Mick Redman's blog

Don't laugh! Today I made a wonderful discovery in Ubuntu:
Accessories -> Character map -> Common
The character list is fantastic. All the mathematical symbols you could ever want and a whole lot more. Icons, commonly used in IT. Really useful if you do web development and need to create icons.

At last 29th October 2009 arrived. The release of Ubuntu 9.10, codenamed Karmic Koala. I was looking forward to it's arrival because I see improvements in every version of Ubuntu and very few backward steps. So here is what happened when I stuck the CD in for a clean (from scratch) installation,  and switched on.
The installation procedure had required fewer steps and looked prettier.
Beyond me clicking on the 'Install' button, most of the copying and installing was fast. The installation process was then let down somewhat by the 'Installing language packs' stage. If this could be stripped back to only the language packs associated with their language choice then, this would be better.
I am then asked if I would like to restart, and with much excitement, I did.
The boot up process was looking good. Black screen, nice white logo. Brown gradient, another white logo. Black screen cursor with dial, just waiting for something to kick in. Still waiting. Still waiting! Nothing! No information as to what might be wrong. No way to get out of this situation. More restarts, same problem. Bump!
OK. My computer was working in Jaunty (9.04). I'll install that and do an upgrade. Nope still the same problem.
Because there was no GRUB option, there was also (seemingly) no way of knowing what the problem was.
I read the release notes. There was mention of DVI problems, so I went to analogue. This didn't help.
I then started to randomly removed peripherals from the computer. Finally it transpired that the offending items were none other than my Logitech USB headphones.
I was forced to use the Logitech USB headphones since in the past, no jack headphone/microphone combinations had worked with Ubuntu for me. So the fact that these caused a problem was a worry to me.
Low and behold the jack headphone/microphone combination worked. So here is some good news. I can now create some screen casts and music, like never before.
The Ubuntu Software Centre was a step in the right direction but I still think there is some work to be done here. I'd like to be able to get the free Skype player, iPlayer, RealPlayer etc from here one day.
Firefox 3.5 looks good.
I'd like Skype and Facebook chat easily available from Empathy.
There was the usual silliness over the default keyring. This really does need improving.
On the whole, I would still use Ubuntu over Windows any day. Although I suffered from some significant problems during the installation, it is already the finished article for me, and I look forward to 10.04.

An irritating piece of malware this. I always get irritated by Norton too, which always seems to prevent me from installing the software I need to get rid of malware. In this latest instance, I could run anything. Not even regedit or msconfig. It appeared that the user's right to run programs had been taken away.

So here is what I did.
I put the programs which would remove the malware on to a USB key.
I shut the computer down and restarted it. This time pressing the <F8> key to give me the Windows startup options.
I then chose to startup in safe mode.
This time, Windows gave me the opportunity to log-in as 'Administrator', and because we were in safe mode, I didn't get the SecurityTool malware.
I then uninstalled everything Norton so that I knew nothing would get in the way.
I then copied Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware from my USB key to the desktop and ran it. Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware found over 150 pieces of malware, including SecurityTool.
I then installed AVG, so that the computer would have virus protection.

So I get this easy IT me call. "Our computer seems to be behaving strangely. Can you come and look at it?". "Certainly" I say, and turn up at their place.
Nice couple. Two children at university, leaving them with the computer. "When my daughter comes home she can't seem to get access to iTunes, Internet access keeps going down, and the computer is generally a bit slow".

OK. Let's deal with the slowness first. Can the computer outlets such as supermarkets and big PC stores (you know who you are), not underspec machines just to sell them at a lower price. This couple were running XP with 256MB of RAM.

Let's now move on to the iTunes problem. Can the computer outlets such as supermarkets and big PC stores (you know who you are), not deliver computers with crapware. People do not want to be shelling out for Norton after they have paid good money for a computer. I wanted to install AVG and Firefox for them, but I couldn't because Norton wasn't letting me. The only way I could improve thier computing choices was to remove Norton. Hooray! for this web page http://www.pchell.com/virus/uninstallnorton.shtml
which led me to downloading the Norton Removal Tool.

Having removed Norton I was able to install AVG, which then started finding viruses right, left and centre, so what Norton had been doing I don't know.

Viruses cleared, I was able to install Firefox and then everyone would be happy.

Finally, Internet access. When there is a problem with Internet access in an area, as there has been since July/August, when there had been work on the local infrastructure, can providers stop telling us to do the following:
Restart your modem.
Check your cables are in correctly.
Stop using peer-to-peer software etc.

Can providers please look at themselves for the problem.

Today I implemented a couple of drop shadows. The first is an implementation of the Eric Benoit method. I just really added images I'd created in GIMP and contained my content in a container div.
Here is an example of how it looks. http://homepage.ntlworld.com/c.redman2/mick.html

The file looks like this:
.ds1, .ds2, .ds3, .ds4, .ds5, .ds6, .ds7, .ds8, .ds9, .ds10 {
display:inline-table;
/* \*/display:block;/**/
}

.ds1 {
float:left;
}

.ds2 {
background:url(leftShadow.png) left top repeat-y;
}

.ds3 {
background:url(bottomShadow.png) left bottom repeat-x;
}

.ds4 {
background:url(bottomLeftShadow.png) left bottom no-repeat;
}

.ds5 {
background:url(topShadow.png) left top repeat-x;
}

.ds6 {
background:url(rightShadow.png) right top repeat-y;
}

.ds7 {
background:url(topLeftShadow.png) left top no-repeat;
}

.ds8 {
background:url(topRightShadow.png) right top no-repeat;
}

.ds9 {
background:url(bottomRightShadow.png) right bottom no-repeat;
}

.ds10 {
/* padding: 4px; */
padding:20px;
}

The HTML looks like this:

<div id="shadowContainer">
<div class="ds1">
<div class="ds2">
<div class="ds3">
<div class="ds4">
<div class="ds5">
<div class="ds6">
<div class="ds7">
<div class="ds8">
<div class="ds9">
<div class="ds10">

    <div id="container">
        <div id="header"><h1>mick redman</h1></div>
        <div id="wrapper">
            <div id="content">Hello world!
            </div>
        <div id="extra"></div>
        <div id="footer"></div>
    </div>
</div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>
</div>

Some people have a lot of difficulties with webcams under ubuntu. Me included. It's not the fault of Canonical, the ubuntu community, or even GNU/Linux. It's the manufacturers not providing a GNU/Linux driver. I believe that I now have the answer, which I will implement on my next installation, having now made a mess of this one trying to solve it. I shall first go through the steps of how I found the solution, in the hope that these steps may help others.
In order to avoid problems in the first place, before buying a webcam you should look at this page https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Webcam
Which also mentions http://linux-uvc.berlios.de/ conatining a listing of those webcams which will cause you the least difficulties.
I got my webcam before this page had matued or even existed so I got a Logitech Quickcam Pro 4000, which wasn't of course listed on http://linux-uvc.berlios.de/ I therfore looked at the second site mentioned on https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Webcam which was http://www.quickcamteam.net/devices . Here I fould mine listed under Non-UVC.
Here I found that my webcam was in fact, a pwc type.
Further up the page was a link which would tell me what to do when I'd identified my type. This led me to this site
http://www.saillard.org/linux/pwc/
From here I dowloaded the file http://www.saillard.org/linux/pwc/INSTALL.en and from here I have all I need to install a driver which will work.
If I end up with an error like "open /dev/video0: Permission denied" I will follow the instructions on this page http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1058495

I have discovered a nice little utility. It's called alltray. You can get by opening a terminal and typing:
sudo apt-get install alltray
The utility puts ubuntu applications into the tray. OK. So?
Well. Here's how you can use it. I'm going to use pidgin as an example.
System->Preferences->Startup applications->Add
In the command box type alltray pidgin.
Now, when you start up not only is pidgin minimised to the tray, but as people come and go into your instant messaging accounts, you will be notified by the new exciting Jaunty notitfiier.
Cool eh?

This one is actually by Tim Huffam See http://geekswithblogs.net/TimH/archive/2006/03/20/72797.aspx. I just included it in my blog to keep it handy.

1. Open your image.
2. Select the area you want to make transparent.
   1. Select the appropriate selection tool from the Tool window or the Tools - Selection Tools menu on the Layer window.  I usually use the magic wand/fuzzy select (Select contiguous region) tool or the Select regions by color tool.
   2. Click in the region you want selected.  Use shift-click to add more regions/colors.
      Tip: It's easier if you zoom in (View - Zoom menu) to see finer details of exactly what you're selecting.
3. In the Layer window (the one showing your image), select Layer - Transparency - Add Alpha Channel.  If this is blanked out then it's already done.  This makes sure your image can store transparency data.
4. Select Edit - Clear.  This makes the selection transparent.
5. Save the file. 

Get your image from http://www.istockphoto.com
Resize the height of your image to the height of the banner:Select the new layer.Change the fill type to "Pattern tool". If "clipboard" is not selected, then select it.
Bucket fill the new layer and it should fill it with a replica of the clipboard.
Finally you will need to bring the layer which had the original image to the top.
Now save your image.

Yes I know there is probably a better, more simpler method of doing this but basically, I just couldn't find it. Not in the OpenOffice.org help system, not in the forums and not with trial and error using the folder where the bullet images are stored. So here is a way round the fact that the I, after 16 years in computing and 4 years using OpenOffice.org could not add my own little image as a bullet point.

First. create your graphic. Mine was 12x12pixels.

Then in OpenOffice.org 3 go to the menu bar and choose Insert->Picture->From file->Pick out your graphic.

Left justify your image using the button on the button bar.

Add text in the position, font and size that you want.

Double click on the graphic to bring up dialogue box.

Choose the Wrap tab.

Change spacing so that it fits. In the case of Cortoba font size 12 the values for spacing are:

Left : 0.10cm

Right : 0.10cm

Top : 0.30cm

Bottom : 0.10cm

The chances are that you'll only have to play with the Top value.

Gloriously, you are now all set.

I decided to take the following steps and just try and fix any problems which came up along the way:

1. Install Wine. I had a fairly good idea that the driver would be available but only in Windows form.

2. Search for the driver on the Netgear website and install using Wine.

3. Install ndiswrapper.

4. Install the driver using ndiswrapper.

Here are the problems I encountered and how I overcame them.

1. No problems.

2. In my search for the correct driver, I found this page on the Netgear website. After installing the driver using Wine, a directory was created and the necessary files were stored under '/home/simon/.wine/dosdevices/c:/windows/inf/WG511v2'.

3. No problems. I installed ndiswrapper from Applications->Add/Remove...

4. I ran ndiswrapper using System-Administration->Windows Wireless Drivers.

On launching the program I received and error message which said "Unable to see if hardware is present". Rightly or wrongly, Ignored this message and carried on.

I clicked the 'Install New Driver' button and picked out the 'WG511v2.INF' file and clicked 'Install'.

I was then able to right-click on the Network icon in the top-right panel and choose 'Edit connections'. I then moved to the wireless tab and added mu local network information, restarted and hey presto!

Having installed NetBeans 6.5 on my ubuntu 8.10 desktop I now needed to configure it for usage with my LAMP server. NetBeans wasn't very clever at finding my server so the first thing I had to do was create a symlink to a server location on my desktop computer.
To create a symlink from your server location to your desktop:
Open a nautilus window to your server location.
Open a nautilus window to your desktop computer location where you want the symlink to go.
Hold down the ctrl+shift keys and drag the server location on to the desktop location.
Voila A symlink from your desktop computer to your server.

This provides us with an opportunity to create a project on the server.

Creating a PHP project
Obviously click on the 'Create a project' button and choose to create a PHP application.
Give the project a name.
Now. This is where the symlink helps. In the sources folder field, browse to the location of your symlink.
Right-click on the symlink and choose 'New folder'.
Add something similar to your project name, obviously with spaces etc.
Hit the next button to take you to the 'Run Configuration'.
Leave the field 'Run As' as 'Local web site', enev though it sounds daft.
Change the 'Project URL field to point to the folder location as it will exist on your server.
Now you are all set.

As if XP wasn't messed up by design.
Avoiding the worse case scenario
The first thing we need to mention is something really obvious. Something we all know we should do, but don't...
Back up regularly!
There is something called the "Last Known Good Configuration feature". First you need to set it up in Automatic mode. Use this link to do that: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/818903/en-us
Then, when it's set up you can use it like so:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/306084/
or
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307852
This helps when disaster does strike, because you are then in a position to make choices. Shall I just scrap it and start again, shall I spend the weekend recovering my computer, shall I get one on freecycle.org etc.
There is also a Microsoft Windows Recovery Console which provides many useful tools for when the system has gone down, but needs installing before you have a problem. It also requires you to have your Windows XP CD. Many people I have helped gave me a blank look when I mentioned the XP CD. See http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307654
When it has gone wrong
First you need to recover your data. For this, I always use a ubuntu live CD. See http://www.ubuntu.com
Here are instructions on how to use the ubuntu CD to get your data back. See
http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/windows-vista/use-ubuntu-live-cd-to-backup-files-from-your-dead-windows-computer/
Turning over a new leaf
So, all that money, you inadvertently spent (or did not) on Microsoft licenses didn't work out. Isn't it time you tried something else, even if it's just for fun. You know that ubuntu live CD you created to save your data... well there is an operating system on there which you can install on to your computer. Just think. No more paying for any software... ever! Better performance, years after you installed it (not just for the first 3 months).

Today I upgraded to netbeans 6.5
Here are the instructions of how to do it.

To install the packages, please,

1. add deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/yulia-novozhilova/ubuntu intrepid main universe into /etc/apt/sources.list
2. Confirm the PPA key's fingerprint:save a key as text file: http://keyserver.ubuntu.com:11371/pks/lookup?op=get&search=0x3160CFCCBD4FE73C
3. Then go to Desktop > Administration > Software Sources give your root passwd. After the window comes up go to the Authentication tab, there will be a "Import Key File" button. Press that then go to the text file and add the key.
4. sudo apt-get update
5. sudo aptitude install

I don't know why this happens, but all of a sudden you go to the "Add/Remove" option under the "Applications" menu and there is nothing listed. Any way here is the solution:
sudo apt-get --reinstall install gnome-app-install

Uninstall Unneeded Programs

Control Panel->Add/Remove Programs

 

Adjust Visual Effects for Better Performance

Control Panel->Performance and Maintenance->Adjust visual effects->Choose custom and start unchecking boxes.

 

Stop Programs from starting on Windows boot

Run->msconfig.exe->system configuration utility->"service" or "startup" tab

Uncheck all programs that you don't want to use.

 

Turn Off Windows Indexing Service

My Computer->View->Explorer Bar->Search->Change preferences->Without Indexing Service.

 

Disconnect Unused Network Connections

My Computer->Tools->Disconnect Network Drive.

Select the network drives that you no longer need.

 

Rejuvenate Prefetch

Run->Prefetch->Control+A to select all the files.

Press Delete.

 

Change Scheduling
Control Panel->Performance and Maintenance->Advanced->Processor scheduling->Background services.

Use Disk Cleanup to free up wasted space

Defragment Your Hard Drive

Scan Your Hard Disk

Scan for Viruses

Check for Spyware and Adware

Another call I had recently was from a gentleman whose computer had been infected by the Vundo trojan horse. I found this page on wikipedia which was a good start. I then started surfing for how to destroy the Vundo trojan. The customer already had Spybot Search & Destroy installed. He also had the up to date security features of Microsoft Windows XP and McAfee Anti-Virus, but still Vundo had neither been picked up or destroyed. After trying various pieces of software, then only one which did the job was SuperAntiSpyware.

The other day I was called by an Easy IT Me customer. Their daughter had been doing some work at school which involved embedding images in a document, which she now wanted to print at home. She had saved the document in .docx format. When she loaded the document in OpenOffice.org 2.4, the images would not appear. No reference to them at all.

I then discovered this : http://katana.oooninja.com/w/odf-converter-integrator

When I installed it, Eureka! The images appeared.

When you record your screencast using gtk-recordmydesktop the ouput is an ogg file. Your file still needs to meet the needs of youtube if you are to vodcast. For this you will need a line like this....

mencoder oo1.ogg -oac mp3lame -ovc lavc -ofps 30 -vf scale=320:240 -o oo1.mpg

This is the page you need. Why reinvent the wheel.