WIN! UBUNTU full circle UNLEASHED ISSUE #24 - APRIL 2009
GRANDMA GOES SHOPPING WITH UBUNTU
full circle magazine #24 1 contents ^ full circle Inkscape - Part 1 p.08 Ubuntu Women p.29
Program In C - Part 8 p.10 Ubuntu Games p.31
My Story p.18 MOTU Interview p.26
Spread Ubuntu - Part 3 p.13 My Desktop p.34
Create A MAME Machine p.16 Book Review p.25 Letters p.27 Top 5 Special p.36
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 #24 2 contents ^ EDITORIAL
This magazine was created using :
Welcome to a slightly different issue of Full Circle Magazine. ou might notice a few changes to Full Circle this month (understatement of the century). After nearly two years of the same layout and colours, we gave FCM a lick of paint. So, in come nice deep reds with a hint of peach. And I bet the new cover threw some of you off. Gone is the widescreen image, in Ycomes a large full page photo with less text on the cover and even a redesigned logo, but, needless to say, we didn't stray too far from the design that most people seem to like. Where I did make a radical change is to the contents page. I hope this new page will be more informative to readers. I do hope you like the new design, if so, make sure you mention it to Slashdot. We want to be on that front page, and fulfill Robert's lifetime ambition. Ubuntu is a complete operating system that is perfect for laptops, desktops and servers. Why bring these changes in now? FCM is officially Whether at home, school or work two years old this month. I can hardly believe it! And to celebrate our second year, Ubuntu contains all the we've almost doubled the content this month! I know most of you would like FCM to applications you'll ever need including word processor, email be this big each month, but without more submissions it will be back to normal size application and web browser. next month. I can hear you all groaning, but we rely on your input to fill each issue. Ubuntu is and always will be free So please, take the time to write some articles on your favorite subjects. Just type it of charge. You do not pay any up in OpenOffice.org, attach the document, and some screenshots, to an email, and licensing fees. You can download, use and share Ubuntu send it to my email address, which is listed below. with your friends, family, school or business for absolutely Enjoy the issue, and I look forward to hearing what you think of the changes. nothing.
Once installed, your system is ready to use with a full set of productivity, internet, drawing Editor, Full Circle Magazine and graphics applications, and [email protected] games.
use the new 'contents' link to jump to the contents page from any other page! full circle magazine #24 3 contents ^ NEWS
Ubuntu 9.04 is also the basis for the Ubuntu forums: Ubuntu 9.04 Released new 9.04 releases of Kubuntu, To Get Ubuntu The Ubuntu team is pleased to Xubuntu, Edubuntu, 9.04 #ubuntu on irc.freenode.net announce Ubuntu 9.04 Desktop UbuntuStudio, and Mythbuntu: http://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/lis To download Ubuntu 9.04, or and Server editions and Ubuntu tinfo/ubuntu-users obtain CDs, visit: Netbook Remix, continuing http://www.ubuntuforums.org/ http://www.ubuntu.com/getubuntu Ubuntu's tradition of integrating the latest and greatest open Users of Ubuntu 8.10 will be source technologies into a http://kubuntu.org/news/9.04- offered an automatic upgrade to high-quality, easy-to-use Linux release 9.04 via Update Manager. For distribution. further information about upgrading, see: Read more about the features of http://www.ubuntu.com/getubuntu/ Ubuntu 9.04 in the following press upgrading releases: http://xubuntu.org/news/9.04- release As always, upgrades to the latest version of Ubuntu are entirely free
of charge. http://www.ubuntu.com/news/ubun tu-9.04-desktop We recommend that all users read the release notes, which http://edubuntu.org/news/9.04- document caveats and http://www.ubuntu.com/news/ubun release workarounds for known issues. tu-9.04-server They are available at: http://www.ubuntu.com/getubuntu/
releasenotes/904 http://www.ubuntu.com/news/ubun tu-9.04-unr http://mythbuntu.org/9.04/release Find out what's new in this release with a graphical overview: Ubuntu 9.04 will be supported for http://www.ubuntu.com/getubuntu/ 18 months on both desktops and releasenotes/904overview servers. Users requiring a longer support lifetime may choose to If you have a question, or if you continue using Ubuntu 8.04 LTS think you may have found a bug rather than upgrading to or http://ubuntustudio.org/downloads but aren't sure, try asking on the installing 9.04. #ubuntu IRC channel, on the Ubuntu Users mailing list, or on
full circle magazine #24 4 contents ^ NEWS source community with a place to The Ubuntu Network gather together on a social level. We Ubunchu! Ubuntu Notebooks wish to give both users and developers a place where they might Provided by Sun find common ground outside of the technical environment, as well as maintaining the philosophy of Ubuntu. At the network, members have a chance to create their own personalized profile and blogs. If you're in to mood to chat we have that too, by means of both a chat room and discussion forums. is a Japanese manga series featuring Ubuntu Linux. Three is an attempt Members can also share, rate and comment on videos, even ones school students in a system-admin to bring social back to the Ubuntu club are getting into Ubuntu! community. It was created with the already uploaded to YouTube and Google. They can also share, rate Idea that open source flourishes The manga has since been translated around community. Every good and comment on photos as well. The network offers a relaxed into English, Spanish, French, community deserves a place to Portuguese, Korean and Indonesian. gather and socialize. Such settings environment to just express yourself and make friends. Download links are available at: allow for growth and for ideas to http://url.fullcirclemagazine.org/24f680 flourish. If you wish to be a part of our social : Ubuntu News Team While the Ubuntu forums allow us to experiment, please visit The Ubuntu gather and support one another on a Network at technical level, which solely http://myubuntu.ning.com. We are ODF Olympiad 2008 winners from surrounds the operating system always accepting new members and India and Malaysia were announced itself, there are many times when we looking for new faces. We look at the Worldwide Developer wish to step outside those lines and forward to meeting you and wish you Conference, Sun Tech Days hosted just get to know one another. The a happy Ubuntu journey! by Sun Microsystems at Hyderabad. Ubuntu forums attempted to provide The four winners were awarded a this kind of environment for a while laptop each, sponsored by IOTA by providing us with the "Oh My God (society under Government of West Purple Ponies" forum. However, it Bengal). The laptops had Ubuntu became too time consuming for the pre-installed. council to maintain this type of forum alongside a support forum, : Ubuntu Weekly News thus the decision was made to close that section of the Ubuntu Forums. It is for these reasons that the Ubuntu Network was begun.
It is our goal to provide the Open : The Ubuntu Network Team
full circle magazine #24 5 contents ^ COMMAND & CONQUER
his article will be using nano, so that's what I'll or by creating a symbolic dedicated to use in the examples. If you link to /usr/bin (and executing The script automating things you prefer a GUI editor, replace it like any other program you essentially uses find do every day, and to “nano” with “gedit” (minus the use in the terminal) by issuing: to locate all files Thelping you create a backup quotes). To start, do the that end with .java... solution that works for you. To following: sudo ln -s /
full circle magazine #24 6 contents ^ COMMAND & CONQUER is important to know the be: format of the entry. It goes
full circle magazine #24 7 contents ^ HOW-TO Inkscape - Part 1
the toolbar at the left side of the screen. Now make a It looks more interesting N/A smaller circle and put it in the now. center of the big circle. It Next, we need to add three should look like this: smaller circles. Make a circle as you did before, and then duplicate it twice. Then position them like this:
Dev Graphics Internet M/media System To rotate the rectangles, double click the object, which will then show eight arrows like the screenshot above. You can click and drag the arrows to CD/DVD HDD USB Drive Laptop Wireless position them as needed. Now we must combine the two. Hold SHIFT then click the Now hold SHIFT and click his tutorial will show circles one by one. Then select: the circle, and then one of the you how to go about Path > Difference. Now you rectangles. Then select : Path making the Ubuntu have one circle which has a > Difference. Do it to the other logo using Inkscape. At Again, as before, we need to hole in the center. rectangles. The results should Tthis stage, I won't explain too carve parts from our big circle look like this: much about the controls in segments. Hold SHIFT, select a Draw a rectangle using the Inkscape. I find it better to big circle segment, then select rectangle button in the toolbar. show how the tools work when one of the new small circles, After you have a rectangle, we need them. and then Path > Difference. Do click the rectangle and press this for each new small circle. CTRL+D to duplicate it. Make It should now look like the two duplicates, and place them Let's start image (top left) on the as shown above right: Open Inkscape and make a following page. circle with the circle button in Once more, we need three
full circle magazine #24 8 contents ^ INKSCAPE - PART 1 and then fill them with a color from the bottom toolbar. If you SAMS don't find the correct color, you can select Edit Object in the menu, and it will show you a new menu. You can select the correct color from it.
Here's the final result: circles, but smaller than before. How? I know you can make them by yourself now. Position them like this:
It's better to save it as ubuntu.svg (or whatever you wish to call it), because next month we will give it a few nice touches to make it more snazzy- looking. We have an Ubuntu logo, but without color. We need to fill it with color, but first you must separate the parts of the logo. Select all of the objects is a 19 year old by clicking CTRL+A, and then, Indonesian who is currently from the menu, choose Path > studying Computer Science and Break Apart. loves graphic design and programming. Please send feedback to: Click the pieces one by one [email protected]
full circle magazine #24 9 contents ^ HOW-TO Program in C - Part 8
sequence will look like: 0,1,1,2,3,5,8,13,21,... and it is FCM#17-23 - Program In C - Parts 1-7 immediately clear that this is 01. #include
full circle magazine #24 10 contents ^ PROGRAM IN C - PART 8 However, this application which have access to a larger digit at a time, bring carry into can offer you. isn't running in a mathematical range. But keep in mind that the calculation, etc. For utopia, it is running inside a one looses precision. This can addition and subtraction, this Listing 2, which can be computer, and this means that, be even more dangerous since can be done, but once working compiled with the command: in the case of a 32 bit unsigned the number appears to be with multiplication, division, integer, if you add one to correct but in fact isn't (if in and square roots, things are gcc -Wall -lgmp Fibonacci2.c 0xffffffff, the result will be 0x0. doubt ask the people who getting rather tricky, and it -o Fibonacci2 This means an overflow has wrote the Ariane 5 rocket gets very unlikely that they will occurred, the new value cannot software). be implemented efficiently. shows an implementation of be expressed using only 32 bits Adding two digits is as efficient the same algorithm, but now it (0x100000000), and the result Conclusions so far: It's nice as adding two integers, so uses GMP. Lines 12-15 initialize has been calculated modulo-32 that there are an infinite adding two four-digit numbers a container, and set the bits number of integers. Wouldn't it the manual way is at least four container to a certain value. (0x100000000&0xffffffff=0x0). be nice if we could be able to times slower than the integer Behind the scenes, GMP In other words, a wrap has actually use all of them? version. allocates storage for you, and occurred. The same happens performs all the needed when working with signed Now, luckily we live in an (at bookkeeping. Lines 18 to 25 values, but here you will Breaking limits least for a part) open world, show the main loop, which will overflow the sign bit first, and and we are not required to never terminate. Here the Well, actually we can use mpz_add function is used to you will end up with a large them all, but there will be a reinvent the wheel ourselves. negative value. There is a library called GMP add two integers and store the price in efficiency. Adding two result in an mpz_t. This 32-bit values is bleeding fast, (GNU Multiple Precision On line 3 and 4 there is a Arithmetic Library, see replaces the c=a+b. And in fact a simple assembly mpz_swap is used to get the definition of a fibo_type and a instruction is able to do the http://gmplib.org), which offers FIBO_FORMAT. These are used all this functionality and much, order right. We only use two trick, but then again you're variables here and one swap, to easily modify the application stuck with the 32-bit limit (this much more, and all we need to to other datatypes. This way it do for it is type sudo apt-get instead of three variables and may vary depending on cpu two swaps we used in Listing 1. is possible to experiment type, but there will be some install libgmp3-dev. This library where the boundary lies when offers us a lot of functionality, The second part of the while limit). But there's a work- loop, lines 22-24, creates a using a signed value or a short. around. Instead of using an but, in this article, we'll only In the case of an unsigned long scratch the surface a little. I base-10 string representation integer we could use an array of the mpz_t, prints it and frees long, this application is able to and implement the addition strongly encourage the reader calculate 94 Fibonacci numbers. to take a look at the API the storage (note: there is ourselves, simply by doing it room for improvement here, documentation at the same way we learned to do see exercises). Lines 26-30 are One could also experiment it in primary school: and one http://gmplib.org/manual/ to using floating point numbers, see the possibilities this library unreachable code, but they
full circle magazine #24 11 contents ^ PROGRAM IN C - PART 8 illustrate how the internal point data types in Fibonacci.c. structure should be cleared. Do you get more numbers? Are This clearly states how powerful they correct? Where do things 01. #include
• Try the same using floating
full circle magazine #24 12 contents ^ HOW-TO Spread Ubuntu - Part 3
much harder. The trickier part portable USB hard drive (or configuration setting, etc.? FCM#22-23 - Program In C - Parts 1-2 is setting up a new Ubuntu large USB stick) can also help, system with a user's legacy especially if either of the Assuming you want to make files, emails, bookmarks, etc. machines lacks a network port. a full backup as detailed below, What follows covers some of you will end up with a folder the main issues I have faced so called “fromwin”. Exactly how far and how to resolve them. you shift your files around and The skills/effort required range store them in their final from beginner to advanced. I destination will depend on won't have the space in this whether you are changing OS Dev Graphics Internet M/media System article to explain all the details on the same machine or for intermediate or advanced switching from one machine to tasks. Backup another. (intermediate) My examples all assume CD/DVD HDD USB Drive Laptop Wireless Scenario 1 Firefox as the web browser, If you want to backup only a Two networked machines and Thunderbird as the email subset of the files on your omeone you know client. Although this will not Windows machine, you can Give the destination Ubuntu wants to make the always be the case, the simply copy them onto a large machine a static IP address, switch from Windows Windows users I have dealt USB stick. I would recommend, install sshd onto it (sudo apt- to Ubuntu. Or perhaps with have usually been using however, taking a full copy of get install openssh-server) so S these already, which makes the every single file on the you are finally ready for that we can transfer files to it using transition yourself. This article transition of Operating System machine. This is especially ssh (see http://p- provides some practical help. (OS) easier. You may wish to important if the machine is s.co.nz/wordpress/?p=35), and Although I can only scratch the consider Evolution instead. being wiped. You never know boot into the Windows machine surface in a short article, there what you will need later. An with a Live Ubuntu CD. From are links to more information Preparation obscure setting could turn out the terminal of the Live CD, use where possible. to be critical, and it may take the following command to copy A cheap, modern, but many months before the need all the contents of the Windows Setting up a clean install of reasonably long Ethernet cable becomes apparent. And can machine to a folder on the Ubuntu is very easy. Setting up can be extremely useful for you really be confident you Ubuntu machine called a dual boot arrangement is not shifting files around. And a have every photo, music track, “fromwin”:
full circle magazine #24 13 contents ^ SPREAD UBUNTU - PART 3 mkdir G:\fromwin Thunderbird and Firefox, you http://p- scp -pr /media/disk1 will need to view hidden s.co.nz/wordpress/?p=35 for username_on_dest@ip_address_o xcopy C:\*.* G:\fromwin /c folders. Inside Nautilus, use ctrl- more details. /d /s /h /r f_dest:~/fromwin h to display hidden folders (they start with a dot such as, There are a few gotchas NB replace You should verify that for example, .mozilla- setting up Lightning and username_on_dest with the the target location does thunderbird). transferring across existing user name e.g. john, and contain all of the necessary appointments. See http://p- ip_address_of_dest with the IP files, and folders. s.co.nz/wordpress/?p=105 for address of the destination more details. machine e.g. 192.168.1.188. You can now copy this data across to its final destination If you need to transfer email NB you might use variants when required. The USB drive data from Outlook, Outport of this approach to shift data can also become a permanent (http://outport.sourceforge.net/) from a Windows machine onto backup of the original system if might help. See http://p- a temporary location on a you want. s.co.nz/wordpress/?p=105 for Ubuntu machine, wipe If the user previously had more details. Windows on the original Thunderbird on the Windows machine replacing it with Making “fromwin” Read machine, you will need to shift Ubuntu, then shift the data Only the address book and email Web Bookmarks back (same machine but (intermediate) across. For the address book, different OS). I leave this as an Once you have transferred copy the file abook.mab from exercise for the reader. all the data, make the “fromwin” folder read only. fromwin … /Documents and Copy files from it to other parts Settings/user_name/Application Scenario 2 of the Ubuntu file system as Data/Thunderbird/Profiles/gobbl Two machines with USB required, but it is best to leave edegook.default/” to it intact unless there is a /home/user_name/.mozilla- If there is no Ethernet port, shortage of hard disk space. It thunderbird/gobbledegook.defa you can use a USB HDD as the can be surprising which files ult/. The gobbledegook could intermediary. Copying onto this you need later down the track. be something like at4d26v. Export the bookmarks as from a DOS prompt is easy HTML, and import them as enough - if you know the The Windows location for HTML. If the user previously command. Assuming the drive Email/Calendar mail is Documents and had Firefox 3 on the Windows letter assigned by Windows for (intermediate/ advanced) Settings/user_name/Application machine, you could shift the the USB drive is G: Data/Thunderbird/Profiles/gobbl When setting up bookmarks file places.sqlite edegook.default/Mail. See
full circle magazine #24 14 contents ^ SPREAD UBUNTU - PART 3 instead. I am not sure if these (much faster), and other times by installing this addon. More two approaches are 100% you will want to visually background at http://p- equivalent. interact with their Desktop s.co.nz/wordpress/?p=222. using your mouse and keyboard (you can see the Misc user's situation more easily). If Conclusion both machines run Ubuntu, you Transferring files and Restricted Extras can set up GUI access using (beginner) settings is not always for the Vinagre (below). For more faint of heart, but it is details see http://p- achievable in a reasonable Running the command sudo s.co.nz/wordpress/?p=275. apt-get install ubuntu- amount of time. Just be sure restricted-extras will install not to do it under time Adobe Flash Player, the Java pressure. And remember – a Runtime Environment (JRE), a full backup equals peace of set of Microsoft Fonts, various mind. multimedia codecs, mp3- compatible encoding, FFMpeg, extra Gstreamer codecs, the package for DVD decoding, and the unrar archiver (see http://p- s.co.nz/wordpress/?p=330). Thunderbird's LookOut NB: some countries have restrictive IP laws, so be careful Addon to Handle to act legally, depending on winmail.dat (beginner) where you live. Once in a while you may Remote Desktop receive an email with an is a (advanced) attachment called software developer from “winmail.dat”. How do you Auckland, New Zealand, with a Providing support to open it? Use the LookOut PhD in Sociology. Married to relatives is a lot easier when Elizabeth with 4 lively children, addon for Thunderbird: and a custom database you can login to their computer https://addons.mozilla.org/en- business (http://www.p-s.co.nz). http://apress.com remotely. Sometimes you will US/thunderbird/addon/4433. just want the command line Avoid problems down the track
full circle magazine #24 15 contents ^ HOW-TO Create A MAME Machine
using the video card's TV-out Ubuntu is installed, but will MAME! N/A socket. it like my cheap Logic3 joypad? Time to find out. I installed the Now to install SDLmame. ‘joypad’ package, using The website at Installing Ubuntu Synaptic. From the command http://wallyweek.altervista.org/ Getting Ubuntu on to a PC is line I ran has a .deb file for download. simple. Well, normally it is. But Just click the appropriate link, jstest /dev/input/js0 since I’m not using a monitor, and, when Firefox pops up to Ubuntu couldn’t decide on a ask if you want to save the file, ( some distros may use resolution, but the all-new, it also has an option to open Dev Graphics Internet M/media System /dev/js0) singing-and-dancing, bullet- the file in Gdebi. I use this proof X came to the rescue, option as it saves time by which lets you test all the and let me (at least) load downloading and installing it movements and buttons of the Ubuntu with a low-resolution with just that one click: joypad: CD/DVD HDD USB Drive Laptop Wireless (800 x 600) which was enough to let me get going.
AME is an If you are going to use the application called PC for only MAME then it’s Multiple Arcade probably best to tick the ‘auto- Machine Emulator. login’ box in step 5 of the MIn short, you give it ROMs from Ubuntu installation. You’ll see old arcade machines, and it why at the end of this article. plays them. MAME itself isn’t so friendly to use, or look at, so With Ubuntu installed, it It’s the exact same idea with most people use a ‘front end’ now needs to install all the downloading Wahcade: application to allow you easy latest updates, all 200+ of http://www.anti- access to your ROMs. I’m using them! But once the updates particle.com/wahcade.shtml This confirms that the Ubuntu 8.10 for the OS, and are in place, I have access to joypad is detected, and fully will use Wahcade as the face of the nVidia restricted drivers With SDLmame and working. Excellent! MAME. My idea is to have my and can properly configure the Wahcade installed, we’re ready old PC connected to my TV video card for TV-out. to rock!
full circle magazine #24 16 contents ^ Create A MAME Machine you’ll see some entries for SDLmame itself. It needs to sites. I even Wahcade. We want to load the know where your ROMs are created a /Home On The Range set-up application for the stashed too. So' in a terminal, simple MAME moment. The only things we run: layout (left) In your /home directory, need to edit are: in the for Wahcade: create a directory called Emulators tab (left), click the sudo gedit http://ronnietucker.co.uk/mame/ ‘emulators’; inside that, create List Generation drop-down, /etc/sdlmame/mame.ini polaroid_1024.zip one called ‘mame’, and, inside click the browse button, and that, create one called ‘roms’. give it the roms directory Where it says rompath, The reason to make Ubuntu This is the default set of (/home/yourname/emulators/m paste/type in the ROMs auto-login is that you can go to directories for Wahcade and ame/roms) directory (same one you gave System > Preferences > simplifies the configuration of to Wahcade) Sessions' and add Wahcade to it. In the MAME Only tab, click the startup. This means your the button to generate a list of mean MAME machine would your ROMs: load up Ubuntu, log you in, and load up Wahcade for you. I do not recommend doing auto- login if your machine is to be used for anything else! Not only that, but Wahcade can Time to give it a whirl! Go to also act as a front-end for most Applications > Games and load emulators, so in reality you And finally, the Keys tab. Wahcade! could have this one front-end Maybe you won’t have to edit for all your emulators, and anything in here, but I had to even have different Wahcade tick the box to enable my themes for each emulator! joypad to be used in Wahcade for selecting ROMs:
is Editor of Full Circle magazine, a recent GNOME Set-up convert, and artist whose gallery The default Wahcade theme of work can be seen at If you check your is quite garish, but others can www.RonnieTucker.co.uk. Applications > Games menu, Last thing to configure is be downloaded from various
full circle magazine #24 17 contents ^ MY STORY Grandma Goes Shopping With Ubuntu
dependent on others. Her attending computer classes in course, and looks back on it family is supportive, although a local adult class. Surprise is saying it was a ‘waste of time’. they live many hours away. an understatement. The motive was soon clear: By this time her family had Lifts from friends, taxis, or shopping. got over their surprise about local community transport, the turn of events, and not walking short distances in good The course she had found knowing where it might all weather, and even local buses, locally, and joined, was for two lead, they had decided that the are all used sometimes to get hours twice a week – a ancient computer her husband about. Irene has suffered falls, foundation course in had used was not good for a on one occasion breaking a computing. novice who wanted to do hip, so that even though she is online shopping. rene, twice a great- quite prepared to make efforts, Irene said "The first time I grandmother, who had travel decisions, including for went, there was a big screen A family member had never used a computer shopping, are made with some on the wall; we didn’t touch a recently been given a before in her life. ‘I went to care. PC; I went to two more lessons; discarded computer from a Ia computer class today. How I was typing out columns and friend, and this computer was do I use your father’s When her technically- paragraphs of text from a prepared for Irene’s use. Irene computer?’ This came out of minded husband was alive, he book; I did not even learn how also got connected to the blue, and was the last thing occasionally used an old to turn a computer on or off; I broadband Internet, an activity we had expected. computer for printing lists. do not think I learned which revealed an interesting Irene never used it herself. anything." 'catch 22' situation where Irene, aged 88, was a When, sadly, she found herself communication, letters, hairdresser in her early years, on her own, the computer Irene was clear that she passwords, and emails were then had a busy family life with remained unused. wanted to do shopping online, expected to be dealt with by young children, and never and the teacher explained that the elderly novice householder, learned to drive. She now lives But desperation turned this course was not suitable for not by another person (a on the outskirts of a small town Irene’s thoughts towards the that. The teacher said she relative) living on the other on the UK east coast, without computer. To the great surprise would try to get Irene into a side of the country who wanted fast transport links. Being of her family, who are all particular six-week course, to make all the arrangements. widowed a year ago, she computer literate, Irene although Irene says she heard It was resolved, thankfully, naturally felt very isolated and informed them that she was nothing more. Irene left the with the help of some common
full circle magazine #24 18 contents ^ Grandma Goes Shopping With Ubuntu sense and understanding by unit, speakers, desk lamp, etc. get through the checkout. The the Internet Service Provider were connected from a single I went to a computer family later learned that Irene (ISP). mains wall socket, which would class today - Irene, had then decided to use the be turned off when not in use. aged 88... telephone help line shown on The family are users of The Web browser (Firefox) on the shopping site to sort things Ubuntu Linux, and also had a the computer was arranged to out. With indomitable lot of experience with helping start up automatically when persistence, the help line was vulnerable novices, so Ubuntu the computer started up, and phoned four times in different was judged ideal in terms of to have as its home page the ways and combinations until ease of use and dependable supermarket shopping site. concerned. she got through to someone security. who understood the problem, After the original activity of Some days later, a bit of who could see her full shopping The broadband connection installing the equipment and family remote support was basket, and could accept the and the computer were set up setting up, time allowed only a needed to help with Irene credit-card number over the during the next family visit. couple of hours for Irene to getting her next order through phone. Another successful Things were easily arranged so have one-to-one instruction for the checkout successfully. It delivery. And congratulations that there was a user account her first ever online-shopping turned out that the entry field for using the helpline appropriate for what Irene experience. It had been hoped which needed the credit card successfully! needed, and that the that this would be a trial shop number was being given the administration of the computer of only a couple of items. text name of the bank instead. Around this time, Irene was was well protected. This confusion was soon in conversation with another However, two hours and two- cleared up, and another person who had been going to Menus were also easily dozen items later, Irene was successful delivery was on its computer classes for two trimmed to contain only useful shepherded though the way. years. He was pleased to say items, and the display ‘Shopping Delivery slot’ he could now manipulate a resolution and font sizes were calendar, and then the One unexpected bonus Irene printer font to be upside down. set to be suitable for a user ‘Checkout’ sign off. She had noticed with online shopping Irene asked if he could do who did not always wear survived the unfamiliarity, the was – Ice Cream! Online online shopping. "No" he glasses, even when needed. searches, the unpractised shopping resulted in delivery of replied. "What’s the good of novice wandering cursor, and ice cream straight from a that then?" Irene asked. The area is served by one of the brutal formality of the freezer to the door. the big supermarket chains for checkout, all successfully. About a week later, Irene’s delivery of online shopping. An The following week, the next shopping event went account was registered. The shopping delivery checkout activity again did not smoothly with no outside arrived on schedule in a couple go smoothly, and the shopping support needed. A real first! The computer, broadband of days, to the delight of all basket stayed full, refusing to
full circle magazine #24 19 contents ^ Grandma Goes Shopping With Ubuntu In the space of about four basic skills has helped a lot, weeks, Irene had graduated to and she says it has independence for her online It has brough my . grocery shopping in the alien independence back world of computers and online is shopping. This had been with presented by members of the United Kingdom’s Ubuntu Linux remarkably little help, because The computer is a recycled gift community. although family support was – tower, Tiny PC Pentium III available, it was by phone or 500 MHz, 384MB RAM, 20GB We aim is to provide current, remote help on request. convenient choice. HD, CD ROM. topical information about, and Monitor is CRT 17 inch. for, Ubuntu Linux users the world over. We cover all aspects Irene’s skills with the mouse With the experienced help Modem/router is Netgear needed as much practice as DG834GT, wireless turned off. of Ubuntu Linux and Free of her daughter, Irene now saw Software and appeal to possible, and a good way to Broadband is 2MB, ISP is further benefit from having a everyone from the newest user get enjoyable exercise has broadband Internet UKOnline.net, with modem to the oldest coder, from the been to play an on-screen connection. Choosing a reliable router. (Lite package). command line to the latest GUI. game such as Mahjongg. The retailer came first, then Operating System is Ubuntu rules were explained over the identifying a suitable 8.04 LTS. Because the show is produced phone. User account – non admin, the Ubuntu UK community, the replacement bed, and, finally, podcast is covered by the deciding and arranging reduced menus, panels and The next family visit to menus locked. Ubuntu Code of Conduct and is delivery – all when sitting therefore suitable for all ages. Irene was not long after, and it comfortably with her daughter, Web browser is Firefox. happened that Irene had been and with a cup of tea. Email client is Thunderbird. http://podcast.ubuntu-uk.org/ considering making an existing Remote help facility is via spare room into a more The bed was delivered four Remote Desktop (VNC) comfortable bedroom, days later. Irene was through secure shell tunnel replacing an old bed. Her impressed. (ssh). daughter suggested using the Dynamic DNS used to facilitate broadband-connected She is going from strength secure remote access computer to buy – not to strength with her confidence connection. (Free account). groceries this time – but a bed. in using the computer. She can now mostly do what she wants It would save at least one – shopping on her own and Digital Unite lengthy round-trip to the even checking her email. http://digitalunite.com/ nearest large town, and would Having the computer and the hopefully offer a more
full circle magazine #24 20 contents ^ MY STORY Translating FCM To Chinese
t was July 2007, and I had and was pretty disappointed. Suddenly a thought rushed into translation job was done in just finished my University Not because the articles were my mind. Why couldn't I be Windows, also because I wasn't entrance exam, was bad, but the articles were too that volunteer? I was very familiar with SCIM input enjoying my free time at difficult to follow. I don't use frightened by that thought, method at that time, so it Ihome, and began to try Linux to be an expert, nor a since I was only a senior would take me much longer to Ubuntu. I'd tried to use Ubuntu hacker. The reason I use it is middle school graduate, and input Chinese in Ubuntu than before, but it ended in failure. that I want a desktop was never taught how to under Windows. Not only that, It was not compatible with my environment. What I wanted to translate English into Chinese. but I couldn't input Chinese PPPoE network since, according learn was some basic system characters into Scribus under to my ISP, I have to set ‘service management skills, or some It was the 23rd of July when Linux. Lack of Chinese support name’ before I can connect. interesting applications, as well I started my translation, and it hindered me quite a bit. Pppoeconf just couldn't handle as news about open source. was at this time the Full Circle this, so, during my summer Chinese translation team was I spent one hour each day holiday, I bought a router and So, I continued my search, created. I checked the Chinese on translation. After about was able to connect to the and then I found Full Circle - a translation wiki page on the three weeks, I almost Internet through Ubuntu. After digital magazine focusing on English wiki site, and it accomplished the translation that, I began my adventure Ubuntu. It had published its appeared that someone had task. Just before I finished, with Ubuntu. third issue. After I had finished already started the translation, Stickto contacted me and reading it, I was not very and had created a table for asked if he could offer any After installing the system, satisfied with it. There were organizing things, but, help. A volunteer is definitely strong curiosity arose. After many articles for English users, unfortunately, he didn't leave welcome - whenever! At last, glancing at the Chinese Ubuntu which were not suitable for his contact details, and didn't we finished the translation. Wiki, I started to search for Chinese users. However, it was finish translating a whole issue. Chinese magazines which were much better than Linuxer. I created another table under Then, I had to solve another mainly about Linux. As we all this which looked similar, and serious problem: Scribus. As know, magazines publish every I often visited the official filled in the information mentioned before, Scribus has month so that we can stay up site of Full Circle magazine, regarding my own translation a lack of CJK support, so I to date from their news. At that and, from reading comments status. couldn't input any Chinese time, I found a magazine called there, I knew that lots of characters into its story editor, Linuxer, but the magazine had people wanted to have a In fact, I was pretty but after a lot of research work, ceased publication. I Chinese translation of it. Of embarrassed about the I finally found a way to input downloaded one issue anyway course that needed volunteers. translation since most of the Chinese. The only way to do it
full circle magazine #24 21 contents ^ Translating FCM to Chinese was to paste the Chinese into the glossary, but the didn't let me down. After the story editor under acknowledgements really At the end of September, upgrading Scribus to 1.3.3.11, Windows. Though we still cheered me up. the second issue of the it could finally handle Chinese couldn't operate without Chinese edition, Issue #4, was characters in Linux! Since Issue commercial software, it was By September that year, I released. We now had over ten #6, we were proud to better than nothing. In my started my college life, so translators, and new announce, the Chinese version opinion, Scribus is not easy to devoting one hour every day to volunteers just kept joining. of Full Circle magazine has use. I read the Scribus series in translation work was not Because of this, we divided our been 100% open source, from past issues of Full Circle practical. When I was about to work into translation and OS to fonts. carefully, and successfully give up, Lyper, Gwok and Mike review. We also started to add managed to do the editing. Huang wanted to join the member's information to the Time passed quickly. We had team, and that made it English wiki page, but, to some almost finished Issue #7 when possible to continue the extent, visiting that wiki was a I received an email from translation since I didn't have nightmare. So, we transferred MrDrake. He came from Hong to spend so much time on it. our wiki page to the Ubuntu-CN Kong and wanted to translate wiki. After a few days, when I our Simplified Chinese version revisited it, I was shocked. It of Full Circle into Traditional had almost become a small Chinese. In mainland China, website on its own. It had Singapore, Malaysia and perfect content, and a very Thailand, people use Simplified convenient navigation bar. Chinese, but people in Taiwan, Thanks to Lyper for her great Hong Kong and Macao use job - Traditional Chinese. Of course On 27th of August, the first http://wiki.ubuntu.org.cn/FC. we were glad to release both Chinese edition of Full Circle The team had grown and we Simplified and Traditional was published. I passed this needed to find a way to co- Chinese versions of the news to Linuxtoy.org, and the operate. We looked at what magazine. That's when we editor there helped me other translation teams did, started the Traditional Chinese announce the news to the and decided to do the Translation Team which is part public (above). In fact, looking translation using Google Docs. of the Chinese Team. And, back at that first Chinese issue, In order to keep in touch with since then, we were able to the translation is really quite other translators, we also release both Chinese bad. In the comments below created a Google Group and translations at the same time. the news release, a lot of used it as a forum - We really appreciate those people complained about http://groups.google.com/group The open source community volunteers from Hong Kong and mispronounced characters, and /FCCTT. Taiwan.
full circle magazine #24 22 contents ^ Translating FCM to Chinese We established a website, at finish the translation in time. the time we released Issue So, we reformed the #11, using Google Sites. It translation team. Still, anybody really is awesome. You don't could become a translator, but need to know anything about those who did the review work HTML, but you can make a were the 'elite' of the team, so really nice Website with it. The to speak. release page on the Google OUT NOW! 9.04 Groups moved to the Google Because of some personal Site. Now, we had our own affairs, I have to leave the official website! translation team. After one month of hand over, Michael will continue my job. He is new Also: to the team, but I can see his passion. His future plan is so great that it makes me think that leaving the team may be a mistake. However, people come and people go. A team should not be disbanded Though the team grew because one of them is quickly, some problems arose. quitting. I sincerely hope that When someone wishes to the team becomes better become a member of the under his lead. translation team, we don't require that he or she must That's the story of my have passed Band 6 English translation life. There's no test or something like that, the cliffhanger, no heart break. If will is enough. As you can see, you want to ask me which is we had to face two problems: the hardest part of the whole the first was that the quality of thing, I say that it is the the translation was not as high, beginning. It may be tough since anyone can join the when you start the project, but team. The second problem was after you start it, people in the that when I assigned an article same boat will keep coming! to someone, he or she may not
full circle magazine #24 23 contents ^ MY OPINION Is Ubuntu The Face Of Linux?
eading Issue 21 of is a problem, and you dare to would be thrilled when it ask a question, the reply is comes to using the repositories Full Circle, I was ... maybe Ubuntu is pleased to see Marc often not an answer but a becoming the to install a basic program. So, Coleman's "My rebuke - because you haven't acceptable face of maybe Ubuntu is becoming the ROpinion" address an issue that asked the question correctly. acceptable face of Linux Linux distros, but is has bothered me for some My favourite answer is "that's this so bad? distros, but is this so bad? From time. I am new to Linux, having easy! Just use the sudo what I've read on other tech received an Acer Aspire One command," which is of little forums, most Linux users agree with Linux installed as a use if you don't know what to that Microsoft's monopoly Christmas present from my type after it! use email, write a letter, save shouldn't go unchallenged, so, wife and family. Since its files, etc., all of which are done when a Linux distro becomes arrival, I have spent a lot of Maybe I'm being overly using XP. Even XP is too popular, this should be time learning how to use the critical, but for a novice the complicated for some of them, applauded, and the creators of terminal to get things done: whole Linux experience can be so a move to Linux and the the distro should be given the removing the terrible interface a bit tricky. I'm certainly not terminal would be like asking praise they deserve. and installing xfce, for new to computing, having them to use the command example. Being a Windows started with home computers prompt in Windows. As much user, I have shied away from on a Commodore 64, Atari ST, fun as hacking is, it's also time- Linux in the past due to its etc., but nowadays I don't want consuming and, like it or not, image as an OS for serious to have to use the terminal to people these days expect "tech heads", and the common get things done: point and click performance at the touch of a belief that, if you want a "point will do nicely. Marc passed button so they can get on with and click" OS, then any Linux comment on the Linux/Ubuntu their busy lives. distro is to be avoided. argument, and I agree entirely. Maybe Ubuntu is changing the For far too long, Windows in In recent years I have face of Linux with extended one form or another has been become tired of Microsoft's GUIs, but this is not only what shipped with most new PCs, products and product failures, many users want, but need. and the public has gotten used to the point where I now have to its "point and click" design Ubuntu installed on my spare In my spare time I teach and the "insert disc and press PC. It works with no problems, basic IT skills to people who install" ease-of-use. I really but as Marc mentioned, if there are hearing-impaired: how to can't imagine many people
full circle magazine #24 24 contents ^ BOOK REVIEW Ubuntu Unleashed
CD/DVDs (burning a DVD from Perl, Python, PHP Scripts, Mono / the command line, anyone?), and C/C++. then games. Not a lot is said Competition about games, but it does And the bad? First and This month we have mention the usual foremost, I think, is the 'Free copies of Quake/Doom/UT2004 culprits, Upgrade to Ubuntu 8.10' that's to be won! To win and, credit where it's due, it emblazoned across the cover. a copy, answer this simple even gives a few pages to Of course it's free, it's Ubuntu! question: Cedega in trying to lure What they really mean is that t is certainly Windows gamers to Linux. you can register the book on Which music playing comprehensive, can't hold Phew! That's a lot of their website and receive a free application does the book not that against Ubuntu information, and that's only the upgrade kit from the mention? Unleashed. This is the first third of the book! publishers. In the chapter on I2008 Edition - still valid today, backups, it talks about tapes – Email your answer to: in 2009, since it is based on After the more introductory does anyone still use tapes? competition@fullcirclemagazine Ubuntu 8.04. Free with the chapters, the going gets tough Mentioning RhythmBox for .org. book is an Ubuntu 8.04 DVD, with user management (via music, but not mentioning which will no doubt come in command line), shell scripting, Amarok? – a glaring omission. handy for many readers. The system monitoring, networking, As is the lack of K3B for book starts off by discussing and remote access with SSH, burning CD/DVDs. But, in the installation and even Telnet. It's inevitable, with saying that, it's all about configuration of Ubuntu, going a tome this size, that it would personal choice. Something so far as to talk, briefly, about touch on server stuff. Not only Linux is excellent at. GNOME, KDE and X. Even does it advise on how best to though the book is aimed set up a server, but it details This is a mighty tome squarely at Ubuntu (with the set up of things like Apache indeed, no doubt about it. The GNOME), it still gives some Web Server, even discussing first third of the book is an easy mention to KDE and its Virtual Hosting. Also included read for the beginner, while the Full Circle would like to thank applications. Then some are Remote File Serving with remainder commendably SAMS for their generosity in sections on various internet FTP, and Handling Electronic contains enough information giving us three copies for this applications (instant Mail (that's e-mail to you and for the new user to learn pretty competition. messaging, IRC, and the like), me). Finally, the book touches much everything they'll need OpenOffice.org, GIMP, burning on programming Linux with to know about using Ubuntu.
full circle magazine #24 25 contents ^ MOTU INTERVIEW behindmotu.wordpress.com James Westby
When did you get involved with looking at the wiki, and mainly Are you involved with any local the MOTU team, and how? asking questions. Linux/Ubuntu groups? I got involved with MOTU after UDS Hardy in Boston. I was What’s your favorite part of I’m a little involved with invited to UDS as an upstream working with the MOTU? Ubuntu UK, but I don’t do as developer, and got to know a Two things really, firstly the much as I would like. few MOTUs there. After that, I community – it’s a pleasure to started working on some work with MOTU and other What are you going to focus on Ubuntu development, mainly people involved with Ubuntu in Intrepid? on things that benefited development. Secondly, For the little that is left, I’m Ubuntu and Debian, as I was making a great distribution going to focus mainly on fixing involved a little with Debian even better is a great feeling. as many bugs as possible. I’m development. I have been also going to be looking for the concentrating more on Ubuntu Any advice for people wanting most important things to focus for a while now, as the to help out MOTU? on for Jaunty. community was more Just get stuck in. Find a bug welcoming, and it’s easier to that annoys you in a package What do you do in your other find a place for yourself as it is you use, and try to fix it. Often, spare time? smaller. this is more about looking in Drink cider and dance like a the right places, and talking to fool. What helped you learn the right people, than knowing packaging and how Ubuntu how to code. Also, How long have you used Linux, teams work? ask questions – and what was your first distro? I learnt packaging while people will help I’ve been using Linux for working in Debian. It was when they can, and, around 4 years now, starting mainly a case of getting stuck if you don’t get a with Debian. in, and googling a lot when I response, then it’s got stuck. I learnt a bit about probably a hard How long have you been using Ubuntu from the UDS, question, and fixing Ubuntu? especially from Daniel Holbach, it will be even more I’ve been using Ubuntu for Stefan Potyra, and Reinhard satisfying. around 9 months. Tartler. The rest was just
full circle magazine #24 26 contents ^ [email protected] LETTERS PLEASE NOTE: some letters may be edited for space reasons.
HOW IS FCM CREATED? ONE STEP AT A TIME LETTER OF THE MONTH Page 3 of each issue shows My daughter works for a local (figuratively speaking) that three apps are used, but it newspaper, running Windows 'm a linux user since imagine the problem if I would be a great to know how 2000 on her old Compaq Slackware 3.5 (or can't write the @ symbol these apps are used to put laptop. Her boot time was at something like that), because of this bug. I'm very together an issue of Full Circle. least twenty-five minutes, not but a couple of months Iago, I reinstalled Windows sad about leaving Linux (and It would be terrific to get a to mention how long it took Ubuntu, my prefered distro), step-by-step tutorial of how we just to open an app. Finally XP on my DELL Inspiron but I need to work. I still use too can use Ubuntu and its she'd had enough! So I walked 1501 (AMD X2, 1GB, 15", Linux on servers though. free applications to make a her through the installation of ATI) because of a very great looking newsletter. Xubuntu on her computer. The annoying bug in Ubuntu. At only hunting we had to do for random times, the AltGr key her was Brother printer drivers, would become disabled. As I which was solved by going to read around the internet, Ed: Brother's website. this is not an Ubuntu problem, but a kernel one. She had a few bumps in the As I live in the Internet road the first two weeks but she caught on fast. Now she likes it and my son-in-law said that if he'd known it was so install only to see a black easy he would have tried it BLACK SCREEN & screen, and a blinking cursor much earlier. BLINKING CURSOR on reboot, or the screen resolution reduced to 640x480. I, and a couple of friends, have Now a friend of his is trying This must be the reason Linux tried several different Linux Ubuntu. Success comes with on the desktop is less than 1%. distros and our consensus is one step at a time. Am I wrong? that Linux is very buggy and unreliable. I don't know how many times I've updated an
full circle magazine #24 27 contents ^ LETTERS hibernate. The swap partition been reviewed? Ed: GAMING SURVEY needs to be at least the size of I'm not sure the gaming survey your RAM memory. Also I would love to see in Issue 23 is accurate in the someone do an actual article way it presents information. on why more and more 90% of those surveyed want to software companies are buy native Linux games--but making apps available on even 90% of the Linux TELL ME MORE! Linux. For example: Acroreader community isn't very much at First of all I love your is now a .deb file, as is Flash all--about equal to one or two magazine, too bad I did not 10. I even saw a version of percent of the Windows hear about it earlier. It would Real Player! community. As much as I like have helped me, as a rank Linux and games, I think that beginner who did not even Linux needs more marketshare touch Linux prior to just over a before it becomes a viable year ago when I came looking target for game companies. for an OS for a laptop I had bought. I wish you would cover more newbie basics as they were my biggest headache! Namely; Flash, Java, and how CORRECTIONS TO to get media to play. This is far FCM#23 from easy, and took me more than six months before In response to Question #2: A everything, well nearly separate /home partition has everything, played correctly. not been necessary in a while. Also I would love to see more Ubuntu's installers do not articles on what is out there. I remove directories named am a member of Ubuntu "home" when installing. Also, if Forums and every so often you just get an alternate CD someone brings everyone's instead of a live CD, you can attention to a piece of software upgrade using it. I had frankly never heard of before, and then there are In response to Question #3: A those games found at swap partition is necessary if getdeb.net. Why haven't they you want to be able to
full circle magazine #24 28 contents ^ UBUNTU WOMEN
EK: I was primarily self-taught - got involved via Ubuntu taking on projects that looked Women in early 2006. I was primarily self- fun, and getting involved with taught - taking on the community. From there I MS: In what project(s) are you projects that looked was hired as a Junior Sysadmin fun... active? and learned in a more "trial by EK: I do a lot of community fire" environment. work with Ubuntu, and maintain a couple of packages MS: This sounds impressive, for Debian, including being did you follow any LPI courses publish my own how-to and put part of the Debian LedgerSMB or similar? it online. team. I also coordinate the EK: Nope, essentially I'd just Philadelphia Linux Users Group find a project I want to do, find MS: A great way to give back! and the Philadelphia LinuxChix documentation in books or How and when did you first chapter. online on how to do it, and ask come in touch with Free people in the community along Software/Ubuntu? MS: How long have you been a the way if I need help. It's EK: I started using Linux in Debian package maintainer? surprising how much early 2002. The first project I EK: I contributed my first Hi, documentation is really out was involved with was package, dglog, in 2006. please tell us something about there; there are very few tasks bitlbee.org in 2005 - when I you first. I encounter that haven't been joined their IRC channel, and MS: What do you like most My completed and documented by learned through discussion that about Ubuntu? name is Elizabeth Krumbach. I someone before me. they needed their quickstart EK: The fantastic community. live just outside of Philadelphia documentation rewritten, I It's really reshaped my in the US, and work as a MS: True, I guess many people volunteered. As for Ubuntu, I impressions of what F/OSS Debian and Ubuntu Systems become Linux professionals had been using Debian since projects could achieve and be. Administrator for a local Linux- that way, as the openness isn't 2002. Ubuntu came up on my Not only is it wildly successful, centric technology services limited to the source code. radar when I was giving new but it's friendly and a real provider. EK: Absolutely, and the times I distros a try. Shortly after delight to be part of. As for the do find something that isn't trying it I installed it OS itself? It's the best desktop MS: How did you train to well-documented and I have to permanently on my laptop. OS I've ever used, stable, become a sys-admin? do the research myself, I There was no turning back! I configurable, and up to date.
full circle magazine #24 29 contents ^ UBUNTU WOMEN MS: As an active member of https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Beginn MS: Is it already in some your LoCo Team, do you have ersTeam Debian repository? tips how to motivate people to EK: No, the project that it participate more actively? MS: This is awesome, Ubuntu forked from, SQL-Ledger, is in EK: I believe the key is letting really covers all fields! Debian and Ubuntu. people know that any EK: Sure does. LedgerSMB is a more open, contribution is useful and community-driven project that important, and that no tends to accept patches and experience is required to get implement features more I believe the key is involved. Simply showing up readily so we'd like to see it letting people know for an event to support your included. that any GetDeb packages are built using fellow team members is more contribution is Debian/Ubuntu building rules, this helpful than most people useful... MS: Do you plan to package reduces development effort and believe. LedgerSMB for Ubuntu once it assures the same level of quality. is ready? However when new packages are MS: You are also involved with EK: The plan is to package it developed or major upgrades are the Ubuntu Classroom Project, for Debian and then have performed we do not follow a strict quality assurance process, could you tell us more about it? Ubuntu sync it from unstable, this is the accepted cost required EK: Sure, Ubuntu Classroom is MS: Back to your Debian work, but if more folks choose to step to achieve shorter release times. a central place where projects could you tell us more about up and help out I'd be willing to Still with a broader user base within Ubuntu can come to your involvement? package it for Ubuntu directly problems are quickly identified as host IRC-based classes to show EK: I am the co-maintainer for (a LP bug exists to do just that: fixed. It should also be noted that others in the community how WebCalendar, and recently 150374) we do not provide system core to do certain tasks usually have been putting in a lot of packages or major libraries which pertaining to their project. time with the Debian MS: So working for Debian is in could cause dependency problems or other major issues, in Classroom is also partnered LedgerSMB project, working to fact working for Ubuntu case you find a broken package with the Beginners Team to get LedgerSMB into the next upstream! recovery should be easily host a series of classes that Debian release. EK: Yep! achieved by reinstalling the cover just about any topic in Ubuntu official package. Ubuntu that people request MS: What exactly is MS: Thank you for the classes for. LedgerSMB? interview! EK: It's a web-based double www.getdeb.net MS: Oh, there is a Beginners entry accounting system, the Team? "SMB" stands for "Small EK: Yep! Medium Business"
full circle magazine #24 30 contents ^ UBUNTU GAMES
orld of Goo has GAME NEWS taken the gaming industry by storm. • 1.6 This cute puzzle is out ‒ It comes with a new Wgame has been incredibly campaign called The popular for the Nintendo Wii Legend of Wesmere, new and Windows, now it has graphics, and improved reached Linux. I would like to multiplayer. thank 2D Boy for supplying a review copy of the game.
Straight off the bat, this game is excellent. It's unique, fun, and loved by everyone. World of Goo is basically a two purposes: first, to be able right amount of goo in the right puzzle game which uses to build a structure to the pipe, places to complete the level. If physics: you build structures and, second, to get this goo up you use too many goo balls on out of Goo balls. You need to the pipe. You need to have a one side or the other, it can • 0.8.0 is released – get these goo balls to a pipe. In certain amount of goo which easily topple over. There are The latest release is the total, there are 48 unique levels must go up the pipe, so you plenty of levels to complete, biggest release yet. It offers split across 5 chapters. What have to be careful not to waste many which will take quite a major new features such as makes these levels unique is them all on the structure. It can few attempts until you Group Chat and Improved how every level looks very be quite annoying - after understand what you have to game detection. different, and has its own building a complex structure to do. Once you have finished the soundtrack. This gives the the pipe, you may then not puzzles, there is an online game a different atmosphere have enough goo! The first few mode, called World of Goo and art style, which keeps it levels are simple enough, but Corporation. The aim of the fresh. quickly the levels become very game is to build the tallest goo complex and hard. When you tower in the world. You use the At the start of every level, first see some of the harder goo balls which you collect you are given a certain number levels, it looks like it's virtually from the chapters to build the of goo balls. These balls have impossible. You need to use the tower, which is uploaded to the
full circle magazine #24 31 contents ^ UBUNTU GAMES buy this game! There is a Gamers! demo, but you get to see only Full Circle would like to thank about a sixth of the game, and You can download and for supplying our it does not do this game purchase this game from review copy of World of Goo. are independent justice. I have shown people at http://2dboy.com for US$20. game producers who support my school this game, and they They provide a .deb file which Linux, please support them! loved it as soon as they saw it. works with Ubuntu. They found it enjoyable and funny how the Goo balls flop World of Goo servers. When about the place. World of Goo System Requirements you build the tower, you are is one of those games which is • 1GHz CPU Ed Hewitt able to see the height of other unknown to the mass market • 512MB RAM towers (currently the tallest who want to play GTA4 or Call • 100MB HDD Space tower is 50.82m high!). of Duty, but it is a real gem of • 3D Graphics Card a game. Simply, World of Goo Without a doubt, you must is a must-have game for Linux
Without a doubt, you must buy this game! - )
full circle magazine #24 32 contents ^ Q&A [email protected] Written by Tommy Alsemgeest Please include as much information as you can about your problem.
I've just purchased a not just burn the ISO file to the My question is about Windows. Is this possible new Minimac, and disc as a file. one thing that I'm without setting up DNS? would like to know if trying to do to older Q there is any problem Q machines to create an In windows, you installing Ubuntu on it using I currently run 8.10, LTSP server. I work at a school, should be able to boot camp? when I update where I would like to map the network Unfortunately, I don't through my package implement it, but I cannot find drive (My Computer > manager, will I lose all ATools > Map Network Drive), have a Mac to test Q a good tutorial to explain every this on, but my files? Secondly, in 9.04, I step, and what to do when and select the drive letter you apparently you use am hoping for better support something goes wrong with the want from there. Mapping it as Abootcamp to create a new for my Logitech Web cam STX - installation. a network drive should keep partition, boot up the Ubuntu currently there is a known the same drive letter whenever Live CD, use the partition issue with this camera in 8.10. There is a good how- it gets mounted. editor to delete the last Lsusb for the web cam says: to here: partition (the Windows one that http://linux4dummies. you just created). Quit the Bus 002 Device 003: ID wordpress.com/2007/0 Does memtest86 shut 046d:08ad Logitech, Inc. partition editor, then start the A6/29/ubuntu-ltsp-server/ and, if down automatically QuickCam Communicate STX. installer, and, when asked you have problems, search when it's done? where to install to, choose to Google on the problem Q When you upgrade to install to the free space. a new Ubuntu release (accompanied with the words through the update "ubuntu" and "LTSP"). If that Memtest never manager, all your returns no useful results, turn finishes, it keeps Afiles will remain, and programs to Ubuntu Forums. testing your RAM. When burning an .ISO will be upgraded. However, Once you've let it run Afor a reasonable amount of file, do I need to burn there is always a certain risk to a data CD? Or will a involved. The safest route is to I have a small Samba time (usually and hour or two Q music CD be OK? backup your files, and do a file/print sharing will show up any defects), just clean install from the Live CD, network up and exit the program. Ideally it should work or upgrade using the Alternate Q running, but what I on any blank CD. Just CD. For the Logitech webcam, would like to do is to force the make sure you burn there is a possible fix included Samba share to be mounted as A the file as an ISO, and in Jaunty (9.04). a specific drive letter in full circle magazine #24 33 contents ^ MY DESKTOP [email protected]
Dell Inspiron 530N (that came with Ubuntu 7.04 installed), currently running Ubuntu 8.10. Monitor: 1440 X 900 flat screen.
Wallpaper: A combination of 5 photos taken from my apartment complex, stitched together using Hugin, then cropped and resized. You are looking at the Town of Fountain Hills, East, toward the mountains. Four Peaks is the one with clouds over it. On the right, the "green spike" is the fountain for which Fountain Hills is named. It's green because the On my laptop, I decided to play with the Dust theme, and a few widgets picture was taken on St. Patrick's Day. The Team branding is an overlay and fonts, to find something to convince my Mac friends to reconsider on the original picture, created with Gimp of course. The colors are those their choices. I'm running Cairo Clock, Avant Dock, and the Dust theme of the Arizona State Flag. (with a few extra tweaks). I myself have been running Ubuntu since Feisty, and, while I have Debian, Fedora and Slackware machines in my Window decoration: Crux, changing the colors to those of the desert: the house, I use Ubuntu the most. My laptop is a 2.0 GHz Sony Vaio with red of some of the rocks around Red Rocks (Sedona), Arizona, and the 1.25 GB of RAM and an integrated 32 MB Radeon 9200 graphics card. tan of the sand/gravel used in the landscaping out here.
full circle magazine #24 34 contents ^ MY DESKTOP
A few notes about the desktop I am using: I combined two of my favorite images to create the graphic. GIMP was used to remove the background and other features of the glass Ubuntu logo, and make it transparent, and then scale it to fit in the water droplet area.
Here are the settings and themes I am using: Controls - GTK2-Glossy_P, Cursors - Blueglass-xcursors-3D, gdm theme - Relaxing-water, Icons - nuovext, Splash theme - water_splash_2_rounded, Window borders - Alphacube-metacity, Gnome I'm running 8.10, with Compiz Fusion and Emerald. The GTK theme is background - skyridge, Skydome picture - beautifulthings- TechniX by TheRob - found at gnome-look.org and/or deviantart.com. 1095739603.png, Firefox theme - firefox 3 linux 1.1, Desktop image is The Emerald theme is Crapsta by TheRob, modified by myself with the splash, combined with ubuntu-glass: buttons from Stanfield, both at gnome-look.org. As you can see, I have http://hqwalls.blogspot.com/2007/09/glass-ubuntu-hq-wallpaper.html the Avant Window Navigator, the icons are Royal Blue - also from gnome- look.org. I also modified and am using TheRob's conkyrc script. I like to I also did a few tweaks with compiz to enhance some of my drop change my Desktop look every so often just because I can. I have been shadows and change some transparencies of menus and dropdowns, using Linux since 1996, and Ubuntu since 4.10. I usually upgrade with and I unchecked expand on the top panel to make it shrink to the every new release - just to get the new features. I've tried both Kubuntu center of the top of the screen. and Xubuntu, but I keep coming back to Gnome.
full circle magazine #24 35 contents ^ MY DESKTOP
Here is my lovely desktop. I'm running Ubuntu 8.10, and this is a As a student in informatics, I spend most of my time around my compilation of 'screenlet' applications, Gnome 2.24, and all the computer. It encourages me to think twice about which wallpaper or wonderful things you can find at http://www.gnome-look.org/. As you icons I choose. The wallpaper has been downloaded from the can see by the meters on the desktop, this environment is too heavy for Desktography Project. They have a yearly collection of refreshing my laptop specs, so now I'm running Ubuntu with default settings. It's wallpapers. The icons used are Gnome-Colors, and the theme is an old not bad! My laptop specs: HP NX6125, AMD Turion 64 1.8GHz, RAM 896, fork of Frozen. This all is shown using Compiz Fusion, Gnome, and ATI Radeon 200M 128MB (shared). And, please, if it is possible, promote Ubuntu 8.10 - on a Sony Vaio VGN-FE21H with 2GB SODIMM-RAM, and an the magazine on the Ubuntu homepage, because it is a shame if even Intel Centrino Duo clocking at 1.66 GHz. one ubuntu user doesn't know about Full Circle!
full circle magazine #24 36 contents ^ MY DESKTOP
I am running Ubuntu 8.10 Remix on my Acer Aspire One (120GB Hard Drive). Boot-up time is around 30 seconds, and all the applications are very fast on this little netbook. I have it loaded up with a few extra applications, including VLC, Songbird, Gnome Do, as well as some applications for programming. The Remix display and layout took a little getting used to, but now I absolutely love it, and prefer it for these little netbooks. To set up your Acer Aspire One with Ubuntu or Ubuntu Remix, look here ‒ https://help.ubuntu.com/community/AspireOne. I am running Intrepid Ibex on a Gateway GT5418E Desktop Computer, with an AMD Athlon X2 processor and onboard Nvidia. I am using Cairo The theme that I am using is "Dust", which is my favorite and standard Dock, compiz-fusion, and a customized Emerald theme. I've used Ubuntu theme for all my Ubuntu computers. It can be found here ‒ since Edgy Eft, and, before that, used another Debian-based KDE-centric https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Artwork/Incoming/DustTheme. The wallpaper is system. barely visible through the Remix display panel, but is from the Dark Wood Linux wallpaper pack from gnome-look.org. I also have a really Personally, I love GNOME and the eye-candy and personal effects of nice and slick-looking non-default GDM that I found on DeviantArt, and Cairo Dock. I have also used AWN, but favor Cairo. The wallpaper is the thought was worth sharing (http://danrabbit.deviantart.com/art/Willwill- Yaquina Head Lighthouse in Oregon, USA. s-Intrepid-GDM-94051500).
full circle magazine #24 37 contents ^ TOP 10 The Best Of Top5, 2007-09
AstroMenace Extreme Tux Racer http://www.viewizard.com/astromenace/index_linux.php http://www.extremetuxracer.com/
While not the most Extreme Tux Racer is famous on this list, another extremely AstroMenace is by difficult and far one of the best addictive game. Like games I've ever Frozen Bubble, the played. It is, as you premise seems may have guessed, absurdly easy: race a space-shooter. In down a hill collecting this 3D space- herrings. However, scroller, you you need to get navigate a ship every single herring around asteroids to win. Oh, one more while destroying thing: you can't go enemy ships. Sure, backwards! And it sounds like just don't forget about another side- the slippery ice, the scroller, and it trees, the jumps, or would be, except for the time limit. the stunning 3D graphics. (Now Extreme Tux Racer would be a good time to tell you that you need a super hasn't yet made it into the repositories. Luckily, you can powerful graphics card and a ton of RAM.) download a .deb created by a user named Hamish. You can also install an older version known as To install AstroMenace in Ubuntu, you'll need to add a new using the package ` ` in the `universe` repository. Full instructions are available at repository. http://url.fullcirclemagazine.org/1de13a (scroll down to the apt repository section). After that, install the ` ` package.
full circle magazine #24 38 contents ^ TOP 10 - THE BEST OF TOP5, 2007-09
FreeCol Gnome Blog http://freecol.org/ http://www.gnome.org/~seth/gnome-blog/
FreeCol is a If you like the simplicity terrific open- of KBlogger, but use source clone of Gnome, give Gnome Sid Meier's turn- Blog a try. It's a simple based strategy Gnome Panel applet hit, Colonization that, like KBlogger, (heavily based focuses on simplicity on Civilization). and ease-of-use. It You start in 1492 supports WYSIWYG as the Dutch, editing, spell checking, the British, the images, and basic French, or the formatting. Protocols Spanish, and include Blogger, build up your MetaWeblog (including colony by Wordpress, Drupal, and trading with Windows Live Spaces), natives, Movable Type, and capturing Pyblosxom. enemy towns and settlements, To get Gnome Blog, and recruiting install the ` skilled (and unskilled) laborers. It even includes multiplayer ` from the `universe` repository. Then add the " for LAN or TCP/IP games. " to the Gnome panel by right-clicking on the panel, clicking "Add to Panel" and choosing "Blog Entry Poster." You can install FreeCol using the ` ` package in the `universe` repositories.
full circle magazine #24 39 contents ^ TOP 10 - THE BEST OF TOP5, 2007-09
HandBrake LMMS http://handbrake.fr/ http://lmms.sourceforge.net/
Originally LMMS (Linux developed for MultiMedia Studio) is BeOS, Handbrake another great all- first gained purpose sound editor. prominence as an Similar to the open-source DVD commercial Cubase or ripper for OS X. FL Studio, LMMS However, in early combines a powerful 2006, a group of synthesizer with a hackers forked great HandBrake and tracker/sequencer renamed it Media program to create an Fork. One of the amazing audio editor. new features With it, you can also added was a CLI capture input from port to Linux. A MIDI keyboards, write year later, the music with a great projects merged, song editor, add loops and now, and beats, or use HandBrake is one plugins for LADSPA and of the most prominent rippers on Linux, especially after the Cubase (with WINE). All wrapped into a powerful, yet easy to recent GTK+ GUI for the Linux port. use, Qt-based GUI.
Unfortunately, it's not in the Ubuntu repositories yet. So, to To install LMMS, all you need to do is get the ` ` package install Handbrake, you'll need to use the official .deb at the in the `universe` repository. download page.
full circle magazine #24 40 contents ^ TOP 10 - THE BEST OF TOP5, 2007-09
Midori Tilda http://midori.sourceforge.net/ http://tilda.sourceforge.net/wiki/index.php/Main_Page
For those who An oldie but goodie, liked Arora's fast, Tilda was created by lightweight, Tristan Sloughter (aka WebKit-powered kungfooguru) in engine, but didn't December 2004. like Qt, Midori is Named after the tilde worth a go. Since (~), this powerful it's WebKit, it's terminal is modeled blazing fast. And after the gaming it also has quite a terminals found in few features - Quake and many of its tabs, lots of derivatives. With a interface simple key customizability, combination, Tilda will proxies, and a gracefully slide down very handy form from the top of the filler. However, it screen, and present a still manages to full terminal. Hit the stay light and combination again, and unbloated - a the terminal quickly lesson for many other browsers.... Note that, like Arora, it is slides out of view, waiting in the background for another order. definitely heavy alpha, so only the brave should install it. It even provides a multi-tabbed interface, so you can have multiple terminals running at the same time. To install Midori, grab the ` ` package from the `universe` repository. You can also grab the ` ` To install Tilda, grab the ` ` package from the `universe` package if you're having some problems debugging it. repository. After installing, run: tilda -C to configure it.
full circle magazine #24 41 contents ^ TOP 10 - THE BEST OF TOP5, 2007-09
VirtualBox Wormux http://www.virtualbox.org/ http://www.wormux.org/
This VM (virtual machine) Most of us have played the application, owned by classic 1995 game Worms. Sun Microsystems and It was an old side-scroller created by a small where you make worms company called innotek, blow each other up with is one of the most rifles, bazookas, grenades, popular virtualization shotguns, Uzis, and solutions for Ubuntu. It's Priceless Ming Vases. Well, the third most popular although it still exists as a method to run Windows commercial series, a GPL apps on Linux, according spinoff known as Wormux to DesktopLinux.com has been released. Instead (trailing Wine, which is of worms, you fight with not an OSS mascots--Tux and emulator/virtualizer, and Mozilla are two examples. VMWare, which is But don't worry, the Holy proprietary). There's Hand Grenade is still there. good reason: it has a bevy of features, including snapshots, shared folders, RDP, To install the latest stable ability to use host USB, and a lot of advanced hardware version of Wormux, grab the ` ` package in the virtualization. `universe` repository.
There are two versions of VirtualBox. Installing the open- source edition is easy: just install the ` ` package in the `universe` repositories. If you want to install the enhanced but closed-source version, you'll need to visit the website and download the .deb. Andrew Min
full circle magazine #24 42 contents ^ F
HOW TO CONTRIBUTE - Ronnie Tucker [email protected] - Rob Kerfia We are always looking for new articles to include in Full Circle. For article [email protected] guidelines, ideas, and for issue translation, please see our wiki: - Robert Clipsham http://wiki.ubuntu.com/UbuntuMagazine [email protected] Please email your articles to: [email protected]
Robert Orsino Mike Kennedy David Haas If you would like to submit , email it to: [email protected] Jim Barklow Jason Crane Send your or Linux experiences to: [email protected] Gord Campbell David Sutton Hardware/software should be sent to: [email protected] And our thanks go out to for Q&A should go to: [email protected] Canonical, the Ubuntu Marketing Team and the many translation screens should be emailed to: [email protected] teams around the world. ... or you can visit our at: www.fullcirclemagazine.org
A magazine isn't a magazine without articles and Full Circle is no exception. We need your Opinions, Desktops and Stories. We also need Reviews (games, apps & hardware), How-To articles (on any K/X/Ubuntu subject) and any questions, or suggestions, you may have. Send them to: [email protected]
full circle magazine #24 43 contents ^