline has seen technology come and go. 5.6C & 10.2C & 16.2C & From repairing washing machine sized 11.1C \\ \hline hard drives with multimeters and oscilloscopes, laying cable, to scaling \end{tabular} 3G towers, he's done it.

full circle magazine #171 24 contents ^ HHOOWW--TTOO Written by Eric Wood CCrreeaattee HHyybbrriidd PPoorrttaabbllee CClloonnee OOff YYoouurr SSyysstteemm

hen I first started using into what I believe to be a technical detail. I should also say • Your home system can use either W Ubuntu over 10 years ago, it straightforward technique for that, in Linux Land, there are always UEFI or Legacy/BIOS boot, the was because of its ability to boot creating a portable hybrid clone. I many ways to do things and I make clone will boot in either mode. from a Live CD, thinking that this decided to try it out on a 128GB no claim that this method is the • The destination drive must be big facility would be useful if I had a high speed USB stick I purchased on best; however, it does make use of enough to accommodate the problem with viruses that sale from Amazon (£12 or $20 very common Ubuntu tools and Ubuntu partition that we are going prevented normal booting of my CAN). With claimed read/write minimizes the use of the terminal. to clone – the whole partition, not Windows system. I quickly realized speeds of 300+ MB/sec, I thought Hopefully this will help make it just the used space! (Resizing your the power and potential of Ubuntu that it would make a great way to accessible to a wide range of Ubuntu partition to make it smaller and, although I occasionally use run Ubuntu on my new, but entry readers. with gparted is quite safe – the Windows for certain specific level, Win 10 laptop which has only Ubuntu installer does this when you purposes (Income Tax, for 64GB eMMC storage and It is not possible to anticipate set up a dual boot installation – example), Ubuntu is my working consequently is not suitable for a the particulars of every possible BUT there is always potential for system. Many years ago, I tried, dual-boot setup. Although a bit system, so I have made a few data loss so don’t do it unless you with some success, to install a full skeptical of the advertised speeds, I assumptions: have backed up anything you Ubuntu system on a USB stick but it was pleasantly surprised to find • The system to be cloned is a cannot afford to lose). was very slow, and using a Live USB that the system booted from the typical installation with everything • Many of these steps require was actually preferable. USB that I created in under 40 on a single partition and no swap Administrator privileges, so make seconds, including login! partition (if you do have a separate / sure you know how to use this I was still intrigued by the idea home partition, and/or /swap facility on your system as it varies a of having a totally portable version This article provides a -by- partition, use the technique bit across Ubuntu flavours. of my home system that I could step discussion of how I described below to clone them also. plug into any computer. There is a accomplished my goal of creating a Boot is not needed as it is re- GETTING INFORMATION substantial amount of information clone of my home system (Ubuntu created later). on this topic on the Internet. but it Mate 20.04 LTS) that will boot on • The removable media that you ABOUT YOUR SYSTEM is somewhat fragmented and often either a UEFI based computer or an are using can be an external HDD, very specific to one situation or older machine that requires Legacy/ SSD, or flash drive, but the sector Boot your computer normally another. Typically, it is aimed at the BIOS boot. I have tried to include size must be 512 bytes and your and open a terminal. Type df and expert user rather than the just enough background internal hard drive must also have a look under the “Mounted On” amateur (like myself). After much information to allow for an logical sector size of 512 bytes column to find the ‘/’ symbol. On research and experimentation, I understanding of the process (copying partitions across different my machine, this is opposite /dev/ have distilled what I have learned without getting bogged down in sector sizes causes problems). sda2, and this tells me that the

full circle magazine #171 25 contents ^ HOWTO - PORTABLE CLONE system presently running is on • Plug in your installation media to partition #2 (bottom left). Make a a vacant USB port. note of this number from your • Open the program gparted system, the device name might (included as part of the live USB). change after rebooting but the partition number won’t, so it is This is my “testing” laptop, and important to remember which you can see that I have a 250GB partition you are going to copy. drive designated as /dev/sda with 4 partitions (bottom right). I have CLONING YOUR SYSTEM arranged my system with 2 use to clone your system. partitions for storage of personal Now select Partition > New to Now reboot your computer from files (/dev/sda3 and /dev/sda4), If your USB drive contains any create the first of 3 partitions. a Live USB, you can use the install which means I can have my Ubuntu data it will be completely destroyed media for your system or any other system partition (/dev/sda2, by the following process so make The “Free space following” will Ubuntu flavour. Booting from a live mounted at /) at just 30GB. The first sure you don’t need anything that is vary depending on the size of your USB is important as you are going partition is unused and is a leftover left on the USB drive. The USB may drive, but the other values should to be working on the system from a previous installation. If you show a partition but it doesn’t be as shown here (below). Click partitions and it is much safer if click the pulldown menu at the top- matter, just select Device Create “Add” and then click on the green nothing is mounted. This way we right, you will get the partition Partition and make sure you choose checkmark at the top to apply this can be sure that your home system layout for the other drives on the “gpt” as the partitioning system so change. in particular is unmounted, and not system, in this case the portable that it is compatible with UEFI damaged by anything that you do. USB (mine is 128GB) that you will booting. Then your drive will look like the image with unallocated space for the entire drive (top right).

full circle magazine #171 26 contents ^ HOWTO - PORTABLE CLONE complete, right-click on partition Next select Partition > New to The last thing you need to do is Now go back to select /dev/sda #3, and give the partition a create the second partition and to set the appropriate flags, so and right-click on your Ubuntu different label, for example, adjust the values as shown: right-click on partition #1, select partition, /dev/sda2 in my case, and Ubuntu_USB, just to make it easier Manage flags, and choose select Unmount (if it is not to identify; and, click the green bios_grub as the flag, click Close, mounted this choice will be greyed arrow to apply the change. If you and this change will be applied out.) Once it is unmounted, right- open a terminal and type sudo automatically. Repeat for partition click and select Copy. Switch to the blkid, you will note that both /dev/ #2, but this time select boot, esp as USB drive, make sure Partition #3 is sda2 (the hard drive Ubuntu the flags. Your USB drive should unmounted, right-click on it, and partition) and /dev/sdb3 (the Once again, select Add and then now be partitioned and ready to select Paste. Depending on the size partition on the USB – the different click on the green checkmark to receive its own operating system. of the partition you are copying, letter is due to a reboot between apply this change. this could take an hour or more, for taking screenshots for this article) Each of these partitions serves this size of partition it was about 15 have exactly the same UUID (shown Finally, select Partition > New to an important function: minutes. This procedure makes an bottom right). This is a problem for create the last partition, this one • Partition #1 provides a protected exact and complete copy of your GRUB as it typically will boot the for the Ubuntu system itself: place for GRUB files used in Legacy/ Ubuntu partition, including the first partition it finds with the UUID BIOS booting so there is no conflict label (Hybrid in this case) and the in its configuration file, generally with the space used by the GPT UUID (Universal Unique ID) (bottom the hard drive, resulting in a failure partition table. left). Once this copying step is to boot the USB version of Ubuntu. • Partition #2 provides a place for the UEFI GRUB bootloader files to go. Click Add and select the green • Partition #3 contains your Ubuntu checkmark to apply this change. filesystem.

full circle magazine #171 27 contents ^ HOWTO - PORTABLE CLONE Run gparted again, select the USB drive, right-click on the Ubuntu You will also need to add an partition (/dev/sdb3), and select entry (line 14) so that the UEFI New UUID. Click on the green partition gets mounted (top right). checkmark to apply this change. (Note: All of these UUIDs will be Open a terminal and type sudo different on your system so adjust blkid again and you will see that the as needed.) Save the file and exit. UUID for partition /dev/sda2 is unchanged BUT /dev/sdb3 now has This change in UUID also needs a different UUID (bottom left). to be reflected in the /boot/grub/ grub.cfg file, or you will be unable replace all. Save this file and exit. there is a mount point of /boot/efi This change needs to be added to boot into the USB-based system. Finally, use the file manager to for partition #2 as required. to the fstab file. Open the file Edit this file as an administrator and examine the contents of the /boot manager and double-click on find the old UUID and highlight it folder on Ubuntu_USB. If there is a Ubuntu_USB, then Edit as (bottom right). Then select Search, INSTALLING BOOTLOADERS folder called efi already, make no Administrator the file /etc/fstab. and this highlighted value will be in changes, otherwise right-click to Copy and paste the UUID for /dev/ the “Search for” box, paste in the We now have a complete create a new folder, and then sdb3 into this file and delete the new UUID from the terminal into Ubuntu installation on the USB but rename it as efi. This ensures that previous UUID entry. the “Replace with” box, and select installing GRUB on removable

full circle magazine #171 28 contents ^ HOWTO - PORTABLE CLONE media has known problems – no bootloader of its own. If update- difficulties that can be avoided if grub does not find Ubuntu on /dev/ we install the GRUB bootloader sdb3, you need to edit the etc/ files from a running system. And, default/grub file as administrator there is a simple way to boot into and add or edit the following line: the USB system so that we can GRUB_DISABLE_OS_PROBER=“fals install GRUB. e” and try updating GRUB again. Assuming it works this time, reboot Since we are now finished with your system and check that the the live USB, shut down the system, new GRUB menu includes an entry remove the live USB and reboot to for the Ubuntu system on /dev/ your base system. Open a terminal sdb3. Use the down-arrow to select and run sudo update-grub. When it and the system should boot into you do this, GRUB should find the the Ubuntu filesystem on the USB Ubuntu installation on /dev/sdb3 drive. You should open a terminal you right-click on the Desktop and (bottom left), and add it to the and type df just to check that /dev/ change the background. Later on, If any are missing, select All, and boot menu. It will be bootable from sdb3 is mounted as root to ensure this is an easy way for you to know scroll down to the grub packages the GRUB menu (because we that you really have booted from you booted from the USB rather and install it/them. If you do one at adjusted the grub.cfg file to point the USB rather than your hard than the system on the hard drive. a time, others (that are missing) to the correct UUID) despite having drive. At this point, I suggest that Now we are ready to install the may get installed automatically. If appropriate bootloader files and Synaptic is not on your system, check that the new portable drive install it with sudo apt-get install works as it should. synaptic; however, if you have another preferred method for The first thing to check before checking installed packages and proceeding is that all of the installing any missing ones, you can appropriate grub packages are use that instead. installed on your system. To do this open Synaptic, select Status For legacy/BIOS systems, open a Installed, and scroll down to grub terminal and type: sudo grub-install entries. There are 6 things to look –target=i386-pc /dev/sdb, since the for (top right). Depending on how device name given in our df your system was configured these command was /dev/sdb3 and this may or may not be installed but tells us the drive name is /dev/sdb they all need to be there to (next page, top right). proceed. full circle magazine #171 29 contents ^ HOWTO - PORTABLE CLONE The USB can now be booted in update-grub which will ensure that Legacy/BIOS mode. all the pointers are correct in the grub.cfg file. You will notice that For UEFI systems, open a the update “finds” a Ubuntu system terminal and type sudo apt-get on the hard drive (/dev/sda2 in my install shim-signed. (If you are told case, yours will be different), and this is already installed, then use this will be reflected in the grub sudo apt-get install --reinstall shim- menu with a boot entry. You can signed to repopulate the efi just ignore it, but, if you are I have successfully booted this folder). You will be asked to offended by it, edit the file /etc/ USB flash drive on 5 laptops/ confirm where you want to install default/grub (as administrator), and netbooks of varying age and type the bootloader files, and this is /dev/ add (or edit) the line which invokes (Acer, Asus and Dell) as well as both sdb2 for this system (the UEFI the os-prober to search for other Legacy/BIOS and UEFI boot – with partition we created at the start). operating systems to read: and without Secure Boot enabled. On your system, the drive letter GRUB_DISABLE_OS_PROBER=“true It is impossible to guarantee that it may be different so use what you ”. This will prevent other operating will perform correctly on every found from the df command. If you systems being detected and added system; but, hopefully it works for are presented with a graphical to the grub menu. You will need to you! screen with several choices, use the run sudo update-grub after you do space-bar to toggle the asterisk this so that it takes effect – this indicating your choice, the arrow might result in the boot menu not keys to navigate; and the enter key being displayed when you boot when you are ready to proceed. since there is no other system to choose; but it will still wait the The advantage to this particular specified timeout behind the method is it actually installs a series scenes. of programs that permit booting with secure boot enabled. If you Your hybrid clone should now Open as Administrator the folder / work. Reboot your system and boot/efi, and then double-click on press the F12 key (or whatever key EFI, you will see 2 folders, BOOT your computer uses) to bring up the and Ubuntu. These folders contain boot menu. Select the USB device the files needed to boot Ubuntu, and you should boot into Ubuntu and also a “fallback” option in case with the new background screen something doesn’t work properly. (this way you know you aren’t The final step is to type sudo booting from the hard drive). full circle magazine #171 30 contents ^ full circle magazine #171 31 contents ^ HHOOWW--TTOO Written by Mark Crutch IInnkkssccaappee -- PPaarrtt 111111

his month, I’ll be concluding my integrated into the Trace Bitmap what this actually does. Trial-and- significantly smoother. The total T look at the Trace Bitmap dialog dialog. It’s available in the mode error suggests that it reduces the node count for the traced head is by examining the new tracing selection pop-up, in both single- fidelity of the trace somewhat, 485 for the top image and 410 for modes that have been introduced scan and multiple-scan varieties. smoothing out the generated the bottom one. with Inkscape v1.0, including one The latter is labelled as “Autotrace vectors and tending to result in a that has been much requested on (slower)”, suggesting that it trace with fewer nodes. Here’s The second spinbox, for setting the forum over the years. probably shouldn’t be your first what the most extreme values look the “Error threshold”, is described choice for a multiple-scan like when applied to dear old like this in the man page: Subdivide AUTOTRACE conversion – a suggestion that I’ll Frankie. The original bitmap is on fitted curves that are offset by a come back to later. For now, the left, with clipped versions of number of pixels exceeding the Inkscape has long offered however, we’ll start by looking at the traced head to the right. For specified real number. This one I tracing of bitmaps using the the single-scan variant. the top trace, the filter iterations can at least have a guess at. The Potrace library. While this does a was set to 1; for the bottom it was process of tracing a bitmap consists fine job of vectorising raster Once selected, it offers two set to 20. of generating paths that graphics, it’s not the only open spinboxes and an “Invert image” approximate the shape of the source tool that performs this trick. checkbox. The latter, as the name original pixels. The paths will most Autotrace is a command-line tool of suggests, inverts the image colors likely be a close match in some similar vintage, which has now been before tracing, making it easier to areas, but not as accurate in others. trace a light-on-dark design without This parameter allows you to set having to manually process it first. the threshold before which a path The effect of the two spinboxes is segment will be considered too far somewhat harder to guess at. away, and will be subdivided into two paths to The scant documentation for make it easier to Autotrace – basically an online copy adjust them to of the man page for the command- fit. Setting a line tool – describes the “Filter Note that the higher iterations small value here iterations” option thus: Smooth the have reduced or wiped out the allows only curve the specified number of whites of the eyes, while the veins slight deviation times prior to fitting. Without on the brain are a mere shadow of from the pixel knowing what is meant by “fitting” the original. The shape of the ear positions, at the in this algorithm, it’s hard to infer and of the brain’s outline are also expense of a lot

full circle magazine #171 32 contents ^ HOWTO - INKSCAPE more subdivisions and, therefore, Autotrace version at the bottom. Boolean operations to paste more nodes in the result. Let’s take Again, the full head on the left is together the best parts from each To you and I it may appear as a look at how Frankie fares with the original raster image. result. though Autotrace spent several values of 1.0 (top) and 10.0 minutes producing a salmon- (bottom). AUTOTRACE (MULTIPLE colored circle. But no: what you’re actually looking at is a group of SCANS) 4180 objects! For comparison the It’s pretty clear that the higher Potrace version contains 8 objects – What about using the value results in a trace that is so one for each color set via the “Autotrace (slower)” mode for smoothed out as to lose many of “Scans” spinbox. the original shapes completely. The scanning color images? My advice is to avoid it completely and stick to top image, where the paths were Switching to the outline view the Potrace-based modes. I tried much more heavily subdivided, does suggest that the shapes have scanning the same images that I consists of 587 nodes; the bottom The first thing to note is that the been traced, and are hidden used for part 19 of this series: the one has only 327. Autotrace version has maintained somewhere in the salmon fillet Full Circle Magazine logo, and a the grey color of the original image before us, but the thicker outlines Wikimedia Commons copy of “La As is often my advice in this – though that’s such a trivial thing definitely hint at complex paths Giaconda” (The Mona Lisa). In both column, I suggest most users to change that it shouldn’t be used compared with the simplicity of the cases I used the default settings. should at least start with the as a reason to select one over the Potrace version. default values for both spinboxes, other. The Potrace result is a lot The logo, which takes less than a and start tweaking them only if you crisper, with the paths more second to trace with Potrace, took need to improve the fidelity of the accurately maintaining the sharp several minutes to complete. With trace, or want to take the counter- corners of the head, and thinner such an amount of effort involved approach of reducing the number lines of the eyebrows. This accuracy you might expect something of nodes. Even in the latter case, I is reflected in the node count: 1090 impressive, but this is what the would probably be more inclined to for Potrace but only 440 for result looks like (original bitmap on trace with the defaults and then Autotrace. the left, Autotrace in the middle, use Path > Simplify afterwards. Potrace on the right): But it’s not that clearcut. The Perhaps the biggest question is extremely thin lines on the brain how the Autotrace results compare are actually better preserved by the with the Potrace equivalents. Autotrace algorithm. On the whole, Here’s another pair of traced I think the old Potrace code works Frankies created using the default best, at least in this case. But I also settings: The Potrace-based wouldn’t rule out creating a hybrid “Brightness cutoff” at the top; the result by using node editing or full circle magazine #171 33 contents ^ HOWTO - INKSCAPE described previously are there only third line is the result of a center And what of La Giaconda? After as a side-effect of including this line trace – no thickening of the line As you can see, the trace doesn’t many minutes of processing my mode. After all, if you’re adding the at the ends of this version. really reflect the shapes and memory, swap and CPU were all library anyway, why not also expose writing style of the original scanned maxed out, then Inkscape the standard tracing mode as well, The real difference becomes image. The fairly straight left leg of disappeared off my screen entirely. to give your users more options. clear when we take a closer look at the A becomes kinked in the There was no appearance of the the nodes used to make up the two middle, as the algorithm struggles usual crash dialog I see when it Center line tracing is really traced paths. The first is a closed, to work out where the center line dies, leading me to suspect that its applicable to only line art in which filled path, so you can see that the actually is. The sharply angled line demise was perhaps the fault of the shapes are made up of nodes make up the outer shape of where the top and bottom bowls of the Linux kernel killing it due to individual pen or pencil strokes. the stroke. The center line trace, on the B meet is lost entirely, and lack of available resources. Using other tracing modes, each the other hand, results in an open replaced with a horizontal crossbar. stroke is converted into a closed, path made up of a simple line of Even with a “successful” trace, filled path that reflects the nodes: any suggestion of line You may also have realised that the sheer number of objects thickness and shape of the original thickness is purely down to the such shapes can’t be made up of a created is practically artwork. With this new mode, value set for the stroke width. single path segment. In this unmanageable. There may, however, the tracing algorithm instance we’ve ended up with a perhaps, be some image types for attempts to determine a single single complex path consisting of which this mode offers an path that traces out a line following all the different segments that advantage, but I would try it only if the middle of the original stroke. make up the letters combined into the Potrace methods aren’t yielding one object. Path > Break Apart acceptable results – and make sure For the most simple real-world allows us to reduce the complex to save your file first! example, consider a single pen path down to its constituent parts, stroke on paper, scanned and which we can then give different imported into Inkscape. The top line What happens when you try this CENTER LINE TRACE colors to demonstrate the paths in this image is the original scanned mode with a more complex that the algorithm settled on. raster graphic. The second shows example? How about a few If Autotrace offers little or no the result of a normal trace – note handwritten letters? improvement over Potrace, and in that the bulbous ends of the line some cases is far too resource are reproduced in this mode. The hungry, why bother adding it to Inkscape at all? The reason is that it offers one type of frequently requested tracing mode that Potrace does not – center line tracing. In fact the menu entries

full circle magazine #171 34 contents ^ HOWTO - INKSCAPE between two lines that meet at an LINKS The A, not unreasonably, is angle compared with a single line made up of three separate paths. that has a sharp corner in it. Potrace: http:// But the complexity of the B is potrace.sourceforge.net captured in only two paths: one As is so often the case with the complex curving line that Trace Bitmap dialog, I can only Autotrace: http:// encompasses most of the shape of recommend that you give it a try on autotrace.sourceforge.net/ the letter, and a small straight your image, but don’t expect https://github.com/autotrace/ segment to fill in the remaining miracles. Even if the results aren’t autotrace gap. Wrangling such shapes into perfect, it may save you some something more befitting the manual tracing time on part of your Autotrace man page: https:// original outlines could quickly design, or at least give you a linux.die.net/man/1/autotrace become tedious on larger projects. starting framework to build upon. “Frankie” and other images: http:// You may think I’m being unfair Next month, we’ll take a look at www.peppertop.com/fc/ on the algorithm here. My scanned the new “Selectors and CSS” dialog, text was from a thick Sharpie, which promises to make Inkscape a rather than the thin strokes of a little more useful as a web pencil or ballpoint pen. But based development tool. on my testing, you’ll likely face similar issues, even when starting with thinner lines in the source material.

That’s not to say that the new mode is useless or unwelcome. For many images it will prove to be far more effective than the existing tracing methods, especially if you’re interested in only the core shapes of the elements rather than Mark uses Inkscape to create three the exact details of the stroke webcomics, 'The Greys', 'Monsters, outlines. Just remember that it’s Inked' and 'Elvie', which can all be working only with pixels, and has no found at http://www.peppertop.com/ concept of the order in which lines were laid down, or the difference full circle magazine #171 35 contents ^ full circle magazine #171 36 contents ^ EEVVEERRYYDDAAYY UUBBUUNNTTUU Written by Richard Adams RReettrrooggaammiinngg RReevviissiitteedd

ell, it’s time for a return to to install a really basic Pac-Man core rulebooks (Dungeon Master’s DUNGEONS AND DRAGONS: retrogaming as a topic. style game. Guide, Player’s Handbook, and W HE OLD OX ERIES Honestly, I wish I had enough time Monster Manual), and creating my T G B S to write a separate monthly Although things are MUCH own fantasy world as a backdrop, From 1988 to 1992, SSI retrogaming column because there easier now on both Windows and where I would create my own (Strategic Simulations Inc), under is SO MUCH that could be covered. Linux, getting old DOS games to adventures and occasionally drop in license from TSR, produced a series Still, we can revisit this topic from run on Linux is a satisfying and pre-designed game scenario of D&D games for DOS (actually, time to time in Everyday Ubuntu, enjoyable activity, a challenge of its modules that I would purchase. originally for the Commodore 64) and it has been a little while since own, and a way to learn more about called the Gold Box series. They our last look at getting old DOS how Linux actually works, as we’ll Over time, TSR, the company literally came in recognizable gold- games running on modern Ubuntu. see in this month’s Retrogaming that published D&D, put out quite a colored boxes, used a common Revisited. lot of modules, from the basic game engine, and allowed you to Back in 1992 or 1993 or adventure background location play D&D on your computer, even thereabouts, I was working at ‘The Keep on the Borderlands’, to DUNGEONS AND DRAGONS: with no other players around. SSI Dallas Semiconductor when one of the notorious player-killing meat created an ongoing story with my bosses asked me how I came to THE PRINT GAME grinder of a dungeon called ‘The these games, set in a detailed and know so much about computers, Tomb of Horrors’. I’ve always lively game world. Titles included and I told him that learning how to In the early 1980’s, my good wished I could play Tomb of Horrors Pool of Radiance, Curse of the run games was probably the single friend Trey Seastrunk (who remains as a player to see how challenging it Azure Bonds, Hillsfar, Gateway to biggest factor. You see, back in a good friend to this day), talked really is. I have the module and did the Savage Frontier, and quite a those pre-Windows 95/pre-Linux me into going to visit a guy who read through it, but that was few others, as the series was a GUI days, you had to work was Dungeon Mastering a D&D literally decades ago and I don’t roaring critical and commercial surprisingly hard to accomplish session. I was somewhat reluctantly remember any specifics, so it would success. much of anything on a computer. roped into playing in the session be a legitimate challenge. Many DOS games required knowing myself, although I knew absolutely However, even this success had how to manage memory, assign nothing about the game. Much to And there’s actually a way to do its limits, and by 1993, TSR had a IRQs and DMAs for hardware, edit my surprise, with minimal coaching, this, without having to find condition for renewal of the configuration files, and more. Linux I was able to contribute to the someone willing and able to DM, or license: retire the now clearly aging was even more challenging. I party’s adventure successfully and Dungeon Master, a game session. and obsolete Gold Box engine. SSI remember having to learn the decided it seemed pretty fun. Soon There’s even a way to do it responded by creating a fantastic rudiments of the included C I was buying the first edition specifically on Linux. swan song – Forgotten Realms: language editor and compiler just Advanced Dungeons and Dragons full circle magazine #171 37 contents ^ EVERYDAY UBUNTU Unlimited Adventures. GOG.COM has a version of FRUA installed it or tried it on Ubuntu. doing high-end functions in the remastered for Ubuntu, and it’s Time to remedy that omission, I command-line interface, Bash Rather than being just an actual currently on sale (at the time of this think! We’ll start by going to GOG’s works just fine. For our purposes game, FRUA was essentially a writing), as part of their Forgotten page for owned games and here, Bash is more than sufficient. game-creation toolkit. Users could Realms Collection 2 (which includes download the installation program create their own ‘Gold Box’ several other Gold Box games) for to a local folder. Here, mine is in the A Bash shell script is a file that is adventures and load them into the only mildly outrageous price of folder $Home/Downloads/Games/ a sequence of commands, in a plain FRUA. A still active online … two dollars and forty-nine cents. FRUA: text format, telling Linux to community grew up around this, Definitely worth the cost, in my perform a function or (more often) and soon there were hundreds of humble opinion. I wouldn’t As you can see, the file is of type a series of functions. In this case, modules free to download and play remotely balk at paying the non- and extension sh. This means it is a GOG has provided an installer for for anyone who owned Unlimited sale price of $9.99; it’s really great bash shell script file. Bash is the Forgotten Realms Unlimited Adventures, including adaptations value even at full price. End of sales normal default shell for Ubuntu Adventures in the form of a script. of many of the print modules. pitch, I don’t exactly get a Linux, meaning that when you go But, as it stands right now, Linux commission…. into the Terminal to perform does not understand this by ENTER: GOG.COM command-line functions, you are default. It will, if you double-click it, INSTALLING THE GAME: BASH actually running Bash in order to do open the file for editing: so. There are other shells that can Fortunately for us Linux users, SHELL SCRIPTS we don’t even need to manually use be used, like KornShell, but for Fortunately, GOG has been good most users, even professionals enough to provide instructions at DOSBox and try to find an old copy For me, I’ve actually owned this of FRUA on EBay or Craigslist. package for years, but have never

full circle magazine #171 38 contents ^ EVERYDAY UBUNTU the top of the text file. Lines in a do this without using chmod. What Next month: We’ll complete the script file like this that begin with a we need to do is to right-click Huzzah! Now we’re in the installation, download and unzip # character are ignored when the the .sh file in the File Manager and executable installer! the required support files, and file is run as an executable script, so go to Properties. discover how to run the many those lines are used to document downloadable modules for the commands and functions within the Go to the Permissions at the game. file. They are equivalent to REM top and look on the line that says command lines in old-time BASIC Execute. Click the checkbox next to computer language interpreters, ‘Allow Executing File as Program’: and are an important way to inform others of what your intent is if you create a script file. “But, what is this chmod command the file mentions, and how do I access it?” you ask with pleading eyes and trembling voice. Not to worry, beloved reader, you actually don’t need to know. CHMOD is a very powerful and useful command, to be sure, but your average Ubuntu end-user will probably never need it. Instead, This will accomplish what is we’ll get to where we need to go otherwise manually done by using using the File Explorer. the chmod command as the script requests. Now, you can double-click What we’re actually trying to the file and the script will run as an achieve is to let Ubuntu know that executable file, once you confirm we want to execute this shell script that you do want to run the script: file, not to edit or change it. We can

Richard 'Flash' Adams spent about 20 years in corporate IT. He lives in rural northwest Georgia, USA, with his adopted 'son', a cockatiel named Baby who now has a little brother, a dusky-headed conure named Skittles. Feedback welcome at: [email protected]

full circle magazine #171 39 contents ^ MMIICCRROO TTHHIISS MMIICCRROO TTHHAATT Written by Greg W. Walters PPtt..55

his month, we will be talking This library works very well, but has use the USB power to drive the for data in. No matter if you are T about using the WS2812 been forked and updated. However, LEDs, it will quickly become too using an 8-LED stick or a 1 metre Integrated Light Source on the the new libraries don’t work high for the PC to provide. 60-LED weatherproof strip, the Raspberry Pi Pico, and on the ESP32 correctly from the Thonny IDE, and connections are basically the same. and ESP8266 microcontrollers. The it’s a real pain to write your code, I use a 3 x AA rechargeable sharp-eyed among you who are and then try to run your file outside battery pack for my setup, with As you can see in the image good and loyal readers, might be of the IDE. We’ll use the ws2812b NIMH (Nickel Metal Hydride) below, there are four inputs on thinking that, last month, I said we library for now. batteries. This provides about 4.6 each side of the stick. On the left, would be talking about NeoPixels. volts (1.2 volts each) of power when there are 2 for ground, one for data You are correct. I did. And we are. SETTING UP YOUR the batteries are fully charged. This in and one for the +5 volt power. is low enough to provide enough, The right side has the same pins NeoPixels is a brand name that BREADBOARD but not too much, power. with the exception of Data Out, belongs to Adafruit. It stands for which is used (if needed) to add the individually addressable RGB NeoPixel type devices take a While the connections for the another stick. color LEDs; strips all based on the good bit of power. If you are using RPi Pico and the ESP32/8266 are WS2812 and WS2811 LED with only a single LED, then it’s not too very similar, I will include one of One other thing to note is that drivers that use a single wire big of a deal, but if you have 8, 24, each. In the illustrations, I will use a the breadboard images show a 3 x protocol. So, TECHNICALLY, not all 30 or 60 LEDs, you will need an WS2812 8-LED stick. This stick has a AAA battery pack. It should actually WS2812 LEDs are NeoPixel displays. external power source of about 5 fairly common set of connections be a 3 x AA battery pack. I couldn’t volts DC. I say about 5 volts, since 5 that will easily work for the stick find the actual image in Fritzing. The ESP32 and ESP8266 volts is the absolute maximum and most any flat strip, no matter voltage you should provide to the microcontrollers both have a driver the length and number of LEDs. All RASPBERRY PI PICO that is included in the distribution NeoPixel type devices. The current devices will have at least 3 input of MicroPython. For the Raspberry requirement of multiple LEDs is pins. Ground, +5 volt DC, and a pin surprising, and if you attempt to For the Pico, we put the 3 x AA Pi Pico, the communications to the battery pack to the + and minus LEDs needs to be done via PIO rails of the bread board. The data-in programming - Raspberry Pi’s pin of the LED stick is connected to assembly language. Luckily, there is physical pin 21, which is GPIO 16. a library available for the Pico to The Ground and +5 volt pins of the handle the communications. You stick are also connected to the can find it at: https://github.com/ power rails of the breadboard. benevpi/pico_python_ws2812b. Finally, be sure to connect the full circle magazine #171 40 contents ^ MICRO THIS MICRO THAT ground rail to a ground pin of the while True: Pico. It is important that all devices for i in range(num_leds): share a common ground reference. for j in range(num_leds): pixels.set_pixel(j,abs(i+j)%10,abs(i-(j+3))%10,abs(i-(j+6))%10) pixels.show() time.sleep(0.05)

the data pin and pin # 38 as the 60 on them. The ring that I have has because they are so bright. The ground pin. You can use whatever 24 LEDs. next two lines fill every LED on your pins you wish. device to 10,10,10 (R,G,B values) The second line instantiates the and then the information is sent THE CODE ws2812b class into the variable out to the LED device with the pixels. Notice that the first pixels.show() command. parameter is the number of LEDs, RASPBERRY PI PICO the second is the state machine pixels.brightness(30) that will be used. This is normally pixels.fill(10,10,10) First, download the repository either a 0 or a 1. The next ESP32/8266 pixels.show() from the github site above. Save it parameter is the GPIO pin number. to a convenient folder and unzip it. The last is the delay that you want The ESP series breadboard At this point, we set up a simple Then copy the file ws2812b.py to to use before resetting the LED set. connections are very similar to the loop (above) and for each LED that the pico as well as the example It should be safe to use 0, unless Pico. The main difference is where you have set up at the beginning of files. you need to do a lot of processing. the ground and data pins are. You the code, which sets the color. Then can use any ground pin for the it sends the data out and pauses for We’ll look at the flash.py num_leds = 24 ground, and any GPIO pin for the a little bit. data pin. In the case of this image, I example first. pixels = ws2812b(num_leds, 0, 16, delay=0) decided to use pin # 27 (GPIO 16) as import time Now, the code might look fairly Next comes the brightness easy until you get to the set_pixel from ws2812b import ws2812b value. This can be useful if you are line. Here (below) is the actual like me, and the LEDs blind you function from the library. It makes Now we’ll take a look at the first it much easier to understand what’s two lines of code. The first sets the def set_pixel(self, pixel_num, red, green, blue): number of LEDs that you have on # Adjust color values with brightnesslevel your device. Be sure that it matches blue = round(blue * (self.brightness() / 255)) the number of LEDs that you really red = round(red * (self.brightness() / 255)) green = round(green * (self.brightness() / 255)) have. Many stick type displays have only 8 LEDs. Some strips have 30 to self.pixels[pixel_num] = blue | red << 8 | green << 16

full circle magazine #171 41 contents ^ MICRO THIS MICRO THAT happening. import ws2812b max_len=20 min_len = 5 You can see that the set_pixel import random #pixelnum, posn in flash, flash_len, direction function takes 4 parameters. The flashing = [] numpix = 24 # Number of pixel number, and the red, green NeoPixels num_flashes = 10 and blue values. # Pin 16 is where NeoPixels for i in range(num_flashes): are connected pix = random.randint(0, numpix - 1) So going back to the loop above, col = random.randint(1, len(colors) - 1) we can step through the code and strip = flash_len = random.randint(min_len, max_len) see the values that are being sent ws2812b.ws2812b(numpix, 0, flashing.append([pix, colors[col], flash_len, 0, 1]) 16) to the LED device. I’ll show only 7 strip.fill(0,0,0) values, which should give you a Remember to set the number of good idea of what happens. LEDs that your device has as well as the GPIO pin that the device is while True: 0 0 3 6 strip.show() 1 1 4 7 connected to. for i in range(num_flashes): 2 2 5 8 3 3 6 9 colors = [ pix = flashing[i][0] 4 4 7 0 [232, 100, 255], # Purple brightness = (flashing[i][3]/flashing[i][2]) 5 5 8 1 [200, 200, 20], # Yellow colr = (int(flashing[i][1][0]*brightness), 6 6 9 2 [30, 200, 200], # Blue int(flashing[i][1][1]*brightness), … [150,50,10], int(flashing[i][1][2]*brightness)) [50,200,10], strip.set_pixel(pix, colr[0], colr[1], colr[2]) When we run the program, all ] if flashing[i][2] == flashing[i][3]: the LEDs will blink different colors flashing[i][4] = -1 in a quickly changing pattern. Here (top right) max_len and if flashing[i][3] == 0 and flashing[i][4] == -1: min_len is the maximum and pix = random.randint(0, numpix - 1) col = random.randint(0, len(colors) - 1) The other example program I minimum length of time the LEDs flash_len = random.randint(min_len, max_len) want to point out is the fireflies.py are on. The num_flashes refers to flashing[i] = [pix, colors[col], flash_len, 0, 1] the number of “fireflies” that are flashing[i][3] = flashing[i][3] + flashing[i][4] program. It is supposed to simulate time.sleep(0.005) the flitting of fireflies on a active at one time. summer’s evening. I have to admit Most of the demo programs that done with the demo. I call it that it is more impressive on a 1 This is the display function that I have found have similar loops as led_clear.py metre 30+ LED strip than on the 8- handles the glowing and flitting of the above two programs. And they # LED Clear LED strip. the virtual flies (which are actually have a similar while loop that, when beetles in real life). Shown bottom stopped, the LEDs are still active. from ws2812b import ws2812b right. So I wrote the following short import time program to clear the LEDs when I’m

full circle magazine #171 42 contents ^ MICRO THIS MICRO THAT num_leds = 24 can see this in the clear function # ESP32 Neopixel Demo pixels = ws2812b(num_leds, 0, presented directly below. # https://randomnerdtutorials.com/micropython-ws2812b- 16, delay=0) addressable-rgb-leds-neopixel-esp32-esp8266/ def clear(): # Modified by G.D. Walters pixels.brightness(100) for i in range(n): import machine, neopixel pixels.fill(0,0,0) import time np[i] = (0, 0, 0) n = 24 pixels.show() p = 16 np.write() np = neopixel.NeoPixel(machine.Pin(p), n) ESP32/ESP8266 The next function (middle right) is called bounce, which, as you def bounce(r, g, b, brightness, wait): My initial thought was to rewrite might expect, causes a single LED for i in range(4 * n): the flash program presented for to move through each available for j in range(n): the Pico to work on the ESP np[j] = (int(r*brightness), int(g*brightness), position and, when it gets to the int(b*brightness)) microcontrollers. However, I starting point, it reverses direction. remembered that I had a great if (i // n) % 2 == 0: np[i % n] = (0, 0, 0) demo from The set_color function, again, else: randomnerdtutorials.com that does as the name suggests. It sets # pass would provide a better example of which = n-1-(i%n) all the pixels (defined in n) to the np[which] = (0, 0, 0) how to use the library. So, instead RGB color at the brightness you np.write() of flash, I present neopixel1.py (top desire. time.sleep_ms(wait) right). The same code should run unmodified on the ESP8266, since def set_color(r, g, b, def cycle(r, g, b, brightness, wait): they share the same library. brightness): for i in range(4 * n): for j in range(n): for i in range(n): np[j] = (0, 0, 0) Notice that the library for the np[i % n] = (int(r*brightness), int(g*brightness), neopixel devices is named np[i] = int(b*brightness)) (int(r*brightness), “neopixel”. The variable n is the int(g*brightness), np.write() number of LEDs the device has, and int(b*brightness)) time.sleep_ms(wait) the variable p is the GPIO pin that np.write() will be used. a defined speed. Now that we have all of the The cycle function (bottom The next function, wheel (next functions defined, we’ll walk So the variable np is the right) will cause a single LED to page, top right), is a support through each of them, one at a neopixel object. You need to light and walk through the strip at function used by the rainbow_cycle time. We’ll print to the REPL address each pixel individually and the defined color and brightness, at pass the RGB values as a tuple. You function below. terminal which function is being full circle magazine #171 43 contents ^ MICRO THIS MICRO THAT run. forever loop when the touchpad is def wheel(pos): detected. # Input a value 0 to 255 to get a color value. print('Clear') # The colors are a transition r - g - b - back to r. if pos < 0 or pos > 255: clear() All of the code and image files return (0, 0, 0) can be found at https://github.com/ if pos < 85: print('Set Color') gregwa1953/ return (255 - pos * 3, pos * 3, 0) if pos < 170: set_color(0,102,.5,230) FCM171_MicroThisMicroThat . pos -= 85 return (0, 255 - pos * 3, pos * 3) time.sleep(2) pos -= 170 I sincerely hope that I have return (pos * 3, 0, 255 - pos * 3) clear() inspired you to get some NeoPixel type devices and play with them. def rainbow_cycle(brightness, wait): print('Cycle') for j in range(int(brightness*255)): After all (as if I needed to give you a for i in range(n): cycle(0,102,230,.5,200) reason), Christmas, Hanukkah, and rc_index = (i * 256 // n) + j the rest of the festive holiday np[i] = wheel(rc_index & 255) print('Bounce') np.write() season celebrations are less than 6 time.sleep_ms(wait) bounce(0,255,250,.5,200) months from now. Just picture clear() what these little devices can do for your decorations this year and how time.sleep(2) jealous your neighbors will be. print('Rainbow Cycle') Until next time, as always; stay rainbow_cycle(.5,5) safe, healthy, positive and creative! clear() print('Program Ends')

Greg Walters is a retired programmer living in Central Texas, It should be fairly easy to USA. He has been a programmer understand how the program since 1972 and in his spare time, he is actually works. I’ve included on the an author, amateur photographer, luthier, fair musician and a pretty github repository a port of the darn good cook. He still is the owner fireflies program for the ESP called of RainyDaySolutions a consulting fireflies1.py. As an added benefit, company and he spends most of his I’ve added a small call to the time writing articles for FCM and tutorials. His website is Touchpad function we discussed www.thedesignatedgeek.xyz . previously that will break the

full circle magazine #171 44 contents ^ full circle magazine #171 45 contents ^ UUBBPPOORRTTSS DDEEVVIICCEESS Written by UBports Team OOTTAA--1188

buntu Touch (https://ubuntu- F(x)tec Pro1 PRINCIPAL PROJECT PACKS Centralized, universal EQ settings, touch.io/) is the privacy and Xiaomi Redmi 3s/3x/3sp (land) anyone? U PLENTY PROGRESS freedom-respecting mobile Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 operating system by UBports. Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 Pro It is within that exciting flurry of Some parts of Today we are happy to announce Xiaomi Mi A2 features and futures that Mardy show a strange dichotomy between the release of Ubuntu Touch OTA- Volla Phone realized one thing was missing... being boring when described, but 18; our eighteenth stable update to Samsung Galaxy S3 Neo+ (GT- media-hub needed a facelift, and interesting when their impact is the system! OTA-18 will become I9301I) fast. The code was largely identified. Media-hub is one of the available for the following Samsung Galaxy Note 4 disjointed and confusing, making best examples of this. Media-hub is supported Ubuntu Touch devices adding new features or fixing bugs a service which centrally plays back over the next week: The Pine64 PinePhone and daunting at best. This was audio and video content as LG Nexus 5 PineTab are updated independently preventing Mardy from creating an requested by applications. Yawn. OnePlus One of the rest of these devices. The app he's always dreamed of, so he

Fairphone 2 stable channel for the PinePhone got to work. 20,526 lines of code But the features that media-hub LG Nexus 4 and PineTab will not receive an later, the new media-hub emerged enables are seemingly endless: a BQ E5 HD Ubuntu Edition update labeled "OTA-18". -- with better tests, a more centralized service playing back BQ E4.5 Ubuntu Edition contributor-friendly structure, and a media means that the platform Meizu MX4 Ubuntu Edition few fixed bugs to boot. WHAT'S NEW? knows exactly when content is Meizu Pro 5 Ubuntu Edition playing and can change its behavior BQ M10 (F)HD Ubuntu Edition This is one of those changes that This release's mascot is the to suit. When a phone call comes in, Nexus 7 2013 (Wi-Fi and LTE could go completely unnoticed by tangram elephant, as our primary your media is paused. When the call models) someone passing over the OTA-18 goal with this release was keeping a ends, your media is resumed. When Sony Xperia X release, as media-hub is completely steady and solid pace. We also you put your phone's display to Sony Xperia X Compact invisible, a silent worker always in saved some memory on all devices. sleep with a podcast playing, a Sony Xperia X Performance the background doing its job. But Thanks for the release mascot, centralized player can hold the Sony Xperia XZ the changes that Mardy made were Joan! system awake to prevent the audio Sony Xperia Z4 Tablet not easy, they improved the skipping or pausing altogether Huawei Nexus 6P stability of Ubuntu Touch, and This release of Ubuntu Touch is during sleep. And, someday, playing OnePlus 3 and 3T should absolutely not pass still based on Ubuntu 16.04. See the back videos centrally could make Xiaomi Redmi 4X unnoticed. Thanks, Mardy! "What's new" section below for an today's most popular features like Google Pixel 3a overview of the progress of Ubuntu Picture-in-Picture playback simple. OnePlus 2 Touch based on Ubuntu 20.04. full circle magazine #171 46 contents ^ UBPORTS DEVICES ELITE EFFICIENCY like the E4.5 with the default conversations often involve sending recognition service, URL Dispatcher, Despite the seeming will of the wallpaper, expect to save about a set of images that capture your content-hub, and the lib-cpp internet to always have the latest 60MB of RAM. reaction, this feature is for you! projects. He's also replaced the and most powerful technology, we • Alarms now snooze from the time component of the Click packaging still have a lot of people using You'll also see better they were snoozed rather than system which allows users without devices with just 1GB of RAM. The performance across the board. With from the start of the alarm. They `sudo` privileges to install BQ E4.5 and E5 HD are old devices, a smaller background image, it's also snooze when you miss them, packages. Alfred has created the sure, but they still work and make a easier for Qt to put together the instead of dismissing. Ubuntu Touch Platform lot of people happy. OTA-18 almost scene that is displayed on your • Call audio was fixed on the Development Kit, which makes it always feels faster than OTA-17 on phone. Faster scene rendering Google Pixel 2 far easier to set up an environment the same device. Unless you know means higher frame-rates no for developing the Ubuntu Touch what to look for, though, it's hard matter what is happening on WHAT'S NEXT? platform than ever before. All of to say why. screen. this work means that people Our previous posts have alluded curious about platform We've made Lomiri's wallpaper You don't need to do anything to a slowing down of Ubuntu Touch development and app developers rendering far more efficient in this special to take advantage of OTA- development on Xenial as we can start to get in on Ubuntu Touch release. Without going into gory 18's improved performance. Just prepare a release of Ubuntu Touch based on Ubuntu 20.04 right now. It details, we've managed to coax download and install the update! based on Ubuntu 20.04. It seems is definitely true that the more QML's image loader into loading that the fabled slowdown was if work we get done on 20.04, the only one copy of your wallpaper. ANNIHILATED ANNOYANCES anything underestimated. faster we can go. We've also made it scale down the wallpaper to reduce the number of There are a lot of fixes that cost It is true that the small team of Even with so many people pixels in RAM at any time. The little in code but will have a huge people who know the internals of central to Ubuntu Touch being so amount of RAM saved by these impact in practice. We have listed Ubuntu Touch has been busy, the OTA-18 release is still changes varies depending on your out those here: preoccupied with things other than larger and more impactful than device and whether you've set a • The on-screen keyboard [OSK] OTA-18. Ratchanan has been OTA-17. Despite OTA-18's custom wallpaper or not. If you now appears automatically when a focused on making Lomiri, the development cycle being just 4 have a custom wallpaper, you save new tab is opened in Morph infrastructure around it, and the days longer, we've managed to at least 30MB of RAM on any device Browser. keyboard run under systemd on change thousands more lines of by upgrading to OTA-18. A larger- • Pressing Control+Alt+T now Ubuntu 20.04; on creating images code. resolution wallpaper will use far opens the terminal app. of UT based on 20.04; and on too less RAM on OTA-18 than on OTA- • There is a degree (°) symbol on many other tasks to count. Rodney OTA-19 will be another release 17, but the savings are greater for the on-screen keyboard. has focused on other dependencies based on 16.04, but the progress to devices with a low screen • Stickers have been added to the of Lomiri and the Ubuntu Touch 20.04 will be amazing. Let's get resolution, so on an older device built-in messaging app. If your experience, building the fingerprint started.

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full circle magazine #171 49 contents ^ HHOOWW--TTOO Written by Ronnie Tucker WWrriittee FFoorr FFuullll CCiirrccllee MMaaggaazziinnee

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

full circle magazine #171 50 contents ^ RREEVVIIEEWW Written by Adam Hunt KKuubbuunnttuu 2211..0044

he Kubuntu development team system check. Instead it is run menu functionality. choose from if this one is not to T has continued its refinements silently in the background during your taste. with Kubuntu 21.04, introduced on the boot process, according to Rik The kernel used is Linux 5.11 22 April, 2021. This is the middle Mills, a Kubuntu and Ubuntu and that provides support for a new Even though Ubuntu 21.04 is release of this development cycle developer. I presumed my USB generation of hardware. now using Wayland by default, leading to Kubuntu 22.04 LTS, write was good, as I did not see any Kubuntu and the other flavors have which is due out in April 2022. notifications to the contrary. Kubuntu 21.04 has a new not followed suit yet, allowing the Kubuntu 21.04 marks the 33rd default wallpaper. This one is called Ubuntu developers the opportunity Kubuntu release and the 12th one NEW Milky Way by Rucker, and it is very to iron out the bugs first. Kubuntu with the KDE project’s Plasma 5 dark in color. It looks like it is 21.04 does offer an optional desktop which is based on the Qt This version of Kubuntu uses the intended to compliment the dark Wayland session that can be toolkit, so this is a very mature Plasma 5.21 desktop, which is themes that seem to be popular selected on boot-up. The Kubuntu software project. As a “standard” based on the Qt 5.15.2 toolkit. This among desktop users these days. 21.04 release notes say, "the release, Kubuntu 21.04 is new version of Plasma 5 introduced This release has a total of 29 Wayland session is provided for supported for just nine months, some small refinements and seems wallpapers provided, including testing and evaluation only, and is until January, 2022. One more to run more smoothly, with better many from recent Kubuntu not supported", so you have been standard release, Kubuntu 21.10, is releases, so there are lots to warned. expected on 14 October 2021, prior to the long term support (LTS) There is only one application release in the spring of 2022. change in this release, other than just bumping the application BOOTING IT UP version numbers to KDE Applications 20.12. The new Plasma I downloaded the Kubuntu 21.04 System Monitor is added, while ISO file via bittorrent and did a leaving the previous KsysGuard SHA256 sum check on it to verify system monitor in place as well. I integrity. Then I used UNetbootin tried them both out and they seem to write it to a USB drive for surprisingly similar, so I suspect testing. that KsysGuard will disappear from the default installation by the time Booting to the USB stick in 21.04 the LTS release arrives. no longer results in an overt file full circle magazine #171 51 contents ^ REVIEW In general, the overall changes • 20.12.3 IRC client As can be seen from the lack of webcam application, image editor, are small and cautious in Kubuntu • Kpatience 20.12.3 game asterisks, most of the applications video editor, or CD/DVD burning 21.04, just tweaks really. • Ksudoku 20.12.3 game included are updated versions from application. There are choices for • KsysGuard 5.21.4 system monitor KDE Applications 20.12, with very all of those that can easily be APPLICATIONS • Ktorrent 20.12.3 bit torrent client few hold-overs from Kubuntu 20.10. installed from the repositories, if • LibreOffice 7.2.2 office suite, less needed. Some of the applications only LibreOffice Base database Firefox continues as the default included with Kubuntu 21.04 are: • Muon 5.8.0 package manager* web browser. It is a really good The included 20.12.3 text • 20.12.3 archive manager • Okular 20.12.3 PDF viewer browser but continues in Kubuntu editor is worth mentioning, as it has • Discover 2.1.2 software store* • Plasma System Monitor 5.21.4 21.04 as the sole GTK toolkit many syntax highlighting color • 20.12.3 file manager system monitor application in a Qt operating scheme options and now has spell- • Elisa 20.12.3 music player • PulseAudio 14.2 audio controller system. At one time, there was checking right out-of-the-box, • Firefox 87.0 web browser • Skanlite 2.2.0 scanning utility* hope that , the Qt-based which is always useful. • 20.12.3 image viewer • Spectacle 20.12.3 screenshot tool browser that was brought into the • Kate 20.12.3 text editor • Startup Disk Creator 0.3.9 (usb- KDE project four years ago in 2017, The LibreOffice 7.1.2 office suite • Kcalc 20.12.3 calculator creator-) USB ISO writer would mature into a viable Firefox is included as well and is complete, • KDE Partition Manager 20.12.3 • Thunderbird 78.8.1 email client replacement but, with no releases less only the LibreOffice Base partition editor • VLC 3.0.12 media player in over two years, it is looking like database application. Base is one of • 20.12.3 terminal abandonware. the least-used LibreOffice emulator * indicates same application version components but can be installed if • Kmahjongg 20.12.3 game as used in Kubuntu 20.10. Like previous recent releases, desired. • Kmines 20.12.3 game Kubuntu 21.04 does not include a

full circle magazine #171 52 contents ^ REVIEW SETTINGS Breeze Dark, Humanity, Humanity- launcher. The latter is a full-screen Kubuntu 21.04 is another solid Dark, LoginIcons, Ubuntu-Mono- main menu, much like the one release. Like most Ubuntu-based Kubuntu has always been known Dark, and Ubuntu-MonoLight found on Ubuntu. Since the distributions, the majority of for its high degree of customization • Eight cursor styles: Breeze, Kubuntu 21.04 main menu now Kubuntu users stick to the LTS available. In fact, that is probably Breeze Light, KDE Classic,Oxygen works better than in the past, these releases and avoid the standard one of the main reasons that it has Black, Oxygen Blue, Oxygen White, alternative menus may not prove as releases in between, due to the such a dedicated following among Oxygen Yellow, and Oxygen Zion necessary as they once were. short, nine-month support periods, its user base – it can be made to unless there is a really compelling look and work almost any way that And these are just the installed Overall, I can see why Kubuntu reason to upgrade. Kubuntu 21.04’s you like. options. Many of the settings pages users would want to avoid doing a desktop upgrades, especially the offer one-button downloading of “fresh installation” and prefer to improved menus, might just In a lot of ways, the Kubuntu large numbers of more choices, too. just upgrade. With all the settings convince some users that it is worth philosophy is the diametric available, it would be a challenge to the switch. opposite of that of Ubuntu which Kubuntu 21.04 has 68 widgets duplicate your past installation, offers only a very minimal selection installed that can be placed on the even with good notes, plus the With two releases now out in of user configuration options. desktop, which is two more than in options change from release to this development cycle, it seems the last release. Widgets are small release, also. clear that we can expect only small Kubuntu has so many settings programs that add desktop and incremental changes on the and options that running through functionality. Some examples that I CONCLUSIONS way to Kubuntu 22.04 LTS, which is them and setting your desktop up tested included an analog clock, a a good thing for the users, really. can be a bit daunting. For example, simple menu, and an application Most Kubuntu users don’t seem to in Kubuntu 21.04, there are: want large scale changes. There is • Four global themes: Breeze, one more standard release to go, Breeze Dark, Breeze Twilight, and but I am expecting only Kubuntu refinements to ensure that the LTS • Six Plasma styles: Air, Breeze, that follows is as smooth as Breeze Dark, Breeze Light, possible. Kubuntu, and Oxygen • Two window decoration themes: Breeze and Plastik • Six colour schemes: Breeze, Breeze Dark, Breeze High Contrast, Adam Hunt started using Ubuntu in Breeze Light, Oxygen, and Oxygen 2007 and has used Lubuntu since 2010. He lives in Ottawa, Ontario, Cold Canada, in a house with no Windows. • Eight icon sets: Adwaita, Breeze,

full circle magazine #171 53 contents ^ RREEVVIIEEWW Written by Erik CCooddeelliittee

Website: https://codelite.org/ created a new Workspace and ran CodeLite terminal, but if you have CodeLite is arranged in a through the five questions that you configured your OS terminal the standard, familiar, maybe boring, Price: Free! need to get your project off the way you like it, I see no reason to three-pane layout, with a menu bar ground. Just like Code::Blocks, it switch. I would have liked it to be along the top. You also have the Blurb: “CodeLite is an open source, created a nice ‘hello world’ console part of the bottom bar, but I can option to close any of the panes free, cross platform IDE, specialized app that I could use as a base. Just also see how this is useful. you do not use and have one large in C, C++, PHP and JavaScript to test, I changed the default programming pane only! For (mainly for backend developers using gnome-terminal to the built-in Let me get this out of the way distraction-free programming, Node.js) programming languages terminal. It required a restart, but from the start, I am in no way an ctrl+F11 will maximize the screen which runs best on all major nothing was lost. Building and IDE power user or coding guru, but real estate and hide the menus. All Platforms (OSX, Windows and running the project was a breeze. even for someone with my meagre the menu items are standard – or Linux)“ The “built-in terminal” is actually skills, this IDE was not only handy, seem standard – until you reach the another floating terminal, so but easy to use and easy on my ‘plugin’ menu. This not only lets you t the time of writing, we are on nothing lost or gained there. The eyes at night (it is also very light on manage your plugins, but also each A version 14.0.2. only plus I could see was that the resources!). plugin’s settings. The settings theming integrated well with the menu proudly displays the colors Why had I never heard of and fonts menu item in the drop- CodeLite before? down, so there is no faffing in the tools and settings when you need I had to see why this awesome to switch from night to day. In that IDE was not a lot more popular... same menu, you will find the Maybe because it says it is mainly keyboard shortcuts, all the handy for back-end developers using things in one place. Node.js? Searching the term “codellite issue” brought up quite a The code window is few issues. This is NOT a BAD unremarkable, the way I like it - and THING (they all have issues). It small things, like folding functions, shows that there are people using are easy to spot. Places where the it. mouse would be in the way, the mouse direction swops! They say I fired it up and a helpful wizard the devil is in the details, and this helped me configure the basics. I IDE sure pays attention to the full circle magazine #171 54 contents ^ REVIEW details. (I would like to show it to negative reviews about this On to what I did not like: I could application, but none praise this you, but for some reason, if I add fantastic little IDE usually include not see an easy way to clear my little IDE that “just works” “include pointer” in the screenshot these): recent files list. This is important and does not carry oodles of bloat tool, it flips the pointer back.) • When you have multiple projects, when you work on files on other around. According to HTOP, Right-clicking anywhere in the using the compile-and-run will mediums, as the projects on my Codelite used less CPU and memory application, will bring up that compile and run the last project you flash drive now eclipse my projects than my music player while I was specific part’s right-click menu. worked on. You need to double- on my local drive. For some reason, using it. Only Sublime text and There is no ‘global’ right-click menu, click the new project name until it the ctrl+shift+up/down did not notepadqq were lighter on so just be aware of that. Clicking in highlights, before it is the ‘active’ work for me to move a line up or resources. Given, I write only small different bands and sections is project. down (but - that may be due to the CLI programs on it, but it compiles recommended, so you can get • Installing on Ubuntu? Remember way I have my OS shortcut keys pretty fast and I never feel like I am familiar with what-is-what. to install build-essential first. defined.) waiting for it. Notifications appear under your • Workspaces are important and code, and do not interfere with can be shared. That’s right, more Overall, I cannot complain about This is a solid FOSS project I can what you are doing. than one person can work in a anything in this free and open recommend with a smile. What are workspace! source IDE. I just wish I knew about you waiting for, give it a try! The ‘Output View’ contains a • Just opening random C-code will it before I ran headlong into myriad of tabs I do not use, but I am not compile – see our first tip. eclipse, which is so busy, it makes As usual, if you think I was unfair sure they are important as you see • Plugins that do not work – use the me tired just looking at it. I suspect or made a mistake, feel free to those same tabs in other editors, help -> check for updates. the biggest issue with the email us on: like Code::Blocks. At my level, • If you use it on screens with application is that it does not have a [email protected] “build” and “output” are the only shoddy resolutions, ctrl +0 will ‘shoutbox’, hype or community two I use (the same with the tabs in reset the zoom level. blow up. Countless websites and the workspace view). • An easy way to back up your FOSS pages sing praise to Atom project is to simply duplicate the code editor that is an electron Some things that may trip up tab and save it somewhere else. novices (I include these here as the

full circle magazine #171 55 contents ^ If you would like to submit a letter for publication, compliment Join us on: or complaint, please email it to: [email protected]. LLEETTTTEERRSS PLEASE NOTE: some letters may be edited for space. facebook.com/ COOKING WITH UBUNTU 1230167/can-gourmet-still-run-on- fullcirclemagazine ubuntu-20-04). irst thank you for your twitter.com/#!/fullcirclemag F magazine, it is always a pleasant IMO, Gourmet is the best moment to read it. solution, because it has all linkedin.com/company/full- functions, especially import and circle-magazine Regarding Richard Adams, and export with multiple formats. This ubuntuforums.org/ his articles about "Cooking with is important, as I can export my forumdisplay.php?f=270 Ubuntu", thanks to him for the recipes to .mcb (my cookbook) "tour" of recipe apps he is format, and import the file with the providing, I also did some research Cookmate app on Android (for to find the best software for my example). That way, I can cook FULL CIRCLE NEEDS YOU! recipes. while travelling outside of my house, at a friend's home typically, Without reader input I agree Gnome Recipes is which is mandatory for me. Full Circle would be an promising, but obviously the lack of empty PDF file (which I don't import functions makes this choice Lasty, there is a Gourmet think many people would find impossible for me, as I would have migration project to python 3. particularly interesting). We are hundreds of personal recipes to re- There is already a flatpak package always looking for articles, enter. Also, development looks very available, and it seems usable, see reviews, anything! Even small slow, and I could not find any (https://github.com/kirienko/ things like letters and desktop milestone about adding an import gourmet/blob/master/ screens help fill the magazine. function. I think this is not in the INSTALL.md). I just tried it in a VM, scope of the app. and it looks good so far. See the article Writing for Full Circle in this issue to read our Today, I use Gourmet 0.17.4, Pascal basic guidelines. which is still usable with Ubuntu 20.04, even if you do need to Have a look at the last page of manually install python 2.7 and any issue to get the details of download some packages from where to send your previous Ubuntu releases, see contributions. (https://askubuntu.com/questions/

full circle magazine #171 56 contents ^ If you have a Linux question, email it to: [email protected], QQ&&AA and Erik will answer them in a future issue. Please include as much Compiled by EriktheUnready information as you can about your query.

elcome back to another VGA modes has to do with a faulty paid for. The reply was that the board and it has been OK ever W edition of Questions and USB-C port is beyond me). I tried to port was physically damaged and since, but do check that too, Dell Answers! In this section, we will explain to him that we have tested they would void the warranty. This does not always send new parts, a endeavour to answer your Ubuntu by process of elimination and come is where I lost it and became a lot of them are “refurbished” and questions. Be sure to add details of to the conclusion that the laptop’s Karen. His manager tried to tell me may have other issues). the version of your operating USB C port was indeed faulty. that it was faulty too at first, (trying system and your hardware. I will try However, this guy was not budging. to cover) until I told him there is to remove any personally He wanted us to change drivers, NOTHING wrong with it as it was : I installed Balena Etcher from identifiable strings from questions, etc, which we (the client) are not mine and unused. Only when they Q AppImage onto my Ubuntu but it is best not to include things allowed to as it is controlled via the realised they had been duped and 18.04. It worked fine. I needed like serial numbers, UUIDs or IP client’s global IT in combination that I was on to them from the some space on my SSD, so I deleted addresses. If your question does with Dell. There is monitoring start, did they want to see the the AppImage itself. Now it won’t not appear immediately, it is just software that will remove the PC other one, which, by-the-way, work. Do you want to tell me I need because there is such a lot, and I do from the network if we change looked the same. One can’t really to keep the AppImage always? them, first-come-first-served. anything – as it will be non- see from a photo if a USB C port is compliant. Here we got stuck, they damaged internally, only externally, : Pretty much; you see, refused to help until I updated the like bent or broken edges or A AppImages contain all the files called Dell support on behalf of drivers. The thing is, we have 100’s centrepiece. I wonder how many the application needs, should your I one of my clients. Dell support is of similar laptops with everything clients they have done this to, to be system not have them. This 50/50 – sometimes you get good identical, so chances of the driver so confident in trying to BS me into removes the need for installing service, sometimes not. The client causing one machine to be faulty accepting some first liner’s opinion. dependencies, but at the cost of rents thousands of machines are tiny. Then the guy asked for a They tried hither and thither, and space. worldwide, and works very closely photo of the port as he was sure it tried to pull EULA, etc, on me, but I with Dell to have a unified IT was damaged. This was not my first did not give in. Don’t let someone infrastructure. As usual, I tried to rodeo, so I sent him a picture of try to tell you because you run : I installed Ubuntu 21.04. speed up the process by telling the mine – my laptop being less than a Ubuntu your warranty is void or Q Everything works great, except poor first-liner what I had done. month old and the port never used. they can’t assist. BS back, tell them that I can’t take screenshots. It However, this was one of those (The other laptop was about 2 you installed Windows and your looks like crap. I have done an apt idiots who was going to treat me years old). Dell does not want to driver is now the version they want update, so everything is latest. like a home user. I had to go waste resources on older laptops, and it is still faulty. If you are 100% Should I try the PPA version? I don’t through everything manually with and while I understand that, I have confident in your diagnosis, stick to really want PPA’s. him on the phone. (What testing a 3-year on-site warranty that is your guns. (BTW, they replaced the

full circle magazine #171 57 contents ^ Q&A : None of that is relevant, You However, it could be a bad CD/DVD just spits out an error at me. When A need to switch to X and not ROM or a bad cable. You would : Yup. If you run a man df, you the files are large or I want to see Wayland, to use screen grabbing need to eliminate those first, then A will see a --total (two dashes, the contents of an ISO file, my software. ask me again. no space). The description is: “-- Xubuntu just seems to freeze. Do total elide all entries insignificant you know why it does this? to available space, and produce a : Okay, here goes, I need a good : Hi guy. My dmesg output is grand total” So, df --total -h /dev/ : Nope, no idea, but I would Q working auto clicker for linux Q filled with this weird error. I sd* should get you what you need. A suggest installing 7zip, winrar, ubuntu, and I can’t seem to find a know UFW is my firewall and I was etc, and maybe change the front working one. I need it for the wondering if I am being hacked? end to something like engrampa cookie clicker to click while I am at The output is - [UFW BLOCK] : I have recently discovered instead of file roller. Let me know school. I recently switched from IN=wlp3s0 OUT= Q Synthwave thanks to Rocket how it goes. Windows as my computer can’t MAC=01:00:5e:00:00:01:50:e0:36:08 league, and it is so retro and yet handle Windows 10. :85:e0:08:00 SRC=192.168.1.1 awesome. YouTube always opens in DST=224.0.0.1 LEN=36 TOS=0x00 a large size in Firefox. It is costing : I am sorta stumped here. One : Have a look at xdotool. We PREC=0xC0 TTL=1 ID=40140 me a fortune in mobile data, so I Q of my assignments says that I A had a few issues featuring a PROTO=2 want it to always open small. How need to make a note of the version tutorial a while back. https:// over and over. can I do that? Ubuntu 18.04, HP with lsb_release. However, when I www.semicomplete.com/projects/ Core2Duo 2.0, 500GB and 4GB Ram. run it on Ubuntu 18, I get an error: xdotool/ : 224.0.0.1 is a broadcast “shawn@powertop ~ lsb_release -a A address. It could be some chop : You need an app for that. No LSB modules are available.” How scanning, but I am going to assume A (See: https://linuxhint.com/ can I fix it? : What means this --> Buffer I/O it is some equipment on your ISP best_youtube_apps_linux/) Check Q error on dev sda, logical block side. Swop your ISP router for your your music player, it may have an : Truth be told, I have not used 0, async page read own and see if the problem integrated option for playing A that on Ubuntu based stuff, sd 0:2:0:0: [sda] tag#969 FAILED persists? directly from Youtube. You can also only Red Hat based, so before I help Result: use youtube-dl to grab only the you wrongly, you can run inxi -S or hostbyte=DID_NO_CONNECT audio and play it back at your use neofetch or even just cat /etc/ driverbyte=DRIVER_OK : My new laptop has a 256GB leisure. os-release or hostnamectl - there cmd_age=0s Q SSD and a 1TB HDD. How can I are many ways to skin that cat in sd 0:2:0:0: [sda] tag#969 CDB: see the combined free space on Linux. Read(10) 28 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 these drives instead of running a df : I am having issues with the 08 00 -h on both and using a mate Q builtin file roller, when I try to : My Wifi router is in the hallway calculator to tally the result? Am I unzip certain files. Sometimes it Q of the house, on the opposite : I/O error on sd usually means making sense, do you understand says that the file is not a side of where my room is. I suspect A your CD or DVD is bad. what I am trying to do? compressed file and sometimes it that the distance is the maximum full circle magazine #171 58 contents ^ Q&A for the zyxel. I have 2 laptops, one any resource clashes with the on- : Change the default font to with Windows and one with board one. : If you look at the launchpad A something else. Not all font Ubuntu. The Windows one will A page here: https:// packs are 100% complete. disconnect, but the Ubuntu one launchpad.net/~ehoover/+archive/ does not have a WM installed; it’s : So I read about hardware level ubuntu/compholio - you will see it is emacs all the way down. How can I Q encryption for the new SSDs. I archived and goes up to only : This is going to sound stupid, check the wifi strength that Ubuntu am using LUKS atm, and I was Ubuntu 15.10. So you should get a Q but I clicked the view menu gets? wondering if I could tell if it is 404 – page not found, as it does not away by mistake in files on activated in Ubuntu. My machine is exist for Ubuntu 20.04. Xubuntu. I have no idea how to get : It depends on how modern an i7 Dell and my SSD is Adata. it back. I held down alt and dragged A your Ubuntu is, but try nmcli. If my finger over most of the keys and unsure, first try this: nmcli : That is not such a : Can I take my Ubuntu installed nothing. I am a total beginner here networking connectivity - that A straightforward question. Did Q Raspberry PI SD card and insert and I don’t have the foggiest idea should tell you if your WiFi you enable TPM in your BIOS; does it in a newer Raspberry PI, without what else to do, right-clicking in connection is poor or disconnected. your computer ask you for a breaking my installation? I have most parts does nothing, and the password when you turn it on, done a lot on that little 16GB card, icon in the top-left does not give before it boots? Did you use any and I don’t want to do it all over me the option. Googling for, like : I managed to get a first gen i5 manufacturer software to do it? If from the start. forever, got me zilch. What else can Q machine from my friend in not, you are just using software I do? . I was using a core 2 encryption. : Linux is a lot more forgiving Duo E7550 before on MSI A than Windows and will : You said Xubuntu, but you motherboard. There, all was okay in probably work with 80% certainty. A said “files” - this is a bit Ubuntu. This new one does not list : I was following the However, it is a risk, therefore I confusing. Xubuntu uses Thunar, the soundcard. It is onboard Dell. Q instructions on here: http:// would rather advise you to clone vanilla Ubuntu uses Nautilus, aka Why does Ubuntu not see the Dell www.compholio.com/netflix- the SD card and try it. That way, you Files. You can just press CTRL+M to sound? desktop/ but there is an error this ^ have nothing to lose. get the menu showing permanently E: The repository 'http:// or just pressing F10 will pop it into : My guess would be that you ppa.launchpad.net/ehoover/ existence temporarily, should it be A have it turned off in the BIOS. compholio/ubuntu focal Release' : I have just finished Thunar in Xubuntu. It has been a really long time since I does not have a Release file. N: Q customizing Xubuntu 20.04 the have seen Ubuntu not detecting a Updating from such a repository way I want it. However, I have sound card on a Dell motherboard. can't be done securely, and is noticed that when I copy and paste : In Windows, I can see the The other option is that it may be therefore disabled by default. N: to the mousepad, the “-” minus is Q history of Wifi networks I have faulty. You can test with another See apt-secure(8) manpage for missing. Any idea as to why? connected to in the past. In my card, or even a USB sound card, and repository creation and user laptop I can click on the Wifi icon see if it is detected and if there are configuration details. and go to connections and see full circle magazine #171 59 contents ^ Q&A them there. This I am Okay with. I end of the day; if nothing new runs number of the partition, not the can also copy/paste to a plain text have built a headless Wifi scanner on it any more, would you want it? drive. editor, and there select the text you with a Raspberry Pi zero from a Linux has been “Rock-solid” for me want and copy/paste that. tutorial, and I was wondering if I moreso than Windows 10, but that could see what open networks I does not say much. Also remember, : Just a quick question about have connected to, but from the it is based on Solaris, proprietary Q LibreOffice in Ubuntu 18 vs 20. command line. It has no DE. I can OS, meaning open source stuff for When I paste via “paste special” and install one, but I don’t really want it is also minimal. But go ahead and “unformatted text”, something odd to. install it, you may like it. happens. The character fonts will assume my document fonts, but the Oh yes, it is Ubuntu 18.04 spacing or line width will not. I minimal on there, I had Ubuntu : How can I create a file noticed this while editing a Mate on, but it was slow. Q containing a minus? Like touch document on my wife’s Ubuntu 20. -123? I was trying to make a file my It is very annoying. I can delete the : You can try: little brother can't just delete. line and press enter for a new line A and the spacing – by this I mean the nmcli connection show : Don’t, in Linux a ‘minus’ is space an empty line takes up, will A used to add options to be completely different. This it should show you what you need. commands. You may end up with throws off everything else you It also has a small help: something you did not intend. Use want to line up. Then two lines user/file permissions instead. further, everything is fine again. nmcli -h Instead of trying to be clever, be Like I don’t have enough grey hairs smart. already. : Smorg, [10.03.21 11:22] I know : What you can try is select Q it’s not 100% Ubuntu, but I : I am new to this home everything CTRL+A, click on want to put it in my VM on Ubuntu, A Q automation thing. Will my drive ‘Default style‘ top left, then set so it may count. Why would anyone always be sda2? Why not 1? your fonts and font size again. want to use Openindiana? They say When copying and pasting from it is rock-solid. : No, Ubuntu is not Windows, to browsers, people try to insert see your disks and partitions hidden nonsense, designed to make : Legacy, mostly, I’d say. People A Erik has been in IT for 30+ years. He use: your copy/paste life difficult. When has seen technology come and go. like to have at home what they A using copy/paste from a browser, From repairing washing machine sized use at work. Thing is, commercial sudo fdisk -l you can turn off , that may hard drives with multimeters and software for it is like hens’ teeth, oscilloscopes, laying cable, to scaling help. You can also make sure you do and that is what is important at the 3G towers, he's done it. to list them all. The number is the not select any empty spaces. You full circle magazine #171 60 contents ^ UUBBUUNNTTUU GGAAMMEESS Written by Erik HHuunnttddoowwnn

Website: https://huntdown.com/ punks. One thing I can say without you play it for longer than five enjoyment. hesitation is that the game is easy minutes, you realise that it is very Price: $19.99 USD to grasp and play; no manual generic. By that statement, I mean As a bounty hunter, you battle required. This could easily be an that they don’t really stand out, not through waves of well animated Blurb: “In the mayhem-filled streets Atari ST or Amiga game. that they are bad. In fact, the cannon fodder... to get to the sub- of the future, where criminal gangs animation is brilliant. The boss... to get to the boss, then to rule and cops fear to tread, only the There are a lot of cutscenes and backgrounds are great, the sprites repeat the recipe. There are some bounty hunters can free the city story woven in, bully for Easy are great, just your main character interesting weapon pick-ups as well from the corrupt fist of felony. Lay trigger games. With Cyberpunk is a bit unremarkable. Games like as hidden loot. Though this is a waste to the criminal underworld 2077 out in the wild, this this would be - Contra, Army Moves, game, it feels more like a and make a killing in this hard-boiled Cyberpunk dystopia stays with the or Midnight Resistance. Earthworm Hollywood action flick. (Queue action comedy arcade shooter.“ flavour of the year. That doesn’t Jim or Ruff n Tumble, or Metal Slug, Robocop again.) Gunfire, explosions mean there is a lot of story here, on the other hand, had really and inept cops help immerse you but it has a lot more than most I interesting lead characters. Like a into the movie... erm game. Before we do anything, I’d like to have played. At first, the graphics story in a book, we need to identify point out that the game script is are amazing, bang on the money or get attached to our main Movement is slick and the 345MB and the soundtrack is for an old-timey arcade game. But if character to maximize our controls are responsive and on the 800MB. money. When you duck into cover, there is no doubt, and when you shoot a punk it is immediate. When hile I could rag on about the the screen is full of enemies, not W lame title, I won’t. The game once did it feel like the game was loop is simple, a run-and-gun a lá going to slow down, even on my 90’s arcade. Skin it slightly potato laptop. I did say there was a differently and you could be story, and the dialogue is very playing Robocop from 1989. Heh, cheesy. This is because there is one of the characters IS a robot. some humour built in, like the But I will play the dude with the ambulance-thingy checkpoint builtin harmonica – I want to (Tony’s surgery and repairs) that imagine mirrorshades built in. This will kick you out on your backside throwback to old school gaming after you die. Some things are just even has punks as the enemy. Yes, stupid though, like the name Anna

full circle magazine #171 61 contents ^ UBUNTU GAMES Conda. Speaking of which, some of game sound great again. So don’t friends lived in a five mile radius, the references have been changed be shy; pump up the volume. There and it was awesome to have them slightly and won’t make sense to has obviously been a lot of effort over to play on my Atari 2600, new players; for instance, Duke put into the game to make it shine, whilst sharing peanut butter and Nukem’s “Hail to the King baby!” is and it shows. The level layouts are apricot jam sarmies; today, most “Hail to the Queen, baby!” great and provide their own kids’ friends are further away. challenges. Even the stereotypes The music is great. It does not are great! Simple mechanics, easy controls, get in the way of the game, but it great design and satisfying boss adds to the aesthetic. Hey, I have The game is a little short, but fights make this title easy to the soundtrack playing while I am magic nonetheless. I can’t wait for recommend. It is by no means writing this. I will probably turn the DLC (I can’t believe my own ears perfect, but it has a LOT of volume down slightly and go to saying this!) or for Huntdown II, the potential to be a really awesome sleep with it playing. next chapter. game. If ever you see a game advertise “retro arcade action” - Erik has been in IT for 30+ years. He If there is one thing lacking in they need to be compared to this. has seen technology come and go. But wait, there’s more... (as they the game, it is the multiplayer. From repairing washing machine sized say in the commercials). The SFX While the game supports local co- hard drives with multimeters and and voice acting are also A+ quality. op, it does not have online oscilloscopes, laying cable, to scaling 3G towers, he's done it. Yes, this alone makes the game multiplayer. This would not have wear a red peak cap. Make the been an issue in 1980, when all my

full circle magazine #171 62 contents ^ PPAATTRROONNSS

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HHOOWW TTOO CCOONNTTRRIIBBUUTTEE Editor - Ronnie Tucker [email protected] FCM#172 Webmaster - FULL CIRCLE NEEDS YOU! Deadline: [email protected] A magazine isn't a magazine without articles and Full Circle is no Sunday 08th Aug. 2021. exception. We need your opinions, desktops, stories, how-to's, reviews, Release: Editing & Proofreading and anything else you want to tell your fellow *buntu users. Send your Friday 27th Aug. 2021. articles to: [email protected] Mike Kennedy, Gord Campbell, Robert Orsino, Josh Hertel, Bert Jerred, Jim We are always looking for new articles to include in Full Circle. For help and advice please Dyer and Emily Gonyer see the Official Full Circle Style Guide: http://bit.ly/fcmwriting Our thanks go to Canonical, the many Send your comments or Linux experiences to: [email protected] translation teams around the world Hardware/software reviews should be sent to: [email protected] and Thorsten Wilms for the FCM logo. Questions for Q&A should go to: [email protected] Desktop screens should be emailed to: [email protected] ... or you can visit our site via: fullcirclemagazine.org Getting Full Circle Magazine: For the Full Circle Weekly News: EPUB Format - Most editions have a link to the epub file on You can keep up to date with the Weekly News using the RSS that issue's download page. If you have any problems with feed: http://fullcirclemagazine.org/feed/podcast the epub file, email: [email protected] Or, if you're out and about, you can get the Weekly News via Issuu - You can read Full Circle online via Issuu: Stitcher Radio (Android/iOS/web): http://issuu.com/fullcirclemagazine. Please share and rate http://www.stitcher.com/s?fid=85347&refid=stpr FCM as it helps to spread the word about FCM and Ubuntu. and via TuneIn at: http://tunein.com/radio/Full-Circle-Weekly- News-p855064/

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full circle magazine #171 64 contents ^